“Soulceress?” It was a mouthful.
She nodded. “We derive our power from our souls. From the souls of others, as well. It’s why you can touch people and know things about them. You are reading their soul.”
“And when I touch objects?”
“That power comes from your
own soul.”
I looked back at Grey. “Have you heard of these types of supernaturals?”
“Only by name,” he said. “I never knew the extent of their power.”
“But I can do more than read objects and people,” I said. “I brought my friend back from the dead.”
She smiled, tears sparking in her eyes. “That is a power so rare that only the strongest of us possess it. My grandmother did.”
“How did I do it?”
“May I touch you so that I can understand the circumstances fully?” She lifted her ungloved hand. “I know the theory behind your magic, but understanding your situation will help.
I nodded and held out my hand, palm up. She gripped it gently, her hand cold and firm. But warmth flowed through me, her magic touching mine.
Was this what my power felt like to others?
It was nice.
Evangeline drew in a steady breath, and I could feel her magic inside me, poking around for answers. Finally, she opened her eyes and met my gaze, though she did not drop my hand.
“When you truly love someone—deeply and forever—your soul touches theirs. Bonds to it in an unbreakable way. If they die before you, and you have trouble letting them go, then their soul will resist death.”
Shock raced through me. “I kept Beatrix on Earth? Like a ghost?”
“Not quite like a ghost. Ghosts are here of their own volition. They need magical energy to stay on this plane instead of being dragged to the afterlife, but they produce it on their own.”
“Beatrix said that after she died, she was drawn to my friend Eve, a Fae.”
Evangeline nodded. “This makes sense. When she died, your soul expended a massive amount of energy to draw her back from death. I believe she became a raven because it is tied to her magic and was an easier form to maintain. But she needed to find an energy source if she was to survive on Earth until you could find her again.”
“So she found Eve.”
“Yes. There is something about Eve’s magic that gave Beatrix the power to stay on this plane. You were drawn to each other. No doubt she found Eve because fate wanted to help her find you. Once you had the book, it gave you the strength and focus to finish the spell that would keep her from death.”
My mind was spinning. “So Beatrix is back for good and will live a normal life?”
“Yes. You have prevented her death this one time. But there’s no guarantee you can do it again if another of your friends dies. Circumstances must be right. Once you yank them from the brink of death, their soul needs an energy source to sustain them until you can find them and bring them back for good.”
I drew in a bracing breath. This was all so damned much. I looked at Grey, not liking where this was possibly leading us. “How does this help me break the curse on Grey and me?”
“That, I do not know. But I can feel that you aren’t fully embracing your power.”
“How can I embrace it if I don’t know what it is?”
“We never know what the future holds for us, nor what we are truly capable of. Not until we are tested.”
“And I haven’t been tested yet?”
“Perhaps not.” She shrugged. “But I do know that you have shied from your duty as leader of the Shadow Guild, and that cannot help.”