“It’ll start when she’s born. The gates will lock. The celestial world will be unbalanced. You must play a part, put your own desires aside, and allow your daughter to be the key to my son’s Severance Rune and to Hell,” she whispered, a deep sadness gentling her tone.
It hit me then like a cold shock of electricity. All the signs came together—Miriam’s puppeteering, the doors, Cato’s words, the cause of Hell’s imprisonment. It was me. It had always been me.
But why would Hell open sometimes? And why when Michael…
Tsal-mawet.
The dagger could create and destroy depending on its whims. Michael had shoved it into my chest at four years old, just like Etan shoved it into my father during the Unmaking Ceremony. Michael had never used a rune on me, but if Etan was telling the truth and the rune was supposed to direct intention, then without it, what would the dagger do?
Well, I guessed it’d make me the key to opening Hell.
“So be it.”
Her words slammed into my chest.
A coldness pooled in my stomach. My knees weakened. They cracked against the wooden floor. The sound was small, but loud enough to freeze Mom and Miriam mid-conversation.
I tore myself out of the dream-walk and into my head.
“One fucking second,” I whispered on my hands and knees. “She hesitated for one fucking second.”
All her secrets. All her lies! She didn’t want to be a mother but tochange her world! I was a game piece to be used and manipulated on Miriam’s game board.
“Why do you think she never told us?” my future self said. “She always knew Miriam’s prophecy would come true.”
“No.” I pushed to my feet, breath coming too fast. “No! He just—we just—” I held my hand to my mouth. My chest burned.
My future self only stared at me.
“You wanted to know how to release him. You wanted to know how to save Mom’s soul. You have your answer.”
“There has to be another way.”
“You know there’s not. You even know how to use the Siphoning Rite now, don’t you?”
I did. And I wished I didn’t.
“Make sure Aspen’s with you when you trap her. He’s the one who has to exact the price.”
“It shouldn’t be him.” It shouldn’t be us. “It can’t. What if we don’t go through with it?”
She shook her head, our star-flecked gray eyes glassy. “This is the best way.”
“How?” I screamed. “How is this the best way? That’s why you didn’t want me to accept the bond last night.”
Silence.
“Why this way?”
“You need to trust me.”
Tears ached in my throat, but they wouldn’t reach my eyes. I was entering a territory where loss was inevitable and crying was useless.
“You need to set the trap tonight. And if you decide to confide in anyone, it canonlybe Ichi.”
“Why would I confide in any…” I trailed off. I knew that look. The one that said she wanted to say more but couldn’t without risking changing everything. “Fine. Will this be the last time we talk?”
“No. There are some letters I need to help you write.”
