Page 24 of Charmed

“What about the Elemental, Portia-Maer? The one with the healing kiss.” Darium stepped forward, looking down at the couple and shaking his head. “Couldn’t she help them?”

“Yes, she probably could,” said Alaina. “However, it is not right to ask my friend to use her healing powers every time someone is dying. If so, no one would ever die, and that would be a problem. It is part of the cycle of nature to die. Mayhap it is this couple’s destiny to go this way.”

“I no longer believe we have destinies, but that we make our own,” said Darium with a shake of his head. “But I suppose I understand what you are saying. Well, there is nothing more any of us can do then. I will take care of burying their bodies as soon as they cross over.”

Ask him! Quickly, said the man, looking directly at Persimmon.

“I don’t understand what you mean,” she whispered to the ghost man, but Stone heard her.

“Who are you talking to?” he asked, looking around. “And what don’t you understand?”

“I will make the proper preparations and notify the gravedigger.” Darium started for the door.

“Sin Eater,” she repeated the words aloud, still puzzled by what they meant. Darium stopped in his tracks. His head slowly turned and his blue eyes fixated on her.

“What did you say?” he asked in a deep voice, making her feel as if she’d somehow said something wrong.

Go on. Ask him. He’s the one. The old couple huddled together, looking so lost and forlorn. She had to try to help them somehow even if she wasn’t able to save their lives.

“They’ll need a sin eater,” she said, dropping her gaze to the ground and swallowing deeply.

“What the hell is a Sin Eater?” asked Stone, seeming amused by the words.

“I—I’m not sure,” she whispered, staring at the floor now and wringing her hands together.

“I am a Sin Eater.” Darium turned and scrutinized Stone now. “Or, should I say I used to be.”

“Oh.” Stone’s smiled disappeared. “So, it is a real thing then?”

“My husband doesn’t sin eat anymore, I’m sorry.” Talia hurried over to join them.

Please. Don’t let us go to The Dark Abyss, begged the old woman, but, of course, Persimmon was the only one who could hear or see the ghosts.

“He has to,” said Persimmon. “If not, the couple might go to The Great Abyss?” She wasn’t sure what any of this meant. They didn’t speak this way on Lornoon. She just repeated the message, hoping someone would understand.

“The Great Abyss? What is that?” asked Stone.

“It’s a place that no one ever wants to go. And that means me, too,” answered Darium.

“I don’t understand,” said Persimmon. “What does this all mean?”

“My husband used to be a Sin Eater, taking on the sins of others at death,” explained Talia. “However, by doing this, in exchange, it condemned him to spend eternity in The Dark Abyss instead.”

“The Dark Abyss is what some people call Hell,” explained Darium, seeing that she and Stone didn’t understand.

“He eats…sins?” Stone ran a hand through his long hair, looking like he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes. Food and drink is placed atop the chests of the dead who died before they were able to confess their sins,” Darium explained. “I absorb their sins by eating and drinking the items from their bodies.”

“I have never heard anything so absurd,” said Stone. “You are not really going to do it?”

“Is that what you saw in the crystal orb?” asked Darium. “Is that what I’m to do?”

“Well I…yes, it is.” Persimmon answered, not wanting the old couple to go to such a dark place for all eternity. She also didn’t want to explain about her lack of power with the crystal orb or the fact she could see ghosts. She wasn’t sure how others would view her if they knew the truth.

“But you weren’t even looking into the gazing orb when you told us that,” said Stone softly, but thankfully no one else heard him.

“Even if that is what the prophetess saw, you shouldn’t do it, Darium,” warned Talia. “Please, don’t risk it again.”