It’s late afternoon, and there are a few college kids hanging around under a canopy, listening to music. They look over at me, and one of them waves. I wave back, remembering my visit to the Drag with Chloe to get our tattoos. To think I planned on being one of those kids. On leading a normal life. The Fates had been against me from the start.
One of the guys smiles, and motions me over. “Come join us. We’ve got plenty to share.”
I look to the bottle of liquor he’s holding, and honestly, a part of me is tempted. To grab hold of something normal from this world and hang onto it.
“We don’t bite,” the girl calls. “And anyway, Dylan here needs a date.” She points to the boy on her right who gives me an inviting grin. Then she leans over and kisses the other guy full on the mouth until all three of them roll back laughing. Oh my god, they lead such normal lives, even amid the Global Heating Crisis. They don’t have to worry about any of the craziness filling my world.
I shake my head, and they wave as I walk away. Behind me, I know the clouds follow. The wind starts to pick up, and darkness extends its fingers until it surrounds me on three sides. Lightning fills the sky again, but there’s not a rain drop in sight. The storm coming is pure electricity. It’s been brewing since my most recent trip to the Underworld, and any minute, it’s going to strike.
Once I’m out of the college kids’ sight, I sink down to the hard-packed dirt and rocks. I have to save Randy, but I can’t bring myself to call for Shayne. I don’t want his help. I still hear the music and laughter in the background as I scoot toward the edge of the cliff and look down. The water is so far receded that rocks and sand nearly reach the middle from both sides, leaving a thin ribbon of stagnant brown wetness in between. It’s the only way I’ve known the river. Slow. Dead. Empty.
If I go away, will everything change? Will autumn return and winter come? Will the Global Heating Crisis really end?
“You’re Persephone.”
I whip around at Chloe’s voice, and see her standing there. She must’ve followed me on the shuttle. But it’s not the taunting, horrible Chloe from the auditorium come to tell me she’s sleeping with my boyfriend. It’s the withdrawn Chloe. The one who’s almost died. And neither of them is the one I really want to see. I want my old Chloe back. I want Shayne back.
I turn to the overlook, away from her, and watch the sky. “Yeah. So what?”
I feel her sit down next to me, leaving space in between us.
“You didn’t tell me.”
I shake my head, not knowing if she’s looking at me. “You never gave me the chance.”
We sit there not speaking for a while. I’m not going to start up a conversation with her, and she seems to be trying to figure out what to say. If she even has anything to say. Lightning strikes again, straight down to the earth this time. It hits the bridge crossing the river with a crack so loud, the whole ground shakes.
“Why did you save me?”
I turn, and Chloe’s looking at me. Her eyes contain a sorrow I never used to see. The Chloe I got a tattoo with never showed sadness. She was all fun. And adventure. She is not this Chloe.
I saved you because I love you, I want to say. But it won’t come to my mouth. “I didn’t save you. Shayne did.”
But Chloe shakes her head. “No. It was you. I remember.”
I turn back to the cliff, picking up a rock and tossing it over. It clatters on the rocky outcrop, skipping vertically until it stops. Far below, what little water is left ripples in the wind.
“What’s going to happen to me when I die?” She sounds like a child asking a random curiosity about the world.
I laugh, still keeping my eyes away from her. “You won’t die, Chloe. You can be Queen of the Underworld.”
I hear Chloe suck in. “Are you kidding? That’s you.”
I whip my head around to face her. “That was me, Chloe, until you slept with Shayne.”
Chloe shrinks under my words, and for a second, I can’t believe this Chloe and the Chloe from the auditorium are the same person.
“I don’t think it was really Shayne.” She puts her head in her hands. “I just don’t know what happened.”
I avert my eyes and pick up another rock. “I’m not going back to the Underworld.”
“You have to, Piper.”
“Really? I’m not sure I read that rule.”
“The Underworld needs you.”
I snort. “Please. What do you know about what the Underworld needs?”
Chloe grabs my arm. “But I need you there, Piper. For when I die.”
I yank my arm away and toss the rock over the cliff. “You’re not going to die.”
But she nods. “Yeah. I am. Fate told me so. And I’m scared.”
I stand up, walking a few steps away. The wind’s blowing hard enough now my hair is flying in every single direction possible. I pull it back with one fist. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I need you there to help me. I can’t handle eternity in Tartarus.”
“You don’t have to worry about Tartarus. Randy Conner’s taking care of that for you. He managed to get all the blame.”
Chloe looks at me and blinks her eyes a few times. “He did?” She shakes her head. “But that’s not right. Not fair.”
I scowl at her, thinking of Shayne. “So why don’t you ask the Lord of the Underworld about it?” How can I save Randy Conner now? I can’t even save myself.
“It should be me. Not Randy.” Chloe stands up now, and fear creeps onto her face.
So what? Let her be scared. “Why don’t you offer yourself up in his place then if you think it’s so unfair?”
She shakes her head, and her bandana slips off center. “I told the terrorists I wouldn’t join. Said I didn’t want any part of blowing up a dome. But they used me anyway, and the next thing I knew, Randy’s dad was really dead.”
“Randy asked you to kill him.”
“I didn’t mean to do anything. I swear.” Chloe presses her hands against her face. “But Randy shouldn’t get the blame.”
I shrug. “No, he shouldn’t. Maybe if you go explain things, everything will be all right.”
Chloe looks up then, taking her hands away. “Yeah, maybe. But I’m scared.”
I nod. “You should be.” I know I’m not comforting her, but I don’t care.
Chloe bites her lip, and my eyes meet hers. “I’m so sorry for everything, Piper.”
A gust of wind blows, and she turns away from me, looking out toward the barren water. Before I realize what she’s going to do, she puts her hands up into the wind and jumps.
Chapter 42
Sacrifice
Chloe falls, and I run to the edge, but she’s already gone. I’m too slow. My stomach tightens into a knot so hard and full of disbelief, I can’t stand it. I lunge out on the cliff, but stop myself, unable to go beyond the rim.
Chloe will die.
I heard the words before and tried to stop them, but it was useless. Chloe is dead, and there is nothing I can do about it. Maybe there was never anything I could really do about it except postpone it.
“No! No! No!” I’m staring over the side, but I can’t bring myself to actually look for her body. She’s dead. She’s gone. And though she’s killed herself, I feel like I’ve pushed her. “Please come back. Don’t leave me.” I want the old Chloe here with me now. I want us to be friends, before my knowledge of phoenixes or the Underworld or Persephone ever came back to me. “Please, Chloe.”
Lightning cracks, and this time it strikes a building across on the other shore. In seconds, the building catches fire, and smoke fills the air.
Off to the side, I hear the college kids coming toward me. Did they hear me screaming? Did I scream? I can’t face them or anyone. Before they can reach me, I run the other way.