37. Quickie, Stage Left #2
“What do you think that final time you saw the Fates meant?” Chester asks, pushing his glasses up his nose.
“I don’t know, but I think it means they are gone,” Rez admits, tearing at her napkin.
Well, now I understand what that sadness clinging to her earlier was. It's from talking to her mother and the possibility that she just saw the last of the Fates.
“Wait a minute. There’s no way that was the end of the Fates,” Levi speaks up, finally.
He’s been awfully quiet lately, and that worries me.
He’s even let Knots take over, which is NOT normal.
“If that’s the case, we wouldn’t be doing the Gauntlet in the first place to earn the ability to travel to Earth. Who would do the ritual at the end?”
“You do have a point,” Chester admits, and everyone’s spirits rise except Kittens. She bites her bottom lip but stays quiet.
“So, they can’t be gone,” Moni nods, easily accepting that as an answer.
“I don’t know how else to explain it, but I felt like I gained something from them more than just my mother’s Fate powers, and then they disappeared,” Rez insists, looking at all of us, pleading to believe her.
“It’s not that we don’t believe you, but let’s play Justifier,” Levi shoots out.
Ugh. I hate this Devil’s Advocate Game. “If the Fates are really gone, then what’s the point of running the Gauntlet?
We’re all stuck here in Purgatory and can’t travel to Earth if that’s the case.
Or did they set up something to automatically give those who have passed their rite?
But if they did that, why not do that from the very beginning?
” Levi throws out, then finally looks in Kitten’s direction and cocks his head.
“Do you think it’s a possibility that since you’ve been without your powers for so long, when they healed you completely, that’s what you felt?
You don’t know what your limits are, so you could hold a lot more than you might have known; you could have been wrong before,” Levi shoots out, and I watch Rez shrink back with each accusation thrown at her.
I stand up and lean over the table as a warning growl vibrates in my chest.
For someone who claims to love Rez, he’s doing a horrible job of showing it, even if he’s playing Devil’s Advocate.
“Are you gaslighting Rez?” Ryker slowly asks Levi as his eyes narrow on his brother, but before we get an answer, we get a visitor.
“All done?” Zissa walks up and looks at our discarded plates and tense poses around the table.
“ Or…should I come back? We are on a time limit though, and I’m not about to miss our window.
A scrimmage with Astaroth is not a punishment I want today.
” She looks at Rez. “It would be for 8 hours straight. No one is built for that.”
Color drains from Kitten’s face, and she pushes away from the table.
“Yep, it’s time to go. Come on, guys.” She grabs her bag before taking Reaper’s leash from me and heads out the door.
“Does anyone else find it suspicious that Rez met with the Fates by herself, got healed, was taken to their room of power, and then had a ritual performed on her that, from what she described, was a transfer spell?” Levi asks, focusing on the spot Rez disappeared through.
“It’s Rez,” Knots admits. “Nothing is really suspicious, more like surprising and unexpected.”
“I don’t know if I would use those words, Knots,” Levi says, standing up and narrowing his eyes.
“I agree with Knots, but it’s not like I have a direct line to the Fates to question them or even have an ounce of the relationship Rez has with them,” Ryker states as he stands, prepared to follow Rez.
“No, the only thing suspicious is you trying to gaslight my Rezzi-bear and treating her like a damn suspect. What’s up with you?” Lynx hisses, throwing a glare Levi’s way before following her out.
Zeke lightly kicks me under the table and brushes his index finger over his right eyebrow, meaning, did you catch that?
I nod. I know what he’s thinking. Levi is acting more and more unlike himself.
Gaslighting isn’t in his forte, that’s for sure.
I rub my other eyebrow, letting him know I’ll keep my eye on him also.
“Maybe the Fates aren’t really gone, guys,” Moni suggests, spinning above us. “Maybe it was just their power flickering out for a moment while they sent Rez back to us.” Her bright green bark flashes a dark gray, exposing her nerves.
“You’re probably right, Moni,” I concede, giving her the out she desperately needs, and with a nod, we get up to follow everyone out the door and back into Zissa’s buggy from… well, Hell.
I can’t help but wipe my hands on my jeans as anxiety runs through me as we ride up to the portal; something feels off.
Rez lets go of Repear’s leash, allowing him the freedom to roam around the vehicle, and I have to admit, it’s entertaining and breaks the tension to see him flop everywhere.
It takes our focus away from watching the hellish landscape and demons we would have had to fight our way through if we didn’t have the connections that we do.
It doesn’t take too long to reach the temporary portal, and we all pile out.
“Next stop, the Fae realm,” Ryker reminds us.
The portal itself is silver and draped in green vines, and its center is made up of green and white swirls. As we approach, alarm bells go off as something feels off, and Reaper cautiously approaches before growling.
‘Is it just me, or do you sense something else?’ I ask my animals.
‘Nope, there’s something off, alright,’ Dusky announces, ‘but I can’t tell if it’s just the atmosphere, presence of so many demons around here, or a different type of magic.’
‘Whatever it is, I don’t like it,’ Fluffers whines.
“Hey. Zissa, are you sure this is the correct portal?” I ask, halting everyone in their progress.
“Yeah, why?” She looks at the portal as if she’s questioning whether it’s a portal now.
“It’s just a strange feeling I’m getting.” Looking at Rez, I hope that she acknowledges that I’m not crazy.
“Powers are still wonky.” She shrugs. “I’m sorry.” I squeeze her hand and send her love down our link.
“I don’t notice anything weird,” Levi says, before turning and stepping through the portal.
Right as he does, I catch sight of a large, bright sitting room furnished to the nines in blue and forest greens and too much gold trim to the point of turning my stomach.
“You found me.” I hear her voice before my stomach plummets as she comes into the picture.
Her cruel smile appears on her porcelain face, her pink braids pinned to the top of her head so demurely, and I almost feel like I’m going to be sick.
Reaper barks and takes off after Levi in a game of chase, and there’s a flash of red.
“Reaper!” Rez yells, reaching for his discarded leash, but it’s too late.
Our menace from Hell has already gone into the portal of horrors along with Levi.
“Fuck!” Knots groans.
“Was that Emer?” Moni shrieks.
“Go! Go! Go!” Zeke yells as we realize the portal leads to a room with Emer, and Levi is alone with her.
We all reach for each other's hands as we jump in after Levi.
I fall to my hands and knees, but quickly stand as the sound of growling surrounds us.
Whatever they are, they are either too far away or blending in with their surroundings really well.
We’ve landed somewhere in a forest of dense foliage, the sun is out, and shadows play in the worst way, making it hard for me to distinguish shapes at first. I need time to let my eyes adjust, but I can already tell there’s definitely no Levi here.
The worst part is, it’s the Fae realm, and nothing here is friendly.
“Shit,” Lynx moans as he bends over and picks up a large thermos and a purple paper down at his feet. “It’s not good if this is already here, is it?”
“YES! That's the Coffee God answering my prayers!” Moni squeals as she yanks the thermos from Lynx and spins around with it before it disappears in her S.I.N. Box.
“No, it’s not good,” Knots agrees with Lynx. “And how in the Hell did you land on your feet?” he grumbles, rolling up to a sitting position from his back.
“I’m a cat,” he simply says. “I always land on my feet.” Lynx gives him a saucy wink before reading the note.
“I guess you have a point,” Knots mumbles, but I definitely hear it.
Great, so Hell has now frozen over now that those two are agreeing on shit.
I peer over Lynx’s shoulder as he reads.
In this realm, you’ll fight a monster to reach a portal, but it won’t be the portal home; it’ll be one to continue on.
-Gus, your favorite Sphynx
“Oh, horses!” Rez squeals, and I glance up to see what the hell she’s upset about.
Shit! Well, now I know what was causing those growls earlier.
“I don’t think those are the kind that are friendly,” Lynx says under his breath.
“You have no idea,” I tell him as I crouch down. ‘Slayer, you’re up.’
‘Finally. I’m home!’ he growls.