Fate's Surrender (Eternal Sorrows Book 3) Sarra Cannon (best english books to read txt) 📖

be able to do it forever, but as long as we are able, we’ll do what we can to say thank you to those who go out of their way for the rest of us.”

“I don’t know how to thank you for what you’ve done,” Cheryl said. She stepped forward, one hand on her belly.

“How’s Stephen feeling?” Noah asked.

“It’s a miracle how far he’s come in just a few hours,” she said. “This morning, I honestly didn’t think he was going to make it, and now, he’s sitting up and talking. He even asked if he could walk here himself to say thank you, but we told him he wasn't allowed to get out of bed just yet. He said he’s feeling better than he has in a long time. If you guys hadn’t gotten back when you did, I don’t know what I would have done.”

She wiped tears from her face.

Parrish and Noah exchanged glances across the table.

No one here would ever know just what they had done for Stephen and his family. And at least now they knew Noah wasn’t quite as invincible as they originally thought.

“We were glad to do it,” Noah said.

“Are you sure you won’t stay?” Cheryl asked. “We could really use your help keeping this place running.”

Parrish shook her head.

“We can’t stay,” she said. “But if we are able to find my sister and bring her out of the city, we’ll do our best to come back. At least for a little while.”

“You’re always welcome here,” Tank said, but a slight cough and a strange look toward his wife told Parrish that maybe he didn’t entirely mean that.

There was no doubt the attack earlier had shaken everyone up. They were doing their best to act normal, but Parrish could tell they had questions they were afraid to ask.

She couldn’t blame them, really.

“Okay, you guys, let’s leave them in peace to enjoy their meal before their ice cream melts,” Kaya said.

“Was I not supposed to eat that first?” Crash asked, looking up from his empty dessert bowl.

Parrish pressed her lips together to hide a smile. She wanted to eat hers, too, but she couldn’t stop looking at that gooey slice of pizza.

She actually moaned as she took her first, glorious bite.

“Oh, how I’ve missed you,” she said.

“Did you just speak words of love to your pizza?” Karmen asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, I did,” Parrish said, laughing. “Me and pizza go way back.”

Karmen smiled and shook her head.

“You’re crazy,” she said, taking a bite of a ripe strawberry. “But oh my gosh, that’s good.”

They ate together, laughing and joking as they enjoyed the amazing food, and when they were done, they thanked everyone and said their goodbyes.

Many people tried to convince them to stay, and Parrish nodded and told them that she hoped they’d be back soon. She knew they wouldn’t, though. They had a bigger role to play in the days ahead, and she had a feeling it would cost them all their lives before it was over.

Even if they managed to rescue Zoe and unite with the fifth, there was a battle coming. Something bigger than Manhattan. It would be a battle for the whole world, and possibly for worlds beyond.

Today had been a small taste of it, but mostly the battle here had taught her just how unprepared they were to face the Dark One’s power. Maybe they’d been strong enough to capture her a thousand years ago, but now?

They were weak and vulnerable, and they were running out of time.

We have to get to the island.

Parrish reached up to touch the fatalis.

One step at a time.

Tomorrow, they would head to the coast, and in a few short days, they would be reunited with the fifth and with her sister.

Then they could go to the island.

There was still time to save this world.

She had to believe it was true, and as they walked back to their room and settled down to sleep, she sent up a prayer to whoever might be listening that by this time tomorrow night or the next, her sister would be safely at her side.

Eighteen

Crash

Crash said goodbye to Tank and Kaya just before nine the next morning. The couple had prepared a hot breakfast for them and a large backpack full of food.

Tank had asked him a dozen questions about the magical powers he’d seen them use and the hyped-up rotters with red eyes, but Crash didn’t want to scare the guy too badly.

“It’s a long story, old friend,” he said. “I’ll tell you what, if we survive it, I’ll come back and tell you the whole thing over a game of chess. Deal?”

Tank shook his head.

“Do I have any choice in the matter?”

“Not really,” Crash said.

“I figured as much,” Tank said. “Just be careful out there. I’ve seen a lot of things in my life that scared me, but nothing compares to yesterday.”

“After we’re gone, I hope you’ll never see that kind of thing again,” Crash said. “I’m sorry to think we brought that danger here to your group, but I promise we’ll do everything we can to make sure you all stay safe, okay?”

Tank nodded. “You know, when all this first started, I figured it was just a freak thing. Something like in the movies. Terrible virus causes some kind of mutation and the whole world goes crazy. Seeing what I saw yesterday, though, has me thinking there’s a lot more to this story than any of us ever realized. You and your group. You’re a part of this, aren’t you?”

“We didn’t start it, but I hope we’re going to be the ones to end it,” Crash said. “That’s why we can’t stay here. There’s work to do.”

Tank seemed to take it all in for a moment before finally clapping his hand hard against Crash’s back.

“Before you go, come pick out whatever you want from the armory, too. Whatever you think you can carry,” he said. “It’s all yours.”

That was one offer he simply couldn’t turn