White walls, a pink marble floor, and a soaring gold ceiling served as a foundation for a luxurious space fit for a Roman emperor. There was a wading pool with benches circling it, chaise lounges under potted fruit trees, a dining table laden with food, and—
“I'm sorry, is that a pit of puppies?” I asked.
“Puppies?!” Viper ran for the circular sunken play area full of puppies.
“I prefer cats.” Kirill headed to a twin pit across the room, full of kittens. “Hello, little babies.” He crawled in and kittens covered within moments, his expression becoming blissful.
Meanwhile, Viper lifted a puppy and nuzzled it. “Can I keep it?”
“No,” I said. “That's not a real dog.”
“Aww, don't say that. It might hear you.” Viper kissed the floppy-eared puppy. “You are real. Don't listen to her.”
“It's hard to Jesus motioned to a man seated on a bench, hunched over and staring into the wading pool. “Hey, my man. How you feeling?”
The soul looked up as we approached, his eyes blinking as if he were coming out of a daze. “Hello. I, uh, I think I'm fine.”
“Hi, I'm Vervain.” I sat down next to him and held out my hand.
“Hello, I'm . . .” He frowned.
“Lost,” I said gently. “I know. Do you remember anything?”
He shrugged. “Just feelings, mostly.”
“Great!” I laid a hand on his shoulder, but he winced, so I drew it back. “What do you remember feeling?”
“I felt cold at first.” He was Asian, with short black hair and brown eyes. Slender but fit. Kind eyes, even if they were full of fear.
My heart clenched with familiarity. He reminded me of my grandfather. He looked just like old pictures of Grandpa when he was in the army. This man might even be a grandfather. Who knows what age he was when he died? Souls come to their afterlives in the form they choose.
“Do you remember if you felt light? Like you were flying?” Re asked.
The man looked up and then stared at Re. “You're golden.”
“Yes, I'm the Sun God, Re.”
“Egyptian?”
“That's right.”
“But . . .” He looked around. “Isn't this Heaven?”
“There are many heavens,” I said.
“And many hells,” Hades added.
I shot a glare at him before continuing, “No religion is wrong. All the Gods exist.”
“Truly?” His eyebrows rose.
“Yes, and we all want to help you. Now, what did you feel after the cold?”
“I felt as if I were moving.” He frowned. “It was peaceful. I knew I was going somewhere nice. But then I stopped.”
“You stopped moving?”
“Yes. Something held me. I could feel pressure moving through me.” He jerked upright. “There was a voice.”
