I perk up at this. “How do you know that?”“Oh, Beatrice is all air and sun,” she says with a sigh, looking over at them. “Whereas our ghost wolf is all darkness and stars. It’s…not favorable.”A little smirk comes to my lips. “Don’t you need their birthdays to know that?”“When one is as proficient
“What kind of test is this!?” I snarl, waving a hand up to the pillars. “Is it so important that the Queen of the Underworld be able to balance at great heights!?”“Watch yourself,” Death snarls, stepping close enough that I can hear his lowered voice as he glances around, ensuring that the courtier
The trial doesn’t last long.A collective gasp goes through the group and I scream soundlessly as Mahina suddenly stumbles and then shrieks as she tips too far to the side and plummets to the ground. I slap my hands to cover my face, already beginning to silently sob as I hear the sickening crack of
“Where’s her voice!?” Anton shouts the moment we arrive back in my room, glaring hard at Nic. He moves close to me, cupping my cheeks in his hands.“I – I don’t know,” Nic stumbles out, holding a hand up towards me. “Death took it – he can give it back – but –““Can you get it back for her!?”“It’s
And on those ladders, and stairs, and landings, are Priests. Priests everywhere, walking around in long grey robes, either putting books back or reading books or taking books from the shelves. And here on the ground floor – where we are – there are desks everywhere, spread with books and scrolls and
Orion sighs harshly, closing his eyes and pressing the bridge of his nose between his fingers, clearly frustrated.“Whoa,” Laila breathes, looking around perhaps for the first time. “Such dedication and technology – this is far beyond anything we have at home. It’s incredible.”“Yeah, well,” Orion m
We spend hours in that damn library. Luckily, the Priests are very nice and bring us tea and snacks, always urging us to be careful around the precious scrolls but generally being very friendly. I look curiously after them during a little scone break, sipping from my mug of tea, thinking that these
“No!” the Priest nearly shouts, his voice wavering as he reaches for his scrolls, his hand finding my shoulder. “They are mine! You must not –“But as I stand his voice fades and the High Priest stares at me in shock. Rapidly, he blinks three or four times, his eyes clearing, a great veil seeming to
“No!” she sputters out, stumbling a few steps towards me, shaking her head so hard her pretty blue-green hair flutters out all around her. “No, Junie, don’t make me go! I want…I want to stay here! And help! I mean…” she bites her lip. “It will be nice to be able to visit home. But I want to stay wit
“I’m sending you home too,” I say quietly, doing my best to look each in the eyes. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed that you didn’t get the wish.” They murmur a variety of responses back to me, most of them relieved. One by one they step forward and I take their ha
“Does…” I whisper, my eyes still fastened to Orion as my eyes move over him, feeling the powers that radiate from him now. “Does that mean you have all of the powers of Darkness too? From…from the wish?” “No,” Orion murmurs, looking down at his hands and flexing them, experimenting with the feel o
Beatrice is the last to go, staring at me in shock, realizing finally that she bet everything on the wrong horse. I bare my teeth at her, fangs extended, and Beatrice’s eyes go wider as she trembles and finally submits, going to her knees and bowing her head. “Good,” I say, my voice returning to n
Laila’s knife sinks deep between Death’s shoulder blades and the final scream of a God fills the air as Death falls to his knees. The magic stops mid-stream, like a tap being suddenly turned off. I groan and tilt forward against Anton, who catches me and holds me against his chest. “Shit, June,”
“Just a little longer, June. She’ll do it.” But what if she doesn’t? What if…what if I’m inches from oblivion, and this is it? My heart strains in my chest, my wolf shaking like a leaf from snout to tail. But still, I will myself to hope. To trust in my friend. “I know,” I reply, letting my ey
I gasp, my shoulders trembling under the sheer weight of Death’s magic that flows over and around us, my shield barrier straining and buckling under its might. “June,” Anton breathes, eyes wide as he looks up at the magic streaming over us in an unending torrent. “Shit – are you –“ I crouch besi
The wish presses against Death for a moment and then sinks into him, dissolving into his chest. He sighs with happiness and what looks like ecstasy, tilting his head back to the sky as the magic disappears into him. Beatrice steps away, tucking her hands behind her back, beaming at the God she jus
Before I can get more than three steps after Laila, Anton lunges forward, his paws landing on either side of me as he snatches at the back of my gown with his teeth, holding me back. His fierce growl reminds me that I need to stay here – that Death took Laila because he wants me to come rushing onto