Sacrifice of the Septimus: Part 1 (Afterlife saga Book 7) by Stephanie Hudson
“And how are we supposed to do that exactly?”
“There is only one way but we won’t be able to do it alone.” Okay so I liked the sound of that even more. However, we had one little problem with that,
“And who exactly can we trust to go against their King?” I thought for a moment that after her long pause, the first name from her lips was going to be Ranka but I was wrong.
“The only other three I saw painted in your path yet never knowing why…until now.”
“Who?”
“Ari, your sister from another life and who at this very minute is on a journey of discovery of her own.” Well that made sense considering she held no fidelity to the King.
“Your little friend Pipper will also go with you.”
“Pip!?” Now this shocked me.
“She was thrown into your path for this very reason and has a special set of gifts that can aid you in this.” My mind reeled wondering how on earth we were going to do this and more importantly without the knowledge of our men.
“And the third?”
“Sophia.”
“What?! Are you nuts! There is no way she would keep something like this from her brother,” I told her firmly. Pythia gave me a little half smile before informing me that I was wrong.
“Sophia is the only one that will know all you need to know for where you are going.”
“I’m telling you Pythia, you might be right with the other two but not with Sophia, the second we tell her our plans I will be marched in front of Draven to explain myself and you will most likely be thrown in a cell.” Even after saying all this I knew she didn’t believe me when she started smiling even more.
“Sophia has gone against her brother many times in order to bring you two together and her faith in the Fates has never wavered. Once she knows why we must do this, she will do all she can to aid our goal.”
“And you, are you coming with us?” I asked, tensing as I waited for the answer I hoped for.
“I cannot.”
“But why? You must be able to see the advantage having you by our side would give us.” I could tell even before she told me why that the answer was still no just by the soft look she gave me. She placed a hand at my shoulder, squeezed it gently and said,
“Because where you are going is somewhere I am unable to follow.”
“Why, where is it I must go?”
“The only place left where he still believes…” I frowned not expecting for one minute what her next words were going to be. However, when I heard them I was stunned into silence…
“Back to the past.”
Chapter 13
Two Lies Make a Right
I looked around the room I used to know so well, no longer feeling like I belonged there. It was strange but after walking away from Pythia I no longer felt as though I belonged anywhere anymore and I knew why. It was all just borrowed time and the strange thing was that Pythia had no answers for me when I asked her my final question before we parted ways.
“When it’s all over…when the dust settles on an Earth that was spared its end…then what of me, what of my final destination? Where will I go?” In this moment of silence, I realised something. It was one thing to know about your death but to not know what would happen to my soul was something else entirely. It chilled me to my core, which is why I sat here now with my back against the wall in a shell of a room that was once mine. Sat here looking at all those memories replaying back to me like shadow puppets of time, showing me exactly what I was fighting for. Sat here asking myself over and over if I could do all that the Fates asked of me and would it be enough?
Would I be strong enough?
I asked myself this very question as I recited my own version of the Lord’s Prayer. I looked up to the ceiling, giving Heaven my words and letting my tears fall, giving Hell my pain…
“I will walk in the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil. In both Earth as it is in Heaven, lead me not into Temptation but deliver me to my destination from evil. Our Fathers in Heaven and Hell, hallowed be thy name. For his Kingdom I will come and the Fates’ Will shall be done.”
I finished on a cry for mercy without words and let my head fall to my knees, covering my face with my hands as I cried for the loss I would endure.
I don’t know how long I stayed like this but I know that I sobbed until I had nothing left. That was all the time I was allowing myself to feel the pain and give in to self-pity. Because no matter how much the reality of what I had to do hurt, there was no strength to be found in feeling sorry for myself. For what I had to do next I knew I would need all the strength I possessed.
And I couldn’t do that sat here crying on the floor. I looked over to where Libby had hung pictures of our family and I remember thinking back to how welcome it had made me feel when I first arrived. So I picked myself up and walked over to them, reaching out and touching the smiling faces of my parents, then moving on to Libby and myself as children. I was so lucky to have such love in my life that if there was one way to be thankful it was to try everything in my power to prevent it from ever ending. Looking at Libby and me hugging each other caused my hand to curl into a fist.
She was always there for me, no matter what and even through those scary times, I knew that all I had to do was hold out my hand and Libby’s would be the one taking it, holding it close and never letting go. Yes, she was always there for me, but now it was my turn to be there for her and her own family.
“I promise you Libby, I will do everything I can to save our family so that yours can live with our happy memories, making them their own…for I will always treasure mine.” I let my fist fall by my side and backed up until I felt the bed at the back of my legs. I sat down and with my family in mind I started to plan.
Pythia had already told me who was to accompany me on this journey back in time, which was as mind boggling as it sounded, as neither of us had any clue on how to accomplish such a thing. I had of course asked the obvious questions, like
“Has it been done before?” But her answer had been less than encouraging when she shook her head and said,
“No, it has not.” This then followed by my next question,
“Do you know anyone who can do it?” But again this only led me down the same negative road,
“No, I do not.” In the end I had to say,
“This isn’t looking good, Pythia.”
“No, it’s not.” I almost growled like Draven at this point until she said something to me that even now wouldn’t go away,
“But at some point everyone’s faith gets judged, that’s when the righteous find a way.” For some unknown reason I held on to this and wouldn’t let go and I didn’t know why because as far as I could see, it was hardly giving me the answer that I was looking for. So I decided that maybe one of the reasons that Ari, Pip and Sophia were fated to come with me on this journey was that one of them could hold the answers I was looking for. Now though, came the hard task of getting them on board and I had no idea how I was going to do that. It wasn’t exactly like asking them to come with me to go shopping or asking for help filling in my tax returns.
I mean how does someone even word something like that…? ‘Hey guys, you know how we are really good friends and all, well I was just wondering if you fancied risking your life to come back in time with me and help me save the world from its doomed fate…? Oh yeah, our mission is to get me knocked up by a younger Draven and risk the wrath of the older one...so you guys in?
Uh, I didn’t think so somehow. Which left me with another problem…time. Pythia told me that my window of opportunity was closing and fast. Being back in time wasn’t the issue as it didn’t matter how many days passed if we could simply travel back to this point in time so that it was as if we had never left. The problem was I needed to be back in this time pregnant and that time, our time was running out. Jeez, I could feel a headache coming on just thinking about it!
Of course being told you only had one week to
I had barely been alone since finding myself again, which was where Ranka had come in to it. Pythia confessed that Ranka had lured Draven away to the warehouse district where his friend Leivic ran a nightclub for him, which was solely for the supernatural. She had lied, telling him that whilst away on her mission to find Aurora, she had heard that was where the Oracle might be hiding. I had to give it to this Ranka, she was good alright…now if only she didn’t look like a bitch that tried to drown and stab me to death…oh and let’s not forget being in love with Draven…yeah that would go a long way on the road to me liking her.
But despite her plan it still didn’t explain why he never said goodbye though. Although, I may have just answered that one for myself. Was it possible she had said something to him to make him think twice about telling me? Or was he just avoiding me out of guilt?
Either way it was obvious that whatever Draven had been about to confess that day, just before Seth burst in, was something he was reluctant to tell me, which had me wondering if the Fates hadn’t had their hand in that too, because now the Oracle had beaten him to it. Which begged the question what would he have told me exactly? I couldn’t imagine for one minute it would be the whole truth. And now when he finally did tell me, I in turn wouldn’t be able to be truthful back when giving him my reaction to it.
I was certain he wouldn’t tell me the whole truth of what I already knew and I couldn’t tell him what I was going to do. It wasn’t exactly the best way to start off a marriage, now was it?
In the end this inevitable chat was going to happen sooner than I would have liked.
“What are you doing here, Keira?” I was startled at the sound of Draven’s voice and jumped before turning round to face him.
“Jesus, Draven you scared the shit out of me!” I told him and ignored the frown he gave me for swearing. The sight of him stood at my window was one I would never forget as long as I lived, and evidently that wasn’t going to be as long as I would have liked.
“Answer the question, Keira.”
“I came to see my sister and Ella,” I told him and he looked to the door as if questioning my reasons.
“And you think to do so by sitting here in a dark room in an empty house?” I looked around and I had to ask myself what the time was and how long I had just been sat here staring at the walls.
“I’ve been waiting,” I said knowing this applied to so many other things. To be honest if Libby, Frank and little Ella had been home when I rushed into the house in tears, then I might have blurted everything out to them in a moment of weakness.
“Come on, I will take you home.” I looked up at him and said,
“I am home.” This looked as though it stung him as he recoiled back a step.
“And Afterlife, what of that…is that no longer considered your home simply because I left without saying goodbye?” he snapped, sounding hurt.
“You spoke with Sophia.” I guessed and watched as he folded his arms across his chest.
“Actually, Sophia spoke with me. She told me that I couldn’t expect to ask of you what I myself am not willing to do.” I hid my smile at the thought of Sophia giving her brother an earful about leaving me today…funny then that in the end Draven leaving that way might have just saved the planet.
“Smart woman, your sister.”
“Yes and she has a hell of a right hook,” he added rubbing his jaw and I couldn’t say I was surprised. She might have been smart, funny and beautiful but she was still a little demon with a monster amount of power.
“I should have told you.”
“Yes, you should have.” I told him, feeling guilty for being thankful that he hadn’t.
“Why didn’t you?” I asked after long moments of silence between us.
“I knew you would have questions, ones at the time I didn’t know how to answer.”
“And now? Do you have the time now, Draven?” He looked into my eyes and opened his mouth as if about to speak but then stopped himself on a sigh. He sat down on my window seat as if readying himself for something he was dreading.
“I should have made the time long ago.” I gave him a small smile, knowing this was true but also knowing that if he had then things wouldn’t be playing out as they are now. Because when you change one single thread of time, you risk loosening the web you wove in the first place…and changing everything.
“I’m not going anywhere, Draven.” At least not yet I thought guiltily.
“No but after this you might want to,” he warned and I couldn’t believe how true to fate that was.
“It can’t be as bad as having me believe you’re dead, Draven.” I almost regretted it as soon as it was out, as the pain I saw flicker on his face wasn’t one I was proud of.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” He held up his hand to stop me and said,
“No, you have every right. I hurt you to protect you and it must be my eternal curse because I keep being forced to continue down this regretful path.” I couldn’t help it when my heart broke for him. I knew none of this was easy for me, but for Draven the fear of bringing forth the death of someone he loved more than anything else in the world, well that certainly made it harder for him than me.
But in the end he would see that none of this would be his fault and that I had in fact taken my life into my own hands, choosing a death for me when he could not. I could try and take his guilt away but I wasn’t sure that this was something I could ever accomplish. Either way, I would never stop trying as it would be my personal mission before I died.
“You carry too much alone, Draven.” This was all I could say, for at the moment he thought I was blind to his actions, or better put, his refusal to take actions.
“Fuck Keira, can you not get angry at me!? Scream, shout, give me your wrath so that it might make this easier.” His outburst unfortunately had the opposite effect to the one he asked for, because I burst out laughing.
“I could hit you if you like or call you a dirty rotten bastard if that helps but I doubt it would be very convincing as you know what a bad liar I am.” He laughed and then stopped himself, scolding me,
“Now is not the time to make me laugh.” It was at this point that I decided to do something I never thought I would do. At first I was curious to find out what Draven had to say and how deep those lies would be but really, what was the point? In the end I would be no better than he once I followed through with my plan. So did I really want to spend my limited time on this Earth with him feeling guilty and worse, me allowing it to happen? I had made a vow to change that, and by the Gods I was going to start now.
“Can I ask you something?”
“It wouldn’t be you if you didn’t,” he said on a half-smile, one that died quickly in sight of what he was about to do.
“Is what you’re about to tell me going to change the way you feel about me?” I asked and he looked back up at me in surprise.
“It will no doubt change the way you feel about me.”
“But that’s not what I asked and neither is it something for you to presume.” He looked confused and taken aback. I guess I couldn’t blame him considering I was being very out of character right now.
“Nothing in the world you do would change the way I feel about you…I was born to love you.” He whispered this last part so softly I felt the tears form once more. So I got up from the bed and he watched as I slowly walked over to him.
“Keira?” He questioned as I lifted up one leg and began straddling him, placing my knees either side of his thighs. Then I placed my hands on either side of his face, mirroring my legs and holding him in place. Once in position, I then got very close and told him what I needed to say,
“Now listen to me Dominic, and listen
“…but life is too short to waste even a second of it and I want you to know that an eternity with you… Draven…the truth is… it will never be enough.” Then I buried my head into his shoulder and sobbed quietly, knowing he would never know the reasons why. But instead of asking me, he gave me what I needed the most at that moment…
He gave me all of him.
After this he drove me home, telling me that he had called Libby’s cell only to find they weren’t home and wouldn’t be until tomorrow as they were staying with Frank’s parents for the night. Draven knew how I hadn’t really gone there just to see my family but more of an excuse to be alone, yet he told me about Libby to keep up the pretence, which I appreciated.
But something else must have been on Draven’s mind because he broke the silence in the car and asked,
“What changed?”
“What do you mean?” He raised an eyebrow at me as if to call my bluff and I sighed,
“Can I ask you something first?” He nodded and I could see him smirking in the dark under the low light of the dash.
“If I knew, then would it change our future?” As soon as I asked it, I wondered if I had gone too far when his head snapped round to look at me.
“Why would you ask me that, Keira?”
“Because if me knowing will change the outcome of our future or have an important impact on others, then I would want to know but if you tell me it doesn’t, then I will believe you and simply let it go.” I told him knowing my lie and now just waiting for his. His features tensed and he looked back at the road ahead, with his grip on the steering wheel so tight he was close to snapping it.
“No, you knowing wouldn’t change the outcome of our future.” And there was his lie, so here was mine,