by E. A. Copen
I held up, and Khaleda hung back, just in case I needed her. “I’m sorry to have volunteered you,” I started.
Drake held up a hand. “Your friend here already explained why and offered me compensation for my time. Honestly, I’m more pissed off that I didn’t know there was a giant wolf lurking around town and nobody told me. My family lives in this city, dammit. I have a right to know.” He sighed. “Of course, I understand why you don’t just go around telling people this shit. You’d sound like a crazy person. I’m starting to wonder if I’m not.”
“I know the feeling.” I crossed my arms. “What can I do for you, Detective?”
He glanced at the others waiting just inside the plaza and leaned in. “I’m concerned the guy in the wheelchair isn’t going to play fair. He’s pretty invested in you losing. If you win, he’s going to try something. I can set down all the rules I want about sore losers and fair play, but I am just a human. I can’t enforce them, and I’m sure they’re aware of that.”
“That’s what you have me and Nate for,” Khaleda said. “Don’t worry, I’ll cut off more than his feet at the first sign of trouble, and Nate can rip out his soul, which was what you should’ve done a year ago, Lazarus.”
“At the time, it seemed kind of important not to kill any more Namers,” I pointed out.
Times had changed. As of a few hours ago, Nate was the last Horseman. The gods would be starting over from scratch for the other three, although I was sure there was some sort of system in place to select a new War. Haru had brought it up once before. Either way, the world needed a new Famine and a new Pestilence. Might as well get new Namers for both at the same time.
“I just wanted you to watch your back is all,” Drake said. “I don’t trust anyone.”
“Why do you think I picked you?”
The Piazza hadn’t changed much since our last visit, except the fountains were on. That and the giant chain that stretched across the pool in the middle. It was suspended on two large metal hooks above the water.
“The challenge is simple,” Drake said, gesturing the chain. “Remy will hold one end of the chain, and Fenrir the other. They will use their will to pull the chain, and whoever winds up in the water loses.”
“There are two problems with your challenge,” Remy pointed out. “First, Fenrir is twice my size. I can’t best his strength. It’s pointless to try.”
THIS IS NOT A TEST OF STRENGTH, GIRL. WE WILL USE OUR WILLS. THE CHAIN IS MAGIC. IT CAN SENSE THE WILL OF ANYONE BOUND TO IT, AND THE LENGTHS STRENGTHEN WITH THE WILL. THE STRONGER THE WILL GETS, THE SHORTER THE OPPOSITE SECTION OF THE CHAIN WILL BECOME. THE ENCHANTMENT ON THE CHAIN IS VERY STRONG. WHAT IS YOUR SECOND CONCERN?
“The chain appears to be iron,” Remy said, gesturing to the chain. “I’m half-fae.”
Fenrir walked to the other side of the pool and sat down, panting. THE SOUND OF A CAT’S FOOTSTEPS, THE BEARD OF A WOMAN, THE ROOTS OF A MOUNTAIN, THE SINEWS OF A BEAR, THE BREATH OF A FISH, AND THE SPITTLE OF A BIRD. THOSE ARE WHAT THE GREAT CHAIN IS CONSTRUCTED OF. YOU WILL FIND NO IRON IN THIS CHAIN.
Drake frowned. “All those are impossible ingredients.”
DWARVEN FORGED, ENCHANTED BY THE GODS, GLEIPNIR HELD ME FOR CENTURIES. I ASSURE YOU, IT IS REAL, AND IT IS UNFORGIVING. IT CANNOT BE CHEATED, MANIPULATED, OR BROKEN. THOUGH IT IS LIGHT AS A FEATHER, THERE IS NO FINER TEST OF WILL THAN GLEIPNIR.
“Whatever.” Drake dismissed it all with the wave of his hands. “Are we all satisfied with the contest and how it works?”
Remy looked at me.
I nodded.
“Yes,” she said.
“Very well. Let’s move onto the other stuff.” Drake climbed to a small platform in the middle of the fountain with a little help from Fenrir. “There’s to be no outside interference from either side. If anyone attempts to influence the contest, they’ll be ejected from the Piazza until the contest is over. Further attempts to interfere will result in a forfeit for your side. That means no yelling, no throwing things, no unsportsmanlike behavior, and so on. Just don’t be a dick and play fair, and we’ll all get along great. Everybody clear on that?”
I looked at Thanatos, who was inching uncomfortably close to me. He smiled. “Crystal-clear.”
Drake nodded at Remy. “Please disarm yourself and take your position on this side of the chain.”
Remy removed her sword belt and handed it to Khaleda. She never took her eyes off Fenrir as she stepped up to the chain.
“On the count of three, the participants may take the chain in hand. One… Two… Three!”
Chapter Twenty-One
Remy and Fenrir picked up their respective ends of the chain. I waited for some dramatic flash of light or sign that the magic was working, some clear sign of who had the advantage, but there was no such thing. The two of them simply held the chain, locked in a battle of wills. Fenrir gripped it in his teeth and stared straight ahead at Remy, who held her end in a tight fist.
Sweat trickled down Remy’s face at the hairline. We were in New Orleans, and it was more humid here than in Summer. That had to be why she was sweating, right? It was far too early in the contest for her to be exerting that much effort.
Pace yourself, I thought at her. Don’t give him everything at once. You’ve got to take your time, Remy!
“Your friend, the pirate?”
I glanced at Thanatos. “What about him?”
“My people have been trying to reap him for nearly two hundred years. He’s always been an evasive loner. We thought once his body finally died, he would let go. But it seemed he’d found something else to live for. Live and die for, I suppose. After all this time, we finally captured him, thanks to you.”
I turned to face him head-on. “You know, all night, everyone’s been trying to point to things and tell me they’re my fault. As if no one around me has free will. I didn’t ask Jean to defend me. He chose to. Maybe you assholes did finally reap his soul, but you know what? He chose it. He was ready for it. It doesn’t mean you won. It means he did. Jean got to choose the time and place he met Death, and because of me, he knows what he’s walking into. No, you didn’t win, Thanatos. Jean did. He beat Death. Bet that makes you sore.”
The wooden handle of his scythe creaked as he tightened his fist on it.
“And another thing. You’re not a badass. You’re a glorified middleman.”
He tilted his head and flexed his jaw. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me, Skrillex. You call yourself Death, but all you really do is pick up souls and carry them to their destination. You aren’t Death. My fiancée’s grandma has killed more people than you.”
The chain links rattled as they shrank on Remy’s side, then on Fenrir’s. Drake put his hands on his knees and leaned forward, squinting.
Heavy fabric rustled as Thanatos cast off his cloak. “I’ve had enough of your snark.”
“Enough over there!” Drake shouted. “Keep chattering and I’ll kick you out, Thanatos.”
“Me?” Thanatos gestured to me. “He’s the one who’s doing all the talking!”
“He’s not who I hear. Now shut it, or I’ll have no choice but to call the match in his favor.”
Thanatos sputtered for a moment, indignant, then crossed his pale arms to sulk.
The chain pulled Fenrir ever so slightly closer to the pool of water.
I elbowed Thanatos. “Hey, what do you say we make this more interesting? Double or nothing. If my girl wins, you hand over my Spark, and if Fenrir wins…”
He smiled. “I get to reap you.”
I wasn’t a fan of putting it all on the line like that, but it was the only way I could think of to get my Spark back without having to fight Thanatos and all his Reapers. That was one fight I was sure I couldn’t win.
His smug smile faded. “But why should I take you up on that? As soon as this is over, win or lose, I can reap you as it is.”
“Maybe,” I said with a shrug. “And maybe I’ve got some way out of it. Ther
e are still gods on my side, and she’s got an army of demons at her back. Even if you did reap me, what’s to stop any of them from doing exactly what I did and going straight to Hell to retrieve my damned soul?”
He glanced at Khaleda, calculating. “Yes, that is a concern. It would look very bad for me if that were to happen.”
“If I lose this bet, I’ll go with you, and I promise to stay wherever you take me.”
Thanatos tapped his scythe in thought.
“Come on, man. I meant what I said about you being the middleman. You just want to do your job. I get that. It sucks for me, but I see where you’re coming from. End of the day, you’d rather not have to chase me all around town, and I’d rather not have to run. We both know my soul is technically in a gray area since my body’s not dead, and I’m going to fight to get back to it with everything I’ve got otherwise.”
“Quiet!” Drake shouted. “Last warning, Thanatos!”
The chain creaked, and Remy slid toward the pool.
Thanatos thrust his hand toward me. “Very well. I accept.”
I shook his hand before he could change his mind.
Remy slid farther toward the pool, the soles of her shoes resting on the very edge.
Come on, Remy. I cupped my hands around my mouth and called, “You can do it, kiddo! I believe in you!”
Drake stood straight up, pointed at me, and opened his mouth, but before he could eject me from the Piazza, the tables turned, and Fenrir slid feet-first into the pool. Remy let go of the chain with a gasp and wiped sweat from her forehead. She turned to me, her face red. I gave her a double thumbs-up. Everyone in the Piazza—Thanatos and Xipetotec aside—clapped and cheered.
Just as the rest of us began celebrating, Xipetotec pulled a gun and pointed it at Remy. Khaleda’s sword was swift and decisive, slicing open Xipetotec’s arm at the wrist, exposing tendon and bone. Nate, who’d been standing behind him, stepped forward, thrust his hand into Xipetotec’s chest, and pulled out the god’s soul. Xipetotec let out one last gasp before he disintegrated into a pile of black ash.
Emma pulled her gun and pointed it at Fenrir. “Are we going to have a problem?”
The wolf remained cool and collected, clearly unimpressed by the short work my friends had made of the god. NOT AT ALL. He turned to Remy and lowered his head. VICTORY IS YOURS, CHILD.
Remy inclined her head. “Thank you.”
NOW FOR YOUR PRIZE. Fenrir lifted his head and made a hacking, choking sound before vomiting up the glowing shard of my soul.
I cringed. “Dude, gross.”
Nate pulled a pair of sterile gloves from his pocket. “Good thing I never go anywhere without these. Never know when you’ll encounter something you don’t want to touch with your bare hands.” He tugged on the gloves and picked up the soul shard, holding it between two fingers.
“Would you mind rinsing that off before you put it back?” I asked.
Nate nodded and knelt at the edge of the pool to clean it as best he could.
I APOLOGIZE. EATING IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE IT WAS SAFE FROM XIPETOTEC. HE DID NOT WANT THE DUEL TO PROCEED. AS YOU CAN SEE, HE WOULD’VE BETRAYED YOU, GIVEN THE CHANCE.
“Couldn’t you have, you know, buried it or something?”
Fenrir sat down and gave me a big wolfish grin. YES, BUT WHERE IS THE FUN IN THAT?
Nate stood, shook the water from the soul sliver, and walked it over to me. I glanced at Thanatos, expecting him to try something. He hadn’t moved from where he stood. Maybe he’d learned from Xipetotec’s mistake.
“What do I do with it?” Nate lifted the soul in front of me.
I patted my chest. “Right here.”
He nodded and thrust his hand and the soul shard into my chest. The first shard hurt going in, but the second one felt more like getting a shot of pure adrenaline. It ached at first, but the shock of energy that came with it was enough to make the pain fade into the background. I suddenly felt like I could run a marathon or swim across an ocean. The sudden influx of energy made it damn near impossible to stand still long enough for Nate to get his hand out of my chest.
Nate nodded his approval. “You look a little more solid.”
“I feel amazing!” I ran from one side of the plaza to the other before I stopped and looked down at myself. There was just one more piece missing, and Thanatos had it.
He stepped forward, resting the tip of his scythe on the ground. I tensed as he came closer to me. Only I could see him, which meant if he decided to renege on our bet, I’d be on my own against him.
“I agreed to give you your Spark if your daughter won the match,” he said. “I will honor our agreement.”
I gave a relieved sigh.
“But…”
Uh-oh. A but was never good.
Thanatos held up a finger. “Even with your Spark, you’re still a disembodied soul, subject to reaping.”
I rolled my eyes. “Come on, man. Can’t you give me just this one win?”
He tapped the tip of his scythe on the ground and circled the blade in the air. Sparks appeared in the air over my head, falling toward me like rain. I held out my hands. Wherever the sparks struck, my body rippled, and little bolts of lightning flashed under my skin. The shock rolled through me, the power that came with it paralyzing. Trembling, I fell to my knees.
When it was over, I tried to rise on my own, but my legs were too shaky. I could no longer fly, and walking was going to be a chore for a while.
Thanatos offered me a hand. I stared at it a moment before I decided to take it. If he wanted to reap me, he could do it without offering to help me to my feet.
He made sure I was steady on my feet before patting my shoulders. “I’ll give you a thirty-second head start.”
I blinked. “What?”
He smirked and leaned forward to whisper, “As long as you’re outside your body, you’re fair game. I’d run if I were you.”
I backed away from Thanatos.
“Lazarus?” Nate asked.
“What’s wrong?” Khaleda drew one of the knives she wore on her belt and Remy stepped closer to me, her sword ready.
Thanatos pointed to his wrist. “Twenty-two. Twenty-one.”
I didn’t have time to explain it to them. I had to get out of there and back to the hospital before Thanatos and his Reapers grabbed me. I hadn’t come all this way and beaten all the odds just to get reaped at the last minute.
I sped out of the plaza and into the street. The University Hospital where my body waited was about a mile and a half away. That was what, a fifteen-minute run? If I’d still been able to fly, I could’ve been there in half the time. Since I still didn’t have a physical body, at least I wouldn’t get tired or winded. At least, I hoped not.
Poydras Street was empty except for Emma’s parked Escalade. East toward the river, the first pink of dawn touched the sky, but I went northwest into the night as fast as my feet could carry me. Reapers loomed overhead, watching, waiting for Thanatos to give the signal that my time was up. There was no way in hell I would make it.
The first of them swooped down at me as I passed Magazine Street. I ducked and rolled, barely avoiding being cut in half by the scythe. Another swung his scythe upward as I came to my feet. I tipped back on my heels, and the scythe caught some of my hair. Thankfully, that wasn’t enough. I scrambled down Magazine street, running in a zig-zag pattern that would’ve put me against the traffic had there been any.
A whole line of them blocked the next intersection. I made a sharp turn just before I ran into them and leaped over another scythe that swept toward my feet. Small trees lined either side of the narrow road, each one holding five or six Reapers. They flew down from the trees, wielding their scythes. I ducked behind an old hitching post, which wasn’t much cover, but it was iron. The Reaper’s scythe hit it, and he exploded into a wispy cloud. The rest of them changed course to come at me from above.
Car tires squealed, and Emma’s Escalade pulled to a hard stop at the
next intersection. Nate threw open the back door and gestured for me to get in. I rolled away from the Reapers, pushed up, and ran for the next intersection with Reapers on my heels. A scythe swung at me, but I jumped over it and sailed for the back seat. Almost home free.
Until a hand clamped down on my foot and threw me face-first to the ground. I rolled over to find Thanatos standing over me.
“When are you going to learn, Lazarus? You cannot run from Death,” he said.
I swung a foot up and kicked him square in the family jewels. Reaper or not, that still hurt. He squeaked, dropped his scythe, and fell to the ground, eyes watering.
“Maybe I can’t run from Death forever,” I said, standing. “But I’m gonna kick it in the balls every chance I get.”
“Stop…him!” Thanatos managed.
I dove for the car and barely managed to get into the back seat. Nate swung the door closed. As the Escalade sped off, I peeked out the back. Thanatos had gotten back to his feet, and he was doing something with his scythe. Holy shit, was he reaping the other Reapers? “Um, guys? We might have a problem.”
“What is it?” Nate twisted around in the seat and his eyes must’ve doubled in size. “Emma, drive faster!”
“I’m going as fast as I can safely go, dammit! If I speed up anymore, I’m going to miss the turn!”
“Miss the turn!” I shouted. “Hit the gas!”
Before she could, something thumped on the roof of the Escalade, leaving a dent. Metal screeched as Thanatos opened the moving car like a tin can with his scythe. Reaping the other Reapers had apparently given him enough juice to manifest on the physical plane, and man, was he pissed.
Emma slammed on the brakes. Thanatos went flying forward but managed to keep from hitting the pavement by digging his scythe into the hood of the car. Steam exploded out of the engine, blocking him momentarily from view. Emma and Remy in the front seats fumbled to unbuckle their seatbelts.
Thanatos’ scythe crashed through the windshield, hooked it and pulled it away. He reached in, blindly feeling around for someone to grab. He made the mistake of grabbing Remy’s arm. She sent a pulse of magic into Thanatos with a shout. Warm, pleasant magic. Life magic. It hit him and knocked him twenty feet to slam into the front of a hotel. The doors opened, and the four of us scrambled out of the Escalade to stand in the street.