The Reaper's Curse

Paradise the Colour of Hell's Flames

The princess kneels at the feet of the three barren graves, her eyes shut, her hands clasped tight in prayer. There's a serenity in the way she's stilled. 

Elara stands beside her, her arms heavy at her sides. She swallows tightly. "Were you...acquainted with the two guards?" The words that came out were too soft. Something is aching. She cannot put into words what it is. 

The princess is silent. Her face is shrouded in shadows. For a long while, Elara is sure she would not answer the question. 

And then her shoulders heave. "Ariane was like family." Elara sucks in a quiet breath. She watches as the girl sets down the purple gladioli beside the gravestones. "Kyl was too." Her face is turned away from Elara, but she can detect the faint tremor in her voice. "I cannot understand why he would do something like this. They loved each other so dearly."

"Mortals are selfish beings. They are capable of anything."

"Will you offer no other explanation than that?" the princess says. "You were there. You saw what happened." There's a sharpness to her tone. An underlying accusation. 

Elara carefully curates her words. She must never know. "You do not wish to know what transpired. The knowledge will break you."

"Tell me what happened. I wish to know." The girl straightens. There's an odd glint in her eyes as she turns to face Elara. "I wish to know what made Kyl break. I wish to know why my friend was so brutally murdered. I wish to know how all this happened," the princess snaps.

Grief makes one weak and blind, while rage drives distrust and caution. 

Elara lets her eyelids flutter shut. She has realised too late that it's latter threading through the princess's blood. Shaking her head, she grabs the girl by the hand. "We are heading back."

☾✧

Lilith bursts into her chambers, her heart pounding against her skin. She runs her fingers through her hair and tries to steady her ragged breaths.

The reaper is hiding something from her. Something important. It makes her agitated. 

She's so lost in thought that she doesn't hear her name being called over and over again until fingers close around her wrist. She whips around, her hand shooting out to grab her attacker by the throat. 

"Your Highness!"

Lilith's eyes widen as her gaze focuses on Sairah. Her arm snaps back, as though burned. "I'm so sorry," she says, horrified. "I don't know what came over me." It was instinct. She struck on instinct. An instinct that she should not possess. She clasps her trembling hands behind her back.

Sairah presses down the collar of her dress and clears her throat softly. "My Lady told me to bring you to greet the new guests."

Lilith's face goes slack. "The sinners from...the castle," she says flatly. 

Sairah bobs her head. "Come along, they are waiting for you in the guests' dining chamber. I will take you there." 

Lilith sidesteps as the woman tries to take her by the arm. "There is no need," she replies curtly. "I will make my own way there. I do not need to be accompanied everywhere I go." 

Sairah falters, the smile wiped instantly from her face. "Is something the matter, Your Highness?" 

Lilith takes in a breath. "Are you really unaware of what the reaper did or are you just choosing to turn a blind eye?"

Sairah goes quiet for a moment. Her gaze flits to the ground. "What did My Lady do?"

"You know the answer." It was not a question. When the woman does not deign to answer, does not even look at her, Lilith clenches her teeth and shoulders past her.