Every strike of his blade or movement of his feet came slower and slower as the endless tide of souls brushed against him and stole a bit of his mortality, as if they tried to steal the power of his soul as they had before they’d died. He’d sent dozens to their afterworlds, but the hundreds that still surged forth from the side streets would be the end of him.
He had no doubt that he’d stay and die to protect Esha. So he and the shades continued to battle the souls, warding them away from Esha and Aurora. The weakness dragged at his muscles and weighed at his bones until he nearly went to his knees. Force of will alone kept him upright until he heard the crashing roar of the final corner.
A billowing plume of dust rose up into the sky as the rubble settled into itself. Finally, the shrieking of the souls stopped, leaving behind a sudden eerie silence. The shadows shot for the sky, rising out of the city and toward freedom. The mysterious shade that had helped him through this journey hesitated. It flashed from shadow to solid form, revealing a woman he hadn’t seen in centuries. Avera.
“Mother,” Aurora whispered.
“What?” Esha asked.
A smile flashed across Avera’s face, love and gratitude shining through, before she too returned to shadow and flew up toward freedom. The rising souls darkened the sky until there was nothing left but settling dust from the temple.
They stood alone in the square with the ruins in front of them. Warren could hear Esha and Aurora whispering about their mother. Her soul must have recognized them and helped them through the city. When he tried to catch Esha’s eye, she looked away.
“Holy crap, look at the city,” Aurora said, changing the subject from her mother.
Warren dragged his gaze away from Esha and glanced around. Everything was dingier, with stones tumbled here and there and the windows broken.
“It’s aged,” Aurora said. “The souls must have been what kept it from decaying.”
“It’s time to get out of here,” Esha said, already turning and heading back to their base camp to pack up.
The streets were eerily silent as they walked, and it became clear that the souls were truly gone. The city felt genuinely abandoned for the first time, not just because of the absence of souls, but because of the ancient state of the buildings, their windows broken and stones worn and crumbling.
Esha was backing away from him, as surely as the souls had retreated from the city. They reached the house in record time, Esha setting a fierce pace with her familiar trotting at her heels. When they entered the foyer, it was no longer brightly decorated and inviting. The tapestries, drapes, and carpets had all faded and worn through, beige shadows of their former glory.
It was truly an ancient house now, no longer protected by the soulceresses’ souls. It was cold, too, no doubt because the magic had fallen from the hot springs below, and they’d returned to their normal course far away from the city and the glacier.
“I’m going to grab my stuff, then we can get out of here. You can share my snowmobile on the way back, then we’ll aetherwalk home. I’ve got just enough power. Do you?” Esha asked Aurora without looking at him.
“Aye, I can get out of here.”
“Good.” Esha turned and started up the stairs while Aurora headed for the kitchen.
“Wait.” Warren reached out to Esha.
She stopped on the stairs, her back stiff, and spoke without turning around. “I can’t, Warren. Today, when you fought the souls, I couldn’t bear it. I was so worried for you that I could hardly keep my attention on destroying the temple. I’m glad you have your soul back and can have the normal life you’ve always wanted, but I can’t watch you die. I’m used to being alone. I’m not used to loving someone and losing them. It’ll tear me apart. Don’t ask it of me.” She ran up the stairs, a harsh sob of breath the only indication that she wasn’t fine.
Something hard and horrible tightened in Warren’s chest. Watching Esha back away from him earlier today after he’d been declared mortal, her eyes wide with horror, had felt like having an ice pick driven into his heart.
This was worse. More final. Not just a panicked reaction on her part, but a final cutting of ties because her past was too much to overcome. She’d avoided mortals for decades. Now he’d become one.
His soul, the thing he’d wanted more than anything else, now cut him off from her. He’d lain awake nights, thinking of how it would feel to have his soul back. To be mortal again and have his destiny in his own hands. He’d vowed never to lose it again. He’d hold fast to his soul, the most important, valuable thing he could ever have.
Until Esha. Having his soul back made him feel normal. Having her made him feel extraordinary. Yet he couldn’t have both. He’d always thought that when he finally got his soul back, everything would be perfect.
How wrong he’d been.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Esha dragged her hand over her eyes, wiping the tears away. She just had to find her clothes and pack them. Then she had to go down and meet Aurora. Then they would get Warren and go home. Then—
A sob broke free of her attempt at normalcy. Nothing was normal now. She loved a mortal. Warren.
And she wouldn’t be able to stay away. She’d be drawn back to him, like a fish on a line, unable to help herself. But it would be a bittersweet happiness, always overshadowed by his looming death, followed by an eternity of loss.
A banging sounded on the door. She wasn’t surprised. Hastily, she scrubbed away the tears right before Warren burst through.
“Warren.” She turned from him. “Can you give me a minute?”