“If you aren’t successful when we shift into that moon phase, and the eclipse is already in full effect, then the remaining horsemen can breathe life back into his fallen brothers. Essentially undoing all the hard work we accomplished in vanquishing the others. What I am trying to say, Sailor, is that failure really isn’t an option here.”
“Why can’t one of you just go do it? You all are gods. You have powers. I am just a puny mortal teenager who moved to a new place and really should just be worrying about my first set of classes. Making new friends. Putting the past behind me. Not jumping into some old battle between gods and horsemen!”
“Don’t you think we would have already?” Rye’s voice is low and quiet, but his tone has the hair on the back of my neck standing. “We can’t land the final blow, Sailor. Aziza, Grace, Mel, Jinx, Sunday, and I are just sent here to protect, guide, and battle beside the Paradox; beside you. That’s it. You, the Paradox, are the one that has to kill them. All of them. And if you, we, don’t succeed…”
I gulp and sputter water. I don’t like not having options.
“But if we don’t succeed what?”
Sunday steps up this time. “If we fail, then that’s it. The end.”
Dreading the answer and half knowing it already, I can’t help but ask anyways, “End of what exactly?”
“Everything. Everyone. Us. You. Your dad. That dog. We all cease to exist. Worst of all, we can’t return to Mensa, where our powers originated.”
“I’m pretty sure death is worse.”
There’s that pesky sarcasm again. I am really winning in the social Olympics today.
“I really don’t have an option here, do I? Like, how Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible has a mission only if he accepts. I don’t suppose I get the same option here?”
“Like we already told you. It has to be you, the Paradox. I mean, you can walk away. Just get up and walk out that door and never look back. But it would also mean we all only have a year left. One year to live our best lives. Three hundred and sixty-five days to tell our loved ones goodbye. I can think of a few things I’d still like to do before I croak,” Sunday mumbles.
I have to wonder what there is that a god hasn’t done. I look to Rye; his face is hard to read, the edges and lines prominent and those grey-blues looking haunted. What could he possibly be thinking?
“Maybe some things are just meant to end,” Rye says.
He is still whispering, but even so, it’s as if his voice is the only one being carried through the game room. Aziza storms at him, shoving him hard. For a brief moment, I feel an urge to hit her, to protect him, but I shove that back down. I mean, what would I do up against a goddess?
“What’s your deal?” she screams at him.
Rye shakes his head, raking a hand through that unruly hair.
“Maybe the gods are wrong to try and stop the curse. Would it be so bad to just live this year out, and then put humanity down, but in a humane sort of way?”
“What, like when you take your goldfish and flush it down the toilet or an old dog to the vet and they euthanize them? These are humans, Rye! We are here to protect them and their planet. Not put them down gently!” Ya-Ya speaks up, the beads in her dreads clicking together with each rising octave.
For a goddess talking about the end of the world she sure does have style, and I find myself really taking in her yellow silk, cinched waist top with the giant blue exotic flowers dancing around the smooth material. Its sheen is as mesmerizing as the African beauty wearing it. These guys can really suck you into their drama, but still, I’m with her.
What’s Rye thinking? He seemed so ready to save the world earlier and now he’s what, backing out? Afraid of something? Giving up and calling it a day? I can’t accept that. But before I can even jump in to defend him, they are all surrounding him, like dogs to one food bowl, hungry for answers.
“You need to explain yourself, Rye. This better be good,” Grace says, her voice soft but clearly demanding.
For the shortest one in the crowd, she’s quite domineering.
“Yeah, you’ve never backed out with the other potential Paradoxes,” Jinx adds.
“Whoa, whoa. Everyone, just step back. Think about this. Those others before, they were special forces, military, tribal leaders, and a rocket scientist. But Sailor…” He pauses and shrugs in my direction.
“She’s just a girl.”
A round of “oh no you didn’t” and gasps, all feminine, circle us. Even I want to jump in but I can’t get my legs to move. I’m pretty much glued to this Lazy Boy. It’s my current balance beam. The one anchor holding me down from a complete mental freak out.
“She wasn’t just some girl in the woods the other night. The warrior in her Paradox heart came out on that demon,” Aziza says.
It’s the first supportive thing she’s said about me and I smile. I do like her.
“I know she is tough. Believe me, I agree. Sailor kicks ass,” Rye starts.
His eyes settle on mine and my heart skips gazing back at their warmth. My gaze dips to those lips, slightly parted, and the stubble on his chin. What would a kiss from that mouth be like?
“Still, she can’t possibly find all Four Horsemen, let alone kill them.”
His words pull me from my fantasies.
“Hey.”
This time I do jump up and join the group crowding Mr. Hotshot God.
“Maybe I am just a girl. But I might be able to handle this mission. Maybe you should have a little faith in me.”
He squares off with me. The others seem to take a step back and I cross my
