“The ghost’s soul will remain on this plane until the other passes. Unable to communicate, unable to interact, doomed to pine their soul’s craving until the other eventually dies.”
“That sounds . . .”
“Harsh? Barbaric?” The Bondsmith barked another laugh.
I rubbed a hand over my beard, thinking of Peytor.
Could I doom him to that fate?
“I’ll do it.”
I jumped at the voice that interrupted our conversation and saw the Bondsmith try to hide a smile.
“How long have you been listening?” I barked as I saw Peytor step into my line of sight. He must have hovered in the doorway while the Bondsmith roped me in with her tale of the gods and Meru.
Peytor shrugged. “Long enough. And I’ll do it.”
“Even if you’re a ghost for years? Lonely and unable to speak to me or anyone else?”
Peytor nodded his head once.
“What if I’m fucking your sister and you’re forced to watch? What then?”
Peytor wrinkled his nose in disgust before turning to the Bondsmith. “Can I close my ghostly eyes and ears?”
Her laugh was loud and echoed through the space. “I don’t think I’ve had this much humor in my life since I met my husband. But yes, Peytor. There are ways to turn off your ‘ghostly eyes and ears.’” She chortled again, and Peytor grinned at me.
“Then I’m in. Let’s do it.”
I gaped at him, touched by his loyalty and conviction.
“I have my own cost as well, Lord d’Eshu,” the Bondsmith said, pulling me from my thoughts. I raised my eyebrows at her to continue. “When you get to the Academy, I need you to seek out my daughter. She is important to all of this and will be an invaluable help to you as you attempt to rescue Ellowyn.”
“Do the gods know everything?” I muttered, and she smiled slyly at me, a sharp intelligence in her gaze.
“Only those that are fathered by Fate.”
I filed that information away to dissect later—there wasmuchmore to the Bondsmith than reached the eye.
“Do we have an agreement?”
I looked at Peytor once more, only seeing conviction in his eyes, before I nodded my head. “We do.”
I felt something coil around my soul, a small thread binding me to the goddess in the chair across from me.
“The bargain is struck,” she said simply with a shrug of her shoulders. “You’ll know when and how to complete your end of it. The bargain will pull you to the right place at the right time. It’s all quite easy, actually.”
I sighed as I rubbed my hands down my face.
“Fucking gods,” I muttered, much to the Bondsmith’s amusement.
“Indeed, Lord d’Eshu. Now, shall I fulfill my end of the bargain?”
I pushed up from the couch and clapped Peytor on the shoulder before answering her.
“Yes, Bondsmith. Create my tether.”
Chapter 20
