Page 108 of (Sur)real
I didn’t give a shit if the Others were upset. So was I. Olivia trembled in my arms. The idea of losing her tore at me.
Mom watched me with a critical eye.
“James Greyson Cole, I know that look. Every time I’ve seen it, something bad happens not long afterwards. What did you do?”
“I haven’t done a thing, Mom.” Just lost my heart to a girl meant to die.
Olivia sighed and lifted her head to look up at me. I brushed a loose piece of hair away from her face.
“Will you keep your promise?” she asked.
“I will.” I would help her die to save the world.
She turned her head to look at my mom.
“He hasn’t done anything. He now knows the price that needs to be paid to complete the Judgement.”
Mom’s eyes narrowed then widened with understanding.
“On the side of the road, when those things took your skin, you said you had the courage to be the sacrifice. Courage to do what you must to save not just one race, but all of them. We thought you were talking about what had just happened.”
Olivia shook her head slowly, and Mom’s gaze pinned me. Tears welled.
“No,” she breathed. Mom knew. She understood what losing Olivia would do to me. It would kill me.
With desperation in her eyes, Mom looked at Olivia.
“There has to be another way,” she said. “Why you?”
“Why not Blake?” Michelle asked.
“This is what I was born for. We all have roles to play in this. Paying the price to change the future of this world is mine,” Olivia said.
Mom opened her mouth to say more but was cut off by a chorus of distant howls.
“It begins,” Olivia said.
“Defensive circle,” Winifred called.
Mom grabbed Olivia’s hand.
“You’ll stick with me, Olivia.”
I gave her hand a squeeze and released her. Together, Mom and Olivia moved toward the center of our group. Dad moved to my side, and the rest spread out around Mom, Gabby, Michelle, and Olivia. Wolves I hadn’t seen in ages nodded to me and stepped around us, creating another barrier of protection. Henry stood in their midst. All were willing to give their lives to save our race.
I watched the various entrances to the canyon. Urbat, in their skin and in their fur, came pouring in. They greatly outnumbered us.
A hand touched my back.
“I need to be at the front, Jim, or too many will die.”
“He’ll try to take you.”
The howls and snarls grew in volume. The ground vibrated beneath my feet.
“Where?” Olivia said, “There’s nowhere to go. My sisters are here. He won’t do anything to me.”
I reached for her hand, and Dad grabbed my wrist.
