Before I Wake
Page 22
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Tod glanced at me, both brows raised. Can a hellion go insane? Because I think this ones lost his fucking mind.
Im dead, Avari, I repeated. Doesnt that make this whole stupid obsession kind of pointless?
Scott clasped his hands at his back like an old man and tried to come closer, but Tod stayed between us, and the hellion didnt seem to like having to look up at him. Or having to look around him to get to me. Do you still have a soul, Ms. Cavanaugh?
Yes I said, and I could already see where this was headed.
That soul is yet unsmudged, and unless Im mistaken he made a show of sniffing the air in my direction, and my chill bumps doubled in size you died with other virtues intact. Do you have any idea how rare that is in todays world?
So Ive heard, I mumbled.
Now, if a hellion had access to the human plane, to a wealth of even purer souls and younger bodies, you might find your value eroded, he continued. I didnt give a damn about my value in the Netherworld, but Id never been more relieved that Avari was stuck there. Or perhaps not. There is something intriguing and rare about your persistent selflessness. His frown was part fascination and part confusion, like he couldnt quite figure out why I drew his interest.
That made two of us.
Okay, Ive had enough of this crap. I stepped around Tod, and when he tried to pull me back, I gave him the warning look Id perfected on Sabine. He backed off, but stayed close. What the hell happened with Thane? Why didnt you eat him when you had the chance?
What makes you think I didnt? Avaris words rolled off Scotts tongue with an ease that made me sick to my undead stomach.
I saw him this morning, so unless you regurgitated him, it looks to me like he escaped your evil clutches. Or something like that.
No one escapes
I did, I said, before he could even finish his sentence. Twice, if memory serves.
Three times, Tod corrected, ticking them off on his fingers. There was the time in his office, with Addy, then the time at the carnival, then in the cafeteria. Three times.
Oh, yeah. I forgot about the time with Addy. I turned back to Scott, who looked distinctly unamused. Three times.
As loathe as I am to concede the fact, you were never truly captured, so you cant possibly have escaped. And neither has Thane.
I crossed both arms over my chest, frowning. Hellions couldnt outright lie. Possession of a human body didnt change that, right? Then what was he doing at the doughnut shop this morning?
Reaping.
Why?
Because that is what reapers do.
I rolled my eyes and looked up at Tod. Okay, this is a waste of time. Lets go.
Not without what we came for, he said, and Id never heard his voice deeper or angrier. You have two choices here, Tod said to the hellion. You can answer some questions, or you can let your boy Scott take a lump to the head. Which would evict Avari from the body hed possessed and put a temporary end to his playtime on the human plane.
And how will you get the answers you seek then? Avari demanded, and neither of us had an answer for that. Nothing is free, Ms. Cavanaugh. Perhaps if you offered a trade
Youre not getting my soul, or any other part of me, I said.
Information is tonights currency, is it not? he said. You answer two questions for me, and I will answer one for you.
How is that fair? Tod demanded, and I realized hed edged closer to me, like he might have to lunge between me and mortal danger any second. I was beyond the mortal phase of my existence, but his instinct still made me smile.
Fair is irrelevant. I am a hellion of greed. I wont offer this exchange again.
Okay, I said, and Tod groaned, but I ignored him. You get two questions, but I go first. And as soon as I had my answer, Id blink out.
Avari clucked Scotts tongue and shook his head. I havent succumbed to stupidity since we last spoke, Ms. Cavanaugh. But as a gesture of goodwill, I will allow you the second question.
That was as good as I was going to get. Fine. Ask.
What are you, little bean sidhe? How did you survive your own death?
Thats two questions, Tod pointed out.
They are one in spirit, Avari insisted.
But they were two inwords. So Ill answer one of them, I said. I am a reclamation agent. I take stolen souls from monsters like you and see that they get their final rest. Now my question. But I had to think about that. If he could possibly answer me without divulging any actual information, he would. Id have to phrase it carefully.
Why is Thane on the human plane, if he hasnt wiggled free from your grip?
He is doing my bidding, Ms. Cavanaugh. Thane the wayward reaper is now bound by new chains of servitude.
So you told him to kill the doughnut-shop owner? Why?
Scotts brows rose, but the expression was all hellion. Does that mean youd like to bargain for more information? If not, you still owe me another answer.
Im dead, Avari, I repeated. Doesnt that make this whole stupid obsession kind of pointless?
Scott clasped his hands at his back like an old man and tried to come closer, but Tod stayed between us, and the hellion didnt seem to like having to look up at him. Or having to look around him to get to me. Do you still have a soul, Ms. Cavanaugh?
Yes I said, and I could already see where this was headed.
That soul is yet unsmudged, and unless Im mistaken he made a show of sniffing the air in my direction, and my chill bumps doubled in size you died with other virtues intact. Do you have any idea how rare that is in todays world?
So Ive heard, I mumbled.
Now, if a hellion had access to the human plane, to a wealth of even purer souls and younger bodies, you might find your value eroded, he continued. I didnt give a damn about my value in the Netherworld, but Id never been more relieved that Avari was stuck there. Or perhaps not. There is something intriguing and rare about your persistent selflessness. His frown was part fascination and part confusion, like he couldnt quite figure out why I drew his interest.
That made two of us.
Okay, Ive had enough of this crap. I stepped around Tod, and when he tried to pull me back, I gave him the warning look Id perfected on Sabine. He backed off, but stayed close. What the hell happened with Thane? Why didnt you eat him when you had the chance?
What makes you think I didnt? Avaris words rolled off Scotts tongue with an ease that made me sick to my undead stomach.
I saw him this morning, so unless you regurgitated him, it looks to me like he escaped your evil clutches. Or something like that.
No one escapes
I did, I said, before he could even finish his sentence. Twice, if memory serves.
Three times, Tod corrected, ticking them off on his fingers. There was the time in his office, with Addy, then the time at the carnival, then in the cafeteria. Three times.
Oh, yeah. I forgot about the time with Addy. I turned back to Scott, who looked distinctly unamused. Three times.
As loathe as I am to concede the fact, you were never truly captured, so you cant possibly have escaped. And neither has Thane.
I crossed both arms over my chest, frowning. Hellions couldnt outright lie. Possession of a human body didnt change that, right? Then what was he doing at the doughnut shop this morning?
Reaping.
Why?
Because that is what reapers do.
I rolled my eyes and looked up at Tod. Okay, this is a waste of time. Lets go.
Not without what we came for, he said, and Id never heard his voice deeper or angrier. You have two choices here, Tod said to the hellion. You can answer some questions, or you can let your boy Scott take a lump to the head. Which would evict Avari from the body hed possessed and put a temporary end to his playtime on the human plane.
And how will you get the answers you seek then? Avari demanded, and neither of us had an answer for that. Nothing is free, Ms. Cavanaugh. Perhaps if you offered a trade
Youre not getting my soul, or any other part of me, I said.
Information is tonights currency, is it not? he said. You answer two questions for me, and I will answer one for you.
How is that fair? Tod demanded, and I realized hed edged closer to me, like he might have to lunge between me and mortal danger any second. I was beyond the mortal phase of my existence, but his instinct still made me smile.
Fair is irrelevant. I am a hellion of greed. I wont offer this exchange again.
Okay, I said, and Tod groaned, but I ignored him. You get two questions, but I go first. And as soon as I had my answer, Id blink out.
Avari clucked Scotts tongue and shook his head. I havent succumbed to stupidity since we last spoke, Ms. Cavanaugh. But as a gesture of goodwill, I will allow you the second question.
That was as good as I was going to get. Fine. Ask.
What are you, little bean sidhe? How did you survive your own death?
Thats two questions, Tod pointed out.
They are one in spirit, Avari insisted.
But they were two inwords. So Ill answer one of them, I said. I am a reclamation agent. I take stolen souls from monsters like you and see that they get their final rest. Now my question. But I had to think about that. If he could possibly answer me without divulging any actual information, he would. Id have to phrase it carefully.
Why is Thane on the human plane, if he hasnt wiggled free from your grip?
He is doing my bidding, Ms. Cavanaugh. Thane the wayward reaper is now bound by new chains of servitude.
So you told him to kill the doughnut-shop owner? Why?
Scotts brows rose, but the expression was all hellion. Does that mean youd like to bargain for more information? If not, you still owe me another answer.
