Fighting Fate, page 27
“What’s going on, Mister Fate, Mrs. Fate? Where’s Karma?” I speak slowly, trying to feign grogginess.
“Karma isn’t here. She left after delivering you to me.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
HADYN
At Manu Fate’s words, I close my eyes, my heart sinking. I think I know Karma and that she wouldn’t abandon me to the fate this man and my brother have planned for me. Yet, centuries of loneliness and feeling worthless beat at me to believe him.
Trust each other, Atty’s voice sounds in my head.
Trust fate. Trust the powers. Trust your heart. Trust, the women’s voices continue.
That really is what everything comes down to. Do I trust Karma? Do I trust that she’s told me the truth when she says she loves me?
Perhaps if we hadn’t done the ritual to enact the Psyma bond, this trap would be easier to fall into. Thinking more clearly now, I realize that this is indeed a trap.
I open my eyes again to meet the cold gaze in front of me, my mind racing. He wants us separated, not just physically but emotionally. He wants us to turn on each other. What does he gain aside from the obvious?
Activating one of my powers, I read the energy surrounding the man in front of me. Some might call such a thing an aura, but it is far more involved than the mere measure of a soul or emotion. Everything emits or draws in energy, and most people do both. What I can see is that the man is completely closed off mentally, emotionally, and physically. I’m sure he believes being so cold helps him to think logically and have a better handle on his powers, but it really does the opposite. Closing yourself off doesn’t allow the energy to flow through the body to maximum benefit.
Didn’t someone say that Manu Fate believed he had less power than the rest of his family? This is a prime example as to how a person’s thoughts and beliefs affect their energy and thus their power level. It is for this reason I kept myself removed from others so I wouldn’t be tempted to retaliate against those who wronged me. However, I couldn’t quite bring myself to open myself completely until I met Karma. She has changed me on the deepest level.
You need to experience the deepest pain and the deepest love.
Reading his powers only takes a few seconds, but the echo of those words causes me to rub my heart that aches with phantom pains. I vaguely remember someone telling Karma that sentence before she saved my soul from the evil darkness that had infected me. Feeling those deeper emotions opens our hearts, thoughts, and energy toward others. It makes sense that it would allow a greater flow of power once those stronger emotions are felt.
Meeting his gaze again, I can see this man has not experienced either. He hasn’t allowed himself to feel much of anything toward others. It’s sad, really, but this is the cost of what he’s sown. No love, no loyalty, and little power.
I can clearly see the addition of three other sources in the power that wraps around him, but it isn’t integrating into his own power source. He probably feels an increase in internal power while at the same time having no noticeable increase in power usage since he isn’t allowing that power to work as it was meant.
“What is it that you want?” I ask. This man only understands deals and power. He must want something.
For Gaia’s sake, no wonder Karma’s childhood was so driven and tormented.
The slight curve of his mouth raises in satisfaction as inclines his head. “I want your power on my side.”
Moirae Fate tuts in disapproval. She clearly believes me beneath her and her exalted company. I turn my energy-focused gaze on her to see that her energy levels are erratic. She holds one other person’s power source, but it is only partially integrated and not at all stable. Her emotions and fixations, of which I am now convinced Karma is one, are causing spikes and volatile patterns in her energy. Attempting to remain calm, I suppress the flinch that seeing her power elicits. The woman’s behavior will grow increasingly erratic and violent.
I turn my gaze back to Manu, trying to maintain a slow heartbeat. “Which side is that?”
His smile is coldly smug as he declares, “The side that will win, of course.”
“I highly doubt that,” I say dryly, shaking my head.
He blinks once as if astonished that I would dare contradict him. “What makes you so certain?”
“Because those on your side are not all aligned with the same goal.” I purposely dart my eyes toward his wife, implying she is one of them without saying a word. “Thus, your forces are fragmented. You cannot overcome anything when you are not moving in the same direction.”
He squints his eyes narrowly. “I do not recall you being touted as having a modicum of intelligence. In fact, most reports mentioned only your brute strength and your unwillingness to use it.”
“Well,” I say modestly, “it is not my fault that others have false views of reality.”
“Oh, stop the blathering and get on with this!” Moirae shouts with visible irritation. “We do not cater to inferiors!”
Manu’s mouth tightens as he turns his now arctic-frozen gaze toward his wife, who flinches back from him. The gesture on both their parts is rather telling. No matter how volatile and dangerous she may be, she still deems her husband to be the greater danger. After a beat of time where she shrinks back from him, he finally turns to me with chilliness in his tone. “I am not here to argue with you. Will you join our side or not?”
“I will not.”
“Very well.” He nods as if trying to be gracious. “Then you may go.”
He flicks his hands to the door as if dismissing me. I glance between the door and the two of them, trying to understand this change of heart. I find it hard to believe he is suddenly uninterested in taking my powers now after he expressed so much intrigue. Still, there’s nothing that will convince me to leave without my wife.
I slowly stand and look the man in the eye, aware that my size is automatically intimidating. “I’m not leaving without Karma.”
Only by being so focused did I notice the small twitch of his eye and the ripple of uneasiness in his energy. Drawing some lightning-fast conclusions, I think the man had expected the process of taking my powers to work so I would be at their mercy. Now that their device hasn’t worked on me, he doesn’t know what to do with me aside from get rid of me as fast as possible. Presumably without a fight since he correctly thinks that he won’t be able to stop me.
After a moment, he inclines his head. “Very well.”
Moirae looks like she wants to protest, but he quickly grabs her arm and pulls her out of the room with him. I’m skeptical that he will do what he said and allow me to actually leave with Karma since they have had it out for her since she was a child.
Only the thought that it would be easier to have Karma come to me than for me to look for her in this huge mansion keeps me in the room. I’m almost resolved to leave and find her anyway when the door opens to reveal Karma in her red dress. My body begins to relax in relief.
When another Karma enters behind her, I freeze with my mind in shock.
By all the gods, what is happening?
Before I can react, a third Karma walks in, followed by a fourth. A whole parade of Karmas enters and move to different places around the room. My brain is still assessing even while the shock is heavy in my mind.
Finally, Manu Fate sticks his head into the room and gives me an arrogant smirk. He knows he’s cheating and getting away with it. “Here’s your deal. Choose your Karma and walk out of this house . . .” He hardens his gaze till there’s nothing but ice. “And never return.”
He withdraws and shuts the door, leaving me with a room full of Karmas and feeling completely overwhelmed. How the hell am I going to figure out which Karma is mine?
My gaze darts across the room, trying to determine which one is the real Karma, but they all blur together. I’m certain choosing the wrong person will lead me into a trap I don’t want to fall into. I’m feeling on the edge of despair, when one of the Karmas nearest to me steps forward.
The way she moves is all wrong. My Karma is bold and confident but doesn’t call attention to herself sexually. This Karma is pushing her chest out and swaying her hips provocatively. As she steps closer, she bats her eyelashes and purrs, “Let’s go home, lover.”
I hold up my hand in front of her face. “Stop. You aren’t my Karma so don’t come any closer, lady.”
She pouts amid giggles from around the room. “Of course, I’m your Karma.”
I shake my head and take a half step back. “Lady, I don’t know who you are, but you obviously don’t know Karma at all. Leave or go stand by the door.”
She narrows her eyes in anger and stomps off, seething, to stand over by the door. “Have fun choosing your darling little brat,” she snarls.
“Choose me!” one of the Karmas yells out.
“No, me!” shouts another from across the room as she presses forward. I step back in alarm at their eagerness.
“Me!”
“Me!”
“Me!”
Before I know it, I’m being chased around the room by a swarm of Karmas aside from the one I rejected and three others. One of the three is looking at the display with disgust, while a second is quite amused, and the third merely looks bewildered and appalled by the whole thing.
Me too, random Karma. Me too.
I search the room for a route to get away from the horde chasing me and notice doors leading to the outside behind the couch I “woke up” on. I turn to head toward them. I can’t stand this swarm of Karmas anymore, which may end up becoming a nightmare at some point, or the incessant buzzing from my aversion to all women who aren’t my Karma.
Hang on.
I turn and straighten to allow my form to become as big as possible. “Stop!” I bellow out, my deep voice filling the room. They all are startled into silence and freeze motionless as I glower at them. I don’t know who they are, but they are all playing games while my Karma could be in trouble.
“None of you are Karma,” I say with authority. “You three in the back have the wrong attitude and posture,” I say as I wave to the watchers, then the women in the all-too-eager group in front of me. “While you all here not only have the wrong attitude but the wrong personality. Karma wouldn’t throw herself at a man the way you all are. Have some dignity for yourselves.” I shake my head at them. “Not to mention you all make my skin crawl.”
Gasps sound in the group of women. “How rude!” One of them in the middle scowls as she crosses her arms. “You have no manners.”
I look at the woman askance with an eyebrow raised. “I’m not trying to be rude. I mean you all literally make my skin crawl. Karma is the only woman who doesn’t have the same effect, so she’s the only one I can stand touching. So, when I say none of you can be Karma, I’m being quite literal and firm in that fact.”
One of the Karmas to the side of the group spits out in disgust, “I don’t believe you. You’ve used and abused women for centuries. Saying we make your skin crawl is ridiculous and a ploy to make you look like a pathetic martyr!”
I jerk my head back in confusion and pain. That voice . . . I take a deep breath and slowly shake my head. “I don’t know where you got your information from, but you are wrong,” I say firmly.
“Am I?” she hisses while taking a step closer, and all but one of the other women back away. “I don’t think so, Hephaestus. You used and abused many women, including me.”
Gasps sound in the room again as I struggle to keep my composure. I’m now certain I know who this woman is, though I’ve forgotten the name she told me to call her and can’t remember which sister she’s supposed to be.
I slip into my ability to read energy and scan the people in the room, which I should have done before now. My suspicion that the energy is being manipulated is correct. Someone cast an illusion over everyone. Karma is definitely not in the room. Aside from the fact that if she had been, she would have already verbally blasted them all for being extremely poor copies, and probably me for wasting time with them.
Energy manipulation is my actual power. Since fire is the easiest way to manifest that energy, that’s what everyone associates with me. However, my abilities make it extremely easy to dispel any workings that manipulate energy. I subtly wave my hand across the room, rearranging the flow of the energy that maintains the illusion. It breaks away from the source, which is the Karma who had been so amused in the back.
At once, the illusion drops, revealing a group of women who look like Karma’s sisters with a few more added in. My brother Ares stands in the back, along with two more men I’m unfamiliar with, including the illusionist. The woman I had first rejected is revealed to be Aphrodite, and the woman who accused me . . .
Gasps, shrieks, and exclamations of surprise distract me, preceding a rush toward the door as the other women leave. Only Ares, Aphrodite, the man who had been the bewildered Karma, and the accuser remain.
I finally turn back to my accuser to see the woman who had long ago thrown me to the wolves. I could say I’m surprised, but since an array of enemies has been pointed at Karma and me, it only makes sense for her to be involved. Not to mention that she was one of the people Karma had drawn days ago.
“Are you happy now?” she snarls.
I take a deep breath while trying to maintain calm over my rioting emotions. Finally, I press my lips together and shake my head. “Considering you have committed one of the most heinous crimes since Cronus, and I am now facing the instigator of one of my deepest torments, no. I am not happy about any of this. Not to mention you all are keeping me from finding Karma.”
She tosses back her platinum-blonde hair and shrieks in outrage. “How dare you! Phanaeus, come here!”
As she stomps her foot like a child with a tantrum, the unknown man approaches us cautiously. “What’s going on, Mother? Why did you bring me here?”
Her furious face turns to me triumphantly as she points at me. “Phanaeus, this is your father, who has assaulted women, abused your aunt, and raped me, resulting in you. Get your revenge for both of us and slay him!”
My head feels like it’s spinning. I have a son?
Chapter Thirty-Four
KARMA
So, I was kidnapped by that ass Dolos and whoever snuck up behind me. It feels so super great to be helpless and not know what is happening or what they might be doing with my body.
No, not really. It completely sucks.
The fogginess of near unconsciousness finally begins to fade just in time to hear my mother ranting.
“It was supposed to be me in the prophecy! Me, not her! She stole the prophecy from me. I’m the powerful one! I’m the one supposed to save everyone!”
All of her rage at me is about some stolen prophecy? I don’t remember anything about it from my childhood. I do remember several trips to see Tia when I was young, and prophecies didn’t bother me like they do now. At one point, my mother had an argument with Tia, and I hadn’t been able to go back to see her until I lived with my grandparents. Perhaps they were arguing over this prophecy stealing speculation.
Now I’m left wondering if Mother did something I can’t remember in punishment for taking her prophecies away and that’s why I don’t like them now. I can’t say for sure if that’s the case, but it would be just like her to do so. If she has any maternal feelings, they aren’t directed my way.
“As if, Mother! You’re so delusional, like always! It was more likely to be one of us instead of either of you.” The voice of my sister Dekla isn’t the most dulcet of tones. I’ve told her she favors a goose. Not just any old goose but a cackling goose—high-pitched, whiny, and incessant.
A ringing slap sounds amid soft cries of protest and Dekla’s cry of pain. The silence afterward tells me a lot. First, that this isn’t the first time it’s happened. Second, that it happens frequently enough that my usually vocal sisters have given up protesting and doesn’t expect any different behavior. Third, that our mother’s aggression is out of control.
Finally, my sister Fatia speaks up. “What we need to worry about is that man.”
My heart beats faster. What man? Could it be my man she’s talking about?
“He’s so big,” Dalia whispers.
“And so strong,” Ora says admiringly.
“So handsome.” Zana sighs.
“And so determined not to leave without Karma,” Mira responds pointedly.
Oh, yeah. That’s my man all right. Warmth fills me at how far we’ve come in our relationship this week. I knew it was right to form the Psyma bond. I can’t wait till all of this is done so we can spend time together.
I’m also not surprised at the responses from my sisters. Zana, Dalia, and Ora are the younger of my sisters, and not so very bright. They are shallow and mostly do what they are told. Mira, on the other hand, is third oldest and probably the smartest of my sisters.
My mother often takes advantage of her brains to figure things out when it comes to business advances. For example, it was her idea to go to Taavi about creating some sort of technology to make their workload easier, which resulted in the internet and the invention of databases.
Dekla, my oldest sister, is cunning but not smart in the same way as Mira or even Fatia. However, Fatia is far more manipulative since her smarts are more about people. She’s the one I steer clear of the most.
My mother has lost her patience again. “Well, he’s not getting her! Give me that device, Erasmus, and wipe that smirk off your face!”
“I don’t work for you, Aunt Moirae.”
Hmmm . . . His words and tone could imply he does work for someone else. That’s curious. I haven’t known Erasmus to work for anyone. I’m starting to wonder if I should “wake up,” but I’m getting all sorts of interesting information just lying here.
“Her powers are mine!” Mother yells, furious she isn’t being obeyed.
“Are they, though? Are they really?”
“Well, they certainly aren’t yours, Dolos,” I can’t help responding. He’s just that annoying.
“Karma isn’t here. She left after delivering you to me.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
HADYN
At Manu Fate’s words, I close my eyes, my heart sinking. I think I know Karma and that she wouldn’t abandon me to the fate this man and my brother have planned for me. Yet, centuries of loneliness and feeling worthless beat at me to believe him.
Trust each other, Atty’s voice sounds in my head.
Trust fate. Trust the powers. Trust your heart. Trust, the women’s voices continue.
That really is what everything comes down to. Do I trust Karma? Do I trust that she’s told me the truth when she says she loves me?
Perhaps if we hadn’t done the ritual to enact the Psyma bond, this trap would be easier to fall into. Thinking more clearly now, I realize that this is indeed a trap.
I open my eyes again to meet the cold gaze in front of me, my mind racing. He wants us separated, not just physically but emotionally. He wants us to turn on each other. What does he gain aside from the obvious?
Activating one of my powers, I read the energy surrounding the man in front of me. Some might call such a thing an aura, but it is far more involved than the mere measure of a soul or emotion. Everything emits or draws in energy, and most people do both. What I can see is that the man is completely closed off mentally, emotionally, and physically. I’m sure he believes being so cold helps him to think logically and have a better handle on his powers, but it really does the opposite. Closing yourself off doesn’t allow the energy to flow through the body to maximum benefit.
Didn’t someone say that Manu Fate believed he had less power than the rest of his family? This is a prime example as to how a person’s thoughts and beliefs affect their energy and thus their power level. It is for this reason I kept myself removed from others so I wouldn’t be tempted to retaliate against those who wronged me. However, I couldn’t quite bring myself to open myself completely until I met Karma. She has changed me on the deepest level.
You need to experience the deepest pain and the deepest love.
Reading his powers only takes a few seconds, but the echo of those words causes me to rub my heart that aches with phantom pains. I vaguely remember someone telling Karma that sentence before she saved my soul from the evil darkness that had infected me. Feeling those deeper emotions opens our hearts, thoughts, and energy toward others. It makes sense that it would allow a greater flow of power once those stronger emotions are felt.
Meeting his gaze again, I can see this man has not experienced either. He hasn’t allowed himself to feel much of anything toward others. It’s sad, really, but this is the cost of what he’s sown. No love, no loyalty, and little power.
I can clearly see the addition of three other sources in the power that wraps around him, but it isn’t integrating into his own power source. He probably feels an increase in internal power while at the same time having no noticeable increase in power usage since he isn’t allowing that power to work as it was meant.
“What is it that you want?” I ask. This man only understands deals and power. He must want something.
For Gaia’s sake, no wonder Karma’s childhood was so driven and tormented.
The slight curve of his mouth raises in satisfaction as inclines his head. “I want your power on my side.”
Moirae Fate tuts in disapproval. She clearly believes me beneath her and her exalted company. I turn my energy-focused gaze on her to see that her energy levels are erratic. She holds one other person’s power source, but it is only partially integrated and not at all stable. Her emotions and fixations, of which I am now convinced Karma is one, are causing spikes and volatile patterns in her energy. Attempting to remain calm, I suppress the flinch that seeing her power elicits. The woman’s behavior will grow increasingly erratic and violent.
I turn my gaze back to Manu, trying to maintain a slow heartbeat. “Which side is that?”
His smile is coldly smug as he declares, “The side that will win, of course.”
“I highly doubt that,” I say dryly, shaking my head.
He blinks once as if astonished that I would dare contradict him. “What makes you so certain?”
“Because those on your side are not all aligned with the same goal.” I purposely dart my eyes toward his wife, implying she is one of them without saying a word. “Thus, your forces are fragmented. You cannot overcome anything when you are not moving in the same direction.”
He squints his eyes narrowly. “I do not recall you being touted as having a modicum of intelligence. In fact, most reports mentioned only your brute strength and your unwillingness to use it.”
“Well,” I say modestly, “it is not my fault that others have false views of reality.”
“Oh, stop the blathering and get on with this!” Moirae shouts with visible irritation. “We do not cater to inferiors!”
Manu’s mouth tightens as he turns his now arctic-frozen gaze toward his wife, who flinches back from him. The gesture on both their parts is rather telling. No matter how volatile and dangerous she may be, she still deems her husband to be the greater danger. After a beat of time where she shrinks back from him, he finally turns to me with chilliness in his tone. “I am not here to argue with you. Will you join our side or not?”
“I will not.”
“Very well.” He nods as if trying to be gracious. “Then you may go.”
He flicks his hands to the door as if dismissing me. I glance between the door and the two of them, trying to understand this change of heart. I find it hard to believe he is suddenly uninterested in taking my powers now after he expressed so much intrigue. Still, there’s nothing that will convince me to leave without my wife.
I slowly stand and look the man in the eye, aware that my size is automatically intimidating. “I’m not leaving without Karma.”
Only by being so focused did I notice the small twitch of his eye and the ripple of uneasiness in his energy. Drawing some lightning-fast conclusions, I think the man had expected the process of taking my powers to work so I would be at their mercy. Now that their device hasn’t worked on me, he doesn’t know what to do with me aside from get rid of me as fast as possible. Presumably without a fight since he correctly thinks that he won’t be able to stop me.
After a moment, he inclines his head. “Very well.”
Moirae looks like she wants to protest, but he quickly grabs her arm and pulls her out of the room with him. I’m skeptical that he will do what he said and allow me to actually leave with Karma since they have had it out for her since she was a child.
Only the thought that it would be easier to have Karma come to me than for me to look for her in this huge mansion keeps me in the room. I’m almost resolved to leave and find her anyway when the door opens to reveal Karma in her red dress. My body begins to relax in relief.
When another Karma enters behind her, I freeze with my mind in shock.
By all the gods, what is happening?
Before I can react, a third Karma walks in, followed by a fourth. A whole parade of Karmas enters and move to different places around the room. My brain is still assessing even while the shock is heavy in my mind.
Finally, Manu Fate sticks his head into the room and gives me an arrogant smirk. He knows he’s cheating and getting away with it. “Here’s your deal. Choose your Karma and walk out of this house . . .” He hardens his gaze till there’s nothing but ice. “And never return.”
He withdraws and shuts the door, leaving me with a room full of Karmas and feeling completely overwhelmed. How the hell am I going to figure out which Karma is mine?
My gaze darts across the room, trying to determine which one is the real Karma, but they all blur together. I’m certain choosing the wrong person will lead me into a trap I don’t want to fall into. I’m feeling on the edge of despair, when one of the Karmas nearest to me steps forward.
The way she moves is all wrong. My Karma is bold and confident but doesn’t call attention to herself sexually. This Karma is pushing her chest out and swaying her hips provocatively. As she steps closer, she bats her eyelashes and purrs, “Let’s go home, lover.”
I hold up my hand in front of her face. “Stop. You aren’t my Karma so don’t come any closer, lady.”
She pouts amid giggles from around the room. “Of course, I’m your Karma.”
I shake my head and take a half step back. “Lady, I don’t know who you are, but you obviously don’t know Karma at all. Leave or go stand by the door.”
She narrows her eyes in anger and stomps off, seething, to stand over by the door. “Have fun choosing your darling little brat,” she snarls.
“Choose me!” one of the Karmas yells out.
“No, me!” shouts another from across the room as she presses forward. I step back in alarm at their eagerness.
“Me!”
“Me!”
“Me!”
Before I know it, I’m being chased around the room by a swarm of Karmas aside from the one I rejected and three others. One of the three is looking at the display with disgust, while a second is quite amused, and the third merely looks bewildered and appalled by the whole thing.
Me too, random Karma. Me too.
I search the room for a route to get away from the horde chasing me and notice doors leading to the outside behind the couch I “woke up” on. I turn to head toward them. I can’t stand this swarm of Karmas anymore, which may end up becoming a nightmare at some point, or the incessant buzzing from my aversion to all women who aren’t my Karma.
Hang on.
I turn and straighten to allow my form to become as big as possible. “Stop!” I bellow out, my deep voice filling the room. They all are startled into silence and freeze motionless as I glower at them. I don’t know who they are, but they are all playing games while my Karma could be in trouble.
“None of you are Karma,” I say with authority. “You three in the back have the wrong attitude and posture,” I say as I wave to the watchers, then the women in the all-too-eager group in front of me. “While you all here not only have the wrong attitude but the wrong personality. Karma wouldn’t throw herself at a man the way you all are. Have some dignity for yourselves.” I shake my head at them. “Not to mention you all make my skin crawl.”
Gasps sound in the group of women. “How rude!” One of them in the middle scowls as she crosses her arms. “You have no manners.”
I look at the woman askance with an eyebrow raised. “I’m not trying to be rude. I mean you all literally make my skin crawl. Karma is the only woman who doesn’t have the same effect, so she’s the only one I can stand touching. So, when I say none of you can be Karma, I’m being quite literal and firm in that fact.”
One of the Karmas to the side of the group spits out in disgust, “I don’t believe you. You’ve used and abused women for centuries. Saying we make your skin crawl is ridiculous and a ploy to make you look like a pathetic martyr!”
I jerk my head back in confusion and pain. That voice . . . I take a deep breath and slowly shake my head. “I don’t know where you got your information from, but you are wrong,” I say firmly.
“Am I?” she hisses while taking a step closer, and all but one of the other women back away. “I don’t think so, Hephaestus. You used and abused many women, including me.”
Gasps sound in the room again as I struggle to keep my composure. I’m now certain I know who this woman is, though I’ve forgotten the name she told me to call her and can’t remember which sister she’s supposed to be.
I slip into my ability to read energy and scan the people in the room, which I should have done before now. My suspicion that the energy is being manipulated is correct. Someone cast an illusion over everyone. Karma is definitely not in the room. Aside from the fact that if she had been, she would have already verbally blasted them all for being extremely poor copies, and probably me for wasting time with them.
Energy manipulation is my actual power. Since fire is the easiest way to manifest that energy, that’s what everyone associates with me. However, my abilities make it extremely easy to dispel any workings that manipulate energy. I subtly wave my hand across the room, rearranging the flow of the energy that maintains the illusion. It breaks away from the source, which is the Karma who had been so amused in the back.
At once, the illusion drops, revealing a group of women who look like Karma’s sisters with a few more added in. My brother Ares stands in the back, along with two more men I’m unfamiliar with, including the illusionist. The woman I had first rejected is revealed to be Aphrodite, and the woman who accused me . . .
Gasps, shrieks, and exclamations of surprise distract me, preceding a rush toward the door as the other women leave. Only Ares, Aphrodite, the man who had been the bewildered Karma, and the accuser remain.
I finally turn back to my accuser to see the woman who had long ago thrown me to the wolves. I could say I’m surprised, but since an array of enemies has been pointed at Karma and me, it only makes sense for her to be involved. Not to mention that she was one of the people Karma had drawn days ago.
“Are you happy now?” she snarls.
I take a deep breath while trying to maintain calm over my rioting emotions. Finally, I press my lips together and shake my head. “Considering you have committed one of the most heinous crimes since Cronus, and I am now facing the instigator of one of my deepest torments, no. I am not happy about any of this. Not to mention you all are keeping me from finding Karma.”
She tosses back her platinum-blonde hair and shrieks in outrage. “How dare you! Phanaeus, come here!”
As she stomps her foot like a child with a tantrum, the unknown man approaches us cautiously. “What’s going on, Mother? Why did you bring me here?”
Her furious face turns to me triumphantly as she points at me. “Phanaeus, this is your father, who has assaulted women, abused your aunt, and raped me, resulting in you. Get your revenge for both of us and slay him!”
My head feels like it’s spinning. I have a son?
Chapter Thirty-Four
KARMA
So, I was kidnapped by that ass Dolos and whoever snuck up behind me. It feels so super great to be helpless and not know what is happening or what they might be doing with my body.
No, not really. It completely sucks.
The fogginess of near unconsciousness finally begins to fade just in time to hear my mother ranting.
“It was supposed to be me in the prophecy! Me, not her! She stole the prophecy from me. I’m the powerful one! I’m the one supposed to save everyone!”
All of her rage at me is about some stolen prophecy? I don’t remember anything about it from my childhood. I do remember several trips to see Tia when I was young, and prophecies didn’t bother me like they do now. At one point, my mother had an argument with Tia, and I hadn’t been able to go back to see her until I lived with my grandparents. Perhaps they were arguing over this prophecy stealing speculation.
Now I’m left wondering if Mother did something I can’t remember in punishment for taking her prophecies away and that’s why I don’t like them now. I can’t say for sure if that’s the case, but it would be just like her to do so. If she has any maternal feelings, they aren’t directed my way.
“As if, Mother! You’re so delusional, like always! It was more likely to be one of us instead of either of you.” The voice of my sister Dekla isn’t the most dulcet of tones. I’ve told her she favors a goose. Not just any old goose but a cackling goose—high-pitched, whiny, and incessant.
A ringing slap sounds amid soft cries of protest and Dekla’s cry of pain. The silence afterward tells me a lot. First, that this isn’t the first time it’s happened. Second, that it happens frequently enough that my usually vocal sisters have given up protesting and doesn’t expect any different behavior. Third, that our mother’s aggression is out of control.
Finally, my sister Fatia speaks up. “What we need to worry about is that man.”
My heart beats faster. What man? Could it be my man she’s talking about?
“He’s so big,” Dalia whispers.
“And so strong,” Ora says admiringly.
“So handsome.” Zana sighs.
“And so determined not to leave without Karma,” Mira responds pointedly.
Oh, yeah. That’s my man all right. Warmth fills me at how far we’ve come in our relationship this week. I knew it was right to form the Psyma bond. I can’t wait till all of this is done so we can spend time together.
I’m also not surprised at the responses from my sisters. Zana, Dalia, and Ora are the younger of my sisters, and not so very bright. They are shallow and mostly do what they are told. Mira, on the other hand, is third oldest and probably the smartest of my sisters.
My mother often takes advantage of her brains to figure things out when it comes to business advances. For example, it was her idea to go to Taavi about creating some sort of technology to make their workload easier, which resulted in the internet and the invention of databases.
Dekla, my oldest sister, is cunning but not smart in the same way as Mira or even Fatia. However, Fatia is far more manipulative since her smarts are more about people. She’s the one I steer clear of the most.
My mother has lost her patience again. “Well, he’s not getting her! Give me that device, Erasmus, and wipe that smirk off your face!”
“I don’t work for you, Aunt Moirae.”
Hmmm . . . His words and tone could imply he does work for someone else. That’s curious. I haven’t known Erasmus to work for anyone. I’m starting to wonder if I should “wake up,” but I’m getting all sorts of interesting information just lying here.
“Her powers are mine!” Mother yells, furious she isn’t being obeyed.
“Are they, though? Are they really?”
“Well, they certainly aren’t yours, Dolos,” I can’t help responding. He’s just that annoying.
