“There is always salvation for those who want it.” Cecilia’s eyes flicked back to the window before returning to me. “You must talk to the third and final fate, Decima. She’s currently undecided on the matter of your life and the balance between good and evil.”
No pressure or anything.
“And you want me to convince her of what? My goodness?”
“Mi tesoro, we fates are far-seeing, but we also dwell in human bodies with all of their limitations. We are subjective, and we make mistakes. A person’s future is a pattern of possibilities. They collapse together into one reality only when they happen. And right now, the number of possibilities that end well for you, for vampires, for the balance of good and evil … well, the odds are against you.”
I swallowed, remembering the chill of the devil’s presence, the desolation of a place without God. The thought of going back to that had my heart hammering. “I’ve beaten the odds more than once,” I said.
“That you have, which is why you need to talk with Decima. The third fate watches you even now. She is the swing vote. Find her.”
“How will I find her?”
“She waits for you inside Peel Academy. A certain hellhound will lead you to her. Word is that dog is very taken with you”
“Scooby?” I said quietly. Yeah, I’d named the Moddey Dhoo, Peel Castle’s demonic dog. He’d become my buddy.
I cleared my throat. “When should I meet Decima?”
“She is a fate. You’ll meet her exactly when the time is right.”
Typical cryptic response.
A grandfather clock chimed in the corner.
Cecilia took the photo from me, returning it to its place. “Enemies approach, mi tesoro. It is time to be on your way.”
She led me to the door. “Do you still have that card I gave you?”
“Mhm.” It was buried somewhere in that enchanted bag Andre had hauled around, shoved inside one of my pants’ pockets.
“Good,” she said absentmindedly, a faraway look in her eyes. “Keep it safe. You’ll need it in the future.”
Trusting me with a flimsy piece of paper was probably not Cecilia’s wisest decision, but I nodded anyway.
I hesitated, then leaned in to hug her tightly. I had so many more things that I wanted to ask, to say, and I feared I’d never get the chance.
When I pulled away, she patted my cheek. “Have faith. We are the weavers of time. Everything will go as it should.”
I wanted to believe her, but the truth was, I was earthborn, hellbound, and absolutely screwed.
I left her small cottage, dazed by what I’d learned. As soon as Andre caught sight of me, that singular focus of his was honed in on me.
He loves you more than he’s ever loved anything.
I took in a ragged breath. Hope might not be lost. Not completely.
“Done with your little tête-à-tête?” Oliver asked when he saw me. “Sure you don’t want a little longer? I don’t think all ten of my fingers have gotten frostbite yet.”
“Shut up, Oliver,” Leanne said, elbowing him.
“Ow!” he rubbed his side. “Keep your elbows to yourself. The only boney things I want poking me are—”
Leanne covered his mouth with her hand before he had time to finish the sentence. “Sometimes I seriously wonder why we’re friends.”
Oliver’s protest was muffled.
When Andre reached me, he laid his hands on my upper arms and gently kneaded them. “All went well, soulmate?”
I nodded, trying to keep eye contact in spite of the knowledge I’d learned between Hestia and Cecilia.
“I need to meet with the third fate and convince her that I’m worth saving.”
Andre’s face broke into a brilliant smile. “That’s excellent, soulmate. Where and when are you to meet her?”
“Peel Academy, and on fate time—so whenever.”
His smile dropped. “No.”
“No?” Is he serious?
“Peel Academy is way too dangerous.”
Oh Lordy, he is.
I raised my eyebrows. “I don’t remember asking for your permission.”
“There will be Politia everywhere, soulmate. Let’s find a different location.”
“Sure, why don’t I just call up Decima with a number I don’t have. I’m sure a fate that might not even like me is eager to accommodate my needs.”
I don’t even know why I was arguing with Andre. It’s not like he was going to change my mind. Not if this fate could save me from the devil. I’d risk death for that.
Andre glowered at me.
“Is someone having another lover’s quarrel?” Oliver asked, wandering over.
“Soulmate, this is a bad idea.”
“What’s a bad idea?” Oliver asked, gripping my arm. “I love bad ideas. Especially yours.”
“I need to get inside Peel Academy unnoticed.”
Oliver snorted. “Bitch please, that’s too easy.”
All of us turned to the fairy, including Leanne, who’d so far stayed out of the fray.
“Really?” Oliver let us all know with a single look that he thought we were imbeciles. “They’re called persecution tunnels.”
Andre stepped forward. “These tunnels can get my soulmate in and out of the school completely undetected?”
“That is the idea.”
“Perfect,” I said, clapping my hands together. “That solves that.” I’d be going back on campus. I could already feel my excitement bubbling. I missed my old school.
“I don’t like this,” Andre grumbled, but he didn’t fight it.
Once we made plans to meet up again tomorrow to find Decima, Andre and I parted ways with Oliver and Leanne. Those two headed back to Peel Academy, while we headed for Bishopcourt.
It wasn’t until we’d reached Andre’s place that I thought back on my conversation with Cecilia. I realized I never asked her who the other woman in the photo was. Or, more importantly, what a random photo of my mother was doing there in the first place.
Chapter 16
I passed a saint’s relic Andre had on display along the hall at Bishopcourt. It wasn’t the original one he had here; that one had been lost in the fire several months ago.