Page 156 of Immortal Sun

It was final in that moment. The blood. My sacrifice. The same one my mom made before the crash.

But I was saving Jake—and in a way, saving everyone and everything I could—everything Cyrus had worked for along with the immortals. Humans must always be protected and who else could do that? What better god than the sun?

When the blood immediately sank into the page like a tattoo I never wanted to get but had no choice except to power through.

My destiny was set.

And it was without Cyrus.

It was without Ra.

Without Jake.

My destiny—I guess all along, was supposed to be just me.

Me and the rain. The thunder. The lightning. Just me.

Alone.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

I nodded my head several times, then walked over to Ra and handed him the parchment. I no longer shook. I was resolute.

I have me. I have a purpose, a damning purpose, and I will not go down alone with more tears.

The end, after all, as most authors might say, is just one story. That doesn’t mean there can’t be more to follow.

I would love a fantastic epilogue.

A final kiss before my brush with death.

But a savior?

That’s not for me.

It is me, in some aspects.

I take a few deep breaths and blow them out as I hold the parchments out to him.

He stares down at them like he’s afraid to touch them. For a few brief seconds, I have Cyrus back. His haunted eyes flicker down, then slowly meet mine again.

“Your chaos…” He gazes deep into my eyes, and I hold the holy connection. “It rages.”

“Here.” I press the parchments harder against him. “It’s finished.”

We are as well.

I lift my chin, thinking at least I can be brave…and for at least a few minutes, I am brave in front of the only sun that’s ever shined down on my face. He was my beginning—he is my end.

He stares at me for a very long time, his presence looming. Another stupid tear falls from my cheek, he lifts his hand, then stares at it as if he’s trying to figure out how to proceed. He reaches for the parchments and slams them against the ground. They disintegrate into ash. He leaves the cave in silence.

Funny how I was so excited to come to the islands to find Jake and now…here I am.

I started on this journey to find my brother alone.

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