In the matter of a minute, the attack is over. The zealots were wholly unprepared for our intervention, and terribly under-equipped with their primitive weapons.
Stellan reaches for Alastair, fingers trailing on the arrows sticking out of his chest. “Fuck…”
The King smiles. “It’s nothing.” He pulls both arrows out without even a wince. Blue blood stains his gray t-shirt.
As the both of them help release the four prisoners—one seems to have died during the fight—I run to the altar to free Vex. They have bent her limbs in unnatural angles and hidden her face with a bag of rough fabric. I pull out my pocket knife to cut the ropes.
“Oh my gods, Vex. Are you okay?” I say.
As soon as her artificial face appears, she smiles. “I’m fine. Oh Perri, you shouldn’t have risked your life for me like this.”
“Bah. Of course I should have. You’re my friend.”
As soon as the ropes fall to the altar, her joints and wires straighten, and she unfolds like a puppet. “Thank you, Perri.”
My eyes sting. We did it, we rescued Vex after weeks of a mad race through the wastelands and the west coast. I throw my arms around her cold shoulders and sob.
The sound of more explosions reaches us from the coast. I wonder if the villagers are fighting back or if they’re running away from theBeetlein fear. From time to time, theFireflymakes an appearance in the sky above the coast. They must be sinking any boat trying to reach the island.
The prisoners, once free, run away towards the temple on the larger island, at Alastair’s command, to find boats and escape. They’re on their own now, we’ve done our part.
Stellan and Alastair join us by the altar.
“Guys,” I say. “This is Vex.”
She smiles at them, her perfect teeth shining in the white morning sun. “Nice to meet you.” She bows gracefully.
Snowflakes are still lazily falling from the sky. I shiver from the cold. Soon, the adrenaline will drop and I’ll crash. I can’t wait to get back to land and drive away. I want to sleep for an entire day, cocooned between the two men that I love without feeling guilty. We’ll meet with theBeetle, and Vex can finally meet her wannabe girlfriend Beet in the flesh—or rather, in the panels and wires.
Impressive waves crash in the rocks behind us, splashing my back. I can taste the brine on my lips. Alastair comes to stand behind me to protect me from getting wet. I turn and smile at him, seduced by his thoughtfulness.
That’s when I notice Marcus rising from the rocks, wet and bleeding. His eyes are fully black—inhuman—as he brandishes his long blade. I scream as he brings it down over Alastair’s shoulder, cutting his arm off with terrible ease. Blue blood spatters on my face.
Alastair gasps and manages to push me away with his remaining arm just as Marcus skewers him in the chest before pulling him over the edge and pushing him into the waves.
The churning sea swallows Alastair, and my voice dies.
Stellan’s roar shakes the entire island.
21
The slumbering behemoth.
“Have you noticed? The old gods are slowing down. During the Rise, they used to destroy entire cities in a day. They used to set the sky on fire or upheave entire islands. They spelled the end of countries and armies. And yet now, almost twenty-five years later, they spend most days roaming continents or oceans. Some of them even appear to slumber for longer periods of time. Is it because they have vanquished their enemies and lack stimulation? Or are they getting ready for their long rest once again? One can hope. It might be just wishful thinking from me.”
Intercepted radio feed from a survivor, unknown, 2064.
STELLAN
Rage and sorrow overtakes me as I realize Alastair is dead. No one can come back from that, not even a mutant. His arm fell on the rocks, along with a good part of his shoulder and chest. The hand twitches, the nerves still fighting death.
Perri whines with such anguish, I want to burn the world down. He drops to his knees just as the zealots leader brandishes his blade again. Vex throws herself between Perri and the revenant, and the blow glances off her artificial body. I empty my gun—three bullets—in the enemy’s body.
He grunts and recoils, but then laughs like a mad man. “Oh please. You cannot stop me with your cursed weapons. I am a demigod.” His eyes are fully black now.
A mutant, I realize. We’re facing one of Alastair’s brothers.
Alastair… He’s dead. He’s fucking dead.Just when we… When I was starting to accept him—to love him. It was hard, letting someone in after so many years of sharing my heart only with Perri. I thought I had no more love to spare. Turns out I still have so much to give to the man with pale eyes and a smile to die for. Love isn’t something that can be quantified, limited, controlled… It’s wild and unpredictable, just like him, and I fell for the whims of love.
