Page 108 of The Ghost of Rage's War

“I tried to pre-ordain everything. The person who was meant to die, wouldn’t. The one I created after him also couldn’t. They had too much ofhiminside them. The goodness, loyalty, honour, and humour. People fell in love with them like I loved my man. In the end, it came down to you, Grey, and Calamity.

“And out of those, one must die. Despite my own ideas, it appears death chose its victim before you and I met. I thought I knew the outcome, but I was wrong, and Fate will have her way. Even if the person hadn’t been introduced when I wrote your name for the first time, this was always his destiny.”

“Pick me, Elizabeth, I’ll die to save my brothers,” Drake said hoarsely.

“I wish I could, Drake. I cannot reveal the sacrifice’s identity. Hell, it may still be you,” I cried, stopping the swing.

“Change whatever is about to happen, I beg you! Ensure I die,” Drake yelled, rising and pacing.

“Oh, I can’t alter who dies. If it is you, then it’s you, but if it’s Grey or Calamity, then it’s them. The future has been written.”

“You have the power to re-write this. Elizabeth, make sure I’m the one who pays!”

“Who says you don’t, Drake? Look around, is thereanyone else here? Who says you’re not the price the piper demanded?” I asked, wiping tears away.

Drake froze and looked at me. His mind worked furiously, and I saw Drake believed it was him who would die. After all, that would be justice. But I couldn’t give Drake the answer he wanted. Drake needed to return to see who died. Even during our meeting, the ever-changing future moved forward.

“Don’t cry, I don’t want our time together ruined by tears,” Drake said gruffly.

“This encounter was set in stone the moment you heard a woman laughing and spotted her standing on a balcony staring at people dancing in the street. You lost your heart then, Drake, and ever since, you knew, being the man you are, that Rage would eventually pay the piper. But once paid, the scales of justice are level again,” I explained as tears trickled down my cheeks.

Drake sighed. “Elizabeth, stop crying.”

“Trying to!”

“Try harder!”

“Shut up!” I retorted, and Drake chuckled.

“If it’s me, you’ll look after Phoe?”

“Phoe will always be loved. She’s who I once was, Drake. Phoe’s the me I wish I could reclaim,” I said, sighing.

This was too painful. It hurt too much.

“Elizabeth! That girl is still there inside you, she just shows herself differently,” Drake murmured.

“Time marches on, and we change. Some of us for the better like you, and others become Fury.”

“There’s truth in that.”

“I love you all, Drake. Do you understand? But there must be justice. The universe cries out for balance. I can’t explain this, I’m struggling to articulate this. How ironic, an author lost for words. You got clean, legal, but Rage committed crimes. How many times did I say, I don’t create your stories, you do. It never mattered what I planned your stories to be, Rage marched to the beat of your own damn drum.

“Each of you wrote yourselves, and the crimes still happened. Murder, assault, torture; they may have taken out evil assholes, but who made you judge and jury? I tried to stop you all, but it never worked. You walked your own paths. Chance, James, Inglorious, you shaped your own futures. But the piper must invariably be paid. A balance must always be found. And a price paid.”

Tears flowed freely as I hoped Drake would understand why. I saw understanding in his eyes. He did understand. But it hurt Drake as much as me. Kindness and forgiveness shone in his face.

“Life taught you that, Elizabeth. For every action, there is a reaction. Elizabeth, that’s a tale as old as time,” Drake drawled.

“Yes. With this sacrifice, the slate shall be wiped clean. And we’ll begin again,” I replied.

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for… dozens,” Drake murmured as he sat by my feet and held my hands.

“They were evil, those that were taken. You were never in the wrong to stop evil. Evil should bestopped and challenged. But when killing evil, something good also perishes in a soul because murder was committed. That action stains a soul. I wish I could articulate this more clearly. The best I can say was that even with good intentions, you acted against the laws of God and the land,” I cried, distraught.

This was so much harder than I imagined.

“You gave me a beautiful life, Elizabeth, and if this is the end, know I died happy and loved.”

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