"Appreciate the honesty." Gabriel growled. "So I should assume you don't have my back."

"That's not how this works."

"It never is."

"This adventure isn't going to wait long for us." Fate faced the palace.

"Did you peek at the future and know it's safe to go or are you a fucking lunatic as usual?"

Fate stepped from the forest.

Gabriel drew his weapons with a muttered curse and followed, lifting his weapons into ready positions, in case Fate was fucking with him.

The raucous from the southern approach drew his attention briefly. The forest appeared to be boiling with activity, and dealers swarmed like ants over the two demons. For a moment, he hesitated, compelled to help, especially knowing Darkyn was far weaker here without access to his power. If Rhyn or Andre were killed, Gabriel was able to raise him. He didn't feel quite so generous towards the Dark One.

The demon had to stay alive, for Deidre's sake.

"Come on, Gabe. They're fine," Fate called.

"You're sure?"

"Compared to our issue, yes."

Gabriel returned his focus to the palace and trotted after the fearless deity ahead of him. Fate reached the wall and waited.

"This way," Gabriel said, motioning towards the north. "Secret passages. And what do you mean by our issue?"

"There's an eighty percent chance that a certain prisoner in the dungeon got loose. I want to assess the damage, if so."

Gabriel said nothing, uncertain what past-Death might've kept in the dungeon, but understanding Fate's sudden interest in doing something that might get his hands dirty.

Sticking to the side of the palace, they hurried down the north side, until Gabriel reached the entrance to the secret passageways. The door was where he expected it to be, and he opened it, motioning for Fate to enter with him.

The inside was dark and quiet.

Death's bedchamber, he willed the stones.

A few seconds passed before he heard them begin to shift. Gabriel waited in the darkness until they had settled once more, listening absently to Fate's restless movement behind him.

"Watch your step," he whispered and started forward.

"I don't like the dark, Gabe."

He said nothing.

"I would go so far to say it scares me, if I felt such a human emotion," Fate added, crowding him.

"You're scared of something?" Gabriel asked, amazed. "You're a god who taunts deities and can access the Future. How can you almost-fear anything?" More comfortable in the darkness and night than out in the sun, Gabriel trusted the palace to take him where he needed to go and strode confidently forward.

"It is frightening not to be able to see."




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