Page 241 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

I moved away from the large window and sat at the circular table in the center of the room.

“Death of one.”

“So it is true, then?”

“For now.”

I poured a cup of tea and slipped it toward my kinsman before topping off my own. Darkness crawled from every corner of this room, entrapping the bird before manifesting its massive self in the seat before me. The worn and tattered suit he wore was riddled with bullet holes, and his hair stuck to his head in a red smear. His taut pale skin pulled tight as if it were an ill-fitting mask. One of the Formless Ones, the most ancient, and he preferred to wear the forms of those who had passed his gates.

“I’ve come for a reason, kinsman.” Death carefully picked up the fragile cup and took a sip.

My fingers tapped lightly against the arm of the chair. “If you have come for the boy, I fear it would be a fight. She is quite protective of him, and he of her.”

Death’s pale, dead eyes fixed on me as he lowered his teacup. I knew he hated to be cheated, and that was exactly what Dianna had done.

“No one escapes me.” His voice was reminiscent of the hollow void we all came from. “I will have them both in the end. Make no mistake.”

“I am aware. I have seen that, too.” It had been a strange experience to watch them both perish. I was certain that if I had been in a body that permitted emotion, I would have felt that sadness. “What I am unaware of is why. Why bring him back? Risk it? Barter her soul in exchange for his life?”

“You have seen the end. You have seen several, kinsman.” Death scoffed as if even thinking about admitting what he was about to annoyed him. “The opposite was far more damaging.”

“Destruction.”

Death only leaned back as he agreed. “Annihilation. You had but a fraction of it on Onuna.”

“You fear her?”

“We all should. Dianna is no longer the promised princess of Rashearim or the destined queen. The other sibling has polluted her blood. What she carries within her now could turn worlds to ash if she willed it. You all should fear her as they once feared Ro’Vikiin.”

I chuckled. “You know as well as I that he hated that name. He always preferred Gathrriel.”

“It does not matter what he prefers. His blood lives in this realm once more.”

I sat up straighter. “And it has come to pass again. That’s the shift. Every being in this realm and the next felt that spark once more.”

“Right, you are. The witches feel it, your moirai, the beings with no legs, and ones with too many. Every. Single. One.”

“Is this why my vision has changed? Because of her?”

“No.” Death folded its cold hands upon his lap. “Because of them. The brother has slaughtered his blood. It seems to be a repeat of the family tradition, but have no fear. I plan to correct it.”

I raised my teacup. “And so Death intervenes, as does fate.”

“Intervene suggests I stopped the inevitable. I did not. I merely saw a loophole, but I would not worry about the rules of this existence much longer, kinsman. If Nismera wins, if they return, there will be nothing left of any of us.”

My hand tightened on the cup. Had he seen the same tragic ending I had? A murky pit giving birth to beings long forgotten. I stilled, needing the answer to my next question. “What of her soul?”

Death tilted his head toward me. “That’s what worries you? Not the return, but her soul?”

I said nothing.

“Soul?” Death tsked. “The fractured thing it is. It’s a jagged, crushed thing, the remnants buried within him.”

My back straightened, and Death caught it. My mind whirled. I had not seen that outcome either.

“Her soul is in Samkiel?”

“What is left of it. Two beings in one. It seems Samkiel was strong enough to bear it,” Death said and sipped his tea.

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