Caged by Damnation (Caged #2)(15)

Ivy stopped inspecting her fingernails long enough to take in our group. She rolled her eyes and spoke, "There's a big mess in the Cavern. Apparently, the door was loose and some souls escaped. We had to track them down and now he is fixing the door."

"Huh?" Now I was confused. I thought souls went to Heaven or Hell, but what was this about a Cavern?

"The Cavern is where souls are stored until they are assigned an afterlife. Ordinarily it works fine, but the inscriptions are so old that some of them wilted and Death needs to recharge them." Bay's explanation made a lot more sense, but I couldn't help wondering how many souls were stored, and whether or not they were aware of being held prisoner until they could be judged. It made me shiver.

Moments passed in silence while we studied one another. I was caught in the middle, between my old life and my new one, and it was extremely uncomfortable. The uneasy peace between the two groups was grating on my nerves. I blamed Death, because I couldn't fully belong to either any longer. If souls needed to be stored like criminals, shouldn't he be certain that their prison is secure before it ages badly enough for them to escape? Did this mean that some souls remained unspoken for? I couldn't help but worry that the souls of serial killers might be running rampant, with the same sort of functionality that Izzy possessed.

A cool breeze swept through our group, bringing comfort with it, and the scent of poppies. My tension eased, carried away on the wind, until I looked across the clearing to see Death positioned a few feet behind Ash, sitting on a lower branch of a tree, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Somehow, I could feel him laughing on the inside. With the grace of Kit, he leaped from his perch and landed effortlessly with his knees bent and one arm held in front for balance.

In a matter of seconds, he had placed himself in the center of the group. The Hellhounds didn't seem surprised by his presence, but my friends did. They clustered around me, as if protecting a helpless lamb from the predatory lion. A half smile and a slight crinkling to his eyes were the only hints that Death had similar thoughts.

"Are you ready?" His voice was smoother than I remembered. Palm upwards, his right hand swayed to his side to indicate that I should follow him. The action was reminiscent of a gentleman, but I couldn't picture Death having the grace to behave that way. He seemed more like a rogue who took what he wanted, when he wanted it.

I took one look at Izzy and shook my head. I realized I probably looked like a ridiculous toddler who didn't want to leave the playground, but he hadn't kept up his end of the bargain. Izzy was as she had been all summer: dead. How could he expect me to leave with him, when he had broken our pact?

Death sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, the way I would when I felt a headache coming on, and nodded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an overwhelmingly large smile cross Kali's face.



Savannah's Journal

There are some things people are taught at a young age that others are forced to learn for themselves. Parents have an annoying way of spouting random quotes as their way to prove their points, but it never really seems to sink in. However, warnings that Maye had a habit of passing on were now running rampant through my brain: "Be careful what you wish for;” "Never trust a stranger;” "Death is deceitful,” and my favorite: "Always be wary."

Willow's choice had placed me in the exact kind of situation that Maye had attempted to keep me from. The worst part was that I knew it was a horrible idea. If I thought I could get away with it, I would take Willow far away and hide her from the decision she had already made. Unable to protect my best friend, I felt helpless, forced to watch her commit to something I was sure she would regret….



SAVANNAH

I was off balance. My mind nudged at memories from my vision and from my interaction with Ash the night before, but I forced them to focus on the event unfolding before me. Willow, the Hellhounds, and Death seemed to be silently communicating with one another via expressions and gestures.

Willow had been ready to leave, but was now standing still as a rock, directing an unflinching gaze at Death. While their group knew what was happening, mine was at a loss. We exchanged confused glances, but otherwise tried not to seem completely out of the loop. Instead, I forced my hardened gaze towards Death, mimicking Willow's. Izzy did the same and the guys followed suit.

"I take it this means you're still set on our agreement?"

Death's gaze lingered on Willow's before turning to seek Izzy. He circled her, as a scavenger would while waiting for the meat to die before swooping down to gather its prey. Izzy's brow was furrowed, but otherwise, she remained unaffected by Death's proximity.

"Yes," Willow nodded. "That was our deal. If you want me to join the pack, you need to make mine whole again."

Tension built amongst the Hellhounds, their faces alternating between serious, worried, and terrified. Why were they terrified? What had Willow agreed to?

Death turned back to look at Willow. "Do you know what life is?" She made no indication of answering. "Life is the beginning. It's the warmth of a fire, the first sign of spring. Life is fertility and femininity."

"I don't care what it is." Her words were filled with fury, her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she stepped forward to press against his chest. "I only care that you keep your promise. I am giving up everything – my friends, my family, my life. Stop wasting what little time I have left!" Her right hand inched up to press against his chest once more in what was sure to be one hell of a push, but he stopped her. Instead, she found her wrist locked in his and he spun her around to whisper in her ear.