The Promise

“Quomodo audent intra hic sponte. Ubi non est libertas.”

Latin. It was always Latin. Why hadn’t I learned to speak the language yet?

“I’ve come to turn myself in,” Alana called out. “And she… well, she would like to make a bargain with you.”

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“I do not make bargains,” the queen said, either switching to English or I suddenly understood Latin. “There are no bargains here, only souls.”

“And feel her soul Helena,” Alana said. “Feel it and you’ll see.” I was so lost.

“She’s broken,” Helena declared, her mouth a pool of thick liquid. “Why do you bring her to me? Your first time in the Afterlife and this is it? A soul, broken and torn. This soul belongs to another. Take her away. No, better yet, stay now that you’re here.”

“I’ve come to bargain for the Lost Souls,” I said in a small voice. “Well, some of them, anyway.” Alana nudged my hand, warning me to keep quiet. “She’s the one responsible for your heavy amount of traffic lately.”

“Well, too bad for her, I don’t just give over my souls!” Helena cried, with a slam of her fist, spurting silver liquid onto the red platform.

“Show her the ring,” Alana hissed. “Show her now.”

I swiftly raised my hand, showing the queen the purple-gemmed ring.

Helena gasped, shocked. “Where did you get that?”

“Um… I found it,” I said stupidly.

With a swish, the liquid body slithered in front of me. She smelled me, like a dog smells a track. “Who are you? And why does your soul feel u

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“It’s invigorating. And I want it.” Then, with a dive, she swooped up and sucked me into her body.

I could feel her, dead and lethal, and I wanted out of her. Her skin was like warm water, only polluted and revolting.

“Let me out!” I yelled my voice a thin bubble.

She slinked back to the throne and I could see the desire in her eyes. She wanted to keep me.

And there was nothing I could do to change her mind.

“You can’t hold onto her forever,” Alana said after hours had gone by. “You know you can’t.

She’s not one of your Lost Souls.”

“I can if she offers herself to me.” She roared, but she was weakening. “And you know the souls that offer themselves to me are the best kind.” She pounded her fist, an unstable queen throwing a tantrum like a child over a piece of candy. And I was the candy. “She can offer herself up! She can offer herself up!”

“Helena,” Alana said tired, but patient. “You can’t have her and you know it. So let her go and hear what she has to say.”

There was a pause, then a rumble. The walls shook and the liquid swelled as she undid her mouth and spat me onto the floor.

I scrambled to my feet. “Really?” I wiped the silver spit, or whatever it was, off my arms, shoulders, and hair. “You couldn’t just let me go?”

“You’re lucky I let you go.” She smeared her lips with the back of her hand. “Now what is it you wanted to offer me? My own ring back? Is that what you’re offering? Just that and then I let you go and free all your Lost Souls.”

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“They need to go back,” I told her, standing straight and confident, even though I was a nervous wreck on the inside. “You’re not supposed to have them and you know it.” She leaned forward in her thrown. “You don’t tell me what I m supposed to have. This is the Afterlife and I rule it however I want.”

Raising my hand, I gave her another glimpse of the ring that contained her own soul. “Not even for this? Are you sure?”

She licked her lips. “If I free them, then you’ll hand it over?”

“If you free them and give the life back to a faerie named Nicholas.”

“Give back a life.” She mimicked, the erupted in laughter. “I have no control over such things.”

“Yes, you do.” Alana stepped onto the podium. “Through your sister, A

“I don’t have any co

“Oh, I think you do.” Alana strolled to the throne, each step cautious like a soldier approaching an enemy. “I know you want your soul back. You’ve been stuck in that body ever since you lost it, melting away into a helpless being. And you can’t take it from Gemma’s hand, I know how it works. Whoever holds that ring owns your soul and can only give it back to you.” Helena snarled, but then simmered down. “If I were to talk to A

I flashed a panicked look at Alana, shaking my head.

“That is my final offer,” Helena said. “Take it or take my soul and leave.” 170

Crap.

Alana’s lips parted, but I intervened. “I’ll do it. I’ll talk to her.” Alana bowed her head. “I’ll go then.”

“But not too far,” Helena purred. “You owe me your time, collecting my souls, just like all humans who make the choice to cross over into the Banshee world. Immortality doesn’t come without a price. And you. You’ve been hiding from your debt for a very long time, ever since I agreed to bleed you with Banshee blood and preserve your state.” Alana lowered her head again. “I know what I owe.” Then she backed away, out into the hallway, leaving me alone with the liquid queen.

I couldn’t tell if her eyes were on me, but I sensed they were, heavy and withholding. “I know you,” she finally said.

“Everyone seems to,” I replied with a sigh.

“You’re important,” she said. “Filled with an essence I’ve never tasted before. A

“As much as I’m flattered,” I said. “I really don’t think I want to be tasted.” She let out a reverberating laugh that rumbled at the walls and floor. “You’re clever. But I wonder just how far that cleverness has taken you and how far it could take you?”

“I m not sure I m following you,” I admitted.

“You’re freeing these Lost Souls for the purpose that they aren’t supposed to be here.” Her hands curled around the armrests. “But tell me. Why not free your own soul?”

“I didn’t realize it needed to be freed.”

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“Everyone’s soul needs to be freed in some way or another. But yours is different. Yours needs to be freed from the pain that holds you captive.”