Fate's Return (Twisted Fate, Book 2)

Epilogue

The Brothers

The Celestial Realm

Footsteps echoed through the hallway with measured beats in the Brothers' home, perfectly synced like a well-practiced marching band. Passing all seven bedrooms and the Meeting Room at the other end, they bit their cheeks and refrained from speaking so that the argument, which had been interrupted upon arriving back in the Celestial Realm, wouldn't be overheard by the students attending Glory Academy below. The door slammed open, shaking the walls as the three Brothers—the First, the Second, and the Seventh—entered the Viewing Room. Built like a sauna, with marble benches instead of wood and no coal, an entire wall cascaded with water as pure as what could be found within the Garden of Eden.

Within the falling stream was the face of the girl they had had no choice but to leave, and were now fighting over, shining bright with the pure silver-blue light attached to her soul.

For a moment, each Brother remained silent, watching as though transfixed by the image. The door fell shut, clicking into place, and broke the spell that had captured their attention. They all looked away. Taking a step back and darting his eyes between his brothers, the Seventh held his breath as the tension between the First and the Second grew, becoming electrified static that shot through the room.

But the First and the Second were too consumed by the anger they felt for each other to notice the Seventh's reaction.

"How did this happen?" the Second demanded, narrowing his eyes on the First until they were pinpoints, and crossed his arms. "You are the Brother of Judgement. You can't love." Scoffing, he laughed to the ceiling, and then looked back down. Shaking his hands in front of him, he squinted at the First. "How is this even possible?"

Flinching back, the First closed his eyes as though in excruciating, I-can't-sleep-without-getting-medicated-first pain. "You think I wanted this?" One-by-one, the First opened his eyes. "I like our rules, Brother. If I'd thought this was possible, I never would have agreed to go to the Mortal Realm to recover from the side-effects of ingesting the Void."

With a shake of his head, the Seventh stepped between them, holding both arms out at his sides. He darted his eyes from one Brother to the other. "Calm down." Once they unclenched the fists balled at their sides and focused their attention from each other to the Seventh, he dropped his arms and said, "So you both love Alyssa. There's an easy solution here, which I'm guessing neither of you has considered."

"What are you talking about?"

"What solution?"

The Seventh rolled his eyes as the First and the Second continued to watch him for another minute and then resumed glaring at one another as though nothing had diverted their attention. How could this happen? The First and the Second were two of the most powerful of their kind, and if they could falter, the rest were doomed. He'd thought coming home to their oasis above all else, the seventh and final floor of the building made of glass that shone like pearl and rested on a foundation made from cloud, would dull their feelings. He'd thought it would remind them of their duties. But now, if the Seventh wanted to keep his brothers from coming to blows—an act that would affect not only his kind but mortals, too—he would have to talk fast.

He took a deep breath, still darting his gaze between them, and said, "Neither of you can dictate who the girl chooses to love in return. Quit fighting with each other and go fight to win her heart. Show her who you are and then let her decide for herself what she wants."

"She already chose me," the Second said, smiling with the victory.

"Yes, and then the boy she loved died." The First laughed as the Second's smile faded. "She wants me now."