Ernest shook his head. “She’s my friend. They’re my family.”
“You’ll regret this, boy,” Rengel said, when suddenly the creature stepped into the alley, covered in blood. The soldiers turned their guns on him, and he fell on them one by one before they could fire.
Ernest dropped his rifle and ran to my side. He helped me to my feet, and we stumbled to the boat together.
“Thank you,” I said weakly, leaning against him for support. I seized Gerhardt’s hand, and together we toppled into the boat. Shouts rang out behind us, and as the boat set sail I saw the creature surrounded by the mob, torches blazing in the air. Rengel held his pistol pointed at the monster’s heart. The creature gazed past Rengel. He stared at Victor, who watched him from the deck, his hands gripping the guardrail as we sailed farther into the mist.
“Father,” the monster cried out. Then he lunged at Rengel, and a gunshot carried through the night as the crowd enveloped them both.
It was over.
Chapter Twenty-One
I had never before beheld such beauty.
The long night had ended. The events that transpired seemed only a memory under the bright light of day, as if they had been washed away by the rains. I wandered across a sunlit field, running my hands through the tall grasses as the wind caressed my back. The waters of a brook trickled quietly nearby, one of many streams that flowed from the watchful mountains and emptied into the lake. I savored each moment of a peace I had not known in a lifetime.
We had settled across the lake, along the shore on the border with France. The family owned a summer estate nestled under the mountains. While its size paled in comparison with the castle, and there were no servants, we would be safe there. We uncovered the draped furniture, cleared away the dust, and lit the house with candles we found near the fireplace.
While the others sorted through all that had happened, I had stolen away for a quiet moment. Much remained unsaid, and I was not looking forward to many of the exchanges that lay in store. I had betrayed the family’s trust, lied to them, and placed them all at risk, all in the name of revenge. The thirst for vengeance seemed so foolish now, as if the icy fury that once drove me belonged to a different person entirely. I glanced back at the estate, dreading what would happen when I returned.
How can they ever accept me, after all I’ve done? I wondered. After a while, the answer came to me. All I could do was try. I reached into my pocket and took out Justine’s crucifix necklace. I held it gingerly as the wind whispered to me, and after a moment, hung it around my neck. I was no longer Justine, but maybe I could still find my way back to her.
I heard someone moving softly through the pasture, and a smile graced my face.
“I was looking for you,” Gerhardt said when I turned around. He wore a concerned expression. “How are you feeling?”
“Like new.” The pain from the gunshots had already faded. Victor had removed the shrapnel from my back and bandaged my wounds.
Gerhardt’s gaze fell on the crucifix. “I see that’s back where it belongs.”
“I thought I had lost my faith,” I said, touching it with one hand. “I just needed someone to remind me of it.”
Gerhardt drew closer, until only the sun was between us. “I knew you were still in there. I knew it.” We leaned against each other, pressing our foreheads together. He slid his hand into mine and shivered at my icy skin. “It’ll take me a while to get used to that.”
“Are you certain you’ll be able to?” I asked, unable to hide the doubt betrayed by my voice. He was seeing the real me for the first time, exposed under the sunlight.
Gerhardt tightened his grip and ran a hand through my hair. “You’re still as beautiful as you were the day I met you.”
“I can’t give you children,” I said. “I won’t grow old beside you.”
“I don’t care about any of that,” Gerhardt said. “We have the chance to be together again. I love you, Justine. Nothing else matters.”
I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by bliss. I had almost forgotten what it was like to be happy. This time I would not turn from it.
“My heart is yours,” I said.
When I opened my eyes, Gerhardt tugged at the necklace he wore, and the thread broke. “I gave you this once before,” he said, pulling the ring free. “I thought I lost you. Fate has brought us back together. I know we’ve both changed since then, but I was hoping you would agree to be my wife.”
“Yes,” I said. Gerhardt slid the ring onto my finger, and for the first time since my death, we kissed.
We walked back to the house arm-in-arm, laughing as the field danced in the breeze. Ernest waved to us ahead as he walked alongside his father. Though both men were quiet, Alphonse seemed content to have been reunited with his son, whatever the circumstances. It was as if he had remembered himself after a long dream. I even saw him smile a time or two.
A raised voice carried from a short space away. Ernest dropped the plant he held and looked up, alarmed. We followed his gaze to the source of the commotion. Elizabeth and Victor were standing under the shade of a tree, locked in an argument, though it looked as if she was doing most of the arguing. It wasn’t hard to guess what they were fighting about. I looked away, embarrassed that I could hear every word, even over the distance.
“I’m sorry,” Victor said as we approached.
“That’s not enough anymore, Victor,” Elizabeth replied. “I stood by you after your mother’s death, through our separation while you were in Ingolstadt, cared for you during your illnesses. I was the one person who stood by your side through everything.” There were tears in her eyes. “You lied to me, Victor.”
“I can explain,” he protested, but Elizabeth cut him off.
“You broke my heart.” She shook her head and slid the engagement ring from her finger.
Victor’s eyes widened as she handed him the ring. “Elizabeth?”
“I don’t want to see you anymore Victor—not after what you’ve done. You should leave.”
“She’s right,” Alphonse said, holding Elizabeth for support. “You put us all at risk. You destroyed our family, all for what?”
“I wanted to build a better world,” Victor exclaimed. “I wanted to create life.”
Alphonse looked on him coldly. “All you brought the world was death. Your mother would be ashamed at what you’ve done in her name. You don’t belong here.”
Victor bowed his head. “I never wanted any of this to happen. I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me.” He returned the ring to his pocket. “I’m sorry.”
We watched him go, and before he completely vanished from sight I dropped Gerhardt’s hand and went after him.
“Victor, wait!” I shouted, waving at him from the distance, and he slowed to a stop. We met in the open field. “I don’t want you to go.”
He sighed. “I was going to lose them no matter what. At least this way they’re still alive.” He noticed the ring on my finger. “Do you remember the storybook from the cottage?”
I laughed, surprised. “Yes—what of it?”
“My mother gave it to me when I was young. I couldn’t read it after she died, though I always kept it with me. I never believed in happy endings, but I’m glad you found yours.” He chuckled, casting a glance back in the direction of the estate. “It’s fitting, isn’t it? I abandoned both of my creations. Now I know what it feels like to taste the sting of rejection. I’ll be alone forever, and I have only myself to blame.”
“Victor,” I said, grabbing his hand, but he pulled away. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”
“They’re right, Persephone. I have to leave. It’s better for everyone this way.” He started walking again.
“You’re not a monster, you know,” I said. Victor stopped and looked back at me. I don’t know if I had ever seen a face quite so sad. “I know what you’re thinking. I’ve felt it too. You made mistakes, Victor, but you also took responsibility for them. You made t
he choice to come back for me. You confessed your sins and tried to make things better. That’s what makes you different from the creature.”
“My brother died because of me. You died because of me, not to mention countless others. How can I ever earn forgiveness for the blood on my hands?”
I smiled at him. “Forgiveness isn’t earned, Victor—it’s given.”
He looked at me for a long moment. “Thank you, Persephone.”
“Where will you go?” I asked.
He paused to consider my words. “I’ll look for lodging in the village. I meant it when I said my experiments were over. I’ll spend the rest of my life helping the living, and leave the dead where they lie. All my life I wanted to be a great man. Perhaps I shall settle for being good instead. Goodbye, Persephone.”
“Farewell, Victor,” I said, conflicted at the prospect of not seeing him again.
It was a bittersweet parting. Even in his absence, Victor had defined my existence for so long that it was difficult to imagine life without him. Despite everything we had done to each other, remembering what he once meant to me filled me with regret. Wherever he went, I hoped he would eventually find a measure of comfort.
It wasn’t long before he disappeared over the hills, lost to my sight. I returned to the estate, where Gerhardt remained outside the house.
“It must have been hard on you, saying goodbye,” he said, and we held each other close. His body was warm against mine, his heartbeat strong and steady. “He’s getting off too easily, if you ask me.”
“Victor’s not evil, Gerhardt. Arrogant and selfish—perhaps even cowardly—but not evil, at least not in the way it counts.”
Gerhardt’s lips brushed against my forehead. “Whatever his flaws, he brought you back to me.”
Our hands fastened around each other. “Not even death could keep us apart.”
“Let’s go inside,” he said. “The others will want to hear our news.”
I steeled myself. It was time to make amends, if such a thing was possible. Given all that had happened, it would not be a surprise if the others reacted as they had with Victor. Whatever happened, at least Gerhardt would remain by my side.
The others were waiting for us inside. For a moment, an awkward hush fell over the room. I bit my lip nervously and looked to Gerhardt for reassurance. He nodded at me and gestured to the others to convey his support. I cleared my throat, unsure where to begin, until Alphonse spoke for me.
“Welcome back,” he said, laying his arms on my shoulders. Before I could react, he pulled me into a tight embrace.
Ernest offered a weak smile and said little. In the end, he had chosen me and sided with his family over the constable, but the decision clearly weighed on him. He only just learned that an undead monster who had been reanimated by his brother had caused William’s death. It would probably be a long time before he recovered from Rengel’s indoctrination.
Alphonse released his hold on me, leaving me facing Elizabeth. She was the first to speak.
“Justine. Or do you prefer Penny now?” she asked, as if worried the wrong answer might cause some offense.
“I don’t know how much of Justine remains within me,” I answered, feeling embarrassed. “It was Victor who named me Persephone. Someone close to me shortened it to Penny, before she died.”
“Well then, Penny it is,” Elizabeth offered.
The compassion in her voice filled me with remorse. My hands shook with shame at the thought they had almost choked the life from her only one night ago. Now here she was, behaving as if nothing had happened—like a friend—when I had come so close to doing the unspeakable.
“Elizabeth,” I said, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you—for what I did to all of you.”
She took my hands, steadying them. “I know. Victor told us everything. I don’t want to think about what it must have been like for you, coming back from the dead.”
“You’re not afraid of me? I almost killed you.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe a little, but I know you.” She held her hand over my heart. “You were my friend, and you always will be.”
It was impossible. Though everyone with me saw me for what I truly was, they did not shrink away. Instead, they welcomed me with open arms. I had not cried since Dot died. The horrors I endured had left me scarred, my hardened heart encased in a layer of stone, but as I stood there, surrounded by a family for the first time, I wept like a child. I was home.
The days that followed were some of the happiest of my new life. It wasn’t easy. The differences between the others and me remained all too visible. Despite the family’s acceptance, there was a great deal of work to be done to mend the rifts in our relationships. Gerhardt and I rediscovered each other. He learned to love me for myself, even the parts that were different than Justine.
Victor’s absence was felt acutely by all, Elizabeth in particular. Though she put on a brave face by day, there were nights when I heard her muffled sobbing into her pillow. Slowly, we rekindled our friendship. Without the burden of having to deceive her for my own ends, I was able to let down my guard. I told her everything that had happened since my resurrection, from my time with Victor in Scotland to the days spent with Dot and Agnes, ending with my arrival in Geneva.
It was clear that if we were going to remain at the estate, we would need food and provisions. As the least conspicuous among us, Gerhardt volunteered to go into the nearest town for both. We didn’t want to risk the chance the Frankensteins might be recognized, not until we knew more. I certainly couldn’t take part in public life undisguised, and my days concealing myself behind paints and powders were behind me.
There was little in the way of information to be had when Gerhardt returned with food and supplies. The news of what had happened in Geneva had not yet spread widely, though it was only a matter of time. He had heard nothing of the fate of Rengel or the creature, but after what we witnessed at the docks, I was certain both were dead. According to Gerhardt, Victor had taken up lodging in the local tavern for the time being. I was grateful to have not been present for that particular conversation.
At long last, the day of my wedding to Gerhardt arrived. Almost two weeks had passed after our flight from Geneva. It was a brief period since we found each other again, and yet to us it was as if we had waited a lifetime to be together. As the hour approached, Elizabeth surprised me with a wedding gown from the village. Despite the way her own wedding had ended in tragedy, she appeared genuinely pleased by my happiness. I was overwhelmed by the touching gesture, and we shared a heartfelt embrace.
After I changed into my dress, she laid a band of flowers over my forehead. “You look beautiful,” she said, squeezing my hand before ushering me through the door.
There had never been a more perfect day. The mountains loomed in the background, adding their majesty to the ceremony. The sky was a clear blue, as deep as the waters of the lake. The sun smiled down at us from above, where the birds joined their song to nature’s melody. Gerhardt stood under a wedding arch beside Ernest, who had covered it with dozens of white roses plucked from the garden.
Alphonse waited just outside the door. He bowed when I approached. “Would you allow me the honor of giving you away, my child?”
I hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead, and the old man extended his arm to me. I took it, and he led me to the wedding arch, Elizabeth trailing behind. My smile widened with each step that brought me closer to Gerhardt. When we arrived at the arch, Gerhardt held my hands as Elizabeth took her place at my side. Alphonse, who had officiated many weddings over the years in his capacity as baron, performed the ceremony. As Gerhardt and I exchanged our vows, I felt as if I was finally able to let go of the pain that had marked my existence for so long. We shared a sweet, gentle kiss. Everything else seemed to fade away until it was just the two of us, together.
The hour was late, and night had spread across the land. Even the stars seemed to have fa
llen dark. A solitary candle on the nightstand cast a dim light across the bedchamber, where I lay awake, watching Gerhardt as he slept beside me. His face was partially concealed by the shadows. I traced his hairline with my finger and rested my hand on his cheek. This was what it was like to be fully at peace. I could have watched him forever, but his eyes fluttered open and he saw me, our faces inches apart on the pillows.
“You couldn’t sleep?”
I hesitated, unwilling to ruin the perfect moment. “My body doesn’t need sleep, at least not in the way normal humans do. I won’t get hungry, or tired like others.” I laid my cold hand over his chest. “My heart will never beat like yours.”
He took my hands in his and held my gaze. “You’re perfect, just the way you are. I don’t want anyone else—only you.” He leaned closer to me, and we shared a long, tender kiss.
“I never want this moment to end,” I said as a hint of thunder whispered in the night.
Below, there came a knock at the door. I sat up in bed suddenly, alarmed.
“What is it?” Gerhardt asked, noticing my concern.
“Probably nothing.” I slid out of bed, wearing only my nightgown. The wooden floorboards groaned under my bare feet. “Stay here,” I said, shutting the door behind me as Gerhardt pulled on his shirt. I advanced quietly down the stairs, nearly colliding with a shape in the darkness. My body tensed, and I pushed him against the wall.
“Wait,” he said. It was Ernest. “Did you hear that?” he asked after I released my hold on him. “It sounded like there was a knock at the front door.”
A woman’s scream sounded below before I could answer. It was a sound I would never forget, one that filled me with horror and turned my blood to ice. We thundered down the staircase into the softly lit chamber below, where Alphonse knelt over a form that lay on the floor. He was trembling, his skin white as a sheet.
Elizabeth’s body was mangled beyond recognition. Ernest turned away, unable to confront the horrific scene. I approached, powerless to avert my eyes. There was blood everywhere. Elizabeth hardly looked human anymore, save for the clothes she wore. Alphonse glanced up at me from the floor, holding her in his arms.
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