by Wendy Knight
She made it fourteen steps before she was tackled from behind. Later, she would point out to Quin that he could only catch her because she was exhausted. She’d been running all day and functioning on six hours of sleep in two days. But at that moment, Quin had no problem catching her and knocking her right off her feet. Her chin scraped against the sidewalk, her elbows and knees tore, and suddenly, she was free.
“Quin! You’re going to hurt her!” Fate bellowed, dragging him away.
“She wouldn’t stop!” he bellowed back. “The girl should play football. I’ve taken down three hundred pound blockers easier.”
Destiny scrambled to her knees and they both braced themselves to chase her again. Instead, she threw her arms around Quin’s neck. “You broke the bars!”
She felt him tense against her, and then his arms slid around her waist, pulling her closer against him. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said gruffly.
“For now.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and ignored the sting in her chin and elbows and knees. It felt good, leaning against his broad chest, letting someone else hold her up. Quin was big and tough. He could keep the warlocks away and the bars away and everything else bad away, right?
But he couldn’t. She remembered him fighting the warlocks and he’d been losing. He’d been bigger than them, he’d been faster, but he’d been losing.
She’d saved him.
Okay, but for right now, could she just stay this way? Safe and sound. Her legs were tired.
Her soul was tired.
“We need to get her somewhere safe. Somewhere I can give her an exam and make sure she’s okay. She needs to rest.” Luca’s voice was at her elbow, and she wondered if it was inappropriate to hug a boy she didn’t really like in front of her father.
She’d never been in this situation before. She hadn’t had a father to hug a boy in front of, and she hadn’t had a boy to hug in front of a father. She decided to leave it up to Quin. She’d heard around school that he had lots of experience with girls. Half the population tried to date him, after all. So he would know what to do.
He didn’t let her go.
“I never told you thank you,” he said quietly.
“For letting you tackle me?” she asked, too tired to try to follow the conversation on her own.
“For saving my mom. And me.”
She’d saved them. She, who had only been to one Krav Maga class and was just a potions witch. “You’re welcome,” she finally answered. She’d just done what any normal witch would have in a sudden battle, right?
But they’d never been normal witches.
“You ran over fifteen miles, Destiny,” Luca said. She couldn’t tell if he was scolding her or being proud. Maybe he wasn’t sure either. He was new to this whole father business.
“Barefoot,” Quin said against her hair.
She looked down. Her feet were black and torn.
Awesome.
“I didn’t have a choice,” she said. “Believe me, I would have stopped a long time ago.”
“We need to call someone. We need to find out what’s going on with her. I want my sister back,” Fate wailed.
Finally, Destiny raised her head and left Quin. It felt cold away from him, even though she was surrounded by black lava and it was at least seventy-five degrees out there. She moved to Fate, who threw her arms around her and simultaneously scolded and comforted for the next five minutes, finishing with, “If you leave me behind again, missy, I will hunt you down and have Quin tackle you.”
“Quin,” Destiny said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” She turned to this gorgeous boy who had chased her down and tackled her, the blood rushing to her cheeks in shame. “I—I don’t know what’s going on. I need to apologize to the lady at the booth, too.” She started toward it, wondering with every step if the bars would come back.
She’d just reached the road in front of the guard’s booth when they did. One second she was completely normal, in control of her feet and everything, and the next, she spun around and was running again. Everything hurt. She screamed and screamed, tried to call out to Fate, but nothing worked. She went right past them. Fate, of course, caught her, tried to hold her, but Destiny fought back, wriggling free as she begged her own fists not to hit her sister.
Luca grabbed her and held her. He was bigger than Fate, and stronger, but Destiny whirled her finger, and he was caught and spun away from her. She’d just used magic. Big magic. Right in public.
To throw her father across the path.
And then she was running.
“It’s the pain!” She heard Quin yell, and hope lit in her chest. He could stop her. Quin would save her again. “The pain knocks her out of it!”
Fate screamed, and Destiny felt dread and a tinge of fear war for place in her stomach. She didn’t like pain. She hurt so much already, she wasn’t sure she could take more. But at the same time, if Quin was right… she’d be free.
But for how long?
She didn’t have time to ponder it. Quin dodged in front of her, grabbed her hand and dragged his pocket knife across her palm. She screamed and jerked her hand away, putting it to her mouth. It was barely bleeding, probably not even as bad as her knees and elbows and her chin. He’d been careful.
And he’d been right.
She blinked at him, eyes wide, and turned to Fate. “She’s all bloody. Look at her feet. Look what she’s done to herself. If pain works, why didn’t she get herself out of it?”
Luca shook his head. “Maybe she knows it’s coming and expects it. Or something. I don’t know. This is way over my head. But there’s a campground not far from here. Let’s grab a spot and maybe she can rest.” Luca led the way, Destiny followed obediently, with each step terrified that the bars would come back. Fifteen steps in, Destiny realized she could feel something. As long as she moved the way her psychopath brain wanted her to, she didn’t get stuck behind the metaphorical bars. She could feel the warnings going off now, if she listened closely. She followed Luca, monitoring the situation in her head closely.
See, brain? I’m going the way you want. No need to lock me up and take over. I’m still moving. It’s okay.
Fate reached over and took her hand, squeezing it gently. “I’m here, Destiny. It’ll be okay.”
Destiny gave her a weak smile and clung to her hand.
Just ahead of them, Quin raised his phone triumphantly. “I have a signal!”
Destiny raised an eyebrow. Fate smirked at the ground.
“Here you go. Just rest. Fate, I’m going to get the truck. We’ve got blankets in the back. And food.” Luca rubbed Destiny’s back and jogged away.
Destiny sank onto a bench and buried her face into her hands. “I’m scared.”
Quin sat on one side of her, Fate on the other. “Hey,” he said, leaning over so he could see her face. She wondered what she must look like. And what he must think. He hadn’t liked her before when she was sane. Now that she was certifiably crazy, he must be horrified.
But he didn’t act horrified. “We’re going to figure this out, okay. Until then, we’re here. Whenever Fate gives the order, I’m ready to hurt you.” He winked and Destiny’s stomach did flip flops.
“I think you’re enjoying this,” she said with a lopsided smile. He just chuckled.
Luca came back with Fate’s truck. Destiny wanted to point out that no one, even her, ever drove Fate’s truck. Luca should know so he could understand how much he meant to her sister already. But Fate shook her head. “Not yet.”
Luca knelt in front of her and dug through his bag for antiseptic. “Your feet are going to be sore for a while.”
Quin punched numbers on his phone, only half-listening. “You don’t have any more of that potion you gave my mom?” he asked. “She said that was revolutionary.”
Fate beamed. Destiny shook her head. “No. We used it all and didn’t have a chance to make more. The warlocks tried to drain my magic and the potion creation was kind of
a three witch deal.”
“Maybe.” Fate picked absently at her fingernail polish. “Maybe it was just a one witch deal. Maybe it was just you.”
Destiny rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t.”
Several long, painful minutes passed while Luca attempted to clean and bandage everything Quin and Destiny had torn up. But she’d survived the cleansing potion. A little blood and this pain now was nothing in comparison.
Luca sat back, took in the look on Destiny’s face, and nodded. “You need a break. Sandwiches anyone?”
Destiny nearly tore Fate’s hand off in her race to get to the food. She plowed right over Luca and dragged her sister with her to the truck. “Since when have you been so freakishly strong?” Fate yelped.
“Sorry,” Destiny mumbled around a mouthful of food. “I’m starving.” She moved more gingerly on her way back to the table, grabbing another sandwich on the way.
“Dad? Hi. How’s Mom?” Quin got up and wandered a few feet away while Luca bandaged her feet and Fate tossed him Destiny’s shoes. Then he started working on her shredded knees. Petrified lava was sharp. Destiny hadn’t even noticed the blood running down her shins. Now that she did, though…
Her stomach lurched.
“Don’t look at it!” Fate yelled, slapping a hand over Destiny’s eyes.
Quin continued, apparently oblivious. “That’s what I figured. I need you to send a message to Eldest. Tell her it’s urgent. Can you do that? Can you—” Quin paused as Destiny shoved Fate’s hand away from her face. “They’re there? Right now?” He nodded. “Of course they are. Listen, I need you to tell Eldest—” he broke off again. “Hi, Eldest. How did you know?”
“Ancient,” Luca murmured, sticking a bandage on Destiny’s knee.
“Remember the girl I told you about?”
Fate winked at Destiny. “He’s talking about you.” And she gave her sister a wicked grin.
Destiny snorted.
Quin, oblivious to their conversation, continued. “This thing keeps happening. It’s like she loses her mind and starts running away from us. She says it’s like she’s locked inside her own head. Pain seems to bring her out of it. We think it’s a warlock spell or something. How do we stop it?”
He listened for several minutes while Destiny and Fate both held their breath, and then nodded a final time. “Okay. Okay. Thank you.” He stuck the phone in his pocket. “It’s not the warlocks.”
There was a second of stunned silence. “So… I’m just losing my mind?” Destiny asked, voice cracking. She was only eighteen. Eighteen was too young to lose one’s mind. Her bottom lip trembled and she clasped her torn hands to her face, trying to hide it.
Fate pounced. “What’d she say?”
Destiny lowered her hands, just a bit, still trying to hide any whimpering. “Who’s Eldest? And Ancient?”
“They lead the Coven. Shhhh!” Fate waved her hand.
“Eldest said it’s in the prophecy. Basically, Destiny’s… umm… Destiny’s destiny is taking over. It’s time for her to save the world.”
“The prophecy is about twins,” Luca said. “How come Fate isn’t having any problem?”
Quin shrugged.
“It’s because I’m not as powerful as she is,” Fate said quietly.
Destiny shook her head. “That’s stupid. It’s because my destiny knew you’d follow wherever I went and save the day.”
Luca beamed at them both.
“So basically, Destiny will keep doing this until she’s done. Until the prophecy is fulfilled. And hopefully, along the way, she learns how to save both our mothers.”
Destiny raised an eyebrow while Luca tipped her chin up. “You’re not going to put a big bandage on my face, are you? Because embarrassing, Luca. And how am I supposed to save any mothers?”
“Ancient told Quin you would save his mom. That’s why he’s here.”
Something in Destiny deflated a little. She’d stupidly thought he was there to help save her. Not that she blamed him. She’d do the same thing to save her mom. And she didn’t even like him, anyway. She’d gone out of her way to drive him crazy at school. And he’d knocked her down and scraped her elbow. “Oh.”
Fate must have felt it. She wrapped her arm around Destiny’s shoulders and squeezed. “Look at that, Destiny. We’re the twins from the prophecy we knew nothing about.”
Destiny smiled in agreement, but she had known. She’d heard Winnie that day. And the way her mother had dismissed it, too quickly, with too many excuses. “Mom knew, though.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DESTINY HAD PASSED OUT AN HOUR ago, her head in Fate’s lap. Luca had listened to her heart, did bloodwork, checked her eyes. She seemed fine, except exhausted and dirty and starving. Once she ate, she’d promptly fallen asleep.
Quin hadn’t slept much in the last several days. He felt like he might pass out, too, but he kept watching Destiny, worried she’d suddenly spring to her feet and take off again. He kept thinking of the way she’d thrown herself at him, so grateful he’d freed her, the way she’d felt in his arms. If he’d had a tiny crush on her before, that single move had launched it into something much bigger.
“We’ll take shifts. If she gets up, yell. Make noise. Chase after her. Tackle her if you must. We’ve got to keep her—” Luca started.
“But isn’t she supposed to save the world?” Fate asked in a small voice. “If we keep stopping her, won’t it just get worse?”
Luca was outnumbered by the three teenagers, but he tried his best. “This isn’t healthy, Fate. She’s exhausted, physically and mentally. We’ve got to give her time to heal.”
“She’s tougher than she looks. I’ve seen this girl go through hell and fight her way back. I know you mean well, Luca. I understand how overwhelming this must be for you. You were looking for our mother, not two daughters you never wanted, but I know—”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Fate.” Luca’s turn to cut Fate off. “I might have never known you existed, but my soul did. When I saw you, a tear in my heart healed. I might not have been there when you needed me before, but I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere. Destiny is no good to anyone if she kills herself trying to fulfill this crazy prophecy. A prophecy that talks about both twins, Fate. Remember that.”
Fate grinned, her anger gone. If Quin wasn’t mistaken, there were tears shimmering in her eyes, reflecting the fire. She talked about how strong Destiny was, but she was going through hell right now, and still fighting. “You sell yourself short,” he said without meaning to.
Fate nodded. “Damien says the same thing. Destiny’s always been the strong one, the beautiful one. The leader. She walked first, talked first, summoned first. I just follow along in her footsteps.”
“I just did all that stuff because I knew you’d catch me if I fell,” Destiny mumbled. “And since when has anyone preferred black hair over platinum?” She yawned and fell silent.
Fate smiled down at her sister and brushed the hair away from her face. “She’s never sleeping when I think she’s sleeping.”
“It’s so I can argue when you say stupid things.”
Quin snorted.
He, for one, preferred black hair over platinum. They had the same facial structure, the same huge eyes. The hair was really the only difference. Night and day.
Night will save your mother.
The only problem was Night was busy chasing down a prophecy. Saving his mother, and hers, might be Destiny’s first priority if she had a choice. But she didn’t.
“I’m trying,” she murmured.
They all blinked at her, but Destiny fell silent again and didn’t move. Fate shifted until she was sort of wrapped around Destiny without actually moving her sister’s head. Luca nodded at Quin. “Go ahead and sleep. I’ll take the first watch.”
Quin shook his head. “I’m a teenager. I don’t usually go to bed for hours yet, and I slept in the car all day. I got this.” Which was good, because Luca looked like he was on
the verge of collapse.
Luca nodded and fashioned a bed on the ground with his coat. They’d used most of the blankets for Destiny. Fate was sitting on one and had draped another over both of them. That left Luca and Quin to fare for themselves.
With a small smile, Fate sat up, glanced guiltily at Luca, and twirled her finger, whispering. A blanket unfolded from the miniature cyclone she created, and then another one. “It takes a lot of energy,” she said by way of apology when she couldn’t create any more.
Quin and Luca just stared, dumbfounded. To her, it was nothing. But to them, who managed to know more about the witch world than she did despite being a witch herself, well… it was unheard of. Even Eldest and Ancient had no ability like that. Maybe they would have if they hadn’t been attacked by the warlocks when they were so young. If the magic hadn’t been burned out of them. There was no way of knowing.
****
DESTINY WOKE LAST. LUCA and Quin were quietly talking and Fate was leaning against the truck tire, still letting Destiny use her leg as a pillow. Destiny had no idea how long her sister must have been sitting there without the use of her leg. No bathroom break, no stretching. She just sat there.
“You’re the best sister ever.”
Fate snorted and stroked her hair. “Just trying to keep you alive. Any bars yet?”
Destiny poked cautiously around her brain. “Not yet.”
“Good. Can you get up? My butt is sooo past being numb.”
Destiny pushed herself up. Fate sprang to her feet, free from her trap, and wandered around their campsite stretching and groaning before she took off for the bathroom. Luca came and sat on the bench next to Destiny’s head. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Hungry.” She blushed. Last night she’d eaten like a starved dog. Today she was on the verge of gnawing the bark off the trees — except there weren’t any.
Luca nodded. “Well, I can go get breakfast. I didn’t dare leave you in case you were… unwell…” He cleared his throat and glanced at Quin, who gave him an encouraging nod.
Quin. Destiny was suddenly very aware that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d brushed her teeth. Or her hair. And when had she last changed her clothes? She was stuck on an adventure with a hot guy and here she was, looking like some kind of homeless heathen.