“And that’s exactly what will happen the moment she goes into the Basin,” said Flora. “She’ll get cut off.”
“Chop suey,” said Pluto. “Ka-plooey. Light’s out. Check, please.”
“We don’t know for sure,” said Johann. “And as you said a moment ago, Cedric’s soul always emerges from the Basins because they can’t keep him. Because he’s not dead.”
“Cedriccan’tdie!” exclaimed Flora. “He’s hardly a good example of what’s likely to happen to Helena. And when he has gone in in the past, his body at least has been dead—however temporarily.”
“His body revives itself,” argued Johann, “which draws his soul back. The case could be the same for Helena.”
“Could be,” stressed Flora with a growl. “It could alsonotbe the case.”
“I want to try,” I said, my gaze bouncing between the two of them.
“You want to try dying?” challenged Flora.
“It’s not like I haven’t before,” I said, exasperated. “Aside from that, aren’t I destined to anyway?”
“Aren’t we all?” mumbled Johann from beside us, drawing both our gazes.
“Aye,” said Flora, “everyone except for you. And Cedric. And Grim.”
“Just my point,” said Johann. “Cedric, Grim, and I—we all sidestepped fate, did we not? I at least did not expect to. And aside from that, Flora,youare currently here and out of fairy prison because Grim asked for his duties to be split with another. He saved you. He’s protected me—more than once, I can only assume. Here has arrived our chance to roll the dice again despite the odds and to strive to repay him.”
Flora shook her head, more tears falling. “It’s not that I don’t want to save Grim. I’d go into that Basin meself if I could.”
“You can’t because you’re not a spirit,” I guessed.
“Johann and I,” said Flora, “we’re still in our physical vessels. To smuggle you into the White Basin, Grim was going to need to drink from the Basin’s waters while carrying your soul in his hourglass. Presumably, the essence of that realm would have disguised his soul and cloaked yours long enough for Grim to carry you in. Once the waters wore off, the Basin would kick him back out—but The Few don’t monitor souls coming out. Just those going in…”
I took a steadying breath and then asked the obvious question. “What happens if I drink from the Black Basin?”
“The answer to that,” said Johann, his tone grave, “is… anyone’s guess.”
I turned and started for the door, but Flora’s wings flittered, and she zipped ahead of me, blocking the exit with both arms.
“Grim wouldn’t want this,” she said. “He wouldn’t want anything terrible to happen to you. He didn’t want you to die.”
“You’re right,” I said. “And Grim tried to stop my death from happening. He saved me… so many times. Now it’s my turn to save him.”
“I’lldrink from the Basin,” said Flora. “I’ll go in to get him.”
“In truth,” said Johann, “I almost offered to do the same myself. But… none of us knows what lurks beyond the barrier of any of the Basins—let alone the Black. Flora and I—what if either of us is destined for it? Given our… histories, I cannot discount it. In thatcase, either of us could become trapped—and dead—as well. But Helena, we know, is a Fated. She is destined for the White Basin. So the Black. Itcannotkeep you.”
“It has to be me,” I agreed, already ten steps ahead of them on this. Not because I understood how the Basins worked, but because I understood… how Grim worked.
Who knows what state I would find him in? I did know, however, that he had come to recognize the feel, the shape, the light of my soul. If nothing else, hewouldrecognize me. And I would recognize him. No matter what.
“Only the darkest souls go into the Black Basin,” Flora warned, her voice dropping with dread. “Whatever happens in there, whoever—whateveryou encounter. Johann and I won’t be able to get you out.”
“You can sit with my body,” I said, “and protect it in case Cedric comes back.”
“If you don’t die the moment you go in that Basin!” she piped.
“Even if I do,” I said, “I can still get Grim.”
“He’s going to be so mad,” Flora said, her bottom lip trembling like she still hated this plan but also like she didn’t want to fight my resolve anymore. Like she finally grasped what Johann had the moment I’d entered the Hallowed Halls tonight. That this, trying to convince me not to attempt to save the man I loved, was a losing battle.
“He might be mad,” I said, stepping up to Flora, who, after lowering her arms in defeat, shifted aside to clear the way, “but even an eternity of his anger is still better than losing him to the Black Basin.”
