Defying Destiny (Afterword Academy #3) - Katie May Page 0,7
essences, which apparently, gave you portions of our powers. It’s something that only Fated can do.” His voice lowers in wonderment, and I’m overcome with shock and awe once more at the thought that I have five Fated. I’m not necessarily surprised, given the explosive nature of my feelings for them, but everything is happening so fast. It’s like I’m on a rollercoaster ride, cresting the first steep hill, with no safety harness or belt. I’m simply…freefalling and praying I’ll survive the landing.
“We don’t know how long it’ll last. Aggie believes that you’ll burn out the essences in only a few days since they’re not technically yours. But hopefully by then, you’ll be reconnected to your own essence, currently trapped in Caius’s prison cell.”
“Aggie?” I don’t know why that’s the one word my brain picks up on. What does that crazy old bat have to do with anything?
“Aggie and Professor Buttox aren’t who you think they are.” Caius’s voice sounds tired, almost as if he’s been screaming for days. There’s a raspy, husky quality that wasn’t there prior.
“Who are they?”
“My dear friend, I’m hurt you don’t remember me,” Aggie coos, and I whip my head to see her idly trailing her fingers across an angel statue that eerily resembles Auston. Smirking slightly, she leans forward and licks the statute’s stone butt.
“Aggie? What the hell do you have to do with all of this?” I can feel anger and confusion running rampant through me as I stumble to my feet. Of course, the damn wings mess up my equilibrium, and I would’ve fallen to the floor if Karston hadn’t been there to catch me. I place one hand on his shoulder, using him for balance, as I spew vitriol at the lying bitch with my eyes.
“Don’t blame me!” She lifts her hands up placatingly. “I’m not the bad guy. That’s Layla…or Lilith, technically.”
“Layla is Lilith?” I ask, voice heady in disbelief. How can that be? Layla has been my friend, and Lilith has been…well…a raging bitch who wants to kill me and Caius. “How do you know all of this?”
“Well, I wasn’t sure until just now,” Aggie admits, and for the first time in all the months I’ve known her, she sounds forlorn. The wrinkles on her face are even more pronounced. “I had my suspicions that Lilith had returned and was pretending to be an Academy student, but I didn’t know it was Layla for sure.”
“And how do you know all of this?” I demand.
Bright light engulfs Aggie, eating away at her pasty skin, and where there once stood a withered old lady, now stands a beautiful woman. A familiar, beautiful woman.
“Eve?” I whisper, stunned. My hand gripping Karston’s shoulder tightens almost imperceptibly as I marvel at the appearance of my best friend.
“I’m one half of the Lust Fates,” she admits, her smoky voice curling around me. “Buttox is actually Adam, my Fated.”
All I can do is blink at her wordlessly as a flashback assaults me, causing me to stagger from the sheer intensity of it.
“Claire, hurry up!” Eve laughs as she races through the garden, her gorgeous blonde ringlets swishing around her slender form.
“I’m coming!” I pull up the hem of my flowing dress and quicken my pace. She giggles again as she rounds the largest tree stationed in the middle of the garden. Before I can pass, her tiny hand snakes out and grabs my wrist, propelling me off my feet. We both laugh as we collapse onto the perfectly manicured grass.
“Do you think they’re still chasing us?” I whisper conspiratorially, glancing around the thick trunk to see if I can spot Caius or Adam.
“Probably already got too tired,” Eve replies back, giggling.
Harsh grunts reach my ears, and the two of us turn towards each other with blatant confusion. Eve places a single finger to her lips and stealthily moves farther away from the main path and deeper into the canopy of trees. I follow closely behind her, using the trees as cover.
“Oh my goodness!” Eve exclaims, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. We exchange wide-eyed looks at the scene before us.
Abram, the Greed Fate, has his hands on a tree, his bare ass on display, as Lucifer, the Envy Fate, fucks him.
The only sound is skin slapping against skin and their combined, lust-filled moans.
“Eve,” I whisper tersely, pulling on her arm. She turns towards me in horror. “Eve, come on.”
Quickly, the two of us retreat the way we came, making sure to keep our footsteps light.