Dreams of Eden (Ace of Queens # 4)

CH.17 Posey's Crimes

"She wouldn't let you keep her," Gemma concluded as she shook her head with a knowing smile.

"Did I forget to mention my wife is also very stubborn?" Tobias laughed.

"She let me go?" Eden refocused them.

"Yes," Tobias sighed. "She helped your soul sneak out of the underworld. You have no idea the mess it created. The other gods were not too pleased with my new bride for disturbing the world's balance."

Eden felt the need to thank this kind strange woman she only remembered from her memories. Memories that felt like they were from a forgotten dream.

"I remember...." Eden said slowly.

"What do you remember?" Gemma sank down next to the girl on the floor and held her hand.

"I was cold.....the sky was a strange color....almost clear or gray....like ice."

"Contrary to popular belief, the underworld is actually frozen and not a burning pit of fire," Tobias said.

"Explains why you are always cold," Rose said as she looked down at Eden.

Alec began to run his hands up and down Eden's arms to warm her up. He felt her move closer to his chest as she searched out his warmth.

"What can we do about the ghosts?" He asked Tobias.

"I'm afraid not much," The god sighed.

"Why is the palace filled with them?" Eden asked. "It's worse than a graveyard."

"Do you have any idea how old this place is?" Tobias laughed. "The amount of wars and battles it has seen....."

"Why do they linger here?" Rose asked.

"Some, like Ivan, have unfinished business. Others were not forgiven by the people they've hurt, and some.....well some just-"

"Don't want to move on," Eden finished.

"Yes," Tobias sighed.

"Can't you do something, Tobias?" Gemma frowned.

"I can take as many as I can," Tobias nodded. "But they're like roaches. They somehow always go on."

"Can you clear up the palace?" Alec asked.

"Yes," Tobias looked at Eden. "Posey wouldn't have it any other way."

"And what about when I'm not in the palace?" Eden asked. "What do I do then....these....these ghosts that linger, they were not good people."

"Eden...." Tobias rubbed his knuckles. "There are just some things that are even beyond my control. Your abilities are the consequences of what your grandmother did. It was to balance the universe."

Eden swallowed the lump in her throat, "Is that your way of telling me I will never be fixed?"

Tobias didn't know what to say. He wasn't a very good liar. His wife often said he was deadly honest.

After a long pause, he turned to Gemma.

"Do you remember how Lafayette taught you to channel your magic to guard yourself from iron weapons?" Tobias asked.

"Yes," Gemma nodded.

"You need to teach Eden how to do that. But have her channel her magic into a ghost," Tobias said slowly so that Gemma understood each word.

"How will...."

"Your magic is light, it can burn through the darkness," Tobias explained. "Death is darkness."