In his fox form, Hiro quickly tracked Eurynome through his escape route. By the time they reached the garden's gateway, however, the Reaper was already dead, and Dásos was nowhere to be found. But Keshiema already knew where Dásos was, she had felt it in her soul the moment he was torn from the living world.

  Her heart shattered when she saw Eurynome, strung up by thick knotted vines and unearthed roots. Not for the Reaper. No, not after his complete betrayal. She broke from the confirmation that Dásos had been banished for killing him; for avenging her.

  Clutching the crystal ball Dásos had left, she fell to her knees, wailing despite her shredded voice. The deep bruises on her neck ached under the blistering burn, but the pain of her flesh was overshadowed by the agony in her heart and soul.

  The commotion brought everyone out from their various corners. The attack came as no surprise to any of them, but most were shocked at the news that Dásos had killed him, knowing that for it he would face banishment.

  Azura, Eve, and Adam helped Keshiema to her feet. "Come on," Azura whispered gently. "You don't need to be here." Hugging the glass orb, Keshiema cried silently as she let her family lead her away. When her legs gave out and she fell to the ground, unable to pick herself up again, Adam picked her up and carried her.

  Fallen trees filled Keshiema's cove, toxic aura still slowly eating away at the wood, trunks and broken branches littering the sand and rocks around the pool. Keshiema, asleep in Adam's arms was spared the tragic sight.

  Shaking her head, Eve set her hand on Adam's shoulder. "We shouldn't let her see this," she whispered. "We can bring her to our home for now."

  ***

  The princes lowered their heads, giving a moment of silence for the fallen. Smoke filled the air and ash rained down as Pyro quickly burned the body.

  "We need to inform Samael," Gaap whispered to Pyro. "He should know of Eurynome's passing."

  Pyro scoffed, "Feel free. As far as I'm concerned, the monster deserved to die."

  Sickened by Pyro's words, Gaap stepped back, "How can you speak of your own brother so coldly?"

  "Any who would dare injure a protector of the Ancient Flame is no brother of mine," Pyro hissed. "And you would be hard pressed to find any a Fire-Daemon that does not think the same." Sending one final burst of fire at Eurynome's makeshift pyre, he marched away, leaving no room to argue.

  "Sir?" Cresil looked at Merihim and then to Pyro as he disappeared behind the trees. He would need Pyro's help to clear Keshiema's cove of the damage he caused; hopefully before she saw it. Merihim nodded and Cresil respectfully saluted before running after the Prince of Falsehoods.

  "Hiro," Merihim called the Hunter to his side. "If Asmoday takes you through Elysium, can you and your spirit foxes track down Samael?"

  Looking off in the direction Keshiema had been carried, Hiro hesitated. He wanted to stay and comfort her, but it was never in him to defy an order. "Yes, sir," the Kitsune saluted, "but I doubt we'd be able to find our way back."

  "Then you will stay with Samael and follow his orders. Please be ready to leave as soon as Asmoday gives word." Merihim was in a foul mood. He knew sending Hiro was a poor choice with Keshiema so out of sorts, but Gaap was right that Samael needed to know and Hiro would be the most efficient tracker.

  "Retire for the evening," Asmoday ordered Hiro. "Be ready to go an hour after dawn." The sooner they informed Samael of his brother's death, the better. But at the moment, everyone was exhausted.

  Wanting to fully see his brother, Uvall pulled down his blindfold, squinting from the bright flames. "Meer," he tugged Merihim's sleeve. "I talked to Keshiema just a couple hours before it happened, do you think she'll be angry I didn't warn her?"

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Tears filled Uvall's eyes, reminding Merihim just how young his brother was; A thousand years trapped by the Sands of Time meant the prophet was still just a child. Wrapping his arm around Uvall, Merihim carefully thought about how to answer. "She doesn't tend to blame others for her misfortunes, even when she should. I'm sure you're the farthest one from her mind right now."

  ***

  The sunrise woke Keshiema, and she found herself in an unfamiliar place. Smoke rose from the smoldering embers in a large fire pit. Fresh fruit sat between her and the low-burning fire. She stared at the fruit, unmoving, unthinking, practically catatonic.

  Azura came over and sat with her. Gently stroking her hair. "I know it's painful," she whispered. "Feeling like your heart's been ripped away and torn apart in front you. Like there's no point in going on if you can't be with the one you love. But I promise you, it gets easier. You take as much time as you need, the world will be there when you're ready."

  Whimpering, Keshiema clutched the crystal ball as the ache in her chest returned. Folding her knees to her chest, she closed her eyes and pushed it down, forcing it deep inside. With a hollow heart and knotted stomach, she stared blankly at the fuzzy world before her.

  Tears streamed down Azura's cheeks as she hummed a lullaby to her granddaughter, knowing all too well the pain she felt. As the day passed, her family traded places keeping her company, each humming the same soothing lullaby. Eventually, Keshiema's eyes grew heavy, and she drifted back to sleep under the warm afternoon sun.

  ***

  The world between realms was as dark and void as usual. Her soul floated within the cold abyss. The usually thick water-like atmosphere now felt thin and hollow, mirroring her emotional state. Clutching her chest, she curled into a ball and waited to wake up.

  Subtle conversations carried on around her, remnants of the waking world, markers that time was swiftly passing:

  Pyro explained how he had found her, and the gut wrenching shock he felt just beforehand. "It was like a part of my soul was ripped away, my powers were weakened. They still don't feel quite right."

  Gaap apologized to her, admitting he was a coward, for he would have let his brother escape.

  Eve confided in Adam about an unrequited love, "I wish I could explain it to him. But he won't accept my feelings. Maybe once you and Lilith can work things out."

  "Keshiema." Fate's words echoed through the void. Closing her eyes, she did her best to ignore him. "You're stronger than this."

  "I'm really not, " her voice cracked and her chin quivered as she forced the sorrow down again.

  As the world turned gray he said something else, but the words were muffled. Realizing she could not hear him, he shouted, but all she caught were a few words: "Find...book...you...know."

  ***

  Opening her eyes, Keshiema found herself within a large stone temple. Vines drooped from the open skylight and the stars gazed down upon her.

  Asmoday and Cresil sat on either side of her. Cresil was holding her hand as he talked, and she noticed his scent was absent. Usually at such close proximity she could easily pick up the light aroma of petrichor.

  Merihim, Uvall, and Pyro also sat around the now blazing fire, along with her family. The only souls missing were Gaap and Hiro. She wanted desperately to thank them all for staying with her, but still could not bring herself to speak.

  Her entire body ached, a mix of being attacked and laying for too long. Past the whispered conversations and crackling fire, the world was muffled, as if someone were cupping their hands over her ears. She struggled to hear sounds she could normally clearly identify. Absent were the clicks and chirps of the bats overhead, the distant fluttering of nocturnal birds, or the gentle gurgling of the many streams flowing through the garden. Even inside the temple, she should have been able to hear at least some of the forest's gentle rhythm.

  Carefully protecting the glass orb, Keshiema sat up. Stricken with a head rush, she leaned against Cresil to stay upright. Moving was difficult.

  He wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder, careful not to hug her too hard. "You've been out for three days, Kesh," Cresil mumbled. "How are you feeling?"

  Instead of answering, she stared into the fire and held out a shaky hand. Concentrating on the deep blue and purple bruises, she tried to summon her healing magic. Nothing happened.

  Closing her eyes and lowering her hand, she tried to reach out to Cresil's mind. Telepathy between friends usually came as easily as talking, but instead of the gentle presence of his aura, she found nothing but an emptiness.

  Giving up, she brought out the crystal ball, turning it over in her hands and gazing at the sand-covered flower. No matter how much she manipulated the glass, the flower remained upright, suspended in the center, the specks of sand dancing about like golden glitter.