Fate Dark Side of Betrayer

 "You cannot keep ignoring it, Arden," Caius replied, his voice as piercing as the dagger he was washing. That mark is supposed to convey something, not just some cursed tattoo.

Grasping my wrist where the symbol pulsed faintly, an unpleasant reminder of everything I didn't know, I scowled at him from across the dwindling bonfire. Oh, so you now know ancient markings of fate? I captured. "Based on last check, you were exactly as uninformed as I am."

"I know it's not going to stop burning every time we get closer to their rituals," he shot back, standing to face me. "I may not know exactly what it means." Arden, it's linked. And you're only acting as though it's not.

"because I have no option! I erupted, the irritation boiling over. "Every stride we do results in more questions, more suffering, and less answers. So, if you would want me to analyse this mark every second of the day instead, excuse me.

The case was meaningless; I knew that much. No matter how much I tried to ignore it, the symbol was not disappearing. Admitting that meant realizing the truth I had been avoiding since it first surfaced: I was a pawn in something far larger than I could understand. And I detested that as well.

Caius sighed and ran his dark hair through with a hand. "Look, I understand. You asked for nothing like this. Ignoring it, though, won't benefit anyone—not you, not me, and most surely not anyone else caught in the path of the Circle.

His voice softened, and for a brief instant I sensed something exposed in his eyes. Arden, you are not by yourself in this. We are in this together whether or not you enjoy it.

Then stop pretending like you have all the answers, I whispered softly. The weight of his words sank over me and I turned away, afraid to let him see just how much they upset me. "Because we both know you neither."

The morning arrived too fast; the woodland all around us hung in a thick mist like second skin. Not enough to kill me, but enough to ensure I never forgot it was the sigil on my wrist burning steadily now.

"Where are we even aiming to be? As we struggled across the foliage, the wet air made breathing difficult.

"To a place where we might actually get answers," Caius remarked, his tone sharp. "I know someone who can assist us."

And let me guess—rolling my eyes—by now. "They are ideally situated in the most dangerous area of the forest."

He raised a cheek. Indeed. Besides where else would they be? {

The road was perilous; the ground changed from thick woodland to sharp rocks as we ascended the heights. The air became colder, harsher, and with every stride the brand on my wrist burned brighter. I was ready to fall by the time we arrived at the collapsing remains of what ought to have been a temple.

Stopping right before the large stone archway leading inside, Caius said, "This is it." "Are you game?"""

"Is there anything I could do? I mumbled, passed him, then entered the temple.

The thick, heavy air inside carried an energy that made the hair on the rear of my neck stand on end. On the stone walls, the weak symbol on my wrist created ghostly shadows. Following closely with his knife in hand, Caius moved deliberately and with tight control.

In the middle of the chamber stood a pedestal, atop which a tiny, brilliant sphere not unlike the one we had seen in the clearing days ago. But this one lacked dangerous pulse. Rather, it exuded an unusual warmth, as if it were living.

Touch it, Caius urged, his voice low.

"Are you mad? I back off. "We touched something like this last time, and it exploded."

"This one's unique," he said, approaching. Study your mark.

I looked down and saw the symbol shining more brilliantly, its complex lines moving just slightly as though guided by an invisible hand. My pulse accelerated, and even though every instinct screamed at me to stop, I stretched out and touched the ball.

A pulse of energy shot through me as my fingertips stroked the surface, dragging me into a vision so clear it felt like reality.

I stood in a large swath of stars, the constellations whirling and changing like live objects. At the core of it all was a person covered in light whose face was hidden but whose voice was clear.

"Arden Solis," they continued, their tone both soft and forceful. The thread holding the tapestry together is you.

"What does that even imply? "My voice shook as I asked.

"The mark is your guide," they said, discounting my inquiry. "Follow it; you might yet break the bonds of Fate."

The vision broke before I could speak anything, and I was gasping for breath in the temple once more.

"What happened??"With his hands steadying me as I wavered on my feet, Caius inquired.

"I observed.... I said, trying to find the words, someone. "They say the mark is my compass. I have to comply with that.

His eyebrows wrinkled. "Follow it wherever?"

"I'm not sure," I said, irritation boiling back up. Still, they mentioned something about severing the links of fate.

Caius's hold on my arm intensified, his face incomprehensible. "then I suppose we are entering the future.

The energy of the temple started to change; the warmth from the orb vanished into a chilly, repressive weight. The symbol on my wrist blazed with suffering as the walls appeared to shut in.

"We have to leave," Caius whispered, dragging me toward the door. "Now..."

We almost got it out before the whole construction started to fall apart, the stones gathering into a mound of dust and debris. My chest tight with a mix of amazement and terror, I peered at the ruins.

"What the devil just occurred? "I whispered."

"Fate happened," Caius remarked with a grimace. And it is not done with you yet.

 Footfall resonated behind us as we turned to head off. Weapons drawn, we whirled about till we came upon a cloaked man.

 Their voice cool and tinged with warning, "You shouldn't have come here." The Circle understands your location.