Moon Born

Chapter 42

I didn't want to let Harmony go. It felt like forever since we were even a little normal. We both cried as the weight of what happened finally lifted. Peace was not to be mine for long though. The black abyss crept up, taking over everything. I fought it as hard as I could. I was so mentally and physically exhausted though that it was not hard for it to force me into the downward spiral.

Now what?

I floated, or fell, into the pith blackness for what felt like ever until I was landing in the cavern in front of the Moirai once again.

"It is time," Atropos sneered at me.

"To repay." Lachesis smiled smugly.

"Your debt," Clotho finished.

"The battle just ended," I protested to them.

They shook their haggard heads at me. "And we have come to claim our payment."

They stirred a large, long wooden spoon in a cauldron in front of them. The contents green and bubbling and glowing. They withdrew the spoon with some of the green liquid on it.

"Drink," the commanded, shoving the spoon at me.

"No."

"We said drink," they commanded once again.

"Why?"

"We need."

"To extract."

"Your life thread."

"My life thread? What is that?"

"The thread of life," Lachesis said, her smile spreading ear to ear.

"Is what keeps," Clotho continued.

"Mortals on the Earthly realm," Atropos finished, digging in a bag next to her.

"So I drink this and you get my life thread?"

"Correct."

"Then what?" I questioned.

"We cut." Atropos held up a pair of shears.

"Your life thread." Clotho nodded.

"And collect." Lachesis held out a vile.

"Your soul," they said together.

Can they not say just one sentence? Does it have to go between them all?

"Okay. Then the debt is repaid? I drink, you cut, debt repaid? You won't go after anyone else?"

"Correct."

"Now drink."

"The potion."

I took a deep breath and stepped toward the spoon. "Okay. You promised. I drink. You cut. Debt repaid."

I sipped at the sour, bitter, and rotting-tasting mixture. It felt a thousand swords stabbing my throat at the same time as it slid down to my stomach.

"Oh, that is terrible!" I sputtered.

"It is."

"Working."

"Sisters."

I looked down and saw an odd golden glow climbing up my body. I felt light. My head spun as Clotho reached out toward my breast and plunged her cold, bony fingers into my heart. She pulled her hand back, taking with her a long, golden thread that felt like it was unspooling right in my heart.

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

"Your."

"Life."

"Thread."