Gates of Death - Rae Foxx Page 0,11

the spell or if we need to use it to cut your hands or both, or what."

"Let's use it every possible way to increase our chances," I suggested.

Everyone nodded without speaking. Michael spread out a map of the Earth realm. "First, let's see if she's in this realm."

I studied the Scythe. "It's pretty dull," I said. "I'll need someone to do it for me."

Gabe took my hand, and I held out the Scythe. We all held our breaths for a second to see if he could even grab it, but now that I'd broken the spell over it, he picked it up with no problem.

The wooden handle of the tool had long ago rotted away, so he positioned his hand about halfway down the blade, then pressed the tip to my skin.

Closing my eyes, I gritted my teeth and ignored the agonizing pain of a dull, rusty blade cutting jaggedly into my flesh.

Gabriel moved fast, so the worst of it was over in seconds. Opening my eyes, I smiled shakily and congratulated myself on not crying out in pain.

Blood pooled in the palm of my hand. Gabe handed the Scythe to Lucifer. When his hand closed around it, he sucked in a sharp breath. "Damn, this thing is powerful."

I chuckled and arched an eyebrow at him. "Told you."

He made quick work of cutting his hand. Of course, he was able to do it himself. The show-off.

When we both had a fair bit of blood in our palms, we carefully touched our hands to each other's, mixing the blood and coating our hands with it as Michael quickly tied the piece of rope to the Scythe.

"Now, coat the Scythe," I suggested. We were running blind, but it seemed like a safe bet that coating the Artifact with our blood would help.

While Michael held it out with the string, Lucifer and I ran our palms all over the Scythe. The blood dripped to the ground, but it also coated the blade, which soaked it up.

"Didn't expect that," I whispered and watched the blood disappear. When we'd wiped as much as we could off of our hands and onto the blade, I grabbed the rope. "Luc, hold it below mine with your bloody hand."

He did as instructed, then we moved the Scythe over the map of the Earth realm. There was no spell book to tell me what to say. "Funnel your power into it, that which you can access," I whispered. Doing the same, I focused on the Scythe.

My eyes rolled back in my head, and I became simultaneously aware of two realities. One, in the church in Anywhere, Appalachia. The other, in a rich, green field of tall grass. A man walked toward me with his arms out. A man I recognized. "Abel?" I asked, shocked to my core.

Lucifer, Michael, and Gabriel gasped. When I spoke to Abel, I spoke to them, too. "Don't worry," I said. "I'm seeing something amazing, just be patient."

Five hands touched me, on my back and shoulders. "It's okay," I whispered, feeling them but seeing Abel.

"How are you here?" I asked.

Michael tried to say something to me. "You three, shush and wait," I reprimanded them. Abel smiled with amusement, possibly knowing why I was saying strange things to him.

"Sorry," I said. "My mates are in the Earth realm with me and they can hear me speak but don't know you're here."

He held out his hands to indicate the world around him. "Tell them what you see."

"I'm standing in the most lush, vivid green field of grass I've ever seen," I whispered. "It's beautiful. And Abel is here."

"I'm in Heaven," he corrected. "But I guard this place. This is the fount of magic that supplies the Scythe. Magic and Power, as you know, depends on the wielder. It can be light or dark, but at its core, unfettered, it's simply beautiful, as is this field. This grass could be nutritious or poisonous, depending on how it's prepared. You may use this Scythe as you see fit. It is in your hands now. You do not need spells or sacrifices. The magic will do your bidding.”

"But?" There was always a catch.

"It is not infinite. You must choose wisely. It has never been used by one such as yourself. Raphael came close, many, many years ago, but managed to refrain. If you are in dire need, you may use the magic, but when it is done, this place, this beauty, will dissipate into the realm in which it is