That is not the Death we know. Death, who showed herself very subtly as feminine, timidly asking if we would choose to live for eternity. Death, who left us a sour curse and never reappeared to be held accountable for her treachery. I begin to wonder if Death has ever approached anyone aside from us three couples. I wonder if she realizes the error in her ways, that no human should live forever. Perhaps she sees how truly dangerous her gift was only after witnessing the harm Izz and Segil, Nij and Fadele have caused to mortals.
Unfortunately, we cannot know for certain. Our only comfort has been the journey of discovery. Speaking to monks and scribes in different languages, learning their ways and their cultures, has been so rewarding. Here we have found a closer connection to mortals. We have no friends to say by name, however, we have found that holy men and scribes are very willing to teach those who want to learn. It’s a true joy.
Not everyone is as welcoming of strangers as these men. In fact, there have been priests who have banished us from their town for asking questions, for being foreigners. It is in human nature to fear others, especially if they look or sound different. At first, I could not fault them. I was cursed, after all. But after a few instances where Dymeka was assaulted on the streets, I hated them. They did not fear us for our immortality. They feared us because of our dark skin, black hair, and foreign accents. Many times, I fought the urge to hurt those who hurt my Dymeka.
And in those moments, I thought of my immortal brethren.
They have committed atrocious acts to create a world where their partners could be safe. I see the reason for their ways. In one breath, one motion, I could be like my fallen brethren. I wonder if Death can see this. I wonder if she knows or can even recognize our laws of morality and the battle it is to keep to a certain code of conduct after all these years.
Did you know this would happen, Mistress Death? No, I don’t think you did.
Chapter 19
Jasmine
The birds were restless when I went to see them. I called to them, held out a handful of seed, stayed very still, and waited. Still they wouldn’t come. They fluttered around their perches and trees, twittering anxiously to one another. I poured the seed back into the bucket and watched with a wrinkled forehead.
“What’s wrong, friends?” I walked to the largest tree in the enclosure, craning my neck to see the birds perched in its branches. “Count Dooku? Sir Verde? Ms. Riding Hood?”
The cuckoo bird ruffled its feathers and shook its head at me. The parrot screeched and flew off. The cardinal hopped along the branch, farther away from the others.
There must’ve been a big storm coming. My birds could sense things like that. It was pretty amazing.
“You’ll be safe enough in here. I promise.” I took out more seed and tried offering it to them. “Don’t be afraid.”
The cuckoo bird took flight so fast that he made the branch whip to the side. The other birds sitting over it flew off with frightened squawks. Count Dooku then flew straight into the glass wall and toppled to the floor. I dropped my bucket as I ran to him.
“Count! Are you all right?” I fell to my knees and took him in my cupped hands. His body was warm and soft and so very fragile. I gently pressed my thumb against his chest. There was a frantic fluttering beneath his feathers. I sighed in relief. “Don’t scare me like that.”
The bird stayed still in my hands as I walked him over to the bench by the pond. I sat there and lowered him into my lap. He recovered quickly, flipping right side up and giving himself a shake. He made a quiet cooing sound as I ran a finger over the top of his head.
“You have to calm down. You could’ve seriously hurt yourself and then where would you be?”
I thought of those old but beautiful gates, the ones I saw when I visited Death. Was that where animals went after they died? They couldn’t possibly go to that other place…
Every so often those who passed on would be taken someplace dark, empty, and so cold it was stifling. I assumed it was where the cruel ones of this world went, a land where they would never rest. Eternal punishment for their crimes.
But I didn’t know where animals went. I’d never seen the land that lay beyond the gates or beyond the dark place. No matter where I ended up, though, Death was waiting for me.
I couldn’t quite picture her face after I came back to life, but I could always pick her out from among the other souls entering eternity. I knew she was young looking and pretty, emanating the same pearly glow all the departed did. I knew she wore a strange silver dress. It moved like cloth under water, slowly and rhythmically, even when she was standing still.
I could only guess what she was like as a person...or entity...or whatever she was. We’d never actually spoken. Sometimes she seemed happy. She’d smile as she held her arms out to me, but there was a secret behind her eyes. Other times she seemed annoyed by my presence, as if she’d expected someone else and had gotten stuck with me instead. And then there were times when she outright ignored me. Which never made sense.
She was the one who had cursed me. She forced me to keep visiting her. She must’ve had a reason. Charlie always said she was just plain sadistic. When I was younger, I thought her motives had been purer, like maybe
