“I’m going to Medusa right after we’re finished, which I guess we are because you haven’t told me anything I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry, Jodi. I did the best I could.” He held up a finger. “I did find something that will help you, though.”

“What?” Was he holding out on me? I didn’t have time for this.

“Medusa will recognize your soul, even in human form.” There was more. I could tell.

“But?”

“She will attack you until that recognition is made.” He looked down at me. “You may not survive the initial contact.”

“May not? You’re not sure?”

“No. You are a direct descendent of hers, which means you have a better chance of her sensing your soul, even in human form.”

“What about in someone else’s human form?” I motioned to Liz’s body.

“Yes, that does add to the complication.”

“Still, I don’t have a choice. I have to go see her.”

“No way,” Matt said. “You can’t be serious. You might die, and then everyone is screwed. You’re the last hope your people have—that I have—and you’re willing to throw that all away?” His eyes pleaded with me, but I held strong.

“If I don’t try this, everyone will die. There’s no ‘if’ about it.” I looked back and forth between Matt and Mason. “I’m the Chosen One. Even if it kills me, I have to do this. I’m the only one who can.”

Mason nodded. He understood, but Matt was a different story.

“I’m not letting you. I’m sorry, Jodi. I won’t let you sacrifice yourself.”

“You don’t have a choice, son.” Mason was out of his seat and standing next to Matt, threatening him with his poisonous blood.

“Mason, no!” I stared at him in horror. The Ophi from Serpentarius didn’t believe in actively using their powers. They even worked with humans, keeping their distance of course, but still. And yet, here was Mason, ready to kill Matt to save our kind. More specifically, to save Carol.

“Don’t hurt him, please.” I reached toward Mason. “He doesn’t understand. That’s all. But I’ll make him see this is necessary.”

“No, you won’t,” Mason and Matt both said.

Matt crossed his arms. “You may as well let him kill me because I’m not letting you do this.”

Mason held his hand out over Matt’s shoulder, and his other hand reached for the letter opener on his desk. He was ready to shed his blood and end Matt’s life.

“Matt, please. I don’t want you to die. I brought you back to give you the shot at life you were supposed to have. Don’t make all that be for nothing.”

“I don’t want all that. I don’t want to be here. I’m not supposed to be. I died kissing you. Yeah, it sucked that we couldn’t be together and that I missed out on college and finding out who or what I’d become. But this,” he patted his chest, “isn’t me. I wasn’t meant to be immortal. It’s obvious you love Alex. You’re willing to do anything to save him. The few moments we’ve had together have been amazing, but they aren’t who you really are. I’ve felt that.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I mean, you went back to Alex while we were kissing. If that doesn’t say it all, then I don’t know what does. You’ve made your choice, and if you’re going to go through with it, then you’re going to have to end my life now.”

My body shook, and since I didn’t have Gorgon blood running through Liz’s veins, I knew it was from the pain of knowing Matt was right. I’d basically turned him into a monster. I couldn’t blame him for not wanting this life.

“I’m so sorry.” I stepped closer to him and took his hands in mine. “I thought I was doing the right thing bringing you back. I wanted to make up for—”

He pressed his finger to my lips. “You don’t have to apologize or try to explain. I know you, Jodi. You have a good heart, and I’ve always loved you for it. I don’t blame you for any of this.”

“Is this really what you want?”

“I want you to be happy.”

I choked back the tears that burned my throat. He really was perfect.

I met Mason’s eyes, and we silently agreed that Matt deserved better than this existence.

I squeezed Matt’s hands. “I want you to know that I do love you. The human in me will always love you.” I didn’t let him respond. I pressed my lips to his, and when I did, Mason cut his hand and gently touched Matt’s shoulder.

His body slumped forward, and I held him up for a second before crumpling to the floor with him. He was dead. For good this time. I cried on his shoulder for several minutes, and Mason stepped out of the office to give me some privacy. This wasn’t just goodbye to Matt. It was goodbye to my human life. I knew now that I couldn’t go back home to see Mom. I didn’t trust Hades enough to believe he wouldn’t take her early if he found me with her.

I let my tears speak for me as I cried for everything I’d lost. The people I loved and would never see again. I could’ve cried all night, but I somehow managed to find the strength to stand, and when I did, Mason was there to help me up.

He held me by the shoulders and stared deep into my eyes. I couldn’t help noticing his hand was already bandaged. “I’ll take care of the body. You go to Medusa and end this thing once and for all.”

“I’ll bring Carol back to you. I won’t let you feel like I feel now. I won’t let you lose someone you love.”

He nodded and let go of me. I turned for the door, but he called my name. “Jodi, don’t forget that, once you stop being human, you have someone who loves you more than anything.”

“I know. Alex is a huge part of why I’m doing this.”

Mason gave me a weak smile, and I left. I had been in such a hurry that I’d left the keys in the ignition. Good thing, too, because I wouldn’t have been able to go back in there and see Matt’s body on the floor of Mason’s office. I drove out of the parking lot and across town.

Finding the school was going to be a little tough. I’d only driven directly to it once with Alex. When I stole Melodie’s car, I’d tried to find the dirt road leading to the school, but it turned out it wasn’t a road at all, and I’d crashed the car into a tree.

When I knew I was close, I slowed down, peering through every opening in the woods, looking for the road. I passed several trails and almost turned onto one, but at the last second, I straightened out the wheel and kept driving. I was going on instinct, which felt more than a little odd since I wasn’t an Ophi right now. Still, I waited until I got a feeling. It happened about half a mile down the road. I felt a tightness in my chest. When I looked toward the trees, there was a road, barely visible. I slowed even more and turned down it.

The bumpiness was familiar. This had to be it. My poor mom’s car bounced and protested against the rough terrain. I hoped I wasn’t doing any major damage to it. Finally, I saw the cemetery. This was it. I pulled up behind the row of cars. The first two belonged to Ethan and Carson. The third was Chase’s red sports car. As I got out of Mom’s car and sprinted past the others, I resisted the urge to stop and key Chase’s hot little number. I didn’t have time.

I ran up the steps to the front doors and yanked them open. Since Hades had taken us all while we were here, the doors were still unlocked. I stopped when I saw the golden statue. Even though I knew it well, I was still in awe of it. If it wasn’t for the serpents on Medusa’s head, the statue would’ve been gorgeous. Every time I’d been near the statue in the past, I’d felt drawn to it. My blood recognized Medusa’s soul inside, and I felt a pull. Now, I felt nothing, and it made my heart ache.

If I couldn’t feel Medusa, maybe it meant she couldn’t feel me now, either. And what would she do when I touched the statue? She’d killed Abby when Abby insulted her by joining both hands with her. If she thought a human was touching her sacred statue…I couldn’t even think about how she might end my life. For a moment, I wondered if I should try holding just one of the statue’s hands first. Kind of test the waters. Her right hand had life-restoring power. But Medusa knew me by the special connection we had. The way I could hold both her hands instead of one at a time.