Belle took two steps backwards before she staggered behind as her feet stepped on something and when her eyes moved to look down at what it was, she saw it was someone's skull. She didn't know what kind of creatures these were.

"Who are you?

" asked Belle and the creatures cackled at her again.

"You come here and ask us who we are? Would you like your skin to be pulled, dipped in hot oil or to peel away?

" asked one of the creatures. Why was it that every single creature of the dead wanted to feed on the other creatures and were always hungry! All they thought about was food!

Belle gave them an awkward smile,

"I am already booked to be someone else's food. You need to find someone else,

" she said to the creatures when one of them stepped forward, Belle stepped back and she heard the crackling sound not too far behind her to let her know that there was another creature, blocking her way from escaping.

"She speaks strangely,

" said one of the creatures, turning its crow-like face to look at its fellow creatures,

"What happened to the time when we enjoyed our food screaming and trying to make a run. The hunt was always fun.

"

"Runaway food,

" said another creature and Belle blinked her eyes, staring at them,

"This way we can catch you and eat.

" Creatures in the land of the dead were all mad. They were insane and hungry.

"I am still sad that they don't go running away anymore. It is usually the old souls who don't care without screaming,

" said another creature.

"Do you know the Grim Reapers?

" asked Belle hoping there was a free pass to escape from this place. The Grim reapers were obviously above in power which was what she thought would help her get out of this sticky situation.

"We hate the Grims,

" came the reply and the creature asked,

"Do you know the Grims?

"

Belle shook her head,

"No, not at all. Never met one before,

" she didn't know why she was stuck here while Portia was out there who was going to head back to the vessel just like she had done before. At this rate soon she would be part of the dead community association.

"It is not often we find souls in here do we?

" asked one of the crows.

"Which is why it is an opportunity,

" came the next answer.

Belle wondered if it was possible to apparate out of this place and return back to her body because at this rate by the time she would reach the spot where Portia had killed her, her evil twin would have claimed her body.

She put out the glowing light away for darkness to surround her again,

"What kind of graves are these?

" asked Belle.

"One where the dead rest, but are out now hanging with you,

" came the cackling laughs and whisper.

That is what she wanted to hear. The graves were another portal that could be used and she clapped both her hands together while tapping into the forbidden magic that was abundant in here. When she saw the white and blue spark of light between both her hands, a smile appeared on her lips. Facing the closest grave, she placed her hands on the surface of it to zap out of there.

Her eyes opened wide to look at the light in the room and she sat up on the bed as she took a large amount of air through her lips. Noticing that she was back in the land of the living.

"Belle!

" Before she could get a glimpse of Lucas, he engulfed her in his arms. It had been nearly a day since she had not seen him and she closed her eyes. Holding on to him as he held her tight in his arms. Barron had told her that she would have to go to the spot where she died but that didn't make sense as there was nothing to return to. With her vessel still breathing and not decayed, she had finally tapped back into the forbidden magic by making use of the dead, similar to how she had returned back after her dreams.

"I missed you,

" she said softly,

"Did Raven come back to you?

" she asked him.

"No,

" he said, pulling back,

"He must have got distracted with something else. Are you alright?

"

Belle nodded her head and she was given a glass of blood to drink in the room. After almost finishing the blood, she asked,

"What happened here? Did you meet her?

"

Lucas gave her a nod,

"She was here for some time.

"

"But she ended up back...She mentioned about a man,

" Belle had only been glad that Portia was not occupying her body anymore and now that she was back, she placed her hand on the chest to feel her heart beating and she sighed.

"Crane was here. He was the one to send her back,

" Lucas informed and Belle's eyebrows drew together. One of the Hawverts had come here for Lucas and had instead kicked Portia back to the land of the dead?

"He didn't want me to be distracted.

"

Belle tried to comprehend what he just said,

"Crane thought it was me and killed me?

" She saw Lucas give her a nod.

"Good news is that Crane thinks he killed you and as he was the one who killed her, Portia can never enter the land of the living. Even if your vessel is free,

" he said to her and Belle gave out a sigh of relief,

"Crane has been following us since the time we have stepped our foot in the land of Valeria.

"

"How did he find out?

" asked Belle.

"He has his ways. I took the opportunity to keep Portia in here to bait him when he was certain who I was. I am sorry that I wasn't there to guide you in the land of the dead. I had to keep your body safe as it was fragile and I didn't want Crane to revisit,

" he said to her. So it was one stone and two birds, thought Belle to herself.

.

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