Free The Underworld (Rhyn Eternal) by Lizzy Ford Page A

tools, belt buckles?”
    Deidre grimaced then grabbed an armful and moved to the lighted part of the cell. She deposited it.
    “I think I’m gonna be sick,” she said, gazing down at the bones. “You did this?”
    “They earned it.”
    “They hurt people or something?”
    “These were death dealers who didn’t obey Harmony. She tossed them down here. They hurt many people outside the confines of their sworn duties. When they were balanced, they were found lacking. It cost them their lives and souls.”
    Unwilling to dwell too long on what Karma did to them, Deidre drew a few deep breaths then knelt and began searching for something the deity in the corner could use.
    “What happens if we run across someone once we escape?” she asked.
    “They must agree to be balanced.”
    “Or … what?”
    “Karma kills.”
    Her eyes flew up. She could almost see Karma shrug.
    “Okay. Let’s just try not to kill anyone helping us escape. Can we do that?” Deidre asked.
    “If you help Karma out of here, she will be indebted to you.”
    Don’t sound too disappointed. “I don’t know about a tool, but this um, bone looks like it was fractured to a point. Will that work?” She had no idea what part of the body the bone in her hand came from.
    “She can try it.”
    “ I can try it,” Deidre corrected absently.
    “I can try it,” Karma echoed.
    Deidre walked to Karma’s corner and handed it to her. “I’ll keep looking.”
    She continued searching and listened to the sound of the deity jamming and manipulating the chains. Deidre brought another two piles of bones to the center of the room. The effort – and idea of touching human-like remains – left her lightheaded. She took a break for a moment before sifting through the remains.
    “Karma freed one lock!” Karma said in excitement. “But the bone is broken.”
    “I think I found another.” Deidre pulled free another one with a jagged point. She slid it across the floor to the deity. “I’m not seeing tools.”
    “We need more bones,” Karma said with a grunt. “Karma can make that happen.”
    “Um … I don’t think that’s the best alternative. I’ll keep looking for bones.”
    “Half the Immortals in this palace have it coming.”
    “Do you and Death ever scuffle over territory?”
    “Sometimes, like when Karma balances someone whose name hasn’t been written on the list. Past-Death put her … me here for it.”
    “Who did you judge?”
    “Gabriel.”
    Deidre gasped. “But he’s … Gabriel . You wanted to kill him and past-Death wouldn’t let you?”
    “Kill? No. He didn’t earn death.” There was a silence as Karma worked on her bonds. “Past-Death pissed off Karma again. Karma figured out how to get back at her and was going to tell Gabriel what past-Death was doing to manipulate his future.”
    “And she imprisoned you.” Deidre grew thoughtful.
    “My brother turned me in. Said I needed to learn not to fuck with deities.”
    “That sucks. So you knew exactly who I was when I was brought in.”
    “Yes.” The sound of something snapping drew a curse from the deity.
    Deidre flinched at the thought of desecrating the remains of anyone, even an Immortal serving Harmony.
    “More bones,” Karma ordered.
    Deidre sought out two more and took them to the corner. Suddenly, Karma’s movements stopped.
    “They’re coming,” she whispered. “They want to see what Karma did to you.”
    “No!” Deidre said, starting to panic. Her eyes went to the bones in the center of the room. “I’m not going with them again!”
    “Toss your clothing on the bones. They won’t dare come close enough to be balanced.”
    Deidre obeyed without question and went to the dark corner with the rest of the bones.
    “Three.” Karma’s count was accompanied by the snap of another bone.
    Deidre heard the sound of a death dealer rapping on a door nearby. Huddled in the corner naked, she prayed he bought their bait. She didn’t remember her last run in