73. Kami

73

Kami

" O nce the realms were layered. And everything had its own place."

Sebastian's voice mesmerizes with the truth, with a story never heard by mortal ears. I can hear what he says and doesn't say, and I'm astounded at being so blessed.

And yes, that "being blessed" appeared in my thoughts courtesy of Sebastian, though it remains unsaid.

He clears his throat, and I focus on him once more.

"The humans lived in a world without magic, filled with technology and faith and disbelief. They tried to bond with each other; alas, their poor connections rarely lasted, breaking in death but for a rare few.

"The fae warred and loved as fae are wont to do. They dallied with forbidden magic and entwined the ethereal realm, which poked holes in the human realm, allowing some fae and some ethereals to escape. Thus you have human belief in angels and demons and the occasional story of fae.

"The ethereal realm considered themselves much too important to deal with the lower classes, those of mortal humans and fae. And they tried to impose their will on the other planes."

"Excuse me." I hold up a hand, fascinated. "Other planes? I thought we all merged: humans, fae, ethereal—to include angels and high demons, and their unacknowledged kin, the spawn."

Sebastian nods with approval. "Correct and well spoken. But there are many other planes of existence that escaped The Meld. My brothers and I decided that only the three closest planes belonged together."

I'm aware my jaw has dropped open, but I'm stunned. This being and his brothers caused The Meld? The most significant moment in the history of all fae-kind?

"Oh, there are other, more important standouts in your history. You just don't know them yet."

"Yet?"

"I am After, Kami. I am what happens in the course of Time. Just as Death and Life and Love have their purpose, so do I."

I nod to keep him talking, not understanding everything he's saying.

He sighs. "My job is to make sure the end satisfies the beginning. So that the reason for The Meld remains intact."

"What reason is that?"

He laughs. "You're not meant to know. I don't think you'd understand even if I did tell you."

I'm dying to know.

He laughs harder. "No pun intended."

"Huh? Oh." I blush, recalling he reads minds.

"In any case, The Meld is vital to After. Beyrthnel is trying to change the path of my intended plan. And I'm not happy about that." He frowns. "I still don't understand how he was even able to interfere. "

"Maybe one of your brothers helped him."

He blinks. Then his eyes narrow as he looks at me. "My, my. You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

I shrug.

"Just so, Kami. Just so."

He pauses, and we sit in silence.

I cough to clear my throat. "So, ah, the story? The Meld, the gods interfering. Your plan…?"

"Yes. The plan is for The Merge to do its job."

"Whatever that is," I mutter, wishing he'd tell me. What good is being dead if I don't get to learn anything I'd never learn when alive?

He tries to hide a smile. "My purpose is to correct this interference. And for that I've chosen you. A simple necromancer with untapped potential. You are what attracts the gods. You are what has made Caethybdue lose track of what she began when she agreed to help."

"What did she lose track of?"

"The grand After." Sebastian loses his smile, his serious expression scarier than anything I've seen on anyone's face, including Beyrthnel's. "You see, Kami, if the gods take over the mortal realm, my After will cease to exist. And then I will cease to exist."

"How is that possible? I thought you were Eternal, with a capital E. More powerful than the gods."

"I am. We are." He nods to his left, and suddenly his twin appears. "This is Leon."

"H-hello, Leon," I say very politely.

Unlike Sebastian, in what I think of as his grim reaper robe, Leon wears jeans and a tee-shirt. The brothers have the same features except that Leon has blond hair, one blue eye and one brown eye. Sebastian's hair is short and dark, and his gray eyes are filled with storms that never stop.

"Hello." Leon looks me over. "Ah, one of her aspects." He lights up. "It's like you're Raine's sister without being my granddaughter."

"I'm sorry?"

Sebastian glares. "Do you mind? I'm trying to make sure tomorrow comes, and you're messing around with family trees that don't exist."

"Technically, nothing exists." Leon shrugs. "It's all about perception."

"We don't have time for your philosophical discussions about Life." Sebastian pauses. "Where is Henry anyway?"

"Who?" I cut in, wishing they'd speak clearly instead of confusing me further. Because who the heck is Leon, even?

Leon scowls at Sebastian. "You make everything so complicated."

Sebastian says something back to Leon in what sounds like a language but is nothing I've ever heard. Leon responds. They argue and wave their hands around for a few moments before Sebastian huffs. "Fine. You explain it while I fetch her annoying djinn friend."

He disappears, and Leon takes his place on the bench. There's something comforting about this Ever, something that feels like home.

"Of course I feel like home. I'm Death."

I just stare. "Death? Like Caethybdue?"

He laughs, and I'm drawn to his joy.

"I don't represent death, Kami. I am Death. Gods and goddesses of my patronage are tasked with continuing the flow of all things."

"Wouldn't that be Life's job?"

"You would think so wouldn't you?" He looks pleased. "So I've said to him many times over many years. But he's busy keeping the worlds turning. Creating this and that and blah, blah, blah. I'm responsible for giving him the clay to make his pots. Without me, there is no substance."

"Substance?"

"Of anything."

I frown in thought. "Necromancers are all about Balance. Moving energy, rebirth. Death is just a phase. Not an end."

"No. It's the End." He shakes his head. "But you are also correct in that without me, there is no Life. And without Life, there is no you."

"You're confusing."

He pats my knee. "I know. But I wanted to clear some things up, and Sebastian makes everything more complicated."

"I'll say," Ahza says as he pops into existence next to the bench. Then he smiles innocently at Sebastian, who joins us. "But he's the best boss any of us could hope to have. He's all about the future."

Sebastian sniffs. "Truth."

Ahza looks at Leon. "Sir, could I explain it?"

Leon cocks his head. "Sure. Let's see a djinn's take on After."

"Kami, it's like this. Caethybdue could have saved you from dying, but she made a deal with her brother and let him have you. And your death gave him the power to regroup and prepare to be reborn into an avatar, a representation of himself in the mortal plane."

"But why would she turn on me? She doesn't want him to win, does she?" I had thought Caethybdue was my ally.

"Of course I don't want him to win," the goddess of Death says as she appears next to Sebastian. But she's frowning at Leon. "But without this loss, After would surely not survive."

She turns to me. "And this is beyond your pay grade, little dryad."

I have no idea what a "pay grade" is, but I'm hurt, because I'd begun to believe in the goddess and feel her betrayal keenly. "You let him hurt me like that? You knew?"

Caethybdue sighs. "Ahza, tell her what she must do. And fast. You have a limited amount of time to return." She puts two fingers between his eyes, and he morphs back into his large, aggressive djinn form with a third eye. Then she turns to the Evers and scowls. "You two, we need to talk. There's not much time. And yes, George is a part of the problem. A big part."

Then she barks a word at me, and I'm gone.

And returned to the living, staring up at all four of my guys.

Who have circled to protect me from a monstrous djinn.

From Ahza, who gnashes his teeth at them but sees me waking and waves.

"Hey, Kami. Guess what? I'm back!"