And he was smiling at us, rows of jagged, sharp teeth exposed. The horrific sight made my soul want to flee.
“Hullo there, ol friend,” he addressed Wolfe with a gravelly voice and an accent that sounded like the Northern folks back home. “The look suits you.”
“My Lord Azriel,” Wolfe replied with a respectful dip of his head. “I am deeply grateful for your extensive hospitality. I owe you.”
“Yes, you do owe me, Wolfe Nightblade.” He looked at each of us, but then his gaze settled on me, freezing me in place. “Of course, those like yourself who are touched by death are welcome in the Land of the Dead whenever they please, but the living… and ahuman, not so much.”
“I’m aware. We have our tithes ready. I ask for safe passage to leave your realm. Will you allow it?”
As grotesque as he was, I couldn’t look away from his nightmarish face.
What if he said no?
What would we do then?
The Reaper’s smile widened. “Your father was a good ally, young Nightblades.” He looked from Wolfe to Alaric. “For this, I have offered you respite and will allow you passage to leave, but I will never bend the rules like this again.”
“I understand, my Lord.”
“It is rather tempting, though...” The Reaper returned his gaze to me. “Tempting to keep the human.The half human, half magegirl.”
The air fled my lungs in a strangled gasp, and my knees nearly buckled. I never considered that he might just want to keepme.
“No,” I spoke up and shook my head. “I do not belong here. And I will not stay.”
The bravado in my tone shocked me, but it was the sound of a person speaking from the heart of desperation and the need to survive.
“Brave human.” His grin became even more sickly. “It appears you know not with whom you speak. I could keep you if I wanted to.”
Wolfe stood taller, and his shadows flicked out like flames. “But you will not keep her, Reaper. As you can see,sheis mine.”
He held up our joined hands.
The Reaper cocked his head. “I see.”
“Then there is no fight here. I have already claimed her.”
Claimed. Belonging. Possession.
It all made my head spin.
“I see that, too.” Pools of darkness rippled around him as he moved closer. “But I wonder what your human will do when you return to the Land of the Dead.”
The shiver in my nerves multiplied. The Reaper stared at Wolfe, looking him over with fascination that churned my stomach.
“You are mistaken, my Lord.” Wolfe shook his head. “I won’t be passing this way again anytime soon.”
The Reaper simple stared. “We shallseeabout that. Death looks good on you,your Grace.”
That was the first time I’d heard anyone call him that.
The title was meant to be spoken with reverence and respect, but it sounded like a mockery. A deadly taunt meant to strike the wrong nerves and cause a stir. But Wolfe remained calm.
The Reaper stepped aside and beckoned us forward. “You may go.Allof you.” Those hollow eyes drifted to me again.
Wolfe motioned for Arielle and the others to go first.
I didn’t miss the protective way Bastian took Arielle’s hand and marched forward.
