Grave Memory: An Alex Craft Novel

by Kalayna Price

  The circles dropped, my friends running forward.

  Caleb hauled me to my feet, clearly unaware I was already in good hands. Holly threw her arms around me.

  “I thought you were dead,” she whispered, hugging me tight.

  I handed off the box to Rianna. “Somewhere in that castle is a secure place to store this, right?”

  She smiled, her eyes full of relief. She tucked the spear in the crook of her arm so she could hold the box with both hands. “I’m sure we can find somewhere.”

  Death stepped back as my friends crowded around me. I twisted, reaching for him.

  “Don’t go. I need you.”

  He stared at me for a long moment, and I was sure at any second he’d vanish and I wouldn’t see him again. Then he stepped forward, swept me into his arms, and kissed me.

  “Uh, is it just me,” Briar said somewhere behind me. “Or is she floating and glowing? Humans don’t glow.”

  She’ll definitely put this in her report. I didn’t know if it would negate my OMIH license, and in that moment, I didn’t care. We were all alive, the rider was trapped, Tamara would be safe, and Death didn’t forfeit his soul.

  We won.

  Chapter 42

  “Can he hold him?” Nina Kingly asked, looking from me to her husband’s ghost. She looked exhausted but she glowed with her new motherhood. She’d also taken meeting her husband’s ghost a lot better than I thought she would. A whole lot better.

  She handed the baby to her husband and I kept a firm grip on the ghost, making sure he remained corporeal enough to hold his son. Iridescent tears streamed down his cheeks.

  “He’s perfect,” he said, staring in the same wonder any new father would have. Then he handed the baby back to his wife. “I guess it’s time then?” he asked, looking toward Death, who stood in the doorway of the hospital room.

  The soul collector gave him a small nod.

  “I love you, Nina.” Kingly leaned down and kissed his wife’s forehead and then turned to me. “I wish I knew how to thank you, Alex.”

  Considering he’d been one of the ghosts who’d led the assault on the rider and got me out of the land of the dead, I figured we were even.

  With one last look at his wife and son, Kingly turned and walked to Death. The collector reached out, taking the ghost by the shoulder and the shimmery iridescence of the ghost turned to the bright yellow of a soul again before Death flicked his hand and Kingly disappeared.

  “Thank you, Ms. Craft,” Nina Kingly said and the balance shifted.

  I left soon after.

  Death waited for me in the hall. “The mender told me what you did. He’s a dangerous being to owe that kind of debt.”

  “It was the best option.” I shrugged. “So considering it’s been nearly a week, I guess you’re going to start vanishing on me again?”

  His wince was slight, but I saw it. “There will be certain…restrictions. I may be away for some time.”

  He didn’t give me a chance to ask how long or what restrictions, but leaned down and kissed me. Not a teasing kiss either. He stole my breath with a kiss full of promise.

  Then he vanished.

  I leaned my head against the wall and laughed, though it wasn’t a happy sound. When a nurse stopped in the hall to make sure I was all right, I decided it was time to head home.

  Maybe I should have waited longer.

  “What the hell?” I asked as I opened the door and found not only PC to greet me, but several boxes, a suitcase, and a certain blond fae.

  Falin looked up from where he was unloading groceries into my fridge. He reached into his suit jacket, and walking across the room, wordlessly handed me a folded document.

  The single page of text was signed with the Winter Queen’s official seal. I reread it three times.

  “You can’t be serious. She’s making you move in with me?”