Fleeing Fate by Anya Richards

room. A female, wearing a white suit. Her
long face was pale, her eyes blue as ice and just as cold.
    “So, we are too late.”
    The cool, unemotional tones grated on his nerves, brought
Jakuta to his feet. He put his body between her and the daybed, causing the
woman’s gaze to flicker to him before immediately returning to Gràinne.
    “Who are you?”
    He put all the thunder he could into the question, although
there was little of anything left in him except pain.
    Once more the woman’s gaze flicked his way. “I am Eevul,
head of the Banshee Council. We’ve been searching for Gràinne, followed her
wail here, hoping to save her.”
    Three other banshees had crowded in behind her but kept
their distance, allowing Eevul to take the front position. Jasmina transported
herself to Jakuta’s side, laid her hand on his arm.
    “What’s going on, Jakuta?” The worry in her voice was
apparent. “What happened to that woman?”
    “There is nothing to concern you here, jinn,” Eevul said in
her cold, clear voice, finally giving them her full attention. “Gràinne
destroyed herself. There will be no repercussions for anyone. We will collect
the body and be gone. No one will know what happened here tonight except us.”
For a moment her eyes seemed to glitter, grow colder. “And I’m sure it is in
your best interests not to let anyone know a client died in your
establishment.”
    “No.” Jakuta stepped forward, shrugged off Jasmina’s
detaining arm. “Gràinne doesn’t belong to you anymore, banshee. I’ll take care
of her now.”
    Both he and Eevul ignored Jasmina’s murmur of protest. He
locked gazes with the banshee, suddenly flooded with strength, ready to fight,
destroy her if need be to keep Gràinne safe from the cold world she fled.
    “You have no claim on her.” Eevul’s voice showed no
difference in tone, but her eyes narrowed slightly. “It is up to us, as her
sisters, to give her a proper farewell.”
    “You can’t.” He clenched his fists to stop from blasting the
banshee into the hereafter. “She wasn’t one of you anymore when she died. She
was a being full of emotion, overcome with it. You aren’t capable of giving her
the sendoff she deserves.”
    If it were possible, he would have thought Eevul went even
paler. The three banshees behind her exchanged looks. One stepped a little
closer to address him.
    “You say Gràinne had recovered her emotions?”
    Jakuta didn’t take his eyes off Eevul as he answered, “Yes.”
    “That was always a possibility,” Eevul interjected, turning
to the other banshee. “She took the rune and although she shouldn’t have been
able to do anything with it, there was still the chance it might affect her.”
    “It shouldn’t have affected her that strongly.” The banshee
who had come closer pressed the point, although there was no emotion in the
words. “The process was supposed to be irreversible. That is what was promised
to us all.”
    “What process?” Jakuta addressed her, holding up his hand
when Eevul would have spoken, speaking over her when she tried to interrupt.
“Gràinne said the banshees were one of the races who came out of the raising,
after the Great Purge. Is that not correct?”
    Once again the banshees exchanged looks, but none answered.
Jakuta turned his attention back to Eevul, stepped a little closer. “You might
as well tell me. I won’t stop until I find out the truth. That woman gave her
life looking for answers, and I have no problem with wreaking havoc on your
Council until I find them on her behalf.”
    “Why would you care?” Eevul gave him a cold stare. “This has
nothing to do with you.”
    Lightning sparked in his belly and the lights dipped with
his anger. “I’m making it my business. Tell me now or tell me later, but I will
find the truth.”
    “Tell him, Eevul.” The banshee who’d said nothing up to this
point spoke. “There is no point in not doing so. We can end this here and now.”
    But Eevul