by Linsey Hall
“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Sofia said.
“Yeah.” Aleia started to close the door.
“Hey, wait,” Sofia said. “Your premonition of my death—was it me on the roof with the witches?”
Aleia nodded. “I guess so. I didn’t see much detail. Malcolm must have saved you from it.”
Sofia nodded and managed to squeeze out a weak, “Thanks.” She turned away before they could answer and headed down the street. It was almost full dark now, the night animals waking up, screeching and howling. It felt hotter, unusually so, and the sweat dripped down her spine. Probably just misery. Her mind was miserable, her body too.
She just wanted to fall asleep. To forget all of this for a while.
Her house, at the far end of the village away from the river, hadn’t sustained any external damage that she could see. Just water and mud on the walls about three feet high. She pushed open the door and stepped into the same mud that covered the street.
It was quiet and dark inside—lonely—but she could make out the puddles and mud. The walls were wet all the way up to her waist, furniture and rugs soaked and dirty. It barely registered on her scale of bad things. At this point, she couldn’t care less about the damage to her home.
She reached out a hand for the light switch and flipped it.
Nothing.
She sighed. No surprise after the damage to the village. She drew her wand and lit the end, heading for the stairs.
All she really wanted was a shower. Didn’t even matter if it was hot. Her footsteps thudded heavily upward. Every bone in her body felt as old as her Crone form normally looked. A form she’d no longer be required to take every day, she realized. With the High Witch’s death, her job as Protector was over. Bruxa’s Eye was free. Though she’d be able to use the form when she needed the power, she’d no longer be expected to appear as the Crone in everyday life. Her job was done.
She had no idea how that made her feel and didn’t plan to explore it.
When she reached the top floor, she turned into the bedroom.
“Here you go, Kitty.” She set Kitty on the bed.
Kitty looked up at her with her good eye and her squinty one. Sofia reached out to scratch her head, then turned and went to the bathroom. A thudding sound indicated Kitty had hopped off the bed. Sofia glanced behind her to see Kitty following her.
Tears welled in her eyes. “Thanks, Kitty.”
In the small bathroom, she set her glowing wand on the sink and held her breath as she turned on the shower. It creaked, then water poured forth. Muddy at first, and then clear.
Her shoulders sagged in relief. It didn’t get hot after a minute like normal, but she didn’t care. It took only seconds to tear off her clothes, and then she was standing under the spray.
Immediately, tears started to roll down her face again.
Kitty meowed—more of a meep, really—then hopped in the shower with her. Water soaked her fur and her ears flattened. She looked like a fat, bedraggled rat and Sofia laughed pathetically.
Count on Kitty to try to make her feel better like this.
Kitty loved her.
Like Malcolm had clearly loved her. The tears came again, this time harder. She stood in the shower, weeping as Kitty rubbed her wet little body against her calf. Sobs wracked her as she leaned her head against the cold shower tile and curled her fists.
Malcolm had sacrificed himself for her village. For her.
He’d known what he was doing when he’d opened the channel to the aether. It’d been genius. Selfless. The High Witches were too powerful for other Mytheans to kill—as least as long as they’d been protected on the other side of the river behind their barrier.
Even outside of their barrier, it would have been almost impossible, given their numbers and the amount of power they’d already reaped from the destruction of Bruxa’s Eye.
But an aether blast… that would destroy anyone. The High Witches, the warlock who opened the portal and inevitably lost control. Malcolm.
But not her. Through a dumb stroke of luck, her ancestors had been there. Souls. Creatures of the aether—pretty much the only thing capable of protecting her.
And Malcolm had orchestrated it all, pulling the trigger on the bomb when the remote option hadn’t worked.
And now she was free of the High Witches. Her life was her own. She could look like herself when she walked the streets of Bruxa’s Eye, take the Crone form only when necessary, and not have to spend her entire year searching for tributes and going through the hell of delivering them.
Malcolm had saved her from that. Set her free.
She knew she should be grateful, but as sobs tore themselves free of her throat, she realized that the only thing she cared about was Malcolm.
And he was gone.
She felt empty. Lost.
Ever since he’d come back into her life, she’d told herself that they didn’t have a future. But now she realized that she hadn’t really believed that at all. She’d thought it would work out—somehow.
She scrubbed her hands over her face. It was time to get out. Kitty was soaking and probably miserable. Sofia turned off the water and stepped out. First thing, she grabbed her wand and waved it over Kitty, drying her immediately.
Kitty started purring. Normally, it would make Sofia smile. But not now.
She grabbed a towel and wrapped herself up, then dried her hair with her wand. Kitty hopped onto the bed and Sofia followed, falling asleep almost immediately.
The dreams came slowly, through the dark exhaustion that dragged at her. As they coalesced in her mind, Sofia found herself standing atop the Sorcerer’s Tor on Dartmoor.
Malcolm kissed her as the sun set around them, shining its golden rays over the hills and valleys of Dartmoor. Desolate and beautiful.
It was the day they’d gone to pay their respects to his mother and he’d just told her that he wanted to be with her forever.
She fell into the kiss, immersing herself in the dream. If it was going to be the last time she kissed him—even if it was a memory—she wanted to memorize every part of it.
Malcolm was so warm and alive under her hands, strong and powerful and vital. She gripped his big shoulders, pressing herself close, as his mouth took hers.
When he pulled away, her head was spinning. His gaze met hers as he said, “I love you, Sofia.”
Joy suffused her.
Then she woke up, gasping.
The pain hit immediately.
Just a dream. Malcolm wasn’t back with her.
But he’d loved her. He’d probably never stopped loving her, just as she’d never stopped loving him. warlocks shouldn’t love, but fate had been put on hold when he’d tossed her aside in the past. After he’d sought her out again, the wheels of fate had begun to turn.
This had been inevitable.
But it didn’t have to stay that way. Fate could be fought. She might not win, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try.
Ten minutes later, as the dawn sun peeked over the canopy, Sofia pounded on Aleia’s door. She pounded until it cracked open.
An exhausted-looking Aleia pulled it open, scrubbing a hand over her eyes. “What’s the matter?”
“Inara. I need to see her.” She stepped into the apartment, which was still in good condition because it was on the second floor, and yelled for Inara.
Her new friend stumbled out of the bedroom, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, her short hair sticking up everywhere. “What?”
“I need your help. I know where the entrance to the sorcerer’s afterworld is. I want you to get me in. I’m going to find Malcolm.”
Inara’s eyes widened. “I can’t. And you couldn’t get him back out anyway. He’s dead.”
“I can try. And even if I can’t get him out, I have to see him.” Her voice broke. “One last time.”
Inara’s face softened. “I’m sorry, Sofia. I’m just a world walker. I can’t bring people to afterworlds or release soul
s.”
Panic beat in Sofia’s chest. She wouldn’t let this chance escape. “What about my ancestors?”
“That was Vivienne—and she could only get them out for a short while. I was just here to help.”
Sofia nodded. “Vivienne. All right. She lives at the university, right?”
“Yeah,” Aleia said. “I talked to her during cleanup after the battle. She mentioned that she lives in a small yellow cottage on the east side of campus. Purple shutters.”
“Thank you.” She met Aleia’s sympathetic gaze. “Take care of the village, okay? I’ve got to do this.”
Aleia nodded and Sofia didn’t wait for her to speak. When Kitty pressed up against the side of her leg, she aetherwalked to the university.
The ground was white and the trees topped with snow. More fell from the sky. Kitty turned to smoke and hovered at her side. Sofia shivered and used her wand to conjure a jacket, then set off toward the east. Her feet sank into the snow as she cut across the rolling hills. She ignored the big stone buildings to her left and kept heading in what she hoped was the right direction.
Finally, a small yellow cottage appeared. Purple shutters were cheerful in a way she wasn’t sure she’d ever feel again. She knocked on the matching purple door, praying that Vivienne would be home.
When it swung open, she almost sighed in relief.
Surprise flashed across Vivienne’s face. She was dressed for lounging at home—leggings and a loose sweater draped with a colorful scarf. Her wild dark hair was pulled up in a knot atop her head. “Sofia. What’s wrong?”
“I need help.”
Understanding dawned on Vivienne’s face. “Come on in. Have a seat.”
Sofia followed her into a colorful living room scattered with Persian rugs. Art from around the world hung on her walls, including a striking engraved platter over the fireplace.
“You want me to take you to Malcolm’s afterworld,” Vivienne said.
“Yes. How did you—”
“I’ve only been in this world a little while. I’m a half-blood and spent most of my life mortal. But what I can do is rare and valuable and other Mytheans figured that out pretty quickly. So when someone who has just lost someone they love comes to me, I know why they’re here.”
“Can you take me? Will you?”
Vivienne’s visage was solemn. “Yes. But just for a little while. To say goodbye. I don’t have the power to bring him back from an afterworld. Once he’s there, he’s there forever.”
“If you get me there, can I stay? Forever?” That the question entered her mind didn’t shock Sofia. It meant death, leaving earth and her village and her friends, but she’d do it in a heartbeat.
“No. And I know you know that, deep down. The only way to get to an afterworld is death, and only if you believe in that religion. If you die, you’re going to the same place your ancestors would go, I would guess.”
Sofia nodded. Of course. She’d just been grasping at straws. “But you’ll take me?”
“Yeah. We can go now. I’m sure you want to do this right away.”
More than anything. Sofia stood. “It’s on Dartmoor, in southwest England.”
“All right. Let me get a coat. I’m not used to this cold.” Vivienne pulled on tall boots and wrapped up in a puffy black coat, then held her hand out to Sofia. “All right. Take us there.”
Sofia gripped her hand and, once Kitty had pressed herself up against her leg, aetherwalked them to Sorcerer’s Tor.
The wind was howling today, the sky overcast. The granite stones tumbled over the hilltop in massive disarray, just as she remembered it. She pointed to the larges pile, to the large crack that cut through the middle of the biggest rock. “There.”
Vivienne nodded. “Looks about right.”
To a mortal, it would appear as just a shallow fracture. It even looked that way to Sofia. But Vivienne seemed to know what she was looking at.
“Come on,” Vivienne said, and led the way over the tumbled stones and spongy ground. They stopped right in front of the fissure. Anticipation sang through Sofia. Fear as well.
“Take my hand,” Vivienne said. “Normally getting to an aetherworld requires aetherwalking, but I think we can just go through this portal.”
Sofia gripped her hand and followed her through the opening. Dark cold surrounded her and fear gripped her throat, but the next step took them into the light.
A village sprawled before her, sun sparkling down on the white streets. The buildings were all pale stone with slate roofs, immaculate, but cold. Even the flowers that spilled from window boxes were faded blues and pinks. Like a ghostly version of one of the villages at the edge of Dartmoor.
“How do we find him?” Vivienne asked. “Because from here, I’ve got no idea.”
“Ask around,” Sofia said.
A woman in a cloak walked out of one of the houses. She was as faded as the cottages. Sofia ran to her, anticipation and fear and hope all fighting in her breast.
“Excuse me!” she called.
The woman glanced up, startled. She was so pale that Sofia couldn’t determine the color of her clothes or eyes or the hair under her cap. “An outworlder?”
Sofia guessed that was their word for Mythean from earth. “Yes. Could you tell me, where is Malcolm the warlock? He would have arrived yesterday.”
Confusion flashed across the woman’s face. “Malcolm? No, he’s not here. I would know.”
Fear and panic welled in Sofia’s chest, like acid eating away at the hope that had bloomed there. “What? How would you know? Maybe he’s elsewhere and you haven’t seen him.””
“I’m his mother. We always know when a member of our family has arrived.” She shook her head, disgusted. “But perhaps its better he didn’t come here when he died. He’s not living up to his potential as a warlock, is what I hear.”
Sofia stumbled back, horrified. His mother didn’t care about him. Not at all, from the look on her face. But that’s how sorcerers from his clan were. They all aspired to be warlocks, so they trained the emotion out of themselves in preparation. His mother was only concerned with his reputation and whether or not he’d fulfilled their expectations.
“You’re sure?” Sofia breathed.
“Of course I’m sure.”
“But then where could he be?”
His mother shrugged. “He was never much of a wulver, so I doubt he’s there. If anything, it sounds like his soul wouldn’t leave earth. Perhaps he’s waiting to be reincarnated. That’s usually why souls don’t show up in their afterworld after death. Something ties them to earth and they refuse to leave.”
Sofia stepped back blindly, shaking her head.
“Go on with you, now.” His mother shooed her hands. “Outworlders shouldn’t be here.”
Sofia spun blindly and returned to her friend.
Reincarnated? But that could take centuries.
But did that mean he wasn’t trapped in this afterworld for an eternity? He might live again. His soul hadn’t been able to leave earth.
What did this mean?
She glanced up at Vivienne, whose brow was crumpled in confusion. At the sight of her, the memory hit Sofia.
“Mnemosynia. You’ve been there,” Sofia said.
“Oh, shit,” Vivienne said. “He’s not here, is he? You think his soul is going to be reincarnated.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I do.” It felt right. Or she was grasping at straws. She didn’t know, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to give up. She was going to chase clues of him until she found him. “Take me there.”
“Whoa, that place is different. There are rules. It’s only for the souls of reincarnates who are waiting to be reborn.”
Sofia shook her head, frantic. “That’s why I have to go there. If he’s not here, then there’s a good chance he’s waiting to be reincarnated. You have to take me.”
“Sofia, it’s not a normal afterworld. It’s special. Until recently, it was an awful place. A labyrinth of misery. I
t only became Mnemosynia and a place for reincarnates once Sylvi and Logan destroyed the sickness in the labyrinth. Now it’s overseen by various gods. We can’t just break in. We’re not souls waiting to be reincarnated—I don’t know what happens to live Mytheans.”
“Just take me then. Drop me off and go.”
“I can only take you to the desert outside of Mnemosynia. The souls are within the city walls. You might not be able to get back. You might not even be able to get inside the city to find Malcolm.”
“I don’t care.” Tears stung her eyes.
Vivienne’s brow creased. She was torn, weakening. Sofia grabbed her jacked lapels. “Please, Vivienne. Just drop me off and go. Your skills are so valuable to the university. They won’t punish you. Tell them I threatened you. I am stronger than you. Tell them you had to or I would have killed you.”
“Would you?”
“No.” As much as she wanted to see Malcolm again, no way would she hurt Vivienne. “No way. But they don’t have to know that. Just drop me off and go. I’ll figure it out from there.”
“Once you’re there, you really might not be able to leave. You could be punished with death. I mean, no one is allowed there without permission. I was only able to go get Sylvi and Logan because it was an emergency, and I didn’t actually enter Mnemosynia. I just went to the desert outside.”
“But if you took me to the desert, I could enter?”
“Maybe. There’s a gate. But if you can’t get through, you’re trapped in the desert.”
“I’ll do it. I don’t care.” She glanced down at Kitty. “You don’t have to come. It’s risky. You could live with Aurora and Mouse. Mouse likes you.”
Kitty hissed at her, obviously not impressed with the scenario. A teary smile tugged at Sofia’s lips.
“Thanks.” Sofia looked back up at Vivienne. “Please. I want this. I know the risks.”
Vivienne nodded. “Fine. We go now, and I leave you at the entrance.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much. I owe you.”
“Big time,” Vivienne said, then aetherwalked them all to the desert.