|[ DEATH'S APPRENTICE ]|

[Epilogue]

18 years later

Death wishes to speak with you. Dust's words echoed in my head as his small weight balanced itself on my shoulder. Absentmindedly I reached up to run a fingertip along his soft, cool feathers. I think perhaps, he might have a new task for you.

"It's been a while." I breathed, staring down at the city below. It was so like WrellHaven, and yet so different. Even perched at the top of the tallest tower, the dark twisting alleys webbed out further than the eye could see. I didn't know its name, nor did I care. There were no targets here for me. It was just one world, among many others, left for me to explore.

Alone.

Shall we summon him? Dust queried, rubbing his beak against my shoulder, or shall we let the train arrive? He leapt into the air and my eyes followed his movement. Far beyond him I could see the train flowing over invisible rails. I felt excitement creep through me, but disappointment as well. I didn't like riding the train without him.

Malik.

"Let's go." I cried, leaping from my spot. Movement shut his face out, shut everything out. I could see the train curve towards me, as if sensing my desire to board it, and I sprinted towards the other end of the tower's roof. For every foot I ran it flew twenty, before it was suddenly gliding past me. Holding my breath I leapt, feeling the solid roof disappear beneath my booted toes.

I floated for an eternity, feeling the emptiness below me as it twisted down towards the very pits of the city, until I hit the side of a carriage and clung to the door. As I slipped inside the nameless world disappeared far below, vanishing into a storm of white mist.

I found my seat, ignored the hollow feeling in my chest at the empty chair beside me, and turned my gaze outwards. In my reflection I could see my face, still as smooth and young as when I had caught the train the very first time. I didn't age. I didn't obey any timelines, or limits. Not for the first time I wondered what it would be like to let go, to die and be born and to age once more.

I hid the idea in a locker, deep within my mind.

***

It had been over a year since I had entered Death's Church. It had been even longer since I had stepped into the cinema charged with showing mortal's their history. But even still, as I closed the door behind me and stared at the flickering white screen I felt my chest ache. Too many memories.

As I took a seat at the very back, I watched the film begin. A girl I didn't recognise danced to a silent song, and then a small figure entered the room, unaware of my presence.

A sudden wave of déjà vu almost knocked me over as she glanced around, her features hidden by the darkness of the room. Was this Malik's first glimpse of me – as me?

Words appeared on the screen, and I almost expected to see my name again.

Please, take a seat, Eva.

The girl hesitated and then fell in the nearest chair. So her name was Eva. She stared at the screen, watching her memories play out. I stood and slipped into the seat behind her silently. I observed as she watched, wondering what was running through her mind. She seemed enthralled, watching herself on the screen, a young man chasing her with laughter.

"Eva." I said softly. She jumped at the sound of my voice, bumping her elbow into the arm of her chair.

"Who... who are you?" she asked as she turned, her voice quiet, scared, "Where am I? What is this place?"

"You're in a cinema," I said with a small smile, meeting her eyes, "And my name is Cora."

"Why am I here?" Eva inched away from me. She had large, bright eyes, and short blonde hair. Her small, pointed chin made her look delicate, pairing gently with a thin, willowy body. She didn't look much older than I was, though her face held an innocence about her.  I wondered why Death had chosen to give her an offer; what had she done in her life, or her past ones?

"You died." I said quietly, briefly wondering exactly how she had. I held out my hand, "But you have been given an offer. Come?"

She stared at my pale fingers, her face unreadable. The seconds ticked past as her eyes slowly slid up to look me in the eye.

"An offer by whom?" she finally said. Her voice had taken on a firmer edge, and fear almost gone. i could see strength in her; Death always chose his apprentices well.

"I'll take you to him." I smiled, "You just need to come with me."

She finally took my hand.

Once more I felt the room around me disappear, and it was as if Malik was with me again, all those years ago. For a brief moment as colour spun around me in a storm I could've pretended it was Malik holding my hand, pretended it was just like it had been before. Eva's fingers clamp down tighter on mine with terror and the illusion shattered, my heart with it. He was gone. I could hear the souls once more, calling to me, calling to each other. i wondered if his was amongst them.

"Ignore them," I said softly, soothing Eva's fear, "They're just souls."

We flew for what seemed like a moment and years at once until solid ground swooped up beneath us and we crashed onto a stone floor. Eva almost buckled but I held her tight, keeping her upright.

Around us the church swam into focus, the high, arching ceiling reaching up to the heavens, the black roses growing on thorned vines around each and every pew. Eva let go of my fingers, slipping away from me towards the stained window of a dark angel rising. Death stood, nailed to his cross, his dark hood covering watchful eyes. Her face held a look of awe, and I could see her eyes were the palest shade of green.

I stepped over to a pew and sat down quietly, head bowed in a non-existent prayer. I knew his words would be for her and her alone. Water moved gently somewhere, filling the silence.

I stared down at my hands, at my long slender fingers, already littered with dozens of scars from my line of work. I thought back to Malik's hands, how they had felt on my skin. I hadn't noticed if his skin was marked with an endless puzzle of flaws. I had been too focused on his beautiful eyes, and how they had watched me.

I clenched my hand into a fist, fighting the ache in my chest. 18 years I had carried on without him. 18 years I had taken down empires alone. But as Death had told me, Malik had suffered many times that. I wondered if I would ever meet him again, whether as Cora or someone else. How long until he reappeared? How long until I could find him? How long until I fell too, and joined him in the cycle?

I heard the door to the church open with a groan, but paid it no attention. I knew many people visited Death, for many different reasons. For a brief moment bright light spilled across the stone floor beside me, before the door swung closed once again. Behind me someone shifted into a seat and I heard a deep sigh, felt their cool breath against my back. Before me, Eva was kneeling, head in hands, as Death hovered above her, a dark shadow. she seemed to be crying, or laughing, or in pain. I wondered what he was saying; I wondered what Eva would decide. Would she choose as I had, or would she move on?

Was I even ready to teach someone else how to kill, to rip apart their soul like mine had been? I took a shuddery breath, my shoulders hunching over. Could I do this? Behind me the pew creaked and an icy hand gently touched my shoulder. I stiffened at the contact and turned, a question burning at my lips.

I saw stormy grey eyes.

"You." I breathed. He smiled.

"Me."