Page 87 of The 13th Daughter

My head snapped up. I blinked several times, but she didn't disappear. Emily. She stood not a foot from me, smiling.

"How..."

"Samhain," she grinned. "The night when the veil is at its thinnest. I was able to cross over for a few minutes."

I jumped up and threw myself at her. I passed straight through her body and landed on my face.

She laughed herself silly. "Oh, that was a Kodak moment if ever there was one."

"I thought you were like Ethan..."

Her face sobered at that. "No, Ethan was different. He was made whole to make sure the curse was fulfilled."

"He's gone, Ems," I whispered, the sob coming out despite my best efforts. It felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer and punched holes in every part of my body. I hurt everywhere. This was worse than when Emily died. I didn't know if I could bear it.

"You really love him, don't you?" Emily asked.

I sat up and wrapped my arms around my knees. "More than anything in this world."

She smiled. "Well then, you're gonna love my birthday present, little sister."

"Birthday present?"

She pointed to the edge of the trees. I saw the same silver light I'd seen in the clouds. Ethan stepped through it. He looked confused and more than a little shocked. But alive. My heart stuttered. Alive. He was alive and here.

"Ethan?"

He heard my whisper and his eyes met mine. We stared at each other for the longest time.

Then he smiled that devilish smile of his and started toward us

"Happy birthday, Cassie Jayne," Emily whispered into my ear.

"But how?"

"It wasn't easy, let me tell you. I have been arguing for days with the other side. He was made flesh and blood so he could fulfill the curse. The only way to do that was to kill you, but he wouldn't do it. They told him in order for you to live, he had to give up his life. The sacrifice would taint the dark magic and ruin the ritual. The man died for you, CJ."

"I know."

"Anyway, I wasn't about to let you lose the one person who made you happier than I've ever seen you when you were about to lose everything else."

"What did you do, Ems?"

"She threw the most god awful fit you've ever seen," Ethan laughed as he reached us. "And quoted old laws I didn't even know existed." He pulled me up and wrapped me in his arms. He spun me around in a circle before kissing me soundly. He was here, alive. Ethan was really here. I couldn't believe it.

"Yup," she grinned. "Sacrifice yourself for the greater good and They owe you."

"They?" I asked.

"Sorry, can't tell you. It's against the rules."

"Rules?" There were rules in the afterlife?

She nodded. "I have another reason for coming back, CJ. I came to warn you, little sister."

"Warn me?"

"Before I died, I was having dreams of a darkness coming."