“It wasn’t out of carelessness. It was for a reason, a very good reason.” I get in her face. “Now tell me she survived.”
She trails her fingernails along my shoulder and runs her hands through my hair, but I swat her hand away. “Stay the hell away from me. Just because you own my soul, it doesn’t mean you can put your gross hands on me.”
She snarls, biting my cheek. “You’re mine now, and I’ll do whatever I want with you.” She dances around, her hair thickening and her skin smoothing out as she transforms. “There. Is that better for you?”
I shove her back. “I said, don’t touch me.”
“You can be bitter all you want,” she snaps. “But, eventually, I’ll break you.” She traces her hands along the burned walls, pieces of it crumbling to the floor. “You’re very ungrateful. When you came here asking me to take your soul in return for freeing the girl’s, I thought I was doing you a favor, but now you act as if I’m burdening you.”
“I just need to know she’s still alive,” I say, grinding my teeth.
She still refuses to answer me, and it takes all my strength not to force her to tell me. I’m also worried because she still hasn’t collected my soul, which means she could send me back, and Gemma won’t be saved.
“Free souls are hard to find,” she purrs. “Even Helena herself would kill for one. The power your soul will give me can help me take her down.”
“So that’s your big plan—you take my soul and try to take down the Queen of the Afterlife.” Unable to help myself, I snort a laugh. “
Growling she wraps her fingers around my neck, and I let her strangle me since I have no fight left in me.
“Defend yourself,” she demands, “or it won’t be any fun.”
“Let him go,” someone commands from the darkness of the stairway.
The Banshee instantly releases me, her lips trembling as she spins toward the stairs. A woman with white hair, blood red lips, and silver eyes stands at the bottom of the stairway, and when the Banshee sees her, she bows her head.
“I’m sorry, Annabella, but he gave me his soul,” the Banshee says, “
“His soul isn’t his to give.” Annabella steps off the stairway, glancing around at the charred walls. “So this is what the entrance of the Afterlife has come to.”
“I’m sorry,” the Banshee says, “but perhaps soon, Helena will no longer rule, and things can return to their rightful condition.”
Annabella inches closer to the Banshee. “I may not like my sister, but don’t you dare talk poorly of her in my presence.”
The Banshee sinks to her knees, weeping. “I’m so sorry I’ve angered you.”
Annabella walks around her, her silvery eyes landing on me. “This is what you offered in exchange for the freedom of Gemma’s soul?” She pulls a disgusted face at the room. “That’s very brave of you.”
“You’re the Queen of the Afterlife’s sister?” I ask. “So that makes you the—?”
“It makes me nothing,” she cuts me off, her slivery eyes darkening to grey. “I choose to be whatever I am, but if you want to know what I reign over, it’s the essences.”
“Why are you here?”
“I think what you really want to ask is if she’s okay, if Gemma lived because of your sacrifice.”
I nod, too emotional to speak.
Please, let her be okay.
She presses her lips together, her gaze heavy. “Tell me, why did you do it? Why did you give up everything for her?”
“Because I love her,” I say simply
“Love?” She considers the idea with mild curiosity on her face. “It’s a beautiful concept, to love someone more than you love yourself, and maybe that’s why I’m doing this.”
“What are you doing, exactly?” My eyes dart to the Banshee as she crawls toward Annabella’s feet.
“Please don’t take him from me,” she begs, her fingernails digging into the rotting floor. “I need him.”
“So you can try to take Helena’s place? Because that’ll never happen.” She turns around and heads for the stairs, kicking the Banshee out of the way. “Make sure you live your life the way you want. Second chances are precious and don’t come around often.”
Before I can ask her what she means, I’m sucked away into blackness.
When I open my eyes again, I’m lying next to the lake, beneath the sunlight and surrounded by ashes.
I bolt upright at the sound of someone crying, and what I see makes me want to die all over again.