"Now…"
The creature smiled through Shawshank's face.
"…choose."
I stared at him.
At the person I loved.
At the eyes that had once looked at me with warmth.
Now they were completely black.
"Let him go," I whispered.
The creature laughed.
"You still don't understand."
"What?"
"I cannot take him unless you give me permission."
I froze.
Shawshank's body suddenly went still.
His black eyes remained fixed on mine.
"What do you mean?"
The creature tilted his head.
"You are the keeper of choice."
My golden mark burned.
"You want me to choose between myself and Shawshank?"
"Yes."
"And if I choose him?"
"You lose your power."
My heart tightened.
"And if I choose myself?"
The creature smiled.
"He becomes mine."
Shawshank's lips moved.
For a second, his real voice escaped.
"Bjei…"
I stepped forward.
"Shawshank?"
"Don't…"
His face twisted in pain.
"Don't choose me."
Tears filled my eyes.
"I can't leave you."
"You have to."
The creature forced him to his knees.
Shawshank screamed.
I felt something inside my chest crack.
"STOP!"
The entire ocean shook.
Waves rose around us.
The creature looked at me with amusement.
"There it is."
"What?"
"Your anger."
The water began spinning faster.
My golden crown appeared above my head.
Marina shouted,
"Bjei, control yourself!"
"I am trying!"
"No!"
She rushed toward me.
"Don't let it feed on your anger!"
I closed my eyes.
Breathed.
Slowly.
The water calmed.
The crown disappeared.
When I opened my eyes again, Shawshank was still kneeling.
But his eyes had changed.
One was black.
The other was his normal color.
He looked at me.
"Bjei…"
I ran toward him.
The creature tried to stop me.
A wall of darkness appeared between us.
I raised my hand.
The darkness shattered.
I reached Shawshank and held his face.
"I'm here."
His breathing was heavy.
"You shouldn't be."
"I don't care."
"You don't understand what it will do to you."
"Then we'll find out together."
He shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I love you."
My tears fell.
"And I love you."
The creature screamed.
The ocean suddenly turned black.
Azrael raised his weapon.
"Everyone back!"
A massive wave exploded outward.
Marina grabbed Angela.
My grandmother pulled the false queen away.
But I refused to move.
I held Shawshank tighter.
The darkness began crawling over his body.
His fingers slowly turned black.
"Bjei…"
His voice trembled.
"Run."
"No."
"Please."
"No!"
The darkness reached his neck.
I placed my forehead against his.
"Listen to me."
His breathing slowed.
"You are not its door."
The creature laughed.
"He is."
I looked directly into its eyes.
"No."
The golden mark on my chest appeared.
"You don't decide who he is."
The creature's smile disappeared.
"You cannot command me."
"I don't want to command you."
I raised my hand.
"I choose."
The creature stepped backward.
"What?"
"I choose myself."
Shawshank's eyes widened.
"Bjei…"
"And I choose him."
The golden light exploded from my body.
The darkness was thrown from Shawshank.
He collapsed into my arms.
The creature screamed.
"You cannot make two choices!"
I held Shawshank tightly.
"I just did."
Silence.
The creature stared at me.
Then it laughed.
Not angrily.
Almost proudly.
"You finally understand."
I frowned.
"Understand what?"
"It was never about choosing between you and him."
The creature began fading into the darkness.
"It was about choosing without fear."
My heart stopped.
"What are you?"
The creature smiled.
"You'll find out."
Then it disappeared.
The ocean became calm.
Shawshank opened his eyes.
I hugged him.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he whispered,
"You saved me."
I shook my head.
"We saved each other."
He smiled.
Then Angela suddenly screamed.
"Everyone!"
We turned.
The ancient gate was glowing.
Not gold.
Not black.
Red.
A crack appeared across the stone.
Azrael's face changed.
"No…"
My grandmother stepped forward.
"What is it?"
Azrael stared at the gate.
"The boundary."
Marina looked frightened.
"It is breaking."
The first crack spread.
Then another.
Then another.
Above us, the entire underwater kingdom began shaking.
Shawshank stood beside me.
"What happens if it breaks?"
Azrael looked toward the surface.
"The sea will enter the human world."
I felt cold.
"And the creatures?"
"They will follow."
Another crack appeared.
Angela grabbed my hand.
"Bjei."
I looked at her.
"There is something I never told you."
I sighed.
"Of course there is."
She looked down.
"When the boundary breaks…"
She swallowed.
"…you won't be able to stay human."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
Angela looked into my eyes.
"You will have to choose where you belong."
The gate cracked again.
And somewhere beyond it…
something enormous began to wake.