Our Infinite Fates

by Laura Steven

Arden grabbed my hand as he buckled at the waist. With a final brush of his skin against mine, we were torn through the fabric of the mortal world.

My hatred for her was almost, almost as potent as my love for Arden. Almost.

I kept my eyes fixed on the love of all my lives as the Mother crossed closer to us, raising her hands and summoning whatever heinous powers would allow her to reap the immortal love from our not-quite-bodies.

No. I wouldn’t change my fragile, imperfect, human heart. Not for anything.

And hadn’t I always known this? That to be human was to love and love and love, knowing it could only end in tragedy? Every babe in arms was born to this terrible fate, every parent and child, every spouse, every friend and lover and sibling, every uncle and aunt and great-great-grandfather, every found family, all of us bound to the perpetual cycle, all of it so awful and wonderful and inescapable. To love was to live, and to live was to die.

“All the years I’ve prayed for an end to this,” I whispered. “And now that ending is finally here, I’d do anything to live just one more life with you.”

“Excuse me,” he said, breathless. “Have we met before?”