Ariel clung to Vio as he pushed their horse forward. The animal’s hooves dug into the earth, eating away at the distance to the bridge. For a second, Ariel felt like they were going to make it across. She didn’t allow herself to think that what awaited them could be any worse. They would cross, they would get to safety, and they would contact Dennis. A flash of movement by her side drew her attention and sank her hopes.

  A smear of fur and snapping jaws raced along side. Ariel cringed and kicked out at the werewolf that had matched their pace. Her boot hit the creature in the head and it stumbled back. But a second later another was at their other side. Ariel tried to kick it but it was smart enough to pull back. Her heart pounded in rhythm with the horse’s hooves. Another werewolf, and another, outpaced the horse. They ran ahead of the beast and Ariel knew they were trapped.

  “No,” she breathed. Vio’s grip on her arm tightened. Then he released her.

  “I’m going to throw you over the wolves. Run for the bridge,” he said, his breath hot on her ear.

  Ariel shook her head and opened her mouth to protest but before she could he release the reins and placed both hands on her hips. “Up!” he cried.

  “Vio, no,” she weakly protested, but it was useless. He was simply too strong. If he wanted to throw her, he could. And did.

  “Now!”

  Before she could protest again, she was airborne. Her arms flailed around her head as she flew. The ground came fast and hard. She tried to roll but stumbled and her knees smashed onto the cold earth. She skidded, any exposed skin tearing and scraping against the rocks and frozen dirt. Then she rolled down. Ariel dug her hands and feet into the ground, bracing herself and slowing the slide. Fingernails tore and her hands bled.

  Ariel stopped moving. Panting, heart pounding and bile burning her throat, she raised her spinning head as quickly as she could. Her eyes widened when she realized just how far he had tossed her. She didn’t need to run to the bridge; she was there, at the river’s edge. She had stopped herself from sliding into the cold water that churned in the darkness. Ariel winced in pain as she pushed up on bleeding hands to look over the bank.

  “Vio!” she screamed. His back was to her as he stared down the wolves, slowly backing towards the bridge. One leapt at him and he grabbed its head and threw it back at the others. But another came, its jaws biting down on his bicep. Vio roared in pain and punched the creature in the head, but another came, jaws snapping at his legs. Vio managed to kick it back, but there were just too many of them. He had minutes, likely seconds, left, before they took him down. There was no time for help.

  Ariel’s fingers dug into the ground. Hot tears ran down her face and landed on the wet bank. Her heart burned with grief and hopelessness at their situation. They had come so far.

  Movement to her side caught her attention just as another wolf launched at Vio’s chest. She turned on instinct and watched something dark rise from the river. A vaguely human form rose, but it wasn’t solid. More like a shadow; darkness that swirled and moved in the blackness of night. Another followed. Ariel gasped at the shadows that came from the water, but she wasn’t afraid. She thought she should be, but there was something comforting about the darkness, though it was cloaked in death.

  A shadowy limb extended to her and motioned for her to follow them down the river. Ariel looked back to Vio. He was on his knees now and slick with blood. She pointed to him. “I won’t leave without him,” she said to the shadows. She could have sworn they looked at each other and a swift communication passed between them. “I won’t!” she said again through gritted teeth, thinking that was the only chance she had of saving him.

  The shadows must have agreed to bring him with them, because they left the river and crossed the grounds towards the wolves. Ariel pushed to her feet and, on shaking and bloody knees, followed them.

  Just as a wolf was about to take a bite out of Vio, it stopped and turned to them. Ariel didn’t know or care if the wolves saw the shadows, but they certainly smelled them. And they didn’t like the smell. They released Vio from their jaws. They stepped back, tails moving between their legs, and slowly crept away. Ariel looked at the shadows. They didn’t look so scary to her, yet they had a pack of werewolves on the run. Maybe she should be afraid of them, but whatever they were, they were the only chance she had, now that Lucian had stolen their ability to communicate with Dennis. No one else was coming for them.

  When the wolves were far enough away, Ariel sprinted forward. Her heart nearly stopped for fear of what state Vio would be in. The shadows of death hovered around Vio as Ariel dropped to her knees beside him. He swayed and groaned. But when she touched his chest, he gripped her hand and gave her a bloody smile.

  “Who are your friends?” he asked. Ariel’s heart started again at the sight of his smile.

  “You can see them?”

  Vio nodded and winced from pain. The gouges from the teeth and claws – so deep she could see the muscles and bone – slowly closed. She tried to ignore the muddy puddles of his blood around him.

  “I can,” Vio said, drawing her attention away from the blood that he shouldn’t be able to survive without. He swayed and she gave him her shoulder to press against. Leaning on her, he rose to full height, though she noticed his hand cradled a wound at his side.

  Ariel tried not to focus on his physical state, but instead on what happened around them. The wolves had retreated and there were now over a dozen shadows hovering by them. She had no idea what either meant. She tried to take a steadying breath to focus, but her heart pounded and her head spun. She squeezed her eyes closed and bit her cheek to force everything to slow down. When she opened her eyes again, the forms were moving back towards the river.

  “I don’t know what they are, but I think they’re here to help us,” she said. “I think we need to follow them into the river.”

  “If it means I’m not getting eaten alive by wolves, I’ll follow them anywhere.”

  “I don’t know what they are. It could be worse than the wolves, Lucian or vampires.”

  Vio looked back towards the woods. Ariel followed his gaze. In the moonlight, eyes glowed with malice. Across the bridge, she heard footsteps approaching. Was it the vampires? Even if it was, she seriously doubted they could rely on help from vampires.

  “I don’t think it could be worse at this point,” Vio said. His trust in her was enough to believe in herself. She helped him limp along while his body healed. They followed the shadows to the river. At the edge, the shadows appeared to walk into the water and disappear. Ariel couldn’t stop from hesitating. But the shadows beckoned to her to follow.

  “You go first,” she said, guiding Vio into the water.

  “Want to see if I’ll survive?” She didn’t need to see his face to hear the joke in his voice.

  “No, I think they’re just here for me. And if they want me, they have to take you, too.” Vio squeezed her hand as he splashed into the water. Ariel squeezed back and followed him. The cold numbed her feet and made her teeth chatter but she didn’t stop. The shadows circled them as they passed under the bridge. The water rose unnaturally, spinning around them. Ariel gripped Vio tighter. Vio watched, wide eyed, as the water continued to rise, spinning around them as the shadows spun, faster and faster, the water rising higher and higher. When it reached their waist, the wall of water expanded, wrapping them in an orb of liquid.

  Ariel wanted to ask what was happening, but the water moved too fast and she didn’t want to interrupt the shadows. She and Vio looked up, following the dome of water, watching the night sky disappear behind the wall of water. When they were concealed within, all sound and sights disappeared. Vio and Ariel looked at each other. Ariel blinked, and suddenly they were falling. They fell through shadows, almost like being transported, but in slow motion.

  They landed as suddenly as they had fallen. Darkness surrounded them. Vio’s breathing and her pounding heart were the only sounds. Ariel’s clothes were no longer wet, and she didn’t shiver. Wherever they were, it was warm. And something was soft under her feet, like grass.

  “Ariel?” Vio whispered. “This is your territory, darling, do you see anything?”

  “No.” She blinked several times, but the darkness was absolute. And then it wasn’t. Like a curtain pulling back, the darkness was peeled away. Ariel shielded her eyes and blinked at the sudden light. When she moved her hand away, she gasped, and knew they were no longer in the mortal realm.

  Vio’s hand squeezed hers, and for the first time since meeting him, she was certain he was more afraid than she was. Ariel’s jaw dropped as she looked out over the realm the shadows had taken them to. Rolling green hills that reminded her of the English countryside stretched towards a sun, perched at either sunset or sunrise. To one side was a forest, and the other was a large brown building made of stone and mostly open. It had no roof, and the stone walls were more for dividers than to build rooms. The river they had taken cut through the green, but it was no longer black and churning, but sparkling blue and calm. Everything about this place was calm.

  And then there were the spirits. She had no other word for them. Hundreds floated throughout. They were all the colours she had ever seen, and they were mostly formed in human shapes, but they weren’t clearly defined people. They weren’t like the ghosts she saw every day. These were the spirits of those who had crossed over.

  “Welcome,” someone said. Ariel jerked and looked to her side. One of the shadows who had guided them across was no longer a shadow. It was not quite a spirit, but not an entirely formed human shape. It had their own colour, and their face was more distinct than the others, but there was still a transparency around them.

  “I hope you are not afraid,” it said. Ariel admired the indigo hue of the shadow. Their voice was high, making Ariel think she was speaking with a female.

  “No,” Ariel said. “No, everything here seems . . . good. But where is here?”

  “This is one of the realms of the beyond. There are dozens scattered across the globe. This is a place where spirits come when they pass through.”

  “Not heaven or hell?” Vio asked. Ariel was grateful he could hear and see all this so she wouldn’t have to relay it all again.

  The figure slowly morphed into the shape of a human woman, making it easier to interact with. Instead of a transparent glow, there was now a female, dressed in simple robes, her skin pulsing with the rich indigo colour.

  “I have changed for your benefit. As for your question, heaven and hell are religious constructs. Those who follow those religions can be bound by them. But this is a realm for those who do not walk a path of restrictive faith.”

  “I want to go here,” Vio said, looking out over the beautiful space. Ariel felt like she would too.

  The woman they spoke with gave a side grin. “We will bear that in mind when your time comes. But, your time has not come yet. Nor yours, Ariel.”

  “You know my name?”

  “Yes, and you may call me Lenora, as I know that will make it easier for you to assign a name to me. Come, I have much to tell you.”

  Lenora extended an arm and guided them towards the building. There were no spirits here. They passed through a high arch. There was no floor, only grass, and the stone walls felt more like dividers to create random rooms. They were led into an area where a large mural was painted on the stone wall.

  “You’re one of the few spirit healers to visit our realm,” Lenora said. “It is only in times of great need when we summon you here.”

  “Then I don’t know if it’s good or bad that I’m here.”

  “It is good for us that you have come, and that you are strong and brave, with values to match. You will be tested soon. We will rely upon you to change what is unfolding.”

  Ariel winced inwardly but didn’t let it show. Instead, she just gripped Vio’s hand and was relieved when he gave her a squeeze. Lenora turned to the mural and pointed to the top.

  “This is the story of the spirit healers. You were not created in isolation, but as one part of a duo. The spirit healer and the necromancer co-exist. When humanity suffered its first great mass death, and when there was still much magic in the world, a leader summoned the magic and twisted it into death magic. Humans had not yet suffered mass death, and they did not like it. They were angry with Death for taking so many of them without warning. They decided to use the magic to stop him. To bring their loved ones back from the dead. They funneled the magic into a skull. When the necromancer wanted to raise the dead, they would wear the skull to do so.

  “But the humans did not understand the natural balance and order. The magic responded, but it would not yield without a balance in place. And the magic did not like being manipulated. It did not make it easy for the necromancer. While the skull makes a person a necromancer, the magic selects the spirit healer. For the necromancer to successfully raise someone to be a full living being again, they must have approval from the spirit healer, who confirms that that is the wish of the dead. Without that approval, the necromancer can only raise a puppet corpse.

  “Over time, the skull was broken. The pieces still contained the magic, and it allowed for people like the man who created you,” she said, looking at Vio. “He was able to build humans, but not raise them like it was originally intended.”

  “How does a spirit healer give approval?” Ariel asked.

  “With your words. When the necromancer wears the skull, they will look to you for approval. If you grant it, which can be as simple as saying ‘yes,’ then the bodies will rise. But,” she warned, “if you give approval that goes against the wishes of the dead, you will be forever haunted by that betrayal.”

  “Aren’t we already haunted?” Ariel asked, frowning.

  “Not like this,” she said. A chill passed over Ariel. She couldn’t imagine a worse way to be haunted than she already was, and didn’t want to find out.

  “What if we’re forced to give agreement?” Ariel asked, thinking of what Lucian or Klassen would do to her or Vio to convince her.

  “You do not betray the dead,” Lenora said. Ariel shivered again.

  “Thank you for the history lesson,” Vio said, “but we need to get in touch with Dennis. Ah, Death. Can you arrange that?”

  The woman shook her head. “No, that magic does not work here. But there is a place where you can summon him.” She looked to the next panel on the wall. A long trail of graves covered the first panel, with two people standing before them on what looked like a stage. One wore the skull. On the next panel, the necromancer raised their hands and the bodies stood by their graves. It was a wider panel, and at the back of the graves was a tall bell tower.

  “The bell in that tower was made by one of the first Death’s, when humans needed to call upon Death if they had someone to be picked up that he had not collected. The bell can still be used to summon Death.”

  “That’s excellent, where is it?” Vio asked.

  “I do not know what you call countries. But I know that it is now underground, having sunk centuries ago during earthquakes and wars. If it rings, it will summon Death.”

  “For whom does the bell toll, indeed,” Ariel muttered. Then yawned. Her body sagged under the weight of the last few days, and exhaustion from not sleeping for most of them hit her hard.

  “You are mortal, and need your rest,” Lenora said. “I will take you to a secluded place. No one will interrupt you and you can recover. Once you have, we will transport you to the Bell of Death.”

  “Can’t wait,” Vio quipped.

  “Come,” Lenora said, and led them through the maze of walls to a smaller room. A stream passed through. “The water is warm and rich with nutrients; you can clean in it and drink from the stream. We will give you some time to wash and sleep.”

  “Thank you for everything,” Ariel said. Lenora nodded and left. When she was gone, Ariel sagged, and had never been more grateful for Vio’s arms to catch her.

  Chapter 29

  Vio

  “Easy now,” Vio said. He stood in the stream, the water up to his waist, with Ariel in his arms. She was half submerged. Lenora said the water was warm and restorative. He could confirm it felt like bath water, and, as he watched it rouse Ariel, he hoped it would restore her. She was mortal and couldn’t heal like he could.

  “Vio?” she asked. Her eyes fluttered open. Vio smiled and tightened his grip on her. “You’re in the stream. I’ve got you.”

  “Okay.” She closed her eyes and let her hands drift. In his arms, he felt her body regain its strength as the water gently ran over her.

  “I’m going to take you to a little pool.” He waded through the stream and stumbled on the rocks.

  “I can walk,” she said. Together they moved up the stream, half swimming, half walking, to a round pool where the current didn’t reach. The smooth stones of the stream’s floor were at the perfect height for them to sit. The water lapped gently at chest level. Ariel leaned her head back and took a deep breath.

  “Feeling better?” he asked.

  She gave a bitter laugh. “Better than what?”

  “Better than you were as Lucian’s prisoner?”

  “I guess everything is relative,” she said. She pulled the heavy shirt over her head and tossed it onto the grass.

  Vio gaped at the sight of her bare breasts. He hadn’t really seen them, despite the blow job and a few baths, and they looked perfect. They hovered, weightless, in the water.

  “Um . . .”

  “Do you mind?” she asked, moving to cover herself.

  “No, fuck no.” She chuckled. “As long as you don’t mind me staring.”

  “The water is so nice. It’s the first time I’ve really felt relaxed in days.”

  “I get that,” he said. “It’s been a mad few days.”

  “And there’s more coming.” Her face tightened with worry. Vio crossed over to her and cupped her cheek.

  “You don’t have to think about that now. Tomorrow we’ll get to the bell, we’ll get to Dennis, and we won’t have to do this alone. It’s officially gone above our pay grade.”

 

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