Page 82 of Shadows Ascend (Remnant Archives #2)

I stared up into gold eyes that were so much like Emon's, blinking away the tears and swallowing down my heartache.

I would not break. I could not break. Not now.

"How are you here? How did you break free?" My hand stroked the golden panther’s large head, the awe of his magnificence still just as strong as the first time I laid eyes on him that fateful day in front of The West Isle gates.

Not to have any attention stolen from him, Riella’s spirit guide appeared, spitting like a rabid animal up at Ethereal, taking on a smaller feline form in front of a cat of giants.

"Zaki!" Riella cried, running towards her spirit guide with open arms. The pookah turned, its red eyes glittering with happiness, shifting back into a bunny before it launched himself into her arms. "Naughty pookah, where have you been?"

The spirit guide’s ears tucked back as he hissed softly. "Free."

Looking between them, I arched a brow at Ethereal. "The pookah freed you?"

Ethereal’s normally refined voice rumbled, speaking out loud for the first time. "I was already halfway free, rodent."

My brows raised. “You can speak outside our minds?”

Ethereal tore his narrowed glare back to me, “Only because we are within the Eithne. The realm of the dead allows all creatures to communicate like you do.”

Ethereal huffed and my hair blew across my face. "Leave it to the fairy boy to collect more parasites," he said, disgusted and glaring at the pookah one more time before raising his massive regal head. "Death god. Lady of the Night Court, Lord of The Shadow Fae. Greetings."

Tucking Riella and her pookah into me, I watched my family’s shock at Ethereal’s presence, the only one not affected was Shea himself.

Kade looked at me with raised brows. “You got to be goddess damn kidding me, why do all the beasts end up loving you,” he muttered towards me, playful jealousy in his tone.

I grinned smugly back.

The death god snorted, smirking at the panther. "Am I not uncle to you then, nephew?"

Ethereal’s golden tail softly flicked side to side, and his nose wrinkled, "It takes more than blood to call you uncle, Shea."

My father chuckled, "So you do remember then."

He growled, "I remember some, not all, but I do remember what matters most." Turning back towards Riella and I, his gaze bored into mine. Sending blistering heat deep into my soul. “Where is Daemon? Tell me fairy boy is still alive," he inquired, fear lacing the deep dulcet tone.

Ethereal loved Emon. My shifter had a way of gathering lost souls, binding them to him with loyalty and love without ever realizing it. Emon had always swore they hated each other and perhaps their relationship was strained but that did not mean love did not tie them together.

"Just. He is in the soulless sleep," I whispered and the shadows shimmered, bringing Emon’s body to us.

Ethereal bowed his head and whimpered, "His soul is not inside of him." Sad eyes turned on me, " It is inside of you ,” his voice whispered inside my mind. “And it is not well. the Sanguine taints him.”

I nodded, my lips pressed into a thin line, bitterness burning like acid in my throat. "Yes."

Ethereal sighed, "He will not be the same."

“You do not know that for sure nephew,” Shea snapped behind us but I ignored him, knowing in my heart Ethereal was right.

Up until now, I had been denying my own fear…

starting with Emon’s demeanor as a soul wraith, the irrational uncontrolled anger, losing himself in rage, and then the Sanguine power ripping him to shreds.

The last time we spoke, when I took his eternal life, he could barely believe I was real, something haunted him, a fae losing a battle within.

I could see my already pale face turn ghostly white in Ethereal’s gold eyes. “What will happen to him?”

"There is no way of knowing, it could simply be parts of his memory will be lost or all of it, or it could be much much worse. His entire truth of who he is could change," his voice growled. “Especially with the Sanguine corrupting him,” he added in my mind, masking his thoughts from the others.

“Again there is no way of knowing this,” Shea growled, “You worry my daughter unnecessarily.”

I turned towards my mother, ignoring the death god, “Have you had any sight of this?”

She shook her head, her hair falling in waves like the shadows flowing over her, “My visions of Daemon ended the moment his soul left his body, but he knew the effects being a soul wraith could have on him—he prepared for it.”

My heart raced. The letters …he knew something like this was going to happen. “Shifter, when you are whole again, what happened to you in The Under will seem like a lovers caress compared to what I have in store for you.”

My thoughts fell away, my chest aching fiercely even while Emon’s soul glowed within. If I were to be honest with myself, if Emon returned to me whole again, I would just as likely fall to my knees with pure relief rather than kick his balls through his throat.

Riella stepped around me without fear, her swirling gold and green eyes angry while she pointed at Ethereal, understanding fully what they were unwilling to say.

"Faedere could never forget me, he would never forget us!

" She turned towards me, confidence wavering in her eyes.

"Right maedere. He will never forget us. "

Sometimes being unable to tell a lie was a goddess damn curse. I knelt and adjusted her crown. “He promised he would always be with you. We will trust in that.”

"Fairy boy is clever," Ethereal lowered his head, "Your father is almost too clever, I am sure he foresaw this as Eve has said, but to what extent I do not know, nor am I privy to his plans this time."

The heavy regret in his voice was audible. He blamed himself for not being here, for Emon, for us.

Ethereal turned his intense gaze on me and I shivered under the power he manifested. "I know I do not deserve another chance—"

The death god snorted behind us, "More like a third chance, nephew."

The cat snarled softly back at him before looking at me imploringly. "I know I do not deserve it, but let me help you, Remnant Dark. Allow me to accompany you and the others into the Sanguine."

I yanked back my hair, standing. "Even if I wanted to, you would be a giant beacon there, Ethereal. Besides, I unintentionally separated you from Emon. It was not purposeful.”

"Undo it. Tie me back to him. You hold his soul inside of you, you will be able to do the same with me. You are the goddess of The Well of Souls, which means you can manipulate them as you need."

Shea barked, "With a cost. I do not wish that for my daughter, besides you will forget who you are again, nephew. You do realize that don't you?"

The panther did not even bother to spare him a glance, his eyes only watching me.

"I care not. I made a promise to the fairy boy, my memory means nothing to me now. My past and my future do not dictate my decision now. All that matters is making sure Daemon and his family survive what is to come.” His eyes swiveled back to me, “Allow me to keep my promise to him and should I fail you, you may lock me away in shadows for the rest of my eternally damned life to remember all of what I have done," the great cat growled deeply and I shivered from his intensity.

In my hesitation, I felt the gentle touch of my mother’s hand on my arm. Her eyes held mine, the sight a flickering ghostly whisper within. "It would be foolish to not have every resource at your disposal, my little chickadee. "

Kade stepped behind her, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, blue curls falling over his brow, “I agree, Rem Rem. You are fucking facing a power that not even the goddess could defeat. For once in your life…accept you cannot do this alone. You’re almost there sister, your soulmate helped you but now you must trust the help offered to you of your own free will. ”

Scowling, my hands clenched. "I—goddess damnit, I don't even know how to put his soul back."

Riella pressed her petite warm body into my side and my hand instinctively fell on her shoulder, soaking in her unconditional love shining up at me, “I believe in you, maedere,” she whispered.

Shea sighed and then grumbled, "I will help you daughter."

Pursing my lips, I studied the reluctant death god glaring at Ethereal.

He did not like this plan, did not want to admit that in all his scheming there was a possibility he could have been wrong…

wrong that Emon and I would come out of this better than before.

Reaching out to Ethereal, I marveled at his silky golden fur, letting it fall through my hands as I whispered, "Are you sure Ethereal? "

The beast nodded, "I have never been more sure of anything in my life, princess of the shadows. You, Daemon, and Riella are what matter to me now. Nothing else. You are my family."

My hand dropped, a heaviness falling on my shoulders, and Riella squeezed my leg again in moral support. "Tell me what I need to do, father," a sigh of reluctance escaping my lips.

Shea’s eyes widened and I held his shocked expression without anger, resentment, or mockery. I could at least give him one memory of us, where I accepted our ties. This world was too goddess damn dangerous, the future too volatile to leave behind any more regrets.

“Thank you, little chickadee.” His voice was gruff and he swallowed hard, clearing his throat before reaching for my hand. His many rings adorning it were cool against my palm as he placed it on the ever watchful golden panther. "Open your aura sight, daughter."

I breathed deep, following his instruction, blinded by the bright burning fire of Ethereal's soul, the world destroyer.

"The soul is nothing more than a shadow inside of a body,” Shea said confidently, “Think of their aura as just that. Latch onto it like you would the shadows in the darkness and pull it into your body to hold. Just as you hold your shifter inside of you."

Pressing my lips together, I struggled to find anything to weave in the blinding blaze of the panther's soul—but each time I thought I had a hold on it, I lost it.

Sweat beaded on my brow, my hands clammy in his fur that continuously slipped from my grasp. Biting the inside of my cheek and tasting blood, I hissed my frustration.

“Don’t force it, you know the shadows, they cannot be wrangled.

They are coaxed, they are caressed, they are seduced by the very essence that is within you.

It is what makes you a shadow fae and the daughter of the god of death.

” Shea’s darkness flowed over my arm, following my brands as he pressed his hand harder into mine and continued, "Every aura has an outline, daughter, a shadow surrounding it.

Use it, own it, you are the Goddess of the Well, that makes you The Goddess of Souls.

This is your power by right and by blood. "

My eyes watered staring back into the hot blaze of Ethereal's aura and I searched for what he described. My heart thudded widely when I finally found the faintest outline, a soft edge to the light, and then I called to it. Coaxing, caressing, seducing, just like my father described, pulling it into me, and I gasped loudly when Etheral’s light suddenly set my whole body on fire within.

I held a world destroyer inside and he burned brightly along with Emon’s soul.

Opening my eyes, I slowly lowered my hand from the empty space that was just occupied by the massive panther. A bright light flickered in the distance beyond and I took comfort in thinking perhaps it was Jar, his bright blue eyes smiling at me, saying well done forta .

I exhaled shakily, feeling unsteady before turning back towards my family. Kade’s lips pressed firmly together but he nodded, my mother gave me her most encouraging smile, and Shea reached out, squeezing my shoulder with comfort.

My hand fell on Riella, stroking down her hair. “It is done,” I said shakily. Ethereal’s power inside me was slightly painful but it was easing. Even still I felt weak, exhaustion dragging on my weary body.

Shea squeezed again, "You did well, daughter."

I blinked back at him, more than relying on his firm grip to keep me from wavering on my feet. "Why do I feel so weak?"

My father's lips pressed together grimly as he held onto my shaking form. "Taking a soul within yourself should never be done lightly. There is a cost," he answered.

I shuddered, "Like the Sanguine."

Shea nodded, "Yes but worse for a god or goddess.

You have learned that even we have universal rules we must follow and when they are broken, we suffer fates that no being truly deserves.

I would not use this power unless you absolutely have to, my chickadee, even though it is uniquely from your family line," he winked at me before releasing his hand.

I pulled Riella in closer, "I understand." My eyes fell on Emon again, my voice trembled, "How do I release the souls of our people, how do I restore my soulmate’s?"

Shea reached for my mother, settling her back into his side and even pulled my brother closer, squeezing his shoulder affectionately before turning his bejeweled green gaze back on me, lips twitching.

"The lilin can easily lay their souls back into their bodies. They are souls too after all. But this will not be the case for your shifter, for him you must breathe it back into him while keeping it tied to your own. Your shared brands will help with that, it was not all for naught daughter. You did well.”

I stilled, ignoring his last words focussing on the breathing Emon’s soul back into his body, "You mean I have to… kiss him awake?"

Riella’s hand fell over her mouth to smother a giggle and my brother’s lips twitched watching her.

Grimacing, the death god nodded, “I suppose, if you wish to see it that way.”

A snort escaped me, causing my daughter’s giggles to burst loudly from behind her hands, the pookah who had been sleeping silently on her shoulder, scrambled to stay perched as her tiny body shook in fits.

But she was not the only one shaking, silent hysterical laughter was bubbling up from days of exhaustion and I had no resistance when it exploded out of me.

The Eithne responded. Stars danced, sands vibrated with our echoed laughter, and faraway lights twinkled all around us, shimmering in the cosmic twilight.

“If he doesn't wake up, I’m not kissing him. I have no need for a prince.”

Those were the words I had said to the shadows that first night I met Emon, when my darkness dragged his unconscious body through the Wildwoods.

I was still right though. I had no need for a prince.

No. I had a need for a king. The only king that would rule my heart and I was going to get him back.

Kiss and all.