“What are you suggesting?” the Reaper King asked. Carissa glanced at the Reaper from the corner of her eye. He’d straightened, so the handle of his Scythe was closer to her mangled hand than the blade. “I’m suggesting that I join you.” The Reaper King seemed thoughtful for a moment before shaking his head. “No….
Carissa paced the cramped length of the cell. She was a fool, and it was her foolishness that had led to her imprisonment and Mera’s death. But Elon had sent her back, which meant that it wasn’t too late to set things right. The Reapers came for her, one dragging Mera’s body away and two…
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “But I just got here.” “You’re not supposed to stay here, Carissa. Not yet.” “Then how long?” She let her nose barely touch his. “I don’t want to be apart from you anymore.” “I know.” He rubbed his knuckles along her cheek. “I have something to tell you…
He pressed her close to him, his arms strong and sure around her waist. “I’m always in your life, Carissa. You couldn’t get rid of me now if you wanted to.” She rested her head against his chest, felt the steady thump of his heart beneath her ear. “Then why…” “Why what?” “Why don’t you…
“I don’t… feel well.” Mera began to sat up, only to collapse back down. Carissa rushed to her side. “Don’t move. You’ve taken quite a few hits to the head.” And a rather brutal one to the stomach. Carissa swallowed back bile. Hopefully the baby was still small enough that there wasn’t any damage… Mera’s…
Mera’s huffing through the narrow passage, loud enough that Carissa feared those outside the passage might hear them. Carissa stopped crawling, glad she could give her knees a break. The rough stone floor of the passage had torn through her trousers long ago, bloodying her knees. But they couldn’t keep stopping. “Do you need another…
“What sort of test?” Ryther asked. That… was an excellent question. What could Ryther possibly to for her to prove he wasn’t loyal to the Reaper King, or the other Reapers? “You’d have to be willing to forsake your life for this test.” Yes, that was good. Something life-endangering. Tian frowned. “Ryther, perhaps you shouldn’t—”…
“A Reaper?” Ryther laughed softly. “If only…” His words stirred up a flurry of questions, but she ignored them. There’d be time for questions later. Right now, she had to get herself and Mera out of her. No wonder Elon had burnt him—Ryther was a Reaper. Carissa drew her dagger and pointed it at Ryther’s…
Carissa slipped into a sprint and rounded the corner of a building, following Mera’s voice. Mera stood at the end of an alley, her expression contorted in fury, though the quick darting of her eyes bespoke of fear. Three sizable men had cornered her. Their clothes were so stained that the colors of the cloth…
Carissa pulled back. “You told him?” Ryther cleared his throat. “Told him what?” “Well…” Mera grimaced. “I might have mentioned… certain things. But we can trust him.” “You’ve known him for how long, Mera?” Carissa’s words escaped past her gritted teeth. Foolish, besotted girl. Why couldn’t Elon have saved a war-hardened warrior? A master of…