My wings reacted and flew me out of the water's grasp. As soon as the water was off of me, my wings stopped operating.

My wings cocooned me, and I fell.

Something snatched me out of the air, but my body reacted before I could register who it was that caught me. My wings opened a bit, and I saw a worried face that hid under a dazzling smile.

"Are you alright?" Liam asked.

I nodded as the words were stuck in my throat. Liam held me a bit awkwardly before shifting my body against his. Xavier and Ember came near me, but I was focused on what Charon was doing.

He shifted through the water with his ore and frowned before sighing. He dug his hands in the water and put three bodies into his little boat. The bodies were pale green and stank of dead fish that was left outside in the daylight. Their mouths resembled the lips of a frog and stretched horizontally across their face.

Even with their changing features, I could still make them out as the robber, Jake Fisher, and Jack Fisher.

Charon pried open Jake's mouth and a gold coin laid at the tip of the tongue. He took out a rusty pocket knife and dug into the tongue. Black gunk sprayed him as he worked, but Charon didn't care. He did this process with the other two bodies until he had three gold coins in his hand. With three cadavers sharing the same mutilated mouths, Charon dipped his hand into the water. He swished it around a bit and then swiftly put the money in his pocket.

Then he looked at us- specifically me- and sighed.

"I have good news, and then I have bad news."

"What's the good news?" Ember asked.

"The good news is that I can take these three bodies across the way." He pointed to the small island far away from us. It had lights pointing in all directions and seemed to be vibrating with life. "From there, Hades will send them to Satan, and Satan will decide whether they should rot in hell or be put to work." He showed us the three gold coins that radiated a faint white glow. "This was the toll, and since you got them to me safely and sound, you won't have to pay a single cent."

He smiled and put the money back in his pocket. He got out of his boat and walked up to the shoreline. He stepped onto the sand, and I saw that he was wearing tall grey rain boots.

"And the bad news?" I dreadfully asked.

Charon sighed and pointed to the water. "There are two souls in that water that I cannot take. Their souls are pure, and we only take damned creatures here."

"So, what does that mean for us?" Xavier asked.

Charon pointed to me and then Ember. "One of them has to hold onto them. The Harpy is ideal, but if he can't, then Ember can do it. An angel should appear during the sunrise of the third day after the death or in your dreams of the same day. They will take their soul or whatever. If you get a new angel, they'll come on those days. The old angels always procrastinate. If they don't come on those days and Ember is holding them, then they will automatically come back here."

"That's why I highly suggest that the Harpy holds onto them." Charon looked back at the water. "I can see into dead people's last memories, and it seems like the people I have deserved what they got. But those people in the water, they didn't deserve the end they got."

He looked back at me. "Can I trust that you'll get them to where they really need to be?"

I stared into his red eyes and nodded with certainty. "I will make sure they get there."

Charon gave me a smile, but I didn't see any teeth. Instead, he ruffled my hair and pinched my cheek. Then he looked at Ember. "I know he'll do it, but you go with him when he does. Angels always ask too many questions."

Ember nodded as Charon walked back to his boat.

"Why can't we go with Kye when the Angels come?" Xavier asked.

Charon kept walking. "Angels only show up to people who really need them, to people who are on the brink of death or to collect souls that they couldn't collect first. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen." He got back to his boat. Despite the ship rocking subtly in the waves, Charon had no trouble getting back in.

"My old eyes aren't what they used to be." He chuckled and shook his head. "I almost forgot, the sixth soul." He shook his head. "It's not coming out- well, not right now at least."

Liam scrunched his face. "What do you mean, 'not coming out'?"

Charon shrugged. "Exactly that. It's not coming out. Apparently, this soul is different from the others and has some strong feelings for the Harpy. When that happens, they usually are a pain to obtain- literally. I suggest waiting it out- they normally become unattached on their own."

"But-" Liam started, but I stopped him.

"It's okay. Well, it's not, but I don't want to feel pain for something that will be easier later."

Liam huffed but nodded his head.

"Now that that business is over, come on and get these souls before that unwanted presence comes."

I looked back at Liam. "I think I can walk now."

He raised a brow. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and knew it was true. Granted, I felt like I was starved but full, dead but alive, tired but vigilant earlier- but I felt better than I ever did. I still felt a tiny bit full, but it was better than before. Liam let me down, and my feet grasped the sand. I felt each grain run through my toes, and I felt a smile creep up on my face.

43. I love sand- maybe more than grass.

I tried to run forward, but my feet couldn't keep up. I could feel myself smiling, and I giggled softly to myself. I knew I must've looked like a baby penguin learning how to walk, but I could care less. My eyes were glued to the ground, and I danced circles towards the water.

The water greeted me with a silent wave. I stood with eyes facing the ground and stepped into the glacier water.

Two bright green orbs swam towards me with frightening speed.

I had no time to react as they each took one leg and spiraled up them. Their comforting heat stopped my fear, and soothing warmth wrapped my whole body. One they reached my chest, they dove into my body, and I felt warmth similar to a hug.

It almost knocked me entirely off my feet, but I managed to catch myself.

"How do you feel?" Charon asked.

"Better than before."

He smiled again. "You look better. Now, gon' and get before-" Charon snapped his head away from us. The sudden movement made my heart drop, and it made it jump as he turned back to us.

"Oh shit, he's coming."