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Chapter 17
Elyse
The darkness was complete. It surrounded me, and there was nothing to see, to hear, to feel.
Was this it? Death? It felt like it had the last time I died. I would have gone on to be with my family if this was the end, wouldn’t I? To be with my family. It was the upside of being a Lowe—if we died, in our final death we were honored and uplifted to the Elysian Fields, honored for our actions by the gods.
So why wasn’t I there? How long could my punishment continue before it would finally be enough?
I turned toward the light. The illumination grew dim and far, but I had to reach it. If I could just get there, I knew I’d finally be home. Finally, free of the burdens of life, of always fighting for everything… I was exhausted and some days I yearned to sleep and forget I was Zeus’s warrior.
“Elyse.” A male’s voice reached me, and I ached to my core. I hadn’t heard this voice in a long, long time, and tears pricked my eyes.
“Dad?”
He emerged out of the darkness toward me, looking younger and stronger, as he had when I was a child, when my family had still been happy and whole. My throat tightened as I recalled running to him each time he’d come home, and he’d lift me in his arms, spinning me around as I’d giggled uncontrollably. But with those thoughts came painful memories of how he died at the hands of the Aeternae, rhino-like creatures with sawtooth bones on their heads. How long I’d cried, missed him, wished it was me who died instead of him.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his words rushed.
His hair remained lighter than I remembered. It used to be dark, but now it appeared more golden, a deep bronze. And his skin shone almost the same color. He looked practically divine.
“I can’t find the Fields,” I said, smiling at him, joy spreading through me at seeing him. I’d known this moment would come again, and despite not wanting to die, I’d dreamed of seeing my parents and brothers again. “Please, take me with you.”
My dad shook his head. “You can’t come to the Elysian Fields with me. You’re not supposed to be here.”
“What are you talking about?” Desperation swirled at the pit of my stomach. “I’ve died, Dad. I failed. At least give me this. If I can’t be with you, then what was this all for?”
He stepped close enough to touch me, and I wrapped my arms around him. His strong embrace closed over me and for the first time in years I finally felt safe again, like I was home, protected and loved.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I whispered, blinking back the tears.
“We’re so proud of who you’ve become,” he said, and I swelled, warmth enveloping me. It was all I wanted, to hear my dad tell me he was proud of me.
“Please, take me with you,” I pleaded.
“I could,” my dad explained, and I relaxed against him. This was finally going to end. I’d finally be at peace. “But that would mean you haven’t fulfilled your destiny. And trust me when I say leaving something incomplete will give you no peace.” His voice carried that same disciplinary tone he used with me when we’d trained.
“What is there for me to complete?” I asked.
“Why ask me a question you already know the answer to?”
Why was he acting like this, pushing me away? All I wanted was to head home, to be with him, to see my mom and my brothers. I wanted to sleep without worrying about tomorrow. To live without looking over my shoulder at Death constantly on my heels.
I just needed to be done with all of this because I’d fought enough, but no matter how much I battled, I always got knocked back on my ass. How could I protect humans when I couldn’t even fend off the monster trying to kill me?
“Elyse, you’re not like us,” he said. “And you’re not meant to end this way. If you want to stay, it’s your choice. You can give up now. But your life is only just starting.”
“My life ended a long time ago,” I replied.
He shook his head and let go of me, taking a step away, and immediately, a chill closed in around me.
“If you leave now, you’ll never know who you are.” He studied me with a hard stare.
“I know who I am,” I declared.
He nodded. “It’s your choice. But be very careful what you choose. If you come with me now, this person you are is the only person you’ll ever be. Is that enough for you?”
That question stopped me in my tracks, planting a seed of doubt. I’d always wanted to be with my family again. Always believed I’d see them once this was all over. And that was supposed to be now. But what if there was more?
