Page 92 of Quiet Burn

I arch a brow, not moving from my spot. “No shade, but isn’t that what every villain looking to hollow out my body and use it for some weird ritual would say? Ted Bundy didn’t tell people he was a serial killer, either.”

“You’re cautious—that will serve you well in the coming times,” the hidden figure says. “I appreciate a healthy skepticism in women. History has not been kind to them and the future will likely be no different. However, in this one instance, the unknown is not here to harm you. Sit with me.”

My eyes narrow as I weigh my options. I could run, but if this person has magic, it won’t matter if they’re telling the truth. They’ll just reappear wherever I go, making the same request. That goes double for bad intentions, so unless I want to stand here until they get bored, I probably have to do what they ask. I don’t like being boxed in, though, and my blood pressure isrising with every second. I have to breathe or I’ll spiral out. I don’t know what the fuck will happen if I go into an attack here, so again, my options are limited.

This is bullshit and I’m royally pissed off.

Walking over to the fancy garden table, I see that it’s set with finger food and a shiny silver tea set. This is like a damn scene out of a fantasy version of Bridgerton, and I’m not having it. Kat Camponella is not Alice and I’m not eating or drinking a damn thing in foreign land. I won’t even eat food I haven’t seen prepared in public since the incident, so this hooded asshole can fuck right off.

“It’s not going to shrink you, Kat.”

I drop into the chair, glaring at the amused creeper. “Don’t mess around in my mind. It’s bad enough that humans did. Plus, it’s rude as fuck.”

The hood moves with its head as the figure shakes it. “I am not in your mind. I simply know the cultural zeitgeist of this current world well enough to guess where you would go. It’s predictable, as is the tough front the women I visit have developed due to the circumstances.”

“You visit lots of women in this fairyland without consent, hmm?”

They laugh again, pouring more tea in their cup. “No, not lots. I have specific people to see and when I do, it’s because they are at a turning point where it is time for them to accept many new truths about the world and themselves.”

“Uh, you’re too late, dude. I already got tapped for a university in Hell, which I thought was as fictional as the big sky man.Then I was told that I have to be part demon, again previously fictional, and was inducted into a demon boy band. The ship to Big Change Land has already sailed for a new port.”

The tea cup disappears into the hood as the person sips, and once it lowers, they sigh. “Yes, I am a bit overdue with you, but maintaining the schedule I envisioned has been difficult. Not all of you hit the mark at the right time—some are early and some are quite late. It’s made my schedule quite jumbled. I adapt well, but the others… not so much. For that, I apologize.”

Why do they owe me an apology? This is getting weirder by the second.

“Thanks, I guess? But I still don’t get why I’m here.”

Another sigh escapes as the figure pauses. Once they make a decision, they fold their hands on the table. “You are not far into your education about the greater world of the supernatural because in a quirk of Fate, machinations in Hell moved more quickly than predicted. Unsurprising, as demons are… difficult to pin down because of their natures.”

“I’m still not hearing why I’m here.”

“Patience, Katarina. You are young, I know… younger than the others I’ve seen insofar. But I must be cautious how I approach this or I will cause unintended consequences.”

Fucking riddles. Who the shit is this joker?

“Okay. Go on.”

“When you get deeper into the world you were not aware of, you will learn about the many governing bodies outside of Hell and their relations with their people and the other species. You will likely learn about origins, but you will not be told the mostimportant story. That will be revealed eventually and your existence will make a great deal more sense. I cannot tell you this now, but I can say that you are not the same as the others in this school.”

“Obviously not since I’m a girl,” I scoff. “That’s not news.”

“So jaded at such a young age. It’s heartbreaking, but there was no way to prevent it.” The figure leans in, but all I see in the hood is a black void. “I am truly sorry that the human world caused you to be so broken, Katarina. Unfortunately, the threads of Fate require great sacrifice in order to forge the fire needed for the future, and you are one of those victims.”

Great. It was my destiny to be neglected, assaulted, and abused. Super awesome for my ego, you dime store Jawa.

“Not helpful at this juncture, but the sentiment is nice. You still haven’t answered my question, and I’m hoping the guys and the demon doc who are probably losing their minds right now yank me out of this acid trip.”

“The reason you’re here, Kat, is for me to tell you that your abilities will not be like others where you are. You need to choose your allies wisely, and keep your secrets well hidden. You must survive this education in order to find out what you want to know—where you came from and why you are like this—but also for larger concerns.”

“Oh, goody, you only visit ‘chosen ones,’ is that it? Well, tell the Watchers I decline. We all saw what happened to the last girl who accepted—over and over, until even death didn’t keep her from peace. No thanks; I’m unavailable for world saving duties.”

Hood Person laughs, the cloth around their head shaking again. “Oh, Kat. You’re quite delightful, but you cannot decline Fate. It is the one true equalizer in all the realms—as it is woven, it will be so.”

“Again, hard pass.”

They sigh, waving their hand. “You are not ready. I will return when you have a bit more experience under your belt. Be well, be wary, and most of all, be happy, child.”

That’swhen I wake up, cold and clad in a hospital gown, with six furious looking demons, a kinkajou, and a curious skull demon doctor peering down at me.

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