Riddle of Fate Read Online Free PDF Page A

me and they're afraid that I’m going to go on a killing spree.” Seeing his face had paled somewhat, she added, “Or something.”
    “So, tell me, why are we really going to Leena’s house?”
    “She is in danger.”
    “From whom?”
    “I don’t know - I had a foretelling.”
    His eyes widened. “Has a foretelling ever been wrong?”
    “I don’t honestly know,” she said after some thought. “The early ones – before the Company found me – always proved true. As you know, I am never allowed to see what my foretellings are at the Company, so I can’t speak to those.”
    Suddenly, Merrit plucked Khaya by the arm, pulling her around the corner of the nearest house. “What are you doing?” she asked.
    “Shhh,” he said, his finger over his lips to emphasise his point. He leaned over, peeking around the corner and whipped back again, pressing himself flat against the wall and pushing her back as well.
    She opened her mouth to say something, but he put his fingers on her lips while shaking his head. He waited a minute longer before risking another look around the corner. “I think we might be too late,” he said when he turned back to her.
    “What do you mean? What did you see?”
    “Someone leaving the house,” he said, pointing to what she assumed was Leena’s house.
    "Maybe she just had a visitor,” she said doubtfully.
    “A visitor who wiped and then sheathed a knife as he left her house? You reckon she had someone over to butcher a chicken for her?”
    A chill went down her spine and she peered round the corner. “We are a long way from the house still. Are you sure of what you saw?”
    He nodded and she took off running towards the house. “Wait!” he called. “Where are you going?”
    “She might be hurt.”
    She didn’t look round, but she heard him following. She’d hoped he would. She was terrified. Not that she would admit that to him.
    The door was ajar and she pushed it open. “Leena!” she called. When there was no answer she went in, searching through the house and calling out, Merrit on her heels. “Keep it down, Khaya,” he hissed in a whisper. “We don’t know if that man will be coming back. Or if there could be someone else in here.”
    She didn’t pay him any mind and continued calling out. She stopped dead in her tracks as she got to the top of the stairs. Pieces of glass lay strewn across the floor. By the look of one of the larger pieces, she thought it was probably a drinking glass. Or two. “Leena! Are you up here? It’s Khaya.” There was no answer apart from the exasperated snort from Merrit.
    She gingerly walked on, glass crunching under her shoes. She peered into the bedroom. Someone – she assumed it was Leena – was in the bed. “Leena?” she said, softly this time. “Are you sleeping?”
    Merrit tugged at Khaya’s arm. “Come on. Let's get out of here.”
    With a disgusted grunt, she snatched her arm away from him and walked up to the foot of the bed. Leena’s long brown tresses were spread out on the pillow in disarray. The blanket was pulled up high, concealing her face. Khaya crept around the bed, a sense of dread twisting her stomach.
    A dark crimson stain showed on part of the sheet not covered by the blanket. Swallowing her fear, she lifted the blanket with a trembling hand. She gasped and backed away from the grisly scene before her until her back was up against the wall.
    She looked up to see Merrit staring at Leena’s body. He looked as if he was about to be sick.
    Leena’s wrists had been slit, the bedding soaked in a pool of her blood. Her mouth was pulled into a stiff grimace. Khaya only realised Merrit had been calling her name when he put his hand on her shoulder. She blinked and looked at him. “We have to leave,” he said.
    “We have to help her.”
    “She's beyond our help. We have to leave. Now.”
    “We can’t just leave her here. We have to inform the lawmen at least. Tell them that you saw a man leave this house.