“What now? The time for rebirth is almost here. If she keeps interfering, won’t we miss the chance?”
Kieran stomped his foot and ground his teeth until his eyes shone wet with rage. “Mikaela, what do you actually want from me?”
“I’ve done everything for you and yet you cling to me even after death. We just broke up, that’s all. It’s not like I murdered your whole family. Do you really hate me this much?”
I looked at him steadily, murderous intent brimming in my eyes. “I ask you once again, Kieran, do you dare to bet?”
Nobody expected me to be this determined. Whispers rippled through the crowd of souls.
“Why is she clinging to him like this?”
“She risked shortening her life just to come here. This can’t be only about thirty bucks. There must be something else going on, right?”
Even the Lord of Hell rubbed his beard and frowned thoughtfully. Kieran seemed to sense the sudden shift in the hall, so he threw his chin up and barked, “If you want a bet, fine, let’s do it!”
I pointed at the great mirror that recorded the past and spoke each word slowly and clearly. “The truth is in the Mirror of the Past.”
“Kieran, you call yourself a good man. So, come, stand before the mirror and let everyone see who you really are. If I lose, I accept being struck from the records and never to be reborn again.”
“And if you lose, you and your family will be cast into the deepest pit of Hell. Deal?”
He narrowed his eyes, lifted his chin and sneered, “If a man is upright, why fear his shadow? You think mere accusations will make people believe you?”
I snorted. “Oh, so upright. We’ll see if your shadow is as clean as you claim.”
Kieran glared at me and then stepped up to the Mirror of the Past. The screen filled with images, flawless and noble in every act, just as before.
The souls nearby praised him at the sight of his apparent virtue.
Kieran turned, glancing at me smugly. “See? What more is there to say?”
Then, he went back into his theatrical grief, as if he had suffered a great injustice. The other souls were instantly moved to righteous indignation.
“Your Majesty, how can we call it justice in the Underworld if we don't punish such a wicked creature until she wishes she were dead?”
At their cries, the iron chains around me tightened viciously, cutting into my skin and blood flowed down. Scalding flames erupted beneath my feet as tongues of hellfire licked my bones. Pain ripped through me until I screamed.
Yet I refused to back down as I shouted in agony, “One clip of footage proves nothing! Do you think a few scenes show the whole person? Have you watched everything?”
The mirror obliged, flipping through more recordings.
There was the day he had told me he had to break up with me so he could donate marrow to his troublemaker brother, who had leukemia. I refused, but he ended things between us with solemn resolve.
The souls around were moved to tears, giving a thumbs-up to his kind and generous soul.
“Mikaela, Kieran broke up with you must be because he saw through your true nature and selfishness.”
“You deserve the scorn you get.”
His parents moved forward, spitting contempt at me. They clasped Kieran’s hand together, a picture of family unity that made my stomach twist.
“Mikaela, what can you possibly say now?”
I laughed sharply, mocking the whole situation. “Your Majesty, honestly, I truly doubt the reliability of your records.”
“By now you don’t even know the true color of the soul standing right before you. There must be many mistakes in judgment down here in the Underworld.”
“Nonsense!” The Lord of Hell had lost all patience. “You barged into the Underworld and caused trouble. You have already lost the bet. I will now carry out its terms. I will strip away your soul and add the crime of openly defying and breaking the laws of the Underworld!”
The jailers, the ox-headed and horse-faced wardens, were already rubbing their hands, ready to throw me into the Lowest Circle of Hell.
I didn’t flinch. With great effort, I propped myself up and pointed at Kieran with pure hatred.
“What’s the point of having judges and wardens here? All of you are blind fools! ”
