“Well, this is all very romantic and cute, but there’s something you should know,” Diablos says tartly.
“Oh?”
“Mei is one of us, and by us, I mean, my kind. Part of her, anyway. That’s how she has the runes and the magic.”
“We know, we spoke to someone about it. Her father is Death. What of it?”
Diablos blinks. “Yes, but Deux isn’t a Nightmare either, not anymore.”
I stare at the demon. “What is Deux, then?” I ask, feeling my resolve harden.
“He is not one of us. He was something from Nightmare, but I think by eating people, he has ingested their magic,” Stix theorizes. “He is changed.”
“We need to find her, she’s vulnerable,” Reed mutters. “I don’t care about the Nightmare.”
Stix shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know how to help you; she is the most elusive of creatures. The only time she ever appeared when you wanted her was if you called her.”
“Call her?”
Not with words, but with a song. A summons.
I turn to Brio, but he’s one step ahead of me. He opens his mouth and starts singing. Canto and Reed join in.
I turn back to the others. “Our deal, Diablos.”
“Void.”
“Good.” I hesitate. “Thank you.”
“What are you going to do?” Diablos asks.
“I’m going to find my Strega,” I mutter. “Make sure she’s happy here, Di. Please, don’t return her to Nightmare. Keep her safe, give her time, she will surprise you.”
He shuts his mouth with a click and bows slightly. “I will, Siren. Happy hunting.”
I open my mouth and join the song, and a beat later, Leaf does the same.
Our song enters the world, speaking to her, demanding her, coaxing her. Tendrils spread everywhere.
The others disappear, but we stand there in the ocean, sending our song out into the world. Listening for just one flicker.
Just one.
And then we catch it.
It’s not a flicker.
It’s a scream of pain.
Mei is screaming.
Leviathan rips open the gate to the Black Death Ocean. We dive in.
Chapter 38
Mei
I’ve blocked out the memory of their song, I’ve blocked out everything but him. Deux moves towards me, I can feel the world die around him.
