TIME CHANGED WHEN NICCOLO'S heart stopped. It felt like both an eternity and a second as she took his face in her hands and tried to pour in all the energy she had, anything to make his soul return to her. When it didn't, she closed her eyes, breathing out her grief shakily, before forcing herself to look up again. She couldn't afford showing her emotions nor feeling them. As a mortal, it had been her strength, but now, when she was going to war, she couldn't allow weakness.

Helio was staring at Niccolo, his expression unchanged, but she knew him too well to not notice the way he had frozen. To him too, Nico had been family.

"I've always wondered what happens when the gods die," Roshan whispered," mortals can't escape the judging scythe of death, but the divine? Do they linger in the darkness?"

Delilah gently closed Niccolo's eyes, placing a soft kiss on his forehead before she got to her feet.

"They disappear," she said, voice cold," I don't know where they go, but I guess my mother will find out soon enough."

"Delilah, I -" Roshan began, swallowing before he shook his head," I don't know where to begin. I guess I should start with saying I'm sorry."

"An apology from a liar doesn't mean anything to me," she said.

"You don't understand," he said softly," I was lost, an anomaly both to the humans as the angels. Where do I belong when I'm part of both and part of neither? It was a good offer I got, to spend some decades with a deity who had lost her memories, simply to protect her, like I should have protected the human I was sworn to, years ago. Only that, she had said, and then she'd turn me completely human forever. I vowed to and she sealed our promise with magic. A hundred more years, I had to go."

"That's what she said a hundred years ago as well, wasn't it?" Delilah said, eyes searing into him," she was never going to keep her promise, you were starting to realize that."

"I was," he said," but more importantly, I was starting to realize that I cared for you. You and that kindness you carry ever so naturally, like nothing the world does will ever make you hate it. It's mesmerizing, to me, to everyone around you. I used to be around you all the time, like I had promised your mother. Someone had to, as she recuperated the strength it ook her to keep up this farce only so she could see you every week. I suppose hiding you took a lot of time as well."

"You used to," she noted.

"Yeah," he said," I grew weary of it, at the end. I was supposed to keep all the supernatural beings away from you, but in these past few lives the magic had grown so weak that you were even able to see them. I wanted to see what you would do if I wasn't there to guide you in the way all your past lives had been. Most of all, I started becoming selfish. I met Devansh and had a taste of what a human life would be like, what human love would feel like. I thought it would be fine if I left you alone more and lied about it, instead of keep reporting to a woman who was only using me. I didn't expect you to die and meet the Grim Reaper."

"You're a guardian angel," she said," but what about the others?"

"Ah, you mean James?" he said, distaste coloring his voice," he's merely a doll made by your mother to further ensure you will keep away from the supernatural, hence the constant speeches about him hating anything regarding it. Why do you think I never liked him? He grows more annoying with each reincarnation in his persistence of how we shouldn't believe in anything."

"Tess -" she began.

"No," Roshan said, speaking before she could finish his sentence," Theresa and the others at the university are simply students. They had nothing to do with this whole game, only the misfortune of being alive during this version of it."

"Misfortune?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Roshan said," your mother is going to kill them all. In her sick mind, that's the only way of starting over. She'll try to get you back again."

"What makes you think I'll ever let her near me?" Delilah scoffed.

"You said it yourself," he said," you're going to kill her. Truly, I hope you succeed. I'm breaking the vow I've made to her now. It's been many years, but I've grown tired. I don't care what the repercussions are anymore."

"I don't either," she said," leave. I never want to see you again."

He stared at her in surprise, as if she was a different person. In a way, she was.

"You used to be kinder," he said.

"When I was allowed to be," she said," now all that would make me is foolish."

"I get it," he said, lowering his head," I did love you, you know. You were the only friend I've ever had."

Then he was gone, leaving only her and her broken heart behind. She lowered herself down beside Niccolo again, staring numbly at him, and Helio closed his arms around her from behind, resting his forehead against her hair.

"How will I make everything right again?" he whispered.

"You can't," she said, gaze undecipherable," it doesn't need to be. Perhaps I should end this whole world, if it all was just a game anyway."

"Lilah -" he began.

"I'm joking," she said, smiling as she turned to look back at him," only joking. If I went off and did something like that, it would only be a burden to you, Helio."

"I'll kill her, Lilah," he said, eyes dark in the shadows," I will. I know I'm supposed to be neutral, always, as the bringer of death, but I will forsake my duty for this."

"I know you will," she said warmly, cupping his face in her hands," my lovely Helio." She placed a soft kiss on his lips then, words echoing in the empty room. "And that's exactly why I won't let you do it."

"Lilah -" he began, but she had used her magic already, his eyes falling shut as he fell to the floor.

"It will be over soon," she promised, softly pushing the hair out of his face," I'm the only one who should dirty my hands."

With a wave of her hand he was teleported back in his house, Niccolo remaining on the floor, cold and pale. She didn't dare bury him quite yet. If she did, it would become real.

"Nico," she said," was I really worth giving your life up for?"

He didn't reply.

When she turned around she was standing in a place she knew only all too well, staring at the figure sitting down with her back towards her. The sky still was the same blue of her nightmares, the tower a prison she was yet to escape from. And then there was this woman, who had never left this place, even when the whole world had abandoned her.

"Of course you'd be here, Mother," she said.

"You figured it out, Delilah?" her mother said, her voice sad," I suppose it was only a matter of time."

"You know what I'm about to do, right?" Delilah said, slowly but steadily making her way over.

Her mother finally turned to look at her when she reached her, staring up from her kneeling position below. She looked so young now.

"I've only ever loved you," she said, a tear glittering down her cheek," all I wanted was to protect you, always. Why are you still abandoning me?"

"Protect me from what?" Delilah said," all I've ever needed protection from was you, Mother. Yet even now, you still can't see that."

"I know what I'm seeing," her mother spat," I know the Reaper tainted your mind with delusions and that Oracle made you -"

Delilah didn't give her the chance to finish, her mother choking as she tangled her power around her throat.

"Don't you dare," she snarled," don't you dare say any of their names. You're not worthy."

"What does it matter?" her mother coughed, the words forming with difficulty," I am a dying woman anyway. All this magic I've used, I knew it had a price. I'm fine with it. At least I had these past years with you. At least we were happy."

"You are dying," Delilah noted, her mother's shredded soul not escaping her sight," how many years? Four, five? That's a lot of magic you've used up."

"For you, Delilah," her mother smiled," everything I've done is for you."

"Is that so?" Delilah smiled, gently getting on her knees in front of her mother as she cupped her face within her hands," you know, I can see it now, Mother. It's all so clear to me."

"Finally," her mother breathed, reaching out to her," now we can be together again."

Delilah pulled back before her mother could touch her, smile dazzling. "No, unfortunately, I don't think that's happening."

"What?" her mother blinked.

"You like this place very much, don't you?" Delilah said, glancing around the room," I think it's a fitting grave, don't you?"

"Delilah," her mother said, voice beginning to grow in urgency once she realized what was going to happen.

"Five solitary years they'll be," Delilah smiled," but it'll be fine for you, just like you thought it would be fine for me. I'm doing this out of love for you, can't you see? That's why I will seal this place, so no one can get in or get out. Perhaps you'll live longer. I hope your soul doesn't burn out for an eternity, so you can spend it here alone."

"Delilah!" her mother screeched, jumping up to catch her," please -"

Her nails almost grazed her, but then she was gone, left in a prison of her own making. Delilah looked around the house she had teleported herself in, the party still going on, even though she had lost her heart amidst these people a while ago.

"Delilah!" Theresa smiled," there you are! Taste this, it's so sweet that it's delicious."

She pushed a flute of crimson liquid in her hands, Delilah taking a sip as she stared at the partying people around her. The music was too loud.

"Bitter," she mumbled to herself," everything tastes so bitter."

yes i am killing off people left and right AND also i'm finished with my exams!!!!! who knew the moment would come, after 1.5 months of continuous exams every week my suffering is Over. now off to 3m of summer holiday and then i'm entering my fifth (!!) year of uni, so two more years to goooo. also, Nico was my fav character of this whole book so i don't know what that says about me that i let him die but y'know it is what it is. if you're still reading this you're an OG fr