Page 173 of The Washwoman at the River’s End

“How do we stop it?” I ask, a sudden urgency erupting in my chest. So many will die, and all because of one power-hungry woman.

Brennen squeezes my hand. “It depends on what you choose. We cannae force you to accept your calling. It must be done willingly. The decision belongs to you, and you alone.”

I close my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. All I have wanted for so long is rest. Peace. Becoming the Cutter, the one who will end every life in the kingdom for the next century, goes against every thought and feeling and want I have ever had. What she’s asking of me, it’s more than I think I can take.

“And if I refuse?” I ask.

The goddess's eyes turn sad. “The Epoch will continue for years to come. The Cutter will rule, and we will be forced to stand by, helpless, and watch the kingdom burn.”

I pinch at my arms, willing myself to wake up from this nightmare. The habit is familiar, but this time, I picture my fingers pinching a thread, watching it turn to dust.

Could this be even worse than my curse? Another battle for me to endure, when I am already so very tired. Lives I will not only wash, but end? I look to Brennen, silently begging him to tell me what the right answer is, but he only runs a thumb across my hand.

The women’s faces from my visions flash in my mind. Lives ended too soon by the Cutter. Women who deserved so much more than the fate they received.

Betty.

The woman in love at the pub.

The mother kissing her child.

The tailor’s daughter.

The woman twirling in the green dress.

Women who had begged me to help them.

Resolve ignites in my chest, growing larger by the second until it fills my chest and solidifies. I refuse to fail them again.

“I accept.” The words leap from my throat before I’ve fully decided to say them, my voice shaking, but I cannot say no. If this is truly my fate, then I will not fear it. I will not cower.

The moment I speak the words, the dàn on my hand begins to sting, then burn. A white-hot agony that spreads into my arms. My torso and legs. My head. My vision turns red behind my eyelids, and the air is ripped violently from my lungs. I nearly collapse. I would, if Brennen didn’t catch me, pulling me into his arms and tucking my head beneath his chin.

I wish for death. Beg for it. For anything at all to end this agony.

“So strong, m’ anam,” Brennen whispers into my hair. “So brave. The pain will end soon. I’m here.”

And even though I am certain it will never end—that it will only get worse until my mind and body shatter—slowly, it begins to fade. My heart slows, my breaths once again growing steadier.

When I open my eyes again, the world is different. Sharper. The stars twinkle in shocking shades of yellow and purple and pink, and the silver sand shimmers as if made from gemstones. The fatigue has drained from my body, and my muscles feel strong in a way I’ve never experienced.

I meet Brennen’s eyes. Eyes so full of awe and adoration, I want to bottle the way it makes me feel so I can carry it with me on my darkest days.

“It is done. There isnae time to waste. She must go,” the goddess says to Brennen, and he stiffens.

“Where she goes, I will follow,” he says, straightening as if daring the goddess to defy him. Her eyes flick to our joined hands.

“Interesting,” she says, tilting her head. “Are you certain? You could return to your home. Resume your duties to the souls that pass.”

“No,” Brennen almost growls, and my heart swells. Could it really be possible there’s a place for us, after all? “Did I not jump into the After to follow her, thinking it would lead to my own death? I dinnae care if you strip me of my duties. If you refuse to make me immortal again. I willnae be leaving her side.”

The goddess presses her lips together for several long moments. “If you are to continue on this quest, know I cannae help you. There are things you do not know. Things I cannae tell you. There will be danger. ”

Brennen pulls me closer. “Aye,” he says. “Whatever the consequences are, I’ll accept them.”

The goddess nods, though she doesn’t look pleased.

She turns her attention away from Brennen, meeting my eyes. “You must find your sisters in fate and destroy their dedication dàn so the Cutter cannae reach them.”