Page 73 of Rising from the Ashes

Sitting up in bed, I crinkle my nose at him. “And I need to change now. I’m all wrinkled.”

“Still the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen,” he says, still breathless.

The last six weeks have been hell. Shado ended up with complications from his injuries and began bleeding internally, which required emergency surgery. His wounds were slow to heal. His stamina took a hit with Dr. Anders’ strict orders. He has been reduced to sitting around the safehouse versus running around the streets taking down criminals. Drake has come out of retirement and according to CiCi, he has zero plans of ever stopping again.

“Come on, you horndog. We have to go,” I say, throwing his clothes at him.

“Ya know…Whose idea was it to be legally resurrected again?” He teases.

“Yours, you idiot. When you asked me to marry you,” I say as I wiggle my fingers at him, showing off the ring.

Feigning innocence, he jokes, “Oh. Right. I did do that.”

I roll my eyes at him and sigh, “Don’t make me change my mind.”

***

Walking into the courtroom, I am surprised to see Liliana sitting in the front row of seats along with Drake, CiCi and Julian. My heart sinks, realizing Quinn is not in attendance. Last I heard she was performing again on Broadway and teaching at NYU. She is living the normal life she deserves.

My eyes snap to Maxwell, the police chief and Detective Carson who are standing at the end of the aisle when I approach. Those two could put me away for life before the ink even dries after the judge signs my declaration of life papers.

They must sense my apprehension because Maxwell’s face softens, “We’re not here to throw you away, Calista. Someone erased any evidence linking you to any criminal activity in the last eighteen months. As far as we are concerned, you are clean.”

“Oh, so I’m in your debt now,” I whisper as the doors open and the bailiff walks out.

Detective Carson chuckles, “No. We owed Everly a favor. Let’s just say we’re all even now.”

Shado nudges me to take a seat at the front of the courtroom with the assigned attorney. He slides in the row of seats next to Drake and the others. As he sits, he offers me an encouraging smile.

I never thought this day would come. I always assumed once I joined The Society, that I would stay a ghost the remainder of my days, and no one would ever know the real Calista Silvestri. The town of Edinburgh has only ever known the one who was played by her father like a puppet on a string.

The judge drones on forever about the circumstances surrounding my death and the legalities that make it so that I can regain my rights as a living being in society. When she is finished, she rises, and the gavel bangs on the large wooden desk concluding the session.

Standing up from my seat, I turn around and Liliana is running toward me. She wraps me in a strong embrace, taking me by surprise.

When she pulls away, she has tears in her eyes. “Happy birthday, cuz.” She smiles.

“Liliana, what are you doing here?” I ask, surprised to see my best friend and cousin after everything I’ve done.

“It’s not every day my cousin gets brought back from the dead. Did you really think I would miss that?” She links her arm with mine, pulling me toward the exit.

Nodding to Drake, she whispers, “He contacted me. He told me everything. I couldn’t be more proud of you, Calista. You took your name back, and our dignity.”

A feeling I am unfamiliar with flourishes within me. A sense of calm that I haven't felt since that night. The monster is gone, and The Phoenix rose again.

This time, I truly am reborn.

Epilogue

Calista

Drake: Vanguard at 2100.

Walking into Drake’s bunker in the basement level of Vanguard Enterprises, I find myself curious why Drake sent out a cryptic message to mine and Shado’s burner phones.

“So, why did you call this super secret meeting?” I tease as I roll the chair from the table and sit.

Shado follows suit and takes the seat next to me. Sitting around the table are Drake, Julian, and Daniil.

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