Before I Wake
Page 102

I didnt care.
After only a few steps, Lydia collapsed and I blinked, jarred out of my own shock. Tod and I knelt next to her. She was still breathing. She still had a pulse. But her eyes were closed and she wasnt moving.
We have to go, Tod said, sliding one arm behind her shoulders to pick her up. Theyll cross over as soon as they get the blades out and heal.
No, they wont, Thane said, and I jumped, startled, to find him behind us. I cleaned out their stockpile, during your convenient distraction.
Their stockpile?
The restored souls. I took them all. Including mine. He took off his glasses, and I was oddly relieved to see that he had both pupils and irises again. Cant have them coming after me, now can I? And the restored souls will fetch one hell of a price somewhere else. Anywhere else.
Before I could demand that he turn the souls over to the proper authority, his gaze fell to Lydia, lying motionless on the ground. I couldnt get hers, though.
What? Her soul? Where is it?
In the Nether. Here. Everywhere. She was syphoning Emmas pain when Emma died, and part of her soul went with Emmas.
Part? I wrapped my hand around the heart hanging against my sternum. It was unnaturally warm.
The rest dissipated.
So shesempty? Tod said, staring at Lydia, and his hand curled around mine, around the amphora, like he would help me protect it.
Thane nodded. Ive only seen that a couple of timesa living body with no soul. Shell be dead in minutes.
If she doesnt get a soul Tod said, his gaze holding mine. Challenging it. There was a choice to be made, and I had to make it.
I nodded. I understood.
I could save Emma. Part of her, anyway. And I could save part of Lydia. Nothing would be the same. But at least life wouldgo on. I owed it to them both to try.
Nash laid Emma on the ground next to Lydia.
I closed my eyes, but I could still see them in my head and I could feel everyone watching me. Sophie was still sniffling, clutching Lucas arm. Nash held Emmas limp hand. Tod was waiting, and he was ready, too. Once I withdrew Ems soul from the amphora, Id need a male bean sidhe to help guide it into another body.
I sang out to Emmas soul, and when it came out of the amphora, Tod helped me guide it into Lydias body. Then we waited.
At first, nothing happened, and I didnt know whether to be horrified or relieved by the thought that Id done it wrong. That Emmas suffering would end with her life.
Then Lydia opened her eyes. They werent blue, like they should have been. They were brown. Emma-brown.
Kaylee? Emma said with Lydias voice, blinking those familiar brown eyes at me. What happened? Where are we? She sat up, and everyone moved back to give her space. Why do I sound weird? Why am I so pale? she demanded, staring at Lydias forearm, stretched out in front of her.
I couldnt save you, I whispered, and those four words held more shame than Id known I could feel. Id promised I wouldnt let her die. Then Id failed her. This was the best I could do. But I swear on my afterlife that theyll pay, Em. All three of them.
Avari wanted my soul, but he was going to get a hell of a lot more than that. He was going to get pain. And loss. And justice. He was going to get vengeance in kind for every soul hed stolen. For every friend hed taken from me. This time I would feed from his pain, and with any luck, it would hurt worse knowing that hed put into motion his own downfall.
Avari had woken me up and given my afterlife purpose. Hed awakened my rage.
Emma had given me reason to use it.