Page 9 of Thorn & Ash

On instinct, Evander reached for her, even knowing he wouldn’t be able to feel her solid form. As he did so, her spirit vanished, leaving an empty silence in its wake.

Stunned, Evander stared at the space where she had been, horror turning his stomach. Where had she gone? Where could she go? If she was part of Cocytus, then this river was her home. She had no other connections.

Evander turned, thinking she’d perhaps floated farther down the river. He hurried down the river bank, occasionally peering into the waters to search for her. Panic erupted in his mind. He thought of Cyrus finding out about this. Would he punish Evander? Would he re-assign him? If Cyrus imprisoned him, he would find out about Evander’s dark secret…

Oh, gods, no.

Evander froze when that same haunting melody pricked his ears. He turned, and there she was, taking shape in front of him once more. Panting, Evander dropped his arms and sagged with relief. “What happened?” he asked.

The woman blinked slowly. “I saw my sister. She pulled me back. Just for a moment.” Her eyes sparkled as if with tears.

“That’s not possible,” Evander said. “As I mentioned before, once you pass on, you cannot return.”

“I’m not lying,” the woman said.

“I know.” His tone was gentle. “I am only conveying the laws of the Underworld. It’s clear something has gone wrong with your transition into death.” He scrutinized her, but her gaze was distant, seeing past him. He imagined she was thinking of her sister. “What’s your name?”

“Mona. Pomona Donati.”

Even her name sounded like a song, rolling off her lips like a soothing melody. “Mona, I will do everything I can to solve this mystery and ensure your safe passage through my river. Did you have any control when you were pulled to your sister?”

“I—I don’t know. Once I was there, I didn’t know how to get back, but… I didn’t want to come back.” Guilt creased her expression, but Evander couldn’t blame her. Death had ripped her from her life. Of course she would want to return to her loved ones.

“If it happens again, will you test your strength? See if you can go back and forth at will?”

“Do you want me to try now?” Her voice was eager, as if she yearned for the challenge.

Evander’s mouth quirked into a small smile. “You don’t have to. Most souls are weak when they first cross over. I don’t want to push your limits, especially if you are unbound.”

“Unbound?”

“It’s the term we use for souls who are disconnected from their mortal forms. Most of them transform into orbs, and their bodies become dormant, absorbed by the soul. They will reunite with their mortal forms later once they have fully processed their journey through death. But for now, they are content with floating along this river.” Evander gestured to the river’s depths. As he did so, a faint cry of agony drifted from the waters, echoing in the air.

Evander winced. “Well, mostly content. Some are still grieving the loss of their life, which is to be expected.”

Mona looked at him then, her silvery eyes spearing right through him. Evander shifted uncomfortably on his feet, uneasy with this strange sensation of a soul looking directly at him. He was so accustomed to them being shapeless orbs, unable to interact or pry or do anything.

And yet, this woman was here, inspecting him. He felt laid bare before her as if he could hide nothing from her pensive gaze.

“Why would you help me?” she finally asked.

“It’s my duty as overseer of the river Cocytus,” Evander replied immediately, the response instinctive.

“Yes, but… if one soul is hurt, it’s not your job to mend them, is it? That seems like a rather complicated task.”

Evander heard what she wasn’t saying: You don’t seem powerful enough to handle this situation.

She wanted someone else to help. Someone more capable.

Perhaps someone like one of his brothers.

He straightened, defiance blazing in his chest. “I assure you, I am perfectly equipped to manage this. And I’ll prove it to you.” Just because he wasn’t frightening and overbearing, like Marcellus or Leonidas, didn’t mean he was weak or incompetent.

Not all strengths paraded loudly for all to see. Some were quieter, lingering just beneath the surface.

Mona’s expression softened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just—this is not at all what I expected.”

Evander wasn’t sure if by this she meant death, or her unbound state. Both were startling and traumatic. She must have endured quite an ordeal to wind up here at such a young age.