But I had to find a way to protect her, even if I couldn’t put her back together. I steeled myself. “Those are my terms. Jemma remains untouched by you. And I give you what you really want. Immediate access to as many Soul Tokens as I can manufacture.”

“And you, working overtime up in the Human Realm to fill them up. To ensnare souls.”

I gritted my teeth. The thought of rolling out FiendPay on a grand scale no longer felt like an achievement to me. It felt like … like a betrayal.

I hadn’t even been able to stomach reaping the soul of a human as despicable as Chad Ratty-Man. How was I going to fast-track tricking sweet and good humans … ones like Jemma … into eternal servitude to Hell?

But if the choice was between doing that or sacrificing Jemma to Hellen …

“Deal,” I muttered, chest constricting. I frantically sucked in air in case Hellen was trying her new party trick on me again.

But no … this wasn’t elemental magic. This was pure panic for the human I … I loved.

“Will you let me go now?” I demanded, my muscles quivering, on the point of giving out under the force of her gale.

Hellen chortled. “Just one last thing, Junior.”

I waited, locking my jaw shut, refusing to give her the satisfaction of my words.

She sniffed, unimpressed. “You end things with that human cunt.”

“I …” No. NO! Not that.

Hellen held up a hand, silencing me. “I will leave her be, on your vow that you will cease contact with her. Her little trial-run contract can remain incomplete, just like her silly little soul. If I get even the slightest inkling that you’re trying to see her, to send her a message … anything … not only will I reap her, but I will also take her pretty little head off her body and send her straight to the Pit. Are we clear?”

My teeth clacked together, my throat thick and lumpy.

Never see her again … or put her into your psychopath sibling’s crosshairs. I imagined that new power of Hellen’s … well, the power she had hidden from me all along … robbing Jemma of air. Watching her sputter and gag, watching the light leave her eyes.

“I vow that today was the last time I will see Jemma Bliss,” I muttered, my chest tight and heavy and … miserable.

If I had a Soul Token, it would be shuddering with energy right now. Except that would require me to have a soul to put into it, to begin with.

Hellen nodded, her smirk so satisfied I wanted to tear it off her face. “Excellent. Now I expect a dozen Soul Tokens by morning.” She strode off, oblivious to, or uncaring of, my self-loathing.

When the entrance boulder finally rumbled back into place with a sickening finality, I collapsed onto the bed, my head dropping into my hands.

No Jemma.