“I’m not sure Professor Dal would let me,” I admit ruefully. “I haven’t had much practice with weapons training yet. And I won’t get my scythe until I complete at least fifty hours of pre-training.”
The reapers all laugh. “Pre-training?” Sergeant Preston says, shaking his head. “That’s nuts. You’ve already killed three demons. If I were Professor Dalmatius I would be fighting tooth and nail to get you your scythe.”
My cheeks burn, and I look down at the table. “Professor Dal has done a lot for me already,” I demure, but I can’t help but think the reapers are right. Why don’t I have my scythe yet? If I’m supposed to be on an accelerated program, shouldn’t I have it already?
“I hate to cut things short,” Preston says, though we’ve been sitting here talking for nearly an hour. “But we do need to report back to base. It was a busy day.”
“Another act of mass violence,” Jude notes, shaking his head. “On top of the other deaths.”
“What do you mean?” Maxon asks quickly, but Preston shakes his head.
“That’s reaper business, boy,” he says, ruffling Max’s head as he gets to his feet. “You just focus on your studies and stay out of trouble. Let me know when you’re ready to come by the base to train with us.” He winks at me.
We say our goodbyes, and Maxon and I head out, needing to leave anyway if we want to make it to the other stores in the downtown area before our allotted time runs out.
“You okay there?” Maxon asks when I almost hit the doorway on the way out.
“Yeah. I just…I…”
“Am drunk?” He laughs.
“I’m not drunk,” I protest. “But not sober either,” I admit sheepishly.
“Don’t walk in front of a carriage and we’ll be fine.” He holds the door open for me as we leave the tavern, and places a hand on my back as we walk, guiding me. He seems more friendly toward me now, and I wonder if it’s because I got him an in with those reapers. I have a feeling that students don’t get invited to train with them very often.
“Here come your friends,” Maxon murmurs, nodding toward Gertrude and Kaia. They wave when they see me, and Maxon and I stop on our side of the street and wait for them to cross over.
“Hey, girl!” Kaia gives me a hug. “What do you think of Grimsby?”
“It’s really cool.” I throw my arm back, motioning to the tavern. “I’ve only been in here so far, though. We had drinks with some reapers and now are—”
“You had drinks with reapers?” Gertrude’s brows shoot up. “Full-fledged ones?”
“Yeah, and they invited us to train with them.”
My friends exchange shocked looks and now I know it’s rare to be invited to socialize with trained reapers. “That’s quite an honor, Addy.”
“Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter.” I shrug. “I won’t be able to train with them until I get my scythe. Where are you guys off to, anyway?” I ask, wanting to change the subject and not be the center of attention.
“Lucretia’s. It’s that clothing store I was telling you about,” Kaia says.
“Do you mind if I go?” I ask Maxon.
“Go ahead.” He looks across the street at a bookstore. “Meet me on the platform in an hour and a half, okay?”
“Okay.”
Our eyes meet, and my heart gets all fluttery inside my chest. He gives me a curt nod and then briskly walks across the street.
“That was weird.” Kaia slips her arm through mine and guides me down the sidewalk. Now that I’m out in the bright sunlight, I’m feeling the effects of the whiskey more.
“He’s weird,” I blurt. “All that alpha male brooding is sexy in movies, but in real life—afterlife, I mean—it’s annoying.”
Gertrude laughs. “At least he’s easy on the eyes.”
“He’s engaged,” I say, though it’s not like they forgot. No, I need to say it out loud to remind myself.
Lucretia’sis only a block away, and I know I’m a goner as soon as we step foot inside and see a mannequin wearing a gorgeous black and red ballgown.
