Gabriel appeared walking down the corridor and I knew there was no point even trying to hide from him as his eyes moved immediately to me in the dark.
“That’s no way to make friends, Orio,” he taunted and I shrugged.
“I wasn’t looking for friends,” I said smoothly.
“Are you sure?” He gave me that twinkly Seer look that said he knew better than me, but he didn’t. If Darius wasn’t drawn to my company anymore then I’d Fae up and deal with it. Though even thinking that sent a dagger through my heart.
And what about Blue?
My gut tugged at the thought of her among the Heirs, laughing with Geraldine and her sister too. She looked like she was where she belonged at last and honestly, where did a Power Shamed loser fit into that?
“You’re too hard on yourself,” Gabriel growled, moving toward me and giving me a firm look.
“I didn’t say anything.” I folded my arms, hitching on my favourite give-no-fucks expression and he clucked his tongue at me like a mother hen.
“It’s your aura. I can read you like a book,” he said sternly. “But I can see you’re not in the mood to talk about it, so why don’t you go and do what you were planning to instead?”
I frowned. “I was planning something?”
He sighed like seeing everyone’s futures was exhausting sometimes. “The Zodiac Guild elixir.”
“Right, yeah. I’m gonna check the stores.”
“I’ve already gathered what we need from the stores. Right now, you need to go and get the rothium grass from the Wasted Mountain.”
“But I don’t need to add that ingredient for weeks,” I said in confusion.
“Trust me,” he urged, moving to walk past me but I caught his arm, giving him an intent look.
“How did Darius do this?” I asked, stumped as to how he’d pulled this off.
“Honestly? I’m unsure. I cannot see the stars’ decisions, so I don’t know what conversation he had with them and he wasn’t forthcoming when he emerged from the chamber where he made the deal. All he wanted was to reunite with all of you, so we made our way here.” He frowned, glancing away and I sensed there was something more he wasn’t telling me.
“What is it?” I demanded, my grip on him tightening.
He flashed me a smile, shaking his head. “Nothing, Orio. Just the Seer’s curse. Too many fates, too many unanswered questions.”
I nodded, letting him go, though I wasn’t entirely convinced by that answer. Gabriel knew when not to tell me things though in case I swayed the course of fate, so I had to trust that whatever dark destiny was troubling him could be resolved so long as we followed his guidance. And as he’d encouraged me to go and find the rothium grass, I guessed I was going on a field trip.
Gabriel walked away into the dining hall and I put on a burst of Vampire speed, tearing into the bathhouse to wash, dress and latch my Phoenix sword to my hip before zooming through the dark corridors and making it back to the door in the clock that let me out into the farmhouse. I’d hunted Nymphs a few times on Wasted Mountain before with Darius, and I wasn’t going to take any chances today.
I walked through the entrance hall, stepping outside into the icy wind and the four guards posted there looked to me with raised eyebrows.
“You can’t leave without permission,” one of them said, while the others glanced away from me, clearly trying to balance their duties with wanting to turn away from the Power Shamed Fae before them.
“Whose permission?” I growled in irritation.
“A Grus or a Vega’s,” he said, his upper lip curling in distaste at me. “Now get back inside, Power Shamed rat. Or there’s some rope in the barn if you wanna off yourself.”
“Good one, Jim,” one of the guards said as the rest of his little buddies had a little chuckle at that, though they didn’t turn to look at me again.
My fangs snapped out as I glared at this asshole who I was no doubt ten times stronger than, the beast in me raising its head and demanding I put him in his place. Part of being Power Shamed meant I wasn’t legally allowed to challenge other Fae, but as I was already a fugitive and gave zero fucks about the law at this point, I didn’t plan on abiding by the rules.
I shot forward, throwing out my fist, taking the savage route like I’d had to in Darkmore and catching the guy off guard as my knuckles connected with his smarmy face. He hit the snowy ground on his ass, his lip busted and dripping blood as he raised a hand to fight me off and the others all turned to look at last.