Before I Wake
Page 100
But we are not unreasonable, Invidia said. If you do what we ask, we will let both of your little men go free. She gestured at Nash and Tod.
Hell, no, Tod spat, just as Nash said, No way.
We dont even know what they want yet, I said, without taking my attention away from the hellions. And Thane.
Doesnt matter, Tod growled. They dont get you.
They dont get any of us. What do you want? I asked Avari again.
You may have noticed that weve learned how to cross into your world, he began, and I nodded. Theyd gone to great pains to make sure I knew that. The problem is that our current method of transportation requires a new human soul for each trip. We would like a more efficient way to utilize our resources. You help us, and both Hudsons will go free. You have my word.
What about them? I asked, glancing at the full bench again.
Unfortunately, they are all part of the permanent solution. As are you.
No. Tod grabbed my hand and started to haul me backward, and when I pulled free, he stood at my back, quietly fuming, strung so tight I could hear his teeth grinding.
What do you want?
You and the necroanima will bind my life force with a resurrected soul already in my possession.
One of the reapers hed snatched? And what the hell was a necroanima? Were they talking about Luca?
Then you will install both in the body of this young woman Avari gestured to Lydia so that I can come and go from your world at will. There is one for each of us.
What? I frowned at the hellion. I dont even know what that means. You want to live in Lydias body? Forever?
Of course not. He frowned like my guess was preposterous. Only until her body wears out. Then I will select another.
What the hell is he talking about? Nash asked. But no one had an answer.
You will do as I instructed, Avari said. I will have a reusable body to use in the human world, and your men will go free. Or I will kill every single one of you and feast on your souls for eternity.
Thats not possible! I insisted. And even if it were, I cant do that. I reclaim souls, not reinstall them.
You can do both, Invidia insisted. Just like Madeline.
Madeline? I asked, and Lucas gaze fell to the ground and stayed there. I was missing something.
Madeline reinstalled your soul, Avari said. After her nephew reanimated your body.
What? Luca cant reanimate dead people! He just finds them.
Of course he can. Belphegore laughed out loud. What did you think the anima part of necroanima meant?
I dont know what any of that means! Hes a necromancer. Right? Luca? I demanded, and finally he met my gaze.
Over here, they call me a necroanima. Which is technically more accurate. Madeline was afraid that knowing too much would put you in danger, so she wouldnt let me tell you what I can really do. Or what you can do.
I can install souls? Into corpses? As a bean sidhe, Id only been able to help put them back into their own not-yet-truly-dead bodies.
He nodded. All extractors can.
But youre more special than that, arent you? Avari reached out to touch my cheek, and Tod pulled me out of reach. After that, I didnt want to let his hand go. But I did, because I couldnt afford to look weak.
How? How am I more special? And why the hell was I the last to know?
It takes the combined skills of both an extractor and a bean sidhe to bind a human soul to a non-human life force, Avari said. There hasnt been one of thoseone of youin nearly a century, by the human calendar.
What does that mean? Its actually possible? I asked Luca, because even though Avari couldnt lie, I didnt trust him.
In theory, Luca said. Its never been done with a hellion, but it was done once with a lesser Nether-creature, so he could cross over and give testimony. The binding was done by a restored female bean sidhe. Just like you.
No. No. Where the hell was my copy of History of the Nether? Shouldnt that have been issued to me upon my death?
That is the only reason I let your necroanima leave the Nether when he and your cousin crossed over by mistake, Avari said. So that he could reanimate you. If youd stayed dead, I would have lost your soul.
You? Avari had planned this. Probably from the moment Thane showed him how to cross into the human world.
Okay. I turned back to Avari, fighting to maintain focus. But even if I wanted to help you and I didnt I cant do it. I dont know how.
I think youll figure it out. Lets practice the installation first. All you need is the propermotivation. Belphegore hauled Emma off the bench and shoved Luca down when he tried to pull her back. This one is your What is the word? The one you care about. Your friend?
Em was sniffling, tears pouring down her face, but her chin was stiff. Resolute. She was so much braver than Id ever suspected. Braver than Id ever been.
Hell, no, Tod spat, just as Nash said, No way.
We dont even know what they want yet, I said, without taking my attention away from the hellions. And Thane.
Doesnt matter, Tod growled. They dont get you.
They dont get any of us. What do you want? I asked Avari again.
You may have noticed that weve learned how to cross into your world, he began, and I nodded. Theyd gone to great pains to make sure I knew that. The problem is that our current method of transportation requires a new human soul for each trip. We would like a more efficient way to utilize our resources. You help us, and both Hudsons will go free. You have my word.
What about them? I asked, glancing at the full bench again.
Unfortunately, they are all part of the permanent solution. As are you.
No. Tod grabbed my hand and started to haul me backward, and when I pulled free, he stood at my back, quietly fuming, strung so tight I could hear his teeth grinding.
What do you want?
You and the necroanima will bind my life force with a resurrected soul already in my possession.
One of the reapers hed snatched? And what the hell was a necroanima? Were they talking about Luca?
Then you will install both in the body of this young woman Avari gestured to Lydia so that I can come and go from your world at will. There is one for each of us.
What? I frowned at the hellion. I dont even know what that means. You want to live in Lydias body? Forever?
Of course not. He frowned like my guess was preposterous. Only until her body wears out. Then I will select another.
What the hell is he talking about? Nash asked. But no one had an answer.
You will do as I instructed, Avari said. I will have a reusable body to use in the human world, and your men will go free. Or I will kill every single one of you and feast on your souls for eternity.
Thats not possible! I insisted. And even if it were, I cant do that. I reclaim souls, not reinstall them.
You can do both, Invidia insisted. Just like Madeline.
Madeline? I asked, and Lucas gaze fell to the ground and stayed there. I was missing something.
Madeline reinstalled your soul, Avari said. After her nephew reanimated your body.
What? Luca cant reanimate dead people! He just finds them.
Of course he can. Belphegore laughed out loud. What did you think the anima part of necroanima meant?
I dont know what any of that means! Hes a necromancer. Right? Luca? I demanded, and finally he met my gaze.
Over here, they call me a necroanima. Which is technically more accurate. Madeline was afraid that knowing too much would put you in danger, so she wouldnt let me tell you what I can really do. Or what you can do.
I can install souls? Into corpses? As a bean sidhe, Id only been able to help put them back into their own not-yet-truly-dead bodies.
He nodded. All extractors can.
But youre more special than that, arent you? Avari reached out to touch my cheek, and Tod pulled me out of reach. After that, I didnt want to let his hand go. But I did, because I couldnt afford to look weak.
How? How am I more special? And why the hell was I the last to know?
It takes the combined skills of both an extractor and a bean sidhe to bind a human soul to a non-human life force, Avari said. There hasnt been one of thoseone of youin nearly a century, by the human calendar.
What does that mean? Its actually possible? I asked Luca, because even though Avari couldnt lie, I didnt trust him.
In theory, Luca said. Its never been done with a hellion, but it was done once with a lesser Nether-creature, so he could cross over and give testimony. The binding was done by a restored female bean sidhe. Just like you.
No. No. Where the hell was my copy of History of the Nether? Shouldnt that have been issued to me upon my death?
That is the only reason I let your necroanima leave the Nether when he and your cousin crossed over by mistake, Avari said. So that he could reanimate you. If youd stayed dead, I would have lost your soul.
You? Avari had planned this. Probably from the moment Thane showed him how to cross into the human world.
Okay. I turned back to Avari, fighting to maintain focus. But even if I wanted to help you and I didnt I cant do it. I dont know how.
I think youll figure it out. Lets practice the installation first. All you need is the propermotivation. Belphegore hauled Emma off the bench and shoved Luca down when he tried to pull her back. This one is your What is the word? The one you care about. Your friend?
Em was sniffling, tears pouring down her face, but her chin was stiff. Resolute. She was so much braver than Id ever suspected. Braver than Id ever been.
