“I think he understands that harming an innocent human will trigger war on earth between heaven and hell,” she continues. “But I also think he’s gained confidence. He already has her soul. And if he can collect her body, too—the body of Big Guy’s ordained human—then he may be ready to face the outcome.”
“So you think Lucille sees Charlie as a symbol,” I say, “and that by taking her body and soul, he’s welcoming war? Like he’s using her as an opening ceremony or something?” It’s a thought I’ve had before, but speaking it aloud invites a wave of nausea.
“It’s a war I think Big Guy would quickly accept.” Valery rubs a hand along her neck. “I heard he was tempted to declare war after Rector killed Blue. But I guess ultimately his death was ruled an accident by Big Guy.”
I think back and remember the surprise in Rector’s eyes when the gun fired. But I don’t believe his surprise meant he was remorseful. Not even for a second.
“And what about Aspen?” I ask. “Why is she so important? If you know, you need to tell me.”
Red pulls on her earlobe. “I don’t know, exactly, but I was told that liberating her soul was important to Charlie’s plight.”
“But how important?” I ask. “In a big way, or in a trivial way only Big Guy finds significant?”
“That I don’t know.” Valery meets my gaze and holds it, changes the subject. “Kraven wants three more days to train you. If he has really agreed to teach you how to summon your wings, it could be the difference between rescuing Charlie’s soul and being captured.”
Red wants the same thing I do, for Charlie to be safe, for me to liberate Aspen’s soul, so I know she wouldn’t push this if she didn’t think the extra three days would truly help our cause. Reluctantly, I nod. “Three days. But then I descend into hell and steal back her soul, and nothing, and no one, will stop me.”
A shadow appears from beneath the doorway seconds before it is flung open.
Valery gasps and releases my hand.
Aspen stands before us, green eyes blazing. She looks directly at me. “Take me with you.”
32 
Meant to Be
Aspen stands tall, awaiting an answer.
Valery rises from her chair. “What are you talking about, sweetie?”
“Cut the crap,” Aspen says. “I overheard what you said. Those people, the sirens, they might hurt Charlie. And Dante wants to get her soul back from hell so they’ll back off.”
“It’ll only buy us so much time,” I interject. “If they lose her soul, they’ll just regroup and form a new plan to collect it again. Or they may just give up and kill her for the fun of it.”
Valery shoots me a why are you telling her this look.
I shrug. “She already heard everything.”
“I’m going with you,” Aspen says. “When you go down into hell to get her soul, I’m coming.”
“Not happening,” Valery says.
Aspen looks at me, and I open my hands. “You’ve been overruled.”
“You didn’t vote,” she says through clenched teeth.
“Fine. You’re not going.” I study the determined set of her shoulders. “Why do you even want to go?”
“What else have I got to do?”
I try to hide my smile. “Not good enough.”
Valery breaks in. “We’re not discussing this. Aspen, you can’t tell anyone what you heard here. Do you understand?”
Aspen ignores her and plunges on. “I want to go because I want to do something big with my life. Because I heard you say I was important and because I’ve always felt like I was supposed to do something important. Because Charlie is a good person, and she’ll make the world a good place, and because I have a lot of wrongs to right.” She pulls in a breath. “You came to liberate my soul, and this will complete your assignment. If I do this, then my soul will go to God, right? It’d be like I was risking my life for her, and for everyone, so that would have to be enough.”
“Aspen, listen—”
“Also, I can fight,” she says, her voice rising. “Better than you can. I’ll do whatever you tell me to when we’re down there, and if something bad happens, then I can help you escape.” Aspen rushes to the bed and kicks the side of it. My head jerks up. Her face is flushed with fear and excitement, and I can almost smell the resolve rolling off her. “Because you said you wouldn’t leave me. So I won’t leave you. Or Charlie.” She looks at Valery. “Or even you.”
Valery meets my gaze, and it appears as if she’s considering this. The thought ignites in my stomach. I wouldn’t be alone. I don’t want to be alone down there. Not in the least. But I can’t allow Aspen to do this. She means too much to me already.
Looking at her now, at the fire in her stance, I see myself in her a thousand times over. She’s confident, stubborn. It’s why I can’t let her go with me. One Dante Walker sneaking into hell is enough.
I open my mouth to tell her this, but she cuts me off again.
“You can’t tell me no.” Aspen points a finger at me. Her gloves are orange today. I wonder where she got them. “This could be why you were sent you to liberate me.” She nods her head. “Maybe my mother was meant to leave. Maybe I was always meant to hate my father. Maybe I was supposed to befriend Lincoln and learn to fight and then meet Charlie Cooper and help you save her.” Aspen’s hand drops to her side. “If I save her, it’ll make it better for my sister. And Sahara, she deserves that. So who are you, who are either of you, to tell me no? You want to know why I’m so important?” Aspen poses. “It’s because I’m supposed to help rescue Charlie’s soul. I know this. I can feel it.”
Valery steps forward. “Okay.”
“What?” I try to get out of bed and am relieved to find I actually can. “You can’t tell her she can come. This is my journey. This is my—”
“Your quest. Right.” Valery shakes her head like I’m an idiot.
“Quest is an awesome word,” I mumble.
Aspen clears her throat, and I glance in her direction.
“All right,” I groan. “You can come. But you’ll have to train alongside Kraven and me. And let me tell you something, that guy is off his effing rocker. Cyborg my ass. More like Psycho.”
A grin parts Aspen’s mouth, but the gesture is short-lived. She wraps her arms around herself, nods once, and leaves the room.
“What are we doing?” I ask Valery when Aspen is out of sight.
Red holds a hand to her mouth. Through her fingers, she says, “I have no idea. But it could be good. Maybe she’s right. This could be the reason Big Guy assigned you to her, the reason she’s so vital to Charlie’s path.”
I sit on the edge of the bed. “It’s almost like Big Guy assigned her to me instead of the other way around.”
Blue’s voice booms from the lounge area. “What’s wrong? Aspen, talk to me.”
Valery and I exchange a confused look before rushing from the bedroom. My muscles hardly ache as I move. It’s so amazing, I almost forget about the panic in Blue’s tone.
Aspen sits on one of the dilapidated couches, her gaze far away. Blue kneels in front of her as if he’s praying at an altar. His hands hover over her thighs like he wants to touch her but isn’t sure he should.
“Aspen,” he whispers.
My chest tightens hearing the way he says her name. He doesn’t rush it. It’s more like he lets it linger in his mouth, tasting it. It’s the same way I say Charlie’s name.
Where is Charlie?
Aspen runs her hands over her long, dark hair. “It’s okay. Everything is the way it should be.” She finally lifts her gaze and meets my stare.