"It's nice to meet you," Deidre said. "And thank you."

"Her inevitable pleasure."

I'll never get used to dealing with deities.

Karma offered Deidre her hand. Deidre took it, and the deity whirled and ran down the hallway in the opposite direction that Deidre had gone earlier. She was about to object and tell Karma about past-Death being imprisoned when Karma gasped.

"Be still!"

"What? What's wrong?" Deidre started to turn.

Karma yanked her to face her and released her hand. "Be still!"

Deidre froze, listening, afraid there were guards sneaking up behind her or some other danger she couldn't sense.

"You have a new soul." Karma appeared puzzled, her gaze taking in the space around Deidre.

Confused, Deidre looked down. She saw the strange fog form at her feet and frowned. "I don't understand. What is it?"

She took Deidre's hand and held it out, palm up. "Look."

The fog snaked around Deidre's hand and centered in her palm, coalescing and solidifying until it took on the shape of an emerald with the coloring of smoky quartz. There was no mistaking what it was despite the unusual color.

Uncomfortable with the idea of holding souls, Deidre hesitated then closed her fist around it. Once, a soul had spilled out its story all at once to her, terrifying her at the intensity and tragedy of its tale. She braced herself for a similar experience, only for the soul to remain quiet.

"Whose is it?" she asked.

An image of past-Death formed in her head briefly before sliding away.

"Oh, god," she whispered, looking again at the smoky gem. "It's been a week."

"You have more." Karma was eyeing the pouch at her waist, the one protected by magic that kept the death dealers from seeing it. "Karma senses souls, one her brother gave you."

Deidre opened the pouch and dropped past-Death's soul into it. She stared at it, bitterly realizing Gabriel's soul rested beside his mate's. The third gem was given to her by Fate before she was kidnapped by the death dealers. She didn't know whose it was, but Fate seemed to think she needed it.

"I guess I'm collecting them." A pang of hurt went through her at the thought of past-Death losing her soul. It meant Gabriel wasn't the only person who was heartbroken. At least I have it and not Darkyn or someone who won't protect it.

"Karma thinks we should go."

"I have to free my friend."

"Karma thinks this isn't a good idea now." The deity's gaze was on the cell across the hall from hers. "She -"

"I," Deidre corrected again.

"- I thinks we should go quickly."




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