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“Continue to follow your heart. He who wishes to return to life must take a leap of faith.”

The Widow’s last word echoed into the distance as Loren’s surroundings abruptly melted away, magic pitching her into the unknown. Her breaths quickened, and she cast that silver line inside her toward Singer, hooking him with it and pulling him along with her.

When she opened her eyes again, she was standing upon a narrow path that floated above endless black space—a night sky studded with colorful stars and swirling motes of light. The dark, grassy path she stood upon was speckled with glowing flowers, the petals all colors of the rainbow.

There was only one way to go now, and that was forward.

She started walking.

32

The House of Souls

ANGELTHENE, STATE OF WITHEREDGE

Malakai stood across from Aspen in the corridor outside of her bedroom, waiting for a swift kick to the nuts the moment she processed what he was asking her to do.

“And I want you to come with me,” he concluded with a noisy clearing of his throat.

She blinked her green eyes up at him. Poked herself in the chest with a long, red nail. “Me?”

He nodded. Crossed his arms. Shifted on his feet. The floorboards creaked under his weight.

It took her a long time to fully process what he’d said, and as the silence stretched on, Malakai began to feel something fluttery in his gut. What the hell was that? Was this what those hopeless romantics called ‘butterflies’?

Eww.

How many minutes had passed? He was beginning to sweat. He ran his tongue across a silver canine, fingers squeezing into fists.

Finally, she said, “What about Sylvan and Valen?”

“I want you.” He clarified, “To come with me, I mean.”

He wasn’t expecting her to smile at him, but her face lit up like the sun.

“Okay!” she exclaimed. “When do we leave?”

That was…entirely unexpected. But wildly welcomed.

Malakai cleared his throat again. “In the morning. Pack tonight and be ready to go whenever Reacher calls.”

She was still grinning. “Okay. Sure.” She edged around him and drifted through her bedroom door, her Familiar curling around her ankles, the fennec fox blinking her big eyes at Malakai. “Thanks, Malakai.”

“No, thank you,” he said tightly.

He disappeared downstairs, mimicking himself in a squeaky voice. “‘No, thank you’. Could you sound any more stupid?” he asked himself with a shake of his head. “Bearded fucking buffoon is what you are.”

You’re too hard on yourself, Creature said, flitting out of Malakai’s shadow to perch on his shoulder. And we’re out of bananas.

“You already told me.” Creature had an insane obsession with bananas, even more so than he did grapes.

I’m telling you again, the bat said. We need to pick some up on our way out.

“Need, hey?”

Need.

He found Sylvan and Valen watching the sports station in the living room. The antique clock chimed out the hour; it was late. He needed to sleep, or tomorrow would be brutal.