Page 280 of The Wishing Game

"Oh." I blink. "Okay. That's interesting." I nod. "I've never given much thought to my past lives. I wonder what I was." I smile at the thought. "Is there a way to remember?"

He nods.

"Jì. It is a potion that is the opposite of Letharion. But living beings cannot consume it or they will suffer great consequences. It is why it is so strictly regulated by the House of Psyche. Only authorized beings are allowed to handle it."

"What consequences?" I quip, curious.

"Do not concern yourself with that, human. You will not touch Jì."

"Not even if I'm very, very curious?" I bat my lashes at him playfully.

"No," he states unequivocally. "It will harm you, and I will not letanythingharm you. Understood?" He takes a moment to stare me down, his intense gaze conveying his disapproval.

"Fine, fine," I mutter, rolling my eyes.

He grunts, though he watches me carefully from the corner of his eyes.

We descend lower into the ground. We stick to a narrow path, and on every side, there are galleries inside the rock that are brimming with souls that are being punished.

Their forms are humanoid, but only enough so pain can be inflicted upon them. Flesh is being cut, time and time again as it slowly mends. Organs are removed and stomped on. One individual is cut in half, its intestines pooling on the floor.

"You should look away if this messes with your human sensibilities," Ze mentions.

"I'm fine." I shake my head. And just as I'm about to ask him how much longer we have to walk, the Custodian stops in front of a gallery, the energy ball in his hand emitting a low light.

"We have arrived, Commander." He inclines his head. "Here is your vial of Jì." He hands Ze a small vial, after which he adds, "I shall give you some privacy, but please do not take too long. It will not be good for either of us if word spreads someone was allowed into the depths of Katras."

"I shall call on you when we are done." Ze nods.

The Custodian vanishes, and Ze takes my hand, leading me off the path and into the small gallery carved in rock on the right side.

The light is dim, but it's enough to make out the dark figure of a soul chained to the wall and writhing in agony.

"Is this one of your enemies?" I wager a guess as we walk closer to the wall.

"You could say so," he answers, his voice laced with anger. He takes a step forward, pouring the vial of Jì over the soul before discarding it to the ground.

Shimmery particles dissipate all around the soul, color slowly suffusing the surface of its body. And with color comes form, its features regaining their previous contour. Seconds trickle by as his past life identity is revealed. And with it comes a gasp of recognition.

"What..." I whisper, awestruck.

I cannot move. I'm suddenly thrust back into the past. My thirteen-year-old self stares at the face of her tormentor, the fear as alive now as it had been then.

"Breathe, Luce," Ze whispers from behind. "He cannot hurt you now."

"What is the meaning of this, Ze? Why..." I gulp. "Why are we here?" My eyes are wide with horror as I continue to watch Sergio's flesh meld together until he once more resembles my biggest nightmare.

Ze creeps from behind, placing himself in front of me and blocking my view of Sergio.

"We do not have to continue if you do not want. But I would like you to have a chance to exact revenge on this man."

"I don't understand..." I whisper.

"He hurt you. He enslaved you. He..." He closes his eyes as he takes a deep breath. "He died before he could suffer—truly suffer. And I aim to remedy that. If you are amenable."

"You did this for me?" I blink back tears as I stare at him, my heart beating wildly in my chest. The adrenaline is in high gear, but the fear is slowly converting into something else. Something equally terrifying and out of control, but something that feelsright.

"Since you have told me that your tormentor perished, I vowed I would find a way to avenge you either way. Please accept my gift," he murmurs softly, his big palm coming to rest against my cheek. His thumb brushes against my skin, and a shiver goes down my back. My eyes are attuned to his. The beat of my heart is doing a tandem march with the beat ofhisheart.

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