She made a scoffing sound. “Yeah, nice try.”
“You’ve changed the future by screwing around in the past. I can see in my visions that your time has fallen into chaos. I told you this would happen. Is something there threatening you, now?”
He couldn’t see all the specifics, because she was fucking everything up with her constant jumping between times, but he saw enough. All his life, he’d been able to see the future. What he saw now was anarchy and worse. Raiden didn’t need all the details to know the truth.
He knew what death looked like.
“And I told you I’m fixing it.” Daphne retorted. The woman would drown before admitting she needed a life preserver.
“Let me out of here and I’ll fix it.”
“By killing yourself?” She stalked over to glare at him through the plastic. “Jesus, are we still on that?”
“I’m supposed to be dead. It was my fate. Trying to change that is endangering you, just as I knew it would. Do you think I would ever want to trade my life for yours?”
Without Daphne there was nothing for him to live for anyway.
“I don’t care what you want.” She retorted. “Just the fact that I could save you, proves that it wasn’t your fate to die. Get over it already.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Even if you get your wish for martyrdom, I’ll just go back and save you again. And again. And again.”
He wasn’t so sure about that. It seemed as if Daphne couldn’t change as much as she pretended. In fact, she’d gleefully informed him that it was impossible to put the present back the way she’d found it, so he could only surmise that she only had one shot at rewriting the timeline. It was impossible to know the full extent of Daphne’s powers, though. She didn’t tell him everything. He couldn’t take a chance.
So far, Daphne had rewritten half a millennium of history in her effort to keep him alive. If he pushed her she might do something really drastic.
“Stop this.” Raiden warned. “You must stop this before you wind-up getting hurt.”
Daphne gave him a level look. “I have everything under control.” She insisted, again.
She was lying. He could see it.
Raiden slammed his fist against the Plexiglas in agitation. He could stay calm and in control with everyone else, but this beautiful, aggravating woman drove him right to the edge. “Whatever the fuck is happening in the future, I can’t help you from in here. Do you understand that? If something goes wrong, I’m stuck in this goddamn cage.”
“You can’t come to the future, Ray. Even if you escape, how do you think you’re going to protect me from him?”
Raiden’s insides turned to ice. “Who’s him? You mean Vandal?”
Daphne slowly shook her head. “Just concentrate on living as much as you concentrate on dying and maybe we’ll both get through this.”
Zakkery frowned at Daphne. “Hang on, is Raiden right? Is something wrong with your time, now?”
Her lips thinned. “It’s nothing I can’t handle. Just…”
The overhead light flickered and a Phase jumped into the room. Raiden recognized her at once. There was no one in the realm who didn’t know Missy, of the Fire House. Children in most Houses were taught to run at the sight of her.
Raiden’s heartbeat increased, panic setting in as he realized that Daphne was face-to-face with one of the most prolific assassins ever born. “Fee, let me out of here.” He said sharply. His Match was brilliant and Zakkery was devoted to her, but Missy was a trained killer. She could slaughter them both without batting an eyelash. Raiden was the only one who stood a chance against her.
“Hi, Raiden!” Missy gave a cheery wave. “There you are. Wow, Chason’s been searching everyplace for you, silly.” Cinderella blue eyes fixed on Daphne, swirling with madness and merriment. “You’re lucky I’m a better tracker than the Magnet King.” She paused. “…Or unlucky.”
“I don’t want to fight you, Missy.” Daphne held up her hands in a gesture of peace. “You don’t know it yet, but we’re actually friends.”
“I’ve killed all my friends.” Missy said sweetly.
Daphne ignored that. “I just want to trade for the Happiness box and you’re my backup plan. That’s why I left you that message on the Cold Palace wall. You saw it and understood, right? I’m betting that’s why you’re here.”
“I saw it.” Missy agreed. Not even Gaia could’ve read what was going on inside her head. “What do you have to trade?”
“Do you have the box?” Daphne pressed.
Missy pulled it out of the oversized pocket of her frilly white dress. For some reason, the Happiness Tablet had a red velvet ribbon tied around it, but there was no mistaking the power of the small cube. “What do you have to trade?” She asked again, giving it a careless toss in her palm.
Raiden winced. If she accidently dropped that thing, the universe would be nothing but a pothole.
“I have what you want most.” Daphne smirked. “I have your Match.”
Missy froze.
“In exchange for the box, I’ll tell you where he is.” Daphne continued. “Just do me a favor and try to be a little less insane.” She held up her thumb and forefinger with some space between them to symbolize an inch or so of mental health. “I’m fond of the guy. I’m not worried you’ll hurt him, but things will go smoother if you don’t act…”
Missy threw the Happiness box to her, not even waiting for Daphne to finish the caveat. “Where is he?” She demanded sharply. “Give him to me now.”
Daphne caught the box one handed and sighed. “Have it your way, crazy pants.” She jerked a thumb towards the sofa. “He’s right there.”
Missy’s eyebrows compressed, her eyes whipping towards Zakkery. She stared at him for a long moment, her head tilting at an odd angle. “Oh.” She finally whispered.
“Holy shit.” Zakkery blurted out.
Daphne glanced over at Raiden. “See how I bring people together?”
Magic of the Wood House Page 26