The Promise (22 page)

Gemma, please.

And then I kissed her.

Chapter 39

(Gemma)

When the queen freed the souls, I could hear them whisking away, back to the world, back to their bodies. Then she held out her hand, her mood elated as I placed the ring in her palm.

She slipped the ring on her finger and her body shifted into form. Her skin was like the Lost Souls, mummified and hideous, her hair a grey veil. Her lips were thin and her eyes hollow. She let out a sigh, like she was glad to be back in her own skin. But I didn t know why. She looked better in liquid.

That s much better.

She stretched her arms above her head and grinned.

You can go now. I have what I need.

I nodded and ran as fast as I could, never looking back. Alana was waiting for me in the archway.

You did it,

she said happily, but there was sadness about her too.

Congratulations.

I tucked Nicholas s essence under my arm.

Are you going to be okay? I could try to go back and get her to free you?

She shook her head.

No, you won t. I ll pay my dues, like I m supposed to.

And then what?

I asked.

Will we ever see you again?

She didn t answer, drawing me in for a hug.

You re an amazing girl, Gemma Lucas. You really are.

Then she let me go.

Take care of him for me.

I nodded.

I will.

Then I turned down the hall and the light captured me.

***

When my feet touched ground again, I was back in the grassy field only there were no crows.

Bout time you showed up.

The half-faerie’s voice rose over my shoulder.

I thought the queen had killed you or something.

I turned, his essence tucked up against me.

Nope, she let me be.

I handed him the orb.

Your essence.

He swallowed hard, no tricky faerie evident in his eyes. In fact, he looked very human at that moment, about to be reunited with his life. He took the orb in his hands, his eyes glowing against the light, tears staining the corners of his eyes.

Thank you.

Two simple words, but coming from him it was a lot.

You re welcome,

I said.

Now can you go tell Alex to revive me?

He nodded, shoving the orb into his chest. And then, he was gone.

I sat down in the field, picking at the grass, and listening to the wind whisper. I felt different somehow, my mind less heavy, like my eyes had suddenly been opened. Annabella had told me that humans made the easiest things complicated. And she was right. The answer had been in front of me the whole time. There was no loophole for this one, no magic trick that would save me. Either I could go to the lake and end everything or I could stay away and let the world go.

It was that simple.

I shut my eyes, dandelion seeds kissing my cheeks as I was sucked back to my life.

When I opened my eyes, his lips were on mine. Hot and fiery, I wanted to close my eyes again and let him keep kissing me. But the sharp zip of electricity caused him to shudder and he stumbled back.

He let out a huge sigh.

I thought you were dead.

I was.

I sat up in my bed, blinking my eyes.

He shook his head, laughing. But then he remembered.

Are you okay? Did you free the Lost Souls?

I motioned at the window.

Why don t you go look and see?

He moved to the window and pried the board off.

You really are amazing,

he said, stunned by the sight of the mellow streets.

You know that.

Then he turned to me, with this look like he d suddenly figured out something that frightened him.

I slid my legs over the side of the bed.

So anything exciting happen while I was gone?

The corners of his mouth curved down.

Yeah, a lot actually. And I m pretty sure we might need to hide out for a while.

Hide out from what?

I stood, the wooziness of death still lingering in my head.

We re already hiding.

Hide out from them.

He pointed to the floor.

Aislin and Laylen and & Sophia.

I gasped, my vision spotting.

Gemma, breathe.

I massaged my temples.

I m sorry, but I think I just imagined something really weird. Did you say Sophia is downstairs?

No, you weren t imagining it,

he said slowly.

Something happened.

Something always happens,

I said, giving a nervous glance at the shut door.

But this? This is more than a something.

Don t worry,

Alex said.

She s trapped in the floor.

I sighed.

Why doesn t that surprise me?

He started to smile, but then suppressed it.

There s more to it than that.

How much more?

He sank down in the computer chair.

Sit down and I ll explain.

So you re saying she s been trapped in the floor this entire time?

My jaw was hanging to my knees.

And that Aislin and Laylen were the ones who put her there?

That s the rumor that s going around.

He leaned forward in the chair, overlapping his fingers.

But it makes sense. I mean, when Aislin and Laylen showed up at the Hartfield cabin that day, they seemed so confused about where they d been. And I think my dad brainwashed them temporarily. When the memoria extracto backfired on him, I think they might have been freed from him because they showed up right after that.

I choked on a laugh.

He arched an eyebrow.

Care to share what s so amusing?

It s just that this whole time I thought you were the one lying.

Laughter snuck into my voice.

And it turns out it was Aislin and Laylen.

I don t think they were lying,

he said.

I just think they couldn t remember.

I know.

I wiped some tears from my eyes.

I don t get why you think this is amusing,

he said, trying not to laugh.

This is some serious stuff.

Oh, I know it is.

I flopped back on the bed, lost in my laughter. I knew it was probably inappropriate, but for such a long time, I d questioned which legion Alex was part of. God, all that wasted energy.

Well, I m glad you find this so funny,

he remarked.

I sat back up, putting my serious face back on.

Okay, tell me how we re going to fix it. How do we know for sure if they re okay?

He tapped his finger on his knee, considering.

Honestly, Gemma, I really can t think of anything. Usually for this particular kind of thing, I d ask Aislin to do a spell or something, but how do we know if she does it right & and really, it s been so long, I don t think they re still brainwashed.

And what about Sophia?

I asked.

Are you just planning on leaving her trapped in the floor?

He stopped tapping.

I was going to let you decide what to do about that. She s the one who &.

He stopped, unable to speak.

Destroyed my life,

I finished for him.

No, I don t really think that was her. I saw her in a vision, when she removed my soul and she looked like she didn t want to, but couldn t seem to stop herself.

I paused.

Where s Marco?

He s dead,

he said quietly.

My father killed him.

But he didn t kill Sophia.

I considered the reason why.

Because she s the only one who could detach my soul again.

I think so,

Alex nodded, agreeing.

So what do we do now?

The only thing we can do,

I said, a quiver in my voice.

We leave her there until we die.

He was on his feet before I could even finish.

What s wrong with you? You can t be giving up that easy.

We re not giving up,

I said.

We re doing what we have to do.

So what? You just quit.

His words breathed fire in my face.

I shook my head.

No, I m not giving up. I m doing what I have to do to save the world.

He dragged his fingers down his face.

There has to be another way.

No, there s not. And we don t have any time left,

I said.

And it doesn t matter. I ve known this was going to happen, I ve just been making it complicated, when all along the answer was right in front of me.

I put my hand on his cheek, a forbidden electric touch.

We die, so everyone else can live.

Then I touched my lips to his, a quick brush, then walked out the door.

Even though he was angry with my answer, I hoped he would follow me.

And he did.

Chapter 40

(Alex)

I can t believe she really thought that was going to happen; that I was just going to let her give up like that. I followed her down the stairs anyway, but mainly to make sure Laylen and Aislin weren t flipping out.

Everything was quiet, still as death.

Aislin was at the coffee table, mixing a bowl of herbs.

You re alive,

she joked with a smile.

Do you realize how many times you ve said that to me,

Gemma joked back as if nothing was wrong, as if she hadn t just been dead, hadn t gone to the Afterlife, hadn t announced that she was going to sacrifice her life.

Aislin laughed, crunching leaves and Gemma made a face at the stench. Her eyes wandered over to me, curious if I d break the news to everyone.

But in my opinion there was no news to break.

What is that stuff?

she gagged, peering in the bowl.

This is what s going to take the Shield Spell off my father.

She gave the bowl a spin.

Of course, after we do that, I don t know what we re going to do. No one s come up with a plan to end him.

Again, Gemma glanced at me and I shook my head once, warning her not to talk about her stupid death plan.

So where s Laylen?

she asked.

Right here,

he announced, pushing me aside as he stepped into the living room and gave her hug.

Notice anything different?

She tucked her hair behind her ears.

Did you get taller?

she teased.

He stuck out his arm and she gasped, tugging it closer to her.

You re mark s gone! You re free.

He shrugged.

Not completely.

He grinded his teeth.

But close.

Gemma hugged him again, her eyes meeting mine and I glared at her. She let go of Laylen.

I m glad you re happy.

Then she marched up and took me by the elbow, pulling me into the foyer and out the front door.

See all this,

she said with a swing of her hand.

Looks like a street.

I shrugged, leaning back against the railing. Snow was falling lightly and our breaths fogged in front of us.

A quiet peaceful street,

she said, staring at the houses on the other side of the road.

And it could stay that way.

I m not letting you die,

I said.

I refuse to. We haven t even …

God, I sounded like an idiot. I took her by the shoulders, looking her in the eye.

You haven t even lived. I mean really lived, without all of this.

Death s not that bad.

But she winced when she said it.

My hands fell from her shoulders, because my palms were too hot to touch her any longer. I started to speak, but she put a finger to my lips.

Can I show you something?

she asked, eyes wild with excitement.

I pointed at the house.

Don t you think we should help Aislin with the shield spell?

She shook her head, hair blowing in her face, her violet eyes eager with something I couldn t understand.

They ll be fine. Aislin will get the spell working.

How do you know that?

I folded my arms.

She smoothed the hair out of her mouth.

Because I ve seen how this is all going to end. The world will be safe. Everyone will be safe.

Then she pushed past me back into the house, not waiting to see if I followed. And I wasn t planning on it. I d stand out here all damn day if I had too, until she could see that I wasn t about to give up.

But this was nothing but a threat to myself I realized. I trailed after her, catching up as she reached the stairs.

I think I almost got it,

Aislin announced, beaming in the doorway of the living room, the bowl resting against her hip as she stirred. Something in our expressions made her back away, like she knew a secret and was giving us our space. It made me wonder what I was about to walk into.

Gemma climbed up the stairs, her footsteps quick. Her hands quivered as she opened her bedroom door. She walked over to her computer and picked up a candle, turning it in her hand.