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“It’s the song. The one I play for Rose.”
Geneviève put her hands on her hips and scowled at me. “You know it will be gone forever.”
“I do understand. Is it enough?” The song meant so much to me, and I did understand what losing it would mean. Some of the memories would fade, and though I thought they were ones I could part with, painful memories of what she’d done to me and how I’d led her on, it was also dangerous to lose them. But the song had also become more to me over the years. It had become a part of me, a lament, a little bit of hope. But I would part with all of that for a new chance at life.
“It is. The spirits will take the pain. The things you’ve loved and lost, and the things you’ve learned. You may be doomed to repeat the mistakes you lose. But it’s enough.”
“Good,” Austin said, but I didn’t think he understood exactly what that meant to me. And I didn’t know if it mattered.
Lady Geneviève held her hand out. “And the cost of the zombie? And the ritual?”
“The ring.” Austin held up his hand, showing it to her. “And this.” He pulled a velvet pouch out of his pocket and opened it, showing her what was inside.
“Is that?” she asked, putting a hand over her mouth.
“It’s a bloodstone.”
“It’s notastone; it isthestone. Where did you get this?” She touched the edge of the bag.
“Long story, but it is mine and I’m free to give it.” The stone that Sloane had given Austin. I didn’t know what all of that was about, but it seemed valuable enough.
“Then we have a deal.” She motioned for the bags Austin had carried in and opened one. “You must first build a man.”
“What?”
“Out of dirt and mud. And natural things. Beside this monument here. In that other bag, I have water because there’s not much mud around. It doesn’t have to be too big, but large enough to hold your payments as we sacrifice to the spirits for your needs. Understand?”
“Not completely, but okay.” Austin pulled out a spade and a bucket.
Geneviève pointed to an empty plot farther back. “You can get some dirt from there. Don’t mind the grass. I’ll help it stick together. I brought Salina to help us, but this part you must do yourself.”
“Okay. Got it.” Austin hurried over to the spot Geneviève had indicated and started digging.
“And hurry up. We need this done before sunrise.” She snapped her fingers, and Austin got to work.
He spent nearly an hour constructing a little man out of the dirt and grass, using the water to make it muddy. His hands and clothes were filthy again.
“Good. Good.” Geneviève waved me closer. “It’s time to give your song.”
My part was as easy as it was difficult. I had my violin in hand. It always appeared when I needed it, though I never knew how, and I began to play, pulling the bow over the strings. When the words came, I stopped playing to sing, but the music continued. I could almost see the song settling over the little mud man and sinking into it. When it was over. I looked up at Austin, trying to wipe a tear and only succeeding in getting more dirt on his face.
“Now, you must give the ring.”
“Give it where?”
“Place it on his head.” Geneviève pointed at the figure.
“But when I take it off, I’ll lose him.”
Geneviève sighed, but then she patted his arm. “Yes and no. You won’t be able to see or hear him, but I will. And he will be right here. Waiting for his body.”
“I thought we’d just put the ring on the zombie.” Geneviève reached up and popped him upside the back of his head. “Ow.”
“Put the ring on the totem. We’re running out of time.” She mumbled something about dealing with nonsense.
“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere. Do it.” I wanted to reassure him.
He stared at me for a long minute as if memorizing me, and then finally, he gave a curt nod and took the ring off, placing it on top of the mud man.
