“You’re Fate,” I breathed, my voice somewhere between fascination and terror.
Abruptly the air rippled around me and the figure, Fate, disappeared and reappeared inches in front of me. I jumped back with a yelp, promptly tripping over the hem of my dress and falling ungracefully on my back. My cut palms hit the dry earth and I cried out in pain, clutching my hands to my chest as I sat undignified on the ground.
“And you are a Child of Fate,”Fate answered.
“I don’t know what that means!” I practically shouted. “I don’t know whatanyof this means! I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know what you want with me, or what that woman wants with me. I just want to be left alone!”
Thunder cracked above me at my outburst, and I jumped from the sound. The magic was brighter and pulsating in the sky, its rhythm matching my heartbeat. Fate cocked their head at me, robes billowing in an unseen breeze.
“No, not yet. But in time, you will.”
Another cryptic response. How wonderful.
“It is time to choose, Child.”Fate gestured at two portals that had appeared behind them.
“This again? Do you make everyone choose, or am I just special?” I deadpanned. Fate didn’t answer, of course. “Of course, now you don’t answer.”
“You are a Child of Fate.”
“So, itisjust a me thing, then. Wonderful,” I grumbled as I tried to climb up onto my feet, stepping on my dress and proceeding to cover the once-white garment in brown dust. I huffed as I finally found my way to my feet, hair falling out of its once perfectly pinned updo and into my eyes. I blew on a stray strand with a huff, but it only settled back in front of my eyes. I was too tired to try and fix it again.
“Choose,”Fate said again and floated away a bit as they gestured toward the portals.
I walked toward the one on the left, feeling an overwhelming sense of peace. None of my cuts hurt, my hair no longer bothered me, and I think I even liked the dress my mother picked out. I inadvertently felt my hand reach toward the portal, but paused before I could touch the surface. Underneath all the warm, content feelings, was an oiliness, awrongness. Like if I touched that portal, I would feel trapped in my own skin, never able to escape the box of my life.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and approached the second portal. This time, there was a feeling of adventure and the smell of freedom. I longed to break from the mold Mother and Father cast for me and leave Hestin, control my own destiny. Hand outstretched, I paused yet again. Something about this portal didn’t feel right either, it was like I wanted to suddenly spill all the secrets I was keeping and lay my soul bare. I knew if I touched that portal, I would never feel comfortable in my own skin again. What sparked in me wasn’t me fully, just a piece.
I backed away quickly from both portals and shook my head. “No,” I said softly.
Fate whipped their head to me.
“Choose,”they said with a little more force.
“No,” I said louder and with more confidence, “no, I won’t.”
Fate looked at me before waving a hand and both portals vanished.
“You are most interesting, Child of Fate,” they said,“I give you a gift that no one else is given, and you won’t take it?”
I shook my head. “No, I won’t. It doesn’t feel . . . right.”
“The gift or the magic?”
So magic is what I felt.
I paused and considered before answering. “Both,” I finally said.
“Most interesting, Child of Fate.” They gestured and another portal opened, this time behind me, and while I could feel the power of the magic emanating from it, there was no oily feeling, no crawling feeling. In fact, there was no feeling. It just was. The magic simply existed.
It was pure.
“Your fate is sealed, my Child.”They gestured for me to enter the portal to my back, and I took slow steps away, keeping my front faced toward Fate.“I will see you again, soon. There is much to do and even less time than I thought. You’re both Awake now, they’ll feel you soon. If they haven’t already.”
With that ominous warning, Fate simply faded from existence, and I was left with the portal behind me and the magical storm above me. I took one last look around the decrepit space, not enjoying the feeling of being the only living being left in this place, before I took hurried and measured steps to the portal. The feeling of unease continued to creep up my neck, and I felt as if I was being watched. Without pausing to inspect the portal, I reached it just as I feltsomethingbrushing against my neck, a feminine rage-filled scream echoing in my mind. I squealed in fright and flung myself through the portal.
Chapter 20
Ellowyn
