Page 54 of Devils and the Dead
Picking up a mirror I used for spells, I handed it to her. She’d been inspecting her hands and body, but she took the glass, looked in it and began to cry.
“Oh Babylon! You did it. You and Hades did it. I’ll never be able to repay you for this gift you’ve given me. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
She put the mirror down and hugged me. Maude had her second life. I could cross into the elven lands tomorrow without worrying about this unfinished business. There were still the angels to contend with, but Maude had her second life. She could meet Rita and the rest of her family. She could walk out in the sun, get a job, eat food. She could bake that peach crumble that she’d been so famous for, and actually get to enjoy it once more.
I’d righted my wrong. There might be some loose ends to clean up, but I’d righted my wrong. And I couldn’t have done any of this without Hades.
“Um, ladies?” Hades asked. “Is Maude dressed yet? Because I’d really like to see what all the excitement is about.”
Oh no! I laughed, realizing that we’d completely forgotten about his promise to keep his eyes closed. Maude grabbed her dress off the floor, but I stilled her hand.
“No. There’s no need for you to ever wear that again. Go into my room,Ann, and get something of mine out of the closet to wear until you can go shopping.”
Ann. Her chosen name for her second life. She did a little dance, delighted that I’d remembered, and skipped off to my room.
I waited for her to leave, then smiled over at my husband—myhusband! Walking over, I stood in front of him.
“I love you,” I told him. His eyes flew open, and I kissed him, showing exactly how I felt about him right now and always.
Chapter 23
Babylon
Ispent the night curled up in Hades’s arms, just being near each other. The next morning I gave Ann some money and told her to go shopping for clothes, food, books, and anything else she might need as she began to live her second life. As Hades and I drove out to Savior Mountain, I thought about the woman. It would probably be best if she stayed in my house for at least a few weeks getting used to life again. I’d help her find a job, start looking for an apartment, introduce her around as a distant cousin from out of state or something.
I’d definitely introduce her to Rita, but I wasn’t sure about what to do with the rest of her family. Maude had a living daughter and several grandchildren who might pick up that Ann looked exactly like their long lost relative.
Hades reached out and took my hand. “A penny for your thoughts?”
“Cheapskate,” I teased.
“Then a million dollars for your thoughts?”
I laughed. “That’sa little extreme. I was just thinking of Ann and how to get her situated. How to get her a job. How to introduce her to her former family. I’ll give you the million back if you tell me your thoughts.”
“On Ann as well. Only I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to tell the angels what happened.”
I grimaced. “Will they demand I suffer some sort of punishment for what I’ve done? I stole one of their souls and resurrected it. I doubt they’re going to be okay with that whole thing.”
“No, they won’t. The good thing is that people are always doing things that anger heaven, and history is filled with necromancers who do, or try to do, exactly what you’ve done. The punishment is that you won’t be allowed in heaven.”
I sighed. “I doubt I was heading there anyway as a witch and a necromancer. Besides, from what you’ve described, I’m not sure I’d like it anyway.”
“What I won’t tell them is that you’re not going to some circle of hell to swim in lava and be poked with a pitchfork. You’re coming to The Underworld.” He shot me a quick glance. “If you want to, that is. I mean, you don’t have to come to my afterlife. And you’ve got a lifetime to decide.”
I hid a smile. “Are there lava pits in The Underworld? Will you chase me around with a pitchfork?”
He chuckled. “If that’s what you want, then yes I will chase you around with a pitchfork in my hand. I’ll even poke you with it, if you like. No lava pits, though. After spending all this time in hell, I’m sick of lava pits. I tried to get them to be more inventive, to think of other punishments, but no. Every circle has lava pits. And hot coals. And pitchforks.”
“And Cliffs of Despair?” I asked.
He puffed out his chest. “There is only one Cliffs of Despair. I refused to budge on that. And it was completely my design. The redesign is going to be phenomenal as well.”
My lips twitched. “I’m sure it will be.”
We fell silent as I pulled into the werewolf compound. The wolves were grouped over by the alpha’s house, while everyone else was at the lumberyard. Hades and I got out and walked, hand-in-hand, to where Cassie stood, poking a finger at the shimmer of air that surrounded the portal.
“Whatisthis?” she asked, poking it once more.
