Stone Dreams: Chest of Souls, #6

By Michelle Erickson

Talon and his men have been training for seven years, but there is one competition they can’t train for. Stone Dreams is an invitation-only nightmare Nez will arrange with one goal in mind: death of all competitors. There’s a good chance the traitor will make his move because Stone Dreams takes place at night and ‘accidents’ happen in the dark.

Brenna now understands what it’s going to take to power the Chest of Souls. There’s only one choice she can make that will save Talon and bring about the fall of Sogo. She’d rather repeat all the traps the Ancients made by herself than tell Talon what will make the constellation Three Sisters fall and what his part in powering the Chest will be.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Erickson
• Release date: Feb 27, 2011
• ISBN: 9781536588224

Book preview

Chapters

1 More and Less

2 Checkmate

3 Old Friend

4 Busy

5 If Walls Could Talk

6 Questions

7 Shells

8 Warrior

9 That Which You Hate

10 Armored

11 New Recruit

12 Bargain

13 Caution

14 Twice As Much Fun

15 Pick Up Drop Off

16 Blood Loyal

17 Things That Rot

18 Gold

19 Guilty

20 Ghost

21 Changing the Rules

22 Haste

23 Three Times the Charm

24 Morda Blade

25 Squash

26 Anointed

27 Arachnis Vocalis

28 On the Other Foot

29 Preparation and Confirmation

30 Tension

31 Three Sisters Fall

32 Day of Air

33 Stone Dreams

34 Truth and Imagination

35 Welcome Revelation

Chapter 1:  More and Less

Brenna spent her twentieth birthday as a peacock. 

From the moment she’d flown through the sacrificial fire and landed on the altar in Sogo, she had yearned to see Talon.  Her birthday wish had come true.  Now that he was here, her heart thrummed faster and heavier than any birds could possibly beat.

He put the parchment where she had pecked I love you inside his tunic.  Then he gave her such a look that she felt all shivery inside. 

Talon was both more handsome and less innocent than the last time she had seen him.  Barracks life had made him into a dangerous man.  He had seen things and done things that had changed him forever. 

The few times they met in dreams, he’d appeared on edge, always alert for attack. Here, he was solid, whole, and hers.

She listened to the news about the men in the Barracks.

Everyone but Nyk, Dom, Wyt, and Iskar are on the third floor.  Zeal’s in charge of the Calvary...

She wasn’t surprised at this since Zeal acted as if he were part horse.

Par, and Tane are Commanders...

She knew they were good men, though not as good at commanding as Mal, Japh, or Rube.

Mal...well, Mal’s still got something in his craw that I’m not sure about.  I have to fix that...

She hoped he could.  Mal was a genius at strategy and Talon needed him badly which is partly why he was in turmoil.

Pax and Rube are nearly as bad as the Terisians.

She knew he meant they acted more like they were joined at the hip.  The best of friends.  Cousins.

By the way, Japh and Joz are really enjoying the pool you made.  His smile lit the darkest corners of her heart.  But no one loves it more than I do.

She fluttered her wings, trying to let him know she appreciated his gratitude.

I wish you could tell me more about what’s going on with Bastian and the others on the other side of time.

Brenna looked at her pet Shee, noting that Mee had finished all of the fish and was grooming herself.  ‘Mee tell him about everyone on the other side of time’

Mee spoke to Talon between straightening her ear tufts, grooming her tail, and burying the fish bones.

Wife teach my Bren much good to help Tal.  Bas not walk yet.  My Bren fix soon.  I bite all bads that hit good Tryk.  Tell Shee at his place I bite off tails if they not do this to all bads that come...

At the end of her long speech, Mee yawned.  Night good Tal.

He looked at Brenna, The Forest Wife taught you what you need to know to win?

She bobbed her head.

Bastian can’t walk yet?

She shook her head.

But you think you can do it?

Another bob.

Someone attacked Tryk and Mee bit them?

She fluttered her wings and bobbed her head.

She told the Shees at Tryk’s that she’d bite their tails off if they didn’t bite criminals?

She bobbed her head and then looked the direction of the Villa.

Someone’s coming? he guessed.

She knew it was Zaya, one of the handmaidens.  She just couldn’t tell him and put his mind at ease.

Good?

She fluttered her wings.  Zaya wasn’t her favorite handmaiden, but still liked her.

Night had faded so the sky was light enough to see without torches or candles now and Zaya came directly to the waterfall area so Talon knew that she was aware that Brenna was moved to the alcove at night. 

Zaya looked better than the last time he had seen her, the night she had pursued Joz.  He had never repeated his invitation for Joz to dine again.  He braced himself, thinking that perhaps this was the reason why she had come to the gardens. 

Instead, she handed him a soft, square-shaped, parchment-wrapped package.  I was told to give a message to you before you left for the Barracks.

He pulled the string that bound it.  What message?

You will fight under this sign.  Zaya curtsied to the peacock, and left. 

He stared at Brenna for a moment and finished unwrapping the package under Brenna’s watchful eyes.

It was a banner.  The background was royal blue and in the center was a white peacock.

He stared at her for a long moment and then carefully folded it and put it inside his tunic.

Mee told him what Brenna said, She not know what it be.  Now she know why she be a bird.

I have to leave now, he said, cautiously stroking her wing.  I don’t know if I’ll be back tonight, but, he kissed his finger and then touched her beak. Remember I love you.  Always.

Chapter 2: Check mate

Nok finished planting the special tree. 

It was a gift from the Forest Wife.  Once he had broken through the tightly woven hedge that the gardeners had planted, he discovered the twig they left.  It was a start from Mee’s favorite Tava tree in the Forest Wife’s realm.  This was what he had been waiting for.  He took the bare-root twig and feverishly dug a hole.  Once he had patted the dirt into place, he surveyed it from all angles.  He nodded with satisfaction.  With glittering eyes that looked like twin pools of boiling lava, he bit the small twig as hard as he could, letting the sacs of poison in his cheeks flow freely into the young wood.  He stepped back, his eyes returning to their normal color as he watched the tree grow.  Unlike the other trees, this tree would not grow on this side of time without Shee poison being injected.  It would not need water, although water would not kill it, if it happened to get some. 

As it grew, he worked to remove the lower branches as they popped from the trunk, meticulous to remove them before they became too large.  Two hours later, it was fully-grown and sturdy enough for him to climb.  He surveyed the massive heavy growth and the solid branches, and chose the exact spot he would build a nest for Mee.  It would not be what normal Shees built.  It would be fit for the Queen of Shees; his chosen mate.

From the time he had become aware of Mee as a female, he had begun to gather the necessary items for the weaving of the nest he had envisioned.  Among them were morning glory seeds, a special paste made from the sand used on Sacrifice Day, and the colorful hairs from the tails of the horses in the Barracks stables. There was only one horse he had not been able to get at least a few hairs from and that was Harcour, Tasut’s stallion, but Nok was persistent, as well as clever.  He stole them from the brush Tasut used.  Mee deserved the very best.

Nok was not afraid that Mee would reject him.  She had made her interest known from the day they met.  He just hadn’t been ready.  Things had changed.

He worked day and night gathering materials long before the hedge had appeared.  Now he spent the time weaving the nest he had envisioned and adding many rooms.  It was the largest most glorious nest he had ever seen.  It was four times the size of those in the Forest Wife’s garden. 

He had been exceedingly picky about the places where he planted morning glory.  He could tell from the Marigold seeds what colors they would produce.  Blue, white, and pink would cover the main part of the house and the dual-color petals (red-white, blue-white, and pink-yellow) would do for the rest of the nest.  Tiz had shown him how to weave baskets and he had put that knowledge to use.  He used the tail hairs from the Barracks horses for a colorful weave throughout the nest. 

When he was finally finished, he made one last inspection of his nest.  It was the best he had ever seen.  Even his pet, Talon, would approve.  It was sturdy, colorful, scented, and now all he had to do was stock it with a few things Mee enjoyed. 

He carefully laid the stolen bracelet in the main section of the nest alongside a beautiful new brush he had taken from Talon.  Talon meant to give it to Mee’s pet, Brenna, but Nok knew Mee would share it with Brenna whenever Brenna asked.  Mee was good that way.

Nok was confident that he only needed two more things to make everything the way it needed to be.  The first was going to be tricky.  It involved crabs.  The second was to convince Mee to come with him to the hedge.  He didn’t think it would be hard, he would just copy what Talon did for Brenna.  The water in the Villa garden was near Mee’s sleeping area.  All he had to do was push her in.  It had worked wonderfully the last time he did it.  She had chased him all over the gardens! He would just run to the nesting area.

The Barracks hounds patrolled all night from the outside of the Barracks to the Villa, then over to the Temple.  This event made Nok’s job that much easier.  When he found her, Deja was happy to oblige.  He paid her well in food.  All she had to do was drag the large blanket Nok had filled with stolen crabs to the hedge and return to her duty.  He rode on her great back and his mouth watered.  It took great restraint to resist the delicious meat.  He held his appetite at bay with the thought of sharing the crab with Mee.

With a full heart, just before sunrise, Nok traversed the tunnel linking the Temple and Villa.  He knew Talon had just left for the Barracks.  He stealthily gathered a bowl of candied nuts from the High Priestess’s table and went to the Villa gardens. 

In the alcove where Mee slept, Brenna-bird sat on her perch with her head under her wing.  Mee was sleeping near the waterfall. When Nok sat the bowl down, the bird woke and looked at him.  He motioned silence to her.  Then he pulled a large red flower out of the ground and stripped it of its thorns, bit off the stem end and very quietly sat the flower and the bowl of candied nuts by Mee’s beautiful head. 

Soon, her blue eyes blinked open and she stood, staring at the gifts of nuts and the beautiful flower in awe - just before he pushed her into the water.

Her reaction was not exactly what he envisioned.  He expected her to come out of the water with joy, not stunned disbelief or fury.  He ran faster than he ever had, not to lead her to the Tava tree as planned, but to escape her teeth.  He had witnessed other females chase males away after refusing their courting gifts and bite them, causing death.  He was lucky to get away from Mee. 

He sat in his lone tree as the sun climbed into the sky and pondered what had gone wrong, as he soothed the bald spot on his tail where Mee had ripped out the fur.  She had caught up with him under the High Priestess’ breakfast table inside the Villa.  People, dishes, and food flew all over the room as Nok fled for his life.  He had glanced back one time, only to see Mee in a frozen position, her fist holding a hunk of his fur.  As he flew out the door, her blue eyes blazed at him with anger.

She did not want him anymore and he didn’t understand.  He thought back to the last time he’d pushed into water and realized, far too late, that she had been angry – not chasing him for fun.  He had assumed her pulling his tail fur out then had been an accident.

In the morning, he’d eat the crabs and return to the Barracks.  With a heavy heart, he spent the night looking over at the Villa, hoping to catch one last glimpse of white before he left the tree.

*

Mee’s heart was breaking now that her fury had abated.  Her child-like sobbing could be heard over the bubbling of the nearby pool.  Brenna had flown after her and frozen her with magic before she had bitten Nok.  It had been extremely close.  Then she had floated Mee back to the alcove and waited for the brittleness to leave Mee’s blue eyes before she unfroze her. 

‘He thought pushing you in the water was a good thing,’ Brenna told her pet.  ‘He was just doing what he saw Talon doing’

Nok bad!  Mee hissed, drying her tears as she sat out in the sun.  She made a pathetic sight with her wet fur and forlorn expression.  Her feelings were deeply wounded.

‘He wasn’t trying to be bad,’ Brenna soothed her Shees’ feelings the best she could. ‘Did you notice he left nuts and a rose for you?’

Mee looked over at the little pool and remembered how happy she had been for a brief moment.  It was as if her heart would explode with happiness one moment and Nok doused the flame of happiness the next by pushing her into the water.  She had no idea Nok had been trying to court her.  None of the other males had ever pushed her into water.

‘You need to tell him you’re sorry, Mee,’ Brenna said firmly.

Mee snorted and her eyes became glittery again as she said, Nok need say he sad he be mean to Mee.

Brenna noted that Mee had taken the bowl of nuts and the rose to her sleeping area, in spite of his affront, and looked toward the direction Nok had fled. 

In spite of what she said, Mee crept into the High Priestess’ chambers that afternoon in search of a gift for Nok.  She remembered seeing a small locket on a previous visit.  When she found it, she hesitated for a moment before putting it into her cheek pouch.  Then she climbed under the chaise where Raen kept the box that housed the jewelry that Bad Nez sent to her.  Raen never even looked at most of it.  Mee overheard her say to: Dump it in the river.

Ketu said, Keep them Raen and give them to Dana.  You know she’ll wear them to the High Council meetings.  It will make him furious.

Jarow had added, Tasut said there could be something extra valuable – things with power.  Just keep them.  It will make Nez keep guessing.  Eventually, we can sell them back to Flynn or get Lyon to dismantle them and create something worth wearing.

I don’t even want to look at them.  I’ll give them to Mari, Raen said.  She can sell them to pay for supplies. Raen ordered the jewelry Nez sent anonymously (he thought) to be thrown in the box under the bed. 

Since it was going to be Mari’s anyway, Mee only debated for a moment and took a long strand of sparkling white stones that Bad Nez sent to the Villa.  Raen never wanted to see them again.  Mee smiled for the first time since she had chased Nok away. I be good, help Raen, she said and then stuffed it into her mouth along with the locket.

Mee knew Brenna had given Talon a stone a long time ago, and Talon still wore it.  Mee decided to give Nok the rejected locket and inside of it, she put her gift:  the hair she had torn from his tail and a few from her own that she had carefully gathered from her favorite brush.

Mee went alone to the Temple grounds, following Nok’s scent.  It led her to a tall hedge.  She pushed her way through the thick undergrowth and found herself facing the most beautiful Tava tree she had ever seen.  Crabs surrounded it.  In the branches was a nest fit for a Queen. 

In an act of unusual self-control, she bypassed the delectable crabs, noting there were many large crabs hiding in the shade, and scaled the tree.  Her blue eyes were full of wonder at Nok’s design.  She stood at the woven entrance and peered in.  There, on a soft nest of yarn, sat a sparkling irresistible gift.  She pulled the strand of white stones out of her cheek pouch, discarding them.  She quickly put on Nok’s offering.  It matched her fur beautifully. 

Taking the strand of white stones with her, she carefully inspected the marvelous nest.  Mee noted that Nok had stocked two of the small rooms with nuts, fruits, berries, and he had planted morning glory, in many colors.  Mee felt at home.  It was a gift worthy of her. 

She would accept Nok’s gifts and therefore he would become her mate.  Mee put the locket she brought for him on the yarn nest they would share.  She would find him, instruct him that he was to never push her into water of any kind, ever, and remind him that she was his Queen. 

She didn’t have far to go.  Nok was waiting for her outside of the nest, sitting on the end of a long branch that would have allowed him to escape if her eyes became glittery again. 

He carefully looked at her and when he saw she was wearing his gift, he felt his heart soar.  His Queen was home.

Chapter 3:  Old Friend

As the sun sank into a pool of molten-gold clouds, Nez sighed in relief.  Finally, the light was dim enough to send out the Nightshades.

Bring me that bird, Nez ordered Paril and two other Nightshades who had previously been Paril’s friends and close confidantes. 

Darmone and Ronna stood in the dark of his library and Paril stood in a corner.  He loathed them all.  Not one of the hundred-odd Nightshades possessed the kind of self-control their elevation to immortality required.  They fought amongst themselves constantly.

You’re asking the impossible! Paril objected, stepping out of her corner.  "Maybe if it was just one or two men, we could do it.  That bird has an army of third floor men to protect it!"

Besides, Darmone smirked, wrinkling her nose, Paril stinks.  We’ll never be able to reach the bird before it flies away.

Paril, whose compound fracture had putrefied, glowered at Darmone but she remained in the corner.  Being immortal had not stopped the wounds from rotting and nothing Nez did made the smell of rotting flesh abate.  It also had the adverse effect of making the other Nightshades leery of taking any physical risks.  They had no desire to suffer the same agony.

Paril won’t be going. Nez had been made aware several times of Paril’s unpleasant odor, and made a point to stuff a scented piece of cloth up his sleeve and keep his hand close to his face if she were near.  Nez smiled in pleasure at their disbelief.  At three strikes, the back fence will be clear.

That doesn’t matter! Darmone snapped. The men remain within sight of each other at all times!  Darmone had been brought to the Nightshades with the idea that if she were immortal, the world was hers to plunder.  She had no intention of making Paril’s blunder.

Nez quelled her with a look that iced further objections.  Never make the mistake of thinking I’m stupid.  He had taught them, through his callousness regarding Paril, that there were worse things than death.

What if Tasut’s there? asked Ronna.  She had never liked or trusted Nez, but when Paril had approached her, she had admitted she hated getting older and watching her beauty fade.  Becoming a Nightshade was an acceptable alternative. 

What makes you think the fence will be clear?

There will be a distraction, requiring every man leave that back fence.

What distraction?  Ronna said suspiciously.

Do either of you know what a Creff is?

In the corner, where she had retreated, Paril smiled.

*

Brenna knew that Talon had been invited to the Villa to dine and she was greatly disappointed that he had not come.  Perched inside the Villa, within sight of the table, her loneliness was made more apparent by the people that paired off to walk the magnificent Villa gardens. 

Drew and Jerusa left, the looks passing between them threatening to melt the nearby candles.  Chun and Rube had not been much better, although they were less obvious in their giddy adoration, because their talk was of scientific principles and discoveries each of them had made.  Even Wyn and Japh were out in the garden, having finished their meal earlier.  Japh was assigned to be Brenna’s guard until Talon arrived, but Brenna had no desire to watch her cousin fall deeper into love, preferring to be alone under such circumstances.  Besides, Wyn deserved some time with the man she loved.

Zaya had kindly risen during the meal and offered Brenna some of the food, but she wasn’t hungry.  Zaya began to clear off the dishes and Brenna found Raen’s eyes upon her, full of understanding.  It was an odd look coming from beneath the layers of High Priestess make-up.

While Raen had suffered longer and under worse circumstances, Raen’s quiet dignity didn’t help Brenna endure her own trial any better, although she knew it should have.  Raen’s first husband had been killed in Cubes, her son had been burned alive because of Nez, and she had to keep her role as High Priestess Saro a secret as well as her marriage to Jarow.  Yes, Raen had it worse. 

Yet...for all that Raen had been through, Brenna envied her.  She had been able to get married to the man of her choosing and share more than just kisses, glances, and notes.

Talon’s absence made her restless and nervous.  What she wanted to do was fly to the Barracks and find out what was keeping Talon from coming to her.  Brenna silently called Mee and let her know what she wanted.

Bird want go out, said Mee when she arrived.  Seeing the candied nuts on the table, Mee quickly stuffed her cheek pouches while Zaya opened the doors so Brenna could fly out.

Once outside, Brenna felt uneasy and instead of flying to the perch in the yard, out in the open, she flew to the alcove. 

Wyn and Japh rose from a carved Paynach-stone bench that lined the path to the perch where she usually spent the day and followed.

Something’s wrong.  Brenna’s sense of impending danger became more acute, but she could see nothing to fear.  Is it Talon?  Is he in danger?

Mee looked at her in alarm, her eyes glittery, immediately spitting the nuts onto the ground near the small waterfall. ‘Bads come?’

Brenna looked at her Shee, sensing that Mee wanted to go to her nest on the Temple grounds.  ‘Mee, tell them something’s wrong.’ 

Bren say bad come, Mee said out loud.

Mee looked quizzically up at Brenna and several things happened at the same time.  Twilight kissed the city of Sogo, yells came from the street accompanied by the sound of strange growling, Mee’s tail bottle-brushed out, Wyn went invisible, and Japh called to the men in and outside the Villa as he took a defensive position to protect Brenna.

I hope Talon gets here soon, Wyn said, still wrapped in light.

He’s not going to let his men get eaten by those things just so he can come and guard a dumb bird.

Wyn frowned and looked at Brenna apologetically.  Personally, Brenna didn’t care if Japh called her names.  It just confirmed that Wyn had remained silent, as she had been instructed.

I wish you weren’t invisible, Japh said.  Am I supposed to tell Talon that you can do that?

He knows.

Listening to the commotion out on the streets, she knew what was on the streets of Sogo.  Once you heard a Creff, there was no forgetting it. Now Brenna worried.  She agreed with Japh.  In spite of the fact that she was the target, Talon didn’t know that and he would want to protect his men.  ‘Mee, tell Talon I’m in danger’

*

In the upper floor window of the mansion across the street, Nez watched his plan unfold.  From this vantage point, he could see the alcove where the powerful bird was kept, but not who was inside. 

Earlier in the day, he had opened the sandpool inside his mansion to the world of Creffs.  Then, with great difficulty, he set an airdoor on top of the sandpool and had it lead to the old church on his estate.  The Creffs, huge and hungry, moved from the sandpool to the church in search of Paril, whom they could smell because of her rotting flesh. 

He closed the sandpool when he felt he had enough of them and finally allowed Paril to escape from the church.  Creffs were not intelligent creatures, but they were faster than they looked and always hungry.  Six of the seven were at least a hundred feet long.  Frankly, he was impressed and somewhat disappointed that Paril had survived.

When the sun went down, he brought the Nightshades, minus Paril, to this mansion.  The owners were eager to host him, and obligingly left at his request.  As they went, they walked right into the path of the Creffs and were instantly eaten.

It was unfortunate that the third floor men got any warning at all.  For Nez, the Creffs that had been baited out of their world were a diversion.

I must have that bird! He wished he had been powerful enough to allow more than seven of them out.  The largest, a female, was twice as thick through the body as the other six and had run down the occupants of the house in seconds. 

As he had predicted, all third floor men came to the rallying cry, except the four men in the front of the Villa, who would now guard the front door.  Those eating dinner inside would most likely protect the High Priestess, believing she was the target. 

*

Raen ran to the safest location in the house, her room, to call the Forest Wife using the marble box filled with sand. The Villa is under attack!

Where’s Brenna? the Forest Wife demanded.

Outside in the alcove, Raen said, quickly removing her High Priestess makeup with the special cream the Forest Wife had made.

Is Mee with her?

It wasn’t the Forest Wife’s voice.  Mari?  She’d been under the impression that Mari had been in Shugahauze.

Yes, I’m here.

Yes, Mee’s with her! Raen looked in the mirror, to be sure that all the traces of makeup were gone.

And Wyn? the Forest Wife prodded.

All the Eyes are outside and it’s dark here, Raen said, pulling off her wig and tying her hair back at her neck.

Use the tunnel, go to the Temple immediately!  The Forest Wife commanded.

Raen closed her marble box and ran into the kitchen to the pantry, pulled an empty barrel out of the way, and pushed the false wall aside.  She shut it from the other side and began to run down the hallway.

*

Drew, Rube, and all other men, except Japh who remained to guard Brenna, were fighting on the streets of Sogo with creatures that had an impenetrable hide.  Only fast reflexes and teamwork had kept the enormous creatures at bay. 

Because Talon was not there, Mal had assumed command.  He had ordered the men to form groups and attempt to drive the monsters to the city gates so they could drive them out of the city and close the gates. 

Get to the wall, he snarled at Dom, and tell those Vael-brained idiots Nez hired for soldiers this isn’t a training exercise!  Get the boiling pitch ready so you can dump it on them.

Dom saluted and with Joz at his side, they ran for the gates.

Stay out of the way of their tails! he yelled and watched a citizen make the fatal mistake of coming too close to the other tooth-filled end of a monster.  One snap and gulp and the man was gone.

He and several others had thrown poisoned daggers into their maws, but nothing seemed to faze them.  Mal had an uncomfortable feeling there was more to this.

Where did they come from?  It was easy to see, from their build and general actions, that they were eating machines.  They were deadly in their strikes and ferocious in their attacks, and to everyone’s horror, nothing penetrated their armored-flesh.  The men that had been guarding the Villa gates hit hard and often enough that the lizard-like creatures were uncomfortable, but they weren’t intelligent enough to feel fear.  Progress toward the city gates was slow. 

There was only one vulnerable spot on the entire monster and Mal watched for an opportunity to run up onto the back of one and blind it before it could twist back and bite him in half. 

*

Nez watched Darmone and Ronna slip over the walls of the Villa.  A short time later, a third Nightshade, newly recruited, followed them and Nez smiled.  She was the first of many new creations he hoped to use.  This one could fight and get hurt, but he had found a way for the injuries to heal.  The newest Nightshade was young and had her own agenda, but Nez had promised her that if she returned tonight with the bird, he would allow her to pursue her own interests until he needed her again.  Her skin had not gone white, but her irises were slowly turning white.  The pupil was already pale grey.  He wasn’t sure how to correct the eyes, yet.

It amused him that she thought to outwit him.  When she approached him with her proposition, he had reeled her in.  Whether she understood it or not, she was his pawn, not vice-versa.  She had gone so far as to have him sign a magical contract stating that if she did not get the man she loved, all he had done to her would be reversed.  She would become mortal again.  She seemed to take great comfort in the idea that the day he betrayed her, his hold on her was over.  He smiled at the thought. He had not pointed out the fact that in all likelihood, the man she loved was going to die in Cubes, whoever he was, and Nez would kill her the moment she became mortal. 

The Nightshades with him cowered as he