Autumn Dawn (Fate's Intent Book 11)

by Bowles, April

  “Everyone knows of the first generation of Great Seni Fighters. Their skills are worshiped and now you’re union with the Kalu Assassins have proven once again to be an unusual act of Fate.”

  “Sir?”

  “It’s written in your destiny to be with my daughter and Dirk with Lana and the Prince with the Princess. They all knew that by joining the Kalu Assassins they would be shown the ones they’d be paired with for life.”

  “You mean they knew?”

  “You didn’t?”

  “No. I was told we could choose.”

  “Then they must be making it up to you to decide whether you accept this fate for yourself as they already have.”

  “I do if it means being with your daughter, sir. She’s the most amazing girl I ever met.”

  Porter smiled. “That she is Bryce and I admire your respect for her. She is truly lucky to have found you.”

  “Thank you, sir but it is I who am the lucky one.”

  “You better get down there before they start thinking I threw you over board.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I started back down the stairs towards the door leading below deck when Porter called me again. “Bryce!” I turned back to look. “I’m glad we had this talk.”

  “Me too, sir.”

  Porter nodded as I walked through the door and down the stairs to the others. Lana and Dirk were laying together in her bunk while Cadence and Seth were together in hers.

  “There you are.” Seth said. “Get lost?”

  “No. I just had an interesting chat with Porter.”

  Naomi gasped. “I apologize if he threatened you.”

  I sat down with her in her bunk and laughed. “No, he didn’t threaten me but he did hear our conversation on the deck and that’s how it started.”

  Dirk looked shocked. “I’m surprised you’re even alive.”

  “It was fine. He knows who we are now and said it’s the work of Fate but you three already knew that.”

  There was a pause as everyone looked at each other because of what I said like they were thinking about it.

  “Well, of course we did.” Cadence said. “So didn’t everyone else but you.”

  “And now it’s really up to you whether you want the same things.” Naomi added.

  “What’s to think about?” Dirk wondered.

  “Ah, careful. You know that means you’ll be stuck with me for the rest of your life if you choose that.” Lana said as she pulled him down to her and kissed him.

  “You mean, stuck with you like this for the rest of my life? It would be torture not to accept.” Lana smiled back and they started kissing.

  Cadence laughed. “Well, I guess we know his answer.”

  “And you already know mine.” Seth said.

  Cadence smiled and pulled him into her lips.

  “What about you?” Naomi asked me. “I can help you decide, if you need it.”

  I quickly leaned into her and now everyone was kissing through the silence.

  A few minutes later, Porter walked in to go to his quarters and Naomi quickly pushed me away from her. “Father!”

  Porter smiled which I guess was better than scowling at us. “You’ve wasted no time, I see.”

  “We just—”

  Porter held up his hand while he walked through to the other door. “It’s fine, Naomi. I don’t want to be the disciplinarian here. You’re an adult now but you should really get some sleep. We’ll be arriving at the docks in Rugis by morning and you’ll need the rest for your travel.”

  Naomi nodded as Porter walked into the next room and closed the door behind him.

  “He’s right.” Cadence said. “We should get to sleep. We’ll have a lot of walking to do tomorrow.”

  Naomi sighed. “But I’m not even close to being tired yet.”

  “Well, get tired. I don’t want to hear you complain tomorrow.”

  Naomi looked over and smiled at me. “Okay. I know how I can get tired.” We started kissing again as she pulled me onto her and of course I didn’t fight it.

  “Naomi! No one wants to see you do that.”

  “Then don’t watch.”

  I don’t know what she did at first but we looked different, almost like we were ghosts but then I figured it out. She turned both of us invisible so they truly couldn’t watch. I loved it.

  “That’s nice.” Seth sighed like he was jealous. We haven’t started anything yet. I think Naomi was just waiting for their reactions but Cadence was more comfortable about it than I thought.

  She smiled enticingly and started to close the curtain to her bunk while leaning in to kiss him. “Don’t be jealous. I won’t ignore you.”

  The last thing I saw was Seth’s smile.

  “I think she’s over it.” Naomi whispered.

  I smiled and watched Dirk close his curtain as well.

  “Everyone is.”

  “Then it won’t be so bad if we do.” Naomi closed our curtain and made us reappear so we could see each other clearly then pulled me back on her.

  It was everything I wanted and it became easier than I expected to drown out the other sounds in the cabin and keep my focus directly on her where it belonged. I guess I should have been more respectable but she was much too persistent for me to hone into my gentleman-like qualities. In fact, she wasn’t asking for those whatsoever and I couldn’t say no.

  Chapter 27

  Seth

  We woke the next morning and got ourselves dressed, armed and ready. Once we were, we walked up on the deck to see that the ship was already docked.

  “Good morning!” Porter said. “I was wondering when you were going to get up.”

  “How long have we been here?” Cadence asked.

  “Just a short while. I was going to wake you when we arrived but I knew you were going to need the rest for the journey ahead.”

  “Okay. I guess we should be going.”

  We walked off the ship onto the docks and Porter approached the side. “I’ll be right here when you return to take you back. Good luck.”

  “Thank you, father.” Naomi said as she turned and waved to him.

  “So, Cadence.” Lana said. “Which way?”

  “This way.” She led us off the docks and into the wild.

  We started to travel through the rough rocky terrain in silence as Cadence constantly had her eyes on the map, making sure we were going the right way.

  “So.” Naomi said, breaking the silence. “Is this how it’s going to be?”

  “How what’s going to be?” Cadence asked while she was still looking down at the map.

  “Going on like last night didn’t happen?”

  “Wow, are we really talking about this because there’s nothing to talk about.”

  Lana laughed. “Really? That bad, huh?”

  “Hey! I’m right here!” I cut in.

  “I know.” Lana smiled. “I was just saying what she won’t.”

  “Don’t.” Cadence sighed. “That’s not what I was saying at all. It was great.” That made me look over at Dirk and Bryce with a smile, feeling better to hear her say it. “Now not another word until we get there, understand?”

  Lana didn’t reply and we kept walking towards our destination. We reached the high mountain pass where according to the map should lead us right to the cavern of Kyos. We stopped at a corner when voices were heard in the distance.

  I peeked around it and saw the cavern entrance with men coming and going then looked back at the others. “Okay, this is it.”

  “Good, because I’m ready to kill him.” Lana took a step forward, ready to go.

  “Wait.” Cadence said. “We need to check it out first so you know where he’ll be.”

  “How do you plan to do that?” I asked.

  Cadence smiled and looked at Naomi but she sighed. “I’m on it.” She turned invisible and I guess started around the corner.

  “Good.” Cadence said. “I’m going with her in case something happens. Ever
yone else needs to stay here. We’ll be right back.”

  We nodded as Cadence mimicked Naomi’s power and turned herself invisible. She left after her but Lana was getting mad and impatient. She was so eager to just go in there and kill the man that put her through her worst moments in life but she had to wait just a little longer. I knew a thing or two about waiting so I know how horrible it must have felt.

  She made it seem like she would just rather ignore us though. I guess that was her way. She climbed up on a rock away from us and closed her eyes, probably thinking about what she was going to do―eventually.

  “You should go talk to her.” I said, gently pushing Dirk forward.

  “What? Why?”

  “Look at her.” Bryce said. “She needs you and besides, she’s your girl. You already claimed her that first night.”

  “Agreed but what do I say?”

  “I don’t know.” I said. “Something heartfelt.”

  Dirk turned away from us and started walking toward Lana but we could still hear. “Lana?”

  “I’m fine, Dirk.” She remained to sit with her eyes closed like she wasn’t surprised he followed. “You don’t have to.”

  Dirk looked back at us and we silently urged him to get up there with her and continue to talk. He turned back and climbed up next to her. “But I do. I care about you and I don’t like seeing you like this.”

  Lana opened her eyes and looked over at him as she smiled. “I know and I admire that but there’s nothing you can do. It’s my burden and I don’t want you to feel as if you have to help me carry it.”

  “But you shouldn’t have to do it alone. I want you to know that I’m here for you.”

  Lana smiled and touched his face. “You’re sweet but it’s too late for that. I need to end this myself. He needs to pay for the things he did to me.”

  She started to tear up and leaned into Dirk. He put his arms around her as she cried. It was sad but we tried to stay completely out of it and let Dirk handle it. “He will pay and I would gladly do it for you if you’re not up to it.”

  “You don’t know how much I appreciate that but he needs to know it was me. I’m not the same helpless girl I was. I want to be the last thing he sees when he dies.”

  “You never deserved to be treated that way and you should know that I would never—”

  “I know you wouldn’t. The last three times were incredible, just the way I imagined it would be. I look forward to the next time. So, how about right now?”

  Dirk laughed. “Now, now? Out here?”

  “Is that too weird?”

  “If there’s one thing I’ve learned the last few days it’s that nothing can be weird around you.”

  Lana smiled and they leaned into each other and started kissing.

  Bryce and I were still watching and Lana started to remove Dirk’s clothes.

  “I think that went well.” Bryce said.

  “Yeah, I’m not watching this.” Bryce agreed with me and we both turned around and waited for the others to return, letting Lana and Dirk have as much privacy as we could give them.

  Chapter 28

  Cadence

  We had walked invisibly silent to the cavern and went inside. There were all kinds of men as well as crates of equipment and weapons but we didn’t know what for. We made our way through trying not to touch anything when someone yelled out.

  “Lana!” We froze and looked around. The man we saw must have been Kyos. He was walking around, looking for something and a dog ran to him. “There you are. Catch any rats today?” The dog barked a few times and Kyos laughed. “That’s my girl. We’re almost ready to leave so we should get a good night’s rest tonight.”

  The dog barked a few more times again and followed Kyos back farther in. We followed until we saw him enter another smaller part of the cavern that was separated by a curtain. That must have been where he stayed.

  We looked at each other and started to head back. Once we reached the corner we knew it was safe and turned back to normal so we could be seen.

  “How was it?” Seth asked.

  “You’re not going to believe it.” Naomi said.

  When we didn’t see Lana or Dirk, I sighed. “Where are they?”

  Seth and Bryce looked at each other and moved their heads back in the direction they were. Lana looked around a rock. “Give me a second!”

  I sighed again. “We’re out doing our jobs while they’re back here—” I turned away and didn’t even finish my sentence like I couldn’t. I don’t really like to hear about other people’s business, let alone talk about it.

  “Well, that’s lucky.” Naomi smiled. “Maybe I should have stayed.” Bryce smiled back as she got closer to him and they kissed.

  “Later.” I said. “We didn’t come here for this, remember?”

  Naomi got disappointed and Lana and Dirk finally walked back to us.

  “Sorry. I was in the moment.” Lana said.

  “Are you out of it now?” Naomi asked.

  Dirk smiled. “Sadly, yes.”

  “Don’t worry. There’s plenty more where that came from.” He smiled at her and they kissed but I cleared my throat politely for them to stop. “Right, sorry, again.”

  “So, what were you saying was so great?” Seth asked.

  “Oh!” Naomi said. “He has a dog.”

  “Okay. How is that great?”

  “Guess what her name is?”

  I looked right over at Lana and Bryce laughed. “He named his dog after you? How psychotic?”

  “Well, I guess he remembers you.” Dirk smiled.

  “I must have been the best thing he ever had.”

  “And no question why.”

  Lana smiled but she thankfully held off her reply. “So, is that how I’m getting in? By being his dog?”

  “Eventually.” I said. “But first you have to get the dog to come out here so there’s no confusion and so you can see what you need to look like.”

  “Okay. How am I going to do that?”

  “She likes rats.” Naomi smiled.

  “Rats?”

  “Yeah, you turn yourself into a rat and let her chase you out here so we can hold her.”

  “But don’t get caught.”

  Lana sighed. “All right but be ready to catch her when I bring her out.”

  I nodded as Lana transformed herself into a rat. “Okay, you’ll find him all the way in the back with the dog. Good luck and be quick about it.”

  Lana scampered off towards the cavern while we stayed behind this time but she’d still be watched. I used Bryce’s vision and followed behind her as if I was really there.

  She carefully snuck around unseen to the back, crawling under the curtain to the dog sleeping on the floor next to the cot.

  The dog opened her eyes after smelling something and saw the rat in front of her. She quickly got up as Lana turned and ran out of there with the dog chasing her as planned. I followed her through the cavern in a zigzag pattern until she reached the exit. I didn’t think she was going to be fast enough out in the open but she was resourceful. She quickly turned herself into a small cat to run faster as she continued to be chased and she led the dog to us.

  “Good.” I said.

  “I thought you were supposed to be a rat.” Naomi said.

  Lana climbed into her clothes before changing back and she was breathing heavily from the run. “I was at first but it wasn’t quick enough. No wonder she likes them. She catches them all the time.”

  “I hope no one saw you turn.”

  “Don’t worry.” I said. “No one was around.”

  “Yeah, and I got the dog out, didn’t I?”

  “Just hurry before he notices she’s gone.”

  “All right.” Lana sighed. She looked down at the dog and transformed herself into an exact replica. “Don’t wait up.”

  “Don’t be long!” I shouted.

  “Yeah. Yeah.”

  “Naomi, I need you to go with her and make sure s
he gets it done in a timely manner.”

  “But—” Naomi looked back at Bryce like she wanted some alone time next.

  “You know, sometimes I miss you being shy and quiet.”

  She laughed. “But I outgrew that shell!”

  “I know. Please just go and make sure she hurries.”

  Naomi sighed and turned invisible to go after Lana. I stayed behind, holding the dog and watched from around the corner.

  “So—” Dirk began. “Do you two want some alone time together?”

  I looked back with enough time to see Seth smack him. “Dirk!”

  “Okay but you seriously don’t know what you’re missing. It was wild!”

  His expression was cute and I had to laugh. “Thanks but I’m not really—”

  “You don’t have to explain anything to him.” Seth said.

  “It’s okay. I’m just not comfortable with that, out in the open, others being feet away. That kind of thing.”

  “You seemed comfortable last night.” Dirk said.

  “Actually, I was very uncomfortable. That’s why I closed the curtain just so I wouldn’t see anyone else. We didn’t—really do what the rest of you did.”

  Dirk just kind of looked at me blankly. “You sure?”

  “Yes!” Seth cut in, hitting him again. “Now would you quit it?!”

  “I’m sorry. I was just trying to figure it out.”

  “It’s okay.” I said again. “If you want the truth, the whole Curtis thing did a number on me. I know I shouldn’t even get the right to say that because of why we’re here. It’s not like he raped me or anything like that but—”

  “You were still beaten.” Bryce cut in. “I’ve seen it. I had to heal you.”

  “That just goes along with being weak, I guess. I’m an Assassin now but I’m not strong and I’m not fearless; I’m not Adele which is how I should be.”

  “Why would you say that?” Seth asked.

  “She’s a true leader. I try to be but look at what I have to work with. Lana is a full-fledged animal and Naomi is becoming uncontrollably outspoken. She used to be shy and quiet when we were young. If she didn’t recognize someone, there’s no way you’d find her talking to them but now, I guess she found her confidence because she’ll sleep with a guy minutes after meeting him.”