Page 106 of (Sur)real
“You saw my back and understand what happened. I bargained with the Others. For their help, I paid with my flesh. That is my gift. I see what waits beyond the veil. I know what will come if the Judgement is not complete. And only I can complete it.”
My grip on the wheel tightened as I listened. I had to be misunderstanding.
“What are you saying?”
“I am Courage. I know my purpose. I am the sacrifice. The payment to complete the Judgement.”
I shook with rage. The road blurred as I fought the change. Hair sprouted on my arms. Olivia said nothing as I braked and pulled over.
Olivia would die? No. She was mine. The Lady gave her to me. I didn’t care if that meant an unfinished Judgement.
Pain shot through my chest. Gasping and struggling to breathe, I broke the steering wheel.
“Jim.” Olivia’s hands settled on my back and smoothed over my shoulders, leaving a chill under my shirt.
“I am yours. She chose you because only you have the strength and foresight to see what needs to be done. Do you love your people, your world, enough to help me fulfill my purpose? Because I can’t do this without you.”
In my mind, I railed at the Lady, hating her for placing Olivia in my care, for letting me touch her, taste her, love her. Why give her to me just to take her away? My throat closed with the increased pain. Grey crept in from the peripheral of my vision. None of that mattered as much as the possible absence of Olivia in my life after the Judgement. None of the pain hurt as much as that thought.
“Think of your mom. Of Emmitt and Michelle. Think of the two little boys you’ve left behind. Think of them, Jim,” she said, reminding me of my responsibility.
I realized in that pain-filled moment, either way, I would lose Olivia. If I tried to prevent the Judgement, we would all die. The pain began to ease as I understood.
After a few moments, I drew an unsteady breath. A few more slow breaths removed the grey from my sight. Sitting up, I looked at Olivia. Tears wet her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Jim.”
She was going to die, and she was trying to comfort me?
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her like there would be no tomorrow because there wouldn’t. When we finally broke apart, she was gasping for air just as much as I had. I set my forehead against hers and let her scent wash over me.
“Tell me what I need to do to help.”
“For now, just stay close. And don’t tell the rest. I’m afraid they might try to stop it.”
OLIVIA…
Jim straightened away from me and focused on getting us back onto the road.
Resuming my silence, I waited and pretended each turn of the wheel wasn’t bringing me one step closer to my death.
The Others raced outside the car. The barren landscape slowly changed, providing them with rock formations to swirl around and inspect. I wanted to ask Jim to talk to me, to describe what he could see. But I could still feel him shaking through the seat.
Since the day the Lady told me to bite Blake, she’d explained my purpose. I’d grown up knowing I would die, just like every other creature on the planet. The only difference was that I knew when and how.
As much as his shock and anger at hearing the news upset me, it also warmed me. He truly did care. I hoped it would be enough to see the Judgement through.
“The others are already there. We’re close. But they’re closing in,” Jim said, his voice still low and raw.
“Who?”
“The Urbat.”
“Will we make it before they do?” Blake felt closer, but not yet close enough for concern.
“We will but Isabelle’s had to stop several times because of riding with Bethi. Winifred says that Isabelle ran into several Urbat groups already.”
“The fighter,” I said, mostly to myself. If any of us had to face a group of Urbat, she alone would survive.
