Page 125 of Grim Tidings

A sliver of time is better than nothing at all. I’ve had more with him in these last few weeks than I’ve had in lifetimes.

“Oh, how interesting,” Gideon murmurs. “And unexpected.”

“I’m offering my soul for his,” I say, my voice surprisingly steady. “I will take his place.”

Gabriel scoffs behind me, his fingers in my belt loop yanking me backward. “No, you fucking won’t.” He keeps yanking at me until my back is pressed to his front. “Can’t fucking believe you,” he mutters against my ear.

“What?”

“Absolutely fucking not,” he whispers in my ear, furious. “You think I’d be okay with you sacrificing yourself?”

I turn and push against his chest, frustrated. “You weren’t supposed to know. You’re not even supposed to be here.”

“You’ve made that very clear.” He grips one of my hands and holds it against his chest. “But I am here, Darcy. And I’m not letting you do this.”

“It’s the only way.” I beg him to see. To understand. “You’ll get to keep your wings.”

“I don’t care about my fucking wings,” he seethes. His fingers flex against mine, squeezing painfully tight. “I care about you, Darcy.”

“Gabriel,” I whisper. “Let me do this. I have to do this.”

His stare is uncompromising. “You don’t.”

“It’s the only way.”

“It’s not.”

“Actually,” Gideon interrupts. “Touching as this moment is, he’s right. It’s not the only way. In fact, it’s not even a viable way.”

I sniffle. “What do you mean?”

“Your soul is already immortal, Darcy. It belongs to the afterlife. It is not available for exchange.” He adjusts his sunglasses. “Apologies, but your sacrifice is for naught.”

I grapple for an explanation. A reason. Anything to make this work. “But I’m supposed to move on, right? Eventually? There’s something after this.”

Gideon’s expression doesn’t so much as flicker. “Your point?”

“You can have that.” Gabriel makes a low sound, but I ignore it. “Keep me at the department. For the rest of forever. That’s what I’m offering you. Not my life, but my afterlife. The thing that comes next.”

Gideon shakes his head, his hands in his pockets. “That’s not an equal exchange.”

The cemetery is hushed around us. It’s dark now, the only light cast from the full moon above us. A cricket chirps, leaves rustle, and I furiously try to come up with something better.

But what’s better than the only thing I have left?

“You can’t take him,” I whisper. “Please.”

Gideon shakes his head. “You knew what this was when you called me here, Darcy,” he says gently. “I’m simply tying up a loose end.”

Behind me, Nate laughs nervously. “Should I start running, or—”

“Running won’t do you much good, darling, but if it brings you a sense of peace—” Gideon waves his hand in the direction of the gates. “By all means. I’ll collect you in a moment.”

Nate takes off a dead sprint. We all watch as he darts between the gravestones, bobbing and weaving like that will do anything against Gideon’s magic.

Gideon takes a step in his direction. I rush to cut him off.

“Wait,” I breathe. “Wait. There must be something else you want. Something else I can give you.”