Page 22 of Polar Fates
Eight
Why didn’t you just bring them here the normalway?”
“That would have been nofun.”
“Oh Airlea, this wasn’t about having fun. You need to growup.”
“Iam.”
“Then behave likeit.”
Consciousness is slowly creeping up on me. And not in a goodway.
My head hurts, my body aches, everything is spinning. Basically, I want to get back to sleep. But I know that would be a badidea.
In between the pulsing pain in my head, I remember what happened. Thecrack. Alis jumping into it. Then,nothing.
Alis?
Noresponse.
“Why are there only three of them? I thought she hadfour?”
That voice again. It’s that of a woman, and while she sounds quite old, she speaks with authority. Someone you don’t want tocross.
“The Portal closed before the others could get through.” A younger woman. She sounds familiar. It takes my foggy brain a moment to make the connection, but when I do, I just about manage to stop myself from gasping. The girl from the beach. The servant of theFates.
“And why did it close?” The woman’s displeasure isclear.
The girl sighs. “Because I left it open for too long. Sorry,Lach.”
“And why did you dothat?”
“Because I was bored and wanted some fun. I already saidsorry.”
“But you didn’t mean it.” Now it’s the older woman who sighs. “Run to my sisters and tell them our guests havearrived.”
Footsteps, away from me, but only one pair. The older woman is stillhere.
“I know you’reawake.”
Damn, how did she know that? I thought I’d kept my breathing regular and I definitely didn’tmove.
“Come on, get up, we have a lot todiscuss.”
Cautiously, I sit up, cringing as the pounding in my head increases. With relief, I notice that I’m not naked as I usually am after shifting, but that I’m wearing a simple white robe, made from a silky material that’s both light and warm at the same time. I’m trying to tell myself that maybe I arrived in this robe and that nobody actually saw me naked and dressed me in it. Just because I’m comfortable being naked around the guys doesn’t mean the same is true for strangers. Even if they arewomen.
I climb to my feet, ignoring the urge to puke because of that terrible headache, and turn around to face the woman. She’s not as old as I imagined after hearing her voice. Maybe late fifties or early sixties. But as soon as I think that, I see her eyes and adjust my guess to about a thousand years old. Or more. Those eyes… Wow. They’re like mini universes, full of knowledge, memories and emotion. I feel like I’m being sucked intothem…
I avert my gaze and look down to the floor. It’s marble, polished and cool. How did I not notice that while I was lying there? I must have been cold, but I didn’t feelit.
“I am Lachesis, the Drawer of Lots. Welcome to myhome.”
I can’t help but look up at her again, but this time, I avoid hereyes.
“That sounds as if I’m your guest and herevoluntarily.”
She smiles. “Aren’tyou?”
