Page 83 of A War of Embers

Does this mean I’m allowed to pass through? “Coming.”

“I haven’t seen you before.” The figure reaches up, removing the oversized hood shadowing his face. An elderly man with a poof of gray hair, thick spectacles, and hard eyes stare back at me. “You, I don’t recognize,” he repeats. “But I’ve seen your souls a time or two.”

Well this is new. “You recognize my souls?” Without having to reach into my chest to realize I have more than one? Before asking me to clarify how many are inhabiting my body?

“The swordsman, the archer, the poisoner, and the one who relishes the pain they can bring with their own hands. Yes, I recognize the souls you are currently using to live, immortal.”

“Can you remove them?” I blurt out.

Slowly the man swings his head from side to side. “No. I do not interfere with the living.”

“Can I rest here?” I ask. “There’s a rumor of immortals being given the ability to rest here.”

“Aye, this is true.”

Relief, swift and sharp drags a smile to my lips.

“But,” he adds, causing the joy I felt moments ago to slip away, “you do not just possess immortal souls, now do you? You may enter the Cliff of Embers if you wish, but you cannot stay.”

My mouth opens and closes a few times in surprise. He knows I hold a godlike soul as Rowan claims? A true fifth soul in my being? Up until this very moment I refused to believe in what Sereia and Rowan were saying. It made no difference how many immortal souls I housed, but a godlike one?

“You were unaware,” he murmurs.

“I didn’t believe them when they said it.”

“Remove the soul of a god and you may enter eternally,” he easily replies. “But the souls of gods do not rest here.”

“But I’m not a High Lady or a Lady,” I argue.

“You were made to be one. The soul you cannot rid yourself of can only be removed by a High Lord or Lady.”

My eyes narrow. “But not you?” I challenge.

“I do not interfere with the living,” he repeats.

Of course not. Why can nothing in this forsaken life be easy? Jumping into the Blood Sea did nothing. I end up being unable to have the Blood Witch remove my souls. Then the dragon refuses to help and the witch has no better luck than the Blood Witch. Every single thing has been actively fighting against me and I hate it.

I’m over this failing life.

Gritting my teeth together, I speak slowly so he can understand and try to give better advice. “Because of the godlike soul, no one can remove any of the souls inside of me.”

“A High Lord or High Lady can remove the immortal souls. I do not know if they can accurately identify the godlike soul, as you say, to remove it as well.”

“Identify?” We already know what it fucking is.

“Much like in other areas of life, a hierarchy remains a steady flow of power. Some of equal or greater strength can remove certain godlike souls. Combined power can also work to remove a higher magical soul from someone, but it is almost always guaranteed to fail.”

The Lord of Shadow’s fractured soul. Rowan. The Lords and Ladies in Tellus banded together, I remember that, to kill the Lord of Monsters and try to do the same to the Lord of Shadows. Only it didn’t work because they took his heart but left his conscience.

“You will need to find a higher level person to aid you. But it cannot be me.”

I already established that after the first time he said he doesn’t get involved in the living’s business. “So a High Lord or Lady.” Meaning my only option to go back across the Blood Sea and enter into the Godlands for help.

Fuck this journey.

“What’s the likelihood of them helping me?” Because I’m not about to risk being in Lady Gwenyth’s crosshairs unless it’s absolutely certain I will die.

“If they are more powerful, then the chances increase. If you seek one of lesser powers, they may turn you away.”

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