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“Okay,” I declared and closed my eyes while I laid my hands on Mercury's chest. It took far longer for me to concentrate, but I used the teaching Nyx had engraved in me the last few weeks to tame my breathing while the rest of the world seemed to fade.
The sensation of power began to filter through me, and I was surprised by Eira’s voice.
“Finally, child.”
Eira! Mercury is dead. We need to find her soul before she ascends!
“Isn’t that her?”
Her question encouraged me to open my eyes, and I realized I was surprisingly in the Shadow Realm and Mercury was speaking with—
“Father?! Mercury?!”
I wanted to move, but I realized I couldn’t.
Eira. I can’t move?
“I’m preventing you from doing so,” she revealed. “Moving will pull you out of your body and you’re attempting to retrieve Mercury’s soul back to her body which is connected to you. Only makes sense to remain completely still. We’re taking a chance attempting this.”
“Selene?” Mercury seemed surprised by the sight of me as she actually wore a dress of white. “I…tried…” she actually struggled to find words but I shook my head and smiled at her.
“It’s okay, Mercury. We have to go back. There’s not much time. I can’t be here for long.”
“I…can’t go back,” she whispered and looked at her hands. “I…died.”
“You can go back,” Father surprisingly declared. “Your soul hasn’t ascended.”
“Father,” I quickly spoke. “Why is Mercury here? She’s not a Shadowborn.”
“I can only believe she’s arrived her because your energy was clinging to her before death struck. That’s the only thing I can think of,” Father admitted. “However, there’s only a small left. If you two don’t leave, she will truly die and meet her Creator.”
“Mercury!” I pressed but I saw her sadness. “Mercury,” my voice was softer now. “Please. You…can’t die. You know…you know how Azu will react. The world itself will end. He’d destroy everything in your name!”
“But I lost,” she whispered. “I don’t deserve to be by his side.”
“Mercury! I’ve lost plenty of time and Asher still loves me! Do you think Azu’s your mate because of your strength? He was absolutely smitten with you because you’re his everything! His other half! The light at the end of the dark tunnel! You two balance one another and no way can he live on without you, Mercury.”
I knew she understood, but she still contemplated.
“You deserve to live, Mercury,” I whispered. “Don’t match your worthiness with what you can achieve as a warrior. You always tell me failure has to be an option for us to grow stronger, right?”
She lifted her head to look back at me before she slowly nodded.
“Then, let’s go return, recover, and take down our enemy once and for all,” I encouraged and raised my hand toward her in an offering. “Then you have no choice but to be maid of honor, remember?”
The reminder seemed to push a sense of empowerment through her, for she nodded and looked back to my Father.
“I appreciate your company,” she admitted and bowed her head. “Thank you for the talk.”
She made her way to me until she now stood next to me as I reached out to hold her hand with one hand while the other was still pressed to the ground.
“Selene.”
I looked to Father and I wished I could thank him for delaying Mercury’s ascension.
“Father. I’ll return as soon as I can, okay?”
“Zed made a move, didn’t he?” Father inquired and all I could do was nod. “Only one person can kill Zed and it has to be done in the Shadow Realm,” he declared.
