“Yes,” I replied, and despite everything, despite what he had done and the kind of man that he was … I almost sounded sad for him. This was not a place that anyone could survive in. Not unless they walked into it expecting the worst—and expecting the worst was my speciality. I turned from the wavering expression of denial that clung to Staviti’s face, dragging myself through the glass just as the first sparks of light began to thread through the hypnotising souls. I couldn’t chance losing myself to their colour-dance again, even if it meant staying to savour the realisation as it passed through Staviti, before he was made dumb. It was enough to know that he would soon lose himself to death—because no living thing could last in there. That was a place for souls to be at peace.
I tumbled out of the glass and onto solid ground, the sound of voices clashing almost violently with my senses, and I immediately closed my eyes against the sudden onslaught of light and colour, pulling my arms up to shield my face.
“Willa, get out of the way!” It was Jakan’s voice—when had he gotten there?
Hands gripped my arm, yanking me to the side even as I tried to recoil from the sudden touch. It was tooreal.
“You won’t be able to keep me in there,” a voice growled, and I forced one of my eyes open, half-blinded as I watched Crowe backing toward the glass, Jakan advancing on him with hand extended.
“I am the master of Death,” Crowe continued, a sneer lifting his lips. “I will find my way back, and then I will make you pay for what you have done here.”
I fought against the battering my senses were withstanding, pushing to my feet and brushing off the hands that tried to pull me back down. Adeline, I realised, was trying to protect me. Crowe was at the frame, now, his hands braced on the edges. He couldn’t seem to stop himself from moving backwards, Jakan’s power proving too strong for him.
“Nobody can master death,” I said, my voice hoarse and cracked, almost too quiet to hear—though hedidhear me.
His dark eyes swung to me, widening. I wasn’t sure what he could see, but whatever it was had fear passing over his features before Jakan shoved his hand forward and Crowe tumbled backwards, disappearing into the glass.
“Now!” Adeline shouted as we all rushed toward the frame.
“Staviti will have a moment of clarity when Crowe goes through,” I cautioned them. “We need to do this quickly.”
“We’ll do it together,” Jakan said, taking my hand and placing it against the glass, though without enough pressure to send our handsthroughthe glass. “Lend me your strength and I will redirect this glass to the imprisonment realm. Adeline, if you give it your influence, then it will only allow the passage of the pure, as you have said.”
I closed my eyes, pouring my energy into the object beneath my hands and allowing Jakan to direct it as he needed. It took him less time than it would have taken me—but it drained us both completely. I could tell when he began to falter; his body sagged beside mine, a violent tremor taking hold of his hand. I pressed my other hand over his, holding it there, and poured everything remaining inside me into the glass. His hand steadied only slightly, and began to slip from beneath mine just as Adeline made a sound of triumph beside me.
“It’s done,” she announced, as Jakan’s hand fell away completely.
My fingers grappled for purchase but slid uselessly over the edge of the frame as I slumped forward, darkness rushing in around me and my mind going blank.
It’s done.
