Page 64 of Distinctly Daray
“I am getting to it,” Chaos insisted. “While I was hiding at the palace, someone entered the prisons and started freeing everyone.”
“You were hiding in the prison?” Mayhem asked.
“A perfect place to hide, no one ever came there,” Chaos defended. “Anyway, Sorrow was letting everyone out. Folly disappeared so damn quick I couldn’t follow her. I chased after a few other escapees, but they’re everywhere. Different realms. Someone is even in that disgustingly bright realm Fate created for her angels. Damn, Fate, that place makes my eyes hurt; why did you design it with so much white?”
Fate gasped. “Who is there?”
“Everything happened so fast. Who was it? I remember white…and not much else. Maybe it was Sorrow. It would be hard for her to blend in though, given her penchant for dressing like Death. Why does she do that? She copies everything about the style. Does she lack creativity? Did you see my dress?” Chaos asked, twirling in her pink-and-white creation. It was a chaotic mixture of patterns that made Mayhem slightly dizzy. Every outfit Chaos had ever designed had had the same effect on Mayhem.
“I told you guys she is unhinged,” Mayhem said. “Has been since the day we were created. She cannot keep a straight thought in her head for more than a few minutes.”
“No, it couldn’t have been Sorrow. I found her. She disappeared, but then she used a wizard and sucked their sorrow to fill her power. It was so weird. He is kin to a Council wizard, but he is part of the Consilium. That was how I discovered her. She was asking to get caught. Sorrow convinced the wizard to recruit Reginald here to do something nefarious,” Chaos confided.
“To do what?” Death asked.
“I told you…something nefarious.”
Death rolled her eyes. “I heard you. What was the nefarious thing he was going to do?”
“I have no idea, but why would a sorcerer need a human lawyer with no principles unless it was for something nefarious? And why would else would Sorrow be involved? She is evil and works for Folly. So, I killed the wizard and Reginald to keep Sorrow from putting the plan into action. They both deserved it—especially this one. Reginald killed Grant.”
Glancing at Mayhem, Death gave her a nod. “Unhinged. I see it now. Who is the Consilium wizard? What is his name?”
“I don’t know. I did not ask. His eyes were mean; he was no stranger to trouble,” Chaos said. “I wonder how he met Sorrow.”
“Can you take us to his body?” Eternity asked.
Chaos shrugged. “I burned it so no one would find it. Maybe I could find it again? I don’t know, it was a few Earth days ago. I have visited many places. Oh! I heard Sorrow tell the wizard she would banish him to a twisted realm if he displeased her. He scoffed, but she swore it was just like Earth and wizards lived there too. She told him he’d hate it because it was currently frozen in time and he’d be horribly alone. Sorrow vowed the moment the goddesses unlocked it, he’d likely die by dragon fire. I was trying to find the twisted realm. No luck so far.”
“While I agree that justice was served for Reginald and probably for this wizard, we have rules, and they must be obeyed,” Justice stated, her lips pursed with displeasure. “Stop looking for the realm; we know where it is. We will watch it to ensure no one shows up or is harmed. How did Sorrow discover our twisted realm?”
“How does a twisted realm exist?” Mayhem asked.
“It belongs to us,” Death said. “We can explain later.”
Relieved that they would not exclude her and hadn’t dismissed her question, Mayhem nodded, then refocused on her twin’s guilty face.
“I am prepared to pay the price for my actions. It is the least I can do for what I did to help Folly,” Chaos commented. “You may not believe me, but I didn’t mean to help her. Not in an evil way. Just a little chaos. That is my entire purpose.”
“Did you unblur your essence and kill Reginald because you wanted Sorrow’s plot foiled or because you wanted to be found so you could be punished for the things you did for Folly?” Courage asked.
“Both,” Chaos said. Her blue gaze collided with Mayhem’s. “Plus, it is good to see my twin again.”
“I want to trust you, Chaos,” Mayhem replied, sadness filling her at how Chaos had been duped by Folly. “I believe your words. But once your punishment is finished, stay away from Folly, Sorrow, and anyone else involved in their plots.”
“At least we know now that Sorrow is involved. Folly may be adept at alluding us, but I bet Sorrow will be much easier to locate,” Death suggested.
“I agree. We need to get Chaos to theTier’llomen,” Justice said.
“What about Reginald?” Mayhem asked.
“Leave his body to rot like he did to Grant,” Life growled.
With a nod, Mayhem lifted her skirts and teleported back to Death’s castle. She would not be summoned to theTier’llomengiven her close connection to Chaos, but her sisters would fill her in on the assigned punishment and the realm her twin couldn’t find. After Chaos paid her debt, Mayhem would have to discover if it was worth allowing her into her life again or if they were better separated. At least Mayhem now knew Chaos wasn’t involved with Folly and her ever-growing list of crimes.
Overwhelming relief settled into her soul.
Chapter 22
