Chapter 1: Eden
The flames lick at my skin, heating me up. I breathe in the smoke, not caring about the destruction. I spin around and suddenly stop when I hear a familiar voice, “EDEN! PLEASE!” My head jerks toward the sound. Time stops for a moment. I see Cal, on the floor coughing. I run toward him panicking. “Cal!” I shout, sitting on my heels, next to him. He looks up at me. I grab my dagger hiding underneath my dress. I’m a Huntress, I’m always armed. I rip a strip of fabric from my dress and cover Cal’s nose to stop him from inhaling the smoke. “Can you stand?” I ask quietly. He nods slightly. I pull his arm over my shoulders and force myself to stand, holding his weight. He stumbles, but I keep him steady. He attempts to stand, but I hold him. “Come on.” I beg silently. I hear him cough. I walk away from the burning Ballroom. Out of the corner of my eye I see a girl with ginger hair running quickly toward the exit. I keep heading toward the exit, holding Cal. I look at him and see half of his face is burned. Looking horrible. I wince as I look at him in pain. Then I realize, Royals aren’t immortal. I keep walking. “Eden–” Cal whispers. I cut him off saying, “You inhaled too much smoke but you’re okay. Just try to breathe.” We make it out of the burning ballroom, the fiery smell dying behind us, I head toward the nearest door leading outside. I kick the door open and it flies off its hinges. Theres a beautiful garden. I lay Cal down on a patch of green grass. “Wake up, Caleb.” I demand, “It is not your time.” I panic, not knowing what to do. And by instinct I shout, “DELLA! DELLA! PLEASE! COME QUICKLY!” I’m breathing hard, looking at Cal’s beautiful face, but dying. “No. No. No.” I whisper frantically. I start to grow impatient, panicking. Heat prickles at my fingertips. No. “DELLA!” I scream at the top of my lungs. My lungs burn. I struggle to breathe. Calm down. I tell myself. I take a deep breathe. “Oh my Fate, Eden.” I hear a voice behind me. I turn around and see Della, The Fate of Healing. She sighs and shakes her head, her silver hair swaying around her. “Della!” I panic. I run up to her and kneel on one knee and bow my head, “Please. Heal Cal.” I beg, “I’ve done my job. I’ve obeyed King Silence. I know where my loyalties lie. But I beg of you, Fate of Healing, help Caleb. Please.” I’ve never begged before. I’ve never pleaded. I’ve followed orders. But this. This is hell. I hear Della sigh. “Thread will not be happy about this,” She says calmly, “But you have been faithful to Silence. So I will heal him on one condition.”
I nod, “Yes. Whatever your condition is, I agree. Anything to help Cal.” She’s quiet for a moment until she says, “Avoid Thread at all costs. If you manage to even hear him or listen to him, my healing would be for nothing.” I nod my head. Della approaches Cal, laying beside him. She kisses his forehead once. Heat flares behind my eyes, my anger rising. Della vanishes into thin air as Cal’s eyes flutter open. “Cal!” I lunge toward him and wrap my arms around him, burying my face in his shoulder as he sits up. “Edie!” He shouts, wrapping his arms around me. Suddenly my cheeks are wet. I pull away and look at his face–perfectly healed. “What happened?” He says. I purse my lips and think for a moment, yeah I kinda set your palace on fire and almost killed you then a Fate just casually healed you and possibly my life on the line. “Nothing.” I lie. He looks me in the eye. Fate, I hate it when he knows when I’m lying. I sigh. “Yeah so uhm…I set your palace on fire by accident–” He raises his eyebrows, “-and then you kinda well started dying, so then a Fate healed you and left.” I say. Silence. “Oh wow.” he says. “Wait, so you risked your life for lil’ old me.” he puts a hand to his heart, grinning. “You love me so much, Edie.” I roll my eyes, “Shut up.” I say. I look away. “You’re not wrong.” He holds my chin lightly and turns my head so I face him. He sits up straight and looks me in the eye. “Answer me this, Edie,” he says quietly, “Do you really love me or did you save me because you showed mercy?” I try to look away. Heat rises to my cheeks. “I love you.” I admit, “So much.” He doesn’t respond right away. His hand is still on my face. His thumb brushes against my cheek, wiping away a tear I didn’t realize had fallen. “Edie…” he whispers. And then he leans in—Slowly. Like he’s giving me time to stop him. I don’t. His lips meet mine, soft at first—hesitant. Like we’re both afraid this isn’t real. Rain pours over us but I don’t care. I don’t care about anything at this moment. He pulls away for a moment and takes off his jacket, wrapping it around me. He cups my face with his hands again and kisses me lightly. I sigh softly. My hand lifts without me thinking. I hesitate— just for a second. Then I let my fingers trace down his chest, to where the scar is. My chest tightens. “I did this to you,” I whisper, pulling away only a bit. “Yeah,” he says softly. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”
“How touching.” A voice says in the shadows. I pull away quickly and get to my feet. “Eden–” Cal starts. I hold a finger to him and pull out my dagger. “GET AWAY FROM ME, THREAD!” I shout. “Thread?!” Cal exclaims. Thread, The Fate of destiny and Control comes out of the shadows. “Go away, Thread. Now.” I command. He laughs and says, “Or what, halfling?”
“Eden?” Cal asks, “What does he mean ‘halfling?’” Thread laughs again. I adjust my stance, ready to attack the Fate. “Oh did you not tell him, halfling?” he says mockingly. Cal looks at me, “Eden?” He says, “What does he mean?” I hesitate. “She’s half Fate. She is the daughter of Death himself. Chaos.” blurts out Thread. I yell and swing my dagger at him. “CHAOS IS DEAD TO ME.” I yell. I stab Thread in the chest, burying my dagger into his chest. Tears running down my face. “Eden, stop.” Cal says. I look at him, his eyes starting into mine, hurt covers his features. Thread pushes me away, sending my flying. The wind is knocked out of me. I groan as I hit the ground. I get up, onto my knees, coughing black blood. “I can’t kill you, halfling.” says Thread, “But I can kill him.”
