A/N: Here we go, guys! Last chapter of Little Saint Bride...until the sequel! Media is Hadrian holding Nerissa in his arms.
'Nessie,' Nate sees my stance, my readiness, and speaks a warning. 'Don't! You're not strong enough.'
Thankfully, I'm still wearing the mask. Despite my anger, it's still helping me see.
Mercer, despite looking sick, also grabs my wrist. 'No way am I letting you take that maniac on.'
I shrug him off, snarling at the two of them. 'Don't tell me what to do.'
And, anger boiling over, I scream in rage and leap forwards.
Hecate doesn't move; her tendrils do. They flick towards me but I roll past them, moving quickly so that she can't catch me unawares. I knock her feet from under her— she falls with a satisfying crunch.
The boys shout in alarm, stepping towards me protectively, but once again, I shoot them a glare.
Before Hecate can move, my vines erupt from the ground.
Responding to my anger, they're thorny and painful, wrapping around her arms and squeezing tightly. With relish, I manoeuvre into a crouch, ready to grapple the woman who ruined Nate's afterlife.
Mercer grabs my hair and pulls me hard, back to the floor.
I let out a muffled scream of fury and pain— and betrayal. Stars dance above my eyes as the sky tumbles into view, then Mercer's cold eyes, leaning over me.
'What—' I cough, winded by the attack, '—are you doing?'
Mercer attacks again.
He's above me, so he has a supreme advantage, and I'm still staggered by him coming to Hecate's rescue. His first blow hits me square in the nose, and I feel blood erupt from my nose, spattering across my face. His second blow I dodge by instinct; I roll into a ball and seize his body, tipping him off me with as much force as I can muster.
What is wrong with him?
Mercer rolls back and onto his feet. He turns, moving to work at freeing Hecate from the vines. Blood pours from his fingers as the thorns tear his flesh, splitting his palms in two.
I realise that Nate has faded, although his voice still calls my name—
I've lost sight again. My anger is blinding me from seeing the bigger picture...
But how in hell am I not supposed to be angry? This woman, among others, ruined our lives.
She deserves a butt-kicking.
She deserves a painful, slow, death by butt-kicking.
Whack. I tackle Mercer like a bull, throwing him wide of Hecate. We land next to each other, both scrambling to our feet to get the best advantage. I'm quicker, and deftly use my speed to hit him squarely in the face back.
But as he falls backwards, I see Hecate standing, a demon risen, behind him.
How are her legs that long and athletic? The humorous yet insensible side of my frontal lobe states in outrage. And she's just been attacked by angry plants. How does she not have any scratches? Or at least grass stains?
Hecate laughs, a deep resounding sound.
Mercer groans at my feet. Immediately, reflexively— I look down.
Then, the mask is snatched from my face.
Cool air and rain hits my cheeks.
Time seems to slow, my hands rising tremblingly to my features in disbelief. Without the mask, I can't see Hecate's tendrils, and Hecate herself is a dark shadow.
I can barely sense Nate, and Hecate towers over me. Mercer, still controlled, grabs my wrists, and the goddess kicks me in my ribs.
My breath rushes from me.
A crunch of bone and shoe renders me immobile, retching and coughing. I twist against Mercer's hold, lashing and fighting— but nothing makes him flinch. My friend overpowers, me, wrapping his hands around my wrists and pulling me to a hold where my hands are above my head. Mercer is taller than I am, so when he pulls upwards, I'm standing on tiptoe, legs shaking, unable to move.
Hecate's still laughing, or perhaps that's just my brain replaying my defeat, over and over.
'You did well, Little Saint Bride!' she roars, 'but...this is the end. It's a shame I couldn't use your brother to kill you. His body is a little dusty to be of any use to me now.'
Her words make me bristle; I can't help it. I spit at her feet.
'Fuck you,' I hiss. 'You piece of shit.'
She merely smiles. 'I might have liked you, had we met under different circumstances. But I'm more content this way, where I get to 'fuck you over', to use your disgusting language.'
Her nails rush to my throat, drawing blood.
She squeezes, choking me.
Vines burst from the ground, trying to tackle her, but I forget— she can control "spring" too, and I watch them get pushed away. The first time I had caught her weakened and unawares, but now, she fights them away with a smirk. If I had more time, I'm sure I could overpower her— but, I've only got a few more moments before I pass out and my power is weakening rapidly. Black spots dance before my eyes as Mercer's hold tightens, lifting my toes from the floor.
'Any last words?' Hecate hisses, and her nails bite in further.
Yes but— what to choose?
Everything flashes before my eyes; my home, my school, Nate. Then those turbulent years following his death— the girl who joined street gangs, the girl who learned to play dirty. The girl who spent hours reading over myths, finding every bit of information she could about Death.
Then— something else.
My new home. The first time I saw Hadrian, standing like a dashing rogue demanding to duel. Our first kiss, when I still hadn't realised that he was, in fact, the King of the Underworld. I remember how every moment becomes a journey, and how every journey brings a smile.
With him, I never stop smiling.
For a second, my vision clears. I see Hecate's tendrils, wrapping around me, and I see Nate, trapped from reaching me. Mercer's hands are, in fact, like a puppet's; I can make out the black strings of Hecate controlling him.
Perhaps, alone, I'm not strong enough.
I let out the last of my breath in a single summons.
'Hadrian!'
Then, a blinding light.
The irony is, I think: I'm dead. I'm actually dead this time.
Maybe none of this happened, and that was ACTUALLY just a "death-dream" and now I'm really, actually dead because I've just jumped off a cliff to marry a guy.
But then I hear the best words I've ever heard.
'Get your hands off my wife.'
The light flares, and as a unit, Hecate, Mercer, Nate and I turn towards it. An oval sphere, that looks suspiciously similar to the portal we used to leave, whirls beneath our feet. A strong, heavy wind pulls us towards it, and Hecate, in her fear, drops me, Mercer following suit.
The two step away from the portal, watching as I drop gently into Hadrian's arms.
Did I say gently? No— it isn't gentle, really. I land so that he has to grab my upper thigh to steady me, and my face is still a mask of terror and shock, my hands stretched out to attack Hecate and save Mercer.
Just like that strange statue of us I saw before, a voice observes at the back of my head.
But most of my attention then turns to Hadrian, my eyes unblinking, unflinching, filled with an intense joy.
His eyes focus on me, then turn furious. 'You're covered in blood!' he exclaims.
I laugh, squeezing him in relief. 'You really came back for me.'
'Of course,' he murmurs, lowering me in his arms so that I'm leaning down onto him. Our foreheads touch. Around us, the sphere of light keeps us safe. We gaze at one another, startled by how we're each finally looking at each other on the same page.
'It's dreadful timing to be telling you this,' Hadrian says, 'but I think I'm in love with you.'
Warmth fills my chest. I know I'll remember those words forever.
'I think it's perfect timing,' I say, breathlessly.
And then I kiss him. Briefly, swiftly— because, around us, the world is dissolving. But in that second, I transfer what I can: I think I love you too.
But when I move to get down, to move towards Hecate and Mercer, Hadrian's grip tightens. Despite my struggle, he won't let me go, his arms only wrapping more tightly.
'I'm sorry, my little butterfly,' he says, 'I don't want her to destroy you.'
'What?' my voice sounds oddly stretched, high. How could he...? That wasn't what I'd wanted him for! I thought he'd help! 'No, Hadrian, please...she's got Mercer. We have to help him!'
The earth begins to rumble. Alarmed, Hadrian clutches me tighter, but we're not on the ground. We're still hovering over the portal— a portal I'm desperate to avoid, and my fear shakes the ground more.
Hecate and Mercer stumble, whilst Nate pulls free of Hecate's tendrils. He appears at our side, his soul awash with green light.
'Ness...you're causing an earthquake!' Nate yells, but my determination only rises. If Nate can get free, Mercer should be able to...
Cracks begin to form in the ground around their feet, but still, the darkness around Mercer's bright red heart doesn't move.
She only blocked Nate using her magic. With Mercer, she's controlling him. I've got to help him, somehow.
Hecate falls, unable to hold her own against the earthquake. Mercer crawls towards her, desperate to help, and my fists clench. How dare she control my friend!
The portal begins to close.
I blink; we need to get to Mercer, now. But Hadrian doesn't move. In fact, he's deliberately avoiding my gaze, staring hard at the emptiness of the gaping portal, awaiting delivery.
'You're going to leave Mercer behind!' I scream, wriggling in his arms. I'm amazed when the man's hands clamp tighter, stopping me from leaving. 'No! You can't!'
'We're not strong enough,' Hadrian says shortly, 'Step outside of this dome with Hecate and the Mask, we're under her control. It's exactly what she's baiting you to do.'
Nate's beside me, and his face nods reassuringly, but I'm not okay with it. It's not okay.
'Mercer!' I scream. I reach for him, but the boy doesn't move. Mercer, the boy who had jumped into the sea before I did, now does not blink in recognition.
I hadn't cared much for him, back then. He could have washed away at sea for all I'd cared. But now he was my friend, and he'd always had my back. People like that win my everlasting loyalty.
I kick out once more, pushing against Hadrian with tears of fury blurring my vision. Hadrian's tactics, however, are finally making sense; and I know that a sensible part of me agrees. If I step over the line, Hecate will have me. And Hadrian will naturally follow, and if she gets both of us— that's it. She'll have the Underworld at her fingertips, and more.
The earthquake slows to a gentle hum.
To Hadrian, the tactician, Mercer has to be expendable.
Tacticians don't have friends.
Hecate's face is furious, but she still has the mask. Hadrian knows; he sees it, and his face sets into a grim line. But he doesn't move either.
Stalemate.
Hecate won't risk taking on Hadrian on his own ground.
He won't risk letting me go and getting captured.
Neither moves.
I try to wrench free of Hadrian, but my attempt is weaker. Deep down, I know he's right, but I hate it. I can't stop staring at Mercer and his doting movements— he puts a hand upon Hecate's shoulder to steady her, offers her a hand to help her up.
Tears fall from my cheeks. Nature, in the form of vines and grass and tree saplings, spring up around the portal, fueled by my compassion and desperation. They lean gently towards Mercer, protectively extending out to him.
'I'm so sorry, my friend,' I whisper.
What will she do to him? She nearly destroyed Nate. Mercer is much gentler, peaceful.
In lament, a single white rose grows from the ground at Mercer's feet. He pauses, staring at it with confusion. For a moment, the boy forgets Hecate. He stares at the rose with understanding, cradling it within his hands. When the stem withers away, he's left with the rose cupped in his palms.
Mouth slightly open, he looks up— and I swear that, for a second, he sees me and smiles.
Then, Hecate has his attention again.
Hadrian only holds me closer, apologising quietly over and over, as the portal closes around us, taking three of us and leaving Mercer behind.
But it doesn't stop the tears from falling, the frustrated scream as the portal shuts and we're transported back. I shut my eyes, trying to block out the guilt and the anger and the stark pain at losing my friend.
Only once thing steadies me.
Hadrian murmurs, over and over again, into my ear. 'We'll fight this war together.'
And when I open my eyes, I've returned home.
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END OF BOOK ONE
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Stay tuned for an author's note and Book 2 Name Reveal! (And also details of when I'll start posting it). Speak to you all soon!
Thank you for being with Ness on this Underworld journey.
Lots of love
Larissa