Page 10 of Fated
She concentrates on them again, pulling the thread closer and preparing them for the future they were destined to have. She cuts the threads and reties them.
Then… in quiet sorrow, she feels the thread as it beats against her fingers. Three heartbeats meld into one, and Eris finally sees the path that the girl opens for these two boys, how they find their purpose in each other, and a place to live their lives as a family, all three of them living their truth because of the existence of the other two. It’s beautiful, unfathomably precious, and Eris understands, once again, the power of the connections she’d severed.
Celeste and Calder and Quinn’s stories can be found in the illustrated novels: The Trouble With Grace
and The Spare and The Heir.
These are two full-sized novels one with a Happily for Now and one with a Happily Ever After. You should read The Trouble with Grace first for the entire story of the throuple.
THE SADIST REPENTS
She looks to her hands—exhausted. The colors fade with each connection, the pulses she feels in her skin so faint, almost undetectable. But she’s determined to finish this. She smooths her palms across the fabric searching for the knots she made. It takes time and concentration, using the blood of time pulsing against her skin to home in on the lifelines she cut.
Her fingers dance lightly down a thread that pulled to her, her skin tingling. She finds a small bump, hardly a knot left to it. She pulls it closer and inspects it. The tiny presence of a knot, almost healed. She holds it in the crook of one finger as she searches desperately for its companion, finding it not far away, i’s own knot nearly healed as well.
She holds them carefully, the lives speaking to her. The woman alone and lost. The man angry and unwanted—the man. She holds his thread and sees Warrick in his eyes. Clearly his brother. She sees the pain he caused him, the scars on Warrick’s body that he made. The pain he caused Calder as well. This man… Madoc, gives her pause. Does he deserve happiness from all the pain he’s inflicted on others? On his own flesh and family?
She takes the thread of Willow’s life and holds it close. Sees the confusion there, the loneliness and pure need that simply exists in her with no outlet. She wonders if it will be her that saves him, or the other way ‘round. She holds the threads together with their future impossible to see until it exists once again.
“Tisss not for you to decide, my preciouss girl.”
“I know. I know. I’m just…” she sighs the words heavily, then ties the threads off them off, snips, and carefully reties them together. The power of their connection throws Eris to the floor.
She holds the thread tight, protecting it in her fist as she closes her eyes and sees… two people who could only ever be happy together. Two people so perfectly matched in temperament and want that there could be no other happiness without. Eris takes a deep breath.
“What do you sssee?” Ribbon asks.
Startled Eris says, “Oh Ribs, I… forgot you were here.”
“Figuresss, your new playthings are more fun than I.”
“No, not more fun Ribbon, more?—”
“Important?”
“Ribbon! Never.”
“More—”
“In need, Ribbon, just in need. You have me and I have you and if I lost you even for a moment, I would hope someone would take the time to find us and reunite us.”
Ribbon hisses, his tongue licking softly at her forehead. “So tell me about them. I cannot see them for some reason.”
“His name is Madoc, and he likes to frighten her.”
“And she…” he asks confused.
“And she loves it. Like, she absolutely loves the fear, Ribbon, I’ve never felt anything like it. The absolute rush of adrenaline. My gods, Ribbon they are a pair, they have a fight ahead of them but they’ll be so much better together. She might even manifest in him a bit of empathy, and a future with his family.”
“And you? Now that you’ve completed this chore?”
“I’m better as well.”
Madoc and Willow’s story can be found in the illustrated novel: The Sadist and The Stolen Princess.
THE TRUEST OF LOVES
Eris pulls the fabric up to her chin, sinking into its warm light and soft pulse. She closes her eyes and dreams. A woman, her auburn hair lit from inside when the sun hits it. She’s quiet and controlled and nervous. When in public her anxiety is so high Eris’ own heart races to keep time. She grew up with two boys from neighboring estates, running the grounds and finding friendship.
