Page 188 of The Warlock's Trial

“You’re surrounded by good people,” I told Marcus.

He wiggled a little, snuggling deeper into my arms. Each time he did that, my heart melted a little more.

“How’s he doing?” Verla asked brightly as she came into the living room.

“Great,” I told her. “He’s made so much progress.”

Verla sat across from me on the couch. “I can see that.”

“Can you believe how small he is?” I sat up straighter to show him off.

She smiled softly. “No, I can’t. He’s so precious.”

“Do you want to hold him?” I asked.

Verla looked touched. “Do you even have to ask? Come here, baby.”

I chuckled as I gently placed Marcus into her arms. It was strange handing him over, because no matter how much I trusted the people close to me, I never wanted to let him go. It terrified me that someone was going to drop him or something. As a new dad, I was a bit overly cautious.

“Aren’t you the sweetest thing on the planet?” Verla cooed at him. She stroked his cheek with her finger, and the room went silent.

We sat there for several beats, just staring down at Marcus, until Verla broke the silence. “Do you ever think about bringing him back?”

I reeled back a little, stunned. “What?”

“Dean,” Verla clarified. “Do you ever wonder… what would happen if you could?”

I shot a glance across the room. Isa lounged in front of the fireplace, and Rishi kneaded her belly while he nursed. Dean was here with us in spirit, but he could never come back as the child he once was.

“I never gave it much thought, because it’s impossible,” I admitted.

Verla cocked an eyebrow. “Is it, though? You have the Mortana Wand. With it, you can access all the power of the coven’s Death magic—all the power on Earth and in Alora.”

“And yet it wouldn’t be enough,” I said. “Even the gods don’t mess with bringing the dead back to life.”

“What is it to them?” Verla wondered. “Life goes on after we die, yes. I’m sure it makes no difference to the gods. But to us, having our loved ones here, it’s everything.”

I realized why Verla was asking. She had lost a child of her own and was wondering if it was possible to bring her son back to her.

I choked up a little and cleared my throat before I spoke. “If I had a choice between Dean living and dying, I’d choose his life, every single time. But we can’t go back and undo what’s already done. Even Death magic isn’t enough to bring the dead back to life.”

“You brought Nadine back,” Verla reminded me softly.

“Because she hadn’t crossed over yet,” I said. “The circumstances were perfect. If we brought Dean back now—or any spirit after they crossed over—we don’t know what kind of consequences that could bring. It could damage his soul, which puts both him and Marcus at risk.”

“Souls are far more complicated and nuanced than we understand. They can fracture and exist in multiple places at once. Marcus and Dean shared a soul, and now, a piece of that soul is within Rishi, which means Marcus and Rishi are parts of one soul, existing on Earth together. Why couldn’t a third piece of that soul exist here as well?” Verla asked.

I opened my mouth to respond, but I realized then that her question was rhetorical. I understood now why she was bringing this up. She knew it couldn’t work, but she wanted to make sure I understood it, too. I couldn’t believe I thought she would ask me to do something like bring her son back. She knew better than I that it wasn’t possible.

“You don’t have to worry about how far I’ll take things,” I told her. “I know Death magic is dangerous, and to take it this far could be catastrophic. I won’t risk it. Not with my son’s soul.”

Verla kept her eyes on me, but she didn’t get a chance to respond before the front door opened. Professor Warren stepped inside, and I could instantly feel like something wasn’t right.

I shot to my feet. “Where are Grant and Miles?”

Warren lifted his hand, as if to tell me to calm down. “They’ve got the perimeter secure, but you’re going to want to come with me. There’s someone here who wants to talk to you.”

My mind immediately started racing through the possibilities, but anyone I could think of shouldn’t have a clue where to find us. “Who?”

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