Page 160 of In Between Death and the Devil

A collective gasp sounded, and I opened my eyes to see the shimmering thing in Death’s hand had become solid. Bright, warm light twined with shadows stretched between Fen and me, our love emanating from it, filling the air.

Death hissed and dropped it as if she’d been burned. It hit the ground with an audible chime and light rippled out from the spot like a stone thrown into a lake.

Dry dirt turned to fertile soil, dark and crumbly. The tree I’d summoned sprouted anew along with the rest of the grove, which filled with pomegranate trees heavy with ripe, red fruit. The sparkling, swirling darkness above us turned to pale lavender filled with flecks of gold, silver, and black. The castles appeared in the distance with a small structure between them, the three foundations like floating islands that disappeared into billowing shadows underneath. Between them, bits of wood and glass and plaster flew through the void and coalesced into the shape of the bridge, which solidified with a ripple until the castles were connected once again.

I suddenly became aware of hundreds of faint energy signatures, like pinpricks of light in a sea of darkness. The salamanders Death had created traveling through the fire network. One of them was brighter than the others. Sasha. Her consciousness brushed against mine, jolting at the familiar contact. Confusion turned to joy as she realized what had happened. Everyone in the castles must have felt it, the In Between finally coming into balance.

Her desire to be set free to the After was potent, suffusing her entire being. It saddened me to lose her, but I understood her desire to choose her future after having it stolen from her for so long. I sensed there wasn’t enough of her left for me to restore anyway. The same was true for the others. In each of them was a dark hole where an irretrievable part of them had been carved away.

Setting them free was easy. The After waited just beyond my senses, separated from this realm by a veil. All I needed to do was gather up what was left of them and gently usher them to the border. It parted easily, admitting them with a gentle tug before closing once more. My eyes filled with tears and my heart with gladness as I watched them go, finally at peace.

Power trickled into me with every soul that passed through the veil, the feeling like swallowing sunshine. It was different from what I’d felt through Fen’s memory, not as euphoric but still amazing. I could see how it would be easy to chase it.

A gasp, like a sob, brought me back to reality.

Death covered her mouth with one hand, tears streaming down her face. Haloed in light, she held herself differently. The weight of everything she’d done seemed to settle on her shoulders, and her eyes were bright as if a fog had lifted and she could see things clearly again. “Oh Gods.” Her eyes met mine. “I’m so sorry. I—” Her voice broke as she started to cry. “Victor. What did I do to you?”

I took a step towards her, but she flinched back.

“I was so afraid.” Her breath hitched, but she swallowed the sob trying to force its way out of her throat. “It’s not an excuse, but it’s true. This place was the only one where I’ve ever felt like I belonged. I needed it to need me.” The plea in her eyes made my heart ache.

If there was one thing I understood better than anything else, it was fear. “I know.”

She closed her eyes and made a visible effort to control herself. When she opened them again, her gaze was resigned. “Shred me and end this.”

“Is that what you want?” It was what I’d intended to do, but it no longer felt right.

“It’s what I deserve.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Surprise lit her features.

“It’s not a trick question,” I said. “I promise. What do you want?”

Licking her lips, she looked at the ground. “I’d like to see Victor again. My Devil.” A single tear traced down her cheek.

“But you shredded him.”

“No. I broke our bond and drained him of power, but I couldn’t bear to destroy him utterly. I sent him to the After.” Her eyes flicked up to mine, as if she expected me to be angry.

All I felt was sorrow. Even if she’d preserved his soul, she’d still broken their bond. A sacrifice, I realized now. A century without him. “Then go. Join him. Be at peace.”

Disbelief was quickly replaced by gratitude. Then her eyes flicked to Talia on her knees, hands at her sides, tears streaming down her face on the other side of the dome. “She did what she thought was best, even if she was driven by hurt.” The plea in Death’s voice was tender.

“I know.” Having seen Talia through Fen’s eyes, I’d seen her pain.

Death reached out tentatively, touching my shoulder in thanks.

I covered her hand with mine, gathering her soul to me. She faded away until nothing was left but a ball of light hovering in my palm. The veil to the After parted easily, as if it had been waiting to welcome her for years. As she floated through, the dome around me burst in a shower of sparks. The challenge was done.

CHAPTER 43

Relieved laughter greeted me when the dome disappeared, the sound sweeter than anything I’d ever heard.

With Death’s power running through me, I felt both weightless and grounded, the sensations overwhelming and comforting. Possibility—that’s what it felt like, I decided. Limitless possibility. It made sense, given what Death’s… what my power could do, but it would take some getting used to. Everything looked different too. The grove shimmered, as if everything was made of light and shadow. I could see the fabric of the In Between, just as I had on the bridge. Blinking, the shimmering faded, along with the sound of the Death Chord, my vision returning to normal.

Arms swept me into a hard chest as Fen crushed me to him. His relief was so strong it nearly took out my knees. I clung to him, the reality of just how close I came to losing suddenly real.