I looked at Vayl, who was watching his adopted daughter help Raoul balance Zel on his shoulder. The love on his face, purely paternal, changed radical y when he turned to me.
A sound, something between a scream and a cry of anguish, turned us both toward hel ’s fence.
As it had with Brude, the air had begun to shimmer and then to take shape. Kyphas appeared, stil enveloped in her bil owing black dress with its extra-long sleeves and face-masking hood. It was pul ed back to reveal her expression, shocked out of its misery as soon as she realized what Cole was doing.
She held up an arm. “No,” she croaked. “I haven’t paid my dues.
They’l come after you if you do this.” He paused to look up at her. “In the end, you showed me a moment of true love. How could I move on without doing the same for you?”
“Cole—”
Her head jerked back as he finished her name. She screamed. And a mil ion black moths shot out of her mouth, flapping into the sky with the sound I had always secretly thought Death would make as it sneaked up to an old man’s bedside. When she dropped her chin, we gasped. Her face had re-formed, its beauty so breathtaking I found it hard to sit stil beneath that bril iant golden gaze.
The hood had completely fal en off, revealing her mane of blond hair. And when she raised her hands to stare at them wonderingly, they were complete, the skin back to the healthy tan that pale women like me had envied in her better days.
Love and gratitude spil ed from her eyes along with her tears as she said, “Thank you. Oh, Cole, thank you.” And then she closed her eyes as she began to glow, the color brightening first to bright orange, then to red. It didn’t seem to hurt. Her expression remained serene as she burst into so many pieces that she resembled the sparkling residue from a high-flying fountain whose droplets cross into the sun before they drop back into their pool. Hers had direction as wel , pointing themselves directly to the rock Cole had carved: They poured themselves into it until it sparkled like a gemstone. When the light show had finished, Cole dug a hole with his fingers and gently buried Kyphas’s heartstone in the field. Raoul told me later that a red rosebush grew in that spot, and that occasional y Cole asked one of the hel scouts to bring him a flower from it.
I wasn’t so sentimental as my old friend. But, then, I didn’t have to wait nearly as long as he did for the love of my life to show. He walked beside me al the way back to the world while the rest of our crew fol owed at our backs. He was holding my hand as we stepped through the plane portal.
And he was the one who hugged me first when Bergman rushed into the bathroom to say, “Jasmine!
Jack’s going to be okay!”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Funny how seeing your dog attempt to wag his tail as you enter the room brightens your entire outlook on life. Even Aaron, who’d had to spend the entire mission holding a gun to the portal and hoping he didn’t have to shoot it, seemed cheered by the sight.
After our battle-wind-down powwow, during which we al retold our stories, Bergman demanded to be repaid for the exorbitant vet fee, and Aaron apologized a thousand times for doubting us—
because, damn, it’s a little mind-shattering having to guard the only escape for a whole group of innocent people when the pregnant woman’s husband informs you he’l kil you if you fail—everybody scattered. Cassandra and Dave wandered back to the honeymoon suite. Cole and Bergman waved good night and went their separate ways. Astral curled up on the bed beside Jack, who instantly began to snore. Which left Aaron and Lotus sitting at the table with Vayl and me.
He regarded his children, first his son, then his daughter, with adoring eyes. “You have turned into quite fascinating people over time,” he told them. “I cannot even begin to tel you how it fil s my heart to know you are wel . That your souls survived and continue their journey even into today.” Lotus nodded. “I’m tel ing you what. This girl?” She pointed to herself with both thumbs. “Not journeying back to hel . Ever. Even if that means wearing a bra every single day.” I turned my laugh into a cough as Vayl went into the absolute stil ness that occasional y substituted itself for deep embarrassment. Final y he said, “I am overjoyed to hear that.” After a beat, he went on. “I shal not make a pest of myself. But if you would both al ow me to check in on you from time to time, I would be grateful.”
Lotus and Aaron exchanged looks that were, to give them credit, only slightly weirded out. Aaron said to Lotus, “My dad’s dead. How about yours?”
She shrugged. “He’s kind of a jerk. But he’s the only one I have. Had.” She frowned at Vayl. “Until now.” She raised her eyebrows at Aaron, who nodded for her to continue. “As long as you promise not to bite us or try to turn us, we’re cool with you coming to visit. But you have to cal first.”
“And plan on staying at a hotel,” Aaron put in.
Lotus added, “Also? Don’t be kil ing anybody in the towns where we live. We don’t want to have to move every time you decide to stop by for a chat.” She turned to Aaron. “Do you have anything else?”
He nodded. “Yeah.” He pointed at me. “She’s kinda scary. So she has to learn how to bake cookies. I was thinking anybody who knows how to bake cookies should be okay.” He wiped a band of sweat off his forehead and resolutely avoided my glare as he turned to Lotus, who said, “Actual y, that makes a lot of sense. What do you think, Vayl?” I leaned over and whispered in Vayl’s ear. “How did they know I don’t know how to bake cookies?”
Minute shrug. “Perhaps they can see it in your eyes?” He waited.
I humphed. “Okay. But they have to be chocolate chip.”
“I do not think they care which kind you make, as long as you promise to learn.” I sat back in my chair, wil ing Vayl not to chuckle as he leaned forward and shook hands with his children, saying, “We have a deal,” so formal y he might’ve been sitting across from a couple of big-time CEOs.
Soon afterward Lotus and Aaron found rooms for themselves, leaving us alone with our pets, our grubby clothes, and our wildly divergent thoughts.
