Secret of Fate

by Tamar Sloan

  “Yes. One of many.”

  Micah waits, giving me time to process everything he said. I finally look up at him, knowing there’s one question that supersedes them all. “Why did you come back?”

  It’s a question that has the potential to tell me so much—why he had to leave, why he’s back…how long he’s going to stay…

  Micah looks like he can’t decide between smiling and frowning. “Two main reasons. I think your father’s right. There’s something wrong. Somehow, darkness is spreading.”

  My eyebrows shoot up. “You do?”

  “It has something to do with the Crossroads, and something to do with Damien Black. I think we need to figure it out before it’s too late.”

  I shake my head. “All you’re doing is raising more questions, Micah.”

  His face relaxes into a smile. “I know. And I’ll answer each and every one of them.”

  I bite my lip; my head’s starting to feel too full. “And the second reason?”

  Micah stills. “I thought staying away was the right thing to do. It’s what I’ve been taught all my life. But then I saw you, and I couldn’t stay away, and then staying away was hurting both of us more than being here.” He sucks in his bottom lip, face suddenly looking young and vulnerable. “I think we’re fated, Kadence.”

  Micah, the demigod son of fate, is standing before me, saying words that make my heart sing. Telling me I’m his destiny, and he’s mine.

  Nothing has ever felt more right in my life.

  Feeling a hint of mischievousness sparking in my smile, I step closer so we’re flush against each other. “Well, as the demigod child of Kronos, I know there’s no other way I want to spend my time than with you, Micah.”

  Micah’s breath whooshes out and a beautiful smile blooms across his handsome face. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  How can a guy be so confident and vulnerable all at once? So many contrasts, so many puzzles.

  And I love every part of it.

  This next kiss is one of pure joy and promise. It’s a kiss you want to savor but find it hard to stay still. I wish it would never end, except Micah spoke of the darkness…

  I pull back, cupping his face. “When do we start?”

  Micah’s grin turns mischievous as he steps back, taking my hands in his. “Are you doing anything now?”

  “No, but—”

  Suddenly, my stomach is flip-flopping as the ground disappears beneath my feet. Air is whooshing past me, although my clothes and hair remain still. I grip Micah’s hand with all my strength, as I’m hit by the sensation of everything changing and shifting, although we’ve barely moved a muscle.

  It’s black as midnight for the briefest of seconds.

  And then there’s bright sunlight, and new sounds and strange smells.

  Micah looks around, eyes bright with interest. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been to New York.”

  Micah

  We’re in an empty alleyway, walls on either side of us. One is a long stretch of pale concrete I already recognize, the other just drab, brown bricks.

  Excitement buzzes through my veins.

  I’m here. With Kadence.

  Who’s holding my hand in a death grip, reminding me teleporting is second nature to me, but this is her first time.

  I turn to face her. “Are you okay?”

  She blinks several times, then glances around us. “We’re really in New York…”

  I nod. “Yep. Really.”

  She takes in the black bags of rubbish stacked sporadically along the brick wall and wrinkles her nose. “Doesn’t smell much different than Pontiac Point.”

  I chuckle. “We had to arrive somewhere deserted.” Grabbing her hand, I tug her toward the street at the end. “Want to go check it out?”

  But Kadence stays put. “Ah, exactly what are we checking out?”

  I motion toward the cream wall beside us. “That’s one of the health centers. The first one Damien Black built, in fact.”

  Her brows shoot up. “It’s on a Crossroads, too?”

  I pause. I hadn’t made the link. “Yeah, it is.”

  “Are they all like that?”

  Frowning, I scan the wall. “I think they are.”

  Kadence angles her head. “How do you know?”

  I pause again. “I think we may have some catching up to do.”

  Her gray eyes sparkle. “You think?”

  Glancing over my shoulder, an idea strikes me. “Can I take you to lunch?”

  Kadence straightens in surprise. “Lunch? Here?”

  I grin. “Why not? It’ll be our first date.”

  When Kadence’s smile blooms, my breath disintegrates. She’s so beautiful and amazing…and she’s here with me. I wonder how long it’ll be before the buzz of that will wear off…

  Tightening her hand around mine, she steps in closer. “Great idea. I’m famished.”

  Unable to stop myself, I plant a quick kiss on her sweet, red lips. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so alive. “Me too.”

  The alleyway opens out onto a street, and I instinctively pull up my hood. As amazing as this is, I can’t forget I’m not meant to exist here.

  Especially so close to one of the centers.

  The building beside us dominates the block. A lot of glass and steel make up the front. I already know what the sign will say.

  Matthew’s Center for Health and Wellbeing.

  There’s a café across the road, and I head toward it, suddenly feeling uncomfortable being so close, but Kadence pulls me back.

  “Who’s Matthew?”

  I shrug. “I have no idea. But Damien Black’s given them all the same name.”

  Kadence peers closer through the massive glass wall. “There’s a café inside.” She turns back to me. “We could eat in there?”

  I swallow. Go inside? “Ah…”

  “How else were you going to find out about the centers?”

  She has a point. I just hadn’t thought this far ahead. Find Kadence. Apologize. Hope I hadn’t destroyed the beautiful feeling I’d found with her.

  Learn enough about whatever’s going on so it could be stopped.

  I hadn’t planned beyond that.

  “Micah? Is everything okay?”

  Kadence is right. Standing back and watching is all I’ve done up until now. Tugging on her hand, I head to the swinging, glass doors. “I’m with you. Everything is more than okay.”

  Inside, I can’t help but pull my hood closer around my face. At least Damien Black isn’t likely to be here himself.

  The café is close to the entry, and I quickly find a booth at the rear, sitting with my back toward the rest of the place. A waitress comes over and smiles. “What can I get you two?”

  I blink. I’ve never ordered at a café.

  I look to Kadence. I don’t know what she drinks. She turns to the waitress. “Two chocolate milkshakes, thanks.”

  I’ve never had a chocolate milkshake, either.

  Pulling out my wallet, I’m surprised when Kadence reaches out. “We pay at the end.”

  Flushing, I tuck it back into my pocket. I’m like a clueless international exchange student…or a child.

  But Kadence doesn’t seem to notice. Once the waitress is gone, she looks around the spacious area. “So, this place is something.”

  I glance around briefly. “It really is.”

  The foyer is big and modern. Lots of white and open space. The place is brightly lit. So brightly lit that anyone in the building has three or four pale shadows overlapping each other, like they can’t decide where they’re supposed to be. There’s the café, scattered seats, and a lot of freestanding information boards. A bit further down is a wall with large sliding doors, this one manned by a woman in a crisp navy suit. Most of the people entering head toward it.

  But my eyes compulsively return to the girl sitting across from me. She’s still looking at me like I’m a ghost about to disappear at any second. It has my heart cle
nching. All I wanted was to give Kadence hope.

  “I really am sorry.”

  She waves the apology away. “Explain it to me, Micah.” Her voice is soft, her eyes gentle but needing answers.

  I pull in a deep breath, not knowing where to start. In a low voice, I go back to the beginning. “Well, my mother, Moira, is a primordial god.”

  Kadence gasps quietly. “They don’t have demigod children.”

  I nod, glad Kadence can understand this. “Yes, which means I’m not supposed to exist.”

  Kadence reaches out and wraps her hand around mine. I hadn’t realized it was twisted into a fist. “I’m pretty glad you do.”

  That has me grinning. “My mother brought me to Elysium and raised me there.”

  “Whoa. You grew up in The Isle of the Blessed?”

  The waitress appears with our milkshakes, and we both glance at each other with a grin.

  The smell of sweet chocolate hits me and I dive in with enthusiasm. Although you can eat whatever you want at Elysium, every time I was tempted by something like this, my mother would point out I was different from the residents—they could eat without consequences such as obesity or heart disease. I couldn’t.

  I quickly discover there’s something far more pleasurable than the sweet, milky goodness—watching Kadence enjoy hers.

  Her cherry lips wrap around the straw, her eyes alive with happiness. Desire clashes with joy, creating a potent mix. Mesmerized, all I can do is watch, milkshake forgotten.

  Kadence glances up, then pauses. The world dissolves as I enter a new orbit. One that centers around the sweet, strong girl I’ve fallen for. The one whose smile is almost as big as mine.

  Our hands reach across the table like two magnets, coming together as our fingers interlace.

  Kadence angles her head. “So, Elysium, huh?”

  Clearing my throat, I nod. “I’ve been very lucky.” I flip my hand over, watching my thumb stroke her smooth skin. “It’s meant… I’m supposed to stay hidden there. I’m not meant to leave. I didn’t go out very often, and never to the same place.” I look up. “Until I saw you.”

  “That’s why you could never stay…”

  “It’s why I wasn’t supposed to keep coming back.”

  Kadence’s hand tightens around mine. “Once again, I’m pretty glad you did.”

  Warmth spreads through my chest. “Me too.”

  “Then something changed.”

  “When the building was demolished, I figured it was better that way. For you to think I was…gone.”

  Pain flashes across Kadence’s face, and I wince.

  “But sitting back and watching, it felt wrong, Kadence. All I’d done was hurt you, then I discovered you were a demigod, too, and the darkness, it’s growing faster—”

  “You’re wrong.”

  I startle, eyes widening. “Wrong?”

  Kadence nods. “About hurting me. Yes, believing you were gone was pain I never thought could exist. But you gave me so much more than that, Micah.” Her chin drops and her voice becomes husky. “You showed me we hold infinity, our own piece of forever, within us.”

  I swallow, feeling like my heart is too big for my chest. She’s quoting the night on the rooftop. When we were stargazing, and she fell asleep in my arms.

  I never finished the sentence, but the words were alive in my mind.

  Hope, happiness.

  And love.

  “Kadence.”

  She stares at me, her eyes the color of gray doves as the word hangs between us.

  I want to hold her again, kiss her, so it’s probably a good thing there’s a table between us. Especially when her gaze dips to my lips.

  I clear my throat. I’ve almost forgotten where I am. “Your father, he spoke to you. He’s worried about what’s happening.”

  “Yes. He asked me to find Hades’ demigod son for him.” Her hand tenses in mine. “His name was Heath. I stopped time when I found him.” She glances away. “Hades took him to the Underworld.”

  I scrape my chair forward. “Hey, there’s no way you could know that was going to happen.”

  “I was still part of the chain of events, Micah.”

  “We all are in some way.”

  She opens her mouth, then shakes her head. “Everything you’ve said since we met is starting to make so much sense now.”

  I shrug, grinning. “I didn’t have a normal childhood.”

  Kadence giggles. “Me either.”

  Against the odds, I laugh. I think the sound may have been building up from the moment I saw her again. So much joy can only be contained for so long. The amazing thing is that Kadence is right here with me. We laugh together, hands clasped tightly, as we discover the magic of our connection all over again.

  A frazzled-looking woman slides into a nearby booth. Two kids, a boy and a girl, shout they want chicken nuggets before dashing off.

  Hunching my shoulders, I focus back on Kadence, lowering my voice. “What did Heath do?”

  “As far as I can tell, he stopped Damien Black from catching a flight, one that crashed and killed everyone on board.”

  “A flight? One that was leaving Detroit.”

  Kadence narrows her eyes at me. “Yeah, why?”

  Surely not… “A young man arrived at Elysium recently. He says he’s not supposed to be there.” No wonder Thomas has been so angry. “He died on that plane, after being given the opportunity to catch an earlier flight.”

  Kadence flops back in her seat. “Then Heath really did keep Damien Black alive.”

  At the cost of Thomas’ life.

  As we begin to process that, we both look around at the building we’re seated in. This health center. One that’s built on a Crossroads.

  My free hand clenches. “Damien Black is helping Hades somehow.”

  Kadence’s lips tighten. “And we need to find out how and why.”

  Alongside the tension winding its way around my muscles, my heart smiles. Kadence’s face is full of determination. It only confirms what I’d hoped.

  No matter what my mother says, this feels too right to be wrong.

  Kadence’s gray gaze scans the room behind me when she suddenly stills. “Hiroko.”

  I sink into my hood as I glance around. “Where?”

  “Over there.” Kadence indicates toward the entryway with her chin.” She’s Damien Black’s stepdaughter.”

  I nod. There isn’t much I don’t know about my father.

  Slowly I turn, glancing from beneath the protection of my hood. Kadence is right. Hiroko just came through the doors. She scans the room, a princess in her domain. I look away as her gaze sweeps toward the café.

  The moment she’s out of sight, we need to get out of here. Despite the hood, this feels too vulnerable. It goes against everything I’ve been told I’m supposed to do.

  Remain anonymous.

  Remain unseen.

  Kadence gasps. “Is that…?”

  Alarm leaps through my muscles as I scan her face. Please don’t let that look mean what I think it means…

  Surreptitiously, I glance back and my heart sinks.

  Damien Black just entered the building.

  Micah

  The woman in the suit on the other side of the room must’ve been expecting them, because she rushes forward, a large smile on her face. They chat, the woman using a lot of hand movements in her excitement.

  Kadence narrows her eyes. “There’s something about Hiroko…”

  “Well, she was certainly Damien Black’s good-luck charm. She comes from money, which I’m pretty sure kickstarted all this.” I glance around as much as I can without moving my head.

  “They’re still talking to that lady. I’m guessing they’ll be going through the main doors shortly.”

  The kids beside us streak past, one squealing and making me wince. I can’t afford for any attention to come our way.

  I tighten my grip on Kadence’s hand, about to tell her we should go, when she le
ans forward. “We should follow them.”

  Sweet heavens. My chest is starting to feel too tight. I haven’t thought this through…

  Kadence goes to stand up, but I’m frozen to my seat, and our clasped hands yank her back into hers. “Micah?”

  “I can’t.”

  She looks from me to the people behind us and back again. “This is going to be interesting then.”

  Another squeal as the two kids run a lap around our table, and I pull my head down further, feeling more and more like a turtle. “I’m sorry, Kadence.”

  “If you can’t be seen, then how did you think we’re going to find anything out?”

  I suck my bottom lip in. “I’m not supposed to interfere.”

  Kadence arches a brow as her eyes soften. “You didn’t follow that rule with me.”

  She’s right. And I’ve told my mother that was a good thing.

  Taking in the girl who’s patiently waiting for me to make a decision, a smile tugs at my lips. “And although I’ve second-guessed that decision, I’ve never regretted it.”

  Kadence’s responding smile is like a sun in my heart. “Who has time for regret?”

  The kids are somewhere behind us now, the threat suddenly doesn’t feel like DEFCON-One.

  When a wail pierces the air, I automatically turn. One of the children, the little girl, is sitting on the floor, crying and holding her knee. Rising from my chair is instinctive, but then I realize I’m not the only one looking to respond.

  Damien Black is already rushing over. He kneels down, smiling gently. The girl is pointing at her brother, fat tears rolling down her cheek. Damien Black inspects her knee, then leans back, his smile growing. Out of his pocket he pulls a plastic-wrapped lollypop. The little girl’s tears hiccup to a halt.

  She takes the sucker, stands up, and streaks away.

  “He’s the picture of a caring, new-age guy.” I snort in disgust as I turn back to Kadence.

  “Although Hiroko hasn’t moved a muscle.”

  Looking back, I realize she’s right. Hiroko is still standing beside the doors, now scrolling through her phone. She wasn’t in the least bit interested in the little girl who’d fallen down.

  Damien Black returns to her side. Slipping an arm around her, they disappear through the sliding doors.