The Gifts of Fate

Chapter 5

"You saw the Moirai standing on top of your bed?" Denise gaped in disbelief. "You said you could see the future. You didn't say anything about Gods."

"I can," Shilpy stared at her feet, "but I also saw this. You asked me what my vision revealed the night of the Ritual of Seers; I saw the Moirai. I saw them, and I ran."

Denise opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. What must she be thinking? Shilpy grimaced, but the waitress arrived with their coffee, momentarily killing the conversation.

Denise stared at Shilpy coolly while their drinks were served. Her nostrils flared for a brief instance. There was that look again. Shilpy sighed inwardly and wondered if she would ever be normal.

"Are you having a joke?" Denise leaned across the table, once the waitress left. Shilpy shook her head. "You expect me to believe you saw the goddesses of fate. That's impossible."

"Believe me, I didn't want to see them. I don't know if it is my curse seeking them out or the Moirai coming to me." Shilpy shuddered at the thought.

"I can't help you if you are going to keep secrets from me," Denise said, failed to hide the heat in her voice. "You told me you fled from Angela and Keres Ter Nyx."

Shilpy blinked. "I did."

"So you lied." Denise's face dropped as if suddenly possessed by an unpleasant thought. "You believe in it all don't you. I thought we both ran to get away from their lies. All the crap the Mothers spouted, you think it's real."

Shilpy bit her lower lip. She couldn't afford to lose her friend. Denise was the only one that Shilpy could confide in. Even if she tried to tell Dusk he wouldn't get it. He would never have heard of the Moirai, or of Nyx. Denise had more knowledge when it comes to the ancient ways than anyone Shilpy knew.

"Angela tried to kill me," Shilpy said.

"That's not the point."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The point is you left them. You abandoned what they taught when you knew it was true. You sat there listening to me insult and mock their teachings. All the while..." Denise froze and the blood drained from her face. "You still worship them, don't you. You still pray to Nyx in the night."

Shilpy looked away.

"What must you think of me, if you still believe in the Gods. I abandoned my only sister and the Mothers teaching. I walked away from all of it, turned my back on Nyx and her children. You must think I'm a heretic."

"No, I'm the heretic," Shilpy said in a voice that was barely louder than a whisper. "I saw and denounced them to Angela's face. I told her they weren't divine, they were horrible. The truth is, I don't know what I saw, or what they are. I don't know whether they're gods, figments of my imagination, nightmares, hallucinations brought about by my curse or something else entirely."

The look on Denise face shifted, and Shilpy felt a surge of hope. What I was talking about wasn't their dogma.

"You don't think they are a hallucination, do you?"

Shilpy shook her head once again. "Whatever they are, whatever my relationship is with them and the undeniable sense that they want something from me, that is real." Denise slumped back in her chair. She massaged her forehead with her knuckles, and her eyes took on a far-away expression. Shilpy reached across the table for her other hand. Denise didn't take it, but she didn't pull away either. There was still hope then.

"You asked me what I think about you: I think you are the smartest, wisest and most beautiful person I know. I... I need you. I don't know how I would survive without you."

Denise looked a little embarrassed and surprised by the outburst. The two women stared at each other for a long moment and then their hands found their way together. Shilpy smiled. Denise rolled her eyes.

"Most beautiful person you know, huh?"

"Absolutely, although remember I don't know that many people."

"Bitch," Denise said in exasperation. "Alright, if what I think matters to you, then here is what I think. I don't believe that you saw the Moirai. I think you should be far more weirded out by your uninvited guest last night. I think you had a bad dream."

Shilpy's heart sank. She still didn't believe. After all that, she was on her own after all.

"However, I can't deny that your dream scares the shit out of you. So let's pretend something spiritual and otherworldly is going on. If we dig deep enough, maybe your dream is trying to tell you something. So tell me what's going on"

"I think Dusk is in trouble."

Denise frowned, "Ok."

Shilpy told her about the most recent vision of Dusk being overwhelmed by shadows and the harpy-like figure looming over him. Denise listened intently, and the longer Shilpy talked, the more her expression changes from skepticism to concentration and interest.

"A harpy?" she said. "You're sure."

"I didn't take it seriously at first because it was so out there. Except after... after my dream."

Denise chewed on her bottom lip. "The woman, no the creature, you describe sounds familiar." Denise pulls out her phone and manipulates the screen with her finger. "Ok, the Moirai represent order and fate. In the dream, what do you think they wanted?" she asked.

"They said to come to them, but maybe they were there to warn me."

"Unlikely. The Moirai are the goddesses of Fate. By their nature, they would want you to stumble into trouble. There," she said triumphantly.

"What is it?"

"I found your nightmare. Except she isn't a woman or an animal. She's another goddess." Denise shuffled her chair next to Shilpy and shared her phone. On the small screen was an article explaining Greek mythology. An artist's interpretation of the harpy creature from last night stared at them from behind the screen. Shilpy read the caption below.

"Eris." Her heart went cold. There was more information, but she didn't need to read it. "The Goddess of Discord and strife. A creature who either used chaos and strife to fuel ambition, or to destroy men everywhere, depending on who you ask." She recited from memory.

"Eris has her own family. A group similar to Keres Ter Nyx, calling themselves the Erisians or Knights of Eris." Denise said. "If your dream is symbolic of anything, it isn't a healthy mind. If I'm right and this was all just a dream then maybe you feel like your life is out of balance and you are looking for order."

"What if I'm right?" Shilpy asked.

"If you're right, then that is a whole other question."

"What question is that?"

"What would Eris want with Dusk?"