Page 75 of Reaper’s Curse

No. It couldn’t be. I wouldn’t let it be.

My muscles tightened. Cracked under pressure. Trembled. And my flesh burned so hot it had to be melting from my body.

First Aldine. Now Raven. Raven.

Her name was a whisper caressing my thoughts. My determination and resolution.

Only the Killian could reap a reaper. So, if the Killian were no more, the reaper could not be reaped.

No further thought. Only action.

I attacked.

On my approach to the Bridge Crossings Pub, my shoulders drooped, and my feet dragged. The night prior, I’d attacked the Killian and got my ass handed to me. Barely a fight existed to recall.

I’d lurched for the Killian, got a couple punches in, and then a blinding white light engulfed me. My next memory was waking up near the edge of the citadel population, bruised and sore.

At least I now knew where to find the Killian, even if I’d clearly failed in besting the reaper of reapers. And if that high-level reaper was intent on transitioning Raven, then I’d just have to make sure she stayed in the palace where the Killian couldn’t get to her. On that matter, I’d have to find a way to make her listen and obey.

She wouldn’t like being told what to do. I knew her well enough to know that truth. I needed to dispatch a crow as soon as possible, then maybe grab a short nap before attacking the rest of the day.

The thin, wall-anchored bed in the pub’s secret underground spy space sounded really good right about then. I was getting close—to the pub and the bed. I rounded a bend in the road, bringing the building into sight.

“Chace?” The call came from somewhere behind me and to the right. “It is Chace, isn’t it?”

I turned to discover the woman…Camilla, if I recalled correctly…making a beeline in my direction. Her two daughters were in tow. Them, I remembered well. Twins. One afflicted. Both drawing revealing pictures that led me to ask difficult questions.

“You are correct,” I said. “It’s Chace. Can I help you with something?”

She tossed a bashful wave in the air between us. “Oh no, we’re fine. Just heading down to see Aoes and wondered if you were going the same direction. We could walk together.”

My response temporarily stuck in my throat as I stared at her blankly. The bastard of a male specimen who had tortured me, and had recently tried to recapture me, was still out there looking for me. If word somehow got to that evil prick that I was seen in the woman’s company…the woman and her daughters… Their safety could be jeopardized. The thought churned, dark and heavy, like spoiled food in my gut.

I had yet to respond when the twins took hold of my hands and began guiding me down the street. Against my better judgement, I allowed them to lead the way and hardly paid attention for the rest of the walk. My mind was consumed with one thought—protect Raven from the Killian.

Within fifteen minutes, I slumped in a chair at the back corner of the pub. From my location, I was hidden from view of the front door, giving me time to disappear should an undesirable enter the establishment.

I straightened Raven’s last letter on the table and read it for the fifth time.

Curious Curse Chaser,

You call me brave and strong, wild and beautiful. Such words make me think you’re trying to win my favor, or you’re in need of an updated mental examination. Kidding. Maybe.

I shall be careful of my feathers. Each and every one of them is important to me. They’ve been tried and tested, and I’m convinced they’re made of steel. Very hard to snap, break, or pluck.

Since I’m keeping you apprised of the magical creatures sharing my cage, the most golden of the lot has recharged. Interesting, wouldn’t you agree?

Your flighty friend,

Black Bird

P.S. I too would not necessarily be unwilling to revisit said encounter.

Of course the first line I focused on was the last one she wrote. I might have been taken aback and confused immediately following said encounter, but now, after our continued correspondence… Yeah, there would be some revisiting in our future. I’d make it happen.

As for the rest of the letter…

Maybe I shouldn’t have told her all those things—that she was brave, strong, wild, and beautiful. But I couldn’t make myself regret that I had. In fact, I was glad I had. She was all those things and more, and she needed to know that. And from the wording in her response, I couldn’t tell if she did or not.