10. Chapter 10
Chapter ten
T he Gates of Judgment turned out to be a total scam.
First off, they weren’t even actual gates.
Just two massive stone pillars bracketing a brick-paved road.
Secondly, Noah had expected there to be more judging.
A proper trial where he could plead his case.
A ceremony in which he had his sins weighed against a feather. A reading from his Book of Life.
Something.
In reality, it had been way less dramatic. Instead of waiting anxiously to hear his verdict, he had simply walked between the pillars into a wall of dense fog and emerged on the other side in a sun-drenched park.
He still couldn’t believe he had been so nervous about it.
The decision to cross the river in the first place had been a fairly easy one. He had promised his mate he would wait until the danger had passed and make the choice from a place of acceptance rather than fear. And he had done just that.
Finn had never really belonged in the Village of Lost Souls in the first place. Now that he had answers about his death—even if those answers had been frustrating instead of satisfying—he had been more than ready to move on. Which meant the only thing holding Noah back had been his brother.
Making the choice to leave Keegan behind had been an impossible one. They had been through so much together, and he hadn’t relished the idea of waiting thousands or even millions of years to be reunited with him.
Thankfully, Rune had made the decision for him.
Seeing his mate almost obliterated by an unhinged vampire had been a tipping point for the Guardian. The choice to remain in the village had put Keegan in danger more than once, and Rune had refused to let it happen again.
Although he had spent millennia in the Underworld as one of Orrin’s loyal guards, Rune wasn’t actually dead like his mate. At any time, he could choose to pass between realms and return to the land of the living.
Unless he crossed the river. It had been Hades only stipulation for allowing him to stay.
So, of course, his decision to make the crossing had sparked weeks of heated arguments between him and Keegan. Eventually, however, Rune had been able to convince him it would be best for both of them.
Not an easy feat, to be sure. Not once in their lives had Noah ever been able to convince his brother to do something he didn’t want to do.
“Oh, my god,” Keegan breathed. “The sun.”
Standing beside his brother in what appeared to be a massive park with lush green grass and colorful wildflowers, Noah tilted his face skyward and smiled. “I know, right?”
Laughter rang out from a playground on the far side of the grassy field where a group of children played under the watchful eye of their guardians. Couples strolled along the paved walkways, hands clasped together, and heads bent in secret conversation.
An actual fucking unicorn with an iridescent horn and a mane of pastel blue grazed beneath an enchanted willow with sparkling leaves of silver and gold.
It was absolutely magical.
“It doesn’t hurt,” Finn said, coming up beside him and resting a hand on his nape. “I didn’t think I would ever see the sun again, but it doesn’t burn.”
A lump formed in Noah’s throat at the joy and pure gratitude that resonated in his mate’s voice. Finn deserved this, maybe more than any of them. He’d had so much taken from him because of one vampire’s selfish obsession, and though he’d had every right, he had never complained.
Despite everything Karleigh had put them through, all the harm she had caused, Noah had genuinely hoped she could make a fresh start. Sadly, it hadn’t taken long to realize some problems couldn’t be changed by simply forgetting the past.
It had taken less than a week for them to figure out that rather than trauma or conditioning, her issues had been deeply entrenched, baked into the very fabric of her DNA.
She hadn’t known her name, where she came from, or how she had gotten to the Underworld.
None of that had stopped her from forming an unhealthy and even dangerous obsession with Orrin, though.
No one really knew what to do with her, either. So, in the end, they had chosen to let fate decide.
Orrin had escorted her across the river and to the misnamed Gates of Judgment.
No one really knew what had happened to her after she had stepped into the fog, but Orrin speculated she had been sent to the Silent Valley—a place of endless monotony where souls lived out the same day over and over and no one ever spoke.
It seemed kind of harsh, but it could have been worse. She could have been sent to the Tombs to suffer for the rest of eternity. And at least this way, she could never hurt anyone again.
“Okay, but what now?” Rune asked, hands resting on his hips as he watched a group of young men toss around a frisbee. “I mean, this place is beautiful, but we can’t exactly live here.”
Rune, always the practical one, unable to enjoy the moment without worrying about logistics.
“I believe I can help you with that.”
They turned as a group, glancing between each other, then back to the young woman standing in front of them. Tall and slender with a beautiful umber complexion that practically glowed in the sunlight, she greeted them with a radiant smile.
Dressed in a sage green pantsuit with her hair slicked back into a smart bun, she looked kind of like a bank manager. Or maybe a realtor. So, when she explained she was there to escort them to their new homes, he didn’t even question it.
“My name is Tia, and I’ll be your case manager.
If you need anything or have any questions, don’t hesitate to let me know.
As you might have already guessed, this is the Glade.
” She motioned with a sweeping gesture to encompass the park.
“Now, if you two will follow me—” She nodded at Rune and Keegan.
“—I will show you to your accommodations.”
The smile slid from Noah’s face, his gaze darting between his mate and his brother. “What about us?”
“Don’t worry, someone else will be along shortly to take you to your new home as well.”
“But…” He looked at Keegan, his chest tightening with anxiety. “How will we find each other again?”
Tia’s practiced smile softened into one of kindness and understanding. “You have access to all of the Glade. You will be able to visit each other as often as you like, and you can meet right back here once you’re settled in.”
“Tomorrow morning?” Keegan said.
All four of them nodded in unison.
“Tomorrow morning,” Noah agreed.
“Wonderful.” Angling to the side, Tia motioned for Rune and Keegan to follow her. “Right this way, please.”
“Where do you think we’ll live?” he asked as he watched the trio disappear through an opening in the hedge on the other side of the park. “Do you think it’ll be a building like the Tower?”
“Maybe.” Finn squeezed the back of his neck and traced his thumb back and forth across the sensitive skin. “As long as we can come here every day, I don’t really care where we live.”
“It really is beautiful here,” he agreed.
“I wonder if we’ll see anyone we know.” The only people in his life who had passed on before him had been his grandparents.
He’d been a baby when they’d died, and he didn’t remember them, but he wouldn’t mind the chance to get to know them. “Do you have anyone waiting for you?”
Finn considered the question for a long time before eventually shaking his head.
“I know that look,” Noah accused, but he kept his tone gentle. “That’s not the whole truth, is it? Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I was just wondering if Debrah will be here.”
Noah stiffened as the heat of jealousy washed over him. “Who the fuck is Debrah?”
To his immense irritation, Finn smirked. “She’s gorgeous. You’re going to love her.”
He highly doubted that. “Old girlfriend?” he guessed. “The one that got away?”
His mate barked out a sharp laugh. “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”
“Finn!”
“Debrah was a pretty little cocker spaniel, and the best damn bird dog I ever had.”
Noah instantly deflated, but instead of being embarrassed, he had to smile. Of course, Finn missed his dog. It was so damn on brand it kind of hurt.
“You named your dog Debrah?”
Finn shrugged. “She looked like a Debrah.”
He tried to picture it, but he just couldn’t do it. “If you say so.”
“Finn? Noah?” An older gentleman with silver hair and a kind smile appeared in front of them. “My name is Walter, and I’m here to escort you to your new home.”
He spoke with a polished British accent, and honestly, he looked kind of like every grandfather he’d ever seen in a BBC movie. Tweed suit. Polished loafers. Sweater vest. A walking cane. He even wore one of those newsboy caps.
“Hi, Walter. Uh, can you tell us where we’re going?”
“Home,” he repeated, a twinkle in his eyes.
“Yeah, but like what kind of home?”
“Now, why would I ruin the surprise?”
His warm laughter was utterly infectious, and though Noah hadn’t gotten the answer he wanted, he couldn’t help but chuckle along. “I guess you’ve got me there.”
“Shall we?”
Noah held his hand out, palm up, and looked at his mate. “Ready?”
Finn laced their fingers together without hesitation and gave him a gentle squeeze. “Ready.”
“Very good, then,” Walter said, turning to lead them toward the same opening in the hedge. “Because there is someone quite eager to see you.”