Alex was on his feet, like he was ready for battle
I pointed at the clock.
Aislin s times just ran out. I need to go find her.
Alex caught me by the elbow.
Hold on a sec. You can t just go running off, when a witch fight might be going down.
I shook his arm off, but he wrapped his arms around me, pinning me against him.
I have to. She might be in trouble.
Then I ll go,
he said. I started to open my mouth to argue, but he covered it.
I ll go this time.
He voice was slow pressing.
I bit at my lip, his breath warm on my neck.
You can t get there. I have to take you.
I ll take him,
Nicholas offered, raising his hand.
Thanks. But no thanks,
I said.
You d probably end up dropping him into the ocean or something.
He can take me,
Alex interrupted.
I hesitated.
Are you sure? Because I wasn t really joking about the ocean thing.
Yeah, I m sure.
He released me and reached for the ring.
Can I
Poof.
I whirled, bumping my elbow into Alex.
Aislin.
I breathed relief.
You made it.
She grinned.
Of course I did.
She waggled her finger.
And I got the power. So let s get those wings off you.
She turned to Alex.
I need you to &
Her mouth fell open.
Mom?
Alana looked like she was going to cry and she hugged Aislin tight. Then she reached around and pulled Alex in, even though he acted standoffish. I backed away with the slamming realization that I would never have this.
Wait a minute.
I reeled to Nicholas.
Where s my mom?
He didn t have to say anything. I knew it was bad. Because when someone like Nicholas looked sad, there was no way it could be good.
Tears threatened to fall from my eyes.
She s gone, isn t she?
He pressed his lips together, nodding, not daring to speak.
My lips trembled, the prickle surfacing and stabbing violently at my neck. I didn t say a word, because I couldn t. I left the room, going up to mine, and sank down onto my bed. I hugged a pillow to my chest, letting the tears stream out.
A knock sounded at my door. Before I could answer, Laylen entered. He didn t say a word as he sank on the bed and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
I m sorry,
I sniffed, wiping my eyes.
I know it s stupid. I mean, I already thought she was dead once.
I remember when my parents died,
he started after a deep breath.
It hurt so bad I didn t know how to deal with it.
He paused.
I kept wishing for time to stop so I didn t have to go through life without them. But it kept moving, despite all my wishing. After a while, the hurt became less painful. I won t lie, though, it never fully goes away. There will always be pain. It just gets easier to carry.
I nodded, tears pouring and I didn t even try to stop them.
And how did you get to that point & where it became a little easier.
Time,
he said.
But how much time?
As long as you need.
Then he stayed silent, while tears poured down my cheeks, landing on everything below me and marking it with my sorrow. I d never see my mother again. I d never get to know her. I d never have memories of her that didn t include the world ending.
She was gone.
And I had to move on somehow.
But not yet.
No, right now I needed a little more time.
Somehow I fell asleep. When I woke up I felt much lighter. Not in terms of my mourning, but in the sense that my body felt much lighter because my wings were gone. I stared back at the empty space behind me, relieved I no longer had to pack them around. My clothes were back to normal too, which was just about as lovely as the wings being gone.
Aislin took them off while you were asleep.
His voice startled me and I bolted up, blinking against the darkness. He was sitting in the computer chair, skimming through my music.
So long, Good-bye
by 10 Years flowed from the speakers.
Aislin thought it might cheer you up a little if you woke up and they were gone.
He swiveled the chair.
Are you & are you okay?
No,
I admitted honestly.
But I don t think I m supposed to be.
He nodded, understanding.
No, I don t think it s that simple is it.
I climbed out of bed, stretching my arms and legs.
I guess I should get going. I ve got souls to save.
Gemma,
he started.
Maybe you should
Is your mom ready?
I cut him off, wanting to free the souls that died and eliminate some of the death in the world.
And does she know how I m getting in there? Does she just walk me to a place?
He swallowed hard, avoiding my gaze.
The Banshee in Iceland wasn t lying about that part. You have to be dead, so Helena will accept your entry.
With poison?
I asked and he clicked the computer mouse over and over again. I placed my hand on his, our skin a nip of static.
Is it with poison?
It is, unless you choose not to go.
I have to,
I said.
I already said I ve got souls to save.
You don t have to do anything.
He rotated in the chair so he was facing me and electricity surged as he placed his hands on my hips. I stepped back, but he pulled me to him.
We could leave. Just you and me. Run away and never look back.
And what?
I asked.
Just let the world end? Could you do that?
He pressed his lips together.
Could you?
Alex.
My voice was soft as I put my hands on his shoulders.
It s time to end this.
He moved his hands away and I turned for the door.
Are you coming?
He sighed and I heard him shift as he stood up. Then we walked out, side by side, to go take my life.
Chapter 32
(Alex)
It hurt me to see her like that. She was hurting in ways she didn t know how to deal with. And I didn t know what to do. I could have gone to her myself, but I was the one who still had a mother. So I sent Laylen, even though it killed me, because I knew he could help her through it.
And now I was the one helping her to her death.
Gemma held the vile of poison between her finger and thumb, staring at the clear liquid.
So this is what s going to kill me, without actually harming me?
My mother leaned forward from the sofa and took the vile from her fingers.
It will once Aislin seals it with the Kiss of Death.
It sounds like something straight out of Shakespeare,
Gemma remarked, tilting her head, studying the vile.
Like Romeo and Juliet,
Nicholas commented.
Only let s hope this one over here doesn t pull a Romeo and take his own life. Then you ll both be dead.
Does he really need to be here?
I asked.
It seems kind of pointless.
We need his help with something,
my mother said, cupping the poison in her hand.
Help with what?
I asked.
Have you actually talked to him?
I d like to point out that I m staying,
Nicholas s voice interrupted.
I m not going anywhere until my life returns to me.
But how am I going to get Helena to give up the Lost Souls?
Gemma asked.
Because I don t think she s just going to hand them over.
With that.
My mother taped the ring on Gemma s finger.
That belongs to the queen.
The last time we tried to make a bargain with a jewel,
Gemma frowned,
it didn t work out so well. We ended up trapped in The Underworld with a pissed off queen.
That won t happen,
my mother said.
As long as you re still tied to the human world, the queen can t hurt you. And she ll want that ring more than anything.
Gemma twisted the ring on her finger.
Why? What s so special about it?
My mother s eye lit up in an inhuman way.
Because inside that rings is her soul.
Who s soul?
Gemma and I asked.
The queen s soul,
my mom answered, stepping toward Gemma.
That s why you can see the dead when you wear it.
I stepped between them.
There s one thing that is really bugging me about this,
I said.
Actually, there s more than one, but this is the biggest. How is she going to come back? How will she start breathing again?
That s what you re for.
My mother patted my shoulder.
You re part of her in every way, through the promise, through the star, through your soul.
Soul?
Gemma gave me a confused look.
Am I missing something?
Oh.
My mother averted her eyes, realizing I d never told Gemma that our souls were connected.
All you have to do is revive her when it s time.
So how do I know when that is?
I asked.
Because I won t know what s going on down there.
Her gaze locked on a space of air.
Nicholas is going to tell you when it s time.
No freakin way,
I said, wondering if being locked up in the City of Crystal had messed with her head.
You actually want to leave someone like him in charge of something like that.
It s the only way,
she said.
He s the one who can see into their world.
I crossed my arms.
Why can t you just come back?
She got a look in her eyes I didn t like.
Once I cross over into the Afterlife, I can t come back.
What!
I exclaimed and Gemma gasped.
I ve been avoiding my duties as a Banshee,
she said.
Once I turned, I got myself sentenced to the Foreseer s crystal to keep my whereabouts hidden. But now & when I go there, Helena can make me stay if she chooses to.
You have to come back,
I muttered.
It s & I &
I will one day.
She patted my head like I was still two-years-old.
It s not good-bye forever.
There s got to be another way,
I said, determined that there was.
Maybe Nicholas could take me to the Afterlife.
Only a Banshee can carry a Lost Soul to the Afterlife.
She sank down on the coffee table tucking her hair behind her ears.