“You have more than half a chance,” Gabe said with a chuckle. “You saw in him what I’ve always seen and no one else has. He would do for me what I did for him. Trading my soul to Death was not an easy decision, but I never would’ve done it for anyone else.”
“I probably wouldn’t have walked into the ocean for anyone else,” she said. “I am only sorry for you, Gabe. I don’t think Rhyn or I can save you.”
“I’m not sure I can save you. We’ll deal with one soul at a time.”
Katie’s gaze flickered from the snake-like movement of lively jungle trees to Gabe’s back. Gabe’s words terrified her. If the strongest man she’d ever met couldn’t save her, what hope did she have?
“I do know you need to be back soon, within a few days,” Gabe continued. “I’m not sure your mortal body will hold up much longer down here.”
Her fate was uncertain, but his was sealed. She saw it on his face every time he looked at her. Where he’d once looked almost noble with his chiseled features and air of command, he now looked haggard. When she gave herself too much time to think, she began to understand the depth of the despair he must’ve been feeling. After all, her own soul – and that of her daughter’s – was just as likely to be lost if she didn’t escape.
“How will I know if Death takes my soul?” she asked. “Does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t seem to,” he answered. “You’ll be made dead-dead first and then she’ll take your soul.”
“So the soul is a physical thing?”
He turned, and she stopped. With the tip of one dagger, he tugged a necklace free from the shirt hiding it. On it was two small green gems.
“Death has a twisted sense of humor, worse than mine,” he said. “These are what souls look like. She let me keep my mother and brother’s.”
Katie stared at the necklace, horrified by the idea of looking at a soul and fascinated by the fact they looked like emeralds. Gabe turned away and started through the forest again.