“Oh.” His expression turned thoughtful.“Oh.”He nodded along. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“But will it work?” I pressed him, inching onto the edge of my seat. “Can I anchor a spirit in his body?”
“No.”
Now I was the one growling at the trickster. “Then why did you say it wasn’t a bad idea?”
“You’re thinking outside the box. That’s the only way to find a solution. Otherwise, he would have found one himself by now. Your idea is sound, but it won’t work.” He shrugged. “Kierce is, like you, immune to most death magics.”
“Mostis notall.” I dug my fingernails into my thighs. “Do you know of any loopholes?”
“The thing is…” He mulled it over. “Possession in his current, weakened statemightbe possible, but not here. The dead are too strong to obey your commands in Abaddon. Your only hope would be visiting the land of the living, where they’re at a disadvantage.”
The Suarezes wouldn’t pose an issue in that sense, but I didn’t want to risk their safety by bringing them to Abaddon if it was less risky attempting possession in our world. There was also a chance thatstrongermeantmore tangible, like with Anunit. A spirit with substance couldn’t enter a host, even if both parties were willing, no more than a living person could merge with another living person.
“That’s good news,” I said slowly, “but why are you changing your tune?”
“To control him, you would have to injure him and then keep reinjuring him to make him weak enough he couldn’t fight it. Even that might not be enough.” He flicked a glance down at my shoe. “How much are you willing to sacrifice to set him free?”
Toes scrunching inside my socks, I kept my voice steady as I said, “Whatever it takes.”
This was about more than Kierce. This was about keeping my family safe.
And there were no limits on how far I would go to protect them.
As I suspected,whatever it takesrequired the loss of yet another toe. That would put me down to eight. I considered which one would get the ax this time and decided to make it dealer’s choice. I remembered the flash of agony when I sacrificed my first toe to Anunit, who bit it off to seal my bond to the Alcheyvaha, and it made me want to tuck my feet under me to protect my little piggies from the chopping block.
“You won’t feel a thing.” Ankou produced his bone sword, gave it a twirl. “I’ll make it fast and clean.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Harrow stepped between us. “Get that thing away from her.”
The scuffle drew Carter and Josie to investigate, leaving us all standing in the center of the ring of fire.
“Before I donate to the cause—” I couldn’t stop my toes from curling, “—explain again how this would work?”
Stalling? Maybe. But I also didn’t want to be sliced and diced for no reason.
“I can introduce your toe bone to Kierce’s body through one of his wounds, then spell it to ricochet from rib to rib, piercing his organs. The continual damage would maintain his weakened state.” He spun his weapon across his palm. “Think of your bone as the metal ball in a pinball machine.” He paused, tilting his head to the left. “There’s also a slim possibility he would be more susceptible to your influence if a piece of you was inside him. That might give you the edge you need to make possession happen.”
“That sounds agonizing.” Josie leaned against Carter, who wrapped her arm around my sister. “How long would he have to suffer?”
“Until we break his bond to Dis Pater or kill him.” Ankou rolled his hand. “Dis Pater, not Kierce.”
“I can’t make that decision for him.” I wasn’t just saying it to avoid pain either. “Can he escape the cage on his own? Do we have to pick a lock? How does it work?”
Kierce told me that to make himself vulnerable required precautions, and he was safer behind bars while he was in Abaddon. That made it sound like he locked himself in and could let himself out, that it was his choice, but he had kept the details vague, sensing how much caging him distressed me.
“He can free himself.” Ankou, sensing I wasn’t ready to stick a toe out for the guillotine yet, returned his sword to a finger-length fragment then pocketed it. “I can restrain him while you ask your questions.”
From his tone, I got the sense restraint equaled more pain, and I wasn’t sure I had the right to make that call. Kierce hadn’t asked me to come after him. What happened to him next, any hurt he endured, would be my fault for not letting him go. But I had come too far to turn my back on him now.
“How do we know Kierce has control of his mind? That what he’s saying is what he thinks and not what he’s been told tosay?” Josie chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Can he answer truthfully for himself?”
Another good point. How much of our conversations might have been scripted? How many interactions coached? I wanted Kierce to have been real with me. From the start. I wanted it to be the truth so much, I had been a coward when it came to determining the full scope of his autonomy.
“Dis Pater has forced him to act against his morality.” Ankou thinned his lips. “He’s erased his memories to make that easier. But, at the end of the day, he can’t alter Kierce’s fundamental self.”
“Which means he’s aware when he does wrong,” Carter said slowly, “but he can’t stop himself.”
