Parallel Lines- *RAYOR*

Chapter 15

Everything is connected. Reapers and angels especially. They are two pieces of a puzzle that fit together. Two halves of a whole. Yin and yang. Without reapers to keep angels in balance, and vice versa, we could not exist.

When I leave for the Angel Realm with Aster and Blake, Nicco is still asleep. I feel guilty for leaving him but he had collapsed and I wouldn't be a good brother if I wasn't making sure he wasn't overexerting himself.

At least, that's what Blake and Aster tell me.

"He'll be furious," I say miserably.

Blake exchanges a glance with Aster. "He wouldn't have thought twice before going with us and leaving you behind."

"No," I insist, but I'm not sure if that's entirely untrue. But I'm convinced Nicco's better than that.

"Why isn't Gabriel coming?" I ask.

"Nicco will probably try to follow us if he wakes up and we're gone," says Aster. "And Gabriel is looking pretty weak himself."

I don't think he looks weak, per say. With his wings and his glare he couldn't look weak. But maybe ill? I'm not sure. English is a funny language.

"You've already brewed the potion for us to be able to travel to the Angel Realm?"

"I found a simpler one," says Blake, then she lets out a short laugh. "Literally 'found' because it's the one we use to travel between realms. Which messengers use. I stole it from Father. He won't notice if some is missing."

"How long have we got left of this... vacation?" I ask because I'm not sure what to call it. Yes, we have no duties, but what we're doing now is hardly like a holiday.

"Three days," says Blake.

"Who will be doing our reapings?"

"Kei, and your mother," Blake answers. I feel something clench in my chest.

"Why's Mum doing our reapings?"

"Because Aster, Nicco and you are her children," says Blake as if it were obvious. I cross my arms.

"That's not fair, she already has so much."

"The world isn't fair," says Blake.

I'm feeling angrier than ever, but Blake stops in the middle of the forest, seemingly in a random place. It's a clearing, ringed by trees.

"I still don't know what we're going to do once we reach this place," I say.

"Leave that to me," says Blake.

"Is Arielle joining us?"

"Yes," says Aster.

I've run out of questions, so I wait whilst Blake counts the trees around us, then, satisfied, she plunges her arm into it.

"Hey!" I shout. "Ardillas!"

Blake looks at me, confused, and draws out a vial filled with clear liquid. "What's... ardillas?" she asks, mispronouncing it.

"Never mind," I say, embarrassed.

She shrugs. "Anyway," she says, unscrewing the lid of the vial. I see there is a wand inside, and dangling off it is a drop of the liquid.

"Eye drops?" I ask.

"No, just portion control," Blake jokes. I grumble.

"One drop each," says Aster, taking over. "And speak your destination just before taking it. Like this." He takes the bottle from Blake, sets it on a tree stump, and lifts the wand. "Elysium," he says loudly, then the clear drop of liquid rolls off the wand into his mouth.