Maybe Fate: A Novel (New Adult Paranormal Romance) (24 page)

Her
dark hair whirled when Becky shot a look at me. “Blech,
ruining the announcement for me. Fine fine fine.” Clasping her
hands, she leaned in close to the shorter girl. “So, here's my
idea. Double date?”

Watching
Gale's face drop into one of discomfort, how she covertly looked my
way, then pointedly back at Becky... it made me grin.

“
Oh,
Becky, I uh.” Lifting her hand, trying to shield her words
from other ears, she hissed at the girl. “That's a bit much.”

“
Oh,
it is
not
,”
she replied. Looking my way, Becky gave me a huge pout. “You'd
just
love
going out with Gale tonight, wouldn't you? Nethiun?”

It
was too easy to not go along with.

Sidling
in close, I placed a hand on Gale's shoulder. “I'd love
nothing more.”

Gale's
emotions, her energy, it went wild.

So,
too, did Ethlyn's.

“
Great!”
Becky cheered, copying me as she skipped over to the other twaelin.
Her fingers coiled around his upper arm, her lips springing into a
giant smile. “How about it, Ethan?”

Under
my touch, I felt Gale stiffen. Curiously, I glanced down at her.
Those intense, thoughtful grey eye of hers were staring hotly at
Ethlyn. Without hiding her intent, she pushed my fingers off of her.

She's
actually considering the warnings, isn't she?
I
didn't think Becky noticed, not with the way she was fluttering her
lashes devotedly up at Ethlyn. The twaelin had, though, and his
smugness was aimed at me.

Sliding
off the wall, Ethlyn shoved his hands deep into his pockets. “Yeah.
I'll go.”

As
Becky cheered, Gale seemed torn between feeling nervous, or feeling
defeated.

Finally,
the red-head spun away. “Just let me stop at the dorm to drop
my backpack off, at the very least.”

When
we talk later, I have a feeling it will be about more than just the
Corpse King.

Gale
Everette

Despite
the dark clouds hanging threateningly over our heads, downtown was a
world of bright lights and ear blistering screams of cheer.

I
knew little about the Fall festival, I'd lived hours away from the
area before starting college. But really, every festival was
generally the same when you got down to it.

There
were people playing live music on the sidewalks, and vendors trying
to get us to buy whatever random thing they were selling.

Often,
it was balloons or sparklers.

Staring
across the street at a man handing out the little dazzling sticks to
kids, it gave me a chilling reminder of the last time I'd seen them.

“
Are
you alright?” Becky asked me, pulling me from my heavy
thoughts.

Putting
on a weak smile, I nodded so hard me hair bounced around. “Fine,
just fine.” When she squinted harder at me, I held up my
hands. “Seriously, I'm really okay! I was just staring into
space.”

I
didn't think she believed me, but she turned away and focused on
Ethlyn. “Want to go get some hot chocolate from over there?”

Carefully,
I tried to get the twaelin to look at me. However, he avoided my
gaze.
I
just don't want him to lead her on, is that so much to ask?

With
my current problems, my worries over Nethiun and his Mistress, I was
focusing in on the tiny thing I thought I could change. Ethlyn had
said he'd stop pursuing Becky, but the caveat about how my roommate
was head-over-heels for him was coming into play in front of me.

Ethlyn
lifted his hands, palms up. “Sure, why not?”

That
was good enough for Becky. Grabbing his elbow, she tugged him across
the crowded street, ignoring the honks of car horns.

Huffing
out a large billow of steam in the cold air, I went to chase after
them, ready to keep giving Ethlyn the evil eye. A hand, strong and
agile, coiled around my wrist.

“
Hey,”
I chirped, shooting daggers back at Nethiun and his giant smile.
“Let me go, I need to go make sure those two don't go off
alone.”

“
They've
already been alone,” he said, not releasing his hold. “Why
are you so set on interrupting them?”

“
Because
he's just using her!” I shouted, ignoring how some of the
people on the sidewalk beside me jumped. “Isn't it obvious?”

The
twaelin slid his hand down my arm, linking his fingers with mine.
Even in my foul mood, that made my heart twitch. “Maybe he's
using her, in fact, almost certainly. Why does it matter?”

“
That's
bold, coming from you,” I grumbled.

His
arm went stiff, but he didn't let me go. “I see. So, this is
more about how you think I'm using you, than it is about them.”

Faltering
at his precise observation, I stared down at the sidewalk. “I've
been told by two different people today that you're not to be
trusted, that you'd... you'd hurt me, if it came down to it. Why
shouldn't I believe them?”

“
I
can't tell you what to believe, Gale. However, let me say this. Can
you not come up with a reason why Valenforth and his
servant
would try and get you against me?”

Blinking
slowly, I found myself looking into his patient eyes.
Of
course I can, but...
“If
they want me to be on their side, they would warn me against you.”

“
Correct,”
he said gently. “Did Valenforth tell you why he's having
Ethlyn follow you?”

I
shook my head, frustrated by the memory. “He thinks I'm meant
to do something big, but even he couldn't say what.”

“
Even
he couldn't say. So then, why does he assume my Mistress, or myself,
are more dangerous to you? How could he know that?”

Biting
my lip, I let my hand fall from his. “It's all really
confusing, that's all. And I'm just worried about me, and... and
Becky. I don't know who to listen to anymore.”

Nethiun
reached down, easing my chin upwards. “Gale, you don't need to
pick a side. If something is going to happen, it will happen. That's
how the world works, isn't it?”

Just
go along for the ride, is that his advice?
Sighing,
I turned away.
It
isn't like he's wrong, even if I don't like the sound of it. Any of
them could be an enemy, any of them could be a friend. I can't do
anything until it becomes clear. Not about myself, anyway, but...

Peering
out across the street, I shielded my eyes. “Maybe you have a
point. But s
he's my friend, she
isn't involved in this. And, I can say for certain he
is
using her. That's no mystery. Ethlyn, he told me earlier today
that's why he's hanging around her, to keep observing me.”

“
Oh?
Did you tell him to leave her alone, is that why he was acting a bit
strange with her?”

He
tried to get me to date him in exchange.
Pausing,
I considered my words. “We talked about a lot of things... but
yes. I told him to leave her alone, and he promised me he would try.
Now I wonder if he was lying to placate me.”
To
get me to trust him more? If so, he didn't follow through enough.

Looking
back, I tried to see if I could spot them. The pair was standing
together, sipping their drinks, looking pleased. Ethlyn was even
smiling, apparently enjoying the hot chocolate.

Nethiun's
touch shifted, tugging me closer. It threw me off balance, so that I
almost stumbled into his chest. “Your friend looks like she's
having fun.”

Scowling,
I chewed on my tongue lightly. “She's going to get hurt when
she finds out that he's only around her to get close to me.”

“
What
if she never finds out?”

Bristling,
I glared up at him with my mouth half open. “I—of course
she'll find out!”

“
How,
unless you tell her?”

I
had no argument for that. Deflating, my arm went limp in his.
Gently, he lowered it between us, his thumb rubbing over the back of
my hand. Every little swirl he made, it sent a spark to my lower
belly.

I...
no, that's too much.
Grimacing,
I tugged my fingers free, still feeling the warmth where he had been
touching. “Fine,” I said softly. “Maybe she won't
find out the truth, but isn't the result the same?”

“
That
probably depends on how everything plays out,” he answered
cryptically.

Unsure
how to comment on that, I was relieved when Becky and Ethlyn
reappeared with their drinks.

Beaming,
she cradled an armful of cups. “Here, I got one for each of
you. Take it! If I move, I'll drop them all.”

Lighting
up at the sight, I took one from the crook of her elbow. “Becky,
thanks so much! God, they smell amazing.” Inhaling the sweet
scent, I took a swig. It burned my mouth, but I didn't even care. It
was delicious.

Becky
took the extra cup, handing it off to Nethiun. Watching him sniff
it, then sip it gingerly, I thought about the night in the club.
He
did say he could taste things, I wonder if it's all the same to him.
Does he even like chocolate?

Ethlyn
certainly seemed to. His lips were stained from the cocoa, he held
the empty cup over his mouth, clearly wanting every drop.

It
was a chore not to giggle, I managed to muffle it with my drink.
Ethlyn heard me, though, his gold eyes glancing my way curiously.

Understanding
how he must look, he rubbed his mouth with the back of his arm. When
he was done, all that was left was a tiny frown.

It's
so weird,
I
thought, forcing myself to turn away.
He
acts so normal, if I didn't know he was a twaelin, I would never
have suspected a thing.

Finishing
her own drink, Becky tossed the container into a nearby trash bin.
“Where to now?”

“
Let's
just wander around,” I suggested, hoping that would work to
keep us all together. “There's lots going on here, might as
well do some exploring.” As I tilted my cup back to take
another sip, I caught Ethlyn staring wistfully.