I flipped through the book as she started digging around for something else. My gaze flickered over the passage, and my chest ached at the last line. I slammed the book shut and watched Elowyn lift and inspect several candles before smiling at the short, stubby black candle in her hand.
“Here, you will also need this. You will carve the name of the soul into this candle. It is their beacon to find you through the After.”
“But…”
“I’m not done.” She shut me up. “You will need to go see Ezra, God of…”
“I know who he is.” Dread filled me.
“You must convince him to let her soul come back. Knowing him, he will want a trade.”
I nodded.
Elowyn frowned at me and didn't say anything for a long moment.
“Are you sure you’re ready to give up anything for this one soul?”
“Yes. My brother deserves to be happy, and Abram told me it was my fate,” I said.
“Abram, the God of Fate?” Her eyes flickered with something that I hadn’t expected—longing.
My gaze flickered over her. Curiosity about how she knew Abram took over.
“Yes, do you know him?” I asked. I knew he hated this coven, but he never said he actually came here to talk to them.
She swallowed hard as she nodded. “Yes, he is not a fan of mine. He has not come around for a long time.” Oh, she wanted to know where he was. Gods, was I mistaken that she looked like shemissedhim?
“He is in hiding. He will be back soon. Actually, you helping me with this will get him out of hiding quicker.” I smiled softly. “How well do you know him?”
Her face flushed red, and now I knew I wasn’t imagining it. Abram was handsome, even by god standards. “Not well. He has threatened to kill me and my entire coven if we didn’t stop messing with fate. Hehatesme. I thought maybe something happened to him since it’s been centuries since I’ve seen him.”
“That is partially my fault.” I sighed heavily. “He’s helping me with something now. I’m sure he’ll come threaten you and your coven again after.” I gave her a knowing smile.
She nodded and smirked slightly.
“Alright, let me tell you what you have to do when her soul comes to you.” And for the first time since arriving here, I saw sadness in her eyes.
?????????
It had been three weeks and four days since I left Haden, and I could still feel his panic and hear him calling to me at all hours of the day and night. All I could think of as I traveled to the Islands of Death was how these three weeks had felt like an eternity. But soon it wouldn’t matter, not if I could get Remiah’s soul back. It would be worth it.
I hadn’t been to the Islands of Death for hundreds of years, and I desperately wanted to escape them now, but I needed to talk with Ezra and decide on an exchange for Remiah’s soul. His big black castle sat on the highest mountain peak here. It couldn’t be missed.
It was a stunning structure, and if it had been under different circumstances, I would have loved to stop and admire the beautyof this place, but I had a feeling soon it would be my home. I knocked on the door, and within seconds it swung open. Ezra’s large body filled the space, and his dark red brows shot into his hairline when he saw it was me.
“Ardella, you are a sight.” He gave me his boyish grin, but I knew what lay beneath his smile. The heavens had made him beautiful on the outside, but his insides were dark and cruel. His red hair fell just above his dark red eyes.
“May I come in?”
“You are welcome in my home anytime you’d like.”
I rolled my eyes as I walked past him. I stopped dead in my tracks when a naked woman walked in front of me and disappeared through a door.
“We're not in your precious palace anymore, sweets.” He chuckled.
When I glared at him, he gave me an odd look before ushering me into a side room. His home was all dark tones, with red and gold accents. It was beautiful, from the black marble floors to the red tapestries on the wall. There were new paintings on the walls that seemed so out of place here because of how colorful they were. Those definitely weren’t here before. He poured some sort of drink and handed it to me. I could smell the liquor before I even tasted it, but I drank the entire drink in one gulp.
“Alright, Ardella, you never drink. Why are you here?” He rounded the leather armchair and sat across from me. Sweat beaded on my forehead. If he didn’t agree to this, then I would never make things right. Ezra could refuse me, and then I would have no way for Mikel and Haden to be happy again.
