by Kristen Day
I gathered my essence and allowed it to burn within me, culminating in my midsection. I surprised a wild-eyed Blythe by grabbing her hand and she instantly blended in with her surroundings, along with my own body. With only the outline of her body visible, she took Tanis's hand and soon we were all completely invisible to the naked eye. Only someone who knew what they were looking for would be able to spot us. It took a great deal of essence and mental centering to camouflage the entire group, and I wasn't sure how long I could keep it up. We needed to hurry.
"Let's do this." I stepped onto the sloped cliff side with care and took a moment to balance my weight, creating a small avalanche of dirt. I had no idea how difficult it would be to lead a group of Tydes down a cliff while holding hands, but I quickly found out. We painstakingly wove our way downward, everyone having to stop each time someone slipped or lost their balance.
After several arguments, a twisted ankle, and an increasingly intense throbbing in my head, we finally made it to the beach. Still holding Blythe's hand, I hopped down onto the cool sand and gestured for the rest of the group to stop.
"One at a time, guys."
I hadn't gotten the first syllable out before Blythe stuck her leg out and gently placed her foot upon the sand. She met my gaze and we stood completely still, waiting for...something. But nothing happened. The wind continued swirling around us, the witches kept ripping my world apart, and the pain still severed my every thought. Basically a regular weekday in the life of Olivia.
Once it appeared she was safe, Blythe glanced up with a victorious grin and bounded onto the sand next to me. She turned to the person holding her other hand, Tanis. A caramel-skinned foot stepped onto the beach without incident and my hopes soared. It was working!
Trevon was next, followed by Oliver, who bounded onto the beach with confidence, jerking Vette down onto the sand with him. So much for one at a time. I turned and was about to lead us down the beach, parallel to the crux when I heard Tanis's distressed cry. Twisting back around to see what was happening, I felt my world shatter. Oliver, who had been in great spirits only seconds before, was now crouched in pain. I let out a yelp of surprise as he was thrown to the sand by an unseen force.
"Oliver!" Tanis yelled. My eyes snapped up to the chanting witches closest to our group, but thankfully the sound of the crux outweighed any other sound in the vicinity. Tanis yanked at his hands and Vette tried to pull him up, but he was already unconscious. Without warning, the same unseen force jerked his body away from her and dragged it across the sand and into the mouth of the crux in a matter of seconds. With our chain broken, Vette was standing in plain sight, vulnerable to the entire island. My mind skipped through about five normal reactions and clicked directly into warrior mode.
"Vette, take Tanis's hand! Now!" I shouted at him. With wide eyes, he grabbed her hand as she fought to run toward the crux and the place where Oliver had disappeared.
"Oliver!" she was still yelling. His lifeless body passed right between two witches, who were trying to figure out where it had come from. Their curious eyes glanced back up the beach towards us and I shushed the Captains.
"Stand still!" I demanded in a loud hiss. Vette pulled Tanis into his body, masking her screams. They did as they were told, but the shock of what had just happened was clear on all of their faces. With my hand still in Blythe's, I walked to Vette and took his other hand, creating a full circle and pulling them in close.
"I need you to focus." I met Tanis's tear-filled eyes and could tell she was about to lose it completely. I squeezed Blythe and Vette's hands. I wanted to tell them it was going to be okay. I wanted to tell them Oliver was fine. I wanted to allow them time to cry. I wanted to dive into that God forsaken crux and pull him out myself. But we didn't have that luxury at the moment because we had a whole host of other issues that were staring us in the face. I commanded their attention and spoke clearly, emphasizing each word. "There will be time to process. Grieve. But now is not that time. Do you understand me?"
Their stunned gazes didn't move as they nodded in agreement. Blythe's features were hard and angry; ready to fight. I felt my essence splinter when the wailing suddenly became louder. My knees became weak and I closed my eyes for a moment, pulling the pain into my body and focusing it on the remaining Captains in order to keep them camouflaged.
"We're going to wait for the signal, we're going to stop the witches, and we're going to get through this. Do you hear me?"
"But what happened to him?" Tanis whimpered, eyeing the raging waves of the crux just beyond where we stood. "Is he just...dead? We have to do somethi-!"
"No!" I commanded sharply. Her expression hardened into a glare and her anger twisted sharply, becoming directed towards me instead. I knew anger would do her more good at that moment than fear or grief. "You will stay true to the plan! You will not put yourself in further danger! Do you understand me?" She didn't answer, but her hateful glare turned somewhat obedient as she broke my gaze; eyes dropping to her feet.
"We're down one, now!" Vette pointed out. "Is four going to be enough?"
"We can do it," Blythe countered forcefully. "I could do it myself if I had to."
"And no martyrs!" I hushed her. She clamped her mouth shut and waited for my next words respectfully. I looked each of them dead in the eye before speaking once more. "We will work together. I'm in this with you. We can do it."
FINN
"Go ahead and drop your cloak, honey," Mom instructed me casually. My four Paradigms and I were huddled around her, ready to be transported to the island. My thoughts were focused but full of chaos. My emotions were purposefully flat-lined, yet the frenzy of concern for Stasia was always present. The frustration of only being able to access the ridgeline of the island also simmered in my back pocket, but knowing Selene was under the same restrictions made up for it. She and I would be exchanging a few words here soon.
I draped the glistening cloak around our entire group and nodded to Mom. In the blink of an eye we were transported out of the ship and onto a towering ridge battered by fierce winds. It took my eyes a couple seconds to adjust to the darkness and my new surroundings. The Paradigms instinctively crouched down defensively, but with Mom and I still standing they remembered quickly that they were invisible. Sean quickly returned to his feet, squared his shoulders, and scanned the ridge to our left with an expert eye.
Below us churned a massive whirlpool that emanated a pulse of power that was staggering. It hummed with a current; charged with essence and the paradigm of time itself. It was breathtaking and violent all at once. Mesmerizing.
Just as Stasia said, a wide ring of witches surrounded it, their arms stretched above their heads. My essence zeroed in on Selene, who was standing on the ridgeline to our right, surrounded by a mass of Auras. Anger bubbled in my muscles as I watched her speak to them and gesture lightly with her hands. She deserved to die a slow, painful death and then spend the rest of eternity burning in Tartarus, and I intended on making sure that happened.
My cloak began to stretch in one direction as Mom strode closer to the edge of the cliff, watching her descendants with sorrow. I walked to her side and took her hand, letting her know she was forgiven. Her tearful eyes met mine and they softened with love and understanding.
"I overreacted," I admitted bluntly.
She turned to me and took my other hand. "I should have told you sooner, but I wanted to protect you for as long as possible. I figured what you didn't know couldn't hurt you. I was wrong."
"You did what was best for me," I comforted her. "That's all I could ever ask."
"Finn!"
We turned our attention to Sean and the other Paradigms, who were unsheathing their daggers defensively. I pulled my axe and stalked over to where they stood, currently eyeing something on the other side of a thicket of bushes.
I knelt in front of Sean and peered through a couple branches to see three people huddled together. One sat on the ground with his knees pulled up to his chest and his
head down. His cool essence had dampened and become muddy, but I recognized it immediately. Sebastian. Nadia's hair blew in the breeze as she looked down at him and then back up at her accomplice. A smoldering heat filtered through me as her familiar accomplice nodded in agreement at something she said. My entire body clenched with rage as I stood and threw caution to the wind. I'd had enough.
"Finn!" one of my Paradigms hissed behind me, but I ignored him and continued walking. I was no longer going to stand by and watch him throw away his entire life. My oldest friend's eyes snapped up to mine with anger before dropping to the ground in shame, but his shame only pissed me off more. This wasn't who he was. This went against everything he'd ever stood for. Yet, there he was; trolling around an island with Nadia and Selene.
"Speak of the devil," Nadia cackled, but I didn't hear her. I instinctively blocked out her sweltering essence and concentrated on Liam. I strode up to Liam with purpose and he finally lifted his gaze to meet mine once more. I stopped in front of him without saying a word...and then I punched him in the face.
"Time for us to go." Nadia peered down at Sebastian. "We have better things to do."
A flash of light precluded their exit as Liam picked himself up off the ground, wiped a trail of blood from his chin, and lunged toward me. I caught him by the shoulders, twisted, and threw him onto his back.
"Get off me!" Liam growled at me as I wrapped a hand around his neck and held his head to the ground. He tried to buck me off his chest, but his efforts fell short.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snapped. Instead of answering he fought to get out from under me, so I punched him in the stomach for good measure.
"You bastard," he spit at me, wincing in pain. My Paradigms surrounded us protectively and tried to figure out what to do. Or in this case, what not to do. I glanced up at Sean and sent him a silent order to stand down.
"Listen to me." My hand tightened around Liam's neck.
"Finn-" he started, and strained to swallow.
"This is what you're going to do." I leaned down closer to him and his expression wavered from anger to sadness. "You're going to get your head out of your ass and come with us. Where you belong."
"You don't know where I belong," he choked up at me with hatred. "You don't know me anymore."
I punched him again and grabbed his chin; slamming his head back down to the ground with force. "You're coming with us."
"Give me one good reason why I should," he snapped at me. "I've got nothing waiting for me. I don't have anything to go back to!"
"First of all, this isn't a choice. You're coming with us whether you like it or not," I lectured him. "Second, stop feeling sorry for yourself, pick your balls off the ground, and man up!"
"You have no idea what I've been through," he told me.
"You're right," I countered and paused, pushing down my emotions. "Give me a chance to find out. You don't have to do deal with her death alone." He tried again to get out from under my grip, but the resolve on his face was melting away, replaced with defeat, so I continued. "You have plenty to come back to! You have your brothers, and you have me. I miss my best friend."
"I don't deserve to be a Triton," he explained weakly.
"Stop being selfish!" I yelled at him. "Triton blood runs through you whether you think it should or not. It's who you are! Your destiny hasn't changed. Your brothers will need a Leader."
"Someone else will step up when it's time," he argued with me.
"And what would she think?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "What would Willow say about this Liam?"
"Well she's not here, is she!?" he spit at me, self hatred clouding his eyes.
"But you are!" I countered. "Honor her by honoring yourself and your Order. Honor her by forgiving yourself."
He stared at me with stunned eyes and I knew I'd finally gotten through to him. I pulled back ever so slightly and watched a myriad of emotions flit across his face, and then I witnessed something I'd never seen before. A single tear trickled out of the corner of his eye and onto the ground below. He squeezed his eyes shut as the dam he'd been building broke beneath my steady gaze. A waterfall of tears followed suit and I released him from my grip and sat back. He pushed himself up and rested his arms on his knees; running his fingers through his hair.
"You know what I've missed?" He peered up at me with a sideways grin and tired eyes. "Surfing. And kicking your ass on a regular basis."
Relief washed over me and I pushed his shoulder playfully. "You're gonna have to wipe the blood off your face first." I climbed to my feet and offered him a hand. He took it immediately and I pulled him to his feet. The Liam I knew showed himself in the crooked grin pulling at his mouth, and I brushed myself off before turning to the Paradigms.
"What are y'all looking at?" I joked with them.
"You done kissing and making up?" Sean retorted with sneer. "Save your Lifetime movie re-enactments for later. We've got a twisted moon Goddess to find." I clapped a hand around Liam's shoulders and was about to come back with something before I noticed my Mom. She stood at the edge of the cliff, completely still with her arms hanging at her sides. She slowly turned to look at me with determined eyes. She glanced back down at her descendants before turning back to me with a content smile. It was then that I knew exactly what she intended to do.
FINN
"Mom!"
I broke out in a run, leaving Liam and the Paradigms behind me. She didn't turn; only continued to watch the witches surrounding the crux below. "Mom!"
She finally turned and met my frantic eyes with her own calm gaze, full of peace. She'd made a decision, and I knew by her demeanor there would be no talking her out of it. But I was going to try anyway.
"You know I love you, don't you?" she crooned and cupped my cheek lovingly.
"Mom, stop," I urged her.
"I'm proud of you." She smiled lovingly.
"Come on." I tried to pull her away from the edge. "We've got to go." She stood her ground and watched me with empathy.
"They need me," she whispered quietly. "It's time for me to go back."
"Mom-" I pleaded.
"I'm not leaving you, Finnegan," she comforted me. "It's simply time for me to return to my true identity."
"I thought you couldn't go back," I argued. "You renounced your-"
"I can be very persuasive." She grinned and winked at me. "Persephone and I go way back."
"So you don't know for sure?" I gaped at her.
"It's a risk I must take." She turned to the witches, adding, "For them."
"No." I shook my head emphatically. She wasn't going to do this. It was too dangerous. "You're not doing this."
"It's not up to you, sweetheart." She cupped my cheek again. "This is my choice. I'll be able to visit you, but I'll be tethered once more."
"Mom, seriously!" I began to panic. "You can't do this. They've been fine for the last eighteen years! And all of them are already dead! They're already Nadia's! It's too late!" I gestured toward the witches around the crux. I didn't believe what I was saying, but at that moment I would have said anything to keep her with me.
"It's never too late, Finnegan," she said, using my full name, squeezing my heart even more.
"The risk is too much," I replied, trying uselessly to change her mind.
"I'll see you very soon, honey." She kissed my cheek and pulled me close. I was about to argue again, but instead I gave in, knowing she would do this regardless of what I said. I squeezed her tightly, just in case this was the last time I was able to do so. She pulled away and smiled; excitement and happiness shining in her eyes.
"Thank you," I whispered. "For sacrificing so much for me."
"It wasn't a sacrifice," she disagreed. "It was a blessing."
A sob jumped its way into my throat and I didn't trust myself to speak. I chewed on my lip instead and memorized her face. The wisdom in her eyes, the way she could look into my soul and know exactly what I was feeling. The last eighteen years of m
y life flipped across my mind - her laughter when I accidently shaved my head, her understanding when I broke her favorite dish, the stern look she gave when I was walking a thin line, and even the way she put her hands on her hips when she yelled at me for sneaking out almost every weekend to go surfing with Liam during a storm. She'd given me inspiration when I needed it most, strength when I couldn't find my own, and a reason to be the best man I could be.
She was my mother and she was my everything, but I knew she'd made her decision and there were so many more who needed her. I couldn't keep her with me forever.
"Tell Dad hey for me," I gave in gracefully.
"I'll be right back," she promised. She took my hand and squeezed it as she stepped closer to the cliff, then she turned her back to the crux and held my gaze.
"Turn around," she instructed firmly. My stomach dropped at what she was insinuating.
"There's got to be a better way," I said with a frown.
"Death is always messy." She chuckled darkly and then turned serious again. "Now turn around and walk away."
I put my hands on either side of her face and pushed down another wave of emotion. She'll be right back, I told myself. She was right; she was very persuasive. I had a feeling if it involved teaching Nadia another lesson, Persephone wouldn't object to giving Mom her status back as Hecate. It had to work. It had to.
With a tender smile, I nodded obediently, turned slowly, and walked away with lead in my legs. Liam met me a couple yards away with questions in his eyes, but I simply shook my head and lowered my eyes to avoid having to explain. When he looked over my shoulder and lurched forward with wide eyes, I placed a hand on his chest to hold him back. He met my gaze with confusion, but stayed put.
Through Liam's horrified eyes, I watched my mother throw herself off the cliff and down to the crux. I watched her body land harshly on the beach, right before the crux recognized a foreign essence and drug her body into its churning mouth. I closed my eyes, unable to see the shock and horror in his blue eyes. In the next moment, he pulled me in for an abrupt hug but didn't ask any questions, for which I was thankful. Liam pulled back and grabbed my shoulders as my Paradigms joined us.
