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Would I survive the drop? Would the water be deep enough? Knowing my luck, I’d probably bean another car

As I clirandinterest, I’d absently asked, "De-cappa-what?"

I knew Gran had revealed at least one other way I could die, but I couldn’t re my life that she hadn’t said: "You can drown"

Once we reached the beginning of the bridge, I gasped, "I need to rest"

Lark slowed her horse "No can do, E the entire county, and we’ve got Teeth all around us"

Even better I’d float right past them! "I can’t walk any farther My feet are about to fall off"

Death said, "Carry on, or I can drag you behindaze "Have you a plan, creature?"

"Can’t read hts any"

"Malingering? I don’t speak SAT" The fog was so thick I couldn’t see the ht leap right onto the exposed edge of the riverbed After my experience in the mines, the last place I wanted to be was in the water Could I make myself do this?

"You act exhausted," Death said "But you’ve fight left in you yet" He sounded approving

"I do And I’ht my way On my time"

His eyes widened with realization "Ste as far along the bridge as I dared before veering toward the railing Death spurred his ht before they reached"No closer!" Unable to usewas the width of a balance beam I’d trained on a beam--I could do a backflip on this if I needed to, I assured limpse of the water Whichcar or a piece of house I’d have to fall blindly into that thick bank of fog

Behind me, Death dis" Over my shoulder, I watched him ease closer, just as he had in one of rave; vu rackedhis ar off the rail

"If you jump, you’ll die, Empress" Debatable "As I’ive theaot your weak" I took a deep breath I closed my eyes

Stepped off

He bellowed curses as I plu air whipped my hair above my head like the tail of a comet My sto!

The i led to stay above the surface using onlyfor air as debris battered e Slice I felt the pressure of the wounds--and the odd warmth of gy shore slid by so quickly Racing Like the road had when I’d been on the back of Jack’s rew louder Was Ifaster? Drop-off ahead? I couldn’t wipe ed dozens of feet The pressure of the falls shoved me into the deep, but I bobbed up like a cork Just as quickly I was sucked down again A vortex?

Only this ti, I felt ! I strained to see in the churning water

Eerie shapes and rave No--not yet!

Behind e blocks of ceht on one If I could get lower, I could unhook eyser

I struggled to swiht fast, couldn’t find the edge of the concrete I usedI ca out of airFight, Evie!

My lungs screa, --but

Maybe I’d be seeing et to dreaht as hard as I could not to, I inhaled water The end, then My eyelids slid shut

A watery grave

23

I sat on a tree trunk on the riverbank, watching without emotion as Death carried my corpse to the shore

Out-of-body experience? Didn’t know I felt aloof, as if I could be eating popcorn as I watched the scene play out Maybe this hat peace felt like I wondered ifaway

Why was there no bright light calling me home? Oh, yeah: no heaven for Arcana

As Death laid my body on the sand, I saas in seriously bad shape My bluish lips were parted, yet no breaths passed theled all over my face My arms were still bound behindbid for freedootten e loo to taunt me

Death stood and paced, dressed only in his pants No armor, his defenses down What a s on his skin? Across his chest were black tattoos of weird-looking runes, jagged designs that seemed to scream blade With reluctance, I admitted that they didn’t detract fronificent to look at

He ran his hand over his wet face, glancing down at usted withhooves neared Lark leapt fro up to Death "Resuscitate her!"

He ignored the girl, continuing to pace

"If you let her die, then she stole from you--her death is yours to deliver, not hers to take whenever she freaking feels like it!"

Ogen lurched into vieling to the rainy sky, "I feast, I feast!"

Lark kept badgering Death "Boss, you said you enjoyed her suffering, that it was onna let her cut your enjoyer This was popcorn watching, after all

"I FEAST! Let me desecrate her--"

"Silence, both of you!" Death yelled, thunder ruuage, then fell to his knees besidein a breath as he leaned down to deliver it to me--