Zia pointed in the air—away from where we stood. “They’re usually found on the Island of Power.”
Huh?
“You mean High Mage Island?”
“Is that what they’re calling it now?” Zia shrugged. “It’s the island the Mother Mage created that exudes magical power.”
Okay…
“So then why would the Keeper of the Dead want a soul stone?” I remembered the way he’d swallowed the one my grandfather had given me, and a chill ran through me.
Zia’s eyes widened. “Because then the soul is tied there—to the Realm of the Dead. Most of the time, that wouldn’t matter after death anyway because that’s where nearly all souls go, but for me, your grandfather, andeventuallyyou—as a high mage of spirit, assuming spirit chooses you—our souls are sealed to our soul stones. Sowecan travel wherever we want after death, whereas if the Keeper owns your stone, you have to stay down there with him. Speaking of which … make sure you keep our soul stones safe, please.”
Suddenly I knew whose soul stone I’d given to the Keeper of the Dead and why he’d beensoexcited to get it.
“I know why Geoff didn’t come here with me the first time,” I whispered, a strangled cry dying in my throat. He’d given me the stone so nonchalantly, telling me it would get me and Rage out of there. I’d had no idea he’d condemned himself to the Realm of the Dead after his death.
Anguish, guilt, and shame all overwhelmed me, so strong I lost focus. Zia faded before my eyes, her concerned expression the last thing to vanish, before I jerked upright in the spirit pool, a sob on my lips.
Gramps … traded his eternity of soul-walking for … me.
I leapt out of the pool and raced back to the changing area, shucking my wet swimsuit as I ran. In a mad rush, I pulled my clothes on and then tore out of the glass-paneled room and ran up the stairs and down the hall where I heard Reyna and Sariah chatting.
“Where is he?” I asked, my voice hoarse with emotion as I burst into a conference where the two women sat at a table, chatting.
Reyna rose from her seat. Her wan expression shifted to pity as she took in my distraught appearance. She sighed before offering me a small, sad smile. Stepping into the hallway, she pointed to a room, the door slightly ajar. I beelined for it and knocked once.
“Come in.” Gramps’ voice sounded frail, and it made the lump in my throat grow even larger.
Stepping into the room, I took in his frail appearance. He lay in a king-sized sleigh bed, propped up and reading a book with a cowboy on the cover. Windows lined the entire wall to his left, and the curtains were opened halfway, letting in shafts of light.
Had he lost weight in just a day? Was that possible?
“Hi, dear girl,” he said, brightening as he set his book down. But his smile melted away as he studied me, turning somber with his brow furrowed.
I stumbled into the room and fell to my knees at the side of his bed. “Why? Why did you give meyoursoul stone? The Keeper … he swallowed it. He … he owns your soul now, doesn’t he? You’ll betrappedthere. You’ll—”
He reached out and stroked the top of my head as I burst into tears and buried my face into my hands.
I’d barely known him then, and he’d justso easilysacrificed his eternity … for me. I felt 110.9% undeserving. My chest pinched with pain. This weight and guilt of knowing I’d taken something precious from him. “It’s not … I could’ve…”
“Nai,” he said, his voice soft, yetsomehowit pierced through my muffled sobs. Reaching out, he tipped my chin up to meet his eyes. “My lovely granddaughter.” He took a deep breath and offered me a smile filled with patience and love. “Surlama tricked you. You never would’ve gotten out without a soul stone. Every realm has rules, even that of the dead. The Keeper has to maintain order.” Grandpa pursed his lips and then added, “We were lucky the Keeper allowed youandRage to leave.”
I chewed on my bottom lip as tears dripped down my cheeks. “It’s because we promised to kill Surlama. The Keeper actually tricked us. He swallowed your soul stone in exchange for permission to take Honor’s soul when we called for it—”
“Oh, I see.” Gramps nodded. “I’d wondered why it was so easy to bring him back.”
“But, when you first came to the Realm of the Dead, you said…” My brow furrowed as I tried to remember exactly what my grandfather had said when he first appeared there to me and Rage, beyond the fact that Rage’s body would’ve decomposed if we didn’t get out ASAP. “Didn’t you say something about being able to bring back Honor’s soul?”
Taking a deep breath, Gramps closed his eyes. After his exhale, he opened his eyes and met my gaze. Even before he spoke, I could tell it wasn’t good.
“Not without a soul stone,” he said, his voice shaky. “That or some other agreement with the Keeper is the only way to get a soul out. Remember—without order, there is only chaos.”
What the what?
So if I hadn’t made that bargain … would we’ve ever gotten Honor out? I didn’t even want to ask, and … did it matter now?
Nope. Not one bit.
