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Hecate extended her hand "Coardless of what you may have heard, I do not bite" Raquel hesitantly took a step toward her and grasped her hand

"Tellover her shoulder, she instructed, "Don’t tarry"

And they were gone I stood alone in the abandoned palace at the suthat had been a constant in ain pictured the island I knew that once I arrived, all ical abilities would be rendered useless I would have to trust that whateverthat was so valuable and hidden toa deep breath, I pictured the sparkling water and the beach of the island I focused on the feels, the shasleep And I was there My feet were planted fir them in the soil of the island From this point on, I would be as a azed around me Calypso swayed towardred hair was flowing down her back, her skin as creamy as milk Just as in my vision, the sun dipped low in the sky behind her, even though it was onlyin Oly else, it was rendered useless

‘Haroodness you have arrived I have groeary of being a hostess These visitors are quite de"

She reached me and pulled me into a quick embrace She smelled of tropical flowers and vanilla I could see why so many men had fallen victi She pulled away and grasped ed "I will show you the way"

"Calypso, has anyone else arrived?" I asked hopefully

She shook her head "Not that I know of Are you expecting someone?"

"Yes My father, Cad shortly Once they arrive, please send thereeably "Is Cadmus handsome?"

I shot her a look "Don’t even think of it Cadhed daintily "Pity" Her eyes fluttered to my face "But is he handsome?" she asked hopefully "You know that ot lonely out here by herself, with only her servants for company I couldn’t quite blaood-naturedly She grinned and focused once again on the path in front of us

As she led h the manicured pathways and beautiful landscapes of the island, she chattered incessantly, grateful for a friendly visitor I wasn’t even listening, but she couldn’t tell the difference She hadn’t let h, when she said, "They’re here to kill you, you know"

She said it so casually andof the weather I nodded

"I know They can certainly try"

"I’reed "Try, that is You’ll have to be very sneaky to avoid it"

"I can be sneaky," I replied with determination Couldn’t I? I would have to be

"Calypso, can I ask you a question?" I looked at her hopefully "With everyone on this island, hoill I get back off? I didn’t leave anyone on the mainland to retrieve me"

She clapped her hands joyfully "Harmonia, that is wonderful You can stay here with me forever!" She looked forlornly around us "It’s beautiful here but I do get lonely" She perked up "But not if you stay We’ll have such fun! We’ll be as sisters!"

"Calypso, don’t get carried away If I can possiblythis island"

She nodded, but her expression was still hopeful I rolled arden of some sort, surrounded by tropical flowers and white htily in the center ater spraying fro into the fountain around hie of the fountain, her expression fixed lovingly upon her husband I gulped as I wondered where the Fates had iods

"Where are the Fates?" I murmured nervously to Calypso

She paused her footsteps and turned back to s in the breeze

"They’re in the center of the island," she whispered anxiously, looking all around us "And Lachesis scares me"

"She scares "

"It’s the strangest thing," Calypso continued, "They have e sort of encampment in the center of the island The Keres are in one bunker and the Moirae are in another They have notYou"

She stared at me "Why are you so important to them, Harmonia? I am isolated on this island I do not know the current events"

"You are blessed to be so," I assured her "Apparently, I aods Don’t ask me how, because I don’t know yet"

"You’d better think quickly," she retorted "You don’t have long to plan"

"I know"

We continued walking through the entangled vines and trees until we ca in the woods outside of Pasadena I felt a strange sense of déjà vu as I stood in the center, gazing at the tropical trees encircling us

The air was quiet and still, not even a breeze, so the grasses beneath our feet were calm

The sense of tension was palpable in the air, as if even the trees knew that so We had walked quite a ways, so I felt certain that ere very close to the center of the island which is where the Moirae and Keres waited for etif you lose, it will not be all bad You can linger here with nored her words "Why are we here in this place?"

I turned to her, but she was gone

She had slipped from my side as silently as a stealthy cat I drew in a shaky breath Theyme here And to leave oddess eyesight was gone and I could see nothing lurking near me But I knew they must be close There was no point to any of this if they were not The sun had dipped even lower in the sky and it was dangling now on the edge of the horizon With its departure, the blackness of night drew rapidly upon us