Chapter 381: Another Death

The old woman’s gaze lingered on the Soul-Stabilizing Pendant, her face unreadable. Without hesitation, I dropped to my knees. “Please, malam, if you know anything, tell me. This could mean everything to someone I care about.”

Her eyes shifted toward me, calm yet piercing. “The man who came with you before—he’s not with you this time?”

Zoey quickly knelt beside me, her hands gesturing in reassurance. “No, he’s not here! Don’t worry, he’s far away. Look, if it’ll help, I’ll bow too. Just tell my sister what she needs to know.”

“Both of you, get up,” the old woman said, her tone firm but not unkind. Zoey and I obeyed, settling cross-legged on the floor as she had.

“After you left last time,” the old woman began, “that man returned to see me.”

A sharp chill ran through me. Of course, Carter would take matters into his own hands. A mere mention of him, and he’d already found her.

“What did he say?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the ocarina. “He gave me money. Told me to leave this place.”

My hands curled into fists. “He’s afraid you’ll tell me the truth. But since you stayed, he won’t let this drop!” Carter’s nature was all too clear to me. His kindness was a mask he wore only for me. If this was important enough to him, he’d stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

“I left,” the old woman said, her voice calm, “but I knew you’d come.”

Her words struck like a thunderclap. Zoey and I exchanged stunned glances.

“You knew we’d come?” Zoey asked, disbelief plain in her voice. “How could you possibly know that? It doesn’t make sense!”

The woman’s smile deepened, her eyes softening. The wrinkles at their corners somehow made her look gentler, as though she’d known us for years. It was strange. Though I’d never seen her before, something about her felt familiar, like the echo of a memory I couldn’t place.

“What do you want to ask me?” she said, ignoring Zoey’s question entirely.

I drew in a shaky breath. “The last time we spoke, I told you I thought I understood what this was. But now, I’m not so sure. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe someone lied to me. You know what this is. Please, tell me the truth. What is this stone? What does it do? Is there a second one? And what did you mean by the things you said before?”

She set the ocarina down with care and reached for my stone. Her hands, worn with age, moved slowly as her fingers traced the surface again and again, as if each pass revealed something only she could see.

“This,” she said finally, “is the Stone of Duality. You were right—there is another piece. The black one represents negative energy, while the one in your hand represents positive energy.”

Zoey’s eyes widened. “Chloe, how on earth did you figure that out?”

I didn’t respond. My focus remained on the old woman. “What does it do?”

She looked straight at me, her gaze steady and intent. “It changes fate.”

Her voice didn’t falter as she continued. “Whoever possesses the Stone of Duality can overturn destiny itself. If you live a life of wealth and ease, another will share in your blessings. But if your life is cut short, their fate will mirror yours. Neither escapes unscathed.”

I had suspected something like this, but hearing it laid out so plainly felt like a blow.

Zoey, never one to accept anything without a fight, leaned forward. “But how could he have known you were going to die? That doesn’t add up!”

The old woman’s expression didn’t shift. “Life and death are already written. No one gets something for nothing.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and final. Her presence felt larger now, like she was a step ahead of us in a game we didn’t fully understand. I grabbed her hand, unable to mask my desperation. “Please, tell me more. How does it work? What has to happen for it to take effect? Is it too late to change anything now?”

Her voice remained steady. “Are you sure you want to change it? If you do, there’s a chance you’ll die again. He brought you the Stone of Duality to take your place, to trade his life for yours.”

Zoey’s temper flared. “Why does Chloe have to die? The ones who deserve it are those monsters, not her! Ma’am, you must know a way to save her. She doesn’t deserve this. Take my life instead. I don’t have anyone depending on me anyway. I’ll—”

“Zoey!” I snapped. “Don’t say things like that!”

The old woman let out a deep sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. “You two… follow me.”

Zoey and I exchanged a glance. I gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t do anything reckless. If she’s still here waiting for us, there’s a chance we can fix this.”

Zoey nodded, a small smile breaking through her frustration. “You’re probably right. Maybe we really did stumble onto someone who can help. Like a guide or something.”

Her optimism barely touched me. My thoughts churned, tangled with doubts and fears. If even Carter, with all his determination, could only find a life-for-life solution, was there any other way? I knew him. He wouldn’t do this unless he was out of options. If there was even the faintest hope, I had to hold on to it.

The old woman led us outside to a cherry blossom tree, its branches covered in delicate blooms. Beside it stood an ancient stone well, its edges worn smooth by time. A light breeze rustled the petals, and the bells hanging from the tree chimed, their clear tones echoing softly in the stillness.

“Chloe, do you believe in past lives?”

Her question stopped me cold. My head snapped toward her, disbelief clouding my mind. I had never told her my name. Not once. How could she possibly know it?

“I didn’t,” I said finally, my voice unsteady. “But now, I do.”

“Then it’s time to face what’s waiting for you.”

She moved toward the tree and unhooked a wind chime that hung from one of its lower branches. Without hesitation, she placed it in my hands. “Drop this into the well,” she instructed.

The fragile chime felt light, almost weightless, but its presence carried a gravity I couldn’t ignore. My hands shook as I held it over the black void of the well. Taking a steadying breath, I released it.

The chime disappeared into the darkness, and the still water below began to shift. Its inky surface rippled, then transformed, as though revealing a hidden truth.

The moment stretched endlessly, the air heavy and electric. For Zoey, standing beside me, it must have passed in the blink of an eye. But I saw it—every detail of the past we shared. There is no such thing as love without reason. Bonds don’t form by chance; they are forged across lifetimes. He had owed me a debt so profound that he chose to repay it with the only thing he could give—his life.

Zoey’s voice broke through my thoughts. “What did you see? I didn’t see a thing!”

Tears spilled from my eyes, unchecked, falling onto the ground. I dropped to my knees, clutching at the old woman’s sleeve. “You know who I am. You know my past. Please, tell me what I need to do.”

Her gaze didn’t waver. “The Stone of Duality works over 81 days. How long have you kept it close?”

I hesitated, counting. “It’s been a little over two months. Maybe seven days remain.”

“Then destroy it,” she said. “That will sever the bond. But understand this—without him to take your place, you might die again. This life you live isn’t yours; he gave it to you. You were meant to die. No matter what, that destiny hasn’t changed.”

Zoey’s face flushed with anger. “And the people who killed Chloe? They just get to live as if nothing happened?”

The woman shook her head. “No one escapes their fate. Justice comes, even if it’s slow.”

Zoey’s frustration spilled over. “I don’t understand! What about me? I was dead too. How am I still here? Will I die again?”

The woman’s gaze locked on Zoey, firm and unyielding. Her words were as final as a gavel’s strike. It hit me then, like ice water poured over my soul. We were both living on borrowed time. Even if we stole moments, life wasn’t ours to keep.

Zoey’s voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “How long do I have?”