Page 139 of Reaper’s Curse

Chiara must have seen the question in my eyes because she continued. “In his current state, Prince August is a creature of lust and obsession. Not a combination the Crown wants associated with the royal family. I’ve been in charge of keeping him under control and at a distance, while also keeping him close enough, should he be needed.”

“You, a reaper, are in charge of the heir to the throne?”

“It wasn’t by choice.”

The snap in her response told me she was far from happy about that lack of choice…or maybe her despondency had to do with Prince August and his so-called current state.

“Anyway.” She flipped her hand. “You’ve met all the players in this game now, haven’t you?”

Startled by the new direction in the conversation, I didn’t respond, but I knew. I knew about Valen, the queen, maybe the queen’s daughter, and the Killian. I wasn’t positive if he was a player, or just trapped here, but I included him all the same. Was I missing anyone?

Chiara leaned back in her seat. “I understand your team has brought more than just another doomed-to-fail reaper team. Your arrival marks the start of change, and with what I now know, I’m willing to step aside or step down. So, tell me, how do you suggest we put an end to this cursed game?”

I wasn’t sure what she meant about my reaper team, but what was taking place in the citadel was no game. People’s lives were being seriously affected.

“Undo whatever magic you used to call the specters to this city, for starters.”

Chiara nodded as if in thought. “Yes. I suppose that would be your focus. But…” Her gaze narrowed on me. “Has he made contact yet?”

The question stirred a murky memory. When I had run into Chiara in the underground tunnels, hadn’t she said something about someone coming for me?

“The Killian?” I blurted.

Chiara burst out laughing. “The Killian. That’s rich.” She tapped the soles of her boots on the stone floor. “That poor bloke has been here as long as I have, and he isn’t getting any reaping action. He must be so bored.”

She tipped her head and hummed. “I guess that occasional warm body in his bed has helped fill the void. But even that gets old after a while when both hearts are not fully committed.”

My head jerked back. I didn’t need to know that much about the Killian… And what action was she getting to stave off boredom?

But…aside from the gross image she had painted in my head of the Killian, he seemed to be getting a bit of reaper action and then some since my team had shown up.

“He came after me. Is coming after me.”

“Is that so?” She said the words like she doubted my statement, then tilted her head and swept a scrutinizing gaze over me.

I fisted my hands, buried them in my armpits. “Yes. He said I need to die.”

“Are you sure? Were those his exact words?”

I bit my lower lip. I didn’t know if those were his exact words, but his message was clear.

Chiara sighed. “The Killian has been after Valen forever. At first, Valen hid in the castle, created some grand ward to keep the reapers’ reaper out. He made a valiant effort where magic is concerned. Experienced fair successes and delicious setbacks…or magical backlashes.” She raised her arms wide, indicating the space around us. “Hence the reason he can’t step foot into this lovely tower.”

“He can’t enter this place because of something he did…wrong?” I clarified.

Chiara bore a wicked grin. “Maybe. I’m not really in the know on that one. But it’s either because of something he did wrong, or something someone else did all too right.”

Uh-huh.

“But…” Chiara continued. “In more recent years, he has gotten more inventive. He now has some kind of amulet or something that makes him invisible to the Killian. Pretty ingenious if you ask me. Although he still rarely, if ever, leaves the palace.”

Clearly Valen had also left out a few crucial details.

I frowned. “I know about the wards around the castle. It’s part of the reason I’ve been staying inside the palace walls until we figure out this issue between me and the Killian.”

Chiara hummed. “The palace, yes. The ground underneath, not so much.” She smirked at the instant concern ruling my expression. “A true magic wielder can protect the space upward into the sky and down through the ground. Valen isn’t so good.”

My heart fluttered, and I swung my gaze around the chamber once more. Was I safe in this place? I had to be, because the reason I was here was too important.