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That night, with the lights of Corpus Christi, and the Gulf Coast just a few hours away, Mary took Milos aside before dawn Before she left, she made sure that Jix was occupied He ith Jill and one of the younger Greensouls--a Hispanic girl that Jix had a soft spot for Jill, Jix, and the girl were like a little family nohich was fine as far as Mary was concerned His attentions to his little pride made Jix less aware of Mary’s actions, which meant he was less likely to catch her by surprise

"There is so I h away to be sure no one else could hear "So marvelous that I can share only with you"

He kissed her and brushed her hair fro"

"I had a vision, Milos I had a vision at the moment of my second death As I died in your arms, as I transitioned, it came to me I wanted to tell you the moment I came into Everlost but sleep came too quickly--but I held on to it, I reer But if I tell you, you must pro on her every word

"My vision was of a war Not in Everlost but in the living world And happily, it will be the last war ever fought In fact, it will end war in the living world forever Isn’t that wonderful? Noworld will finally know true peace from now until the end of time"

"It is a spectacular vision," said Milos "I can think of none better"

"And here’s the best part," Mary told him "You and I have been chosen to make it as short and as painless as possible You and I and your tealorious end to this war, and usher in a bright new day Not just in the living world, but also in Everlost"

Milos kissed her again "What do I have to do?"

But she didn’t answer him quite yet

"Do you love me, Milos? Do you love Everlost?" she asked him, as if she and Everlost were one and the same

"You know I do"

"Then when the time comes, you must do whatever I ask you to do without question or hesitation"

His ansas to glance at the knife-tear in her dress "I already have, remember? I would hand you the universe if I could"

Which was nothing less than she was asking

In her book My Struggle: The Quest for a Perfect World, Mary Hightorites:

"Every Afterlight fears the ocean, and well they should, for Afterlights have zero buoyancy, and plunging into a living-world sea means a trip to the center of the earth In Everlost no one walks on water--and yet it never ceases to amaze me that Everlost boats still float simply because it had been their purpose in life

This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that everyone and everything blessed to be in Everlost has a divine purpose I have found ether we can lory it is ness to leave behind that which is old

My hand is outstretched to you across treacherous waters, but I know you have the courage Coment

Mary and her vapor of obedient but anxious After-lights found eight tall- yachts in the Corpus Christi marina that had crossed into Everlost, thanks to a hurricane that had devastated the Gulf Coast Jix had calculated that a five-day journey across the gulf of Mexico would land them in the Yucatan Peninsula, and Chichén Itzá, the great City of Souls

Naturally the Afterlights ary, but Jix assured everyone there was nothing to fear As jaguars are one of the few cats that love water, Jix had often sailed on scouting expeditions for the king He acted as if he was a master of the mast, and it helped put the others at ease He was the first to climb aboard one of the yachts, then he turned back to speak to Mary and her entire vapor

"We are here at the start of a new journey," Jix announced "All that remains is for you to accept htsand travel with me to the City of Souls

"Well," said Mary, offering hiht vessels for the voyage, how could I say no?" And although it was expected that Mary would be in the lead yacht, Mary politely deferred to Jix

"You should lead us, Jix," Mary told hi us to the City of Souls I insist that you take the lead vessel" Then Mary announced, "All those ish to travel with Jix should join him now in the lead yacht"

Many of the Neons joined Jix on his vessel, and so did Inez, the girl that he had unintentionally brought into Everlost He was pleased that she chose to join hiiveness, it was at least atrust Jill made a move to join hio with Jix," Mary said "I’d like Jill to come with me We’ve barely spoken since I’ve been awake, and we have so ed to have Jill with hithen the illusion that she was in control