The Gifts of Fate

Chapter 13

The early morning train to the city was standing room only. Most of the commuters were suits headed to their office jobs. Huddled together, it felt like being trapped in the middle of a colony of Emperor penguins.

Shilpy couldn't shake the queasy and soiled feeling in the pit of her stomach. Denise was a good person, and perhaps her only true friend. What sort of person leaves her lying on the floor while they run off to save their own skin?

Had she made the right choice? Maybe Denise was right, and Angela could use the Star to revive Thomas. If so she should have left it with her.

No. If she handed it over, she might lose it forever. The Moirai would be the only ones who understood how it worked. Shilpy needed to have another vision. Get them to tell her how to heal Thomas.

Angela would already be on her way to Denise's. She would know where to find the Star of Fate, especially if Denise gave her Shilpy's home address. Any chance for a normal life was gone now. They'd found her. It was time to run.

Shilpy had to warn Dusk, and together they could escape before Keres Ter Nyx arrived. How was she going to explain this all? If he'd been fighting Keres Ter Nyx, how would he react?

The train arrived on the familiar streets of Newtown all too quickly. Shilpy sprinted from the station with Denise's bag wrapped over her shoulder. She bolted through the narrow streets of parked cars and picket fenced terraces; past white walls covered with layer after layer of spaghetti-like graffiti, until she finally reach their two-story building. She took the stairs two at a time and burst through the door.

"Dusk!"

Hond looked up from the couch. His appearance was worse than the previous night. He looked as though he was rotting from the inside like overripe fruit. What sort of drugs do that to a man?

"Shilpy," he said. "Your home."

She shook her head. He wasn't the priority. "Where's Dusk?" she asked.

Hond's head turned towards the bedroom. Shilpy rushed past him but never made it. In one deft move, Hond found his feet. Something hard hit her on the back of the head. The world exploded in pain. Shilpy collapsed to her hands and knees. Stunned, she noticed something warm and red staining her hand. She struggled to climb back up, but Hond struck her again, and everything went black.

#

The world slipped slowly and painfully back into view. Where was she? Keres Ter Nyx must already be on their way? How long did it take them to clear up the mess at Denise's?

Her head cleared and she realized her hands were fastened behind her back, and each leg was secured to the chair using zip-ties. Shilpy's head was pounding, and everything looked fuzzy. Something struck her cheek, and the stinging pain brought reality rushing back into view.

Hond sat opposite. Both hands were pressed together until his fingers formed a steeple. Shilpy frantically surveyed the room trying to get her bearings. She was still in the apartment. The warm orange glow of the evening sun lighted the curtains. She couldn't tell how much time had passed. Maybe a few hours.

Dusk? Where was Dusk?

"You've been a bad girl, my friend," Hond said bringing Shilpy back to the present.

Hond grinned at her, and for the first time, Shilpy noticed he was missing teeth. "Looking for this?" He pulled the sword of Ponos from behind the couch. "How did you get this?"

Shit.

"I can explain, but I need to see Dusk-" Hond struck her with the back of his fist. Shilpy's head snapped around, and stars fill her vision. She shook her head and licked the blood from her split lip.