Maxon’s eyes widen. “We don’t want to impose.”
“Don’t be an idiot. It’s our pleasure. We’re very curious about your friend,” he says, giving me a wide smile.
Maxon eyeballs me, silently asking if it’s okay. Nodding, I grab my Rusty Scythe and follow him to the table. I’m introduced to the other soldiers, Horace and Jude.
“I’ve gotta ask you,” Horace starts. “What the devil were you thinking, picking up a scythe and going after a demon? You had no idea you were a reaper, did you?”
I take a sip of my drink and feel the warmth of the whiskey go down my throat. “Desperation,” I say honestly, and everyone laughs. “I saw the demon going after my friend, and then me, and then him.” I jab my thumb in Maxon’s direction. “And I knew I had to do something or we’d all die.”
“So you just pick up a scythe,” Preston repeats, shaking his head. “Takes guts, kid.”
“It was stupid,” Maxon grumbles.
“Stupid?” Horace echoes, and laughs. “Her stupidity saved your ass.”
The others chuckle and Maxon takes another drink.
“Though, kid, I do have to say it’s impressive that you were able to open a portal, get to Earth, and retrieve a soul without anyone noticing.” Jude shrugs as the others look at him disapprovingly. “It’s something I would have done in my younger years.” He eyeballs Horace. “It’s something I believe youdiddo.”
Horace slowly shakes his head and chuckles. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Bullshit,” Jude laughs back.
“You really snuck out?” Maxon asks, amusement on his face. “I thought you were all about following the rules.”
“Oh, I am now,” Horace assures him. “Because I got caught.” He leans in and adds in a whisper, “Only after I’d already been to the human realm over a dozen times. I got caught because I was overconfident. Not in my reaping abilities—I was good then, just as I am now—but in my ability to trust my roommate not to snitch.”
“How many demons did you kill?” Maxon goes on, and Preston puts his hand on Maxon’s shoulder.
“You’re giving the boy ideas now. Stay on the straight and arrow, kid. You only have one more year after this and then you will be longing for the days when you got to sleep in your comfy bed instead of hiding out on the astral plane.” He claps Maxon on his back. “Though there was one time in training camp, right after graduation, when a natural disaster struck Earth and thousands of lives were lost at once. It was a free-for-all for the demons, and I snuck down with my drill trainer and reaped a handful of souls.”
The other men take turns telling stories about their youth, and our food comes shortly after that. Maxon was right: the rabbit stew is amazing.
“What house did you get sorted into?” Jude asks me. I drain the last of my Rusty Scythe, knowing once I stand, I’ll feel the effects of the whiskey. I’m tempted to order another.
“Proeliator,” I tell him.
“I’m not surprised after hearing good old Dalmatius go on and on about you.”
“Professor Dalmatius?” I ask, surprised. He talks about me to other people?
“That would be the one.” Jude winks. “He was a top-notch soldier, that one. Took out a particularly nasty demon that had killed nearly a dozen reapers. He retired after that, and started teaching.”
“Oh, wow. I didn’t know he was so revered in the army.”
Jude nods. “It was before my time, but I’ve heard stories. He was one of the best. But after nearly half his division was devoured…it messes with you.” He taps his head. “Which is why he went back to the academy to continue studying demons instead of overseeing training at the army. He wanted to make sure a mass murder against our kind wouldn’t happen again.”
I feel a surge of pride that such a renowned war hero has put his faith in me as a student. “He’s been really helpful in getting me up to speed. I want to fight demons too. Well, more of them,” I add, and Horace laughs. “Hopefully they’ll get less terrifying the more I do it.”
“First kills are always terrifying,” Horace says. “I almost shat my pants the first time I had to face a demon.”
Everyone laughs and shares stories of their first kill, though they all agree I have a tale that’ll never be topped, since I had no clue what I was doing when I picked up my first scythe.
“I was just about to suggest,” Preston starts, lifting his gaze from me to Max, “that you two should stop by the base and do some drills with us. Show us what Messor’s been teaching you all.”
Maxon’s eyes look like they’re about to pop out of his skull. “That would be an honor,” he says in a rushed voice, his wide-eyed gaze bouncing between me and the sergeant. He’s fan-boying so hard right now, and it’s everything I can do to fight back the grin threatening my lips. “We would have to get permission from Professor Dalmatius first, though.”
Sergeant Preston snorts. “You let me know if he gives you any trouble. I’d be happy to give him a talking to.”
