Zoelyn stared at his back and smiled faintly. “Fair’s, fair, I suppose. I stopped using the words Crow King or demon when I began to think of you as a friend.” She fell silent once more and returned to her focus on the stones. She sat the healing stone aside reverently where it wouldn’t get confused with the others and began lifting the remaining stones one by one to test them.
Seth remained by the window, gazing out into the eternal shadows of the Darklands for a very long time before turning to look at her once more. “Vengeance would have been my answer to that question had anyone else asked, but when you asked, I actually put thought into what my answer would truly be, and I’m not sure,” The sound of his voice drew her gaze and the hesitation in his voice held it. Seth was never truly hesitant, not like this. In his every action he radiated confidence. With his words, he sometimes seemed unsure, but nothing like this. Seth rubbed his face with a hand and shook his head again slowly before meeting her eyes. “I’ve lived so long focusing on nothing but revenge, that I’m not sure what I would focus on aside from it. I want to say it’s my answer now, but I’m not certain it is,” he admitted quietly and seemed almost ashamed of his answer.
“You know what I was hoping you would say?” Zoelyn asked, once it was obvious he wasn’t going to continue speaking. He gave her a questioning look and she held his eyes with her own. “Redemption. You may have sinned while you lived, but I didn’t know you then. From what I know of you now, I think you deserve a chance at happiness. You gave me a new life and happiness and that isn’t something a demon would do. Finn should realize that and release you from penance,” She wasn’t sure how he would take her words and the last thing she wanted to do was offend him, but it was the honest truth in her eyes.
Seth smirked and shook his head at her ruefully. “I could save a thousand lives and it still wouldn’t put a dent in the penance I’m due, and Finn knows it,” he sighed and turned back to the window. “Besides, Zoey, if I’m redeemed and move onto another life, I forget everything I know now. That’s how it works, you know. You move into the life stream and are reborn as a new soul with a fresh start. That means I wouldn’t remember you. It’s almost worth sinning more so I don’t forget. It’s been a while since I’ve had a friend that I could trust. I’d hate to forget her.”
“You might forget me, but I would never forget you. I’d find you again in your next life and you would have a friend again. Dominic says old souls carry an echo and even after rebirth you can still see hints of who they once were, even if they don’t remember it. I would see the hints and do everything I could to make sure your next life was better than your first one,” Zoelyn whispered as she returned to the stones once more.
*
Zoelyn paused at the entrance to the throne room and stared in wonder at the colored lights and bustling crowd inside. They were all spirits, but they were unlike any she had seen before. All of them wore bright colored clothes and a few even had painted faces done in whimsical designs. She had never seen the throne room this brightly lit, and the spirits that filled the room were usually somber creatures awaiting judgment. Half-turning, she gazed up at Seth who had paused behind her. “What is this?” she asked breathlessly as her eyes returned once more to the milling spirits.
“The surprise. Death occasionally has its benefits and this is one of them,” Seth answered with a smirk. “This is an acting troupe and Finn is taking full advantage of the fact that they are serving penance. In life they cheated, stole, raped, and kidnapped. In death they have several different punishments and one of them is entertaining the Lord of Death whenever he decides they should,” Seth explained. He stepped past her into the room and the spirits within shifted out of his way the moment they saw him. He ignored them as he motioned for her to follow and waved for her to take a place on the stairs by Legacy.
Zoelyn smiled widely at Legacy but let her gaze drift to where Seth had seated himself against the wall behind the throne. With a nod to Legacy she continued past the child to Seth’s side and sat down beside him.
“You will have a better view up there,” Seth informed her quietly as she adjusted her coat beneath her.
Nodding she smiled at him then leaned back against the wall beside him. “This makes more sense. If I don’t understand what they are singing or telling stories about I can ask you and you will know. Legacy would no doubt be just as confused as I am,” Zoelyn replied with a faint shrug. There was no easy way to say I’d rather be close to you without embarrassing herself so she left the rest unsaid. She wasn’t sure if Seth even realized how often she gravitated toward him.
“You would be surprised what Legacy knows. For his age he is very well educated, but I see your point,” Seth said with a nod then waved a hand toward a juggler that was twirling flaming batons near the back wall. “That in itself is so much more impressive when they are still alive. Kind of loses the danger and excitement when you know it’s a dead man braving fire. It’s not as if spirits are flammable.”
“I don’t even know how a spirit could juggle so it’s impressive to me regardless if it’s dangerous,” Zoelyn admitted with a smile.