My eyes burn with tears just thinking about how I’m never going to hold her, but I suck it up and stand to my feet.
“And so we meet again.” Helena’s tattered body is perched on her throne, and she looks more than happy to see me.
“And so we do,” I say, stepping onto the red podium. I no longer feel afraid. What’s done is done, and now I’m going to face my decision head on. “What will you do with me? Turn me into one of your mummies and make me work for you?”
Her lip twitches as she snarls at me blasé tone. “You’ll do whatever I want you to do. In fact, I think I have the perfect place for you.” She lifts her hand. “You can live inside my ring where I can always feed off your soul whenever I need a snack.”
“My soul’s gone,” I spit. “There’s nothing left inside me now.”
“You sound very ungrateful.” She rises and steps toward me. “Maybe I should remind you this was your choice. You asked me to do this to save your lover.”
“It was never a choice,” I say firmly. “I did what I had to do.”
“You’re a stupid, little girl”—she laughs—“and now I’m going to eat that stupidity right up.” She pauses then a clever look fills out the hollowness in her eyes. “I think I have a better place for you than in my ring.” She unhinges her jaw and opens her mouth wide. “You can live inside me.”
I close my eyes, preparing for the end.
“Helena,” a familiar voice appears out of nowhere.
My eyes snap open and dart to the throne behind Helena.
Annabella is standing there with her lips pursed and her silver eyes narrowed. “Let Gemma go,” Annabella says. “She’s not yours to take.”
Helena whirls around toward her sister, bearing her yellow teeth. “Annabella, this doesn’t concern you.”
Annabella calmly steps onto the podium and towers over Helena.
“You feel that,” Annabella says, and Helena swiftly shakes her head, growling. “You can’t take Gemma’s soul because it belongs to someone else.”
“She gave it to me, “which means I can take it!” Helena roars, stomping her foot.
“You’ve always been too greedy,” Annabella tells her. “No wonder mother liked you less.”
“I hate you!” Helena lunges for Annabella’s throat.
Annabella seizes her hands and shoves her back, and Helena falls at my feet, whining.
“Gemma’s soul is connected to another,” Annabella says, raising her voice as she steps toward Helena. “You can’t have it, even if you made a bargain with her. You had no right to make the bargain with her to begin with, and if I have to, I’ll bring Mother down here to fix the mess you made.”
Helena kicks her feet, screaming. “We had a bargain! We had a bargain!”
Annabella shakes her head, looking utterly disappointed with Helena’s behavior. “I’m going to take Gemma now. She’s not staying.”
Helena wails, silver tears glistening in her eyes.
Annabella disregards her and extends her hand to me. “Come with me, Gemma.”
I take Annabella’s hand. “Where are we going?”
She leads me up the steps and around the throne where light spills across us. “To your mother.”
Before I can say anything, she carries us away in a light of essence and warmth. When I can see again, I’m standing underneath the willow tree branches. Annabella is gone, and someone else has taken her place.
“Mom.” I throw my arms around her neck, and an uncontrollable sob rips from my chest. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
She runs her hand over my head. “Shhh, everything’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” She gives me a moment to cry it out before she pulls me away to look at me. “Do you know why you’re here?”
I try to dry my eyes, but more tears pour out. “Because Helena can’t keep my soul, and now I’ve crossed over like you . . . I’m essence now.”
She shakes her head. “You’re here because of who you are—my daughter who’s both brave and loving. Both are such wonderful gifts that I always wished I could have. You threw your life away to safe Alex. You gave up so much.”
“Is that why I’m here?” I tuck my hair behind my ears as the wind blows strands into my face. “Because I sacrificed my life?”
She wanders toward the trunk of the tree, her blue dress trailing in the dirt behind her. “You’re here because everything happens for a reason. You’re here because both