Page 114 of An Oath at Midnight

It was Zinnia. She was here as well, and she was angry.

I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. I felt a hand take mine. Zinny was right there, right beside me. “I’ve asked for nothing,” she said, fury in her voice. “I’ve lived by your rules. You owe me this.”

Silence, and it was deafening. “I owe you nothing, wife. We made a deal. By being here you are merely holding up your end of our bargain. If you want me to send her back, there will be a price, for her…and for you.”

“What kind of price? What will happen to her?”

I tried to speak, but I was fighting not to be pulled back under.

“You ask only of her price. Do you have no concern for you own?” he said.

“You already know I’d do anything for my family, and the worst has already happened. I’m here, living this nightmare with you,” Zinnia fired at him, then squeezed my hand. “Tell me what her goddamn price is?”

“That is not your concern,” he snarled. “She either lives or she dies. Choose.”

“You’re a fucking monster,” Zinnia snarled back.

“Are you only coming to that realization now?” He chuckled, and the sound lifted painful goose bumps all over me.

“I hate you.”

“Choose,” he said.

Zinnia growled under her breath. “For once, can you just do something because it’s the right thing to do? Just send her back, no deals, no payment…please.”

There was a heavy pause, the tension growing impossibly thick, so thick I could feel it even in my semiconscious state.

“Mors...please,” Zinnia said, using Death’s true name.

There was a snarl. “I told you what would happen if you spoke my name again, wife.”

“I remember,” she said.

Another pause. “And you will come willingly?” Death asked.

I had no idea what they were talking about, but it didn’t sound good.

Zinnia didn’t reply, not quickly enough, anyway.

The tension snapped, and a jarring crash came next, followed by stone hitting the floor. “She lives or she dies. Choose,” he growled, his rage rolling over me.

“Hang on a minute—”

“Choose,” he said again, the word deadly calm this time. “Or I will choose for you.”

“She lives.” Zinnia squeezed my hand again. “Now send Magnolia back.”

Her hand was torn from mine, and I was dragged back the way I came, past the lost souls wandering the dark forest, along the path made of skulls, and through the stone archway.

Then I was flying through the forest, the city, through the door of the house—and slammed back into my body, the force knocking the wind from me.

I searched the darkness. Something moved, a shadow. It filled my vision standing in front of me, looming. No, not a shadow, Death, draped in his hooded cloak. I was still unconscious, that was the only way he could be here, away from his realm.

His frigid blue eyes glowed from under his hood. “Magnolia Thornheart, you live because I allow it. You entered my realm without my permission, now you must pay a price.”

“What price?”

“You are now my reaper. When I request it, you will collect souls and escort them to me.”