Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
FINLEY
That. Fucking. Idiot.
Finley blinked, struggling to process what just happened.
Rafe jumped through the rift between life and death.
Amelia opened the rift between life and death.
And now spirits poured out of it into Luana’s mountain.
They made Finley shiver as they froze the air.
Everything grew dark and behind her, people shouted and scrambled.
“That fucking idiot!” Finley yelled, and at her side, Myra startled out of the trance that held her staring at the rift.
How did he think this was going to help anything?
How did he think leaving her and going into Stula’s realm was the solution to anything?
Did he really think that after losing Ai she was going to tolerate losing him? “Now I have to go rescue him!”
It was Myra’s turn to blink. “Excuse me? I think we’re a little busy here.” She gestured to the spirits swarming the field.
“Exactly!” Finley exclaimed. “As if we have time for this! What a fucking idiot!”
The ground trembled, and a loud thud behind them made the tear between the worlds pulse and shudder.
Amelia had fallen to the ground, and the castle in the distance swayed, pieces of it flying off and into the courtyard. The sorceress smiled. It was weak and broken, but full of purpose and victory. Even so, she could barely move. “It’s too late. He’s gone, and the spirits will answer to me.”
Finley curled her lip. That bitch. “I don’t think so.”
She grabbed Myra’s hand then took Rose’s who was struggling to get to her feet.
Together they pulled her up. The rift pulsed and grew wider as they joined hands.
The Shadow Slayer dagger Finley now possessed glowed in response, and the arrows Myra held did the same.
The rift called to them. Rose steadied herself and let go of Myra’s hand.
The Minster’s red hair was even wilder than usual, and she had various gashes and cuts slashed across her pale skin from Rafe’s attacks, but the wraps that straightened her twisted ankle appeared to be holding up so she could stand on two feet without aid.
She stared into the void beyond the rift, and Finley took note of the expression of adventure and want in her gaze.
It reflected the same feelings Finley had each time a new quest was brought to her table.
Rose didn’t give in, though, and shook her head. “Do you think you can save him and close the rift?”
“I have to try,” Finley told her.
Myra glanced back and forth between Finley and the scene before them. Then, she grasped the chain around her neck and handed it to Finley. “Take it.”
The glowing pendant pulsed to the same rhythm as the rift as they called to one another.
“It’s yours,” Finley protested. “This is your goddess. You should come with me.”
Myra bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment then opened them again. “For so long I’ve worshiped Stula and followed her but never dreamed I would enter her realm. No one has seen it.”
“At least no one living,” Finley muttered.
The echoes of spirits sighed all around them, and Finley wondered if it was the wind or the spirits who blew her hair out of her face.
It wasn’t a frightening sensation and felt soft and comforting.
Even so, she wasn’t ready for Stula’s realm quite yet and didn’t relish the thought of going in on her own.
“I’m needed here. We’ll control Amelia, you go get Rafe.”
A howl that sounded like sorrow echoed in the distance, and Finley turned her head toward it. Something in her cracked at the sound. Finally, she took the necklace and looped it around her neck.
Rose tightened her jaw and gave a single nod of her head. She gripped her sword. “Eira will understand. We’ll take care of things here. But hurry.”
Eira, who had been controlling the ice and shadows, paused, and the magic halted. She stared at the three of them with wide eyes and looked between Amelia, them, the rift, then Cadeyrn. “Go.”
Finley didn’t need their permission and she was going to do it anyway, but she was grateful for their support. She jumped into the darkness.
Finley soared through the rift and stumbled out on the other side. She landed on soft ground that gave a subtle dip under her body. She looked with wide eyes at the new world around her.
Stula’s realm was exactly how Finley would have imagined it yet completely different at the same time.
It was a dark and cold forest, but not the harsh cold of winter that couldn’t be shaken.
Or the chill of fear that would run down one’s spine.
Instead, it was the cool and crisp breeze of autumn with the soft scent of a bonfire in the distance.
The cool of warm sweaters and long walks.
There was darkness, but not one to be feared but instead the comfort of a dark room to welcome a good night’s sleep after an exhausting day.
Another howl echoed through the air. The necklace glowed even brighter, as though it wanted to lead the way, and the dagger at her side pulsed in response.
Finley stomped through the darkness toward Rafe.
It had to be him. She pushed through the low branches and stepped over puddles and creatures with haunting purple eyes that stared up at her from the grass.
She came across a clearing in the forest where glittering stars shone overhead, and mist hovered over the grass. A tall and slender figure with long black hair and black robes that looked more like mist than clothing loomed over a creature just as dark, hunched over on all four legs.
Myra’s necklace shone brighter than ever, casting a purple glow over the clearing and aiming at the figure.
They raised their head to reveal shining eyes and ethereal pale skin.
It was a woman. Or at least Finley assumed it to be a woman.
Her gaze was gentle but firm and there was something in her presence that made Finley want to lower herself to the ground, a sensation she’d never had before. She was Stula, the Goddess of Death.
A whine came from the creature at Stula’s feet and its golden eyes stared out at Finley.
“Rafe,” she whispered. He was a wraith of his former self, barely recognizable as the magnificent wolf she’d come to know.
His fur was thin and patchy. His ribs could be seen through the coat, and his claws were so long they looked like knives.
Rafe didn’t seem to be a wolf at all but a monster.
Stula acknowledged her with a slight bow to the head. “Welcome, Finley. I see you have my necklace. It’s never changed hands to someone not of my line, but it looks good on you.”
Finley touched the purple stone. “Myra gave it to me.”
“Loaned,” Stula corrected. “But she wouldn’t have allowed someone to use it if they weren’t worthy.”
Finley wasn’t so sure about that. Even if Myra thought Finley was worthy, that probably wasn’t true. She was grateful for the assistance anyway. “Amelia opened the rift, and you need to help us close it. And I’m here to bring him back where he belongs.”
With me.
The tiniest of smirks played on the goddess’ face. “And what makes you think he doesn’t belong here? He is my servant, after all. Death’s Prince as you call him. He made an agreement and knew his fate. From my understanding, he jumped through the rift of his own volition.”
“But that was centuries ago he promised himself to you! Isn’t it time you found someone else to do your dirty work? He doesn’t want to kill his friend. I doubt he had many other options at the moment when you found him dying in the forest.”
She was glad Myra wasn’t here to hear her speak to the goddess like this. Although the look of shock would have been priceless. Finley didn’t care if she was speaking to a goddess or not, if Rafe wanted out of this “agreement,” he should be able to get out of it.
“Does Rose do Kutalous’ ‘dirty work’?” Stula asked.
“Do you think being Minister is all flowers and making tea? She too has challenges and sacrifices to make. Or Queen Eira? She has the power of the goddess Luana within her. Do you have any idea of the burden she carries? And your friend Myra, who has my blood running in her veins. You should be well aware of all she’s gone through in my name.
Who are you to say what others are willing to give up and what I should take back? ”
Finley pulled her arm down and stepped forward.
Another small whimper came from Rafe. “It’s still different!
They aren’t going to live for eternity dealing with being forced to kill people.
People who may not have needed to be killed.
They still have the choice in how they handle the challenges given them. ”
“If he no longer wishes to carry out my will in the mortal realm he is welcome to stay here.”
Finley’s face grew hot and every part of her screamed this was wrong. “He’s coming with me.”
“Why? Why does he have to go with you?” The goddess was calm.
Not once had she raised her voice. She stood as still as a cliff with waves beating against it, while Rafe sat at her feet, his body shaking and warped.
Still, her words were a challenge and an invitation for Finley to say what was going on inside of her.
Finley swallowed a lump in her throat and tried to calm her pounding heart.
She’d never said this about anyone, except maybe Ai and that was few and far between.
She gulped in a deep breath and attempted to keep her voice steady.
“Because I love him, and he deserves to live a human life. He knows how foolish he was when he was young.”
Stula remained still and silent, her expression never changing.
It was disconcerting. There was no way to read what the goddess was about to do.
Finley had always been able to tell what was going on in someone’s head.
But not now. So instead, she focused on Rafe.
The trembling had stopped and he took half a step toward her.
“And do you think he loves you?”