Page 84 of The Gods Order

“The last thing I’m trying to do right now is be funny.”

“My, my, my,” Vihaan muses. “It would seem the power of Death has evolved.”

I drag in a slow breath through my nose and force my shoulders to relax.

He’s right. It has evolved. More than I ever hoped.

I desperately wanted what happened in Oddian with Mr. and Mrs. Armend to be a fluke. A weird reaction to my power boost. I can’t be delusional or in denial any longer. The proof is staring me in the face.

He’s a soul.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

And souls answer to me.

“You can actually see me,” Vihaan says, studying me with open fascination now. “Interesting.”

“Yeah. Well.” I clear my throat roughly. “Sure as fuck wish I couldn’t.”

“Oh gods,” Sevryn mutters beside me as he grips the roots of his hair. “You’ve finally snapped.”

“He’s real,” I grunt.

“Mhmm.”

“I’m serious.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

My jaw tightens.

I want to snap back at him. Tell him to fuck off. Punch him. Instead, I stare at the soul standing three feet away.

He looks exactly like he did the last time I saw him.

Right before I killed him.

The only difference is he’s no longer solid. He’s bathed in a gray essence that captures every feature perfectly. He also doesn’t walk, per se. More so floats, though his legs move like he’s lifting each and setting his foot down. He circles Sevryn and his expression shifts with each observation.

Wonder. Confusion. Grief.

“He looks exactly like Seveous did when he was younger,” he murmurs. “The eyes. The posture. Even the frown.”

Sevryn shifts uncomfortably under my stare. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

“He’s circling you. He says you look like your father.”

He both sneers and falls still.

Vihaan stops beside him and tilts his head.

“What is his power?”

The hope in his voice tightens my chest.

“What are you doing here?” I ask instead and his attention flicks back to me.

“What an odd question.”