Skye’s singsong voice filled the room: “It’s okay, I don’t blame you. It was that evil level ten.” I froze, and one by one I peeled my fingers away from my face and peered in the direction of the voice, and there was Skye.
Nope.
Not real.
I pinched my eyes shut, took a deep, calming breath, and reopened them.
“You should really look into waterproof mascara,” Skye said, scrunching her nose in disgust as she stared at my cheeks.
My mouth popped open as I gazed at her spectral form sitting next to me. She was wearing the same outfit she’d died in; not a honey colored piece of hair was out of place. It was still tied up in its high ponytail.
“Sk-Skye… I… how—?” This was the point when I needed to finally call a therapist, right? Seeing ghosts was rock bottom. Maybe I was hallucinating.
Skye leaned forward and smiled. “Cael says hi.”
I froze. “What?”
“I died, went to Avalon, and Cael gave me a mission here on Earth and said to say hi.” Skye looked at her nails as if she was bored having to explain this to me.
I grasped my chest to make sure I was in fact still breathing and conscious. I only felt a little better when I detected the thump-thump of my heartbeat. “Skye, you died. Shouldn’t you be upset?”
Skye nodded. “I’m a little pissed, not gonna lie. I was really looking forward to going on a second date with that senior hunter—he had the best biceps—but Avalon is amazing, and I get to live there forever now. After I help you of course.”
Okay. Process words. Breathe. This is real.
Demons were real, why not spirits too? Or was she technically a ghost? Was there a difference?
“How can I see you?” I asked her.
She snort-laughed. “You’re the daughter of the ruler of the Netherworld, a realm full of dead people. Come on, Tatum.”
Were there ghosts in the Netherworld? I hadn’t even noticed when I’d been kidnapped and dragged there against my will. I must have been too sidetracked by the god-awful ugly demons. Or maybe the dead didn’t live in Shadow City?
But Skye was right, I was Apollyon’s daughter.
Okay. I see dead people. No big deal.
Breathe in, breathe out.
“You okay?” Skye leaned forward and placed a hand on my knee, but it passed right through, sending a chill through the spot she touched. I stood and backed up a few paces.
I peered at her see-through hands and tried not to freak out. “I’m going to need a beat to get used to you being this way. I just don’t know how long the adjustment period will be, but maybe no touching of the ghosty fingers for now?”
Skye grinned and stood. “Wooooooo.” She walked toward me as if she were a zombie, and I rolled my eyes.
Was this seriously happening?
The door behind her burst open and Drea stepped in with Dash.
“Tatum!” Drea ran straight for me, passing right through Skye, which made Skye giggle, and then Drea crashed into me with a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Drea said.
When she pulled back, she looked down at Skye’s body covered in the sheet, and tears filled her eyes.
“Tell her I’m right here,” Skye instructed me.
Umm, no. She’ll think I’m crazy.
