Page 102 of Ruled By Fate

“I think that Kylie saw the same woman I did,” she repeated for what had to be the tenth time. “She said she used ‘bad fairy dust’ to make her sick. I think it’s the same person I saw talking to Matthews. I don’t think anyone else can see her, and I don’t think she shows up on cameras.”

He stopped pacing and sat in the chair before her, leaning forward and gripping both her shoulders in his hands. “Tell me exactly what she looks like, Brianna. Exactly.”

“She’s tall. Thin. Ice-blonde and gorgeous. Bright green eyes. Too green. You could cut a diamond on her cheekbones, and she has perfect taste in shoes.”

Brie paused, trying to think of anything she might have forgotten. “Oh, and she may or may not have hooves. And silver horns.”

The angel sat back in his chair. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”

“I did.”

“You didn’t tell me you thought she had hooves, Brianna. That didn’t strike you as being particularly relevant information in light of recent events?” he demanded. “I thought she was an entitled hospital donor who gave you a bad feeling. A human woman who had you spooked. You didn’t think that telling me the woman might have hooves would be pertinent?”

Brie drew back, stung by the accusation in his voice. “I didn’t know if any of that was real. I’ve spent the past five years thoroughly convinced I’m crazy. Five years of a highly reputable psychiatrist telling me that I suffer from a combination of PTSD and a vivid imagination. Hooves? Forgive me for erring on the side of self-effing doubt.”

He stared at her a moment before pushing to his feet. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” he muttered, raking back his hair. “The woman you’re talking about isn’t some low-level wraith, and whatever she’s up to, whatever plan she’s trying to bring to fruition, you can be absolutely sure you don’t want to be anywhere near this place when she finds out that you are the person who got in her way.”

Brie shivered in spite of herself, wishing he would sit back down. “I don’t understand. You know her?”

“Everyone in my world knows her,” he replied without thought. “Everyone in Heaven and everyone in Hell knows her.” He stared out the window as though she might be standing right on the other side. “She’s a Knight of Hell, Brianna. She’s one of the Seven.”

“The seven what?”

“The Seven Fallen Ones. The Seven Deadly Sins. Whatever you humans call them in your grotesquely inaccurate mythologies. Though I can promise you, nothing that has ever been written even comes close to conveying the depths of depraved power they wield.” He started pacing, then turned back all at once. “And she, your blonde woman, is one of the worst of them.”

A crow flew past her front porch. Cameron was at the window in a flash, pulling back the curtain and looking out on high alert, as though any movement might be a harbinger of doom. It was nearly dawn. The sky was full of clouds, and a dim light had just begun to filter up from the horizon.

“I can’t imagine what she’s doing here,” he muttered. “Here, of all places. Here, of all times.”

“Who is she?” Brie’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Mammon.” He turned to face her. “Greed. She’s Greed, Brianna.”

There was a beat of silence. “I don’t know what that means.”

“Think of it this way,” he began, “everything humans pour their energy into, everything humans worship with their time, their money, their love… every single act of devotion makes the thing they’re worshiping more powerful.” His eyes burned into hers. “How powerful do you think Greed has become after all these centuries? How powerful, after all these generations, all these billions of humans slicing and sacrificing one another for a fistful of coins?”

Brie realized she’d forgotten to breathe. “Why does someone — something — as powerful as all that need someone like Matthews to do her dirty work?”

“She doesn’t,” Cameron replied. “She can kill with a thought. Why she’s meddling around with humans? Why she needs a child sacrifice? I have no idea.” He paused, then continued in a rush. “And I cannot have you anywhere near this place until we know.”

In a flash, he was kneeling beside her. “Brianna, I know you don’t want to, but you must trust me. You have to trust me. You need to come to Elysium. Whatever’s going on here, it isn’t a coincidence, and it isn’t safe.”

His hands reached for hers for a moment before dropping helplessly to his sides. “I know you don’t want any of this. You’ve made your feelings very clear. Everything you said back at the pub was true,” he continued softly. “I haven’t protected you. I haven’t helped. Since the moment I’ve come into your life, it’s been filled with chaos. I saw how much it hurt you to lie to Sherry and how much it hurts you to feel isolated from your friends. I couldn’t save your mother, and I don’t know if I can keep you safe. You must think I’m a curse.” His eyes tightened for a ghost of a second before locking onto hers. “But please, I beg you. Let me protect you from what’s coming.” He reached out and took her hands after all. “You must believe me: once it is upon you, there will be no escape.”

She looked at him, heart heavy and throat thick with emotion.

He’s right. And he’s wrong.

It’s already upon me. And there is no escape.

She nodded. And with that simple nod, she relinquished all hope for a normal life.

“Alright,” she murmured, taking a breath to steady herself. “I have to go back to the hospital first. I need to tie up some loose ends.”

“Absolutely not.”

She glanced up in surprise, thinking the hardest decision had already been made.

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