“Get out!”
The soul didn’t even look at me. That was the first sign I was dealing with a very unusual soul. She moved closer to my bed, and all three drawers on my nightstand opened with each step she took. I couldn’t even explain how I knew it was a she. I couldn’t see her face under the cloak, but her shoulders were slender. She raised a gloved hand, and something floated from my drawer to her hand.
“Hey,” I yelled and stepped forward, or tried to, but I was frozen in place. I looked down and attempted to lift my leg. Once again, nothing happened. It was as though I was glued to the floor. Who was this soul? And how was she doing this?
“You!”
Ignoring me, she brought the cloth to her nose and inhaled. What in Hel’s Mist? I recognized the baby blanket my parents had shown me.
“That’s mine! Put it back.”
She turned and faced me. I was sure I’d see her face, but the cloak made it impossible. Dark souls were like that. Amorphous with no features. But something was different about this one. I couldn’t see her face, yet her robe was normal. And she had opened my drawer telepathically and taken my blanket.
“Listen here, you piece of smog. Put that back right this instant or I’ll never help another soul again.”
She disappeared. One second she was there with my blanket, and the next, she was gone and the drawers were closed. This time, when I tried to step forward, I could move. What in Hel’s Mist just happened?
I opened the drawers, but the baby blanket was gone. That thing had taken it. I couldn’t hear sounds from downstairs, but I knew Dad was in his cave. He had a deadline. Mom was probably in the chicken coop. I stood at the window and studied the barn. They’d hurt me by keeping secrets from me, but they were still my parents. Talking to Hayden had helped me see things clearly.
I headed downstairs. Dad left his nook and stood at the bottom of the stairs before I reached the bottom. He watched me with worried eyes.
“I’m fine,” I said. The door opened, and Mom rushed in. Dad must have called and told her I was home. “I’m still angry with you guys for not telling me the truth.”
“We know, sweetheart,” Mom murmured, moving closer. Usually, she would have hugged me. Both of them would have, but now they hesitated. I wasn’t ready to close that gap either. “We are so sorry,” she continued. “We thought we were doing what was best for you.”
“I know. It still doesn’t make it right. I was coming to ask you for my baby blanket, but I think a soul just stole it from my room.”
My parents looked at each other and frowned.
“Are you sure?” Mom asked. “We kept it in our bedroom, not yours.”
“But I just saw a soul in my room and she…” I shook my head. “The whole incident was weird.”
“Weird how?” Mom asked.
I opened my mouth to tell her, then remembered the lies. “It’s nothing.”
Hurt crunched her face, but I pretended not to notice. Dad went upstairs to get the blanket while Mom tried to feed me. She needed to reconnect with me, and food was her way of doing it. I accepted the slice of cherry pie. I knew she’d baked it specifically for me because I hated apple pie. Dad brought back the blanket.
I could have sworn that creepy soul had stolen it. On the other hand, the whole encounter had been weird. Maybe I’d imagined it.
“Thank you. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
Upstairs, I spread the baby blanket on the bed, sat in my chair, and stared at it while I ate. Some of the runes were familiar. Love runes. Protection runes. I was still learning about runes, so I wasn’t surprised I didn’t know all of them. I got a piece of paper and sketched the unknown ones. Lavania would know them.
After a while, I couldn’t stand it. I had to touch it. I picked it up and pressed it against my cheek. The material was soft like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I checked the finish along the edges. The embroidery was gorgeous. Tears rushed to my eyes. Someone had taken her time making it. For me.
“Who am I?”
“You are the woman I adore,” Echo answered from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder. He grinned, coming to stand behind me. “Why are you questioning who you are?”
“Because I don’t know anymore. Last year, I was sure I knew exactly who I was—the only daughter of a loving, overprotective couple who homeschooled me to give me the best education. Then I started seeing souls, and they rushed me to the nearest psych ward, and I met you. Then I became the girl who could see souls, and the reasons for that were clear. An evil Immortal etched runes on me. I embraced my new gifts because I had you by my side. Without you telling the souls to behave, I may never have had the courage to help them.”
He walked around, sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled my chair closer so I was between his legs, but I didn’t give him a chance to speak.
“And just when I’ve accepted that I’m a medium, life throws me another curveball. My parents are not really my parents, and Maliina’s runes are not the reason souls are attracted to me.” I dropped my forehead on his chest. “I want my life to be normal again, Echo. Don’t say it,” I added. “Our normal is different from an average Mortal. You are a reaper, and I am a medium. I’m okay with that. I just want my parents to be normal and Mortal.”
Echo chuckled, and I sat back. The smile disappeared from his face when he realized I meant it. “First of all, you didn’t need me to become the amazing medium you are. You were helping souls before I inserted myself in the midst of it and decided to referee. Two, the Jemisons will always be your parents. They might not have given birth to you, but they raised you, loved you, and gave you everything you ever needed. They are not perfect. Even though they are Immortals, they have the same failings as Mortals.”
“Why can’t they be like you? You are perfect. You are honest and blunt. You don’t play games or have hidden agendas.”
He laughed. “I’m far from perfect. I had a big fight with Rhys a few weeks ago and learned I can be a jackass.”
“Oh, I know that, but you’re still perfect.” I sat on his lap and leaned against his chest. “Tell me why you finally realized you can be a jackass?”
“It happened outside the hall the morning I learned he’s been keeping Dev’s body all these years. I gave up on Dev because I believed he’d betrayed us, but Rhys never did. He never believed Dev would do such a thing to us. His family. I tend to jump to conclusions fast and go with my gut. Now, I’m trying to weigh the consequences of each action before I act. Think things through. It’s hard, but I’m trying.”
“Oh, Echo.” I studied his face. From his expression, he meant it. “Your passion and spontaneity are part of what make you unique. Don’t go changing just because of one mistake.”
“My mind is made up.” He kissed me as though to shut me up.
“Then I’ll make sure I unmake it for you. Look at this.” I spread the green blanket on my lap. “This is the blanket that was wrapped around baby-me when I was brought to the orphanage where Mom and Dad found me. They think it might lead to my biological parents.” Echo stiffened, and I glanced at him. “What is it?”
“These are protection runes, but mixed with them are bind runes I’ve seen before.” He stood and deposited me on the bed. He spread out the blanket and studied the runes. “There’s a slight variation, but some of these are locator runes. And this one here”—he tapped the corner of the blanket—“is Goddess Hel’s rune.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that your parents considered Goddess Hel their protector. That means you are from Helheim.”
I grinned. “Looks like you are going to get your wish. That is, if I agree to visit.”
He was still staring at the blanket and frowning.