AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Before she could say any more, Lucy ran at her with a roar of purest rage. Grabbing her from behind, she forced Alexia’s head down under the waves.
After a moment’s sharp terror, Alexia stopped struggling.
This was it. This was the end.
Beneath the surface, all was dark and silent and peaceful. There was no Lucy here, no shouting, no madness, no pain. Alexia’s earlier calm returned. She allowed herself to go limp, each of her muscles submitting to the cold embrace of death.
There’s nothing to fear.
Everything slowed down. She was aware of nothing but the faint drumbeat of her own pulse. One by one, the people she loved came to her.
Michael, healthy again, smiling and laughing, bursting with life and youth and promise.
Roxie, walking toward her, her arms open with love and forgiveness.
Teddy, as he was when they met. Funny, kind, self-deprecating, adoring.
Billy Hamlin, young and strong and smiling on a Maine beach.
Alexia started to pray. Let Michael be at peace. Let Roxie forgive her father. But for herself she had nothing to ask.
How arrogant she’d been to think she had any control. To think she could escape her fate.
Lucy was right about one thing: Nicholas Handemeyer’s death did deserve a sacrifice. But that sacrifice had to be Alexia’s. All her life the ocean had called to her, pulling her back, demanding she return and pay what she owed: a life for a life, a soul for a soul. Now, at last, the circle was closing.
It was time.
“What’s that?”
The pilot pointed through the glass.
Arnie Meyer and the surveillance officer both followed his finger.
“What?” said Arnie. “I don’t see anything.”
“Under the rock face,” said the pilot. “We’ve passed it now. I’ll circle back. I thought I saw . . .”
“Figures.” The surveillance officer lowered his telescopic binoculars. “Definitely, at the water’s edge. It has to be them.”
“I don’t see anything,” said Arnie desperately as the chopper banked sharply to the right, swooping low over the ocean like a bird scanning for fish. “Where? Was Summer with them? What did you see?”
The surveillance officer ignored him. “Coast guard!” He barked coordinates into his radio. “We need urgent assistance. Two females. Uh-huh. No, we can’t go in from here.”
“What do you mean you can’t go in from here?” Arnie Meyer felt the panic creep through his veins like snake venom. “The tide’s coming in. They’ll drown!”
The surveillance officer looked him straight in the eye.
“We can’t go any closer without hitting the cliff.”
“But we have to do something!”
“We’ll crash, Mr. Meyer. We cannot reach them. I’m sorry.”
I’m sorry.
Alexia De Vere was still praying.
Please forgive me. For Nicholas. For Billy. For all the suffering I’ve caused.
