Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ossy
The Between was a vast, empty space. It stretched on for eternity. I wanted to call Phin’s name, but demons lay between us, blending in better than I did. If Phin answered me, it would alert them, too.
Donnie Death dogged my heels, but I wasn’t too worried. Cael kept a close eye on him, darting glances his way when Donn thought he wasn’t looking. It was ridiculous, the way they dodged each other when they didn’t want to.
It was all hands on deck. The reapers fanned out as if we were searching a forest for a dead body. Except I knew Phin was here somewhere. I could feel his presence.
“Do you know what happens when someone who isn’t me goes into the afterlife and then comes back out?” Donn raised his eyebrows, expecting an answer. I tried to ignore him, or at least not let him steal my focus. This was about finding Phin, not about Donn trying to get me to leave Phin.
“You’re wasting your time if you think I’ll let you have Phin.”
“The veil collapses, which means there will be no doors separating the living realm from death. It means souls can walk back and forth between the living realm and the afterlife. Do you know what havoc that would wreak?”
“I’m sorry about that. I hope it doesn’t happen. I’m still not leaving Phin.”
“This is my existence. My purpose. I’ve watched the people I love die.
I’ve watched people kill themselves and each other.
Slavery. Famine. People letting others go without basic needs.
Humans are cruel to one another.” Donn shook his head.
“Life and death is how I can help humans. It’s the role I play. I’m pointless if the veil falls.”
Cael drew Donn to him. “You’ll never be that. Not to me.”
Donn let Cael comfort him. Not for the first time did I see worry in Donn’s expression.
He seemed to calm around Cael. He’d always been even-keeled whenever Ossy had seen him, though that hadn’t been very often.
As head of the Soul Management Bureau, Donn was the boss of all bosses, so he wasn’t exactly someone you made friends with.
And I could see where he had a point about humans.
They weren’t very nice to each other. That alone was a cause for concern.
Honestly, that alone really chapped my ass.
So I got Donn’s point. But there was one problem.
“None of this is Phin’s fault. Or Elliot’s.
Or Hale’s. Or any of the other beloveds.
Or yours. You shouldn’t punish yourself just because Cael loves you. ”
“I do not walk through the door to the afterlife, Osiris. I have never walked through that door. Even gods do not do it. The door is only for those souls without a body. I cannot allow anyone to break the veil. Not even myself. It would be catastrophic.” Donn sighed and shook his head.
“I thought sending the souls to Hollowbrook would teach you all what it would be like to have the living and the dead mingling together. Even for a day or two, the souls collect until there are more dead than living. Imagine constantly reaping the same soul.”
I shuddered at the thought. Doing the same job day after day would feel like Groundhog Day.
Cael released Donn. “So you ended things between us?”
“I didn’t want to give you up, Cael, but I don’t see any other way.” Donn began walking again. Tears gathered in his eyes. “I just don’t know what to do about all this.”
“Maybe we can figure it out. Together. Maybe we can start again instead of dancing around each other.” Cael held out his hand, but doubt lingered in Cael’s gaze that Donn would do anything differently.
Donn eyed Cael’s hand as if it were a death snake, poised to strike. “I do not dance, Reaper.”
Cael wiggled his fingers. “Maybe not, but I recall a time or two when we had fun.”
The corner of Donn’s mouth lifted in a smile. He put his hand in Cael’s. “As do I.”
Their way of arguing with each other was super weird and a little sweet. It was an argument that solved nothing, and they both knew it. Donn wouldn’t give in, and Cael hadn’t really expected him to. The handholding was a truce of sorts, but a temporary one.
“If you would just bring Phin to me, I’m sure we could reach some sort of agreement.” I was willing to compromise, as long as I didn’t have to be without Phin. I would never let him out of my sight again.
“I am not hiding him. He is hiding on his own, from you.”
I chuckled. “Nice try.”
“Donnie, you’re scaring him. And the others, too.” Cael had a point. That was the crux of the problem. He was scaring people who didn’t deserve to be afraid.
Donn sighed. “The boy at the bakery is a witch. He’s using magic to hide. Not even my demons can find him.”
“Fine. Then tell your demons to stop looking for him.” I would find him faster without the demons’ threat.
“I won’t do that, but I will make you a promise. I won’t send another beloved to Tech Duinn unless I believe they deserve it.”
“How do we know you’ll be fair?” Donn had never lied. Not once. Still, trust had gone out the window the second he sent Phin and me to Tech Duinn.
Donn smiled. “You’ll have to trust me.”
“He’ll keep his promise.” Yeah, Cael was definitely the Donnie Death whisperer. Thank fuck for that.
Donn rolled his eyes. “Fine. Yes.”