Signa tensed as Death threw his shadows toward her, but there was no need. The spirits shifted but did not attack.
“I’m here to help you.” Signa exhaled a breath through barely parted lips as she stretched a hand to Briar. “You’ve been reliving the night of your deaths over and over again. But you don’t have to spend your days roaming these halls any longer. There’s so much more waiting for you, and if you let me, I’ll show you that this is only the beginning of your story.”
Although Briar remained still, Signa straightened in surprise as one of the twins stepped forward in her place. His eyes flitted from Signa to Death before he looked to where his twin stood. There was no mistaking the recognition that sparked in his eyes, and with a voice tired and cracked from disuse, he asked simply, “Alexander?”
The young man across from him flickered out of view, body spasming before he reappeared at his brother’s side. His lips were dry and peeling as he opened his mouth once, twice, then shut it promptly when no sound came out. Already his eyes were becoming a strange milky white, growing vacant again as his focus began to stray.
You can do this. Death’s words slipped through Signa’s mind, the very encouragement she needed to approach Alexander.
“Look at my skin.” She held her arm out to him. “Look at mine, then compare it to your own. Do you ever remember seeing such a glow upon yourself?” She could only wait, heart in her throat, as the spirit dropped his gaze. He turned his hand every which way, lips twisting downward.
“You are no longer meant for this place,” she urged. “You’re struggling because you’re clinging to the world of the living when you’ve already died.”
“Died,” Alexander echoed, slumping forward as he glanced at his brother. “We… died?”
Signa shared a look with Death, bracing herself. “You did. But that doesn’t mean you’re at your end. There’s more to come—would you like to see it?”
The spirit peered down at Signa’s offered hand, tensing when his twin approached and clasped him on the shoulder. It took a long moment until he relaxed beneath the touch, relief pouring over him as he turned to his brother. “Enough of this place,” said the first, the blue of his skin beginning to fade. “Let us take our leave.”
Color was blossoming on their once-translucent skin, and Signa nearly cried with relief as Alexander’s peeling lips and the sores around them healed.
One glance at Death was all that was needed for him to sweep forward. He had told Signa that his appearance often changed to give the spirits the face of whoever they most needed in their final moments. Though she could not see what the brothers did, neither spirit recoiled as Death approached. Rather, they softened as they took hold of Death’s hands, setting off a chain reaction of two more spirits who drew toward Death like he was a lighthouse in a storming sea, the haze from their eyes lifting.
“Hurry back,” she whispered, the spreading warmth in her body all the confirmation she needed to know that she had been right. This was exactly what she was meant to do.
Amid the spirits, Death glanced from Signa to Briar. His jaw clenched once before he nodded. “I will.”
He gathered the spirits who flocked toward him and was gone. Several remained on the outskirts, curious but afraid to commit just yet. Briar was among them.
Second by second it seemed that the reality of her death was settling over her, though unlike the others, she had no desire to accept it. Her bottom lip trembled, and Signa knew the instant before a scream tore through the woman’s throat that Briar wouldn’t go so easily. Signa barely had time to shield her ears as the sound came, so piercing that every crystal flute near them shattered. Wind tore through the windows, and shards of glass flew from the tables, marring the skin of guests who were slowly rousing back to reality, jaws clenching and fingers twitching as they held their partners.
Twenty minutes had passed in the blink of an eye. They were almost out of time.
Amity recognized it, too. She pressed closer to Briar.
“We’re out of options,” Signa warned Amity, whose eyes flashed red in warning as Death’s chill marked his return. “She’s going to hurt someone.”
“She’s scared.” Never had Amity’s voice held such venom, and Signa knew without hesitation that should she try anything, Amity would become the most terrifying spirit she’d ever encountered. Amity cut across Signa, ignoring Death entirely as she grabbed hold of Briar’s hand. When the spirit snarled and tried to pull back, Amity clutched her tighter.
“Come back to me.” Amity held her even as bloodied black tears rolled down Briar’s cheeks and neck. “Come back to me,” she said again, lifting onto her toes to press the softest kiss onto Briar’s temple, just below the wound. “I’ve waited too long for you to hear me say that I love you. Come back to me, Briar, so that I might tell you properly.”
Briar stilled beneath the kiss, blinking the last of the tears free to focus on Amity, whose fingers were curled tight into Briar’s as she held her. Though she said nothing for a long while, the sharpness of the wind died down and she laid one trembling hand upon Amity’s.
“Is it really you?” So soft was Briar’s voice that Signa thought she’d imagined it until Amity’s laughter broke with the happiest sob Signa had ever heard. Amity wound her arms around the spirit, fingers smoothing over Briar’s hair as she kissed her once more.
“It’s me. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Amity bowed her head against Briar’s and whispered words that Signa turned from, knowing they weren’t meant for her ears. She wished she could give them all the time in the world. Wished that she was not so worried about Briar losing control once more the moment the bodies unfroze.
“It’s time for you to go,” Signa whispered.
Amity lifted her head, offering the tiniest smile on those heart-shaped lips. “I believe you’re right.” Signa hadn’t anticipated how badly those words would sting, though even amid so much sadness, she felt relief for her friend. Finally, Amity would have what she wanted. “Your parents will be so proud when I tell them about the woman their daughter has become. These twenty years were worth the wait. I am happy to have known you, Signa, if only for a moment.”
Signa couldn’t say with certainty when her tears came, only that they flowed with abandon. “I’m glad to have known you, too. Tell my parents that I look forward to meeting them one day, would you? It’ll be the most beautiful reunion.”
“It will.” As Death drew closer, pieces of Amity wisped away with the breeze that slipped in through the still-open windows. “Though I do hope you make us wait for a long while. Enjoy this life, Signa. Enjoy it freely, and do not let anyone keep you from who or what you love. When I see you again, I hope you’ll have the most magnificent stories to share.”
Briar’s wounds were healing fast, and Signa knew there was no time for more words. She bit back her tears as Briar and Amity followed Death’s call hand in hand, eager to explore all that awaited them.
There was barely a moment for Signa to wipe her eyes as the ballroom surged into motion once more.