"As mud."
She eyed me for a moment, the concern in her expression deepening. "The astral plane is inhabited by two types of spirits: those who cannot—for one reason or another—move on spiritually, and other astral travelers. And just like walking down the street, you cannot control who's on the astral fields. But you can be certain that not all will be on the side of the angels."
"So I should watch my metaphysical ass?"
"Yes. At your current energy levels, you could attract energies who are darker in life, and they may cause you problems on the astral plane or follow you onto this one."
"I can handle unpleasant energies on this plane. And if I can't, Azriel can." I paused. "What of the dangers?"
Her expression darkened. "While you cannot die on the fields themselves, it is possible to become trapped there. It is also possible to become so enraptured by whatever illusion surrounds you on the plane that what happens there can echo through your physical being."
I frowned. "So if I somehow imagine getting whacked on the plane, my body can be bruised?"
"If the illusion is powerful enough, yes. And if you find yourself entrapped there, you risk death."
"Why?"
"Because," Azriel said, before Adeline could, "flesh cannot survive great lengths of time without its soul. And while the astral body is not the entirety of the soul, if you find death when your astral being is not present in your body, then your soul is not complete and cannot move on. You would become one of the lost ones."
"And here I was thinking it would be a walk in the park." I swept a hand through my short hair and wished, just once, that something was. "Let's get this done."
She glanced past me briefly, then rose. "Come with me, then."
I followed her out of the living room and down the long hall, my footsteps echoing softly on her wooden floors. Azriel made no sound, although the heat of his presence burned into my spine and chased away the chill of apprehension.
Adeline stopped at the last door on the right and opened it. "Please take your shoes off."
I did so as she stepped to one side and motioned me to enter. The room was dark and smelled faintly of lavender and chamomile, and my bare feet disappeared into a thick layer of mats and silk.