It was almost comical, because there was nothing to worry about. I could have said something along the lines of “You could have given me a heart attack” but for that to happen I would have to be alive. I snorted at the ridiculousness of it all.
The Fates only reacted with their annoyingly mild tempered smile and gently said, “We apologize, Maelis. It wasnot our intention to scare you. We have taken a little moment to consider your situation.”
I wanted to laugh.
“A little moment??? You have been gone forweeks, leaving me to rot without anywhere to go!” I was up now, pacing with an angry purpose.
They tilted their head. “Hm, curious. It only felt like a few minutes for us.”
I threw my hands up in the air. What was I even supposed to say to that?
“So what’s your verdict, Fates? What is going to happen to me? Are you going to punish me?” I asked.
They shook their head. It suddenly hit me that I wanted the Fates to make a decision about my fate, but at the same time dreaded their verdict. I wanted to see Theo again and I couldn’t imagine my life simply being over.
But the thought of returning to everyone after what I had done and after they had said their goodbyes was frightening too.
“What if nobody even remembers me?” I said and tears filled my eyes. “What if Theo realized that it was better this way with me being gone?”
The Fates smiled again. “We have no knowledge of love and the rules that come with it. But living means hurting and you can’t do one without the other.”
I sniffed. Why did they have to be so damn wise?
I took a deep breath.
“So… what is going to happen to me now?” I asked cautiously.
“We are going to send you back to Auretheos.” My heart kicked up at that.
“You are sending me back, just like that? You discussed this for weeks and this is what you came up with?” My voice got loud and shrill.
The Fates only gently nodded and walked towards me.
“We can not tell you any more than that, we can not interfere with the order of things any more than we already have by keeping you here. But have faith that things will work out the way they should.”
I harrumphed. The Fates had made a grave mistake in miscalculating the course of my life and here they were wanting to send me back without so much as a “sorry for the confusion, we will send you back, just have some faith!”
I tried to calm down enough to ask some more questions.
“All right, whatever. What is going to happen now? And please, no more riddles.”
They stepped closer and placed their hands on my shoulders.
“If you are ready, we are going to send you back now to the temple of Auretheos. Is that all right with you?”
I felt sick to my stomach. Dread and hope and happiness and fear muddled with my brain, sending shock waves throughout my body and making me nauseous. I simply nodded. I closed my eyes and waited. I felt a gentle tug in my stomach, like I was moving on a carousel. The sensation stopped and… nothing happened.
I tentatively opened one eye.
The Fates were still standing in front of me, and we were still surrounded by white light.
I closed my eyes again, not daring to say anything.
The feeling in my stomach soared again, stronger this time, but after a few seconds, it dissolved.
I opened both of my eyes then and saw the Fates staring back at me.
It hadn’t worked.
