Page 14 of Devastation
"Ash!"
I'm too torn up over the thought of her life having been stripped from her to feel anything other than utter despair and anger.
Staring at her with a broken gaze, I stay silent as they approach. What can I possibly say to her? Her death is my fault. I should never have kept it a secret that I was struggling. Maybe we could have found proper help before Anshar took over.
The large creature holding her looks scary as fuck, and I can't help but wonder why she's been given a personal ride to this point. Had the devil dragged her down here personally?
The creature hovers in the air directly in front of me now, and I open my mouth to speak but fail to find the right words to say.
Lana takes over upon seeing my struggle. "Ash, I'm here to bring you home. To your family. To me."
My mouth hangs open as I try to process her words. No fucking way.
"Is this a trick? Are you some type of monster trying to lure me to my death over the edge of this path?" I counter, wondering if that's why souls have jumped over. A monster luring them with their greatest desire.
It would explain it perfectly.
"That's actually a perfectly logical question," the creature holding Lana states with raised brows as he nods in understanding. In response to which Lana smacks him in the chest and chides him, "Thanny! That is not going to help him believe we’re real!"
Okay, well if this isn't Lana, the monster excellently captured her attitude, which is worthy of an Emmy.
Her eyes turn to me, and I notice how they're a swirling vortex of colors now, as opposed to her usual teal, making me suspicious as well. And why are there flowers in her hair as if she's just rolled around in a garden bed and they got stuck in her wavy locks?
With a deep sigh, she turns her gaze back to me and continues her efforts to convince me of her realness. "Seriously, Ash. We're here to bring you back home. Your body is being preserved in the realm of the gods, and I can tether your soul back to you."
Reaching up to scratch my head, I struggle to wrap my head around her enticing words.
"How did you get here if you didn't die, Lana?"
Looking up at the grey-skinned giant holding her, she explains, "This is Thanatos. The god of death and also my cousin. He brought me down here."
My eyebrows shoot upin shock as my eyes widen and I stutter, "God...of d-death? Cousin?"
"Yes. A lot has happened since your soul left the realm of the living, but I can explain everything as soon as we're back with everyone else," she says with a hint of exasperation.
This is definitely Lana, and that brings me to a new dilemma. How am I supposed to go back and continue on with her and my brothers as if I didn't fuck literally everything up in our lives and cause so much damage.
There's no way we can just move on like it didn't happen, and honestly I don't even know how Lana will ever allow me to touch her again after the things Anshar did to her with my body.
Stewing in my thoughts in silence apparently does not please Lana, who snaps, "Get out of your fucking head, Ash! I knew you would do this. Stop overthinking. We all want you to come home to us."
Quietly I mutter, "You shouldn't."
She explodes at those two little words, waving her hands around wildly as she speaks. "What did I tell you before? You own a piece of my fucking soul, and you don't get to just hide from me. We get through our shit together, Ash." She pauses here, then whispers, "I love you."
There is so much pain and sorrow laced into her words, as if she's already convinced that I won't go back with her, that I'm suddenly certain that I can't possibly deny her. I've caused her enough pain. If she wants me back, then I'll spend every day trying to make amends with her and my brothers.
"Okay. I'll go with you."
If this is a trick and I fall to the pits of Hell, so be it. I'll risk it.
Her stunned expression makes me smile. She'd definitely expected me to push back longer, like I used to before all of this happened. We had a unique relationship built around challenging and pushing each other, so I definitely wasn't known for caving quite so quickly.
She shakes her head, coming out of her stupor. "Okay. I'm going to renew your tether to my soul. Don't fight it. Embrace it."
I nod in response and prepare myself for an unpleasant feeling, but what hits me is the exact opposite. It's like I can feel her love and longing for me without her speaking—like her soul is crying out for me.
Thinking of how much I love her and want to hold her in my arms again without fear of Anshar taking over, I reach out for her at the same time she reaches for me. A bright teal strand flares to life between us, making me instantly feel at home and soothed, like everything is right again.
