Riddle of Fate

by Tania Johansson

  “Brier didn’t have anything to do with this, if that’s what you’re thinking. He loves me. I have no doubts about him.”

  She might not, but Derrin had grave concerns. What were the chances that a man who could see Collectors happened to meet and fall in love with Khaya? What were the chances that he wasn’t the man the Council sent after her?

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Khaya woke with a start. For a moment she was disorientated before she realised she was still in the seedy inn. She turned over and glanced down at the floor, expecting to find Derrin sleeping on the pile of blankets. He wasn’t there.

  It was still dark out. She stood and peered out of the window. She could not see much in the darkness, but she recognised Derrin’s broad shoulders as he strode across the street.

  Then he vanished.

  She blinked, sure it was just sleep-hazed eyes that was blurring her vision. He was gone. With a pounding heart, she sat back on the bed. What did she really know about this man? A man that she allowed to sleep in the same room as her.

  He must be an employee of the Company, she thought. That was the only explanation. Vanishing into thin air – that could be his ability. It had to be. He told her that he wasn’t part of the Company, but of course he wouldn’t reveal the truth if he was. Her stomach clenched. The Company sent him. To keep her in one place. To keep her from leaving Arroe. To make sure she wasn’t going crazy and killing people.

  She smacked a hand against her forehead. Why had she been so blind? He knew far too much of how the Company operated to be anything but one of their lackeys. Lighting a lamp, she threw her few belongings into her bag and hurried out.

  There was only one place she could go. One person she could trust.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  She knocked again, a little louder this time. Finally, there was movement inside. Shuffling footsteps approached. The door flew open and Brier stood with a scowl darkening his face. It dissolved when he saw her and he pulled her into a hug.

  She laughed and patted him on the back. “Brier, I think you are about to squeeze all the air from my lungs.”

  “Sorry,” he chuckled. “I’ve been so worried. I thought you’d left town and then I heard that someone from the library was killed and that you’d disappeared. I thought that –” he shook his head. “Never mind now. Come in.”

  He led her inside. His house was always immaculate, nothing out of place. So much so, that at first it had been a bit unsettling. It almost seemed as though he didn’t really live there.

  “Sit,” Brier said, “I’ll get you some tea.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to, it’s late.”

  He chuckled. “Actually, it’s early and it’s not a bother.”

  She sat down with a smile. Why hadn’t she come straight to him? She relaxed as she listened to him bustle around in the kitchen.

  He handed her a steaming cup. “I’m sorry,” he said as he sat down opposite her. “For the way I left things with you.”

  She waved the apology away. “I’m sorry too. It’s in the past.”

  “Now, tell me what happened and where you’ve been.”

  “As you know, I was planning to meet Merrit to leave town together.” Brier’s eyes narrowed at her words, but he held his tongue. “I thought it would be safer – for you – if I left. I was afraid of what the Company might do. Anyway, he never arrived at the agreed place, so I went back home.” She paused. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to tell him of Derrin. He wouldn’t understand that it was innocent.

  “I heard that the lawmen went to your house and you weren’t there. Where were you?”

  “I thought they might come looking for me. I got scared, so I went to an inn and stayed there the whole day.” Guilt nibbled at her conscience, but she pushed it aside. They were necessary white lies. She couldn’t quite shift the prickle of shame, though.

  “And that’s it?”

  “Yes.” She forced herself to look him in the eye.

  “What made you come to me in the middle of the night? Why didn’t you just come to me straight away?”

  “I didn’t want to get you involved, but then I got scared. I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”

  He walked over to her and cupped her face in his hands. “You have nothing to apologise for. We will get everything straightened out. Don’t worry. Come,” he said, pulling her up by her hands, “you need to get some sleep. Everything will look better in the morning.”

  A pang of guilt twisted her stomach, yet didn’t convince her to tell him of Derrin. She hadn’t lied to him. Just omitted some details.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Khaya woke from the sound of the front door closing. The bed was cold next to her. How long had he been up already? She pulled her clothes on and ran her fingers through her hair. A quiet conversation carried to her from the sitting room.

  She stood at the bedroom door, listening. She couldn’t make out what they were saying. Composing herself, she pushed the door open and walked down the hall to the sitting room. The conversation halted just before she reached it.

  Brier was sitting alone. She looked around the room and to the kitchen, confused. “Were you talking with someone?”

  “No,” he said, his face perplexed. “Why? Did you think that I was?”

  “I thought I heard voices.”

  “You must have imagined it. Sit, I’ll get some breakfast for us.”

  “Thank you,” she said faintly. Could she have imagined it? And the door closing that had woken her up, had she imagined that as well? Another thought occurred to her and it made her throat go dry. Has it happened? she wondered. Am I crazy?

  He was soon back with fresh bread, thick slices of cheese and some dried fruit. “There’s something that I’ve been wondering about. You said that your first ability was that you get visions about the future.” He waited for her to nod before continuing. “Why is it then that you didn’t see this coming?”

  “I can’t choose what visions to have. And besides, I’ve never had any vision about my own future.”

  “Never?”

  “No.”

  “How very odd.” He paused. “We have to talk about what’s the best thing to do,” Brier said.

  “It looks like you have an opinion on that, so go ahead.”

  “I think it would be wise for you to hand yourself over to the lawmen. Hiding out is only making you look guilty.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because, I already look guilty. My imprint was found at the scene of the murder.”

  “But the lawmen wouldn’t know that,” he said. “They’re not a part of the Company and the Company wouldn’t give that sort of information to outsiders.” He paused. “Come to think of it, how do you know they found your imprint there?”

  “Um, well, I was going to go speak with Peater. He, um, came out of the library with someone else as I was about to enter. I hid around the corner of the building and heard them talking.”

  He nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing.

  “I haven’t told you what an imprint is,” she said, suddenly.

  “Yes you have. You mentioned it when you told me about your second ability.”

  “I don’t think I did.”

  “You did. How else would I know what it is? It’s not the type of thing I have come across anywhere else, after all.”

  She shook her head. Apparently, she now had short-term memory issues to contend with as well. “Anyway,” she said, “the lawmen were at my house. There must be a reason for that.”

  “Of course they would have wanted to speak to you about Merrit’s death. You did work with him and they probably questioned all of his colleagues as well as his friends. The thing that made you stand out was that you were nowhere to be found. It looked bad.”

  She picked at her nails, not saying a word. She wasn’t sure if he was right about this. If she handed herself over and he was wrong, though… that could have dire consequen
ces for her. An image of a hangman’s noose flashed before her eyes and she grimaced.

  “You don’t think I’m right,” he said.

  “You made some good points. I just don’t want to hand myself over if I’m not sure that I’m not a suspect.”

  “What is your alternative? Spend the rest of your life running away? You don’t want to live like that. That’s not a life worth living.”

  “If they decide that I’m guilty, I won’t have any life – worthy or unworthy – of being lived.”

  “The lawmen don’t have any proof. How could they? You didn’t do it.”

  “But, don’t you think it’s cause for concern that my imprint was found at the scene? How did it get there?”

  “I don’t know. Not through the lawmen. Chances are they don’t even know about it now. The Company doesn’t exactly share information, remember. They can help you. If the Company is out to get you, the only people who will be able to protect you from them are the lawmen.”

  Khaya pulled in the corners of her mouth. If the Company were after her, she doubted there was anything anyone could do to help her. “We should find the real murderer,” she said.

  “What?”

  “If we find who really is responsible, that will in effect clear my name.”

  “How are we meant to do that? Khaya, you’re being naive. Listen to me. The only sensible thing for you to do would be to go to the lawmen and let them do their job. They will find who is responsible.” He held her gaze. “Trust me.”

  After several moments, she nodded. “You’ll come with me?”

  “Of course.” He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “All will be well.”

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Khaya clutched Brier’s hand as they strode up to the lawmen’s offices. Each time her resolve wanted to falter, she glanced up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile.

  A few times she considered turning around. She could always go on the run. If she got far enough away, surely they would stop looking for her? But then they were striding into the building and he gave her hand a squeeze.

  The small reception room was cold. Bare walls seemed to speak of her bleak future. The lawman behind the desk looked up as they entered. His face was impassive, disinterested. “Yes?” Even his voice was bland.

  Brier motioned her on with a flick of his head. She reluctantly let go of his hand and she stepped forward. “I believe you are looking for me.”

  The lawman’s eyebrows pulled together for a moment. “Name?” he asked, dipping his quill in the ink jar and holding it poised over the paper.

  “Khaya Pherela.”

  He'd started writing as she spoke, but at hearing her full name, he stopped. His mouth gaped open as he looked up at her. “I will need you to keep your hands out to your sides and stand facing the wall there,” he said, pointing to the furthest corner of the room.

  Khaya’s eyes flickered to Brier who only nodded again. “But, I only came to clear my name.”

  The lawman unclipped his cudgel from his belt. “Miss Pherela, please do as I asked. I’ve never hit a woman before in my life, but I will if I have to.”

  She took a step back, suddenly sure that this had been a mistake. The lawman drew his cudgel and held it aloft.

  She jumped when Brier put his hands on her shoulders. “Khaya, it will be best for you if you do what the lawman asked,” he said, pushing her towards the wall. “Remember why we are here.”

  Her cheek touched the cold wall. She heard the click before feeling the lawman shackle her ankles. He pulled her arms behind her back and put cold chains on her wrists. “This isn’t necessary,” she said. “I’m here to show my innocence.” She looked over her shoulder at the burly lawman.

  His face blanched and he rushed toward her, placing a blindfold over her eyes.

  “What are you doing? Why are you blindfolding me?” she asked. “Brier? Brier?”

  “Sir,” a new voice said, “I will need you to come along with me. I have a few questions.”

  “Brier,” Khaya said, “what’s going on?”

  “It is for the best, Khaya,” he said, his voice distant and echoing down the hall.

  Her heart thundered in her chest as someone led her away.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  When Derrin returned to find their room at the inn empty, he knew where to look for Khaya. There was only one place she would go.

  He watched as she stepped inside Brier’s home and he cursed under his breath. He should have known she would run to him. He should have told her not to trust Brier. Even as he thought that, he knew that would most likely have had the opposite effect.

  Just before the door closed behind her, Derrin caught a glimpse of another man inside. If he’d not been certain of what he’d seen, Khaya’s lack of reaction confirmed it. It was a Collector. This could only mean one of two things. Brier was conspiring with this Collector against Khaya or there would be a death in the house. Derrin couldn’t allow either of those things.

  He peered in through the window. The Collector stood next to Brier, yet Khaya didn't once glance at him. Brier looked right at him several times, though. A third man moved across the room. Derrin didn’t get a good look at him, but thought he recognised him from the tavern.

  Their voices carried through the thin glass. Derrin listened to Khaya’s explanation of where she’d been. He was glad that she didn’t reveal his involvement. Not with the Collectors there.

  When they went upstairs, Derrin considered going in, but the risk of the Collectors discovering him was too great.

  Derrin stayed close during the night and when he spotted movement in the morning, he peeked through the window. Brier was talking with the Collector. He spoke in hushed tones, but the Collector had no need to and Derrin could hear him clearly. “That's none of your concern. Make sure she goes to the lawmen’s offices. What happens after that, matters not to you.”

  “Heran, just tell me. Am I leading her to her death?” Brier asked.

  Heran turned away. “That is not certain yet. It is likely.” He turned back to Brier. “You know you must complete this task. Make sure you do it.”

  Brier’s face tightened, but he nodded. The second Collector was the one who had been in The Prancing Pony. He stood a few steps away from the other two. Clearly, a lower ranking Collector than Heran.

  Heran turned round and his eyes narrowed. For a moment, it seemed he was looking right at Derrin, and then he vanished.

  Knowing Heran would be able to follow his trail should he Leap, he ducked behind a bush instead. At the same time, he plucked up a stone and flung it across the road.

  No sooner was he huddled behind the bush than Heran appeared right next to where Derrin had been standing. His attention was immediately drawn to the sound of the stone hitting the ground. He vanished again and appeared across the road. His head snapped from one side to the other. He ran his fingers through his shoulder length flaxen hair as he walked back to the house, still peering around.

  The door opened and Brier stepped out, arms folded across his chest. He looked a question at Heran. “I think someone was listening to us,” he said. “How they fled so quickly, I don’t know. I would have said it was a Collector, but there’s no residue from a Leap.”

  “What do we do now?” Brier asked.

  “We stay with the plan.”

  They walked back inside and the door shut behind them. The smart thing for Derrin to do would be to leave.

  But he couldn’t abandon Khaya.

  He crept away. He couldn’t stay as close as he would have liked and he would have to make do with being able to see when they leave the house. He still hoped that Khaya would come to her senses and realise turning herself in would be the worst thing that she could do.

  It wasn’t long before a sombre looking Khaya walked out, clutching Brier’s hand. Derrin’s hackles rose at this apparent display of affection. How could this man betray her so?

  Keeping a safe distance, Derr
in followed them to the lawmen’s offices. The second Collector walked behind them, staring at Khaya’s back.

  Chapter Eleven

  To Be Feared

  They didn’t uncover her eyes, even when they locked her in a cell. She could no longer see the strip of light at the bottom of the blindfold. She thought she was in some sort of basement as he’d led her down two flights of stairs. She refused to think of it as a dungeon. Although, she’d heard tell of Arroe’s dungeons being one of the worst in the region. It certainly smelled bad enough to live up to that reputation.

  Khaya’s throat was sore from calling out. No one had answered. The shackles around her ankles and wrists were starting to dig into her flesh. She tried not to move too much, the longer she sat on the bench, the sorer her muscles became. She still didn’t understand why they had put a blindfold on her, or why they didn’t remove it once they put her in this cell.

  She soon lost track of time, but she thought it was a few hours later when she heard footsteps approaching. “Hello!” she called.

  No one answered, but there was a click and a creak as the door opened. Someone grabbed her arm and dragged her along. “Where are you taking me?” Khaya asked. “Where is Brier?”

  She shuffled ahead, her captor holding her arm in a vice-like grip. “Can you at least take the blindfold off?” Khaya said, not for the first time.

  “What do you take me for? An idiot?” he asked. “I know what you are capable of. They’ve told us.”

  “I don’t understand. What have they told you?”

  He snorted and shoved her on. She tripped and fell forward. A sharp edge dug into her shins before he caught hold of her shoulders. “Careful now,” he mocked. “Didn’t you see the stairs?” He sniggered at his own joke.

  She clenched her teeth against the pain. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of a whimper.

  Light appeared at the edges of her blindfold as they ascended and fresh air met them. She sucked in a deep breath. “Where are you taking me?” she asked.