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26 AELIA

Conrad and his crew watched us as we descended the ramp onto the dock—only the sound of the gulls squawking filled the air. A gray overcast of clouds replaced a once-sunny sky.

The Eternal Guards did not move as we approached.

Baylis and I exchanged knowing glances. Were they really going to let us just walk in?

Any hope of an easy entrance was dashed when the guards gracefully crossed their swords upon our approach.

“We are here to see our mother, Morta,” I said, trying my best to hide the tremble in my voice.

The knight stuck out his armored hand. A needle shot out of his palm.

“Prove your lineage, and we shall let you pass.”

Wearily, Baylis and I each pricked our fingers.

The guards lowered their swords.

“You may pass. Follow the lights, and do not stray from the path.”

We did as we were told, walking through an ominous forest to the looming tower. Lights filled with fire sprites were strung between massive pines. An eerie stillness lingered in the air. The only sound was our feet on the earthen path. My hand drifted to my sword, not quite touching it—I didn’t want to alarm whatever lurked in the woods.

The woods gave way to a garden with expertly crafted topiaries covered with snow. My stomach twisted with every step. What would I say to her? What would she say to me?

“This must be quite something in the summer when all these plants are in bloom. I wonder who cares for them?” Baylis ran her hand over the bare branches of a rose bush.

I eyed my sister. How could she be so calm at this moment? We hadn’t seen our mother for half a decade and all she could focus on was the flowers?

“Magic, probably,” I said.

Two more sets of guards stood in front of the entrance, their faces covered by helmets with no openings.

“How are they breathing?” Baylis asked out loud.

I studied the ancient figures.

“Perhaps they are not.”

“Well, that’s disconcerting.” Baylis lifted a finger to touch the soldier, but I caught her hand before she could make contact.

“Best not.”

She scowled at me, though it quickly faded from her face. “You’re right. I don’t know what came over me.”

“This palace is teaming with magic. It only makes sense we’d be attracted to it.” The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and a metallic taste fizzled on my tongue as we approached the entrance.

The two massive wooden doors creaked open before we could touch them, revealing a hooded figure dressed in fine muslin robes. I tried to see his face, but only darkness met my gaze. “Welcome, daughters of Morta. We have been waiting a long time for your arrival,” an ancient voice echoed from under the hood.

A cold dampness lingered in the dark tower. Only a few low-burning candles lit the ancient hallways. A layer of dust coated everything, and treasure lay strewn about—fine pieces of artwork, jewels, and gold all collected cobwebs in large piles. This place had once been a testament to the Fate’s power, but now only the ghosts of grandeur remained.

“This way,” the figure said, grasping the railing of a massive circular staircase with a decrepit hand covered in paper-thin skin. Whatever this creature was, it had died a long time ago.

A beam of silver light cascaded in from the glass ceiling above. Dust floated like snowflakes as we climbed higher and higher into the tower.

“The sisters reside at the top,” the wraith said.

Rocks piled in my stomach. Each step brought me closer to our mother. I didn’t know what I would say to her. Anger, love, resentment, and guilt all swirled around my head. I wanted to turn around and run the other way, but that wasn’t an option. I had to be brave now. I had to fix my past mistakes. I would not run any longer. I was better than that.

I looked at my sister whose eyes were on the floor. A sullen look etched across her pale face.

My breath hitched in my throat when we reached the precipice. Two bronze doors inscribed with a depiction of the Trinity endowing the Fates with their power were the only thing standing between me and my mother.

“Through the doors,” the wraith said. I wondered how long they had been trapped here. Not dead, but not fully alive, lingering in the in between.

Hesitating, I straightened my leather cuirass, trying to work up the nerve to push the door open.

“Go on. The sisters do not like to be kept waiting.”

I turned the golden handle, pushing the heavy door open. Inside, an ecosystem unto its own awaited us. Trees grew from stone, their leaves splayed out in vibrant yellows and oranges. The smell of honeysuckle and lavender filled the air, and exotic birds flew from branch to branch. A small waterfall flowed into a river that snaked through the floor.

Three golden thrones sat in the center of the room, each occupied by a Fate. My eyes raked over each one. Clotho: elven with sharp features, pale skin, blue eyes, and hair as white as snow. She wore a traditional elven top, white with blue accents and buttons to her chin. Decuma: sylph, tawny skinned, voluptuous, with lush lips and long dark lashes. Thick black curls cascaded over her bare shoulders. She wore a beautiful linen dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, and her fingers were adorned with jeweled rings. My eyes fell upon my mother. Hair as black as night twisted into tight braids and woven into intricate patterns led to her angular face where freckles like mine dotted her nose. Piercing green eyes peered back at me from beneath lowered lashes. She wore her signature purple satin ballgown with gold accents.

“Welcome,” Decuma said in a voice like rich molasse. “Morta has told us about you. We were wondering when you’d grace us with your presence.”

“Mother!” Baylis said from behind me, running to our mother’s open arms.

A pang of jealousy ran through me at how easy it was for Baylis to forgive our mother—to love her unconditionally. I guess I too was the recipient of Baylis’s grace. I too had betrayed her, and she’d forgiven me.

“Baylis. You’re alright,” she said, kissing my sister on the head. “I thought you were dead.”

“Couldn’t you ask one of these two whether she was alive?” I snipped, pointing at Clotho and Decuma. One of them has the power to see the present.

“We don’t work for each other,” Decuma hissed. “That has always been our way. All or nothing. Past, present, and future.”

“For being sisters, you sure are cold to one another.” They had been gods once, but I never worshiped them, and I didn’t want them to think they had any power over me.

“You have no idea what we have been through in the past ten thousand years. We have predicted the rise and fall of nations. Seen gods tremble. Watched dragons fall from the sky. And still, we remained loyal to one another until Morta left.” She gave my mother a sneering look.

“I heard a different story.”

“Whatever you heard is nothing but petty gossip,” Clotho said, holding her head high.

Squashing my annoyance, I plucked an apple from one of the trees, slicing into it with my knife. These women wanted me to bow before them like the kings of old. But those days were over, and the Fates lost their way long ago. I bit into the tart flesh of the fruit. A flavor unlike anything I had tasted before bloomed in my mouth, but I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me enjoy their fruit.

Spitting it on the floor, I tossed the apple to the side. Too long had they held the fates of men in their greedy hands without recourse. They were nothing but myths now… ghosts of an era long passed, and I would treat them as such. Not all gods deserved to live forever.

“Aelia, come here. Let me see you,” my mother begged, arms outstretched.

I wanted to be mad at her, I wanted to scream at her and shake her until she told me everything she knew of my fate. Did you see what my future held? Was this all apart of some grand plan the Trinity had, or did you just not care? Rage boiled in my veins. But seeing the desperation in her verdant eyes made my heart crack a little. I missed her. She’d been as lost as I was. Perhaps she did what she thought was best for me… for us.

Sheathing my dagger, I wrapped my arms around her, inhaling the scent of rosewater she loved to bathe in. I let my body relax in her embrace.

“I’ve missed you,” she said, running her hands through my hair.

“I’ve missed you too,” I said through the growing lump in my throat. Tears welled behind my eyes, hot and heavy, but like the fruit, I would not give these women the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I had shed enough tears for a lifetime, and I would not shed anymore for people who didn’t deserve to see them… even myself.

“Touching,” Decuma said, tossing her curls over her shoulder. “But I’m sure you came here to ask something, not just for a reunion.”

“You are the Fate of the present. Shouldn’t you know?” I snapped at her.

“Not how it works, deary,” she smirked.

I wiped my tears from my eyes and straightened my cuirass again.

“We need to know about the Trinity Wells. Where they are, what they do. What would happen if someone found one or all of them.”

All three women exchanged knowing glances.

“The Trinity Wells are a myth,” Clotho blurted out.

I squinted at her.

“I don’t have to be a Fate to know you’re lying.”

“Like we would tell you if we did know anything about them,” Decuma hissed. “If they exist. They are meant to be hidden so only the Trinity can find them.”

“That’s right, you worked with Erissa to imprison my mother. You’re probably working with them right now. Probably told Erissa where to look. What is she giving you in exchange? Did she offer you a chance to regain your power?”

Decuma’s amber eyes widened, and she leaned forward on her throne.

“Erissa came to us saying she’d found Morta. We need all three of us together for our powers to work correctly. If one is gone, the others cannot see.”

“So you say. But I’m sure your power doesn’t just fizzle and die.”

“That is the way the Trinity made us, unfortunately.” Decuma crossed her legs. “If we didn’t need Morta, we wouldn’t have gone looking for her.”

I wasn’t sure if I believed her. These women wanted power. They had been worshiped once, and they wanted to be worshiped again for the gods they were. Power corrupts. I needed to find a way they couldn’t refuse me.

“Fine then. Tell me what you see for my future.”

“No!” my mother yelled. “Don’t do this, Aelia.” She grabbed my arm.

“Why? I’ve already walked through hell. It cannot be worse than living in a prison of your making.”

“Morta is the one who sees the future. Are you sure you want to make your mother do this?”

My mother squirmed uneasily in her chair. “Don’t make me do this, Aelia. You will not like what I see. The Trinity will make it so.”

I set my jaw, collecting myself before answering. “You held your visions from me once before. I think I am owed at least an ounce of truth this time.”

My mother’s mouth fell open, but no sound escaped her lips.

Decuma and Clotho looked at me like wolves waiting to devour a lamb.

“Fine. Show me the present as well. I don’t need to relive my past.”

“You’re no fun,” Clotho said, crossing her arms like a petulant child.

A wide smile cut Decuma’s beautiful face in two. “Let’s spin, sisters.”

All three rose, hands outstretched. Threads of luminescent magic twisted together from their fingertips, weaving my fate—their eyes rolled a placid white. Baylis grabbed my hand, and I swallowed a rising dread.

Energy danced through the air, filled with magic. Copper fizzled on my tongue. This sight had not been seen for hundreds of years. Heads tilted to the heavens; the sisters hummed a foreign melody.

“What’s happening?” I asked Baylis.

“How should I know? I have no control over my powers.”

“Just thought Mother might have told you.”

The humming reached an unbearable pitch. Letting go of Baylis’s hand, we covered our ears.

A wind blew in from an unseeable source, rattling leaves on their branches, and darkness blanketed the once-sunny room.

I sunk to my knees, clutching Baylis tightly and shutting my eyes. Adrenaline coursed through my veins.

The sisters quieted, the room stilled, and light filled the atrium.

They took their seats on their thrones.

“We are ready, Aelia Springborn,” Decuma said, in a voice deep and ancient.

I stood and prepared to hear my fate.

“Go ahead.”

Clotho began, “In the desert, a man in black wanders. Searching for something. A power hidden in a tomb.” Her eyes glazed over. “Hands laid upon a bare back. Tears falling from joyous eyes. He has returned to lead us. HE HAS RETURNED TO LEAD US.” She jolted backward, hitting her head on her throne. “Oh no. It can’t be.”

My blood boiled in my veins.

“Is it Crom? There’s no way it’s him, right?” my mother asked.

“You saw what I saw,” Clotho breathed out.

I tapped my pack of cigarettes on my palm before taking one out and lighting it on a nearby candle.

“It’s not him,” I said, letting smoke billow out of my mouth.

“How do you know? We are the all-seeing eyes of the world. You think you know better than us?” Decuma’s nostrils flared in annoyance.

I took another drag off my cigarette.

“I know visions can be wrong. If Crom was back from the dead, I would have known.”

“And how is that? Are you psychic, too?” Clotho sneered at me.

A crack in their armor. I wanted to play with them a little more.

“Would it surprise you if I was? I am a daughter of a Fate.”

More nervous glances between the sisters. I had them rattled. I savored the taste of their unease.

“You know one of us has the gift, don’t you?”

Neither of the sisters said a word.

I looked at my mother, and her eyes fell to the floor.

Baylis stepped forward. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out? Or did you do something to stop me from knowing?”

“Everything I have ever done has been to protect you,” our mother said, taking my sister’s dainty hand in hers.

“So, you knew I had the gift and kept it from me?” Baylis’s eyes filled with tears.

“I never wanted to hurt you. You have to believe me. It was for your own good. I am a servant to fate. But fate can be changed.”

“Enough,” I said. “We can discuss this later. What did you see in my future?”

Baylis crossed her arms over her chest with a little pout.

My mother narrowed her eyes on me.

“Two loves. One a storm of turmoil. One the giver of life. Your heart is tied to both, but you will have to choose between them.”

A dull horror settled over me. I had already chosen Tharan. Caiden didn’t even remember me anymore. That twisted knot in my chest tightened that much more. What was she playing at? There had to be more to this vision than just a choice. Hiding my horror, I blew out the smoke from my lungs.

“Great. Anything else?”

“Someone close to you will betray you before your journey is over. Not everyone is who they say they are.”

“I thought you were the Fate of the Future? I’ve already been betrayed by someone I trusted.”

She looked at Clotho, who shrugged.

“Sometimes our threads get crossed. We have not woven a fate in some time.”

I shook my head. “Anything else?”

My mother closed her eyes.

“I see a quest in your future. From the Court of Screams to the Bog of Eternal Suffering to the Great White North. Through the Rasa Desert… and even into the world beyond.”

“Do I kill Gideon?”

“That part is hazy,” my mother replied, her voice faint and far away.

“So, you never see a full scene, or is this a new development?”

Decuma chimed in, “We see what the Trinity wants us to see. Nothing more, nothing less. They are the Divine Fate. They decide the past, present, and future, you see.”

I nodded as if I understood. The Morrigan’s words echoed through my mind: They twist fate to suit their needs.

I breathed deeply.

“You have been incredibly helpful.”

Decuma cleared her throat. “We don’t work for free.”

Rolling my eyes, I reached into my cloak pocket.

“Like you have anything to spend it on. You can’t even leave this island.”

She held up her hand.

“Do not give it to us here. Put it in the offering bowls in temples across the continent. If people think others believe they will come back.”

Were their visions spottier because of a lack of belief? Had the magic died before my mother left, and that’s how she was able to escape? So many questions swirled through my head. It was hard to keep them from slipping out of my mouth. I didn’t want to say too much in front of the sisters. My mother could probably keep a secret. She fled all those years ago for a reason. She knew what these women were. They were beautiful on the outside but rotten to the core.

The sky darkened above, shading the once-bright room.

“It is time for you to leave. Weaving is tiresome work, and we have not done it for an age,” Decuma said, hiding a yawn.

“Please, let them stay for dinner. I haven’t seen them in years, and I would love to spend some time with them,” my mother said.

Guilt clawed at my heart. I wanted to spend time with my mother, but I didn’t know how long Calliope would keep the sea monsters at bay.

“I, um, I don’t know how long we have. If I’m being honest.”

A wicked gleam sparkled in Clotho’s blue eyes.

“Yes, the monsters. How ever did you get past them?”

I swallowed hard. “I made a deal with Calliope, queen of the Undersea.”

“You’re either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid,” Decuma scoffed. “Calliope has never made such a deal before. What did you give her in return?”

“Her sister’s head on a platter,” I spat out. I wanted them to know even goddesses could die.

All three of the sisters’ eyes widened.

“Calypso?” Decuma asked, looking at me with a mixture of astonishment and respect.

I kept my face stoic, loving the surprise on their faces.

“As far as I know, that’s her only sister.”

My mother ran a tired hand down her elegant face.

“What have you done? She will come for you.”

A mixture of shame and fear washed over me. Even as an adult I didn’t want to disappoint my mother, but the truth was, life puts us in positions we’d never thought we’d be in, and we have to do the best we can to survive. There was nothing I could do now other than accept my fate.

“Let her come,” I said, blowing out another plume of smoke.

“You are trifling with forces beyond your comprehension. You have upset the natural balance of things.” Decuma gripped the arm of her throne so tightly her knuckles turned white.

I narrowed my eyes at the ancient goddess.

“You have no idea what I know. You call yourself a Fate, but you are nothing more than a fortune teller. No wonder people stopped believing.”

I turned and grabbed my sister’s hand.

“Come on, Baylis. We’re leaving. They cannot help us.”

“Wait!” our mother cried, running after us to envelope us in her arms once more. I held on tight, not wanting to let go. I didn’t want this to be goodbye, but we all had a role to play in this game.

“Remember what I told you. Great white north, bog, desert, screams. That is where you will find what you are looking for. That is how you will save this continent,” she whispered in my ear while running her hands through my hair the way only a mother can.

I kept my face as stoic as possible. I did not want the other sisters to be more suspicious of me than they already were.

“I love you, Mother. I will find a way to free you,” I whispered, using her long thick hair to hide my lips.

“I love you both,” she said.

Baylis’s body shook with tears.

We held on to our mother for as long as we could before the wraith ushered us out through the bronze doors.

Stars twinkled in the night sky above as we exited the tower. I did not dare look back. I didn’t want to see them looking down at us. I just wanted to get off this island.

“We can discuss what she saw when we get back. Do not mention anything on the ship,” I said to Baylis who nodded, wiping tears from her eyes.

The forest glowed an eerie green as we headed to the docks. Guards lined the borders of the earthen path. The sounds of rustling leaves could be heard in the distance. What was going on here? What was hiding in these woods?

The lights from the ship appeared at the end of the lane and my muscles relaxed a little. We just had to make it to the ship, then cross the bay, and we would be fine. Everything was going to be alright.

My feet couldn’t get me to the dock fast enough. A rustling ripped through the forest and a large vine descended upon me, knocking me backward. Stars dotted my vision, and my body ached from the impact. The unruly tendril snaked its way around my waist, tightening its grip.

“Aelia!” Baylis shrieked.

A guard quickly sliced the vine from where it wrapped itself around me.

“It’s okay, I’m fine. Go ahead, get on the ship.”

She took a step toward me but one of the guards stopped her.

“You cannot go back.”

“It’s fine go,” I repeated.

Baylis turned and headed for the ship.

The guard offered me a hand and pulled me from the ground. When I looked up, Clotho stood before me.

I blinked at her in disbelief.

Her blue eyes flitted around the forest.

“We do not have much time, so listen closely, daughter of Morta. I know you did not want to hear of your past, but there is a message I need you to hear. Be careful of who you keep close, someone has already betrayed you.”

“Who?”

“The Trinity will not let me say more.” She tapped her temple.

I bit the inside of my cheek. Unsure if I could bear what I was about to see. I didn’t want to break minds anymore, but this seemed important. Letting out a breath, I focused my energy on the Fate.

A door of pure ice awaited me. Hesitantly, I knocked. Cracks formed around the outside of the door, and slowly, it opened.

Clotho sat on a throne of intricately carved ice. Her blue eyes trained on me.

“Listen to me, child. I may look young, but I have seen everything since the dawn of time. What I’m about to show you will be confusing at first, but it is the only way I can show you what you need to see without alerting the Trinity or my sisters to my treachery.”

I nodded, swallowing the dread blooming in my gut.

Images of Baylis and Gideon in compromising positions flashed before my eyes. Kisses shared in the comfort of his bed. Words of love, whispered in the dark. Baylis and Gideon together in his study. He ran a loving hand down her dainty neck, brushing her hair behind her shoulder.

My blood boiled and my stomach turned.

“You know what you must do,” his deep voice said.

Baylis nodded. Her gray eyes obedient as if she were looking at a god incarnate.

“Yes, my love.”

Bile rose in the back of my throat.

“That’s enough,” I shouted.

Clotho spit me out of her mind.

“Why?” I said, my voice more of a cry than I intended.

“I cannot answer that question. I can only show you what you need to see.”

I went to speak but she vanished into nothing. Brushing the dirt from my butt, I hurried to the ship. Clotho’s visions rattled in my head. The grit of sand made my mouth dry. Baylis was a traitor. I already knew that from before. But was she really one now? I’d seen the creature lurking in her head. Did Gideon put it there? Did she?

I would have to confront her. Smacking my pack of smokes on my palm, I lit a cigarette. My hand shook as I held it to my lips. Get your head on straight, Aelia. Don’t be a fool like before. Trust your gut.

I couldn’t look at my sister as I boarded the ship. She stared out at the water. A hood covering her blonde hair. She looked so innocent. Could she really be the architect of my demise?

Taking a seat next to her, I tried to put it out of my mind for now.

The moon painted the sea with silver light, and I could see the waves were already rougher than when we arrived. Wind is natural, Aelia, you have nothing to worry about. Waves happen.

“Took you long enough,” Conrad said, taking a drag off a long, curved pipe.

“Fate doesn’t run on your schedule.”

Conrad smirked. “Maybe it should.”

I rolled my eyes. “Let’s just get off this island before our luck runs out.”

“As soon as you give me the siren’s song we’ll leave.”

I ground my jaw. Of course, I wouldn’t get out of this that easily. The crew drew their swords on us.

Conrad grinned.

“A deal’s a deal, sweetie.”

Reluctantly I reached into my pocket and handed him the sapphire.

“This really brings out my eyes, don’t you think?” he said, fastening the jewel around his neck.

“Let’s just get out of here.”

“As you wish.” He stalked up to the helm and spun it hard to the right. “Let’s go, boys!”