When We Were Still Human Vaughn Foster (the kiss of deception read online .txt) 📖

happened. If not within, perhaps the answers were on the other side.

Avia closed her eyes and tried to focus on the nothing. But as she half-expected, the nothing didn’t open its arms to her. Something else came instead.

She opened her eyes to find herself standing on a stone circle. Darkness stretched as far as she could see. It wasn’t the nothing, but something else. A veil. A bright flash blinded her and she shielded her eyes. When she opened them again, a giant door loomed several feet ahead. Flaming vines decorated the trim, the door itself made of swirling silver. Giant molten chains stretched across in an x pattern. The chains came together in a gigantic flaming lock that hung at the door’s center.

Avia stepped closer and could instantly feel the true nothing on the other side. The aether was past that. She reached out to touch the lock and a memory trickled out of its vault.

Alcohol, drugs. Loud music. Dancing. She was at a party. She had tried crossing to the aether but it didn’t work. Something went wrong and—

She froze. The house had burned down. Her fires scorched the aether and Earth Proper. Nothing made it out of the house alive.

“Cheshire!”

Tears broke the dam and cut down her cheeks. She threw herself against door, slamming her fist on the chains until a heat wave sent her stumbling back. The Mark on her shoulder burned. Fire enveloped her hands to form clawed gauntlets. Her eyes engulfed in flames and everything went red.

“Cheshire!”  She thrashed against the door, clawing ferociously at the lock and chains. She had to see it for herself. She had to break through. Zadkiel could’ve been wrong. Cheshire could still be in there; somewhere, just waiting for her to return to her throne of cotton candy and card soldiers and mountain climbing and hikes and concerts, yes, that was it.

A flaming fist slammed against the metal.

We’ll go back to Florida, and we’ll never go back to the other side. Life will be better, I promise.

Clawed hands grabbed the chains and pulled with inhuman force.

I’ll talk about a cute guy from the bar, you’ll pretend not to care, and I’ll kick your ass for scratching the couch.

An animalistic roar echoed across the darkness. The door was still standing without a scratch.

Avia clenched her teeth and pressed the very essence of her soul against the door. She channeled everything to her right hand, eyes set on the lock. Lava dripped down from her fingertips and melted the stone beneath. With a running start, she reeled back her hand and—

  Pain seared through Avia as she was ripped back into the stone hallway. A scorching heat unlike anything she’d ever felt flared on her right arm. She lay on her hands and knees, clutching the Mark. The burning throbbed like a heartbeat. It started in her arm then echoed in her chest. With every pulse, malice spread through her veins like magma. Sorrow and shame singed, then cauterized, leaving a spirit of ice in their wake.

A cold wind blew through the hall and Avia froze. She could feel something moving through the aether. It was getting closer, walking at a steady pace until it was close enough to cross the border.

“Hello, Avia.”

She recognized the voice and scowled. “What do you want?” She rose to her feet and met the Mad Hatter’s gaze. The light from outside passed through his blue skin to the floor. Her suspicion was correct: he wasn’t truly there.

“Well, deary,” he said, adjusting his hat. “To be honest, I was just curious how you were doing.”

“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” She tuned to leave.

“He’s dead, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Avia stopped. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing down the building fire in her chest. “I know.”

“I figured as much.” He floated through the air to stand beside her. “It’s just that I wanted to be upfront. I know that not knowing can sometimes drive people mad. I mean, yes, you’re already mad, but I’m talking about the other sense of the word

and—”

“Shut up!” The power surged to Avia’s hands and they lit ablaze. She thrust them forward and burned through the invisible barrier. Her fingers gripped the Hatter by the collar and pulled him close. “I don’t fucking need you in my life! I don’t need you, I don’t need Cheshire, I don’t need anyone!”

He slipped out of her grasp and scratched his chin. “Yes… I suppose you’re right. As should be expected from the Fourth. Arrivederci, Avia.”  He tipped his hat and offered a small bow, then slowly faded into the sunlight.

Avia huffed out a deep cloud of smoke and relaxed her shoulders. She imagined she was reaching down into her chest. She was pulling up the orb of sweltering hatred that had rooted itself earlier. When she had it, she closed her eyes and held it close to her heart. With the new sense of warmth, she continued down the corridor.

Chapter 16

“The infirmary is a separate building altogether,” Vladimir said as they walked along the clear stones. “When they were remodeling in 14 AD, they reasoned it’d be good to keep it away from the main structure in case some horrible disease made its way in. These corridors bridge to anywhere in the castle—the halls shift to put you where you’re thinking about. The angel who did the original spellwork died before he could work out the kinks, so stay close. Oh, watch your step, we’re here.”

Before Val could process, she was standing in a large lounge area. Golden rays splashed off pale blue walls from an enormous skylight. A white upholstered couch and loveseat sat in the center; matching armchairs were positioned near the fireplace a few feet over. A bar