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“She sounds really happy,” I said with a slow nod, taking a deep breath as I processed everything that had just happened. “Anna, I’m voting for Bexley.”

The faintest glimmer of light brightened in her eyes. Had I not been watching so intently, I might not have noticed. It was quickly disguised.

“Nice,” she said softly.

“The ironic thing is, I think he wouldn’t mind staying at that tavern for a while,” I said with a laugh. “But I think he deserves a fresh start. If I can help him, I’d like to. I’ll get out of here eventually. I’m certain that’s not the only way,” I said.

She nodded, looking down at her hands. “I don’t think Bexley’s ever had anyone on his side.

Not really,” she said. “I feel terrible, being by him for all these years and hardly noticing how desperately he needed help until he was right in my face.” “Things get really hard and confusing when you don’t have a purpose,” I said, and we both knew I was talking more about myself than Bexley.

“Yeah.” She nodded, letting out a big breath. “It’s just a shame I’m going to have all that time to talk you out of that pendant now,” she said sarcastically.

“Oh, you think?” I said with a laugh, bumping her with my shoulder.

“It’s only a matter of time. Find me another waterfall, and I bet you’ll hand it right over,” she teased, poking me in the stomach.

“I’m sorry for threatening you earlier,” I said seriously, all humor gone from my face. “I’m so confused.”

“About yourself or us?” she asked softly, tilting her head. “About all of it,” I said, waving my hands.

When we arrived back to the group, Walter, Eletha, and Bexley were all sitting in the circle of dirt that had shifted and brought us here. “Well, do I have to kill you?” Walter asked with a smile plastered across his face.

I smiled back, even though, in all honesty, I was still a little frustrated that he wouldn’t have picked me to leave.

“No, you don’t have to kill me,” I said.

“I’m not going to lie; I want to get out of here.

Badly. And if I thought there was something else I could do to convince you all to pick me, I would do it.

But I really did think about everything you guys have been saying.

I was being greedy and only thinking of myself as someone who needs to get out of here.

And the fact is, I’ve already had some pretty great times in my life.

” Turning to Bexley, who was lying on his side in the dirt, I added, “And, Bexley, I want you to know I pick you too. I think you deserve to get out of here.”

“What?” Bexley shouted, sitting upright and looking decidedly pissed off. “Why would you pick me?” He slapped the ground in frustration. I heard Anna snort beside me. “I’m the only one of you that doesn’t want to go!” he yelled.

Eletha cleared her throat, and everyone froze to see what she would say. It was no secret that Eletha was not Bexley’s biggest fan.

“I think you should leave the tiers and leave Eromreven for good,” she said. “You’ve been helpful to us down here. Thank you. I think I may have misjudged you, and for that, I’m sorry,” she added, bowing her head.

Bexley had already risen to his feet, swearing the entire time.

“You dumbasses. I’m the only one that wanted to stay!

This is the best tavern in the tiers,” he grumbled, standing up and turning toward the large gated door.

He took a couple of steps and then paused, his grumpy face softening slightly as he looked back at the group.

I got the odd sense that he didn’t actually want to leave us, despite everything he had said.

Anna stood and walked up to him. “I can’t believe we’ve spent all these years knowing about each other but never really knowing each other. I feel awful if I’ve contributed in any way to the mistreatment you’ve experienced while in Eromreven. ”

“A bit salesy for the Queen of the Underworld,” I mumbled under my breath.

“You’ve never had any part in how I’ve been treated,” Bexley said curtly. “What do you want me to do when I get to Eromreven? Should I tell Kaohs so he can help you lot?”

Anna shook her head. “Dad can’t do anything in here. It’s controlled more by the Fates than anything,” she said. Her words caught my attention. There was a glimmer of heaviness behind them, like there was a clue I should have recognized but couldn’t.

“Can you get into the Elysian Fields?” I asked Bexley. “You might like it better.”

“You won’t like it better,”Anna said. “And you can’t anyway. Not pure enough, but I agree, I don’t think you should stay in Eromreven. Why don’t you go back to the human realm?” she asked.

Eletha and Walter snapped their heads around to look at her, then just as quickly turned to Bexley to see his reaction.

Bexley laughed. “There’s no portal to the human realm,” he said.

“There could be,” Anna said.

Bexley tilted his head, his interest piqued.

“It’s past the Elysian Fields,” Anna continued. “The human realm portal is behind the Elysian Fields. Before the portal to reincarnate, everyone used to be sent to the human realm. I’ve heard this from my father,” she said confidently. “It’s not used anymore, but you could find it.”

“I’m not leaving,” Bexley said with a shrug. “You have to. We all voted on you,” Walter said.

Bexley looked around, taking note of each of our faces. “You all really chose me?” he asked softly, as if just realizing it for the first time. Before he could get too emotional, he shook off the sentiment and put back on his grumpy face.

“What do you want?” Anna said, walking him over to the door.

Bexley opened the door, and I expected to see a glimpse of the fifth tier through it when he stepped through. Little golden glittering sparkles, or the air twisting and popping, but instead, nothing happened.

Bexley and Anna exchanged looks. “There’s nothing there.” “Maybe we need to state who we voted for plainly,” I suggested. “I’ll go first. I vote for Bexley to leave.”

Walter went next. “I also vote for Bexley to leave.” Eletha said, “Me too. I vote for Bexley.”

Everyone looked at Anna. “I vote for Bexley too.”

As soon as Anna finished her words, the platform we were on began to tremble and dust drifted into the air.

“We’re moving!” Eletha shouted. “Anna, get over here!” she called, worried.

She was right. The platform and the same circle we had arrived on shook again and began to sink into the ground once more.

“Anna!” I shouted. “Anna, get over here, quick!” I called, jumping up, ready to grab her. As I stood, I lost my balance and the platform began to move quicker. “Anna!” I shouted, filled with worry. I jumped onto the small ledge, grabbing Anna’s arm and pulling her back quickly.

“Let me go, woman!” shouted Bexley, as Anna gripped his forearm, dragging him with us.

“Go, go, go!” I said, running behind them and pushing them along, shoving them onto the platform and leaping on just as it began to fall farther than would have been safe to jump.

“Is everyone on?” Walter called as the area around us had gone as black as a winter’s night, though we continued to move.

“I’m on,” I said, following the rest of the group as we called out our attendance.

A soft hand found mine in the dark and squeezed it tightly.