Page 140 of Shadows Ascend
"Fairy boy is clever," Ethereal lowered his head, "Your father is almost too clever, I am sure he foresaw this as Eve has said, but to what extent I do not know, nor am I privy to his plans this time."
The heavy regret in his voice was audible. He blamed himself for not being here, for Emon, for us.
Ethereal turned his intense gaze on me and I shivered under the power he manifested. "I know I do not deserve another chance—"
The death god snorted behind us, "More like a third chance, nephew."
The cat snarled softly back at him before looking at me imploringly. "I know I do not deserve it, but let me help you, Remnant Dark. Allow me to accompany you and the others into the Sanguine."
I yanked back my hair, standing. "Even if I wanted to, you would be a giant beacon there, Ethereal. Besides, I unintentionally separated you from Emon. It was not purposeful.”
"Undo it. Tie me back to him. You hold his soul inside of you, you will be able to do the same with me. You are the goddess of The Well of Souls, which means you can manipulate them as you need."
Shea barked, "With a cost. I do not wish that for my daughter, besides you will forget who you are again, nephew. You do realize that don't you?"
The panther did not even bother to spare him a glance, his eyes only watching me.
"I care not. I made a promise to the fairy boy, my memory means nothing to me now. My past and my future do not dictate my decision now. All that matters is making sure Daemon and his family survive what is to come.” His eyes swiveled back to me, “Allow me to keep my promise to him and should I fail you, you may lock me away in shadows for the rest of my eternally damned life to remember all of what I have done," the great cat growled deeply and I shivered from his intensity.
In my hesitation, I felt the gentle touch of my mother’s hand on my arm. Her eyes held mine, the sight a flickering ghostly whisper within. "It would be foolish to not have every resource at your disposal, my little chickadee."
Kade stepped behind her, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, blue curls falling over his brow, “I agree, Rem Rem. You are fucking facing a power that not even the goddess could defeat. For once in your life…accept you cannot do this alone. You’re almost there sister, your soulmate helped you but now you must trust the help offered to you of your own free will.”
Scowling, my hands clenched. "I—goddess damnit, I don't even know how to put his soul back."
Riella pressed her petite warm body into my side and my hand instinctively fell on her shoulder, soaking in her unconditional love shining up at me, “I believe in you, maedere,” she whispered.
Shea sighed and then grumbled, "I will help you daughter."
Pursing my lips, I studied the reluctant death god glaring at Ethereal. He did not like this plan, did not want to admit that in all his scheming there was a possibility he could have been wrong…wrong that Emon and I would come out of this better than before. Reaching out to Ethereal, I marveled at his silky golden fur, letting it fall through my hands as I whispered, "Are you sure Ethereal?"
The beast nodded, "I have never been more sure of anything in my life, princess of the shadows. You, Daemon, and Riella are what matter to me now. Nothing else. You are my family."
My hand dropped, a heaviness falling on my shoulders, and Riella squeezed my leg again in moral support. "Tell me what I need to do, father," a sigh of reluctance escaping my lips.
Shea’s eyes widened and I held his shocked expression without anger, resentment, or mockery. I could at least give him one memory of us, where I accepted our ties. This world was too goddess damn dangerous, the future too volatile to leave behind any more regrets.
“Thank you, little chickadee.” His voice was gruff and he swallowed hard, clearing his throat before reaching for my hand. His many rings adorning it were cool against my palm as he placed it on the ever watchful golden panther. "Open your aura sight, daughter."
I breathed deep, following his instruction, blinded by the bright burning fire of Ethereal's soul, the world destroyer.
"The soul is nothing more than a shadow inside of a body,” Shea said confidently, “Think of their aura as just that. Latch onto it like you would the shadows in the darkness and pull it into your body to hold. Just as you hold your shifter inside of you."
Pressing my lips together, I struggled to find anything to weave in the blinding blaze of the panther's soul—but each time I thought I had a hold on it, I lost it.
Sweat beaded on my brow, my hands clammy in his fur that continuously slipped from my grasp. Biting the inside of my cheek and tasting blood, I hissed my frustration.
“Don’t force it, you know the shadows, they cannot be wrangled. They are coaxed, they are caressed, they are seduced by the very essence that is within you. It is what makes you a shadow fae and the daughter of the god of death.” Shea’s darkness flowed over my arm, following my brands as he pressed his hand harder into mine and continued, "Every aura has an outline, daughter, a shadow surrounding it. Use it, own it, you are the Goddess of the Well, that makes you The Goddess of Souls. This is your power by right and by blood."
My eyes watered staring back into the hot blaze of Ethereal's aura and I searched for what he described. My heart thudded widely when I finally found the faintest outline, a soft edge to the light, and then I called to it. Coaxing, caressing, seducing, just like my father described, pulling it into me, and I gasped loudly when Etheral’s light suddenly set my whole body on fire within.
I held a world destroyer inside and he burned brightly along with Emon’s soul.
Opening my eyes, I slowly lowered my hand from the empty space that was just occupied by the massive panther. A bright light flickered in the distance beyond and I took comfort in thinking perhaps it was Jar, his bright blue eyes smiling at me, saying well doneforta.
I exhaled shakily, feeling unsteady before turning back towards my family. Kade’s lips pressed firmly together but he nodded, my mother gave me her most encouraging smile, and Shea reached out, squeezing my shoulder with comfort.
My hand fell on Riella, stroking down her hair. “It is done,” I said shakily. Ethereal’s power inside me was slightly painful but it was easing. Even still I felt weak, exhaustion dragging on my weary body.
