Page 91 of Death Trap

Okay, but I didn’t have one now so…

“Without one, we have to rely on your powers and whatever Simon and I can do, and hope that will be enough to take him down.”

“You’re telling me you aren’t even sure if this will work without a sword?” My voice rose as anxiety set in. I couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that we were up shit’s creek without a paddle here.

“I am. But we have to try,” he said.

I sighed. “Right.”

Simon turned to me. “Everything depends on—”

“Me. I know, Simon. I know.” No need to rub it in any more. My shoulders were getting heavy enough from all this responsibility.

“Us,” he corrected. “We’ll do it together.”

A smile lifted the corner of my lips. In that moment, I was so thankful for Simon. He always knew just what to say.

“Cross over. Go to Styx. Take down the bastard.” It always sounded easier when put like that. “Let’s go, then.”

Before I could turn toward the stairs, Simon’s hand stopped me. “There something more, Jade.”

Of course there was.

“There are only ten reapers allowed in the afterlife at a time. With Benjamin back in your place, you won’t be able to cross over.”

I tensed. “Are you kidding me?”

He shook his head. “Unfortunately, no.”

“How do we fix it, then?

He glanced at Eli, as if they had talked about this possible scenario before finding me. No wonder the two of them worked so well together. They were both so serious.

What did that say about me? That I needed a lot of control in my life?

Nah. Me? No way.

I’d let a therapist unpack that later.

“You have to be Released,” Simon said.

Um, what?

I stared at him in disbelief.

“It’s the only way to kick you out of the reaper cycle,” he replied.

No wonder Azrael only threatened to Release me but had never actually done it.

“But doesn’t Releasing me mean I’ll…die? Again? Or whatever happens to reapers after they’re Released.”

“We’re hoping it’ll only be your reaper side that’ll die. There’s still the angel side that can help you remerge,” Eli said.

They were all oddly calm while talking about my potential death—second death or final death, or whatever.

“We’rehoping? So again, we aren’t sure this will work?”

Kay hurried over to my side. “There has to be another way. There’s too much uncertainty.”

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