Page 75 of Dancing With Death

Wren is still the person I’m closest to in the world, but we’re just not as close as we once were. It was bound to happen with age as our lives grew apart, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I’d like to fix it if that’s possible, but I have enough on my plate.

Sadly, my relationship with my sister isn’t a priority right now, and I feel like shit admitting that—even if it’s only to myself.

“Okay, how do you want to do this, little sister?” I grin, already knowing how she’s going to respond.

“Not the little sister thing again. Knock it off, Audrey. I’m onto you.” Wren mock-glares as she tries to bite back a smile. “You’re trying to rile me up on purpose. You’re lucky I don’t have access to hellfire, or I’d burn your ass real good.”

And just like that, it feels like old times again. Our relationship might not be the same as it once was, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be better.

Now, I just need to make it through the next two weeks so we can take care of Michael before focusing on my relationship issues.

Who knew that the afterlife would be so hard?

Certainly not me.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Audrey

“Onlytwodaysleft,”Brenden comments as he takes my hand. “Are you excited?”

It’s hard to believe we’ve almost made it to Wren’s final. Soon, Michael will spend the rest of his afterlife being tortured in Tartarus. At least that’s what Cassian has assured me will happen.

He seems to think he’ll have no problem convincing Ophelia, and maybe even Sol, to send his soul there once Wren delivers his soul to the ferryman. He says Ophelia has always had a soft side for those seeking vengeance against those who wronged them. He and Sol have sided with her quite a few times when they’re met with a soul that’s been blackened by vengeance. They’ve sent some souls meant for Tartarus to The Asphodel Meadows instead, allowing the spirit to be reborn.

He told me they’ve only had to send one onto Tartarus after they’ve been given a second chance, so it sounds like they’re doing more good than harm. Plus, if it helps get Michael sent to where he belongs, you won’t find me complaining.

I don’t answer him right away, my eyes falling to the items at the next booth we pass. I dragged him to the market in Ephonia this afternoon so I could get some space from my other mates.

Not that I think they’re really giving it to me. I swore I saw Donovan and Wraith a few minutes ago, but when I turned around to double-check, they weren’t there. I know I saw Cassian this morning, but since he still mostly lives here, I didn’t really think anything of it. Not until the third time I saw him.

At least they’re giving me some semblance of space.

As we grow closer to D-day, things have gotten tenser at the house. I know Wraith and Cassian would prefer if I gave up on killing Michael, but I just can’t. Donovan and Brenden are just as blood-thirsty as I am, so I don’t even know if they could be convinced not to kill him if I changed my mind.

Not only do I feel like I owe it to Wren, but there’s this little voice in the back of my head that never stops thinking about killing him. I didn’t even realize it was there until Wraith and I were talking the other night. He asked me why it was so important that I killed Michael. I immediately started to explain like I always do, and he stopped me. He told me to think about it and then come back to him.

It was overall a very weird conversation, but it got me to do what he wanted. I sat and thought about it for a long while, forcing myself to look beyond the fact that he took my sister away from me before he killed me and then killed her. Obviously, those all played a factor in my reasoning, but eventually, I heard that little voice loud and clear.

It didn’t provide me with a reason he needed to be dead. It just insisted repeatedly that I end it—that I kill him and end it all. It still doesn’t make sense to me, but when I mentioned it to Wraith, he found it odd as well. He also had no idea why it would be there and so intent on one purpose—almost as if it had been placed there.

He wanted to call the whole damn thing off right then and there, but I shut that shit down real quick.

I don’t care why I have a mysterious voice in my head urging me to do the one thing I want to, but I’m not worried. Just because I don’t understand it doesn’t mean I need to fear it. Wraith believes otherwise.

That’s probably why they’re following me around now. I’m not sure what they think is going to happen, but they clearly don’t trust me on my own.

Whatever.

“I don’t think excited is the word I would use,” I finally answer. “I’m ready for it to be done and over with, but as much as I want him dead, I know this is a serious matter. Taking a life is no little thing—not something for me to get excited about. But I’m definitely ready for it to be done and over with so we can focus on more important matters.”

“Like Nex.”

I glance up at Brenden with a frown, not liking how off he sounds. His face gives nothing away as he smiles, but something is bothering him. “What is it, Brenden?”

His smile falls away as he glances away from me. “How can you forgive him? After the way he’s treated you?”

“I don’t know if I can,” I admit, biting my lip as I glance around us. “For all I know, he’ll keep denying me, even if Lucifer lifts the curse or admits there never was one. I know all of you think he wants me, but I’m just not sure if that’s true. I refuse to allow myself to hope for anything when it comes to Nex. I can’t think about what might happen. I just…don’t have the spoons for it.”

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