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"I’m here because I’m the only one who can save you," I murmured as I stepped to hiering over his lips His dark eyes were panicked

"Har, but whatever it is, put it out of your aze, but I moved forward to Aphrodite and Ares In their faces, I found such faed, her lovely face practically shooting sparks

"You ish you had never even existed," she spit toward the Fates "Release us this instant"

"Mother," I murmured "You will be released soon Please, protect Cadets safely back home"

Aphrodite stared at me anxiously "Of course, I will But where do you plan on being?

You are alith e I won’t have it!"

"For once, htly on the cheek and aze like thunder I vaguely reolden barge

He had been wearinghis face

"I love you, father Avenge this"

He nodded "I will avenge everything" I did not doubt hi theods who didn’t possess the strange silver eye color I hugged hiain

I stood in front of my mortal mother She stared around us in bewilder on I couldn’t blame her It was so far beyond her reality that it was crazy And as a mortal, she was immersed in the haze of this island much more quickly

"Mom, I want you to know that I love you, okay?"

She nodded quietly "And I love you But e are doing here? A her eyes fill up with the bewilder Go back to sleep now I’ll see you in the reement I choked back my tears as I ain went slack and lifeless She did not need to see as co Her mortal mind would break from it

Out of the corner of ainst the restraining hold of the nyain to Cadmus and kissed him softly

"Cadmus, I love you Forever Remember that" I felt a tear escape the corner of my eye and slide hotly down my cheek

"Harmonia, don’t," he pleaded, his eyes full of pain "Please, I’ you"

I pressed one more kiss to his lips and then turned away fro a deep breath "I’nored the frantic protests from my family and Cadmus as I stood nu liainst my chest like the cold lu could

As I stood waiting for what seeoddess and eance My lives flashed before ood memories and bad ones- and in that moment, none of the sadness mattered Because no matter what life I led, no hed by the joy and happiness that I found with my soul mate and my family I had been very blessed

As I boweddescend upon ia It was beginning to steal et my purpose here

"Do it!" I hissed

"Do what?" Lachesis asked me in ae of the pit It was so close Just two steps away I took a shaking step

Then onethe shouts and protests of the others as I felt the ware fla and I stared into the them And I wanted to do it while I was focused on the love that I felt while I could still re that I could, I drew uponCadmus’ beautiful face, I liftedhtly

A Keres had broken rank and ?" Clothos de her cloudy eyes fixed upon mine

"Harmonia, remember," she instructed "Re’s words, as if someone had flipped a switch, a nificent crimson bird with iridescent feathers and azure eyes A bird that built a funeral pyre for itself and then lit it on firedying in its own flame I could see it as clearly in lanced at ht this moment

I was the Phoenix, the Chosen One

"Yesssss," she hissed "You remember"

I nodded and turned my head toward Cade

The heat sedes and reds swirled together as the flames rushed past Time seemed to stand still as Itoward agony A gush of cool air swirled aroundround, safely out of harnificent and beautiful, rising froround Every fla into the s of fire Its eyes were a brilliant and vivid blue and they were trained onroar

I clappedabove us as it lit up the night with its glory I was astounded This island didn’t peric Yet the Phoenix appeared to be unconstrained by anything at all

And it had taken every lick of the fire with it The pit was eer use innocent lives as leverage Their threats were now empty The nymphs realized it at the same moment that I did They released my parents and Cadmus, while several others leaped into the trees to lower the captive gods