by Ali Winters
He had been consulting with Evander and a small group of Reapers when the sudden absence of her powers had hit him like a bolt of lightning. At first, he didn’t know what had changed, just that something had.
She wanted to find the Moirai. It was impossible. The Moirai didn’t exist. It was just a myth, to explain their creation in a way that was easier to understand and less distracting. She was a stubborn girl.
But if they weren’t real, where could she be?
He couldn’t stop himself from wondering… if she were right and the Moirai were real… if the Underworld was real—No. He pushed the foolish thoughts from his head. He wouldn’t entertain such insanity.
Caspian ran his hand over his lightly stubbled chin. Nothing could explain her disappearance. Nothing logical.
Once he’d realized what had happened, he ran to the Tome, yanking it from it’s home in the bottom drawer and unwrapping it, only to discover Nivian had taken the eye. He swung out his hand, swiping at the items on his desk. The pendulum that always ticked with a steady clack, clack, clack… crashed to the floor, the beads scattering.
He’d asked the Tome where she’d gone but it hadn’t responded. Ice had filled his veins then. Panic. He immediately felt ill thinking it unable to function without the eye.
The relief that flowed through him was like a balm when he asked for a mark and, although sluggish, it still produced a name.
Nivian had betrayed his trust by taking the risk that the Tome would work without it. He understood her reasons. He understood she did it because her heart was so broken that she didn’t think she’d be able to perform her duties and become the new Fate Keeper. And because she believed with everything in her that the Hunter was the only one who could take Yeva’s place.
But that didn’t excuse her actions.
Now, the time she’d asked for had come and gone and he was faced with making an unpleasant decision—one he’d already put off for too long. They had to try the ceremony again. Because if they failed… if Holter suffered the same fate as Finn…
Caspian knew he had to leave himself time to work on another Hunter’s powers.
Just in case.
Without any sign of Nivian’s return, he had to prepare himself for attempting to take her place, and Evander to take his. It was all questionable if any of it could work. Their powers were never meant to be traded and moved around.
With her gone, failure was eminent.
But he had to try. They all had to try—regardless of who was lost—until time ran out or through some miracle by Gaia’s hand, they succeeded.
Caspian stopped pacing and sat at his desk. He pulled out a piece of parchment and gold tipped quill, scribbling a note down. With a wave of his hand, it vanished. Then he stood and walked out of the office, down the stairs, and out the front gates, where Evander was already waiting.
“I received your note,” he said, looking at Caspian expectantly. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” Caspian said in a clipped tone, then stopped and rubbed his forehead. “Yes. We need to go to Hunter Corp and train.”
Evander tilted his head to the side. “Again so soon?”
“Yes.” Caspian wondered how much to say. He took in the Reaper and his expressionless face waiting to hear anything he shared or to accept silence. But if Evander were to truly takeover for him then he would need to know everything. “Nivian has not returned yet and I cannot afford to wait any longer for her. We must finish Holter’s training and hope that it is enough for the ceremony.”
“Nivian is gone?” Evander practically chocked out, the color draining from his face. “Since when?”
“I will fill you in once we get to Hunter Corp.” Caspian wanted a few moments to pull his thoughts together, and Nivian’s actions weren’t something he felt like fielding questions to more than once.
Evander’s face fell into a blank mask and he nodded once, then transported alongside him.
A tingle passed over Caspian like a thousand spider legs as they entered the force field that prevented them from transporting straight into the building. It was slightly disconcerting and he didn’t think it was a sensation he’d ever grow used to. He entered the main hanger still lost within his thoughts, Evander trailing a few steps behind.
Colin slammed a can on the counter, some of the drink sloshing over the edge onto the linoleum surface, and swore under his breath. The look he gave him was filled with pure loathing. The man still blamed him, and with good reason; it was his fault.
“Follow me,” Colin said tersely then turned and walked away, not looking to see if they did.
Evander gave Caspian a sidelong glance, who only shrugged in response. Caspian knew better than to talk to the man so he let him have his silence.
Colin led them through the underground maze. Caspian knew from his previous visits that the way was long and convoluted. The Hunter meant to make them feel lost. Not that it worked on him. Though, if he were a younger Reaper, he might not be able to find his way.
Colin opened an unmarked door and moved to let them pass. He reached inside and flicked a switch. Light flooded the room, the florescent bulbs flickering before they steadied.
“Wait in here,” was all he said, then strode off down the hall.
Caspian and Evander each took a seat and waited. Evander would occasionally glance at him, and Caspian could all but hear the questions running through his head.
The clock on the wall ticked out each second, making the passage of time seem to draw out.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Holter said, striding into the conference room and closing the door behind him. “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.”
He smiled but the muscles of his face were tense as if he expected bad news. He had three day old stubble along his chin and jaw, his hair a tossed mess. Dark circles had formed under his eyes over the last several months and seemed to have become a permeant feature.
“There is something I should have told you a while ago,” Caspian said, standing.
Holter took a step forward, narrowing his eyes. “What haven’t you told me?”
Caspian held up a hand. “It is about Nivian.”
He let the words sink in. The suspicion left Holter’s face and he pulled out a chair next to Evander, taking a seat then motioned for Caspian to sit as well.
“What happened to her? Is she… is she all right?” From the concern in the man’s voice, it seemed Nivian had grown on the Hunter more than he’d realized.
“Nivian has vanished. I cannot feel her presence anywhere. Not in our realm and not in the human realm.”
Holter scrubbed his mouth roughly with his hand and left it there, holding his face as if he were trying to keep his initial reaction from escaping.
Evander stood and leaned forward on the table. “What do you mean? Who destroyed her? When?” He swept an arm toward Holter. “What have we been doing here if she’s gone?”
Caspian waited until he finished before responding. “She has not been destroyed.”
Holter let his hand fall limply into this lap. “She’s alive?”
“Yes, but I don’t know where she is. She disappeared just over seven months ago.”
Evander dropped back down to his chair. His eyes unfocused as he stared down at the table’s polished surface. He shook his head.
“I didn’t think she’d do—” he cut himself off.
The two other men turned to face him. Evander froze, clearly realizing his mistake.
“What do you know about where she has gone?” Caspian asked, his voice dark. If this Reaper jeopardized everything… if he knew what she was doing…
Caspian’s blood boiled.
“The last time I saw her,” Evander said, averting his gaze. At least he had the decency to look ashamed. “…she was searching through the library for information about the fates and the Underworld. She was upset about her Hunter… I found something she had missed and thought it would cheer her up. I didn’t think she
would do anything.”
“The Underworld?” Holter asked.
“She was under the impression she could go there.” Caspian left out the part about bringing Kain back. It would only hurt his friend to make him think she could succeed at such a thing. “I do not believe it is possible; she must have done something in her search to nullify her powers, and I am afraid she might be stuck somewhere in one of these two realms, but I have had no luck in locating her. Which means it is imperative that we make sure you are prepared. Because now…” He locked eyes with Evander. “I must take her place as the next Fate Keeper and, Evander, you will take mine.”
Evander stared back, too stunned to speak.
“Then we must get to work.” Holter stood, drawing Caspian’s attention away from the other Reaper. “There is triple the work on our hands now.”
“There is no need for you to trouble—” Caspian started.
“Don’t even try to take this on by yourself. We are all a part of this, so don’t act like this is only on your shoulders. Let me share the burden.”
“Very well,” Caspian agreed.
“Knock, knock!” Azira’s sweet voice sang as she poked her head in. “I heard you two were here and thought I’d stop by and say—” she stopped mid sentence, taking in all three of their faces. “Is something wrong?”
Holter cleared his throat and stood to greet her. “No, no, we were just going to Yeva’s Sanctuary.”
“Would it be okay if I tagged along again?” Azira asked Holter, but her eyes hovered on Caspian.
“Of course,” Holter said.
Caspian had a difficult time smothering the smile trying to form as Azira’s face brightened just before she grabbed Evander by the arm and dragged him down the hall.
Azira and Evander were clearing the few stray leaves and twigs that had fallen on top of the altar since the last visit when Caspian arrived with Holter in tow. He started forward but stopped when Holter grabbed his arm. Caspian faced the Hunter with raised brows.
“There is something I should tell you before we start.”
A fitting confession, considering Caspian himself had just revealed his own secret to the man minutes earlier. The Reaper waited, giving him his full attention.
“We should be prepared for the ceremony to fail on me. I am the most powerful after Kain, but he is more so because of his mother’s blood. She is mortal now, but…”
“But she still has a Reaper's blood,” Caspian finished for him.
Holter’s jaw slackened. “You knew?”
“I did. It happened before the Dissension, before Nivian.” Caspian frowned. He’d known. Using Holter to attempt the transfer of powers would most likely be a vain attempt. Silas had chosen Nivian and Kain because they both had a connection to Hunters and Reapers. He had thought about it a lot over the past few months. It was something they both understood, yet neither of them spoke it aloud. They would continue to do everything in their power to get it to work. After all, Holter’s connection with Aurelia, though slight as it was, might be the single thread that would allow them to pull it off. “Thank you, my friend, for taking on this risk.”
Holter’s expression changed to something unreadable. “Let’s get this over with,” he said and strode to the stone altar, taking his place.
Caspian remained aware of Azira’s presence the entire time, though she remained behind him by some distance. Evander stood at Holter’s feet, holding on and allowing himself to become a conduit.
Caspian’s power flowed through the Hunter, stretching and pushing it to its limits, flowing through Evander and returning back just as strong, in a cycle over and over like the waves of the ocean tide moving in and out. It allowed them to go twice as long before The Hunter began to tire.
Hours later, Caspian withdrew his powers slowly. The relief on Holter’s face was visible as the pain receded with them. Evander let go and stumbled backward. Azira ran to his side and helped steady him.
Caspian stayed with Holter, watching the man’s breathing come rapidly and eventually slowing.
Holter sat up with a groan. “I always expect it to get easier, but I’m always wrong.” He leaned back into a spine popping stretch and jumped down from the dais.
“Evander, I will need you to help me transport Holter,” Caspian said, then turned to address Azira. “I will return for you shortly.”
Wordlessly, Evander wrapped an arm around Holter’s side while Caspian took the other and together they transported. As soon as he landed, Caspian disengaged and allowed Evander to escort the man into the building.
When he returned, Azira sat with her back against the altar, eyes closed and head tilted up to the warm sun. She looked at peace. He watched her for a while, mesmerized, wishing he could feel so at home with the world.
“Are you just going to stand there all day, or are you going to say something?” she asked, peeking at him through her lashes.
Caspian cleared his throat. “I did not want to disturb you.”
A half smile played upon her lips and she pushed off the ground then dusted loose blades of grass from her legs.
She crossed her arms, hands gripping her elbows as she watched him. Whatever the expression on her face meant, whatever thoughts were sparkling behind those blue eyes, he would never get tired of seeing her look at him like that.
“Are you ready?” she asked, sidling up next to him.
Yes…
No.
Wordlessly, he wrapped an arm around her and transported back to Hunter Corp.
They walked through the doors of the hangar and headed straight to Holter’s office. He was explaining what the process felt like while Evander listened with an interest he’d only before seen on Nivian’s face. The Hunter’s face looked a bit more worn than it had at the beginning of their day. No doubt the process was taking a much higher toll on him than he let on. Though he had shed the exhaustion from the day and wore his usual upbeat attitude.
“Ah, good, you’re back,” Holter said, rising. “I would stay longer but I am tired and am about to head home to rest. I will walk you out.”
Taking that as his cue, Evander thanked him for his candor and walked out, Holter only a few steps behind. Caspian moved to follow, but Azira’s soft voice halted him in place.
“Wait, Caspian. Can I speak to you for a moment?”
He nodded for the others to continue then turned to her. The shift in her mood, from the woman who seemed to be able to feel the joy in everything to one of worry, was immediately apparent.
“What can I do for you?” he asked.
She shifted nervously, worrying the sleeves of her blouse with her fingers. Azira was quiet for a long time, sifting through her mind, organizing her thoughts into separate compartments. He waited patiently until she was ready.
Everything about her seemed as if she lived her life on impulse. But underneath it all was a calm, calculating, and methodical process. She took in the world around her and weighted it all out evenly, deciding on the best route to take. It was why she worked in the technology lab despite her young age.
Azira sat on the edge of the desk and played with the various items absentmindedly, adjusting and readjusting the pens, ledgers, and knickknacks.
“Sometimes I don’t feel like I can really talk to anyone here. They all see me as this happy-go-lucky person and when I try to bring something up, they just brush it off. So, I’m glad you’re here.”
Caspian took two steps forward, closing the space between them. He placed a hand atop hers, stilling it from its nervous movements. Azira looked up at him then and took a deep breath.
“I’m worried about the balance and what will happen. Colin and Holter won’t tell me how bad things are, but I know it’s worse than they say. Please, Caspian, I just need to know.”
“I wish I could tell you, but even I do not know,” he said honestly. “There has never been a situation like this. There were always two possible outcomes, one if Silas was destroyed, and one if Yeva w
as. But they both ceased to be at the exact same moment.”
“What if Holter doesn’t work out? What will become of us all?”
“If Holter doesn’t make it through the ceremony then we will continue down the line looking for a Hunter who can handle the power.”
Her head shot up. “What about Nivian? Is there a chance she might not…”
“It was Silas’s plan to have her take his place, but there is always a chance of something happening.” His mind wandered back to Nivian’s failed attempt and he barely managed to repress a shudder. It had been too close of a call, he’d pushed too hard and it nearly ruined everything. “If she does not, then I shall be the next in line.”
Azira simply nodded as if it made sense. She didn’t question him or his ability to become the Fate Keeper. Whether it was from thinking him to be irrefutably strong enough or out of respect, he didn’t know.
Caspian swallowed the lump in his throat. “He has to.”
The next moment, Azira was standing, her small hand resting against his chest as if she could feel the fear in his heart and wished to quell it. She inched closer until there was only a hand's breadth between them. He wanted to pull her into him and hold her, soaking in her comfort and trying to comfort her in return.
But his arms remained at his side as he admitted in a whisper, “I don’t want to know what will happen if we fail.”
TWENTY-FIVE
NIVIAN
NIVIAN TOOK ANOTHER step forward and stumbled, her body waterlogged and heavy. She stared into the forest green eyes she knew so well. It was like a perfect spring morning after a harsh winter.
Kain.
He was the reason she was there. To bring him back. To save everyone. To glue the shards of her broken heart back together.
She took another step, moving clumsily, tripping over small rocks covered in slick algae. Nivian pushed her way through the waters as fast as she could.