Fate Foretold

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  “Can I help you?” he asks in a gruff voice.

  I nod. “My name is Ada.” I rub at my neck nervously, trying to come off as harmless. “I’m a little lost.”

  The man snorts. “A little?”

  I don’t respond right away, taking in his aggression. He’s paranoid. “Okay, a lot,” I admit. “I fell in the river and by the time I could get out of it, the current swept me away too far.”

  “Then follow the river back to where you were.”

  I lick my lips. “I’d rather not.”

  His entire demeanor stiffens at my response. “We can’t help you, keep moving on.” His answer is clipped and cold.

  “Cut it out, Trent,” the wife says as she comes out. Her eyes flicker to me, taking in my disheveled appearance.

  “She’s not going to attack you, just look at her. She’s exhausted and can barely stand on her feet. Don’t scare her away, you big brute.” The woman hits the man on the chest in a reprimand, but it’s a soft touch, no real power in it.

  “She’s gifted,” is his reply.

  “So is half the population.”

  “I don’t trust her.”

  “And you shouldn’t,” I interrupt, amused by their light banter. “I just want to be pointed in the right direction to get out of here. That’s all. I’m not here to harm your family.”

  The woman snorts and nudges the man with her shoulder. “Enough of this. Come in and rest. Ignore this big bear. He’s too protective for his own good.” I stare at her, taking in the warm brown eyes, the sincerity that envelopes her. She really means no harm.

  I look at her husband. He won’t hesitate to hurt me if I do anything that puts his family at risk. And I definitely am. I doubt the men after me will leave them be if they know I’m here or was here.

  “I really just want directions, that’s all,” I insist.

  She waves her hands in the air. “You’ll eat first and get some liquids in your body. I can feel you. You need rest. Your body is exhausted and you’ll break down at this rate. How long have you been lost out here?”

  I look down at the ground. “About a day.”

  She nods. “Get in here.”

  The man says nothing as I slowly approach, his eyes on me, hard, untrusting. I’ll go in, eat, drink, get directions, and leave. I won’t stay long.

  The inside of the cabin is breathtaking, two floors, high ceilings, with a banister so those on the second floor can look over and down into the open space below.

  The two boys are sitting on the couch, watching cartoons. They don’t even turn when we come in.

  “Henlie, Matteo, we have a guest,” the woman says. She glances at me, “I’m sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Hannah.”

  “Ada,” I say, giving her a smile, and she beams back at me.

  “Excellent, come on, we’ll find you some food.” She looks me over and frowns. “And some clothes. What happened?”

  I try not to fidget, her motherliness throwing me off. I never had a mother. It had always been just my dad and me.

  “Hiking,” I said. “I had to cross the river and fell in. The current swept me away.”

  “Oh, honey, that sounds horrible. Are you okay? Are you injured?”

  “She’s fine,” Trent grumbles from behind us and Hannah sends him a scathing look that makes him look away. No doubt, despite her delicateness, she’s the head of this household. That makes me smile. The woman is shorter than me by several inches and the man is taller than my five-seven frame by a few inches. These two are practically opposites. I like how he listens to his wife and how she commands everyone, expecting no complaints.

  I briefly wonder why they are out here in the middle of nowhere but don’t ask. Not my business and the less we know about each other the better.

  “Come on, let’s get you changed first. You can use the guest bathroom to shower and change.”

  “You don’t have to do all that,” I say. “I just need directions.”

  “And I need a Jacuzzi, but we both know that isn’t happening anytime soon. Come on.” She reaches out and grabs my hand, leading me farther into the cabin. We pass the boys who stare at us with complete curiosity, their cartoon continuing in the background with noises of silly destruction.

  We go down a short hallway before she stops in front of a door. “The shower is here, I’ll be right back with some clothes. I have a sister about your size and some of her clothes are still here from her last visit.”

  “Thank you,” I say.

  She pauses and stares at me for a long moment and I begin shifting from foot to foot. She’s far more observant than I’m comfortable with. The way she gazes at me, she’s seeing more than what she should. If I’m not careful, she’ll go into the very depths of my being, and I wouldn’t be able to stop her.

  “You’re safe here. Even lost, no one comes around here, and even then, my gift makes this place hard to see. I don’t know why you can. I’m guessing you found us because you need to. So I’ll help you.”

  “I can’t ask that of you. You have a family to protect.”

  She snorts. “And they will be safe too. No one will come here, and if they do, my husband will make them regret it. Now get.”

  She gently pushes me into the bathroom before disappearing. I stare at the empty doorway, confused and a little relieved. I didn’t have to say anything, and she knew, and still, she’s willing to help.

  I shake my head and turn, taking in the bathroom. It’s a decent size, with a large shower stall. I go over and turn the crystal knob. Cold water cascades out and I hold my hand underneath, waiting for the water to heat up.

  “Here you go,” Hannah says, making me jump. She stands in the doorway and holds a bundle of clothes. Holding them up, she comes in and places them on the toilet seat cover. “Towels are in the closet right there. Anything in here, you can use.”

  “Thank you,” I say.

  “Anytime,” she replies. “I’m going to make everyone a late lunch. It should be ready when you come out. Take your time and relax.”

  I nod. She leaves, closing the door behind her. Excited to wear something clean, I strip down, bundling up my clothes and leaving them in the sink along with my shoes. I feel guilty, realizing I probably tracked mud all through the house. When I get out, I’ll clean it up.

  The bathroom warms and begins to steam up. My skin prickles at the warmth. When I hop in the shower, there’s no holding back the moan of relief as the hot water pelts my dirty skin. I just stand there for a few minutes before washing up, scrubbing hard at my skin until it’s clean and a little pink. I wash my hair twice to get all the dirt and knots out and then rinse off, doing one more quick wash before getting out.

  I wrap the plushy towel around my body and go over to the mirror, wiping it of condensation. I take a moment to take myself in, the wariness in my blue-grey eyes, the sunken skin from exhaustion and stress. Some bruises dot my body, and there’s a small cut on my forehead, along my hairline that probably needs to be cleaned before infection sets in. My white-blonde hair is peeking out from my scalp, popping against the brown dye. I’ll need to buy another bottle of dye to redo it.

  Digging around the cabinets and drawers, I let out a little girly yip when I find the extra toothbrush and toothpaste. I spend a good amount of time brushing my teeth and rinsing it out with mouthwash. You never really consider the little things like until you go more than a day unable to do it.

  After brushing out all the knots in my hair, I tie it back in a loose braid to keep the strands out of my face. The clothes include a T-shirt just slightly too big, and a pair of sweats that fit almost perfectly on my hips. I stare at my underwear, trying to decide what to do. I don’t feel comfortable putting them back on, but I can’t exactly get away without a bra.

  I bite my lip before giving in and leaving them off, my shirt baggy enough. I just can’t put them back on after feeling so clean. The last time I felt this clean was months ago, when I caved and splurged on a h
otel room, needing that luxury for just a night. I open the door and peek out, hearing movement but not seeing anyone.

  “Washer and dryer are in the room to the right,” Hannah calls, and I blush as I grab my clothes and go into the room next to the bathroom. It’s a small laundry room, just big enough to fit the washer and dryer with a shelf over it for the supplies.

  I throw my clothes in with some detergent, spend a few moments figuring out all the buttons, and then get it going.

  “Lunch is ready,” Hannah says, popping her head into the room. Again, she makes me jump at her sudden appearance and she laughs before disappearing.

  I’m beginning to think she enjoys doing that.

  “You’re staying the night,” she commands as I walk into the kitchen, her back to me.

  Her husband leans against the wall, looking as surly as ever. “No, she’s not.”

  “Yes, she is,” Hannah snaps back at her husband and turns to face me. “You’ll stay tonight and we can give you directions tomorrow to get off the mountain. Maybe I’ll send Trent to guide you out of here safely.”

  I eye Trent. I really hope she doesn’t. He may just decide to push me off a cliff and be done with me.

  “I don’t want to be a hassle. Directions will be just fine.”

  She nods as she plates some grilled sandwiches. “Where are you going?”

  “South.”

  She looks up at me, and I realize she’s waiting for more information. My cheeks warm as I look at the plate, my stomach waking up at the prospect of food. “Just south,” I say in hopes that’s enough of an explanation.

  Hannah fights a frown and then nods, handing me the dish. There are yummy looking grilled sandwiches with what looks like chicken in it and some home cooked fries.

  “Then we’ll help you go south,” she says, before turning back to the stove. Her husband eyes me, and I quickly look away, heading into the open space where the living room and dining room are both located.

  The two boys are staring at me again. They’re close in age, maybe only a year apart. They almost look like twins with their father’s hazel eyes and dark hair. They have their mother’s small pixie nose.

  “You are?” the older one asks.

  “Ada,” I respond, settling into a seat at the dining table. The table is large enough to seat eight people and looks like real wood. “And you?” I ask.

  “Henlie,” the older one says. “This is my little brother, Matteo.”

  I smile. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Why are you here?” The older brother is just as guarded as his father.

  “She got lost, and we’re giving her a place to rest for the night,” Hannah says as she breezes into the room and places two plates on the table. “Come eat.”

  The two boys jump off the couch and rush over, eager to feed their stomachs. The little one, Matteo, grabs his plate and comes over to my side, setting up right next to me. He gives me a big smile before climbing into his seat.

  “He doesn’t speak,” Hannah says, sadness and pain slipping into her expression before she turns away. Her husband comes over with two more plates and passes one to his wife. When his hand is free, he cups her head and pulls her toward him and places a kiss on her forehead. Hannah’s eyes flutter closed briefly before opening. Magic happens as her whole face transforms from one with stress and pain into something light, happy, and beautiful. A simple kiss completely changed her mood. They join us soon after, settling in around the table with Hannah at the head of it.

  A few minutes pass of just eating, no one willing to say anything. I focus on my sandwich, loving the flavors that burst on my tongue every time I take a bite. A tug on my T-shirt grabs my attention.

  Matteo grins wide at me, one of his front teeth missing. He has to be around five years old, and he’s absolutely adorable. I can’t help but smile back at the little guy.

  He points at my dish, at the uneaten fries.

  “Matteo, let her eat her own food,” Hannah says.

  “It’s okay,” I say and push my dish over. He doesn’t hesitate as he takes my fries and happily munches on them. “I’m full after eating that delicious sandwich.”

  Hannah makes a huffing noise. I look at her, worried she’s upset, but she’s staring at her son and smiling warmly as she watches him stuff fries into his mouth.

  “He’s taken to you,” Hannah says. “He’s usually scared of strangers.”

  “What magic do you have over him,” Henlie asks, eyeing me.

  “Magic?” I ask. “I have nothing like that.”

  “But you’re gifted. What gift do you have?” Trent asks.

  I bite my lip, not comfortable telling them.

  “Oh, leave her alone. You know you can’t just go up to people you don’t know and ask them what their gift is,” Hannah interjects with a warning in her voice. Her response relaxes me, and I send her a thankful smile.

  “She’s a stranger in our house. I think that gives us the right to ask.” Trent pushes back.

  “No, it doesn’t. She hasn’t gone harassing us about our gifts. She hasn’t asked us anything. And you know she has a million questions. We can respect that and return the favor. She’s passing through. Let her rest in peace without giving her the third degree.”

  Trent’s eyes widened and the air fills with charged energy, making the hairs on my arm stand up.

  “Trent!” Hannah snaps. Just as quickly as the air charges, it dissipates. He stands up, his chair scraping against the hardwood floor, and storms out the cabin, the front door slamming behind him. Hannah scowls after her husband before looking back at me, her expression once again pleasant, but her brown eyes are filled with soul-crushing sadness.

  “I apologize for my husband. Things haven’t been easy these last couple of years.” She glances at Matteo before getting up and grabbing her plate. “Excuse me.” She disappears into the kitchen. Her pain is so strong that my throat tightens from the grief surrounding her. I know grief. I may not know what happened or why they’re hiding out here, but I want to cry for them.

  They are definitely a healing family. I recognize that look in Hannah’s expression. She lost someone. I glance down at Matteo. His eyes are just as sad. Henlie’s expression is closed down, just like his dad’s. I want to ask. I want to ask so badly, but I refuse to dig into their pain.

  They need to heal.

  Just like I do.

  The rest of the afternoon and evening goes by quickly. I stay in the living room, watching cartoons with the boys. Everyone is content to keep the atmosphere light and fluffy, never really discussing anything important. Matteo stays at my side for some reason, never straying far. He really did attach himself to me. Hannah finds it hilarious, Henlie finds it annoying, and Trent doesn’t comment the few times I see him. The first time he saw Matteo at my side, he just grunted before disappearing again.

  By dinner time, my eyes don’t want to stay open. I barely make it through the meal before Hannah is ushering me off to the guest bedroom, also located on the first floor. I smile at her as she wishes me goodnight and closes my door for me. I barely have time to crawl into the warm, soft bed before sleep overtakes me.

  6

  “Isn’t this getting kind of old?” I ask, staring at four men in front of me. I ‘woke up’ in the dream realm again. This time, the guys are hanging out by a cliff with water at the bottom. If I fall in, I’ll survive, though being in a dream realm means I can’t get hurt anyway.

  “We really do need to figure out why this is happening,” DJ says.

  “Maybe stop calling me?” I suggest.

  He rolls his eyes. “Why waste the energy when you come on your own? Where are you? You look better.”

  “I’m safe,” I say.

  “And she’s lying,” Eli says.

  I narrow my eyes at him. “And you need to butt out.”

  Eli’s green eyes narrow, and he opens his mouth to say something, but Colton interrupts, probably saving us from an argument. “We
ll, if you’re going to be around, would you like to train with us?”

  I blink, thinking I didn’t hear him right. “Train?”

  He nods. “We like training here, easier on our bodies. It helps us figure out strategies without getting anyone killed, and then when we’re comfortable with it here, we bring it out into the real world and practice there.”

  I look at the four men. “I don’t want to be in the way.”

  DJ smiles. “You won’t. It’ll be nice to have someone else.”

  “She’ll hold us back,” Jackson says.

  “She’ll be good in teaching you how to play nice with others,” DJ responds.

  “I don’t need to play nice,” Jackson snaps.

  Colton sighs and shifts enough so he stands between the two of them. “Enough. It’ll be good practice. She’ll join us if she wants to.”

  They all exchange expressions and I know some kind of communication is going on.

  “It’ll be good for all of us,” Eli finally says begrudgingly.

  Jackson sighs, his shoulders slumping as he caves in. “Fine, let’s just get started.”

  Colton nods and stares at me for a moment.

  “I haven’t agreed,” I say.

  “It’s always good to train. You can stretch out your gift without worry.”

  His words send me into a panic. Even here, I don’t want to let my gift free. I don’t want them knowing what I’m capable of doing. If they know, it’ll be easier to track me down. There are rumors of me out there. By the determination I saw in all my visions, they won’t hesitate to check into me, the female Seer who can See everything. The girl being hunted by Holsen.

  “Lyn, are you okay?” Colton asks.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Can I just watch for a bit?” I ask.

  “Sure. We’re going to spar first to warm up. After we do a round or two, you can join us.”

  “I don’t know how to fight.”

  “Then you’ll learn,” Jackson says, and I glance at his glowering face. He really is a grumpy guy. “You need to know how to defend yourself.”

  “I know the basics.”

  “From what we saw yesterday, you should know more,” Jackson says.