“Sons, ancestors, and friends; you’ve come here tonight to witness the crowning of a new Prime. However, I have made a decision to-“
“Finn! No!” Before I could stop myself, I was running. I heard a collective gasp from the crowd as they saw me, and Finn turned. When his gaze met mine I felt his darkness reach out to me and embrace me. His face turned from determined to shocked in under a second, as he stared at me in silence. I stopped just before the first row of spikes and caught Maddox staring wide eyed at me.
“Please don’t! You can’t do this! You can’t give everything up!”
Without a word he walked out of the circle, through the spikes and came to a stop in front of me. In his eyes I saw the desperation that motivated him, the love that drove him, and the honor that bound him to his destiny.
“Pasha,” he whispered in astonishment.
“I know what you’re planning to do and…” the tears began to fall, “I can’t let you do it.
We’ll find another way!” I pleaded with him, but he simply smiled.
“This is the only way. Once I am bound to Nadia, you will be lost to me forever.”
“If you do this, you will lose everything!”
“But I will gain the one thing that I can’t live without.” He took my hand and gently kissed it.
Then he quickly turned and walked back to the circle where Maddox was thrashing around, cursing at him. Finn addressed the audience again, “My destiny is my own to accept or deny. And on this night I choose-“
“Finn, please!” I produced the pomegranate from my pocket, realizing that there was no other way. As I held it up in my palm the crowd gasped, and Finn’s face turned to horror. I spoke only to him, “Fulfill your destiny. We will be together in the Underworld.”
“Stasia don’t!” No sooner than his words were out, I brought the fruit to my mouth and sunk my teeth into it as my mother’s words echoed in my mind: ‘
Chapter 41
A light breeze flowed over my skin and ruffled my hair. The soft ground beneath me smelled of spices and herbs. I slowly opened my eyes and lifted myself up to my hands and knees. I was lying in a sort of garden. Sweet mint, basil, and paprika plants had been flattened beneath my weight.
“You surprise me, young goddess.”
I twisted around, landing hard on my bottom. Persephone was sitting Indian-style mere feet away from me. I took several deep breaths and then tucked my legs beneath me. We were currently in the middle of an expansive garden flanked by a magnificent golden mansion. I put my head in my hands and allowed myself to cry. The fear and stress of the last twenty four hours exploded within me, slowly draining into the soil that supported me.
“I couldn’t let him do it. I love him,” I continued to sob.
A demonic laugh wafted up from our right, and I looked over to see Nadia making her way up the path towards us. I began to stand; feeling way too vulnerable sitting down, but Persephone grabbed my arm and held me where I was.
“Stupid, stupid Stasia,” she chuckled again and put her hands on her hips. “You think you’ve done something noble, but all you’ve accomplished is trapping yourself in the Underworld, allowing Finn and I to live out the life we are meant to have.” She winked at me, “I’ll tell him hi for you.”
This time I stood, fully intending to tackle her when Persephone also stood. “Silence, Nadia.”
Nadia furrowed her brow, “I’m just telling her what she should already know.”
“What matters to me is that Finn fulfills his destiny - because for every evil being like you, we will need a great leader like him!” I spat at her.
“Ugh, really?” she raised an eyebrow. “Give me a break. Who do you think you are? You’re no martyr. Why don’t you just stay down here with my mother and leave the
Holding her gaze, I stepped up to her, “A leader does not demand from weaker beings. A leader does not take advantage of her abilities. She leads from within; with dignity and grace. She always puts herself last and she is willing to sacrifice for what is right.” I stepped even closer as she gawked at me with wide eyes, “You will never be a leader,” I hissed at her.
“Anastasia,” I turned to Persephone as she motioned for me to stand beside her. “Come.”
With one last glance at Nadia, I turned and walked to Persephone. She put her hand on my shoulder.
“Never have I met a woman more willing to sacrifice for the man she loves, and willing to fight so hard for what is right. You have proven me wrong, young goddess. And for that; I have decided to give you amnesty.”
“What!?” Nadia lashed out, but Persephone held up her hand.
“I also dismiss your betrothal to Finn.” She sighed as she eyed her daughter in disappointment, “It pains me to say this, but you truly do not deserve him.”
“Mother!” Nadia gasped, as Persephone smiled at me.
“I grant you amnesty, Anastasia. Use my pardon wisely.”
“No!” Nadia screamed as my world once again went black.
The roar of the crowd above hit me with a force that caused me to snap open my eyes. My head fell to the right as a sudden movement caught my attention. I looked over just in time to see Finn drive his axe into Maddox’s chest. He quickly yanked it out and angrily threw it across the arena. He knelt and quietly spoke to Maddox as he leaned over him; hugging him with urgency. My eyes filled with hot tears and an overwhelming pride filled my every cell.
I was lying near the wall of the arena, and it would appear that no one had noticed my reappearance just yet. Two men ran onto the arena floor and struggled to wrench Finn off of Maddox’s body. He collapsed into a heap of tears and defeat, as they dragged Maddox’s body away while the crowd cheered and chanted Finn’s name.
Too exhausted to move, I simply called out his name, “Finn…” He either heard me somehow or felt my essence, because his eyes lifted and met mine automatically. In that moment the world disappeared and all that was left was us. His darkness reached out to me as he stood slowly. The crowd, seeing his attention diverted, began to murmur and gasp as they laid eyes on me.
As Finn continued to make his way over to me, they quieted and seemed to hold their breaths. I forced my body to turn on its side and I painstakingly lifted myself up to my knees. He stopped in front of me and fell to his knees as well, grabbing my arms and supporting me.
“Oh Stasia, I’m so sorry.” I silenced him with my finger and smiled through my tears. His own tears continued to fall as I wrapped my arms around him and brought my lips to his. My heart exploded into a million pieces, raining down on us and blanketing me with euphoria. The crowd in the arena erupted into cheers that I felt all the way down to my soul. He glanced up at me in surprise.
“You have darkness in you… I can feel it…” he said only to me, amazed. “But how…”
“Persephone pardoned me,” I laughed from the joy I felt, “and she dismissed your betrothal,” Finn simply shook his head at me in astonishment.
“And here I thought I was going to be the one to find a way around it and save the day.” He chuckled, “I should have known you’d show me up.”
“It’s what I do,” I teased him.
“And loving you is what I do,” he whispered, as he embraced me again for another passionate kiss. The incessant chanting of the crowd drew our attention back to our audience, who was demanding the induction of
