“But I can block those feelings now,” I said. Tony let go of my shoulders as I turned to Alex. “This is our only chance. No matter how much this hurts me, I have to try.”

“No.” Alex’s mind was made up. “This might kill you. Have you even stopped to think about that? I won’t lose you like this. We’ll find another way.”

Tony stepped back, giving us a little room. It wasn’t exactly privacy, but it would have to do.

“Alex, I’m in charge. We may be in the underworld, and Hades might be calling the shots as far as what happens to us here, but I’m still the leader of the Ophi. I’m the Chosen One.”

“You fulfilled that prophecy, you and Chase, when you destroyed us all.”

Yes, I’d killed them when I kissed Chase and combined our powers, but that wasn’t the entire prophecy. That wasn’t all I was chosen to do. “Medusa appeared to me when you all died. She told me prophecies are never what they seem. Chase was meant to kill you all. I was meant to save you. This is how I’m going to do it.”

Alex started to protest, but I stepped forward and took his hands in mine. “I’m going to do this whether you want me to or not, but I’d feel a lot more confident if I had you on my side. Please, Alex.”

He closed his eyes. He wouldn’t even look at me. For a moment, I thought about transferring some of my power to him. It would’ve helped him get past these negative feelings, but if I did that to him, I’d be no better than Chase, using my powers to control people and get what I wanted.

“Alex, I need you. Please. I won’t try to make you understand. I’m just asking you to trust me.”

He opened his eyes. “Where are you going to get a body, and what will happen to this body?”

Tony stepped closer to us again. “I’m only guessing here, but I think Jodi would still have control over both bodies, both parts of her soul. It would be like double vision, almost.”

“That will drive you insane,” Alex said. “And with Hades torturing this body—” He choked on the words, unable to continue.

“That’s why I need you. You have to keep my body safe here. As safe as you can. I can’t let Hades know what I’m doing, so someone is going to have to help me, make sure I’m not acting like a walking zombie.”

Alex’s expression went cold. It was his look of determination. “Tony can watch your body. I’m coming with you.”

“What?” My voice was an octave higher than usual. “You can’t. You don’t have a human soul in you.”

“No, but I did die. Twice.”

“Sorry, Alex.” Tony shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way. If it did, Jodi could raise us all right out of here. We’ve all died. But since we were brought back before our souls had a chance to leave our bodies, we don’t have anything for Jodi to raise.”

“Are you sure? Shouldn’t we at least try?”

“Even if it were somehow possible, Jodi would need to have bodies to put our souls into. We’d end up zombies for the rest of our existence. Our bodies would remain here. Just like Jodi’s is going to. Her plan is difficult enough as it is. She’s going to have to tune out her soul here in order to function as a human.”

While they debated the details, I let my mind wander. If I raised my human soul, would I be human again? Would I get to see my mom? Melodie? I owed her a huge explanation for why I’d suddenly become the worst best friend known to femalekind.

“Hang on,” I said over Alex and Tony’s bickering. They stopped talking and stared at me. “If I can do this, will I be human in the body I possess?”

Tony looked at Alex first before his eyes rested on me. “You’re only raising the human part of your soul, so yes.”

Human. I’d get a second chance to be human. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized just how much I missed being human. I wouldn’t be a threat to anyone anymore. I really could see my mom—not that she’d recognize me in a different body, but still. I’d get to see her.

Alex stared at me, looking every bit as hurt and rejected as he had when I’d decided to fulfill the prophecy and join my powers with Chase. I knew he was thinking of Matt, my human boyfriend, but that was silly. Matt was dead. I assumed he was in the Elysian Fields where all the good souls went for the afterlife.

“You’re really going to do this? You want to be human again?” Alex touched my cheek, brushing away a tear.

“I never got to say goodbye to my old life. I just left after you brought my mom back. I need some sort of closure on that part of me. Killing the human half of my soul didn’t kill the feelings I had. They’re still buried inside me, and I think if I don’t deal with them, I’ll never truly be able to lead the Ophi.” It hurt to say the words because I knew how much they tore Alex apart inside. He wanted me—all of me, and I’d never be able to give him that. Not until I did this.

He nodded but didn’t say a word.

“Thank you. I know it’s hard for you to understand.” I ran my fingers through his hair, and Tony coughed behind us.

“Sorry to interrupt, but keep in mind that we aren’t alone here.” Tony turned, and I saw souls wandering aimlessly. It was the first time I’d noticed them. They didn’t look like they were suffering. They didn’t look like they felt anything. It wasn’t a life I could imagine—but then again, it was the afterlife.

“I guess we need to look for a body for you,” Alex said.

Tony sighed, still obviously conflicted. “We’ll have to wait for a new soul, meet up with her when she arrives. The fresher the body, the easier the transition will be for you, Jodi.”

All this talk about fresh bodies to possess was making me queasy. I was going to be doing to myself what I had done to the souls in Tartarus—the ones whose bodies Hades stole, thinking I wouldn’t be able to raise them anymore. The ones like my dad.

“Having second thoughts?” Tony asked.

I shook my head and swallowed my fear. “No. I have to do this, no matter how gross it’s going to be.”

“Gross isn’t the word.” Alex ran his hands through his hair. “You’re going to be torturing your own soul. Do you really think you’ll be able to hold on and raise half of your soul when you’re in that much pain?”

Great question. There was one way to make sure I pulled it off. That I continued to rip my soul out no matter how much I was suffering.

“Don’t even think it.” Alex grabbed my arms and looked me square in the eyes. “Chase is not helping you do this. That scumbag would probably kill you the first chance he got.”

“What if I can’t do it by myself? What if I don’t have enough power?” I looked to Tony for help. “Chase may be my only chance.”

“I thought I heard my name.” Chase walked around the row of asphodels and into view.

Alex was on him quicker than I could blink. He rammed into Chase, knocking him to the ground.

“Alex!” I rushed to them as Alex grabbed an asphodel and brought it down toward Chase’s mouth. “No!” I pushed his arm away, throwing myself between him and Chase. I landed face down, inches from Chase’s lips.

Chase smiled. “How sweet. You just can’t keep your hands off me, can you?” Speaking of hands, I pressed my palms to his chest and jolted him with a dose of pure poisoned blood from the left side of my body. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he passed out.

I pushed myself off him and reached for Alex’s hand, pulling him up, too. “We aren’t killing anyone. Got that?”

Tony stared at me. “Jodi, I’m glad Chase isn’t a threat anymore, but do you really think you should be giving in to your power like that? I do believe this is the sort of thing Hades was talking about. The thing that made Chase turn evil.”

“No.” I crossed my arms. “Chase was jealous of my power and wanted more to make up for it. I only did what I had to. Yes, I hurt him, but I did it to save his life.” I turned to Alex. “And to save your soul. Don’t let him—” I pointed to Chase’s limp body, “—turn you into a monster. That’s not you, Alex. I get that you’re trying to protect me, and I love you for that, but I won’t be the reason you become evil. I won’t let you turn into your parents.”