The Moirai

by Ali Winters

  The god rolled his eyes. His patience seeming to wear thin now that he had the soul he’d wanted, and Kain no longer belonged to him. “There is nothing I can—what did you say?”

  “I asked—”

  In two massive strides, Hades was upon her, holding her chin in his hand. The other holding her silver tresses back. He squinted down at her, his eyes widened and then… he threw his head back and laughed, letting her go. “I had thought you looked familiar.”

  “What?” she asked dumbly.

  “Never mind,” he shook his head, his features taking on more friendly shapes, as if he had gone from being a god to someone more like them. “I want you to know that I never wanted you to fail, but the odds of you making it even halfway to him were astronomical.”

  “If you didn’t want me to fail then why demand I take a life force before its time?”

  “The balance is more important than anything else, you know that and you know that our feelings matter little. Our own heartbreaks are a risk we take when we focus on anything else. Had I allowed you to take him unchallenged, even in its stasis, the balance would have reacted negatively to such an egregious violation.”

  Nivian bit her lip as if she understood all of that. “Will you be terribly mad at Prometheus?” she asked.

  Hades didn’t answer, instead he gave her a smile that would melt stars. Then his coal black eyes found Kain, though the god still only spoke to her. “It is time for you both to leave. Only you hold the eye so he will die soon if you do not get him from this realm. There is nothing to protect him.”

  Nivian, once again looking none too pleased with Hades, took Kain’s hand and walked away. Her fingers wound between his as she led him into a dark, musty cave tunnel, the metal gates slamming closed behind them, followed by the resounding click of a lock sliding into place.

  THIRTY-ONE

  NIVIAN

  NIVIAN FELT A light tug on her hand and she glanced back to see Kain flinch as he passed through the gate as though he was afraid it would hurt. His shoulders visibly relaxed and he let out a slow breath. He seemed completely unaware of his reaction, too busy trying to take in every detail as she led him out of the Underworld and back to the realm of the living.

  He didn’t speak as they climbed the narrow, crumbling stairs up into the eye of the spillway. Soon they would be at the entrance that would take them to Mophar.

  The first, and only, time Nivian had brought him to Mophar as a Hunter it should have killed him. But he had Reaper blood running through his veins from his mother before Yeva had turned her human. When that information had come to light, it had shocked them all. Well, most of them anyway. Silas had known. Once Nivian, too, had been ensnared in the game the two ancients had played.

  Nivian stopped outside the rippling patch of air that shimmered with a ghost of the tunnel that led to the realm of Reapers.

  “Are you okay?” Kain asked.

  “Yeah,” she replied absentmindedly, still lost in her thoughts. Was he pure Hunter now or was there a little bit of Reaper in him this time? Surely death had changed him in some way.

  He squeezed on her hand until she dragged her eyes to meet his. She was able to let go of him now, there was nothing to take him from her anymore… but she didn’t want to, so she let herself hold on. He didn’t seem to mind.

  “Once we walk through, we will be in Mophar. The last time I brought you, you said it was awful. I don’t know how it will feel now, so you might want to prepare yourself.”

  The color drained from his face, but then he tightened his fingers around hers, though not painfully. “Let’s go.”

  They stepped through. The feeling of suffocating wasn’t nearly as horrible this time around. But the feeling of being released from the pressure was still a release. Kain passed through one step behind her and cringed.

  “Did it hurt?” she asked, letting go of him to run her hands along his chest, his shoulders, his arms, his face.

  “Well.” He made strange shapes with his mouth as though it were made of clay. “Let’s just say that it didn’t feel great. I feel heavier now.”

  “I’m so sorry, Kain,” she said.

  He laughed. “Don’t be. While I don’t want to do it again if it can be helped.”

  She let out a breath, then slipped her hand into his again and continued to lead him through the long passage and up the spiraling staircase.

  “Nivian,” he said softly. “I feel like we’ve known each other for a long time…”

  Nivian felt around the wall until her fingers found an out of place lump in the stone. “We have.”

  “But I don’t remember you.” It never got easier to hear him say those words.

  “I know,” she said, then pressed the bump. A doorway opened up and led them into Silas’s throne room. They would speak of his memory and work on it later.

  They made it.

  They had made it!

  “What is this place?” he asked.

  Her heart danced wildly against her ribs. “This is the heart of G.R.I.M. Headquarters,” Nivian said simply, knowing it would mean little to him but not wanting to ignore his questions.

  She took his hands and, almost dragging him behind her, went straight for the wood slab table against the wall, grabbing her cloak and scythe in one fell swoop and donning them without breaking her stride.

  It was ridiculous, but she couldn’t help the smile plastered upon her face, which made Kain look at her like she had lost her mind. She was happy, and she couldn’t wait until her only worry in the world would be finding time to spend with him.

  First things first. They had to get out of G.R.I.M. and complete the transfer of power for both of them.

  She stopped suddenly, causing Kain to run unceremoniously into her back.

  “Maybe,” she said slowly with one palm pressed against the smooth stone door. “We shouldn’t go through G.R.I.M., you’re still a Hunter and shouldn’t be here.”

  Kain shrugged one shoulder.

  Nivian closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. He sucked in a breath and froze, with his hands resting on her hips. His fingers squeezed gently. She leaned in, her cheek against his chest, and listened to the beautiful song of his heart beating.

  She ignored whatever it was he had started to say, this moment reminding her so much of the first time she’d wrapped herself around him. Then she transported them into the human world, to right outside the edge of the forcefield of Hunter Corp.

  As soon as solid earth formed underfoot, they stumbled. Nivian relinquished her hold on him to avoid them both from tumbling painfully to the ground. A stitch in her side had her bending over, wrapping her arms around her own torso as she gasped for breath. Transporting him had taken more out of her than she remembered.

  “Nivian?” Kain’s gentle, unaffected voice asked. How had he not been as affected as she?

  “Fine… I’m fine,” she rasped through clenched teeth, forcing herself to straighten and attempt to breathe through it. They’d had weeks—days left when she re-entered the Underworld for the final exchange with Hades; there was no telling how much time had passed even with them not going deeper than the gates.

  Kain looked around, his brows colliding. “Where are we? I thought you would take me to where I lived…” His eyes cut to hers. “I don’t live here, do I?”

  She shook her head, not actually having enough breath to explain why they didn’t have time for that just yet. The others needed to know he was back.

  Nivian let out a shuddering sigh. It all still felt so impossible.

  I did it. Kain is back… he’s really back! she thought. She wanted to hold him, to kiss him, to do everything and nothing, wanted to bask in the miraculous feat.

  “You keep looking at me like that,” Kain observed.

  Nivian cleared her throat, feeling the burn of heat bloom across her face. “Come on, we need to see the others.”

  She reached for his hand, a gesture she’d gro
wn so used to, but he had already started walking toward the hanger in the distance. It stung that he didn’t automatically reach for her, something he used to do. But she couldn’t let herself worry about that.

  Nivian hurried to catch up, her hand plastered to the ache in her side, wishing it would fade faster as she struggled to keep up with him. They walked briskly to the main building, where Kain stopped just before the entrance and stepped aside to let her lead the way. The bell at the top of the door chimed as she pushed it open.

  They crossed the small office and into the main hanger. Nivian placed a hand on Kain’s chest to stop him. She couldn’t stop herself from touching him, from making sure he was real and not just a figment of her mind.

  “Maybe you should wait here a moment,” she said.

  Nivian turned and walked toward a small group of Hunters chatting. Azira’s head popped up, she glanced at Nivian briefly then back at whatever the group was huddled around before her eyes widened and she squealed.

  Pushing the others out of the way, she ran at Nivian and wrapped her arms around her.

  “You’re back!” she said excitedly and, still holding onto her, she leaned back just enough to look her in the face. “I was so worried about you. I didn’t know when you’d be back, some of the guys wanted to place bets.” She glared over her shoulder at them. Nivian opened her mouth to interrupt but Azira kept going, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Not that they had any idea why we wanted you to come back so soon.”

  The man with the tattooed arms glared at Nivian over his shoulder, then the rest of the group turned to look at her, then past.

  What they saw silenced them.

  Azira finally noticed Nivian’s distraction and the suddenly quiet hanger. She followed Nivian’s gaze to the group, then theirs to over Nivian’s shoulder.

  “Oh… my…” Azira clamped her hand over her mouth. She pulled away from Nivian, skirting her, and walked toward Kain, then running full out by the time she reached him and launching herself at him. Azira threw her arms around his neck, making him stoop, his eyes nearly bulging from their sockets. Nivian couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. Meeting Azira for the first time was always interesting, for anyone.

  The other Hunters ran past Nivian as if she weren’t even there, not that she blamed any of them. They welcomed Kain home, patting him on the back while he remained Azira’s prisoner.

  After a few moments, Nivian joined them, sensing a shift in Kain’s demeanor. She reached between them and pulled him from the center of them. A few of the men gave her an annoyed look, but Kain’s relieved posture was all she needed to see to affirm she’d read him correctly.

  Nivian steeled her spine. “Give him his space. He’s having trouble remembering things and needs some time to adjust.”

  Understanding dawned on them one by one, their defensive stances relaxing.

  Nivian turned to Azira. “Is Caspian still here?”

  She nodded enthusiastically. “Sure is, Evander too. I’ll take you two down there.”

  The journey down to the underground tunnels was nothing new to her, but Kain walked, amazed at the lights that followed them along the floor on either side of the path, their changing colors as they progressed through the labyrinth, and the sheer size and extent. The further on they went, the more he would give them a strange, slightly worried expression.

  Azira tried to keep the mood light by explaining as she had the first time she had shown Nivian around. Though she spoke so fast even Nivian had trouble keeping up with the pixie like young woman. Kain didn’t seem too bothered, but she wasn’t sure he was even listening.

  Probably more than a little overwhelmed, Nivian mused. She shot Azira a glance to communicate as much.

  Silence fell between them, then Azira started again, having calmed herself. “Can you really not remember anything?” she asked Kain.

  A frown pulled at the corners of his mouth. “Yes… no… I remember some things.” He pointed to the lights guiding their path. “Those are lights, lights run on electricity, and there is probably some sort of motion detector at work here. I know these tunnels are made up of some sort of metal, something similar to steel, though… maybe a bit different.”

  Azira nodded, confirming his assumptions.

  “I can remember math, science, and history…” he trailed off, focusing on a far point in the distance. “But nothing about my life, nothing about anyone in particular. Nothing that I would assume makes me who I am. Certainly nothing about this place or what you all expect from me.”

  “Well, I’m Azira, but you can call me Az, everyone else does.” She smiled. “At least we have a starting point. We’ll help you with your memories once the… uh, immediate situation has been dealt with,” she stumbled on the last part, giving Nivian a questioning look.

  They stopped at a metal door, which spanned from floor to ceiling. Azira went to place her hand atop the black square along the wall, but she took Kain’s hand and placed it there instead.

  Green light washed his palm, activating the clank and grind of gears that shook the ground as the doors slid apart.

  Almost no one was in the lab. The redheaded Hunter, Colin, looked up from his station and placed his tool on the table then walked up to them as though they would startle, or attack, or perhaps even dissipate in a cloud of smoke if he used any sudden movements.

  Nivian hadn’t even noticed Caspian and Evander in the room until they were practically standing in front of her.

  She blinked, realizing how bone-weary she felt all of a sudden. She glanced sidelong at Kain, she could only imagine how exhausted he was as well.

  “Kain?” Colin asked gruffly.

  “That’s what everyone seems to be calling me,” Kain responded, more interested in the room.

  “Kain has lost his memory,” Nivian explained. “He doesn’t know any of us, or what we need him to do.”

  Caspian almost seemed to expect as much, the other two, however, wore wide eyed expressions, Colin more upset than the others.

  “May I speak with you alone?” Colin asked him. Kain looked to Nivian questioningly.

  “Kain, this is Colin,” Nivian said, giving the man a pointed look. It was like he didn’t understand Kain had no idea who he was. Then she continued her introductions, “And this is Evander, and Caspian. You can go with Colin, he will get you up to speed. You can trust him.”

  Reluctantly, Kain eyed the man, then nodded. He was more tight-lipped around this group. Though, she couldn’t blame him; she did throw him into it with little explanation. It was a wonder he still trusted her.

  She watched as the two men left, hating to see Kain walk away from her. The metal door closed behind them and her heart ached immediately at the loss of his presence.

  Nivian wanted to run after him and refuse to leave his side, but she remained rooted to her spot, knowing she had to let him go. At least for a short time.

  Azira wrapped her in a hug. And as hard as she tried to fight it, the tears came, pouring down in rivulets. Nivian soaked up her friend’s comfort before pulling away.

  She looked between the two Reapers and Azira. “He doesn’t remember any of us… how can we do this in time? How—” her voice broke.

  Azira spoke softly, “He might not know anything about us, his past, or who he is, but I’m sure he’s still in there somewhere.”

  Caspian spoke for the first time. “Spend time with him. He brought your memories back… I am willing to bet that your presence will do the same for him.”

  Nivian gave him a half hearted smile. Her exhaustion compounding the emotions storming through her heart and mind. She wrung her hands. “Do you honestly think so?”

  “I do,” Caspian said quietly and pulled her into a quick hug. “I still can’t believe you did it. You are every bit as amazing as I always knew you were. Welcome back, Nivi.”

  Azira and Caspian moved to the side when Evander cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re back as well. I had no i
dea you were actually going to go to the Underworld when I gave you that book. Caspian nearly had my head over helping you.” He smiled broadly. “I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

  “You helped more than you could know,” she said. Nivian eyed Caspian and Azira, talking amongst themselves, too quiet to be overheard. The way Caspian looked at the Hunter made Nivian’s heart beat painfully in her chest. That was exactly how Kain had looked at her the moment before she had cut his life thread. Like he had gladly given himself over to her.

  She didn’t realize she’d been staring until Caspian caught her. Nivian’s face reddened. He took a step back but still remained close to Azira. He kissed her hand before breaking away and walking over to where Nivian and Evander waited.

  “Are you ready?” he asked both of them, taking a moment to straighten the sleeves of his cloak. Nivian could almost detect a slight blush across his face.

  “I’m ready. I just want to make sure Kain is all right before we go,” Nivian said, trying to change the mood of the room to something a little less intimidating.

  “There is no time. At most, we only have days left.”

  Nivian swallowed hard. “Okay,” she managed to squeak out.

  “Don’t worry, Nivian,” Azira said, having joined them again. “I will protect him while you’re gone.”

  Nivian wasn’t worried about any of the Hunters harming him. They all cared about Kain, he was part of their family, but her friend’s assurance relieved a small piece of anxiety coating her nerves. She took Azira’s hands in hers and smiled.

  “I think he will need you to help prepare him. Last time the transfer of powers failed because your heart was not in it. We cannot take that risk again,” Caspian pressed the importance of the part she was to play then turned to Azira one last time. “We will start tomorrow. I think he will need the rest of today to orient himself. Azira, if you could take him home tonight, I would be eternally grateful. Make sure he gets some sleep; I imagine he is quite fatigued from his journey.”