Burning Passion: A Leo Valdez Love Story

Epilogue 2

{NAIA}

Today is September twenty-second, 2015. Seventeen days after my seventeenth birthday.

This is the day I die.

The last seventeen days of my life, I didn't do much. I spent time with my mother, explaining what was going to happen. I spent time with Esmeralda and all my friends at camp. And most of all, I spent time with Leo. I don't want to leave him. I want to grow old with him, like normal people get to do with their loved ones. But I'm not a normal person. I'm one of the most powerful demigods ever to be born. But I'm too powerful. And I have to die.

Today, the last day, I haven't done much. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to die. Will it be in a blaze of glory? I hope so. But it will probably just be me stopping. Falling. My body ceasing to work, and my soul leaving my world quietly. This is the way the world ends; not with a bang, but a whimper.

I forget who said that. But what does it matter, now? What matters now is me. Me, tying up all my loose ends. Finishing unfinished business. I like to think that I've done that. As much as I can.

The mood is somber today. I told everyone important to me what was going to happen, and I've tried to slowly detach myself from the world, to make my parting easier for others. I wanted to do so much. But I can't, now. I saved the world. That's something. That's a big thing. But I want to do more. I suppose everyone does when they're about to die, and they don't get a choice, so why should I?

At the moment I'm sitting in a chair on the deck of my cabin, waiting for something to happen. Leo sits beside me, holding me close. If I'm going to leave him, I'm going to leave him while I'm in his arms.

I want to cry. But I can't. I don't know why, really.

Leo is the one I feel the most sorry for, obviously. He's lost everyone but Piper, and with Jason's death the two had drifted apart a bit. And Esmeralda. She and my mom have been getting to know each other, and they have a much better relationship than her and I ever did. I'm happy about that.

I look at Leo. "It could happen any time now," I say.

He nods. "I love you, okay? If you die, don't forget that."

"When I die," I correct him. "And of course I won't forget. I love you, too."

I feel a strange feeling in my stomach, and I breathe in deeply. Is this it?

Then someone appears. A man, wearing a purple shirt and khakis.

"Dionysus?" Leo asks at the same time as I say, "Dad?"

"Hello, daughter," he says, ignoring Leo. "Since you basically saved the world, or something, the gods want me to make a bargain with you. We feel that you shouldn't die. So we're allowing you to live."

"What?"

"You can live. You'll just lose all your powers as a demigod, and any memory of anything concerning being a demigod. Basically, you'll be a normal kid. And alive. But if you remember, then you'll die."

"But I'll forget everyone," I say. This is the best part of my life, and it'd be gone.

"But you'll live. And for me, that's better than you dying."

A tear falls onto my cheek. Why can't I just die? I hate choosing things, and this is...

"But I won't see you again," I say. "I can't."

"I know. But I'll know that you're okay."

"When you've made up your mind, tell me," Dionysus says.