“You both seek to escape that which you cannot control.” She shook her head at her wayward subjects. Before they could interrupt, she raised her hand and continued. Sadness shone out of her eyes as her voice gentled. They were her favorites of all the immortals, but their obvious insubordination could no longer be ignored. Fate and Destiny gave each other worried looks, Mother rarely—if ever—showed her gentle side. “You both are quick to determine other’s futures, but run from your own. Fate, by disobeying me, you have brought about yours and Destiny’s downfall.”
“Me?” Fate gasped, “I didn’t do anything!”
“Yes, Fate, you did. I repeatedly asked you to bring your daughters. In doing so, you would have protected them tonight. Instead, they were left vulnerable to attack. I gave you that which you say so often you give others, a choice. Your sister already knows this, which is why she was late.”
Fate turned toward her sister accusingly. “You betrayed me,” Fate whispered hoarsely.
“You know I would not.” Hurt, Destiny stepped toward her sister. “I repeatedly told you not to disobey Mother, and while there was still time, I tried to get you to leave the council. You know I could only give you the choice. If I had done any more, I would have lost my powers and been unable to help my nieces when they will need me the most.”
“I must go.” Frantically, Fate headed toward the doorway that would give her back her powers. Perhaps there was still time to fix…
“Fate,” Mother’s voice rang out across the room, but that wasn’t what stopped Fate and had her turning around to face her. It wasn’t her friend and confidant of centuries she faced now, but the chairman of the council.
“You cannot interfere; what has begun cannot be stopped. If you try to intervene, you will lose your powers.” At her obvious pain, Mother’s voice softened, “Fate, you must learn as other mothers before you have learned. You can only protect your children for so long. They have to learn to lead their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is the cycle of life; we cannot interfere.”
Fate nodded. “May I please leave now?” Without waiting for a reply, she again turned toward the doorway. Rushing through it, her powers returned fully. Instantly, she knew what had transpired during her absence.
“She’ll interfere,” Destiny said, unable to hide her fear. There was no pity on the faces surrounding her. Odin and Rocque were smiling at each other with satisfied smirks. Destiny had a terrible feeling; many had waited for this day to arrive.
“She’ll try.” Destiny didn’t like the look in Mother’s eyes, and began trembling when she realized the warning had not been for Fate alone.
Chapter Two
Cara watched the young girl recklessly riding the horse. Adoni was enjoying the freedom she had gained from sneaking away from her mother’s watchful eyes. She had been born sickly and it had taken all of Broni’s powers to hold her to the life her delicate soul had so often sought to escape. It had not been her time then, however now her time had come. Adoni was fifteen, a young girl just slipping into a womanhood that would never come. That was why Cara was there; she was an escort for souls, leading them to their next life.
Some souls left willingly, eager to leave their bodies, not afraid of the next step. Other’s fought leaving, not wanting to leave loved ones or afraid to face the unknown. It was Cara’s job to escort them through that doorway, to soothe their fears and provide comfort. Death of their physical bodies was just a new beginning. Cara helped them through their fears.
“Why are you here?” Cara turned at her sister’s voice.
“You know why I am here, Broni. It is Adoni’s time.”
“No, there is still time to save her.” Cara was already shaking her head.
“You can not prevent this, Broni. You cannot save her. The time and place of her death cannot be changed.” Cara reached out to take her sister’s trembling hand. “You have fought and protected her as long as possible, now you must step aside and let me help her this last time.” The tears on Broni’s face tore at Cara’s heart. Just once Cara wished she could change fate. Save a soul from death and return empty handed to the doorway to the afterlife. Cara knew it could never happen; she was only called when death was a foregone conclusion.
Their attention was caught as the horse broke stride and stumbled, sending Adoni flying through the air, landing roughly on the hard ground. Without a thought, both women were instantly by her side. Broni reached out to smooth her hair away from her glazed eyes. Adoni could not see either woman, she just felt a comforting presence while the initial fear and pain she felt began easing away. Cara knew all her thoughts and emotions and sent a surge of comfort to the child’s broken body.
“Please don’t let her suffer,” Broni begged Cara.
Cara soothed Broni, “You know I would not.”
Broni looked at her delicate sister. Her appearance alone would provide comfort. Her long, black hair, blue eyes, and an air of frailty led one to believe they were seeing an angel. They probably were; Cara was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. Her inner beauty giving her a gentleness and purity of spirit that Broni had seen in no other. Broni and Zerina had often said that even angels were jealous of her beauty. They had often wondered if that was why their mother had hidden them away. Had she been afraid of some of the Goddess’s—such as Hera, Venus and Aphrodite’s—petty jealousies? Broni shrugged her shoulders, who knew why their mother did the things she did?
Cara’s physical appearance became ethereal as Adoni’s spirit joined her. Broni could not see Adoni, only Cara could see a soul before they crossed through the doorway to the afterlife. Broni looked at the lifeless body and could no longer hold back her tears. Adoni had held a special place in her heart; she had fought many battles on her behalf.
Cara felt her other sister’s presence mere seconds before her arrival. Zerina always knew when one of her sisters needed her. When Broni felt her sister’s touch, she turned into her warm embrace.
“Broni, you know that you will see her again,” Zerina comforted.
Broni nodded. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“Because your part in her life is at an end. She no longer needs you to fight for her, and that is hard for you. I feel your sadness, I was part of her birth, saw life enter her, and it was with sadness that I saw this happening, but we can do no other than assist. We cannot interfere.”
Both women watched as Cara spoke to the little spirit, though neither could hear her words. Zerina made an offer she had never made before.
“Would you like to help escort her?”
“How is that possible?” Broni questioned.
“With Cara’s help we can travel with her to the doorway. Mother is at the council, she would not know until her return.” Broni smiled. Zerina was always trying to please those she loved. She was the most powerful of the three, often not able to show emotion at the decisions her job demanded.
Her gift was to find the right spirit for their physical forms. Present at the birth of each child, she often had to make decisions that Broni did not know if she could make. Especially if the soul was entering into a home where it would not be properly loved or cared for. Zerina often said those required stronger souls because they had to survive despite those hardships.
Cara turned and held out her hand to her. Broni reached out and took it, instantly becoming ethereal. She then realized Zerina was holding her other hand. Linked, they were now able to see Adoni’s spirit.
“Are you angels, too?”
“We are not angels, we are Moriae.”
“Moriae?” Adoni questioned.
“We are your guides through life. Zerina was with you at your birth, Broni helped and protected you through your physical life, and I am Cara. I am here to help you to your new afterlife.”
“Am I being punished for disobeying my mother? She told me I was never to ride alone, but it was such a beautiful day, I could not resist.”
“It had nothing to do
with you disobeying your mother. It is time for your beautiful spirit to move forward to a new life. Do you remember when you and you mother moved to a new village? How frightened you were? How much you came to love your new home?”
“Yes, but my mother was there,” Adoni whispered.
“Your mother can not be with you yet, it is not her time. When it is, you can greet her, she will not be as frightened, and you will be able to introduce her to all your new friends. But this time you must be brave on your own, Adoni. I promise you have nothing to fear.” Cara read her thoughts. “Broni will look out for your mother, as she has protected you.”
Broni spoke up, “I have been by your side during your many illnesses. The night that you escaped the fire that burned down your home, I made sure you awakened in time to escape. I give you my word, I will protect your mother.”
Reassured, Adoni turned to Cara. “I’m ready.”
Cara and the others slowly began to slip away, carried away in what seemed like rushing wind, but was not. Movement became nothing more than a moment in time until it seemed as if they were walking in the sky itself with bright stars surrounding the three women.
Broni understood now why souls could become lost. There were so many directions and bright lights glittering in the darkness. The vastness of it all would have been overwhelming without Cara’s help. Without hesitation, she guided them through the darkness, leading them to a destination that only Cara knew. Adoni suddenly tried to break free and move toward one particularly bright light, but Cara tightened her grip on the girl, moving her forward.
“That doorway is not yours, Adoni.”
“But I want to go there; it’s so beautiful.” Adoni became petulant. Being young, she was attracted to the beautiful doorway.
“It is, but yours is just as beautiful.” Cara inexorably moved the girl forward. It was as if there was a path only she could see.
Suddenly a bright light was before them. Cara stopped before they came within touching distance, mere inches away.
“It’s not as large as the other one.” Disappointment and fear were the emotions Cara sensed within Adoni as well as something Cara couldn’t quite put her finger on.