The King's Cursed Bride

Taken by Reapers: Part 2

Carissa tried not to shiver beneath the Reapers' gazes. She hoped Elon's plan included escape—preferably sometime soon.

One Reaper approached them, her stature smaller than the others. She lowered her hood, and bone-white hair cascaded down her cloak. Her red eyes were a glaring contrast to her pale hair and skin.

A smile flickered on her lips. "You think this is truly them?"

Their captor nodded. "Who else would be wandering into Esmeray like this? Aside from our humans, have you seen any others?"

"Do you have proof it's really them?"

"I do. I tried to pick up his—" he kicked Elon in the back of his legs, bringing him to his knees "—sword, but it burned me."

The female Reaper neared them, and Carissa tensed. "You left camp to search for them—without my consent."

The other Reaper grew still, and everyone fell deathly silent. "Yes. I did."

"You meant to take credit for their capture yourself."

"No, no, Zorelle. That's not at all—"

The female Reaper, Zorelle, stepped back and gestured to the other Reapers. "Bring Kothik to my tent, bound in steel rope."

The rope around her neck suddenly went slack. She glanced back. The Reaper, Kothik, had released them and was sprinting into the depths of the woods. This was their chance—they could run now. But Elon remained where he was, on his knees.

The smile on Zorelle's white lips deepened, baring her pointed teeth. "And bring out the wolves. I want Kothik found before morning rise."

A few of the Reapers darted into the forest, the tattered edges of their cloaks floating behind them.

Zorelle approached them, and Carissa stumbled back a few steps, every instinct within her urging her to run. She bumped into something and whirled around. A Reaper stood in the path of her escape.

Zorelle's cold fingers clasped Carissa's chin, forcing Carissa to look her way. What would happen to them now? Imprisonment? Torture?

Zorelle tipped Carissa's chin up slightly, and her eyebrows bounced upwards. "Your eyes. They haven't adjusted, have they?" Without waiting for an answer, Zorelle released her. "Take them to a tent and bind them—tightly. I don't want them escaping." Zorelle's gaze slid towards Carissa. "Especially her."

The rope on her neck went taut as the Reaper tugged her forward. Thankfully, he didn't seem to derive as much joy from jerking her around as Kothik had.

Carissa studied the encampment. Mounted torches sputtered purple light, emanating a strange, spicy smell. The Reaper wove around conical tents. They reminded her of when the fair had come to Hasita, but these tents were black whereas those had been striped with color. The ground was the same hard-packed dirt, no grass in sight. How could anyone stand to live in such a place?

They brushed through the flaps of a tent. A few tendrils of light squeezed inside, but most of it was bathed in darkness. As far as she could see, there were only a few wooden poles driven into the ground.

The Reaper tugged them towards one, and another Reaper joined him. Together, they fastened Carissa to one of the poles and Elon to another. Carissa wriggled against the tightness of her new bindings. It would be such a relief when she could move unhindered. Her arms were starting ache from remaining still for so long.

And then the Reapers left them alone in the dark.

Carissa shifted from one foot to another, trying not to let her legs get stiff. "So, Elon?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you ready to share whatever brilliant master escape plan you've concocted?"

He laughed. "Well... it's not time to escape yet."

"Why? What are we waiting for?"

"In addition to defeating the Reaper King, we have another mission, which is why I've allowed us to be captured."

"And what's this second mission?"

"To convert the people into my people."

Carissa leaned her head back against the post, staring up into the darkness of the tent. "What?"

"Currently, the people here belong to the Reaper King. I intend to make them Nysians."

"But they're in Esmeray. By definition, they're Esmerians."

Elon fell silent for a while. "Being one of mine isn't so much about where one lives; it's a matter of the heart, a matter of loyalty."

"So you want to turn all the Esmerians to your side." The rope was tight enough that she could only take shallow breaths. She shifted again, trying to tease out some looseness. Her efforts were rewarded with a sharp prick to her back. Elon would have to heal the splinter later. "Essentially, you're going to conquer Esmeray one person at a time."

"Exactly. I like how you phrased that." She heard a smile in his voice.

"Elon, sometimes I think you're one straw short of a haystack. In the best way possible, of course."

He chuckled. "Of course."

"So how are we going to turn the people—"

He hushed her, and she fell silent. A half second later, a pair of Reapers entered the tent. They began loosening the ropes around her waist, and she took a deep breath of air. While she was glad to breathe again, the fact that she and Elon were being moved again was slightly disconcerting. Was Zorelle going to interrogate them?

After tying Carissa's wrists—in front of her, this time—the Reaper led her out of the tent, the second Reaper following.

She glanced behind her and slowed her pace. Elon was still tied to his pole. They hadn't brought him along. "But what about—"

The Reaper yanked her forward. "Zorelle has requested you. And only you."