Epilogue
Sunny
“Sunny! Rayne! Are you two still in bed? It’s almost time for school!”
I rub my eyes groggily, confused at the sound of my mother’s voice waking me from my slumber. Is this some kind of dream? I sit up in bed and look around.
Oh yes, definitely a dream. I’m back in my old bed at home in Oakridge, Massachusetts. My familiar posters still on the walls and the patchwork quilt, made by my fake grandma down in Florida, folded at the end of my bed. (Or was it made by my actual fairy grandmother and Mom fudged the truth?) In any case, this particular blanket is long gone by now in real life.
And I’m long gone, too. Stuck in Hades for eternity. Unless my sister can pull me out somehow.
My mother sticks her head into the room. She’s wearing some kind of long, colorful hemp skirt and peasant blouse, just like she used to before becoming Queen of the Fairies. I smile. What a lovely dream. Life as it used to be. Nice and normal.
“Sunny! Get up, now!” she commands. “You’re going to be late for school!”
“Yes, Mom,” I say agreeably, rolling out of bed, enjoying the feel of my favorite Victoria’s Secret flannel pajamas against my skin. I look out the window and see blue skies and sunshine and I yawn, hoping I don’t wake up too soon and spoil the rest of this beautiful dream day.
Mom nods, satisfied she’s woken me, then heads out of my room, presumably to wake up my sister. A moment later I hear a scream. What the—? I run into Rayne’s room. She’s got her covers pulled up to her chin and she’s staring at Mom with wide, frightened eyes.
“Oh my God, it worked! It really worked!” she’s babbling over and over again.
“What worked?” I ask curiously. Her gaze swaps to me and she leaps out of bed and throws her arms around me. She’s dressed in her Emily the Strange nightgown and, I realize she still has blond hair, like before she dyed it. We’re identical twins, all over again. This dream gets better and better.
“Whoa! Watch the smothering sister love!” I protest, pushing her away. But she clings on tight. From the corner of my eye I can see Mom roll her eyes.
“The bus will be here in fifteen minutes,” she announces. “I suggest you both get dressed.” And with that, she walks out of the room.
“Ohmigod, ohmigod!” Rayne cries, bouncing on the bed with excitement. “I can’t believe it. It’s crazy!”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, starting to get a little annoyed.
“Don’t you remember? Oh, please say you remember! At the very least I need you to know what’s going on!”
“Remember what?”
She swallows hard. “Hades,” she whispers.
“Well, of course I remember. I’m still there, right? I mean, this is just a dream.”
“No, Sunny, it’s no dream. We’ve been given a second chance.”
“Wait, what?” I stare at her with a growing feeling of horror creeping into my bones. “What are you talking about?”
“Hades wouldn’t free your soul. But he agreed to send us back in time. Before any of this happened.” Rayne dashes to her computer. “See, it’s April fifteenth.”
My jaw drops to the floor. “April fifteenth…” I look at the calendar she’s pulled up, swallowing hard as my eyes catch the year. “Oh my God.”
“One month and one week before prom,” she announces solemnly. “And…”
“One month before that night at Club Fang,” I realize with growing dread. “One month before Magnus bites me by mistake.” I stare at her, the implications of her words hitting me hard and fast.
He doesn’t know me. He’s never met me. He’s never fallen in love with me…
Terror seizes my heart, squeezing it tight. “Oh, Rayne,” I cry, looking at my sister with horrified eyes. “What have you done?”
“I’ve given you a second chance,” she says stoutly, crossing her arms over her chest. “A chance to choose your destiny once and for all. Are you ready to take it?”
I swallow back the bile rising to my throat. I guess I’d better be.
~ TO BE CONTINUED ~