Uh … that was easy. Maybe even too easy. I looked at Rage, who was frowning at the dude.

“Uh, the gem you just swallowed was to secure our release as well,” I said, my stomach twisting uneasily. “I hope you didn’t misunderstand—”

“No, that wasn’t the deal.” The Keeper wagged a finger at me. “You said you came to trade for Honor Midnight’s release.”

“But you didn’t even let her finish speaking!” Rage snapped. “How is she supposed to call for Honor if she’s stuck down here? We need you to send us back to the mortal realm.”

“Sorry, pretty boy, the soul stone bought your brother’s release from this realm, not yours. And not hers.”

“You mean you won’t let us out of here?” My voice cracked as anger bubbled up inside of me.

He shrugged, clearly unperturbed by our distress. “Unless you have any more soul stones?”

Soul stone? What in the hell was that? Negotiating with swindlers was not in my skillset. At all.

“There must be something else you want! Blood of a virgin?” I extended my finger, and Rage swatted my hand away from the Keeper while glaring at me.

The Keeper laughed. “You’re both adorable. But what use is blood in the Realm of the Dead? Even yours, Spirit Walker.”

Okay…

“What about a favor? He’s going to be the alpha king one day.” I pointed to Rage, who narrowed his eyes at me. I wanted to snap at my mate, but my frustration wasn’t with him. Still, I wouldn’t mind a little help.

The Keeper grinned. “I have no use of a mortal favor. Now, if you have someone to take your place, I’d allow that and let you free.”

Rage’s face darkened.

“No. Way,” I growled as fury filled me. “You’re just like Surlama.”

He froze, spinning slowly, and pinned me with a narrow gaze. “How dare you compare me to that outer-ring cheat!”

Was he kidding? “How is what you just did any different than her? You tricked me by manipulating my words against me—and you know it.”

His eyes darkened until all I could see was black. “Fine. I’ll let you and your mate go if you’ll kill Surlama. I’d even be willing to owe you a favor.”

Wow! My hatred of the dark mage paled in comparison to the loathing emanating from the Keeper. I glanced at Rage, and he nodded, so I placed my fist over my left breast. “I will.”

He rubbed his hands together as his expression went from glaring daggers to eager, bright-eyed-grin in a heartbeat. “When?”

I gulped. He wanted a timeline? “Excuse me?”

“We’re making a deal. I want to know when I can expect her soul.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. I had no idea how hard it would be to kill her.

“Give us a week,” Rage demanded.

The Keeper winced. “Your brother has…” He paused a moment, closing his eyes. “Seventy-two hours, thirty-nine minutes, and seventeen seconds before he’s stuck here forever. I suggest something less than that.”

“Fine,” I growled with frustration. “We’ll give you Surlama’s soul within seventy-two hours if you let us see Honor, release us back to the mortal realm, and when we call for his soul, you let him come back. And you’ll owe me a favor worth a soul stone,” I added quickly.

Lesson one: Ask for a lot.

Lesson two: Obviously wording was very important.

I waited for him to push back, but he just grinned like a lunatic.

“Deal. I look forward to future negotiations with you, Spirit Walker.” Reaching out, he extended his hand.

I grasped it, and a jolt of electricity zapped me, all the way up to my elbow. “Oww.”

Rubbing my arm, I glared up at him. His smile, which I’d thought couldn’t be any bigger, stretched, and his eyes warmed with humor.

Dude was twisted.

“Honor is by the lake. You may have five minutes with him, and then I’m sending you back to the Magic Lands before your boy-toy”—the Keeper pointed at Rage—“bites the dust.” Then, the Keeper took a deep breath, eyeing me up and down, before finally shaking his head. “Besides, if I keep you any longer, the temptation may be too great—even for me.”

Did I even want to know what he meant by temptation? Before I could ask, he snapped his fingers, and we … poofed to the edge of the lake.

“This place is weird,” Rage growled, grabbing his stomach.

A spectral lady jogged past us with a wave, and the air shifted with her passing. Her steps made little puffs of dirt fly up as her feet hit the ground.

Huh. Interesting. She appeared so normal—like we were passing in the park and not the Realm of the Dead.

I was about to agree with him when I spotted Honor on a dock at the edge of the lake. The sweetest of the Midnight brothers sat with his feet dangling into the water. An older man was seated next to my friend, and as the older man spoke, Honor shook his head, his chin dropping to his chest.

“Honor!” I shouted like a maniac. Without Rage saying anything, we both took off at a full sprint toward the edge of the lake.

Honor raised his head and turned our way, and the man next to him did as well. Rage skidded to a stop, and I nearly tripped over my feet in my haste to find out what was wrong with my mate. His eyes were wider than I’d ever seen, and his mouth hung open.

One strangled word tumbled from his lips. “Dad?”

My heart followed my feet to a full stop before resuming its normal pace. Holy Mother Mage…

It never crossed my mind that…

I turned back toward Honor and his … dad. Whoa. Now that I looked closer, the man sitting next to my friend was the spitting image of him and all the Midnight princes, albeit a little older. Maybe … twenty-eight? Rage had been a few years old when he lost his dad, so they’d never gotten to know each other.

Was my mom here?

I wanted to spin around and look for her, but we were on limited time. What did we have, four more minutes? Three? Then the Keeper would zap us away, and that would be it.

Rage stumbled toward his father in shock, but my eyes were glued on Honor. Something wasn’t right. He wasn’t looking at us excitedly or anything. He looked dead—all the light and love inside my friend was gone.

“Son?” Rage’s dad stood, mouth unhinged. “You’re alive?”

When Rage tried to embrace his father, the two of them stumbled … and Rage walked right through his dad.

Oh … wow.

I had about a million questions, but … I knelt at Honor’s side, ignoring Rage and his father’s brief—and awkward—reunion.

“Honor?” I hesitated to even try to touch him after witnessing how well that went over for Rage. “It’s me, Nai.”

Honor looked at me, frowned, and then turned back to look at the lake. “You’re not real.”

I drew back in surprise and then looked up at Rage’s dad for answers.

He frowned, looking down at me. “A shocking and painful death has … repercussions.”

Oh mage. A sob formed in my throat.

“What do you mean? Is he okay?” Rage asked his father.

The man gazed down at his son, who stared out over the lake.

“I hope so.” The elder Midnight’s voice was distraught. “I’m working with him, and all we have is time… Eventually, he should be fine.”