“And they didn’t know they had lost their soul?”
He shook his head as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “From what I can remember, they wouldn’t notice a difference at all until they started to change.” His lips pursed. “It’s almost like the vamprys, but their transformation is more internal. Like eventually developing a lack of empathy and feeling unpredictable rage or engaging in sudden cruelty. Without their souls, they lose their memories of who they were, and when that happens, they become soulless…” He inhaled sharply, sitting straight. “Is that why you asked Tawny if she was sensitive to light?”
I nodded.
He didn’t speak.
“I…I don’t know if it was because of me trying to heal her when she was wounded by shadowstone or if the essence ofDeath reared its head. It could’ve even been the part of me that others feared.” Shame scalded my insides, even though I knew it wasn’t my fault. I hadn’t intended to do it, but I hadn’t understood my powers then, and that lack of knowledge hadn’t stopped me. “Either way, I did that.”
His eyes shut.
My fingers curled inward, nails digging into my palms as I felt Kieran drawing near. “I took her soul.”
Casteel twisted his head to the side. “Oh, Poppy,” he whispered.
“And I…I can’t release it.” My voice thinned as an ache settled deep inside me like a weight I couldn’t shake. I forced a slow, even breath. In and then out. “I Ascended with her soul, which shouldn’t have happened,” I told him, even though I didn’t fully understand it. “And her soul?”
Casteel’s eyes opened.
“It’s lost.”
He was before me in a heartbeat, his hands folding over mine. And, gods, this was why I loved him so damn much. We’d been arguing before Tawny showed up. Something was clearly up between us, but when it came down to it—when I needed him? He washere. “It’s not your fault. You were trying to heal her. You had no idea this could happen,” he said.
“I know.” And I did. Truly. But knowing it didn’t make things better. “I have to tell her.”
“You do.” He lifted my hand and pressed a kiss to my marriage imprint. “But before we do that, let’s try to find out if there is something we can do. We can check with Sven. See if he knows of anything. Even Willa. We have time.”
“How much?”
“It all depends on the person and how long they can hold on to who they are.” He smoothed his thumb over the imprint. “And Tawny is strong.”
“She is,” I said, desperately wanting there to be something we could do.
But thevadentiawas silent, and I didn’t know enough about the foresight to understand if that meant I simply didn’t know or if the silence was the answer.
That nothing could be done.
CHAPTER 30
CASTEEL
I woke with a start, my eyes snapping open.
Poppy wasn’t beside me.
My gaze immediately lifted to the gap between the curtains, and every muscle in my body locked up. Not again.
Poppy stood at the glass wall.
Sitting up, I tossed off the blanket. “Poppy?”
No response.
My chest clenched as I stepped down from the bed.
Two nights in a row?
I didn’t think this had anything to do with Stonehill.
