Lord of Chaos (The Dragon Demigods #7) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,63
now, I’m pissing off Hades with all of this cat-and-mouse nonsense. I want this to end. I want my dog, and then life can get back to normal. I’d like to offer you something in return for the hellhound.”
“I’m listening.” He can’t offer me anything. Not a single thing. I’m not sure why he’s wasting his time. Thing is, I need to buy myself time. I don’t want to die on these cliffs today. I’m going to play along. Make it seem like I might be interested. Then I’ll tell him I need time to think about it.
“A life for a life,” he says, being cryptic.
I keep my eyes on his. I keep my expression neutral, and I don’t say anything. If I could leave, I would.
“The life I offer is Warrick.”
It’s the last thing I expected to hear. I frown. I think I might even take a step back. I’m knocked off-kilter. The whole world feels like it turns on its axis. “What? No!” I shake my head.
Gaire is smiling broadly. He nods. “Yes. Warrick. I offer you his life in return for the hellhound.”
I snort. “That’s not possible. You can’t—”
“I can! I am. It’s very possible, I assure you. I can bring him back. Like nothing happened.”
“No. Come on, you—”
Death appears.
I try to shout, ‘no – I need to talk this through with Gaire!’ but I’m not quick enough. I’m in the vortex. Moments later, I’m falling to the floor. I get up. My head is spinning but, I’m okay otherwise. No nausea. My body is growing accustomed to being teleported.
I pull in a deep breath. “Take me back!” I shout.
“What?” both Death and Jarrod say.
“He’s out of it,” Death tells Jarrod.
“Star moved Nia,” Jarrod says.
“Good,” Death says as he grabs my arm. We’re teleporting again. I close my eyes, gritting my teeth. I’m not feeling sick, but I’m not enjoying it either.
The ground feels like it’s suddenly being pushed up. Like I’m being lifted. Like my head might hit the ceiling. I only stay on my feet because Death holds me. I’m not sure where I am. It’s a small apartment. There is vegetation everywhere. The place is crammed with plants, many of which are flowering. There isn’t much in the way of furniture. One small sofa. A two-man table. The kitchenette is just as small and filled with greenery as well.
“Don’t look so put out,” Death says. “I’m not home much, and I have green fingers.” He holds up his hands.
This is Death’s place? “Um… It’s nice,” I say, still looking around. “I live in a small cabin. Who am I to judge? I was wondering, that’s all. I didn’t know about the green fingers…wow! You’re good. This place reminds me of a jungle.”
Death looks at me strangely. “You’re being too chatty for you. Are you feeling okay?”
I nod and then pull in a sharp breath. “Where’s Nia?”
“We’ll wait to hear where Star took her, but she’s safe.”
I nod. “Okay, good, that’s good.”
“Nice outfit.” Death smiles for half a beat, looking down.
I look down, too, at the sheet that is wrapped around me. “I wasn’t planning on being taken by that asshole. Had I known, I would have dressed for the occasion.”
“Why did you ask me to take you back? What did he say to you? I wouldn’t trust him.”
“It took him so long to get to the point that when he finally did…you arrived. It wasn’t what I expected.”
“What did he say?”
“A life for a life,” I repeat Gaire’s words. “He was trying to negotiate for Nia.”
“Negotiate how?” Death cocks his head.
I go over our general conversation. Filling him in. I pause right at the end. “He offered me Warrick’s life. He offered to bring Warrick back from the dead.”
“What? I don’t think he has that kind of power.” Death shakes his head.
“Is it possible?” I ask. “I didn’t think it would be possible. I thought he was lying.” I force myself to stop talking.
“It’s possible,” Death says. “I’ve never seen it done, and I’m not sure if there would be repercussions.”
“Repercussions?” My mind is racing. “You mean like Pet Cemetery?” I reference a well-known Stephen King book in which a family buries their cat in the cemetery at their house, and it returns from the dead. Alive but not the same, and not in a good way.
“Something like that. You’re not thinking of handing Nia over?” Death narrows his eyes. “Are you seriously considering it?”