Her opaque eyes lock on us. “Whatever Vivian is, we need to know. Especially now that we know she has Creator power. Vivian, if we were worried the Council would attack before, it’s nothing compared to what they’ll do to get you back before your Creator powers reach their full potential. Creators may not be as dangerous as Destroyers, but they still hold immense power. The Council won’t risk that falling into our hands. They will attack. Soon. But if Vivian has power that can help us win, we need to know.”
Morgana offers me a small apologetic smile before continuing, “I’ve been thinking about it since you freed the forsaken. If you’re nothing any of us has seen before, then you need to see someone older than all of us.”
She pauses, and Sin’s hand tightens against my neck, his gaze hardening.
“You’re joking.” His words are clipped.
I look between them, trying to figure out what they’re talking about.
Morgana shakes her head. “If he doesn’t know what she is, no one will.”
“The Underworld Realm is occupied by the Council. It has been for millennia,” Sin argues.
“The man in the wall does not work for the Council,” Morgana corrects.
I frown at them. “Who is the man in the wall?”
“He’s a speaking corpse,” Sin spits.
Morgana turns to me, her face serious. “He’s the oldest creature I’ve ever seen. He’s trapped deep in the Underworld Realm and has been since well before my time.”
“But why?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“Legends say he used to be a god but lost his power and can never leave his prison,” Morgana answers.
I swallow. “And he doesn’t work for Need?”
Sin turns to me, still looking agitated. “He works for no one.”
“If anyone can tell us what you are, it’s him,” Morgana argues emphatically.
I breathe. Once. Twice.
Answers.
I’ve waited so long to learn why I can see ghosts.
“Then I need to see him,” I state, trying to sound as confident as possible.
Sin sighs, and I turn to him. “You said the Underworld Realm is under Council rule. Can you still apparate us there?”
He shakes his head. “The majority of the realm is heavily warded. We can apparate close to the surface, but we’ll have to go on foot from there.”
Morgana stands, eying us both. Her voice takes on the familiar, commanding tone. “Get in and get out unseen. Sin, you know the risks of using Destructive power in their realm. Use it, and they have the full support of the Council to attack us. Stealth is key.” She turns to me before continuing, “The UnderworldRealm isn’t like the others you’ve visited. It might be mostly uninhabited, but it’s not safe.”
“So, is this the actual underworld then? Where souls go in the afterlife, and mortal sins are punished? You know, the whole fire and brimstone thing?” I ask jokingly.
Morgana’s eyes lock on me. “There is no afterlife. Souls are sold into slavery, and then they come here.”
I shake my head. “Yes, I’ve heard. But in the Mortal Realm, we have stories of the underworld.”
Sin gives me a soft smile. “Whatever your stories, they’ve been dreamt up by mortals. The Underworld Realm is a shell. There are no souls there.”
I slump. Those were definitely not the words that my very mortal self wanted to hear.
Standing, Morgana nods to us before heading for the door. “Get your things and go as soon as possible. It’s a long way down to the bottom.”
Once she’s gone, Sin turns to me, eying me warily. “You’re sure about this?”
