I love you. And I am so proud.
I never hated you for the choices you made.
You were not to blame for their not honouring the terms of your surrender.
You were amazing, so strong, stronger than me, stronger than anyone, and I know the loneliness has taught you fear and that consequences will cost you everything, but you changed things. People saw you, and the Path lost some of the fear they wield so well.
This war is bigger than one world; it’s the gods themselves. So, I pass my torch to you, my child, with so much regret.
Because I wanted you to live in green years and worry for nothing but how deeply you can love.
Kaida, do you remember our warning system? Look for it as soon as you finish reading this.
Farewell my daughter,
Until we meet again.
Your loving mother.
I blink back tears and move the paper, looking underneath, only to freeze at what I’m seeing.
I’m sitting on Mordecai’s lap, smiling so widely. I’m wearing shorts and a singlet, and he’s wearing jeans and white shoes. Jarek is leaning in, kissing my cheek, and he’s got an earring of a moon.
I grab the photo out and shove it in my pocket, only to see there are more. I turn the page, watching our happy lives. School games, in cars, at beaches, in parks.
We were happy until the world ended.
I grab the book and slide it in the drawer, only to freeze when I see a purple butterfly drawn on the side of it.
I slide the letter and photo into my pocket with the others and carefully move towards the right, away from the side of the drawer where thebutterfly is. There’s a balcony within reach. If I can get there, I might have a chance of escaping.
Dust motes spin across the air in a frantic flurry, and I know it’s too late.
“Do you remember what you said to me the first time we met?” His voice is calm and deep, still with that edge of boredom but more like the version of him I knew.
I scowl into the dark corner of the laundry. “Of course, I thought the gods had given me a gift. I said that you must be a present from the alpha gods because you were so pretty.”
Walker steps out of the shadows. His expression is flat, but the black clothes and black sword on his hip are intimidating enough with his snow-white hair. I suck in a deep breath because it always hurts when I see him, even when I know it’s coming.
“I wasn’t a gift,” Walker says and shrugs as if he’s sorry.
“No, you weren’t,” I murmur, looking him up and down. He looks healthy. “I can’t hate you, I try. But I can’t. Why is that?”
He comes closer, and I circle away, spotting another butterfly on the ceiling. I can’t quite figure out what my mother is trying to say, but I move away from where the butterfly is pointing its antennae.
“Why did you do it?” I ask desperately. “Why did you go to the Path and tell them what I was?”
He scowls, slamming his hand down on the counter, sending dust into the air. “Why did you turn yourself in to save all those people?”
“Our friends? Our family?” I scoff. “Because they would have done the same for me.”
“They were never mine,” he says bitterly. “And no, theywouldn’t have.”
“They were yours!” I snap back, stepping back from him as he advances around the counter.
He shakes his head and takes another few steps. I back up until I’m in the middle of the room. I spot another butterfly on the front door. A big one. No exit.
Right, I can’t get out of here from that direction. I can’t even fathom how my mother knew all this, but sometimes, she knew things instinctively. I try not to think about it too much.She was never wrong, a voice inside my head whispers.
