REAPERS - Book Two: The Hunger and the Sickness

18

Dimia felt a weight on her chest. Found it difficult to breathe. She opened her eyes in panic and two little paws shot out and she closed her lids again just in time to avoid being scratched directly on her eyelids.

"Ow!" she shrieked and realized that it was a cat on her chest. The striped animal must have been watching Dimia's twitching eyes as she slept and when she opened them it pounced. She tossed the cat off of her as someone ran over.

"Are you hurt?" It was Shroomer.

Dimia put her hands to her tender eyelids and saw no blood on them. "Not too bad... he didn't scratch deep."

"Little monster," the medic said.

Monster, thought Dimia. Erstule had used that word to describe Bramble as well. People leapt to that term too readily. Anyone unlike themselves were labeled monsters. The cat jumped back up onto Dimia's bed. Shroomer shooed the feline but it did not budge.

"No, it's all right," said Dimia. She rubbed her fingers to draw the cat closer. "What's its name?"

"Scratch. After a good friend who's no longer with us. Here..." Shroomer went to a cabinet and got out a shred of unicorn jerky. He handed it to Dimia.

The little girl held out the piece of dried meat. Scratch came over to hungrily lick and chew at it. With her other hand Dimia stroked its fur. "Who does he belong to?"

"No one but himself," said Shroomer. "He followed us to Fort Nothing from near Marrow and then hitched a ride here. Perhaps he even hails from your home town. He certainly has an affinity for you."

Dimia rubbed behind Scratch's ear and the cat began to purr. The girl was happy to have a new friend to help her grieve the loss of another. She thought of poor Bramble in chains, confused and scared. She had to find him, whether it would be to rescue him or snuff out his misery.

"Now that you're awake," said Shroomer, "I have some news for you."

Dimia sat up in her bed to hear what the medic had to say. Scratch purred in her arms.

"You're heading out tomorrow, to Camshire." Shroomer handed something to her. "And I have a mission for you."

She took the object in her hands. It was a locket, lovingly crafted.

"It belonged to Halo," the herbalist said. "Open it."

Dimia opened the hinged pendant and saw the portrait of a lovely woman on one side with the most curious eyes and determined poise. Opposite her were twin girls with gold flowers in their hair.

"That's Halo's family," said Shroomer. "In his hurry to leave, Halo had to leave this behind. Return it to his wife Mulia in Sablewood. Ask her to help you. This writ should be all you need." He handed her a small scroll. "I'm excited for you. You'll be safer in Camshire. You can start a new life there, cast a new die. We'll celebrate tonight. I'll whip up some Shroomer's Special for the occasion."

"Does it have pork in it?" Dimia asked.

"No. Pheasant."

She nodded. "I'd like that." Went back to petting her new friend.

Shroomer smiled and tousled her hair and walked off. Dimia's gaze fell back to the woman in the locket. So this was Halo's wife, Mulia. Dimia had allowed a pale fantasy to linger in the back of her mind after meeting the handsome Reaper in that forlorn church, a whimsical faerie tale with him as groom and her as bride. Seeing his wife's face brought home the fact that the stars would never permit such a turn of fate, especially considering her young age. It was a silly notion, anyway. It almost embarrassed her now to think of it. Dimia felt as if she had gone from child to woman in the intervening time. And she never really thought she would be happy to simply settle down and raise a family and grow old. She had tasted adventure and it was now in her blood. Dimia had things to accomplish. Return this locket to Mulia. Find and rescue Bramble. Bring Skelen to justice. Discover Halo's fate. Help fight the hobgoblins who killed her last few friends from Marrow. And learn more about the secrets of the runes. Falling stars, there was an entire world to discover. She was going to Camshire, the greatest city of the Nation. Who knew what surprises awaited her there?