“I don’t want to be assigned to anyone. I want to enjoy my coffee.” Katie sipped her coffee and remained calm. “I’ve gotten this far on my own.”

  I hid my smirk behind my cup. Mary’s jaw dropped just a little as she looked back and forth between us. “Little Death, you need to explain to her how important it is for her to be safe.”

  “I’m not even sure what a prophet’s roll is.” I held up one hand. “So I’m staying out of this. She’s my new coffee buddy.”

  The floor started shaking, and I looked at Mary and Katie. “Stay here.” I set my coffee down and rushed out the door. I summoned my scythe and felt the barrier going up around us.

  The demon appeared and snarled at me with a wide mouth complimented by sharp jagged teeth dripping with drool. One massive claw swiped at me, and I jumped away. I lunged forward, and he swiped again. I moved to the side, and the tail came for me. I jumped over it and sliced through one of the legs.

  It came toppling down, and I sliced it’s head off. The body disappeared, and I let go of my scythe. The barrier came down, and I went back into the coffee shop to find it empty except for the employee. My gaze scanned the small area, and no one was there. Our coffee cups sat on the table, one overturned with the coffee pouring over the table and dripping on to the ground.

  I snarled and turned to the employee. “Where did they go?”

  He came around with napkins. “I don’t know, they argued, and I looked up, and they were gone.”

  I ran a hand through my hair and paced a little bit. I didn’t know how to approach this. I had no idea where Mary would take her, and I’m sure it was a realm that I didn’t have access too. Like hell I was going to let someone else get dragged into a world they didn’t want to be in.

  I went back to Death’s Realm and found my dad still staring up at the moon. “Mary took Katie,”

  “I saw, and before you ask, no there’s no way that we can just go take her back from the angels. If she has a good guardian, she’ll be allowed to return to her life.”

  The frustration in me built up, and I slammed my foot into the ground. “Do people in this world just not understand that sometimes all someone wants is normality?”

  “Is that what you want still?” He looked at me, and I froze.

  I thought about it. I had told Katie that I had wanted normal life, but that wasn’t completely true. Though I enjoyed her company, I knew that I’d miss the boys and my dad. I’d miss trying to make friends with the horse and the thrill of adrenaline that I got when I fought a demon. “No, but that doesn’t mean that other people should be uprooted.”

  “You’re right, but that’s not something that we control.” He looked at me. “Good job with the demon. That fight was under five minutes, impressive.”

  I shoved my hands in my pockets. “It was the same type of demon that Ruthie and Pete first fought when we met.”

  “And you didn’t freeze up at the memory.”

  “I didn’t think about it until I killed it.” I was slowly moving on. It was a good sign. “I don’t know what do now, we go and free Pest and then what?”

  “Once he’s free we watch the world heal itself. You can continue to come and go as you like. If you want what you told her about, then we’ll make it happen.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “We’ll find something that works for you. For now, though, it’s late, and we all know that War and Famine are going to be up at the crack of dawn demanding that we go to Hell.”

  “What do you think will be waiting for us?”

  “Hag, for sure, but she’s easy enough to deal with.”

  I laughed. “Enough goats and she’d be a happy camper.”

  He nodded. “Get to bed.”

  “Aren’t you coming?” I looked over my shoulder after a few steps.

  “No, I’m not quite at peace yet. Don’t worry about me; I’ll be fine to fight tomorrow.”

  That wasn’t what was bothering me. I felt like he was hiding something, and that worried me. I didn’t question it, he never pushed on why I needed time alone, and it was time that I returned the favor. I went back to the house and straight to bed to try and focus on the battle tomorrow.

  The screams surrounded me and bounced off the stone hallways. I couldn’t find the source, but I knew the voice. Ruthie. It was the scream that she had let out before Greed’s gold strands sliced through her.

  “Sammy.”

  The screams were gone, replaced by her calm voice. The voice she used to soothe me when I was panicking over something.

  “Sammy.”

  I followed the voice down the hall, my feet echoing with every stride I took. I pushed myself into a full out run trying to find her.

  “Sammy.”

  I turned the corner. Damned souls reached out for me, grabbing my shoulders, their claws digging into me as they tried to drag me into their dark abyss.

  “Sammy.” Her voice deepened, and I cried out and summoned my scythe.

  I jumped out of bed and swung my scythe. It clanged against metal as Pete blocked it with his bow. He slid back a few feet.

  “Sammy, it’s me.”

  I took a deep breath as I tried to focus on my surrounding. The stone walls were gone, and the soft colored wood of the house now surrounded me. I let my scythe disappear. “I’m so sorry.”

  “You didn’t hurt me. I heard you screaming and came in. You were caught in a nightmare.”

  I nodded. “I could hear Ruthie calling for me.” I sat down on the bed and dropped my head into my hands. “These dreams are starting to get ridiculous.”

  “The Horsemen are waiting for you.” He let go of his bow. “I hope you’re up for this.”

  “I’m fine.” I looked in the mirror, and all my wounds had already started to fade into angry lines. “They wanted to wait until I healed, I guess they knew better than I did how fast that was going to happen.”

  “You know that Lucile is probably waiting for you, right?”

  I flexed my hands. “Let her; she won’t be able to face four of them.”

  “Plus you.” He crossed his arms. “Are you going to tell me that I can’t come again?”

  I nodded. “Sure am. So are you going to bother asking?”

  “Nope, I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.” He walked out of the room, and I ran a hand through my hair. He could have easily told me that he was my leader now and that he was going to come with me, but he didn’t.

  I looked in the mirror one last time before going to the bathroom to get ready to leave.

  I walked out of the bedroom and grabbed one of the bagels on the table. Sitting in a chair at the kitchen table, I could see the Horsemen outside the window talking, while the children gathered around the table. I leaned back in my chair and pulled a piece of the bagel off. “What are they talking about?”

  “I don’t know, maybe how to get in and out?” Kaleb raised a brow. “Or what to do if Lucile shows up?”

  “Lucile is terrified of them; she wouldn’t dare do something with all four of them there.” Aeron leaned back in his chair and took a huge bite out of an apple.

  Maybe that would mean a quick in and out trip again. I tore off another piece of the bagel. “I’m just glad there will be fewer Sins to deal with.”

  The door creaked open, and we all looked that way as the Horsemen came through it.

  “Ready?” Dad looked at me.

  I nodded and shoved the rest of the bagel in my mouth. “Let’s do this. Last one.”

  “Let’s avoid getting trapped in our own Hells.” Famine looked at me. “I hope you have your emotions under control.”

  “Don’t worry about me and worry about your own Hell.” I stood.

  We left the other children behind and appeared at Hag’s gateway, with enough goats.

  Hag clapped her hands. “Lucile would murder me the moment she knew I let you all in. But how could I refuse this many goats? With an extra, I know what you’re planning on doing.” She met my gaze. “Be careful Little Death, Hell hath fury for you. Its name is the Devil herself for she seeks revenge for all the trouble you have caused.”

  “I know. And don’t worry, we’ve got this handled.” I summoned my scythe, and she bowed her head as she ushered the goats away.

  We appeared in the stone hallway, and my heart lifted with the idea that this would be the last time that we’d have to walk in here to rescue a Horseman.

  I looked at the others. “Ready?” I held my hands out so I could take them to where Pestilence was.

  Death and War took a hand and War put his on Famine’s shoulder. I concentrated and took us to the black seal on the wall.

  In the center of the room was the image of Pete dead that had been there before. Death put a hand on my shoulder. “Pete is Pestilence’s pride and joy, to lose him would destroy him.”

  “Just like losing me would have you.” I looked at the seal; it swirled and bent like someone was beating against it. Like Wrath had done when we sealed him up.

  I stepped back as War raised his ax and brought it down across the seal. Light spilled into the area, and I closed my eyes to guard against it.

  “Sammy.”

  Ruthie’s whispered through the area. I pushed it away. It was a trick of Hell. Ruthie wasn’t really here. She was gone, and her soul was pure. She wouldn’t be stuck in Hell.

  “Sammy.”

  I spun around as I heard it again. The Horsemen behind me were greeting Pest, but they didn’t matter. Only Ruthie’s voice did.

  “Sammy, come find me.”

  I curled my fingers into a fist and squeezed hard enough that I was sure my nails drew blood. I wasn’t going to follow; there was nowhere for me to go.

  The world around me disappeared in swirls of red and black. The slanted walls of Lucile’s chambers replaced the stone, the table I had been tortured on sat in the middle of the room once more, and my heart stopped for a moment in my chest.

  This was Hell; it was an illusion that Lucile wanted me to see. I closed my eyes and tried to will myself back to the seal. When I opened them, I was still in Lucile’s chamber.

  Lucile wasn’t my greatest fear, being tortured wasn’t either. I didn’t know what the realm was trying to get at with this. I touched the table with my fingertips, and they came away red with blood.

  “Sammy, go home,” Ruthie whispered. “Run and go home.”

  I looked around. “I’d love to, but I can’t seem to get out of here.”

  No one answered. I focused on what Hell was trying to do. The realm played on a person’s biggest fears. I turned around and saw the seal that had kept my father captive.

  I knew what it wanted now. “This doesn’t scare me anymore.” I summoned my scythe. “I can fight alone, or I can fight with my team.” I brought the scythe down on the seal, and it skidded against the wall. “Temptation does not control me, nor does my fear. Death is part of life. The choices we make guide us to our ultimate ending, no one else controls that.” I brought it down again in an ‘x’ across the first strike.

  “You can show me fear, death, and the perfect life, but that is not who I am. I am Sammy Zadkiel; I am the daughter of Death and the heir to the Pale Horse. You cannot control me!” I brought the scythe down once more, and the wall broke away to lead me back to the Horsemen, and they all turned to me.

  “Sammy?” My father rushed to me. There was something in his eyes that I couldn’t quite decipher. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight for a moment. “You alright?”

  I took a deep breath before I stepped away and gave a wicked smile. “I’m better than ever. Let’s get home. Pete has waited too long to see his Father and Lucile is on to us.”

  Proving my point, the Devil herself appeared in our pathway, picking at her nails. “You think you’ve won?”

  “You can’t face all of us, Lucile. It’s over.” Pestilence stepped up to my side. “We’re all free, and you know that we can overpower you.”

  She bobbed her head from side to side as if it could be a debate. “Yes, but this is far from over. You might have stopped the apocalypse, but I can still reign Hell down on the humans.” She snapped her fingers, and a gateway appeared. “You may go, for now, because I know you’re right. Together you can take me out without a second thought, but one on one…we all saw how that ended up. Enjoy your freedom.”

  She disappeared, and I looked over my shoulder at my dad. He nodded and motioned for us all to go through. I walked through the gate and found us standing in front of the walled city.

  “So we were correct, they were turning this into a gateway to Hell.” I let my scythe disappear. “I’m glad to be done with that place.”

  My dad nodded. “So am I. Pestilence, this is my daughter, Sammy. Sammy, Pest.”

  I shook his hand and tried to hide the shock from my face at the large rat tattoo that took up his forearm.

  He caught me gazing at it and laughed. “I have a sense of humor.”

  I relaxed a bit and smiled. “I can see where Pete gets it from.”

  “Never thought Death would have a daughter.” He walked around me. “You don’t look like much, but I’m betting you know how to wield a scythe almost as good as your old man.”

  Famine snorted. “Her forms are basic, at best. If Aeron decided to summon a scythe he’d wield it better.”

  “There’s a reason Aeron doesn’t summon a scythe, and that’s not it.” War clapped a hand on Famine’s shoulder. “Back up off the lass.”

  Dad nudged me. “It’s time we go home. Like you said, it’s been too long since Pete has seen his dad.”

  “Hang back a second, Little Death.” The others disappeared back to Death’s realm, and War looked down at me with his hands on his hips. “You disappeared for a few minutes. Where to?”

  I looked up at him. “My own personal hell. Don’t worry about it, because I beat it and that’s what matters.”

  “Your father turned around and thought you were dead. All he saw was your body on the ground, I’ve never seen a grown man mourn so much.”

  I pressed my lips together. “My dad’s biggest fear is losing me. Lucile used that against him, and that’s how he was sealed up. She tortured me in front of him and had Lust give me a fatal wound.”

  “So the only way to keep you from dying was to seal himself away.” War crossed his arms. “That’s why Famine keeps pushing you. You’re Death’s weakness.”

  “And Famine believes that I am the bringer of death because a few people were killed when they were in Hell with me.” I glanced away.

  “Ask Famine is he’ll tell you about his first trip into Hell.” War shook his head. “I just wanted to tell you that you did well.” He disappeared.

  I looked around and took myself back to Death’s Realm.

  “We’re all back together again.” Pestilence’s voice boomed over the chatter in the room. “Death’s daughter has been found, four Horsemen and four children, just as it should be.”

  There were a couple here here’s and one joyous whoop noise from the corner from War. I leaned against the wall closest to the door so that I didn’t feel trapped in the crowd. I raised up my cup as Famine gave some heartfelt words about being back together.

  “Something bothering you?” My dad leaned against the wall next to me.

  I shrugged. “When I was in Hell, I heard Ruthie’s voice.”

  “It’s Hell, Sammy; it plays tricks on you.” He took a sip of his tea.

  I glanced at the group around us. “She was telling me to run; she wasn’t trying to pull me into a trap. I heard her in my dreams last night too.”

  “What did you see when you were in Hell?”

  I took a swig of my beer. “You trapped again, and I was stuck back in that room.”

  “I didn’t know you feared that.” He glanced at me. “The idea of me being sealed away again.”

  I snorted. “Apparently, I’ve become a scaredy cat. I used to see you dead when I got trapped in Hell’s grasp.” I finished off my beer. “I’m just glad to be done with that place.”

  “But hearing Ruthie’s voice bothered you.” He looked back at the rest of the group. “Because she told you to run.”

  “I know it’s probably the grief, but I do feel like she was trying to tell me something. Like she’s not done here.” I shook my head. “I know that’s crazy.”

  My dad didn’t say anything. I glanced up at him. “Something on your mind?”

  He smiled. “Just thinking about how things have changed the last year. I’m going to go for a walk, enjoy the rest of the celebration.” He moved around me and walked out of the house. I guess I knew where I got my love of solitude.

  Pestilence stepped in front of me and handed me another beer. “Pete says a lot of this is thanks to you.”

  “It’s thanks to all of us. If it hadn’t been for them, I’d be dead.” I twisted the top off the beer. “They helped make me what I am today.” I took a drink.

  He bowed his head. “I have you to thank though for finding me. I felt you, that first time that you visited. I could hear you outside the seal.”

  “I had no idea. I didn’t even know what I was doing that first time. I’m just glad it all worked out. All back together, just one big happy family.” I leaned my head against the wall. “I’m sure Pete is glad you’re back. It sounded like you guys were close.”

  “We are.” Pestilence glanced over his shoulder. “We all are, you’ll get there. You’re right, sarcasm aside, we’re all one big family.”

  Pete, Kaleb, Aeron, dad, they were my family. The other Horsemen were just strangers to me. I glanced at the table where Aeron and War were arm wrestling, and everyone around laughed. Maybe if I relaxed a little, I could fit in here.

  “Pete told me about your mother and your friend Ruthie.”

  I looked away. “If you don’t mind, I don’t want to talk about it. I’m working my way through it.”

  “I met your mother once. She was a good woman; she had a good heart. Just know that she would be proud of you.” He walked off, and I took a long drink of my beer.