“Well, what is it? Who?” Skye didn’t cry. She was tough as nails and sarcastic and funny. She wouldn’t be falling apart unless…
“It’s me,” I said, as the realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
Her silence spoke volumes, and I stood there for a full minute as she wept quietly and I came to terms with my death.
“Is there anything I can do?” I asked, swallowing hard.
Skye shook her head and wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how, just that… I thought you would want to know.”
She glanced at Gage and I got her meaning. She had given me time to say goodbye.
“Well, on the bright side, you’re about to be stuck with me in Avalon.” I tried to smile, but it felt fake.
I didn’t want Skye to feel bad about what she saw or felt, I wanted her to know that I appreciated her telling me.
“I mean, I guess I could make time to hang out,” she said, and I laughed.
Was there ever a war without casualties? It was stupid to think I would come out of this unscathed.
“Thanks for telling me. Honestly,” I said, and she gave me a small smile.
“See you in the morning.”
I nodded. “See you then.”
She popped out of existence, and I took a moment to just look at each one of my friends again. I’d die for any one of them, so it seemed fitting that tomorrow I would die for all of them. Each time I looked at one of their faces, I pulled up a memory of our time together. Jacob on the train talking to Skye about demons. Marlow with her gadgets. Indigo immediately befriending me when I was at Shade Academy. Drea being the best leader one could ever ask for. And Gage. Oh, Gage. Where did I even begin with him? The first time he came into Sal’s Diner. Waking up to him spooning me in his room at Shade Academy. Our first kiss… and every one after that.
Instead of trying to get a few hours of sleep, I walked over to the coffee machine and put on a pot. If these were my last few hours alive, I wasn’t going to sleep through them.
By the time Aurelia sounded the war alarm and called everyone out into the courtyard, I was ready. I’d spent the last two hours writing all of my best friends heartfelt letters. My mom, Harley, and Gran got one too. In each letter I explained that Skye had given me a death date, and that I wasn’t afraid. I told each person how much they had impacted my life, and then left the letters all on Drea’s pillow in our shared dorm. I knew she would hand them out when the time came.
When the alarm went off, I watched as everyone sprang into action.
Gage rubbed his chin, looking at me with those searing green eyes I’d grown to love. “Did you get any sleep?”
I nodded, giving him a small smile. He didn’t need to know what I’d stayed up doing instead. At least not yet.
We met out on the lawn of the courtyard, where the armory master was handing out weapons left and right.
Aurelia stood on the podium we’d used for Skye’s funeral, and I couldn’t help but think of my own funeral and wonder if I would be attending as a ghost.
“Apollyon and his demons have long terrorized our world,” Aurelia said into the mic and the crowd booed. “But that stops today!”
The boos turned to cheers, and Gage slipped his hand in mine.
“Tatum has been given an incredible mission, and if all goes to plan, Apollyon, his demons, and the Netherworld will cease to exist after today!”
More cheers rang out, and I couldn’t help but throw my fist in the air with the rest of them.
“Your help in this war will bring generations of peace upon the world, and we thank you for your service,” she concluded.
The surrounding Lumens broke into war cries, thrusting their weapons into the air and screaming.
Pride swelled in my chest. This was it. It was time to complete my mission.
As Aurelia stepped off of the platform and walked over to us, I turned to Gage and pulled him into my arms. “I love you.” I squeezed him tightly, pulling back to brush a peck on his lips.
I didn’t linger. I didn’t want a long dramatic goodbye, or to tip him off that something was wrong.
