Marker of Hope (37 page)

“If you hurt them…” David growled.

“What are you going to do about it?” Olympia
leered at David. “Is your little heart going to break? I’d really
like to see it happen.”

“Olympia, love,” the man hiding behind Samuel
said. “Don’t make this a personal vendetta. Our business is on a
grander scale.” He stepped forward. “Am I right, Isis?”

My jaw dropped along with my heart when I saw
Eros. He would never… Or could he have conspired against us all
this time? Would he be capable of such a thing? I knew the answer
so well. Why was I even asking myself this? He’d convinced me to go
with him in search of my father and away from David. He’d said he
loved me. But it was all a farce—a plan to sabotage my life.

“You…” David’s face reddened. “Eros, so help
me Deus, I will kill you.”

“I doubt it. But you can try, mon frère,”
Eros said.

“Enough small talk,” Olympia said. “I’m bored
of it.”

Olympia walked to Claire’s side, her sword
pointed at Claire’s neck. She yanked Faith out of Claire’s arms,
and Claire pawed at her, eyes wide and desperate. I heard Faith’s
frightened cries echo in the night.

“No!” I let out a desperate scream. “Olympia,
please… Please, don’t hurt her.” I tried to walk forward, but David
held me back.

Olympia glared at me with the most-wicked
eyes I’d ever seen, more wicked than the demons whose presence I’d
been in just minutes earlier. She held Faith up with one hand and
drew her sword back.

“No!” I screamed.

Claire lunged forward and pulled Olympia’s
elbow back. Olympia swung the sword in the air, trying to free
herself from Claire’s grasp. Then, as if in slow motion, I saw
Olympia’s sword come too close to Claire.

Claire’s eyes widened and her mouth parted.
Her legs gave out, and she landed on her knees on the porch floor.
Her abdomen was sliced, blood pouring from the wound like a red
waterfall.

Eros pushed Samuel out of the way and slashed
the air with his sword. Olympia’s body parted in two at the waist,
each half landing on opposite sides. Samuel dove for Faith,
catching her just before she hit the ground.

I wasn’t sure if I was still standing, but I
felt myself moving closer to Claire. All of a sudden, I was
cradling her, holding her tight against me.

“Mom…” I cried.

“Isis,” I heard her whisper. I pulled her
away from me so I could see her face. “I love you. You’ve always
been my hero.” Her breath hitched. “You did—good, baby. You
did…”

I felt the life leave her body. She went limp
in my arms. The pain in my heart was worse than anything I ever
imagined. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. All I could feel
was the void of her absence growing stronger inside me, and the
panic of not ever seeing her eyes open again struck me like an iron
whip.

“Mom!” I screamed so loud the echo of my pain
resonated through the forest and back to my chest.

My hope not gone, I stared at her motionless
face, yearning to see her eyes blink. I shook her. Shook her again.
But Claire—
my
Claire—was no longer with me. She was flying
high above the clouds where the universe meets eternity, where
angels greet the worthy, where dreams and wishes went to play. As I
sat there, holding her, all I could do was pray and hope I’d
someday be worthy enough to see her again.

***

We buried Claire five days later, after the
remnants of the battle were cleared. Her white casket was adorned
with pink roses—her favorite. I didn’t realize how many friends and
acquaintances Claire had until the day of the wake. Following her
death, my days blurred into one other. I couldn’t tell night from
day, since all I saw were tones of black and gray and heartbreak.
David held me every night as I cried myself to sleep. I’d wake
thinking I’d dreamed it all, but the harsh reality would sink in
moments after I’d opened my eyes. Claire wasn’t coming back.
Neither were the warriors I’d lost in battle: Persia, Vasilika,
Chrosis, Cezario, and Ayrie… And yet, life went on in spite of my
sorrow.

My sunshine was Faith, who grew a little more
each day. She looked like Claire when she smiled. Nyx and Galilea
agreed.

Samuel mourned my mother’s death as deeply as
I did. It was then I regretted not supporting their relationship.
Theirs was true love, as David and mine was. I apologized to Samuel
and asked him what I could do to make it up to him. He said I
didn’t have to do anything, but asked me to call him “Dad”. I
agreed because, after all, there was no denying he was.

Once in a while, I’d think of Eros. He
disappeared after he killed Olympia, leaving my head full of
questions. I would never truly know whose side he was on. I often
wondered what became of him.

Our family was somewhat back to normal,
though incomplete and scarred. Alezzander took over the highest
seat on the Council with Galen and Eryx residing beside him. Caelum
and Earth were at peace once again. Funny how humanity didn’t even
realize it was ever in danger to begin with.

After some research, Dr. Gunn came to the
conclusion David and I weren’t immortal and our transformation was
in retrocede. My face no longer morphed. David and I seemed to be
pretty much human, except for our extra-sensitive senses and
strength.

Nyx showed concern at first, because what
immortal mother wants to lose their son to mortality? But David
explained Faith deserved to have a normal human life. With a sad
smile on her face, Nyx agreed. We knew the day would come when
David and I would have to part ways with his family, but we didn’t
talk about it.

And as the days passed, though slow and
painful, life became tolerable. I learned to live with the pain of
loss and to welcome happiness. I learned what it was to be human
again.

And life went on…

CHAPTER 42

A year and two months after Claire’s death, I
danced under a summer sky in a white dress with my dream boy.
Though, now, David looked more like a man than a boy. Galilea got
her wish and coordinated the wedding. She filled the entire
backyard gazebo with pink roses and fragrant tuberose, honoring
Claire’s wishes. Apparently, they’d talked about this wedding many
times before all the madness befell our lives. Faith served as our
flower girl. She was the cutest flower girl in the world. At least,
she was to David and me.

My dad, Samuel, walked me down the aisle and
danced the father-daughter dance with me. My mom would’ve loved
it.

On stage, Galilea’s favorite band, Hot Wired,
rocked out their latest album’s hits. They really knew how to put
on a show. I clapped as one of their songs ended. David kissed me,
and then from the crowd, I saw
the
Steven Tyler walk up to
the stage.

“This one goes out to the happy couple,”
Steven Tyler said. “You are royalty! Hit it, Hot Wired!” He sang
one of my favorite ballads as I wept into David’s lapel. How I
wished Claire and Hector could’ve seen this. But even without my
parents by my side, my new family—though unconventional, and yet,
perfect in a way—made me happy. And at least I still had my granny
Eva. She sat at a table with Andy and the rest of my friends,
watching David and me dance. I wiped my tears as she waved at us. I
waved back. I wished she’d reconsider moving in with us. But she
said she liked living on her own and wouldn’t hear of it.

Samuel tapped David on the shoulder and asked
David if he could dance with me. Nyx was already waiting to dance
with David. After a few minutes, the dance floor crowded with
couples. An old man with white hair tapped Samuel’s shoulder,
asking to cut in. I’d never seen him before.

“Are you having a good time, sir?” I asked
the elderly man. I was curious to know who he was.

“So, so. But the question is,” he said in a
French accent, “are
you
, my sweet?”

My feet stopped moving. It couldn’t be…

“Eros?” I asked, looking into his gray,
wrinkled eyes.

“Who else?” he asked. “I’m glad to see you’re
doing well after your mother’s passing. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop
Olympia in time. I didn’t foresee her actions.”

“If you came to ruin my wedding…” I lowered
my head. “You’ve been playing games with me since I met you. You
cost me my mother’s life. Haven’t you had your fun? Why do you
insist on coming back?”

“I felt the need to clear your doubts,” he
said. “You think I was on the Council’s side, but I’ve only ever
been on one side, my sweet.” He paused. “Yours. I was Frederick’s
main informant. Didn’t he tell you?”

“More lies?”

“Look at me, Isis.” He stared into my eyes.
“What man sacrifices his youth, his beauty, for a woman? I’ll tell
you…” He smiled. “A man in love.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Do you remember the witch I made a pact
with?” Eros asked. I waited for his explanation. “She became young,
did she not? My barter was my youth for her help. And voila!” He
spun me around. “David lived. And here I am, old as life
itself.”

“You didn’t have to do that for me.” I looked
over my shoulder at David, who was laughing with his mother.

“I wanted to. But I bet you’re wondering why,
eh?” he asked. “Simple. Because I knew you loved me too. Or was I
wrong?” I stared at his aged cupid eyes, not saying anything. “I
wasn’t wrong.” He smiled. “Love knows all. Could I ask you for one
thing before I leave?”

“What is it? More deals?” I raised an eyebrow
at him. “You want me to run away with you again? Sorry, but I’m a
little busy. It’s my wedding day, if you haven’t noticed.”

Eros chuckled. “No. It’s much simpler. I’d
just like to hear the words coming from your mouth. Tell me… I’m an
old man. I doubt you’re into the elderly, so you have nothing to
worry about. But my heart, it won’t rest until it hears the words
it’s longed to hear.”

I glanced at David, who was looking at me. I
loved David. I had no doubt in my mind David was the one I was
meant to be with. David was my forever. But somewhere in my heart,
there’d been a love I couldn’t deny.

“I did love you, Eros,” I said.
“
Then
.”

“And now?” he asked softly.

I sighed.

“No need to answer. I already know,” he said.
“But I will love you forever, my sweet.”

Eros twirled me once more and bowed. I
watched as he walked off the dance floor, tipping his head at my
grandmother, who blushed and giggled.

I felt David beside me. He took my hand and
pulled me close to him.

“Who was that?” David asked.

“An old friend of the family’s,” I said. I
wasn’t lying.

We danced until my feet blistered and the
moon was high in the night sky. The next day, we’d board a plane
and head to Greece for our honeymoon. Maybe this time, I’d actually
enjoy it. That night, before bed, I documented my thoughts in my
journal.

June 23, 1:04 AM

Of all the things I’ve learned in life, the
most valuable of these lessons is love, for it is unconceivable to
live without it and essential to acknowledge it. Yet, I’ve met
those who’ve forgotten how to feel empathy, and how to be kind. And
while I fear future generations will forget what it is to love, I
hold on to the hope that my struggles and my losses haven’t been in
vain. From my parents, I learned the best kind of
love—unconditional. In my own parents’ memory, and as they taught
me, I vow to never turn into a person who poisons the world with
words and actions. And, as a promise to myself, I will always
remember how Faith was born of love, and how she will give birth to
the new humankind who will be kind once again. I will teach my
child these rules until my time has come to fly in the sky where
the universe meets eternity, where angels greet the worthy, where
dreams and wishes go to play. And as my body withers with age and
reaches death, my hope will never wither or die, for it was hope
that brought me love.

EPILOGUE

EROS

“So?” the Graeae Witch asked from the
passenger seat of the rental car. She was quite the pain in the
ass, this one. “What happened?”

“It was simply beautiful, love. We danced. We
laughed. She said the words, as I said she would.” I smirked. “You
made it too easy, Deino. I’m the god of love. You can’t compete
with me.”

“But… But, Eros, I have a suitor now. You
can’t take back youth from me. Not yet.”

“Deino, I’m sorry. I truly am… because I have
to see your ugly, old face again.” She pouted as I turned the key.
The car revved to life. “Don’t give me that look, love. You know
how these barters work, oui? It’s inevitable. A deal is a deal.
Besides, I don’t enjoy having wrinkled balls.”

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” I said, driving off. “I know
these things.” I felt Deino’s hand on my lap. “Er, Deino… I feel I
should warn you—sometimes, love is lethal.”

THE END

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my assistant, Judith Lauren Frazee, aka
Joood Hooligan of Platypire Reviews, I thank you for believing in
me and sticking with me through writer’s block and healthy brain
function, through mass obsessiveness and dumb rants, through the
occasional meltdown and excessive caffeine highs. You’re a true
friend.

To my editor, Elisabeth Kauffman, who took me
under her wing and taught me her literary ways. Thank you a million
stars! I couldn’t have finished this series without you.

To my beta readers, Angela Pratt, Bekah Pratt
Smith, Autumn Wrought, Bianca Calin, Krystle Mendiola, and Judith
Lauren Frazee, thank you for your feedback and having my back.

To my readers, thank you for being so
patient. Now I know how Pinocchio felt when he turned into a real
boy; you guys made me a real writer.

To my friend Jhanet Loria and my brother Juan
M. Mendiola, Jr., thanks for your medical knowledge and for walking
alongside me with the gods in Greece.