Page 47 of Outcast

“I’ll agree to try,” I said, closing my eyes in frustration. “But I can’t do anything until I’m back in Helheim. I’m stuck here trying to close the portal she threw open. Every single day of my afterlife has been spent cleaning up her fucking mess, Loki.”

“Then you better figure it out quickly. A life for a life, Harlow. This will clear your debt, and any debt your little crew has amassed,” he said without even a drop of sympathy.

“I’ll do my best.” My answer was dismissive. I was fucking livid. Hel could disappear for her actions. The fact he thought I should drop everything to accommodate her was insane. But at the end of the day, I knew I had little choice. Hiro and Roman were reason enough to help the god. However, I knew our debt ended the moment I attempted to revive her soul. If it didn’t work, that wasn’t on me, it was on her. And I owed her nothing when her soul was returned.

“I suggest that you do,” he said, looking at Roman and Hiro. I knew it was no coincidence that he showed up here and now when I was with them.

Like Hel, everything Loki did was purposeful.

“Loki. Is creating a soul even possible?”

He shrugged. “I’m a god of chaos, not life.”

“I’m not a goddess of life!” I argued.

“But your business is souls. You can figure it out. Helheim is far more connected to you than it ever attempted with Hel. If it’s even a possibility, then you’re it. I took her energy and released it, that had to go somewhere. I guarantee it went to your realm, it’s where energy and souls go to die. Find it. Fix her.”

He was gone as quickly as he’d come, leaving us in a stunned silence.

What he was asking of me was insane... beyond insane. This was defying the laws of nature and the balance that was already teetering on failure.

“It’s ironic he seems so determined to save her. She asked for this. And asking the person she fucked over to do it? That takes some major balls,” Roman said.

“Godly audacity is more like it,” I said dryly. “They only see their goals, fuck everyone else. It was the same with Hel and Odin. Clearly, I need to up my narcissism game to survive this afterlife.”

“Do you think what he’s asking is even possible?” Hiro added on. I could tell that for the first time since he’d been given this body, he was worried about his existence. If I failed, would Loki take their lives back? It wasn’t something I could promise him. We were dealing with gods who could kill us all if they wanted. Gods had no mercy.

Telling Hiro that would solve nothing, though.

“I’ll figure it out. I won’t fail,” I promised him.

“There’s a whole lot of promises going around for nobody knowing what the fuck they’re doing.” Roman sighed. The door slammed open, stopping us from continuing this awful conversation.

I was relieved to see my gargoyle commander... until I saw his face.

“Harlow, they’re here. The demons broke through the barrier. Be prepared.”

He tossed over my spear and the other two their weapons. I caught it midair, wrapping my fingers around it and calling on Helheim. There was no moment to think or process the last mindfuck before I was running headfirst into another.

The clash of weapons and screams of outrage led us right to the lobby. It was pure chaos. Ashes rained down, coating the floor and every gargoyle and demon fighting.

This was why we needed to close the portal. There was no more time for deliberation, I had to choose, and fast.

We joined the fight, jumping right into the fray. Hundreds of demons filled the space, new demons replacing the old every time they were cut down. At this point, I doubted it was Crew’s group alone, more had joined from the areas around us, drawn to the death and destruction, if I had to guess.

Monty’s shadows made it hard to see but every sweep of the dense fog cleared the room significantly, even if it was only for moments.

By the time we had a true lull in demons, I was breathing heavy and my arms were aching from the effort. I could keep going but there was no time to keep fighting. I had a job to do and if I didn’t figure it out, this would be an everyday occurrence.

“I’ve come for Layne.” Crew’s words echoed in the half-empty lobby. He was flanked by another group of demons that looked far more viscous than the ones we’d been fighting. They were likely his true allies, the ones orchestrating the attacks.

Monty, Kol, Drake, Hiro, and Roman moved to my side, the demons they’d been fighting either dead or retreating from the obvious standoff.

“Over my dead fucking body. And I’m already dead,” I called back to him. Crew let out a growl that was almost feral, baring his teeth and practically frothing at the mouth. “Oof, not a good look, my friend.”

He had changed yet again. What had started as small red fissures in his skin were now clouding every inch I could see. His eyes held no white or black, only red. His skin was striped so only sections of his normal dark tone appeared under the red lines. The corruption was spreading and fast. It seemed more like a plague than possession.

“We still have ways to end you, Harlow. Do you really think you are so untouchable up there. Are you naive enough to assume that we work alone alongside lowly demons?” he demanded. Even his voice was deeper and haggard now.

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