Revelations: The Fallen
Page 21
I knew the truth because I’d been down there. Down in the Devil’s Drop, the barriers between Earth and Hell were at their thinnest. You could hear the screams of the tortured souls clearer and louder with every step you took.
It was, essentially, a Hellmouth. Once Hell was packed to the brim with screaming souls, it would overflow. The Devil’s Drop was the pouring point for the inevitable flow of wild, destructive, and volatile spirits that were going to come rushing out.
I smiled at Mrs. Croxford again. “The Crystal Cavern is my favorite.”
“Oh, the whole place glitters like a gem,” she gushed, closing her eyes in ecstasy. “It was truly a sight to behold. Have you been down there lately?”
I shook my head. “I doubt it’s changed much in the last sixty thousand years.” I gave her a wink.
She laughed. “You should go down,” she said. “You can’t take these things for granted. There is so much beauty in the world, we have to appreciate every speck and spot.”
I grinned back at her, thinking to myself that I was never going down there again. The last time I was forced to go down there, it was to rescue my lover. Bound, tortured and weakened, he had almost died from the constant exposure to the screams of the dead. I’d saved him, even though it had almost killed me, too. I’d been working on learning to block out the screams with some help from Nate, by wandering around in the outer caves. But I'd decided I was going to stay far away from the Devil’s Drop, if I could help it.
“You’re right, Mrs. Croxford,” I said to her. “There is so much beauty in the world.”
“And you are so beautiful too, my dear,” she said to me, grinning widely, nodding in my direction. “So young, so pretty and sweet. You’ve got the whole world in your hands. The future belongs to you.”
I laughed out loud. “You are unbearably kind.”
She was also almost completely wrong, I wasn't going to let her know that though.
“Well, I just wanted to say thanks again. You’ve been too kind.”
I gave her a cheeky wink. “It is my job, Mrs. Croxford.”
“Yes, but I can tell that you care, Eve,” she nodded sagely. “You care about all of us, and it shows.” She held out her arms. “Can I have a hug?”
I chuckled. “Of course you can,” I said, walking around the desk to meet her.
I got halfway around it before she spotted my lower half. Her eyes flew wide, and she gasped theatrically. “Oh! You’re pregnant! I didn't know!"
I shrugged, still grinning at her enthusiasm. “Well, the reception desk kinda hides it well.”
“Oh, Eve!" Mrs. Croxford pulled me in for a hug. It was a lot more gentle than she was probably planning on, but it felt gorgeous. I was a connoisseur of non-romantic physical affection, having been a victim of more attempted sexual assaults than I care to mention. I thanked my lucky stars that I’d never stopped liking hugs. In fact, I loved a good squeeze.
You could always tell how much the other person loved you by their hug. To me, it felt like a tangible exchange of energy. That had been a mad theory of mine, one of which I had shared with my friend Met, who happened to be an excellent hugger.
He’d told me that my theory was actually true. He'd said that in a proper full-body hug, two people’s heart chakras aligned, and they exchanged a beautiful energy between them - neither of them losing anything, both of them gaining everything.
Mrs. Croxford was an Olympic-grade hugger. I fell into it, basking in the glowing vibrations that she sent into me.
She squeezed me for just a quick second. “You’re so lucky,” she whispered. “Having a beautiful, sweet baby. Becoming a mother. It’s such a special time.”
She released me and stepped back, keeping hold of both my hands still clutched in hers. “Your future is so bright, Eve,” she said, smiling, tears in her eyes. “I hope you’re looking forward to it.”
I had to work hard to keep my smile on my face. I didn’t want to contradict her.
The truth was, as soon as this baby entered the world…
Well, that would be the end.
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