Champagne & sunshine (Part III)

"As you know, Isabella is not going to give up on trying to get you back. She'll use different types of manipulation tactics or she'd prefer using force this time. To keep you safe—"

Don't trap me in a room, don't lock me up, don't shut me away in a locked chamber, don't—

"Eva?"

Blinking open her eyes wide, she stared at each one of their faces and then finally his. Time seemed to pause as they gazed at each other. As if the only people who mattered were them.

Blueberries and liquor...

Snow and cool breezes...

Champagne and sunshine...

Darkness and chaos...

Him and her...

"I'm sorry, I zoned out. You were saying?"

His brows narrowed, and he opened his mouth as if to disagree or say something else. He must have decided against it when he slightly shook his head and continued.

"To keep you safe, you can train with anybody whom you're comfortable with. Kai excels in fighting and physical training, Sebastian can teach you a few stealth tricks, while Gwen and I can help in assisting you to command your powers. Is that okay with you?" he asked, as if she was going to ask for something better and be dissatisfied. Was he aware that he was almost giving her a new chance at life?

Apparently, he seemed clueless.

"I'm more than okay with it, and if there is any way in which I can repay you—"

The look he sent her way was enough to make her slam her mouth shut. "Got it. No repayments of any sort."

"Good."

Eva almost scoffed, but decided against it. She was more curious about his plan than anything else right now.

"Since Isabella will be fighting on taking you back, she'll most probably take help from Derkov, Asher's Kingdom. We're not on good terms with him, so that'll be a problem. But we have a few things in our favor as well." Here, they all smirked at each other. "We have Lysander's help, and we have control over most of Salvador with the Court, Eden, and Xandria."

"Don't forget the Fates," Kai added, shooting Davina a glare after she drank almost all the liquor on the table.

Eva observed Gwen. The features on her face had changed slightly at Lysander's name, but she was smart enough not to ask. She might try asking somebody else, later on, anybody except him would do...

Staying near him would be like provoking her inner self that was very near the cliff, one wrong move, and she would end up tumbling down...

"The Fates," he started again, and maybe the others didn't notice, but a hollowness of a sort crept into his eyes making him appear even more alone. The demons in his eyes were just as beautiful as they were lonely. It made her chest constrict in unbearable pain for a reason she didn't want to delve into.

Yet.

"The Fates are supernatural creatures just like us, but their history expands into several branches. The original Fates are asleep, resting in a cave—"

"A cave which nobody knows about since its location is unknown." Eva completed his sentence, and he looked surprised for a second before nodding.

"Your father told you that if I'm right?" he asked, and she smiled faintly. The fact that he had called the man who had adopted her, father, didn't escape her notice.

"The Fates recruited some people to work in their stead while they were resting. Elena, Edeline, and Estella are the current Fates while most of the Dominants are sleeping in this period—"

"Dominants." Eva blurted out. "Dominants?"

"I know right?" Gwen spoke up, stretching her body on the chair comfortably. "Stupid ass name."

"You haven't heard of them?" Theo asked, and Eva couldn't help but retort, "I don't think a father would tell his child a story about 'Dominants.'"

Kai choked, while Gwen pressed her lips together to stifle her laughter.

That shut his mouth, but the small curve of his lips didn't escape her sharp observation. Setting her lips into a thin smile and trying her best to look grim and serious, Eva asked, "Who are they?"

"They're similar to the Primal Fates, more powerful than the names he just mentioned." Davina spoke, and Eva couldn't help but ask,

"And in which category do you arrive?"

"I arrive in the species that are currently resting. Only a few of them are awake, but they're locked up as they should be. I'm this less harmful than the rest of them anyway." Davina parted her forefinger and thumb a centimeter away from each other, as if it was supposed to make her feel better.

"That's real assuring..."

"Don't worry, girl." she took another sip of her drink and Eva suddenly wondered what blood tasted like to these supernatural creatures. But wasn't she one of them too now? Where did that blood even come from?

"You're this bastard's... companion so technically ours too even though I don't take friends," she spoke and Eva raised a brow in return, though a smile made way to her lips at her words. It somehow made her feel better that she had a few people who had her back, and in the same way, she would have their backs too if they needed her in this plan of his.

"In short words, a war is approaching fast," Sebastian told, and surprisingly, Eva managed to keep her eyes from widening in shock. "We've been expecting it for decades, to be honest, but I guess somebody needed a trigger to start it. The appearance of your powers was enough for Isabella to start preparing."

"Since we need an answer related to your heritage, I'll take you to somebody I know tomorrow. For now, I'll take you back to the house to rest." Theo spoke, getting up, and Eva's eyes didn't fail to betray her once again. They trailed down his body shamelessly as she felt heat rise up her face.

'What's wrong with me for god's sake!?'

Raising her head to look up, she saw his tattooed hand in front of her. Looking sideways at Kai and Sebastian, she asked, "Can you take me back to the house instead? Oh, you don't have wings—"

"This asshole didn't tell you anything about our kind, did he?" Kai questioned, approaching her.

Eva's lips twitched, looking down at the snow-filled ground. He didn't tell her anything for sure. She didn't know anything about him, how many secrets was he holding from everybody? But then again, why would he even tell her anything?