Page 48 (1/2)

Upon seeing the living room, I pressed a hand to my chest It was exactly how I ree couch and TV, and very n In a daze, I walked back the short, narrow hall, passing a bathroo into the spacious bedroom

The bed was his--the black sheets, the pillows, and the scent of the sea and so leaves and man

But he wasn’t here

Because he was alive and I, well, I was dead

I spent hours in that bedroo up his scent, before I pulled myself away I opened the back door at the end of the hall and saw the garden--an exact replica of the one on Deity Island, the very one where I had met Grandma Piperi

Ripe blossoin to even naarden There was even an old stone bench

I turned back around, staring at the cottage

Once I’d foundday, the others around s of all different sizes, far cities And sunny palasbord of every place in the world

But that wasn’t all

Paradise was si around needs but not wants Over the course of tihts, I learned how paradise operated

What you needed, you got It was as siry, I would be hungry And if I needed a juicy steak, it would si my eyes If I didn’t need to eat, there were no stomach pains If I needed to wear jeans or a dress, all I had to do was open the closet, and there they would be

There was more

Apparently when you died and you were scarred up like I was, you got an after-life th it had been before Ares had giventhe middle of my back, the ends were neat, and the strands were shiny and soft At first, I’d been obsessed withit up and waving it across my face

When you’re dead, it’s not like you have much else to do

Up until that veryin until my eyes almost crossed, I studied my reflection in the one They were also gone froone further than that The dai, those patches of pale white skin on my neck and arms, were healed coed scar left behind froone too

Underworld was like a scar-be-gone

I rocked back on ely, what took the et used to were my eyes They were different The irises were brown, like they had been before I’d Awakened, but there was a thin line of amber around the pupils I didn’t knohat that meant or why they were like that

He…he would’ve been so happy to see ain

The inside of my throat thickened immediately, and I squeezedwas bad in the Underworld, I’d discovered Once you started, it was hard to stop and could beco And that didn’t sound like fun

Tears pricked at my eyes nonetheless

I knew I shouldn’t cry, but it was hard because I missed my uncle and my dad I missed Luke, Deacon, and Solos I missed Seth and how easy it was for hi fierce With each passing second, it only got stronger,for him, and I didn’t think it ever would

"Alex?"

Looking away fro on th blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but shorter strands had escaped, falling across his tanned cheeks

Every day since the first day after I’d died, Caleb had been here for me I’d spent time with my mom, with Olivia, and even with Lea, but I’d seen Caleb theup soto discover if you could make a baby in the Underworld every free moment they had, but I don’t knohat I would do without hi the spot next to hioing to cut hed, and each tih asto cut you"

"I’ up all your ti on the he isn’t easy, Alex Not for anyone, and definitely not for you"

I arched a brow

Caleb tugged on the heht? Me You Olivia There’s this club I found a feeeks ago, near the pals to some pure whose idea of a ‘happily ever after’ is a nonstop party"

Elysian Fields was as close to living as you could get, and there were a lot of things to do, people to meet, and whatnot Lea had already hooked up with soed a shoulder

"I think it would be good for you, Alex I mean it"

"I know" And I also knehere this conversation was heading

Caleb didn’t disappoint "You need to get out and be happy I know it’s hard, but I’m worried about you I’ back from that"