The King's Cursed Bride

The Reaper: Part 2

"A Reaper?" Ryther laughed softly. "If only..."

His words stirred up a flurry of questions, but she ignored them. There'd be time for questions later. Right now, she had to get herself and Mera out of here. No wonder Elon had burnt him—Ryther was a Reaper.

Carissa drew her dagger and pointed it at Ryther's chest. "Step away from the door."

Mera left Tian's bedside and hurried toward them, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet. "Carissa? What are you—"

"Stay away from him, Mera."

Mera's steps slowed. "What's–what's wrong?"

Carissa stepped forward, until her dagger pricked Ryther's chest. "I said back away from the door."

Though he looked a few shades paler than he had moments ago, he cracked a smile. "Actually, you said step away—"

She pressed the dagger a bit deeper, until she felt the hollowness beneath his skin. She suppressed a shudder. He was just like Akasha. To think she'd ignored her first instincts, warning her away from him. Instead she'd assumed that maybe Mera was right, maybe she was being a bit paranoid.

Ryther jerked backward, his expression tensing in pain. "But don't you want to hear what I have to say about the Reaper King? It could mean the difference between defeating him and letting him defeat you. Don't you want to free Esmeray?"

"I will do so without the aid of a Reaper." She advanced, and he danced back a few steps. "Mera, come here and open the door." She didn't want to take her eyes off of him for a second, lest he take advantage of her lapse in attention.

Before Mera could even take a step, Ryther was by her side in a flash, gripping her upper sleeve. "Wait. I'm not through speaking with you."

"But I'm finished speaking with you." Carissa raised her dagger, corrected her form as Elon had once shown her, and threw it. It flew through the air, perfectly on course for Ryther's chest.

Until he leapt out of the way, leaving the dagger to clank against the stone wall and thud to the ground.

Carissa fisted her hands. She had been too impulsive. She should have kept hold of the dagger; it was her only weapon to combat a Reaper. But perhaps she could make her way to the dagger and pick it up.

Though Mera tried to jerk away from him, Ryther kept a firm grip on her arm. "I beseech you, listen to me—"

Likely Ryther didn't know that was her only weapon she could use against him. Carissa nodded. "I'm listening."

His eyebrows peaked in surprise, but he continued, "Has it ever occurred to you that not everyone chooses to become a Reaper?"

"Then how does one become a Reaper?"

"Sometimes the Reaper King himself can force a transformation."

Unlikely. "Is that so?" Carissa advanced a few steps.

To her delight, Ryther took a few steps backward. He still thought she was armed and meant to attack him again. "Yes. Such was the case with me. As I was saying, I—unfortunately—am not just any Reaper."

"And how's that?" She continued her slow advance, carefully edging toward the dagger.

"I'm the Reaper King's son."

Carissa steps stuttered to a halt. "You're his what?"

"His son."

"How is that possible?"

Ryther flushed a bright pink. Though given he was a Reaper, she suspected the blush was fabricated. "I—well... You see, when two people decide to—"

"I didn't know the Reaper King had a wife."

Ryther cleared his throat. "You misunderstand. Not a–a wife."

"So he slept with a woman, and that made you?"

Ryther nodded.

"And you're telling me that you had no choice in being a Reaper? That you were just... born this way?"

"Yes. In fact, I've asked the Reaper King many times to make me human."

Another step closer to the dagger. "And you want to help us defeat him as a means of... revenge?"

"Of course not. Anyone can see that what the Reaper King is doing is wrong—especially harvesting his own people for Soul Pieces."

"And remind me why you care about the Esmerian people. You're a Reaper."

"But my mother was a human, if you'll remember." His grip seemed to loosen on Mera, ever so slightly. "I urge you, allow me to help—"

Carissa picked up the dagger and lunged toward him.

The Reaper lurched backward, and Mera tore away from him, darting toward the other side of the room.

She wouldn't make the mistake of trying to throw the dagger again; this time, she'd plunge it into his chest herself.

The Reaper was against the door, his eerily human eyes wide in fear. For a second, Carissa's steps slowed. But then she remembered Tervalyn. The blood flowing over her skin as she begged Carissa for mercy. Weeks later, Carissa had been the one at her mercy. And she had shown none.

Carissa sliced the dagger through the air. A force crashed into her side a moment later, and her blade met nothing but air. Carissa punched blindly at her new assailant, and he jerked backward. Tian. Now she had to fight both the Reaper and Tian. Could Tian be a Reaper as well?

He rose to his feet and spat a wad of blood-tinged saliva onto the floor. "Nice hit."

"You'd best be cleaning that up when you're done!" the healer-woman yelled behind him.

Tian continued, "Everything Ryther has said is true. When he revealed himself to me, I was a bit wary at first, but he's been the most loyal friend I've had since."

The Reaper joined them, standing by Tian's side. "Carissa, if I'd meant to harm either you or Mera, I would have done so before now."

Carissa gained her feet, though it was difficult while keeping a dagger clenched in one hand. Elon had taught her to trust his judgement but also to show mercy. Had the heat from the ring meant that Elon wanted her to kill Ryther? Or that he didn't approve of Ryther's flirtatiousness?

Carissa studied Ryther's eyes for a glimpse of the Reaper he'd revealed moments ago. "I will consider accepting your help under one condition."

She expected Ryther to appear eager at the prospect, but wariness lined his face. Smart man. Or Reaper. "What is it?"

"Pass a test of my choosing, and perhaps I'll trust you enough to let you aid us."

***

Author's Note: The sneak peek is up!