Fatefall - 49

Chapter 49 - Nakoa

I lied to you. I lied to everyone. I didn’t kill the Fates. I had my men remove their souls and burn their mortal bodies. I couldn’t bear the thought of being the monster I pretended I was. I left Dusan live.

She woke to a ringing in her ears. A desperate call; a pleading call. But it wasn’t for her. It was for him.

Your mortal friend dares to try and assert his will over me, the voice in her head scoffed. He should know that I could erase him from the entirety of existence with a single thought--

No, Nakoa shot back. You can’t. You’re in my body; you have my Grace. And unfortunately for you, you’re only as powerful as I am.

Power is wasted when you know not what to do with it.

Nakoa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Just answer Sage’s call. The ringing is getting annoying.

I refuse to be summoned like a dog.

That’s a pity, because I have a dog and he is much more well-behaved than you.

Forget the boy, I should send you so far into the future that your body withers and shrivels and you become an ugly old hag--

You forget that you’re stuck in this body too, Nakoa reminded him. 

Basar had an ego, that was for sure. Nakoa wasn’t exactly thrilled to share a soul with him, especially if he planned on insulting her at every opportunity. 

I can hear your thoughts, you know. 

Good, then you know how much I despise this stupid ringing in my ears.

If you want it to stop, then do something about it.

I can’t, Nakoa confessed. You know that.

She wanted to assume that the lack of control over her own body stemmed from exhaustion and the fact that she’d basically died and come back to life less than ten minutes ago, but she was starting to worry that the situation was more dire.

Trust me, it’s better this way.

My friends are going to die. I need to at least see what’s happening. Maybe I can use my Grace to--

Are your friends even worth saving?

Yes. There was no hesitation between his question and her answer. Please, Basar. Your brother is on a path to vengeance that will only end in more bloodshed. Haven’t we seen enough death?

Not nearly.

I’m begging you, Basar. How long have I been your devoted follower? How many times have I prayed to you over the years? 

I’ll tell you what, priestess, I’ll make a deal with you---and only to stop your whining, so don’t get excited. I’ll obey the wishes of your puny mortal friend on one condition: when I ask for control over this vessel again in the future, you will give it to me no matter what. That’s the only deal I’m willing to make.

Nakoa knew the potential danger that posed. She had no idea what a Fate might want or what Basar might use his control over a mortal form for. What if he made her murder children or something else despicable?

Time is ticking.

You’re literally the Fate of time. Can’t you spare some for me?

Tick tock.

Fine. You win. I promise that in the future, I will grant you control over my body one time and only for an hour at the most.

Twelve hours. That’s half of a day.

I can do math.

Keep up the disrespect and it’ll be twenty-four.

Ugh. You’re the worst. Twelve hours, then. Now go save my friends.

Nakoa could’ve sworn Basar rolled his eyes. 

Her limbs stretched and ached as Basar rose to his feet in Nakoa’s body. She still felt the vague sensation of standing and, despite rumors of Basar’s blindness, she could still see completely, if not better than normal.

Sage crouched over Jett, who had a knife buried in his chest. Sage’s lips were blue as he pressed his hands together in prayer, mumbling under his breath.

Dusan knelt on the other side of Jett’s body, probably trying to summon the soul of Medea. “Work with me, Sage! Your little toy is going to die if you don’t.”

“I’m sorry, Jett. I’m so sorry,” Sage sobbed, ignoring Dusan entirely.

Only Adrian seemed to notice Basar. His eyes widened in shock but he pressed his lips together in a thin line. 

Perhaps Dusan’s hold over his cronies had loosened, or perhaps he was exerting too much of his Grace on trying to guide Medea’s soul that his control didn’t allow him to see through Ansel’s eyes that Nakoa was now awake.

Her Grace combined with Basar’s expertise gave her a greater awareness of time flowing all around her.

Beautiful, isn’t it? He sounded surprisingly genuine. Sometimes I regret not giving mortals greater power in their Graces. Time is such a marvelous concept, yet rarely does it receive any appreciation. We’re constantly traveling through time and its passage ebbs and flows, yet we rarely notice. It stretches on infinitely in both directions--

You’re making my head hurt.

See what I mean? We’ll finish this discussion later.

Thank you.

Basar raised his hands to the sky. Nakoa could sense the individual grains of time spilling between her fingers. 

What are you doing?

Saving you and your friends, just as the blonde boy asks. He just didn’t specify for how long, and, as you know, I’m the Fate of Time.

You monster!

I’m a Fate. There’s a difference.

Nakoa was helpless to do anything except watch. Basar spun time between his fingertips with ease, creating a web of sand and shards of glass.

Then Sage spotted Basar. His mouth fell open.

Dusan noticed. His attention shifted to Basar and Jett gave a jolt.

Dusan stood, grinning widely. Nakoa realized this was the first time she’d seen him smile for real. “Brother! You’ve returned!”

How does he know? 

But rather than respond to her, Basar wove the web of sand and glass tighter. She could feel his reluctance like it was her own, yet he continued.

“I am sorry, brother,” Basar said, using Nakoa’s voice. “Know that this will come to pass, and when it does, I will be waiting. I am the Fate of Time, and I am no stranger to the passing of it.”

With that, Basar threw the web forward. It wrapped itself around Dusan, freezing in mid step, his face a mask of confusion. Glittering grains of sand and glass danced around his frozen form. On his forehead, a turquoise hourglass glowed with unearthly light. Particles of sand began to drip from the top to the bottom, a steady stream.

When the sand runs out, he will reawaken. I recommend that your friends be long gone before that moment comes.

Thank you, Nakoa said.

You assume that I’m done with this mortal form, priestess, but you’ve had your turn for eighteen years. I think I’ll stay to play a little longer.

Wait!

Her will was no match to the will of Basar. 

Liquid time still dripped from her fingers. Sage stared at her in awe or horror, she couldn’t tell which.

“Adrian?”

The voice was Koda’s, Nakoa knew. 

“Fates, is Jett okay?” That came from Evangeline.

Nakoa’s heart leapt into her throat. Dusan’s victims were waking up, which could only mean one thing--

“Nakoa?”

She wanted to turn to him. To see him. Maybe hug him.

But Basar refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing Ansel after weeks apart. His attention was directed entirely towards Sage.

“Help me,” Sage pleaded, his crimson coated hands resting on Jett’s heaving chest. “Basar, please. Reverse time. Do something.”

Basar approached Jett’s body. 

Don’t hurt him, Nakoa begged. I know you’re angry, Basar, but it’s not worth it to take it out on Jett. He’s done nothing wrong. 

Basar laid his hand on Jett’s clammy forehead. Strands of time wrapped around Jett, swaddling him in a cocoon. Just as it had with Dusan, a glowing hourglass appeared on his forehead.

“You have fifteen minutes to get him to safety before the bleeding resumes,” Basar explained. “That is as far as my mercy extends, and now, young boy,you are indebted to me.”

Sage only seemed to be emboldened by this. “Name your price.”

“Eager, aren’t you? What if I asked you to give me twenty years of your life? Would you be so willing to pay me back then?” 

Sage hesitated. Then, “Yes.”

Basar seemed pleased by that reaction. 

I swear, Basar, if you steal twenty years of Sage’s life I’ll--

You’ll what? Kill me? I’m not scared of you, priestess.

Basar turned his attention back to Sage. “Your devotion is admirable. I see why my brother sought you out.” Sage frowned at that, but Basar continued. “For that reason, I do not ask for much. I want breakfast.”

“Breakfast?” Sage echoed. “You’re indebted to me, and all you want is a meal?”

“Pancakes and waffles, please. The more syrup the better. Unless you’d prefer for me to take twenty years of your life.“

“Breakfast sounds amazing,” Sage rushed to answer.

Basar made a noise of approval, obviously pleased with himself.

Seriously? You saved Jett’s life and you’re content to ask for pastries in return, but when I asked you to save the others, suddenly I owe you complete control over my body for half a day?

I didn’t save the boy’s life, I merely gave him a chance at life--which is slowly ticking away as we speak, by the way. Besides, pancakes are worth it.

Nakoa was spared from responding as Adrian seemed to realize the same thing that Basar had just pointed out.

“I hate to ruin the mood, but Jett only has twelve minutes left now. We need to hurry and get him to a healer,” he said.

“Take him to the castle,” Koda said. “I’ll stop by my place and grab a few things, and then I’ll meet you there. Try to see if you can find another healer too.”

“You can’t just go alone,” Adrian argued. “Koda, you’ve been missing for a while. If someone sees you wandering around on the streets, they’re going to ask questions.”

“And Jett and Nakoa are wanted criminals,” Sage pointed out. “Stealth doesn’t matter when Jett’s running out of time.”

“I’ll go with Koda,” Evangeline offered. “Sage and I may or may not have moved all of his fancy vials around, so it’s only fair that I help him.” She smirked as Koda gaped at her. “Adrian can take Jett to the castle.”

“And what about me?” Sage asked, crossing his arms. “I won’t leave Jett.”

“I want my breakfast,” Basar complained.

Sage sighed. “I guess I’m taking the Fate out to breakfast---because that won’t be suspicious at all.”

“We’ll take Nakoa to my place,” Ansel butted in.

“I’m sorry, but who is he again?” Koda asked.

Ansel put his hands on hips. “A friend of Nakoa’s. And I don’t know what all is going on here, but I do know Nakoa. I’m not leaving her. We’ll take her to my place and we’ll make Basar some pancakes. Maybe we can convince him to leave her body.”

Unlikely, Basar scoffed. 

Shut up, Nakoa grumbled back at him.

“We’ll regroup tomorrow evening. I’ll send messengers with more details, but Jett’s running out of time,” Adrian said. “Does that sound like a plan?”

Everyone nodded their agreement, except Nakoa who still had yet to wrest control back from Basar. She startled as Ansel linked his arm through her’s and began to drag her along, Sage following at her other side.

“So,” Ansel began, “do you have any idea how to make waffles?”

Sage smiled, but it seemed empty. “As it turns out, I have a good friend who loves baking and I may have learned a thing or two from him.”