Page 28 of Claim My Soul

Chapter Twelve

Alexia heard everythingaround her.Nonia’s soft pants next to her.The shockingly sad conversation between Herleif and Agnar.The declaration of Herleif’s intent to save her.The despair in his voice.She tried to speak, move,anything, but nothing seemed to work.She even tried to communicate through their mental link, but it was blocked.

Why?What had happened?

She remembered battling with Fenrir then calling upon everything she had, urging the souls to go through her to the afterlife.She had absorbed their power and it’d been overwhelming.Phenomenal.Empowering.

Alexia knew she wasn’t dead, so why couldn’t she move?Why couldn’t she speak?

And who was here, leaving Herleif speechless?Neither he nor Agnar had said a word for several moments.She felt a presence—two, in fact—but couldn’t distinguish who or what had joined them.She felt certain if there was a threat, Herleif would have reacted accordingly.

“Nonia, can you hear me?”

Her wolf-dog nuzzled against her side and whined then licked her cheek.

Alexia laughed to herself.“At least you can hear me.I wish you could speak to me.And I wish I could move.I don’t understand why I cannot.I need to know what’s happening to Herleif.”

A beautiful, lyrical voice rang out.Another woman was in their presence.

“Your want for justice is recognized, Herleif.Tell me, what would you sacrifice in order for Alexia to survive?”

“Anything,” he said immediately.

“Yourself?”

“If it were the only way.”

“And if there was another way?If sacrificing your father not only brought Alexia back, but also served as justifiable punishment for his sins, what say you?”

There was silence.Alexia heard no reply from Herleif, but she suddenly felt his emotions.As much as he wanted his father to pay, he couldn’t bring himself to offer him up.

“I sense your hesitation.Even now, the compassion you feel in your heart is commendable.”

“It is not up to me to make that choice regarding his life, no matter how strongly I feel about the injustice he’s done,” Herleif said.

His father continued to remain silent, simply whimpering to himself as if he’d lost the will to even counter with more argument.No doubt he realized it was futile.

“Yet you take a life in a fight?”

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