Sunday reaches out and shakes Rye’s hand.
“How about we all stop apologizing for shit that isn’t our fault and just accept that all this is on the Horsemen and not on us,” Aziza says.
It’s a good plan, one I can most definitely get on board with.
“That works for me,” Rye says.
We all nod our agreement.
“What was it like?” Mel asks Sunday. “Having War in your head?”
“It was… strange. I mean actually, that doesn’t even come close to describing it. I assume War has been dormant inside me since the Horsemen came back to Earth, but I didn’t notice anything strange until we were in the desert searching for the spear. I started to notice an itching feeling in my head. On the inside rather than outside. I put it down to the heat and tried to ignore it, but as we got closer to the spear, it got more insistent. Once Sailor had the spear, it felt like I was being pushed back in my own head, like I was no longer controlling my body or my mind.
“I figured out what was happening when my head began to fill with thoughts of mischief and destruction. I tried to fight War, tried to claw my way back, but he was too strong. I became a passenger in my own body, sitting there, looking out through my eyes, hearing with my ears, but not in control of anything.
“I raged and screamed and cursed, but it was like War no longer noticed me, or if he did, he just ignored me completely. The tiny ray of hope I clung to was that there was a part of War, a part he tried to keep hidden, that was terrified of Sailor.”
Sunday turns to me.
“He knew all along that you were strong enough to beat him. So did I. And that’s what I clung to. War knew he needed to get you alone, but there was always someone with you.”
“Oh my God,” Jinx suddenly interrupts. “Of course there was always someone with you. Like when we went to the warehouse to train and Rye and Aziza jumped out of nowhere and attacked me when I beat you. They thought I was trying to kill you.”
I nod and Jinx laughs.
“Crazy times,” he says. He turns to Sunday. “Sorry, carry on.”
“That’s when War came up with the idea of drugging everyone so he could end you. He knew his power was growing and although he didn’t know you knew he was a member of the team, he knew you wouldn’t be far from figuring it out as his influence spread to the point where even he wouldn’t have been able to control it and the team would have been fighting each other constantly.
“He didn’t know Jinx didn’t drink the hot chocolate, so he thought he was home free. And even then, even when he thought you would be completely alone, he feared you.”
Sunday’s words give me further hope. If War feared me for what I did to Pestilence, then Famine and Death will surely be starting to get a little worried. Rye obviously has the same idea, because he grins at me, but then he frowns.
“We have to stay alert,” he says. “Of course it’s a good thing that the Horsemen are afraid of you, but it also means they won’t take any chances.”
“For God’s sake, Rye. Sailor just took down War and saved Sunday’s life. Can we just have one day where we celebrate that before we start worrying about what’s next?” Aziza says.
Rye looks torn for a moment and then he smiles.
“You know what? Yeah. We can.” He raises his coffee cup. “To Sailor and to being halfway through our mission.”
“To Sailor,” the team repeats, and I feel that warm glow again.
The warm glow I’ve come to recognize as acceptance. As family.
EPILOGUE
RYE SPEAKS
Sailor tests me every single day. She tests my patience as she ignores every instruction I give her, most of which are for her own safety. She tests my self-control as I fight to not pull her into my arms and make love to her. But despite everything, I wouldn’t change her for the world. She’s the most headstrong, bravest girl I’ve ever met, and she’s single-handedly taken down the second Horseman of the Apocalypse today. I am so proud of her I could burst, and the love I feel for her only grows stronger with each passing day.
Not only has she beaten War, she did it in a way that Sunday has survived it. The thought of losing another team member was eating me up inside, and she found a way to ensure it didn’t happen.
She deserves this night, the party Ya-Ya and Mel started to put together as soon as we finished talking this morning. I am still worried about her. As I let myself get closer to her, the thought of losing her becomes more and more worrisome. But I promised not to think about that tonight. Tonight is a celebration.
Sailor comes over to me now, a drink in her hand, her cheeks slightly flushed, partly from the drinking and partly, I think, from the dancing. She slips her hand into mine and starts to tug me towards the center of the room, which has been cleared off to make a dance floor.
“Come on, let’s dance,” she says.
“No way,” I say. “Sailor, I don’t dance.”
She grins at me.
“And I don’t kill Horsemen or get gems embedded in my skin. But I guess we’re both changing,” she says with a wink.
Reluctantly, I let her lead me
