Book of Fates ✔

Margastones

Anya awoke at the noises coming from the living room. Plates and dishes were clattering, paper bags rustling, determined footsteps thundering back and forth.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Anya looked around. The exact same bedroom, but the faint light of the rising sun was peering through the dusty curtain now.

Was Nikk here yesterday? Or was it just a dream?

The opposite bed was perfectly made, not a single wrinkle on the blanket.

Putting her sneakers on quickly, Anya strode out of the bedroom. She saw Nikk bustling around the fireplace, gathering charred brands.

"Hey," he offered Anya a warm morning smile, and said as he saw a silent question in her eyes, "We can't give the fomoires any clues where to find us, so we need to cover up our presence here. And also, I doubt the owner of the house would be glad to find a piece of rotten pie on the sofa."

Amarillis's flowers were already gone, only the flawlessly cleaned cups standing on the sink.

"And where's Daphne?"

"Still sleeping, I think," Nikk hunched his shoulder in an uncertain motion. "In case you're hungry, I saw the cereals somewhere."

"Thanks, I'll pass. I still feel partly asleep, so I'd better go wash my face," and try to figure out where the reality ends and the dream starts, Anya added to herself.

"As you wish."

When Nikk finished with cleaning and collecting the potential evidences, he carried the garbage outside. The only thing left on the table was the mysterious map. Where could it lead? Anya wondered, holding the chart.

All of a sudden, Daphne bolted out of her room. Seeing Anya, she stopped and looked around, her eyes wild around the edges. "Where's Nikk?!"

"Took the trash bag out," Anya nodded to the half-opened door. "And what's wrong?"

"Everything's wrong!"

Biting her lips, Daphne stormed to the window and drew the curtains tight closed. Then she leaped to the front door and stilled at the threshold, cautiously looking outside, at the street flooded with the scarlet light of the sun. Her whole body tensed as if she was a cat ready to sprint.

"Do you have the map?" Daphne asked without looking at Anya.

"Of course."

Nikk appeared in the doorway, whistling a cheerful tune. Daphne hissed and harshly jerked him inside, shutting the door and turning the key in the lock.

"What's going on?" Nikk raised an eyebrow. He glanced at Anya, but all she could do is give him a confused shrug.

"Leir," Daphne finally uttered, twitching her mouth in disgust. "Ajeeva ni... Leir's friends are here! We can't stay any longer."

"Daph," Nikk said incredulously, brushing a lock of her tousled hair away from her face. "I was in the street less than a minute ago. The village is as quiet as dead."

"Oh, so you think I'm crazy?" She flashed him an angry look, and pulled the edge of the curtain back slightly, pointing at the distance.

Anya and Nikk came close, peering past the blinding sunlight.

At the far end of the street, two stocky men walked toward their house. One of them was bald-headed, wearing military pants and black sleeveless shirt showing his muscled arms. The other one had ash blond hair that could definitely use some combing. He wore black leather jacket, which, if look closer, revealed the handle of a dagger strapped to his waist.