For somebody had.
Somebody hadread her fate.
It should have been today. She should have seen her own fate today, should have watched in wonder as her shadows rose for the first time and danced in a pattern of her future, at the top of Hala’s temple. A vision for her alone, gifted by the goddess to show her path. A gift she would then take forward, the ability to call the shadows and read the fate of those around her.
A gift to be cherished. Revered. And never abused.
To read a fate was sacred.
Celeste held her gaze. “The Mother read your fate. On the night you were born.”
She couldn’t breathe. They never, ever, read children.
“This—youknew—?”
They hadliedto her, all of them. Dressed her in white and silver, and threaded green flowers into her hair, and congratulated her on a ceremony they knew would never happen.
Slowly, her hand dropped. Betrayal cut the air from her chest, pressing down in a heavy weight. But Nyx was there, pushing her along. “We’re running out oftime.”
Dazed, the girl listened.
She couldn’t hear any screaming now. But there was something else—a clang, a clatter. Metal on marble, banging in a horrible, continuous rhythm.
And there was shouting. Loud shouting, such as she had never heard inside her home.
They reached the small, dark wooden door at the end of the kitchens which led to the gardens. It was bolted shut, and Nyx pressed her ear to it, her eyes closing and her hand up for silence.
They waited. Hot blood thundered in Selene’s ears, but she bit back the questions.
One did not question their fate.
It was unavoidable.
Butthis—
“What will happen to you?”
Neither of them answered her blurted question. Panic raced through her veins, a sudden awareness that neither of them had mentioned themselves. Only her. And those lines in the hall filled her mind again, the way they had faced the door. The way Deva had pulled her shears from her pocket, running her finger over them. “Nyx?”
Nyx’s eyes did not open, but she shook her head. Selene turned to Celeste next, but her sister was focused on Nyx, her strong brow furrowed in concentration. “The harbor, Selene. Go nowhere else. Go to Terrosa. You’ll need to run, and run fast. Do you understand?”
She had always run. Had spent her life running. And not one of them had ever truly stopped her, she realized in growing horror. She had always believed it to be because of her youth, but now—
They had known. They had known she would need to run, so they had said nothing.
“I have no shoes—”
“Stop for no one,” Celeste breathed. “Do not stop, do not pause.Run. As fast as you can.”
She looked between them, her sisters. And they looked at her.
“You will find your way home.” Nyx stood back from the door. Her eyes were clear, her jaw tight as she unbolted it. “And we will meet again, sister.”
“Come back for us.” The words broke on Celeste’s lips. “And have faith, Selene.”
The sound of those footsteps grew louder.
They were inside, now. She could hear them—the shouting, the rage. It flowed from them, tainting her home with anger and fury and blood.
