I grabbed his face between my hands. “What mistakes have you made?”
“For starters, I let the scroll get taken to Hell.”
“You don’t get to carry the blame for that. That scroll was my responsibility. Yours was protecting me. I’m still here, but the scroll isn’t. This is my mistake to bear.”
“Don’t say that,” he said, grabbing my shoulders. “I won’t let you take the blame for this.”
“So that’s what this is about,” I whispered. “You think Airis is going to take my life back because I failed.”
“You didn’t fail,” he denied, looking over my shoulder into the darkness, almost as if he expected Airis to appear and strike me dead.
“There’s one way to know for sure,” I told him, wiggling out of his hold and going down the stairs into the dark yard.
“Heven, don’t do this, please.” His voice had grown quiet and desperate. “I can’t lose you too.”
I was already calling for Airis. But with his last words my voice died abruptly. “What do you mean lose me too?”
He was rushing down the stairs toward me, pulling me into his arms, but it was too late.
Everything went white.
* * *
The InBetween was as white and empty as always. I searched every space for my father, for the slightest hint of him, but as usual, there was nothing.
“Things didn’t go as planned in Italy,” Airis said.
Sam stepped around me, half blocking me from sight. “That’s my fault. I didn’t realize the greatness of the threat. I was unprepared for Hecate and for Kimber’s betrayal.”
“He’s trying to protect me, to take the blame for something that I did.”
Sam didn’t even acknowledge that I spoke, but kept his gaze turned on Airis.
“You think that I’m going to take back the life I gave to Heven,” Airis said to Sam.
“The thought did cross my mind,” Sam said, once again trying to block me from her sight.
“She knows I’m here, Sam,” I said, annoyed. Why did he insist on taking everything on himself?
There was a hint of a smile on Airis’ face when she said, “If I was to take back the life I gave Heven, wouldn’t it make sense that I would take yours back as well, Sam?”
His body stilled.
“I did give Heven back her life, but then I took yours in payment for hers. Then I gave it back as well, therefore I restored both of your lives.”
“Leave Heven out of this,” Sam said tersely, not bothering to deny that what she was saying was true.
“I gave your lives back to you because they are important. I do not give and take away life so frivolously. I will not be taking your lives away as payment for the loss of the scroll.”
Sam practically stumbled from relief.
Airis actually looked like she was sorry for his fear. “Do not look at this as failure. Look at it as a bump in the road, a turn in the path you are walking.”
“So it is possible to get it back,” Sam said.
“I believe so.”
“Do you know if they have gotten it open?” I asked.
Airis shook her head. “I do not think so. The key that you have. It isn’t just any key. It’s enchanted and has to be inserted into the lock of the Treasure Map by a Supernatural Treasure for it to open completely. It is why you were being lured into Hell by the Dream Walker.”
“So he does need me to open it.”
“Yes.”
“We’ll get it back,” Sam vowed. “I know where a portal to Hell is.”
This was news to me. “You do?”
He nodded. “It’s a fountain in Portland. I’ve always been drawn to it.”
“You showed it to me once,” I said, remembering the day I walked in the rain to be with him. The day I tried my first bubble tea.
“That’s the place,” he said, nodding.
“It seems that you have somewhere to be,” Airis said.
Sam took my hand and we waited for Airis to send us back home.
“Remember, sacrifices might have to be made in your quest. Not everyone can be saved.”
For a moment my heart froze, I thought she was talking about my mother. But she was looking at Sam, whose face had gone unnaturally pale.
He opened his mouth to protest. I could feel the denial within him, but Airis cut off whatever he might have said by sending us back home.
* * *
Something wasn’t right. The minute our feet touched the grass in the yard at home, I knew that something was wrong. I glanced around, realizing what it was. It was even darker here than when we left.
“Why is it so dark?” I wondered.
“The porch light is off,” Sam said, looking in the direction of the house. I could make out the white stairs leading up to the porch and light was shining through the kitchen window and door. “Bulb must have burned out. I’ll replace it in the morning.”
“Oh.” I laughed. I guess all that talk of death and sacrifice up in the InBetween creeped me out.
“That didn’t go as bad as I thought it would,” Sam said.
“Yeah, she even seems to think that there is a chance we could get the scroll back.”
“We should leave as soon as possible to get it back.”
“How did you figure out where the portal was?”
“It was something Gemma said while we were in Italy about remembering a place that I was drawn to—I remembered the fountain. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed to fit.”
“I’ll call Cole and tell him. We can leave tomorrow.” I started toward the house, but Sam caught my hand and drew me back.
“Listen, Hev…”
I looked up at the hesitation I heard in his voice. “Yes?”
“There are some things going on with Logan… things that I haven’t told you about.”
“I know you feel caught between us, Sam. But you aren’t. I understand that he’s your family. Your brother. I won’t ever ask you to choose between us. You don’t have to.”
“You don’t know what he’s done.”
“I know that you love him. That’s all I need to know right now. We’ll figure the rest out.”
“I love you too, you know.”
“I know. It’s because I am so hot and the total package,” I joked. The turmoil within him was upsetting and I only wanted to take it away.
I saw his white teeth flash against the night and he laughed.
Just then Logan opened up the back door and stuck his head outside. “Sam?”
All the laughter died and Sam tensed. “I’m out here.”
Logan looked toward us. “You coming inside?”
“Be right there.” Sam moved by me and I caught his hand, threading my fingers through his. He gave my fingers a squeeze as we both walked to the house.
Whatever was going on with Sam had to do with Logan. Airis’s warning came flooding back in my mind.
I truly hoped that the sacrifice that she was talking about was not Logan. I would never make Sam choose between me and his brother, but if I had to choose, it would be Sam every single time.
And if it came down to that, I was very afraid that Sam would never forgive me.
* * *
“You’re sure this is the place?” Cole asked, staring at the fountain like he couldn’t quite wrap his head around the fact that it would take us into Hell.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I can feel its pull stronger than ever before,” Sam answered.
“Me too,” Logan said, his voice and eyes thoughtful. “I was here before. This is where I met China. The air around the fountain seemed to shimmer. Now I know why.”
I thought it was a little strange that Sam wanted to bring Logan. I was surprised when Sam told me this morning after I visited my mother that he filled Logan in on what happened in Rome and was bringing him along. As protective as Sam is over his little brother, taking him to the most dangerous place I could think of didn’t seem right. But when I voiced that, Sam looked at me with those whiskey eyes and asked me to trust him. He said he couldn’t explain now, but he would soon.
So, I let it go.
And here we stood at the portal. Me, Sam, my brother and his brother staring at a fountain, a pretty one at that, which supposedly led to a nasty, vile place. It was ironic really.
“So how do we, you know, use it?” I asked, looking dubiously at the fountain. There wasn’t exactly a big handle and an arrow that stated ‘Enter here to go to Hell.’
“Just jump at it. You’ll get pulled in,” said a familiar voice behind us.
Cole was the first to turn around, but the rest of us were close behind him. “Gemma.”
Her gray eyes brushed over Cole almost like she was assuring herself that he was okay, even knowing that he was, before turning her gaze to the rest of us. “You guys going right now?”
“That’s the plan,” Sam said.
“I’m coming with you.”
I smiled. For a girl who seemed to keep people at bay and not let anyone close, she sure was taking an interest in us. Or maybe it was just Cole.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Cole said, going to her side.
She nodded. “I can help. I know things that you all don’t.”
“Like what?” Sam asked.
“Like how to get out of Hell once you’re there.”
“Isn’t there another portal?” I asked, my nerves making my stomach shake. I thought there would be another portal like this one.
“No. This is a one-way portal. You cannot get out this way.”
“Then how do we get out?” The thought of being trapped in Hell, that soulless, colorless place was a living nightmare.
“You can leave the underworld at any place at any time. All you need is a Lucent Marble.”
“We don’t have one of those,” I said, frustrated. We didn’t have time to find one of these Marbles; we needed that scroll back. Now.
“They are in Hell. You can get one when you get there.”
“Where are they?” Sam asked.
“You can find Lucent Marbles at the bottom of any body of water,” Gemma responded.
“But the water there is disgusting. It’s thick and black—it looks like chunky oil,” I said, recoiling at the thought of going into the water.
“How do you know?” Sam asked, alarmed.
“My dreams,” I said simply. They were actually nightmares, but it turns out that they might be helpful.
“Of course they will be in a disgusting place,” Gemma quipped. “Did you think that the way out of Hell would be easy?”
“How do you know all this?” Cole asked Gemma.
“I’ve been around a long time. Plus, I have the books.”
“The books?” I asked, intrigued.
“Leather-bound books that pretty much tell you everything about Heaven and Hell.” Gemma continued, “The Marbles are translucent, clear. It’s why they’re called Lucent. The water is so thick it coats them and makes it very difficult to see on the bottom. Sam is the only one that will be able to get them. He alone is strong enough to swim to the bottom; the fact that he’s a hellhound and incapable of drowning gives him the time he needs to find them.”
“I’ll find one,” Sam vowed.
I wondered why she didn’t include Logan in her explanation. He was a hellhound too. Wouldn’t that make him capable of going down there?
“To leave Hell, all we need to do is smash it onto the ground and a portal will open. Move quickly because they do not stay open for long.”
“We could not have gotten this far without your help, Gemma. Thank you.”
Gemma didn’t know what to do with my sincere thanks. It seemed to embarrass her. So she said, “Let’s get this done.”
I turned away to join Sam at the fountain.
“Wait! There is one more thing you must know before we go,” Gemma said quickly.
We turned toward her once again.
“This is very important. Our time in the Underworld is limited. You cannot stay there for long.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“A human who has not died does not belong in Hell. It’s the same reason you cannot go into Heaven, only the InBetween. Your soul is still in your body.”
“If we can’t get into Heaven, why can we get into Hell?” Cole asked.
Gemma smirked. “It’s Hell. Of course it would allow you in, in hopes that you won’t get out and you will lose your soul.”
I hadn’t realized I could get any more afraid than I already was. I pushed the feelings away before Sam picked up on them. He was already worried enough and rethinking his decision to allow me to come.
Gemma spoke again, drawing me out of my thoughts. “When you’ve been down there too long you will begin to feel your insides shake. A violent shaking. The outline of your body will begin to blur as your soul begins to separate from your body. You MUST leave when this happens. If you don’t your soul will be stolen and you could be lost in Hell forever.”
“Thanks for the pep talk,” Cole quipped when we all stood there a little freaked out. “Way to give us some courage.”
Gemma shrugged. “I never said this was easy, but knowing what you are walking into will give you greater odds of walking out.”
I nodded.
“Let’s go,” Sam said, taking my hand.
Stay close to me.
Lately his protective nature made me bristle, but not this time. This time I was grateful for it.
“Just jump at it?” Sam asked Gemma again, glancing at the fountain.
She nodded. “It will recognize you because you are a hellhound. It only opens for those it recognizes. As soon as you jump, it will open and we’ll follow.”
He glanced at me then back at the fountain.
Together we jumped.
* * *
Going through a portal to Hell didn’t hurt, but it didn’t feel good either. It was like being sucked through a giant vacuum and then being pushed out the other side. I would have fallen on the ground if Sam had not been there to catch me.
I rested my cheek against his chest briefly before he set me on my feet, trying to make the moment longer than I knew it could be. Cole followed me through the portal and hit the ground with an oomph. Gemma, of course, landed gracefully.
The portal snapped shut, instantly leaving us trapped in Hell.
We are not trapped,
Sam reminded me before turning back to our first view of Hell. Well,
their
first view.
We were silent as we took stock of our surroundings. The place was as I remembered it: a completely colorless, barren landscape that appeared to have been destroyed by fire. The sky was sunless with nothing but gray, threatening low-hanging clouds. Beneath our feet was not grass, but dirt and sharp rock. The entire place spoke of despair and pain.