by Ford, Lizzy
“Why don’t we try voting him out?” Kris suggested. “It won’t get him out of the castle, but it’ll get him out of his position. If we’re all there to keep him in line, he’ll be more limited in what he can do.”
“That won’t stop him,” Tamer replied.
“We could at least keep an eye on him,” Kris said, though she heard his doubt.
“A knife through his skull. Even he can’t heal that,” Rhyn muttered.
“Vote him out, then kill him,” Tamer agreed.
“Killing him could unleash the demons,” Andre said with mild impatience. “You can’t forget the bigger picture in your haste to exact some sort of revenge on him.”
The four of them eyed one another in silence once more. Stephanie sensed they weren’t going to agree on what should happen to Wynn, even if they did manage to vote him out. Despair drifted through her thoughts.
“We have to do something,” she said. She looked up at Andre.
“Voting him out is a temporary solution,” he said. “We can then decide on what to do with him. When is the next Council meeting?” Andre asked Kiki.
“We meet every morning at eight,” Kiki replied. “Or … we could all corner him at dinner, before he has a chance to sniff out what we’re doing.”
“If we present a unified front, we have a better chance, I suppose.” Kris didn’t sound convinced or supportive. “And we risk the chance he saw this coming and has a trap waiting for us.”
The others were silent, glancing at one another.
“Let’s vote. All in favor?” Andre asked and raised his hand.
Stephanie’s hand shot up. The others did so reluctantly.
“I’m pleased to see we’re unanimous. This is the first step we’ll take,” Andre said, satisfied.
“It’s no use if we can’t agree on what happens next,” Tamer snapped.
“One thing at a time, Tamer. We’ll decide his fate tomorrow.”
The former death dealer snorted.
“C’mon, Steph. We can’t be away too long or he’ll get suspicious. Bring your fucking demon or the nuns will shit.” Kiki stalked away, opening a portal as he went. “See you all tonight. Might be the last day of our lives.”
Stephanie looked at Andre. “Go. I’ll find you later,” he said.
She trotted after Kiki, trailed by Trayern. They entered the place-between-places, and she caught up to her brother.
“Hey, what’s up? You aren’t usually the pissy type,” she asked and took his arm.
“I get sick of Tamer giving me shit for trying to keep things together,” he said and pulled away. “And for constantly being the guy who has to clean up after whomever is in charge flips out or leaves. Voting Wynn out with no follow-up plan has disaster written all over it.”
She studied him, unable to help the flicker of warmth for her unappreciated brother. “You want a hug or something?”
He eyed her.
“You’re doing amazing, Kiki,” she said with a genuine smile. “I honestly don’t know how you do it. Just don’t stop, because you’re the backbone of this family.”
“What is this? Why are you saying these things?”
“It’s called compassion, and it’s what you do around family.”
“I’m not sure I like it.”
“Whatever.” She swept past him through the portal and entered the gym at the bottom of the fortress. When Wynn didn’t pop out of the woodwork to confront them, she released a breath.
“You have the morning off and petitions at noon,” Kiki informed her. “Don’t be late.”
“Thanks.” She left, afraid of being spotted with him and arousing Wynn’s suspicion. She debated what to do with her free time, until she recalled the conversation she needed to have with her mother. I don’t think it’s something you can ever feel ready for.
Stephanie returned to her room and glanced at Mithra, who had resumed his spot on the couch. She paced briefly, ignoring the demon who took up position at the door and began throwing knives into the wall. When her heartbeat was no longer flying, she summoned her mother once more.
Rachel Jennings appeared with a sad smile, as if she, too, understood what they had to talk about.
Stephanie sat on her bed and grabbed a pillow. She wrapped her arms around it and breathed in Fate’s comforting scent deeply, preparing herself for another round of shock. “Okay. Tell me everything.”
The bed sank beneath Rachel as she sat cross-legged across from her. They’d sat this way a lot when Stephanie was a child, and her mother had told her fantastical stories to get her to take naps.
“There’s a lot to say,” Chaos said somewhat awkwardly. “Where should I start?”
“Maybe with how I’m alive when I have no soul.”
“Because I wanted you,” was the quiet, warm reply. “Because, at one point, I was convinced I loved your father. It was the only time I used my power, to ensure you came into existence.”
“Your power is what exactly?”
“At the elemental level, to create form where there is none or to disperse form where it exists. I knew something was wrong the moment you were conceived, but I wasn’t willing to let you go. So I did what my kind does.”
“But why?”
Chaos laughed. “Because I love you. You’re my daughter.”
“But every deity I’ve met is psycho. Why are you not?”
Her mother shrugged. “Maybe it’s the benefit of not being involved in the games the others play. My mother and I were left alone, viewed as obsolete. Retired.”
“Did you plan on telling us?”
“Eventually. I hoped to give you both the space you needed to live your lives outside of all this.” She waved to the room around them. “But … I think I was in denial. I assumed, if you never crossed your mates, you’d never be mated or forced into learning about the Immortals and their world.”
“I wish,” Stephanie murmured. She was relieved to learn her mother hadn’t created her as part of some sick game to manipulate others. “You swear I exist because you love me?”
“I promise.” Chaos smiled once more.
“Did you know who my mate was before you saw the tattoo?”
“No.” Her smile faded. “I’d have chosen otherwise for you. The Fate family has a reputation carried over from the time-before-time.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” Stephanie said quickly. “I can guess and if I’m wrong, I don’t want to know.” She cleared her throat. “Did I inherit any magic powers from you?”
“I can’t tell, because you have no soul. Immortals can pass their unique talents, assuming they have any, onto their offspring. Deities pass down partial powers, about fifty percent of the time. Your true power lies in your family, both the one you were born into and the one you mate into.”
“I’m an important pawn.”
Chaos sighed. “I never wanted this for you.”
They sank into silence interrupted by the thump of knives into the wall and the angel’s snoring.
“He’s, uh, not that bad,” Stephanie ventured. “Fate.”
“I hope he’s treating you well. You’re sacred, even to him.”
Stephanie nodded, relieved once more to hear someone she trusted reassure her. “What happened to your mate?”
“It’s a long story. Not one I care to retell.”
At the hushed note in her voice, Stephanie looked up. Her mother’s eyes were on her wringing hands. Sensing something dark in her mother’s past, Stephanie was quiet, dwelling on just how much she didn’t know about her parents. She quieted such thoughts. If she let herself grow paranoid about everyone, she’d become as caustic as her brothers. No, she needed to trust someone, or she’d go insane.
“Wynn used me to get to you,” she said. “We have to get you out of here.”
“I won’t leave you, Steph.”
“Mom, whatever he wants from you, it’s probably horrible.”
“No one invites Chaos in with good intent
ions,” Rachel said. “He’ll kill you again over and over to bring me back. If I leave, you must come with me.”
“I, uh, well …” Stephanie squeezed her pillow harder. “I feel like I need to stay. To help my brothers.”
“Wynn has you trapped.”
“No. I mean, maybe. But isn’t it my responsibility to stop him? He’s my father.”
“It’s not. This mess isn’t our fight.”
“I’m a part of this world, Mom, whether or not I want to be. My brothers are family, too.”
Her mother pursed her lips.
“You can take Sammy and hide again,” Stephanie said. “At least, until we take care of Wynn.”
Agitated, Chaos stood. “I won’t leave you here for him to torture.”
“Then he’ll torture us both to get what he wants!”
“Or we leave!”
Stephanie rubbed her face. When had she gone from needing to flee to needing to stay, to help her brothers? How did she have any loyalty to a family who didn’t know what a hug was let alone how to care for one another?
You’ll find the strength because you know these fucked up people, and their fucked up world, need you to save them, Fate had claimed.
“I can’t leave,” she said. “And I don’t know what else to do.”
Chaos sat beside her and took her hands. “Then we have to play Wynn’s game.”
“He doesn’t lose.”
“But he wants something, and that gives me leverage.”
“Um, no offense, but if you’ve been retired, then are you … um, rusty at this?” Stephanie asked.
“I don’t think you ever forget how.” Chaos smiled. “It’s more a matter of how much damage I’ll do in the process of remembering the details of how to handle the others.”
This is a bad idea. “Just, uh, don’t kill my brothers. Or my mate.”
“Never thought I’d hear the day my daughter put in a good word for Fate,” her mother mused. “Do you love him already? Despite what he is?”
“I barely know him. But there’s something very …” Stephanie drifted off, recalling her few hours with him. “… he went to Hell for me. He’s told me how to survive this disaster, and let Wynn torture him so I’d be left alone. He’s … ” She stopped. There was no way to describe the combination of profound awe and distrust or how her heart sang whenever she thought of him.
“So, yes,” her mother said with a smile. “Love. Or something like it.”
Stephanie shrugged, at a loss for words.
“Okay,” Chaos said. “I’ll get him out.”
“What?”
“Your mom has a few tricks up her sleeves, retired or no.” Rachel squeezed her hand and rose, headed towards the door.
Stephanie tossed the pillow and scrambled after her. “You’re my mom. But deities and Immortals … yeah, I don’t trust that side of you.”
“As well you shouldn’t,” was the unsettling response. Her mother reached the door and faced her once more. “But I am your mother first and foremost. You and Sammy are my life. Your survival, and your happiness, are all that’s ever mattered to me. If you need him, then I will bring him to you.”
“Without destroying the world or anything like that.”
“I make no such promises.”
Stephanie gasped.
“I’m kidding.” Her mother grinned. “Sorta. Just remember Wynn started this.” She whipped open the door and left.
Stunned, Stephanie stood in place, uncertain she’d just heard what she did – her mother turning into a bloodthirsty deity.
“Good going. You unleashed Chaos,” Trayern said from his position nearby.
“I think you’re right.” Stephanie’s heart was pounding. “This could get very bad, very fast.”
“But fun to watch.”
She turned away, willing her mother not to do anything crazy.
Chapter Twenty Five
Stephanie was growing to hate the concept of dinner. It didn’t help she hadn’t eaten a full evening meal in a week. It wasn’t possible while seated at a table with Wynn.
She reached the dining hall right at seven, accompanied by her guardian demon. Mithra was sleeping when she left him. She fidgeted fiercely then shoved her hands into her pockets. Her mind raced with potential outcomes to the meeting, and she prayed her brothers were capable of a unified front and not torn from consensus by Wynn’s maneuvering.
Barely daring to hope for success, she wasn’t able to help the thrill that went through her whenever she thought about how this meeting might end with Wynn stepping down, and her soul returned to her. How different would life be with a soul?
The question was ridiculous, and she almost smiled, before recalling the mountain named Wynn standing between her and her soul.
She stepped into the dining hall, not expecting to be the last sibling to arrive. She paused, studying the six men. Wynn appeared little older than Andre, who looked to be in his late twenties at most. Being an Immortal was good on the skin, she noted absently. The two could pass as twins, with the exception of Wynn’s shocking white hair, which matched Kris’ rather than Andre’s.
Closing the door behind her companion demon, she approached them where they were gathered around the burning hearth. Wynn alone didn’t seem nervous, angry or uncomfortable, and this terrified her.
“You’ve managed to do what no one has to date,” he spoke, glancing from the fire to her. “Unite your brothers.”
“We have a common enemy,” Rhyn growled.
“What brings you all here?” Wynn swirled his glass then set it down on the mantle, facing them. A white bandage was wrapped around his wrist and extended halfway up his forearm.
Stephanie glanced at Andre, who was looking at Kris.
“We want you to step down from the Council,” Kris replied. “Permanently.”
“You wish to expel me.”
“Not exactly. No one knows for certain if the breaches will remained sealed without you.”
“You wish me to stay, just hand over my power and position,” Wynn said.
“Yes. Tonight,” Tamer added firmly.
Stephanie held her breath, aware of Kiki, who stood beside her, doing the same. Her brothers were tense. The power rippling off Rhyn was visible as sparks in the air around him and being absorbed by Andre, who seemed to be focused on preventing anyone from exploding.
She didn’t envy him the job.
Wynn met the gaze of each of his children. A small smile was on his face. Stephanie shifted weight between her feet anxiously, wondering what horrible fears and secrets he was gathering about all of them.
“I’m proud of you,” he said. “All of you. I had great hopes for you, and you’ve exceeded them. We’ve never stood here like this, almost all of us together as a family.”
“We’re no family,” Rhyn replied. “My mate taught me what family is, and it’s not this, not you.”
“You know what would make this better? If Sasha could join us, along with Erik,” Wynn continued.
“Those are … my other brothers?” Stephanie asked.
“Yes. Sasha, who betrayed the Immortals to the Dark One, and Erik, who was planning the same.”
Kris and Rhyn glanced at each other.
“Oh, you didn’t know about Erik?” Wynn asked with mocking surprise. “I wonder what else you don’t know about one another.”
“This won’t work, Wynn,” Kris warned.
“Yeah, we know how fucked up everyone in here is,” Rhyn agreed. “But we all want the same thing.”
“You. Out.” Tamer said firmly.
“Is the vote unanimous?”
Everyone nodded.
“Very well. I’ll happily resign from my position, if you can tell me who my successor is,” Wynn said. “There’s important information to pass on.”
Silence. Stephanie saw brief surprise on Kiki’s features, as if he, too, hadn’t considered the question of who would take over.
“So there isn’t a
successor. Interesting,” Wynn said.
“We’ll vote as soon as you’re out of the way,” Tamer replied.
“Let’s look at this, shall we?” Wynn asked. “Tamer, you aren’t cut out for leadership. Your temper interferes with any diplomacy you might learn, assuming you can learn it. Neither are you, Kiki. You’re an incredibly effective manager, but you have no strategic sight and no risk tolerance, both of which are needed to become a successful leader. As Tamer says, you’re good for cleaning up messes and that’s about it. Andre isn’t a contender, because he’s a deity, and the Immortals will revolt. Kris … you were always my chosen successor. Until I found out all the deals you made on the side that undermined the society. Even I never commissioned so many assassinations, and the science experiments you did on human subjects?” Wynn shook his head. “Barbaric, even by my standards.”
Stephanie listened, horrified. Every one glanced at Kris. Tamer’s eyes were blazing, and Kiki was openly staring at Tamer.
“Kiki can verify,” Wynn added. “We dug up Kris’s mess when trying to clean up the disaster left in Rhyn’s wake, which includes a second breach to Hell and the slaughtering of seventy percent of our Immortal warriors because Rhyn placed a deity’s concerns over those of his people.” His gaze rested on Stephanie.
She braced herself for whatever terrible things he had to say.
“Who would dare trust the daughter of Chaos and mate of Fate?” he asked.
She felt her optimism deflate. He was right. Always right.
The tension of those around her made her skin crawl. No one moved. No one spoke. No one even seemed to breathe.
“So tell me. Once I’m no longer in charge, what the fuck will you do?” Wynn finished with a flash of anger.
“War,” Kris whispered.
“War,” Tamer echoed.
“War,” Rhyn agreed.
There was a pause, then, “War,” Kiki said.
“No!” Stephanie cried. “This is what he wants! Andre, tell them –”
She had no chance to plea for her oldest brother to step in when Tamer withdrew a knife and lunged at Wynn.
“Tamer!” The closest to him, Andre shouted and leapt forward, smashing his brother into the wall before he could reach Wynn.
