The Keeper

Quadraginta quinque: The Lost Souls

We were in the Fifth Circle now, the last. And it was not lost upon me that this would be our greatest and, hopefully, final challenge.

Petra had offered to take the first watch. Lackland and Delph were asleep. I lay on my lumpy bed with Harry Two beside me.

I had not told the others what happened to me back in the Obolus River. What would have been the point? And besides, what could I say?

Right, so anyway I died from a bloody wound to my chest, but I’m back from the dead now and everything’s just smashing. Would you like to see the spot of my mortal wound? It was quite something!

I groaned and put a hand over my face. Then I lowered my other hand to my chest. I had been terrified to do this before, but now I had to. I reached under my clothes until I could feel my skin. I knew exactly where the wound had been. I was scared that I would feel remnants of the awful spot, but my skin was as smooth there as it had always been.

I withdrew my hand. But still, I felt unclean somehow, changed forever. And — the hardest part of all — I felt immeasurably different from my companions.

Delph and I had faced so much in here, together. But we had not experienced this together. Only I had. And I thanked the holy Steeples for that.

I pulled the parchment from my cloak and summoned Silenus. He appeared a moment later.

“We made it across the Obolus and into the Fifth Circle,” I mumbled.

“And Rubez’s payment?” he asked.

I took a sliver to describe in detail what had happened to me.

“I died, Silenus. I was becoming part of that wall.”

“But you fought back and gained your freedom. That is a significant accomplishment, Vega. Never forget that.”

“Astrea said she knew little of the Fifth Circle except that my ancestor, Jasper Jane, created it. Apparently, he was keen on dark sorcery. Anyway, she mentioned that it might be the circle of lost souls.”

Silenus stared worriedly at me. “Lost souls are a tricky business, Vega. Very tricky.”

“How can a soul be lost? Despite what Astrea said I thought if a body died, so did its soul.”

“Oh, no. The soul is far more resilient than the body, which is actually quite fragile. The soul can live without the body. And, truth be known, the body can live without the soul, but I would never want to encounter a soulless body. I doubt the meeting would be pleasant. However, a bodyless soul can be quite nice and accommodating. In some ways, in fact, that might be an apt description of me.”

“Well, that’s not so bad,” I said.

“But do not, for one moment, believe that all souls disenfranchised from their bodies are like that, for they are not.”

“How do you mean, exactly?”

“An evil soul remains evil, regardless of whether it is wrapped in a foul body or not. Losing the physical does not change the soul. In some ways, it makes it even more evil. Thus it is a good idea to keep a healthy skepticism of all souls, Vega, until you can be sure on what side of the ledger they fall.”

“And how does one tell that?” I asked, wide-eyed.

“Well, a good indicator is whether they try and kill you or not.”

I had a sudden idea and took out Petra’s wand.

“You said you could tell if this is a Maladon’s wand?”

“Tap it against the parchment,” said Silenus.

I drew a long breath and did as he asked.

Silenus instantly vanished from the page.

I tapped my own wand against the parchment and he reappeared. We stared at each other.

“A Maladon’s?” I said.

“Without doubt.”

I said good-bye to Silenus and put the parchment away, my thoughts now filled with dread.

I walked over to Delph when it was my turn to take watch.

“Delph, we need to talk.”

“ ’Bout what, Vega Jane?”

“Petra.”

He suddenly looked sheepish. “We’re just friends. I told you I felt sorry for her.”

“I don’t care if you like her, Delph. She’s pretty and tough, high-spirited and, well, sort of amazing.”

“You mean she’s like you?” he interjected.

I was about to say something else but had frozen at his words. “Wh-what?” I stammered.

“She’s like you. You’re all those things. And more, Vega Jane. But you’re not alike in other ways.”

I felt myself turn red and I couldn’t look at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re always helping folks. Back in Wormwood, the way you visited your mum and dad and took care-a your brother. And you were the only friend I had while others made fun-a me. And back at the Obolus with that bloody Rubez, Petra was just fine with Lackland having to swim for it, because she knew she needed you to make it through the Quag. You never woulda done that.”

We looked at each other for a long moment. And then we both reached out at the same time and gripped the other’s hand. I wanted to do more than that. I wanted to kiss him, but he said, “You wanted to tell me something about Petra?”

I looked at him and then slowly let go of his hand. “It’ll keep. Get some sleep,” I added.

After he left I sat there thinking.

Petra could be as disconnected from her history as I had been from mine. But, to borrow Silenus’s phrase, on what side of the ledger would she eventually fall?

I knew at some point I would have to answer that question. I only hoped it didn’t cost me my life.