The sound of a cell slamming made her gut twist. She ducked into the nearest open cell and pressed herself against the inner wall, out of view of anyone passing. Three death dealers trotted by her. She waited for their footpads on the stairs to cease before easing out of the cell.
The glow was in front of the cell the dealers had just closed. It disappeared through the petrified wood door. Past-Death went to it and stopped.
"Hello?" she called, hitting the door with the flat of her hand. "Can anyone hear me?"
A muffled sound came from the other side.
"I can't hear you!" she said more loudly, gaze darting towards the direction the dealers had gone.
"Yes." This time, the voice was clearer. "We're here." It sounded like a woman's voice, and her heart soared at the thought she'd found Deidre at last.
Past-Death leaned back and pulled the keys she'd kept from her pockets. She tried both of them without success and cursed.
"Just … wait," she said lamely and took a step back.
There was no way she'd be able to get the keys, unless she dreamwalked. But doing so meant she wasn't able to control how long she was out. Worse, she'd be exposed, if the dealers returned.
"There must be some benefit in being the mate of a god!" she complained, pacing. Hearing the words aloud, Past-Death whirled and faced the door.
Gabriel had officially taken his place as Death. By all rights, and from what she knew of Immortal and deity mates, she should have access to some of his power.
"When I was Death …" she trailed off and placed her hand against the petrified wood of the cell door. To her delight, she heard the sound of the lock being drawn. Past-Death pushed the door open. "Hello?"
There were three forms in the cell, two of which she knew. Andre the Immortal, and Tymkyn, once her best tracker. The third, Karma, was the woman she'd seen Deidre leave with, a creature that made her retreat farther into the hallway.
They were staring at her in different levels of wariness. Tymkyn appeared disbelieving, Karma distrusting and Andre's brow was furrowed. He sat with his back to the far wall, blood drenching his clothing.
The glow she'd followed to the dungeon was perched on Andre's shoulder. In the silence that followed the door opening, past-Death gazed at it hard, not quite understanding why it had led her to the prisoners when she was looking for Peace.
"Where's Deidre?" she asked, pulling her focus from her mind.
"Gone," Karma said sadly.
"Not dead!"
"No," Andre said and got to his feet with some difficulty. "She went after Darkyn."