Maybe he wants to possess my body. I shivered at the thought, though I don’t if it was fear of losing myself or fear of gaining more power than I’d know what to do with. I’ve been sentenced to death by the judge. I’m not sure anyone is going to want to possess a corpse. Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that by killing me, they were making a path for their precious Hades to come through into the world I lived in.
“I should have pushed for more information. I should have snuck around, read the books myself,” I whispered.
The guard tapped on the cell bars, snapping me out of my pity party. “No talking to yourself.”
I rolled my eyes but didn’t say anything. He didn’t want me talking. If I spoke, that meant I might have been using a scary spell. Even if I wanted to use my magic to bust out, I didn’t know what spell to use, nor did I have enough magic inside of me to unleash a massive explosion. And if I did…I don’t think I could go through with it. Too many people would get hurt or die. No one was supposed to die. All of those bodies. So many of them are people I might know. I closed my eyes.
Another tap on the bars. I glared up at the guard. He shifted his weight between his feet. “You have a visitor.”
“Tell them to go away,” I muttered.
“It’s your father, are you sure?”
Not at all who I expected to visit, though I can’t say I wanted to talk to him any more than I did anyone else. “Fine.”
The guard waved him into the room. Dad’s gaze studied me as he entered. He frowned, and then he looked away before our eyes could meet. The guard stepped far enough away for our conversation to be relatively private, yet he never left the room. I’m sure he had strict orders to never let me out of his sight.
For a long moment, no one said a word.
“Are you simply here to look at me?” I asked.
Dad’s gaze narrowed. “That’s what you have to say?”
“I don’t have the time or the patience for pleasantries,” I snapped. “If you hadn’t heard, I’m on a bit of a timeline. I supposedly killed ten people, and I’m supposed to be executed in three days. Whatever you’re here for, please, do it and go. If you have a heart, send Mother in so I can see her one more time too.”
“Don’t speak of her,” he seethed. “You know very well she can’t…” He swallowed, his voice cracking. “She’s one of those you killed!”
“What?” The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. Pain, nausea, confusion. “That’s not…no.” And yet, as I reflected back on that circle of corpses, I thought about the one that looked so familiar, yet I couldn’t place because I couldn’t see her face. The dark curls, and that floral pattern on her dress. They had made me think… “No, that’s…they wouldn’t have…”
Dad scowled. “Who is they?”
I shook my head. “The real…” I laughed sourly. “It doesn’t matter. I used the magic, and I was the one seen. I will play the role of the villain for everyone. If I tell the truth, the only thing it does is kill more.” I sighed. “For the sake of dying with at least you knowing the truth, I wasn’t the one who murdered the people. I merely set them ablaze.”
“And I’m sure you felt no remorse for that,” he said.
“Only a little. I didn’t know people had to die, that blood was needed. All I was told was to start the fire. That the end goal would be worth it.”
“Would it have changed things if you’d known that she was among the dead?” he asked. “Because you’ve brought out Hell with that spell. You know that yes?”
I nodded. “It’s only a gate, and it’s not a gate to Hell. Don’t be a jerk to whomever crosses over. They’re seeking refuge from pain. That’s the point of what I did. I know it’s a lot for you to understand, but if you’d try…”
“She’s gone. The one thing I’ve ever loved.”
My body went rigid. “I see.” That made a lot of sense.
Dad squeezed his eyes shut. “I won’t accuse you of being her killer, but I will forever blame you for her death. And I will fight what you’ve brought to this town until I join her on the other side.”
And he did. He couldn’t stop the force coming to Becker, but he sure tried. Eventually, he saw things my way, but that is a story for another day.
“Do you have your closure?” I snapped.
He glared. “I have my motivation.” He spun on his heel and walked away. I wouldn’t see him again while I was alive.
Chapter Twenty-Five
That Goodbye Thing
The one person I never wanted to see in my cell showed up the morning of my execution date. Lucretia. In truth, I wasn’t sure I wanted to see her at all.
“You have a lot of guts showing up here,” I grumbled. I stayed far from the bars holding me in. The thought of being close to her made my stomach churn…mostly because I still had such strong feelings for her.
“I almost didn’t come, but I wanted some closure.” She glanced over at the officer guarding me. “Please, Sir. May we have a moment alone. I promise, I will scream loudly enough should he attempt harm.”
The officer
