Part 26 (1/2)

I stood in front of my human soul and reached my fingers for the ghostly hands. I willed my blood to mix. I spoke only with my mind. ”Come back to me. Find a place beneath the Ophi half of my soul.” I watched the soul s.h.i.+mmer and enter my body. It was like seeing a ghost walk straight through my chest. I felt its presence as it struggled to find a place to settle. My blood pushed it down, burying it deep inside me.

The soul didn't resist at all. It knew its place inside me, and maybe it was even relieved not to be sent to the Fields, where it would lose itself entirely. Once the process was complete, I no longer felt like two separate people. I was whole again. Even with the human side of me dead, I needed that half of my soul to be fully me.

”Everything okay?” Alex asked.

”Yeah. Good as new.” I threw my arms around him and pressed my lips to his. I could've stayed like that forever, but a mist of white soared through the air, landing next to us. The second it took shape, my heart nearly stopped.

”Medusa?”

Chapter 29.

It couldn't be possible. I'd seen Liz's body fall when my soul released. How had Medusa gotten free? As I stared at her, I wondered if I'd completely lost my mind and was seeing things. After all that had happened, it wouldn't be so unbelievable.

”Yes, Jodi. It's me.” Her soul smiled at me, looking motherly as usual. Well, except for the snakes on her head, which were slithering about freely after being trapped in the statue for so long. No matter how much I loved Medusa, those snakes would always freak me out.

”How? My soul released before I could free you. I tried to hold on, but I couldn't.”

”When your soul released, Liz's body was still gripping the pliers. The force of her fall snapped the tip of the statue's finger off. It was a small hole, and it took some time to get my soul out of it. But I'm here now, and I'm ready to move forward with our plan.”

I swallowed hard. Something had actually gone right. It hadn't just been the pliers I'd heard hit the floor. A small part of Medusa's finger had come off. And now she was here, which meant we might get out of here.

Alex stared in awe. ”Wow, is this how she appeared to you when you connected to the statue?” He quickly covered his eyes. ”I'm not going to turn to stone or anything, am I?”

I was the only living Ophi who'd ever seen Medusa. They could feel her power when they touched the statue, but that was the extent of the connection they had to her.

”Yes, and no, you won't turn to stone.” Even though Medusa never told me, I knew her curse didn't affect the Ophi. We were immune to it. ”She's beautiful, isn't she?”

Medusa smiled at us both. ”I could see you all along, Alex. You've done well, protecting Jodi. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.” Her snakes reached out to him, almost lovingly. Almost. They were still snakes, after all.

Alex blushed. ”It was my pleasure.”

”Medusa, how are you here? Why didn't your soul go to the palace to be judged?”

”My blood is in your veins. Part of me truly lies in you. My soul was drawn to you because of it.” I smiled, thankful that I didn't have to rescue Medusa from Hades. ”As much as I'd love to catch up, we must move quickly. It won't be long before Hades senses the presence of my soul. This much power won't go unnoticed.”

She was right. We had to move quickly. ”How do we do this? How do we get your soul into my body?”

”Much the same as when you reunited your human soul with your Ophi soul.” She could see that just by looking at me. Amazing! ”Call me to you, but be prepared.”

She'd warned me that this wouldn't be pretty for either one of us, but we had to be strong and make it work. ”Will you be able to talk through me? I mean, which one of us will be controlling my body? The two-soul thing must be confusing.”

”I will let you control your own body. I'll only talk through you when necessary, and we will be able to communicate in your mind, just like we did when I was in the statue.” That didn't seem so bad. ”I'll have to present myself to Hades to let him know I'm here. He won't make the final deal with you without having proof of my presence in your body.”

That was true. I was planning to put Hades in a corner, tie his hands where the Ophi were concerned. He'd never take my word for Medusa's presence inside me. ”I'm ready when you are.”

Medusa looked over my shoulder at Chase. I hoped he was still facing the other direction like I'd told him to. ”It's not safe here. You'll need full concentration, and if you cry out,”-in pain is what she meant-”he'll see what's happening. You can't trust him, Jodi. Don't be fooled by his feelings for you. Not every Ophi is good.”

I wasn't going to let Chase ruin anything for me again. I hated having to write off any Ophi, but Medusa was right. Not all of them were good. Victoria and Troy sure weren't. But what about Bristol? She was helping me by taking care of Amber. She was worth saving.

”I can't read your mind anymore. We aren't connected, but I know you are thinking about saving some of the others you originally banished here.” She was good. ”We'll get to that in time. For now, let's focus on joining together.” She reached for my hand and led me into the Fields of Asphodel, closing the gate behind us. ”Alex, guard that gate. Don't let anyone in. And no matter what happens, don't touch Jodi.” That meant I was going to be in pain, enough pain that Alex would want to help me.

I gave him a brave smile. ”I'll be okay. It's not going to be comfortable, but we both know Medusa won't intentionally hurt me.”

He nodded, but the fear was written all over his face. He reached for my free hand through an opening in the gate. ”I love you, and I'll be right here.”

I squeezed his hand before letting go and turning back to Medusa. ”Okay, let's do this.”

She took both my hands in hers. ”If we have a connection to start, it should make this easier. And just remember that, once I'm inside you, it won't hurt anymore. It's only the initial forcing of my soul into an unfamiliar body that will be painful for us both.”

I gathered all my strength as I mixed my blood. This was it. I couldn't put it off any longer, or Hades would find Medusa's soul and stop us. I reached forward with the power surging through my veins. ”Come to me. Join me, and we will work as one.” I said the words in my mind and aloud, hoping they would be more powerful that way. Commanding a soul as powerful as Medusa's was going to take major strength.

Even though she wanted to do this as much as I did, her soul fought me. I remembered how painful it was to enter Liz's body. This was ten times worse. Having another soul invade your own body while you were still using it felt like trying to shove a sumo wrestler into your skin with you. I fell to my knees the second her soul entered my body. My screams were loud enough to...well, wake the dead. Hades would no doubt be here soon. My arms and legs shook uncontrollably, and my blood made my skin bubble. I must have looked like I was possessed, which I sort of was.

Alex screamed-not the scream of someone who was watching his girlfriend writhe in pain. It was the scream of someone being tortured. Despite the torment I was in, I forced my eyes to him. Hades had him by his neck, and his hands were aglow with flames. He was burning Alex to get my attention.

”I'd stop right now before he dies.”

Medusa would want me to keep going, but I couldn't sacrifice Alex. Not Alex. I gathered all my strength and pushed Medusa's soul back out of me. She appeared on the ground next to me, staring at me in horror, her snakes biting at the air.

”Jodi, what have you done?”

”I'm sorry. I couldn't let him die.”

Hades released Alex, who slumped to the ground. His neck was burned and peeling.

”Alex? Are you okay?”

He choked in response. He'd be all right.

Hades waved his hand, and the gates to the Fields burst open. ”Medusa, my dear, how lovely to see you.” His voice was laced with hatred. The kind that sounded sweet enough to kill. ”I've waited a long time for you.” He turned to me. ”I guess I owe you some thanks, Jodi Marshall. You've brought me the one thing I've wanted more than anything else. The origin of the Ophi line.”

”Don't touch her!” I blocked Medusa's soul with my body, but Hades waved his arm, sending me flying into a row of asphodels. He advanced on Medusa. ”I'm going to enjoy stripping you of your powers and torturing your soul for eternity.”

”No!” G.o.d, I'd screwed up. I'd ruined everything. By saving Alex, I'd sentenced Medusa to eternal h.e.l.l.

”What are you waiting for, Hades?” Medusa's voice was strong, not intimidated in the least. How did she manage that?

”I like to enjoy my triumphs, savor every moment.”

”Hades, you can't touch her. The Ophi sacrificed so much to protect her soul from you. You swore to it.”

He turned to me, glaring like I was a pesky little bug that wouldn't stop buzzing around him. ”That deal is over.” He stepped toward Medusa, towering above her. ”You broke it the moment you stepped out of that statue.”