“You can stop that, child. It’s clearly not working.”

Aria brushed aside the statement like a buzzing bee. She kept her eyes on Achi. There was a way. If she -

“Aria.”

This time, the voice penetrated her focus. It wasn’t Chalik’s and it wasn’t Alogun’s.

Aria spun around, instinctively shielding Achi with her body, and faced… Evera.

She blinked slowly, trying to clear the fog in her brain by clearing her eyes. It didn’t work.

“Evera?” She said aloud. Perhaps if the figure responded, she could tell if it was real.

The goddess offered her signature, beautiful smile. “Yes,” Evera said. “Don’t worry, you’re not mad.” She glanced toward Achi’s body and frowned. Her tone grew annoyed “But I might go mad. After all this work. You love him. He loves you. What else is necessary?”

Aria rose to her feet, still keeping Achi’s body behind her.

“You’re alive,” she said, but Evera had teleported to Achi side and was already kneeling beside him with a hand pressed to his neck. Aria snatched away the offending, almost snapping him in the process.

“I’m on your side,” Evera said, arms spread to appear non-threatening. “I’ve worked hard to put the two of you together. “

Before Aria’s eyes, she changed, face, body, and clothing, until she was Aria’s own spitting image.

Aria gaped. “You -”

“He was wavering,” Evera said. “Seeing you that way, he was wondering if he had been wrong, if you were too far gone. I clarified his feelings for him.”

Aria managed to close her mouth. “Or perhaps you were doing the opposite.”

Evera chuckled. She sounded amused, not mocking. “For how far you come, you are still remarkably obtuse. Sweetheart, if breaking your hold on Achi was easy, Tivelo would already have done it. No. Love-bound gods are called bound for a reason. From the moment I recalled our plot, while the others were busy plotting a resurgence, I knew that we had made a mistake. I bet on the two of you.” Her tone grew somber. “And now I need you to make good on that bet.

“Are you going to revive him?”

Aria huffed with irritation. “You just saw me try.”

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“You need to do more than try. The time for half-measures is past. Do you want him to live or not? If you do, he will wake, but you need to decide.”

“You just saw me -”

“I must be unclear,” Evera’s voice was suddenly as cold as ice. “If he woke, right now, would you marry him?”

Aria froze.

“Would you spend the rest of your life with him? Would you choose his wishes over yours? Would you choose him? It does no good to feel things if there is no outward evidence of them. Truthfully, he has made a terrible choice here. He has given up his life and his father for you. And, knowing Achi, he has been true in every other way. He has committed to you and you have given him nothing. So, this is your last chance. Will you choose him?”

She stared down at Aria, a long, intense stare.

Aria did not have a response. She wanted to say no. Feelings were one thing, but more than that, she had never prepared herself for.

“It’s up to you,” Evera said. “His feelings are clear. Choose. And when you decide, either kiss him or leave.”

“I don’t have time for commitments now,” she said.

Evera gave no response. She had moved on to inspecting Garo’s body. Perhaps she was trying to seem unperturbed, but her body betrayed her anxiety. Whatever Aria chose would determine her fate as well.

Aria dropped to the ground beside Achi.

What a mess. Barely five minutes ago, every part of her had been roaring for Achi’s blood. And now, not it still wanted him dead. But it wanted him alive too.

She lay on the ground beside him and without thinking, pulled closer until her head was touching his. The storm inside her calmed a little. It still pulled her in two directions, but it did not hinder her thinking.

To choose him, what would that look like? What did it look like when you loved someone? She thought of what Achi had done for her. At the very least, she would have to let him revive his father. How could she love him if she didn’t do that? And then, she would have to consider his wishes. He wouldn’t want her to kill the others. He was too soft-hearted. Punish, perhaps, but not kill. Was she willing to give that up? Even the thought brought out her burning anger again.

Was losing her vengeance worth his return? And what else? She would not have to give up anything else. Achi had never asked much of her; he had always given: food, assistance, clothes, smiles.

“I don’t mean to hurry you -” Alogun said.

Aria set him on fire.

Where was I? That’s right. Weighing the payoff.

Achi alive in exchange for perhaps letting Tivelo live. And perhaps being less brutal with the others. In return, she would have him.

A vision of Ovi appeared in her mind. The woman Achi had dreamed of. The woman he had rejected for Aria. Rejected, even after she had tortured him.

And she knew, that if she did not choose him, she would regret it forever. Vengeance on her tormentors: that would always be possible. But where else would she find someone willing to die for her twice? To kill his father to avenge her? To love her when everything that was sweet and beautiful about her was gone?

She glanced at Alogun again and felt disgust. What were they worth, anyway? Why should she lose the person who loved her because of them? Wouldn’t that be a punishment for her? There would be another way. She would avenge herself, but she would do it with Achi alive.

A gasp sounded from beside her. She turned toward it and met Achi’s eyes; open and alive.