The souls around hissed and jeered and the Lord of Hell’s face darkened with anger. “Mikaela, you shameless creature. This is unheard of in the living world!”

“You’ve broken the order between worlds by storming the Underworld. You are heartless and ungrateful. You need to be taught a lesson!”

At his command, two underworld wardens stepped forward. Heavy iron chains crashed down across my back with a metallic scream. Before I could react, a thousand blades rose from the ground and sliced through me. I howled as pain ripped through my body and I collapsed in a pool of blood.

Kieran covered his face, pretending to be distraught, but the corner of his mouth betrayed him with a cold, barely hidden smirk. “Mikaela, please, let’s end this peacefully. Can’t we part without more trouble?”

His parents shoved him back, nodding toward the Lord of Hell. “Our Lord is wise and fair. A good man like our son will not suffer injustice.”

I forced myself not to flinch through the agony and let out a bitter laugh.

“Good man?” I lifted my head with effort and fixed the Lord of Hell with a stare sharp enough to cut. “Your Majesty, are you certain Kieran Miles is a good man?”

For daring to question him, a new blow hit my chest and I spat blood.

“How dare you! How dare you challenge me!”

“The Book of Deeds does not lie!”

At that, the horns and hooves of the underworld wardens clanged as one of them swung a trident and drove it into me. Instantly, the iron hook pierced through my flesh, tearing it open. I screamed in pain and fought to breathe.

Then Kieran, eyes wet with false sorrow, dropped to his knees before the Lord of Hell. “Your Majesty, please spare her. She’s only confused, she didn’t mean it!”

His act quickly drew sympathetic murmurs from the souls nearby. “What a devoted, loyal man.”

“Even after everything she did, he still pleads for her.”

I gritted my teeth, every part of me trembling, but I forced my voice out cold and hard. “Kieran, do you really need to play saint right now?”

“Do you want everyone to see the real you?”

He rushed toward me, panic flickering across his face. “Mikaela, stop this, okay? I know you’re bitter since we broke up, but I can’t watch you get killed here, so please...”

The Hall of Judgment was filled with insults aimed at me. They called me ungrateful and cruel.

I just let a cold smile split my face and felt hatred bloom in my eyes as I said, “Kieran...”

“Do you dare to make a bet?”

My eyes were red. I clenched my hand so tight it hurt and stared at him. Fear and something cruel flashed across his features.

He straightened his jaw and forced out a laugh. “What are you talking about? What bet?”

My lips curled up and a cold smile played on my face. “I bet my life that you are not the good man the book claims.”

Kieran scoffed. “The book records not only one lifetime of good deeds, but also my fortune is vast. I wouldn’t even crush an ant. If I’m not good, then what are you?”

His parents chimed in, their voices full of scorn. “Mikaela, you hold a grudge because he left you. How dare you slander him? You are truly shameless.”

“Do you think the Lord of Hell is someone you can fool?”

They rushed to the Lord of Hell, inflamed with righteous outrage. “Your Majesty, this woman has no shame. My son pleaded for her and she showed no gratitude.”

“Such a shameless woman brings no good to either world. She deserves to be struck from the rolls. Let her soul be erased.”

The Lord of Hell shook his head, his voice low and grim.

“No. Though she trespassed into the Underworld and shortened her remaining days, her life is not yet over. The Book of Life shows her fate is not spent. We cannot take control of the balance of the realms.”

Kieran’s parents paled when they heard the answer.

“What now? The time for rebirth is almost here. If she keeps interfering, won’t we miss the chance?”

Kieran stomped his foot and ground his teeth until his eyes shone wet with rage. “Mikaela, what do you actually want from me?”

“I’ve done everything for you and yet you cling to me even after death. We just broke up, that’s all. It’s not like I murdered your whole family. Do you really hate me this much?”

I looked at him steadily, murderous intent brimming in my eyes. “I ask you once again, Kieran, do you dare to bet?”

Nobody expected me to be this determined. Whispers rippled through the crowd of souls.

“Why is she clinging to him like this?”

“She risked shortening her life just to come here. This can’t be only about thirty bucks. There must be something else going on, right?”

Even the Lord of Hell rubbed his beard and frowned thoughtfully. Kieran seemed to sense the sudden shift in the hall, so he threw his chin up and barked, “If you want a bet, fine, let’s do it!”

I pointed at the great mirror that recorded the past and spoke each word slowly and clearly. “The truth is in the Mirror of the Past.”

“Kieran, you call yourself a good man. So, come, stand before the mirror and let everyone see who you really are. If I lose, I accept being struck from the records and never to be reborn again.”

“And if you lose, you and your family will be cast into the deepest pit of Hell. Deal?”

He narrowed his eyes, lifted his chin and sneered, “If a man is upright, why fear his shadow? You think mere accusations will make people believe you?”

I snorted. “Oh, so upright. We’ll see if your shadow is as clean as you claim.”

Kieran glared at me and then stepped up to the Mirror of the Past. The screen filled with images, flawless and noble in every act, just as before.

The souls nearby praised him at the sight of his apparent virtue.

Kieran turned, glancing at me smugly. “See? What more is there to say?”

Then, he went back into his theatrical grief, as if he had suffered a great injustice. The other souls were instantly moved to righteous indignation.

“Your Majesty, how can we call it justice in the Underworld if we don't punish such a wicked creature until she wishes she were dead?”

At their cries, the iron chains around me tightened viciously, cutting into my skin and blood flowed down. Scalding flames erupted beneath my feet as tongues of hellfire licked my bones. Pain ripped through me until I screamed.

Yet I refused to back down as I shouted in agony, “One clip of footage proves nothing! Do you think a few scenes show the whole person? Have you watched everything?”

The mirror obliged, flipping through more recordings.

There was the day he had told me he had to break up with me so he could donate marrow to his troublemaker brother, who had leukemia. I refused, but he ended things between us with solemn resolve.

The souls around were moved to tears, giving a thumbs-up to his kind and generous soul.

“Mikaela, Kieran broke up with you must be because he saw through your true nature and selfishness.”

“You deserve the scorn you get.”

His parents moved forward, spitting contempt at me. They clasped Kieran’s hand together, a picture of family unity that made my stomach twist.

“Mikaela, what can you possibly say now?”

I laughed sharply, mocking the whole situation. “Your Majesty, honestly, I truly doubt the reliability of your records.”

“By now you don’t even know the true color of the soul standing right before you. There must be many mistakes in judgment down here in the Underworld.”

“Nonsense!” The Lord of Hell had lost all patience. “You barged into the Underworld and caused trouble. You have already lost the bet. I will now carry out its terms. I will strip away your soul and add the crime of openly defying and breaking the laws of the Underworld!”

The jailers, the ox-headed and horse-faced wardens, were already rubbing their hands, ready to throw me into the Lowest Circle of Hell.

I didn’t flinch. With great effort, I propped myself up and pointed at Kieran with pure hatred.

“What’s the point of having judges and wardens here? All of you are blind fools! ”