Hecate snapped her fingers. Suddenly, she and Levi were in the company of Frankie, Tommy, and Zanabar, who all stood in the center of the crossroads with her.
All three of the newcomers looked startled, but Frankie quickly stepped away from Hecate and Zanabar, pulling Tommy with him.
“What’s going on?” Zanabar asked.
“It’s dark. It’s late. I thought this would be the perfect meeting place.” Hecate turned to face Frankie. “So! Change of plans. Your friend, here, has agreed to trade his soul in exchange for yours.”
Frankie whirled around on Levi. “You didn’t!”
Levi wouldn’t meet his eyes. The somber silence was interrupted after a moment with Tommy’s wails at the sight of his phantom.
Hecate rolled her eyes. “Oh, would you shut up!” She waved a hand in front of him and a few seconds later he stopped.
Frankie turned back to the former god. “What did you do to him?”
“Don’t worry. I sent his phantom away. If anything, I’m helping him.”
The witch looked over and studied Tommy. His eyes seemed wide and he looked around before settling back into himself and burying his head in his hands. There was nothing they could do for him at the moment, and if his phantom was gone, at least he wasn’t in anymore pain.
Facing Hecate again, Frankie said, “You can’t accept Levi’s offer.”
“I already did.”
“He doesn’t know what it means!”
“Of course I do,” Levi chimed in.
Frankie ignored him and kept his eyes on the former goddess. “Reverse it.”
Hecate was growing angry. “No. And actually, this works in your favor. You get to keep your deal with Zanabar to return to your time and you get to keep your soul as well. I don’t understand why you’re fighting this.”
Frankie turned to Levi. “Why would you do this?”
“You’re my best friend.” Levi’s voice broke and he had tears in his eyes. “You’ve changed my life. Helped me out numerous times when you didn’t have to. Saved my life over and over again. I’d do anything for you.”
Frankie held his friend’s stare. He was at a complete loss for words. A part of him wanted to accept it all and just return to his time—and return to his daughters—and forget everything that had happened during his stint in the 20s.
But another part—a larger part—knew that that wasn’t right. He couldn’t let someone else trade their life so that he could have one. Levi truly didn’t owe him anything.
“All right, that’s enough,” Hecate cut in. “You two are worse than some of the married couples I have to separate. Sheesh.” She turned to Zanabar and gestured at Frankie. “Well? Go on. Get started.”
Frankie’s eyes flickered between the two of them. In a moment of panic, he reached for a copy of one of the spells that he had written back at Tommy’s house and began reciting.
Calling out across the skies,
To the place where my phantom hides.
Bind me now to your essence,
So I can be ever-present.
In the late-night darkness, a blinding light shone from Frankie, radiating out from where he stood in the crossroads. Everyone turned away from the light—even Tommy—and used their hands to shield their eyes from the brightness.
Just as quickly as it had come, the light vanished, and the after effects left everyone seeing stars.
As everyone blinked to clear their vision, the first thing they each noticed was that Frankie had disappeared.