A Matter of Forever (Fate, #4)

“Should I?” Jonah asks mildly.

Bios chuckles. “Probably not. But I give my word to both you and the little Creator that no harm will come to her during this visit to my memories. Come, little Creator. Sit next to me and see what life was once like for the once mighty Bios.”

I hesitate, looking to Jonah.

“You are a Creator.” Bios’ disgust comes out in a harsh exhale. “An Empath should have no influence over your choices.”

Apparently, another thing Rudshivar and his followers did was change the names associated with many of the different crafts. Despite being told numerous times that Jonah is an Emotional, Bios refuses to term him anything other than Empath.

“Did you have Connections?” I ask curiously.

Bios quirks an eyebrow up in silent question.

“Links,” I offer, “between people who Fate means to be together.”

“Fate,” Bios scoffs. “No. Fate has no control over the Dingir. Fate is a creation of Rudshivar.”

“Did any of you marry? Fall in love? Have relationships that were partnerships?”

“Father and Cailleache had an association, although it did not stop him from mating with others,” he muses. “But I hesitate to call it a partnership. The rest of us ... No. What you call love was a dangerous thing. Love could be used against you. The few that dared to show preference for another were always punished by having the object of their desires taken away.”

“Things are different now,” I counter. “While there is a hierarchy of sorts within Magical society, partnerships are encouraged and desired. So is marriage.”

His eyes flicker towards Jonah. “I can feel the tie between you two, but I suppose I’d always assumed it was as Enlilkian claims it to be—a bond between master and servant.”

I don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or roll my eyes at such a stupid statement. “First of all, there is no master/servant stuff going on here. We’re together because we choose to be.”

The first Shaman merely smiles faintly.

“Was that something the Dingir had, though?”

Bios shrugs. “Occasionally. Mostly between the priests of our cults and ourselves. There were the occasional pleasure servants. That is what Enlilkian has insisted to us the relationship between you and the Empath is, though.”

Oh my gods. He did not just say that.

Bios is unfazed by Jonah’s outrage or my embarrassment. “Why is it that I also feel one of these bonds between you, little Creator, and the other Empath?”

I sigh, wondering who is behind the glass, watching. Hopefully it’s only Kellan, or even Karl. “That’s a long story we don’t have time for.”

“Well then. Shall we commence?” He turns to Jonah. “Empath, if you are worried about the Creator’s safety with me as she walks my memories, you are free to join us.”

Jonah pushes off the wall and comes to stand next to me. And ... I’m surprised, because I think he’s intrigued by this notion. Huh.

“I have come to realize that your kind do not normally walk in memories,” Bios says. “So for the sake of those watching us right now, let me be clear: even though you two will appear lifeless, it will not be so.”

Hold on here.

“In fact,” Bios continues, “if they wish, the two watching right now may come into the room and monitor your progress. I make this vow to them now: I will only hold you in my memories for a quarter of an hour. Will this be acceptable to you?”

The door opens, and unsurprisingly, Kellan is there saying, “Hell no.” And then he gives his brother a very pointed look.

“Ah!” Bios says, clapping his hands as Zthane also walks in. “I so rarely get to see the ... what did you call them? Twins? The twin Empaths together. This is most interesting. I see they communicate like we do. How oddly advanced of them despite being abnormalities.”

“You can hear them?” I ask in surprise.

He is offended. “Of course I can. They are fighting right now over whether or not I am to be trusted.”

Zthane says, “I agree with Kellan, Chloe. This is a terrible idea.”

Bios looks him up and down and sneers. He still harbors prejudice against Zthane for being an Elemental.

I’ve been down in this bunker for nearly two months now. Enlilkian is out there doing who knows what. This needs to end, and it needs to end soon. I go over to where Zthane is and tell him, “Any piece of information we have about how the Dingir work can only help us. Besides, do you really think he’d pull something, knowing you’re watching?”