Some of the Reapers looked surprised. There was no need for the Head Reaper to escort a lowly attendant out.
“As you wish, my King.” Nikai stepped out of the crowd. His hair was the same shade of bright peacock blue as when Rui had last seen him, and he was the only Reaper dressed in all black.
Rui gave him an urgent look as he took her arm, willing him to acknowledge her. But Nikai avoided all eye contact as he made a show of hauling her across the hall. Yet his actual touch on her arm was gentle, confusing her even more.
The Fourth King had returned to his throne, but Rui could still feel his spiritual energy encasing her like a cocoon, and his eyes tracking her movements. She wanted to turn around, to curse him for taking Zizi away from her, but she had a bigger problem to deal with now. If Nikai was bringing her to be punished or, worse, imprisoned, the underworld would know she was trespassing. Would they kick her back to the mortal realm or would they keep her soul here forever?
Once the great doors closed behind them, Rui tried to pull away.
“Nikai, it’s me, Rui. Don’t you remember?”
The Reaper remained poker-faced, and he kept his grip on her. But he spoke under his breath, “Follow me and act like you belong here.”
He knows who I am.Rui stopped struggling, hunching into a submissive position. She wasn’t sure if Nikai had been part of Ten’s scheme from the start and if he had helped lure her to the Outram tunnels. But like the first time they’d met in the alleyway in the mortal realm, her first instinct was to trust him. If he was on her side, maybe he could get her to the bridge and back home.
Her rescue mission had failed, and she hadn’t gained any new information about the rogue talisman either. But she refused to give up hope. Ash was right; there were other ways to defeat the Hybrid Revenants, and she needed to return to join the fight.
There would be time to mourn Zizi later.
Lyn had brought her to the throne room earlier through a single door, but Nikai’s route to wherever they were going was far more complicated. He led her through a maze of passageways and doors and stairs, and after the third spinning door, Rui lost all sense of direction. They walked up flights of stairs that defied gravity and got sucked into mirrors and spat out so many times she was sick to her stomach when Nikai finally announced, “We’re here.”
They had come out of the worst elevator ride of her life, and Rui was trying not to throw up on him.
Nikai’s peacock-blue hair flopped as he bowed apologetically. “I’m so sorry, Rui. We had to take a more indirect route to avoid detection. You should be feeling less queasy in a while. Underworld traveling isn’t for the faint of heart. Trust me, I know.”
He approached the plain wooden door in front of them. Rui half expected it to grow fangs and swallow him whole, but Nikai merely scanned his eyeball at the sensor. The door clicked open, and he gestured for her to follow.
To her surprise, he’d brought her to someone’s home. Was it his? She wouldn’t have expected a Reaper’s home to be so impressive.
The massive double-ceiling apartment overlooked the ocean. Sunlight filtered through the glass windows into the living room, casting an ethereal glow over the neutral palette of the decorations and furniture. It was such a stark contrast from the throne room they were just in. There was no sign of anything dark or metallic or marble. Instead, the place was warm and rustic. Outside, the waves lapped softly against the craggy cliffs and sandy beach, the sound soothing like a lullaby.
There were a few closed doors beyond a short hallway, but she was only sure of one exit—the way they had come in. Something at the windows caught her eye. Lines cut into the glass. She walked over and gave the panel a tentative push. It opened. Wind whistled through the gap. There was a ledge outside hanging precariously over the cliff.
Twoexits.
Nikai made no move to stop her as she stepped onto the narrow balcony.
The ocean view was spectacular—and disconcertingly familiar. It reminded Rui of the coast of her own city. There was even an island in the distance shaped like the one Xingshan Academy was on.
The sun hung in mid-sky. Rui checked her watch. Three hours had passed. There was still time to cross over. Once Nikai left, she would escape and look for the river that led to Naihe Bridge. It was best not to trust him. At the end of the day, he was the Fourth King’s lackey, and she was two for two when it came to meeting Kings with terrible personalities.
She went back into the living room, shutting the balcony door behind her.
“Beautiful view, isn’t it?” Nikai said with a broad smile. “It calms him. There’s no sun in the underworld, only night. He went through a lot to get a permit to set this place up.”
Rui frowned. “Calms who?”
“The Fourth King. We’re in his private chambers.”
“You brought me to his swanky bachelor pad by the beach? I thought he wanted me punished, and then I thought you were bringing me somewhere safe, that you were helping me.” Shehadbeen fooled. Was she expected to entertain the Fourth King?
She edged to the door, ready to bolt. But Nikai got there first, blocking her way. “You can’t leave. It’s too dangerous for you out there, and he wants to keep you safe.”
“Get out of my way, Reaper, or I’ll make you.”
Nikai shook his head vigorously. “He’ll be pissed if I lose you. You must stay here, Rui. He was protecting you earlier. That’s why he asked me to take you away from the throne room before the other Reapers noticed you’re a living soul. He pretends he doesn’t care, that he doesn’t want to know anything, but I know he does.”
“What in the world are you talking about?”
