Memories of the Reaper

Chapter Nineteen

The reapers snuck into Derek Grey's cabin in the dead of night, only a couple of hours after he had gone to sleep. The fledgling's eyes opened as they grabbed his ankles, pulled him from the bed, and flung him through the air. He sailed through the doorframe, and landed on his back before sliding a couple of more feet on his back. Having the wind knocked out of him, Derek gasped, trying to take in oxygen just as a bucket of ice water was dropped on his face. He choked, getting to his knees to cough before getting kicked in the side. The fledgling felt a rib crack and fell back to the ground, curling up to protect his face. He grimaced his eyes clenched tight as he awaited the next blow.

"Get up," Reynold commanded in a deadpan voice. His voice was quiet, but his presence was deafening.

Derek got to his feet, coughing and wheezing. The reapers blended in with the shadows, regarding him with their cowls up—he couldn't see any of their faces. "What—"

"Did we say you could speak?" Kai asked him as a gauntlet connected with his chin. Derek crumbled to the ground as yet another bucket of cold water was thrown on his head. A rough set of hands grabbed him like a ragdoll and brought him to his feet as he spluttered.

"What's rule number one, fledgling?" Victor asked.

Derek then realized the truth: it was Day One. Training had started. He was being hazed. Now, he just had to remember the rules... But what the hell were the rules?

He hadn't studied as well as he should have.

"Uh, the first rule is... is to... has something to do with—" Derek stammered as he tried to recall the fledgling edicts. A crimson fist came out of the darkness and connected with his ribs, snapping the one that had already been cracked.

"Are you gonna answer him, you pathetic waste of skin?" Bryce asked him.

As the fledgling opened his mouth to respond, another bucket of ice water was thrown in his face. Derek could only cough in response.

"Speak, dammit!" Bryce screamed at him.

"The first rule is... to not speak unless spoken to." Derek paused as Kai's fist clenched and remembered the second rule. "Lord Kai," he added hastily.

"It's about damn time you showed me some respect." Kai barked at him. "Now, go get your equipment. You had a ten-second-warning eleven seconds ago." Derek turned around to get his things but was shoved to the ground from behind by an unseen hand. "Did you disrespect me again, maggot?"

"On your feet!" Victor bellowed.

Derek got to his knees but was driven to the ground with a carefully placed side kick. He felt another rib crack. The fledgling tried to swallow a moan but part of it escaped. With a shaking hand, the fledgling got to his knees again and then stood. Breathlessly, he said, "No, Lord Kai."

"Yes, you did!" Victor yelled and slapped him across the cheek. Hard. The slap alone was enough to send him to the ground. He took a staggering step as the world spun. "Are you lying to a reaper?"

"That's another strike, fledgling!" Hazel threw in.

"No, Lord Victor. I meant no disrespect," Derek said, backpedaling.

"No as in you're sorry? No as in you're guilty? So, you did lie!" Bryce punched him in the stomach with more force than Victor's slap. The second rib snapped, making Derek's knees buckle.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a fledgling," Kai growled. "Do it again, and there will be worse consequences. Are we clear?"

Derek wheezed and struggled to his feet, too battered to rebel. "Yes, Lord Kai," he said.