Burned

even than it has on the newly dead. Touch her again, Prophetess. This time focus and use more of the gifts you’ve been given.”
    “But I—”
    Annoyingly enough, Thanatos cut her off. “Prophetess, do what Nyx would want you to do.”
    “I don’t know what that is!”
    Thanatos’s stern expression relaxed, and she smiled again. “Oh, child, simply ask for her help.”
    Aphrodite blinked. “Just like that?”
    “Yes, Prophetess, exactly like that.”
    Slowly, Aphrodite placed her hand back on Zoey’s cold shoulder. This time she closed her eyes and drew three long, deep breaths, just like she’d watched Zoey do before casting a circle. Then she sent a silent but fervent prayer up to Nyx:
I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important, but you know that already because you know I don’t like to ask for favors. Not from anyone. Plus, I’m not really good at this supplication bullshit, but you already know that also.
Aphrodite sighed internally.
Nyx, I need your help. Thanatos seems to think I have some kind of link to the Otherworld. If that’s true, could you please let me know what’s happening to Zoey?
She paused in her silent prayer, sighed, and bared herself to Nyx.
Goddess, please. And not just because Zoey’s like the sister my mom was too selfish to have. I need your help with this because so many people depend on Zoey, and, sadly, that is more important than me.
    Aphrodite felt a warmth begin to build under her palm, and then it was like she’d slipped from her own body and slid into Zoey’s. She wasonly within her friend for a moment—no longer than one heartbeat—but what she felt and saw and
knew
shocked her so badly that, in the next instant, she found herself back in her own body. She cradled the hand she’d been pressing against Zoey to her chest, gasping with fear. Then, with a moan, she doubled up with vertigo, dry heaving while tears and spit spewed from her face.
    “What is it, Prophetess? What did you see?” Thanatos asked calmly as she wiped Aphrodite’s cheeks and steadied her with a strong hand around her waist.
    “She’s gone!” Aphrodite bit back the sob and began pulling herself together. “I felt what happened to her. Just for a second. Zoey threw the full power of spirit at Kalona. She tried to stop him with everything inside her, and it didn’t work. Heath died in front of her. That ripped her spirit to pieces.” Feeling weirdly light-headed, she looked hopelessly through her tears at Thanatos. “You know where she is, too, don’t you?”
    “I believe I do. You must confirm it, though.”
    “The pieces of her spirit are with the dead in the Otherworld,” Aphrodite said, blinking hard against the stinging of her red-tinged eyes. “Zoey is completely gone. What happened out there, she just couldn’t handle it—she still can’t.”
    “You saw nothing more? Nothing that might help Zoey?”
    Aphrodite swallowed back rising bile, and lifted her trembling hand. “No, but I’ll try again and—”
    Darius’s touch on her shoulder held her back from touching Zoey.
    “No. You’re still too weak from the breaking of your Imprint with Stevie Rae.”
    “That doesn’t matter. Zoey’s dying!”
    “It matters. Do you want your soul to become as Zoey’s?” Thanatos said quietly.
    Aphrodite felt a stab of new terror. “No,” she whispered, and covered Darius’s hand with her own.
    “And this is exactly why it is often unfortunate that the young are given great gifts by our loving Goddess. They rarely have the maturity to know how to use them wisely,” Neferet said.
    At the sound of Neferet’s cool, patronizing voice, Aphrodite saw a jolt go through Stark’s body, and his gaze finally lifted from Zoey.
    “This
creature
shouldn’t be allowed in here! She did this! She killed Heath and shattered Zoey!” Stark sounded like he had to grind the words around gravel to speak them.
    Neferet shot him a cool look. “I realize you are under duress, but you cannot be allowed to speak to a High Priestess in that fashion, Warrior.”
    Stark surged to his feet. Darius, lightning fast as always, held him back. Aphrodite heard him whisper urgently, “Think before you act, Stark!”
    “Warrior,” Duantia addressed Stark, “you were present when the human boy was killed, and Zoey’s soul shattered. You have borne witness to us that it was the winged immortal who did the deed. You said nothing of Neferet.”
    “Ask any of Zoey’s friends. Call Lenobia and Dragon