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The pressure onlared, practically growling “It’s my soul I’m the one who’ll try and call it There’s no point in both of us dying today” I didn’t protest We both knew the Pool could kill us There was no tiree else within the waters, or what to do if Eric was killed

Without another word, Eric slid his hand beneath the surface of the water Stepping back, I watched an odd expression slide over his face as his lashes lowered Eric watched the cal ripples around his subed hand The tension that lined his shoulders eased, and he almost seemed peaceful

But I kne that Eric would never have peace It was his price for using the stone It ry and bitter Time wouldn’t heal his wounds Rather, it see theuide him, Eric seemed lost He’d spoken to Lorren a little bit, but both of the the stone, that they weren’t much help to each other

I fixedit to wrap around Eric’s arms and pull him under, but the Pool re norainst Eric’s wrist And that’sit A pale figure eed froure that I recognized I knew that the soultoward us was the Eric I killed It was the Eric who saved me so many times This as left of him—a silent soul, bound to the Pool

My body tensed as Eric’s frozen soul rose out of the water, higher and higher He strode toward us with that fa down on the cool liquid beneath as if it were solid rock Wide-eyed he stared at us, saying nothing As the soul moved toward us, Eric remained at my feet with his eyes pressed closed I watched hi whether or not I should say anything Would the soul slip back into the water if I alerted Eric? I didn’t know So I waited until his soul was a stone’s throay

Leaning forward, I tapped Eric’s shoulder, and said, “Look” I’d bent down slightly, and leaned over his shoulder Lifting my arm, I pointed toward the spot where his soul stood—pale and shihostly form

Eric had been crouching, lost in thought When he opened his eyes, he was startled to see aso close If he reached out, he could touch thehe ever owned My eyes darted between the two I didn’t kno Eric would react—either one of them But neither one of them moved They both stared at each other

My heart jumped into my throat as I heard a sound A small noise carried across the water Eric and I both stared and then looked at each other So We didn’t have time for this We didn’t have tiet out As it was, I had no idea where Kreturus went after I nearly killed him I seriously doubted that he’d spare ed an ancient de with his lost souls

I sed hard and lifted my hand from his shoulder “Eric Ask him Ask him where the stone is”

Eric’s soul turned his head slowly toward old—they were Caribbean blue My breath caught in my throat The soul contained all of Eric’s softness The kindness, the things that teeance were all contained in the being in front of us Thatnext to me was pure evil—and I made him that way I made him …

Eric reached his long fingers out toward his soul Eric’s soul ers lined up perfectly, like a ed between them

“Where did I hide the other half of Satan’s Stone?” he asked “I don’t remember, but I know you do Can you tell me?” Eric’s voice didn’t shake, but it didn’t sound normal either He didn’t control himself in that second, and his emotions hit me like a brick

My eyes darted between the the anxiety and hopelessness that ithin Eric I edged closer to the two,to Eric’s soul to see what he would say

A fa my heart leap into my throat “The dead can’t speak”

CHAPTER TWO

Collin stood in the shadows His hair was matted to his scalp Grime and blood were sht blue, richer than I’d ever seen them He stepped toward us

Eric’s arm flew up in front of me in a protective stance as he pulled me away from Collin He whispered in my ear, “Effonate” It wasn’t a request I tried to pull away, but Eric wouldn’t releasewith my brain I couldn’t think