Seeing the evidence of their terror, knowing what might have befallen them, whathadbefallen their murdered companion, Viri had to breathe deeply to suppress her rage.
Justice, she reminded herself. The reaper would face justice for his crimes. By capturing him, she’d made sure of it—and she would continue to make sure of it for every other reaper she hunted on Elverdine Isle.
“You’re bleeding,” the little girl whispered, pointing at Viri’s cheek.
Viri had forgotten all about the wound, though it throbbed now as she was reminded of the man’s knuckles grazing her face. “I’m all right. It’s just a scratch.” She glanced toward the reaper, who had finally managed to get his legs under him, then turned back to the children. “Don’t worry—he won’t be able to hurt anyone else ever again.”
Their eyes immediately skittered to the dead boy, making Viri swear inwardly at her careless words. Gently, she asked, “Did you know him?”
They shook their heads again, and she loosed a relieved breath. The loss of life was tragic, but at least these two wouldn’t have to live with the trauma of witnessing a friend’s death.
“Come on—let’s get you out of here,” she said, wanting to relocate them from the claustrophobic cellar as swiftly as possible.
Hustling them up the stairs and yanking on her fillium to force the stumbling reaper to keep up, Viri led the way back into the rowdy tavern, pushing through the crowd toward the bar. The man from earlier was still pouring drinks, though he paused when he saw Viri and her companions, his mouth opening and closing at the sight of the children. She understood his surprise—survivors were rare after a reaper attack. Too rare.
Raising her voice over the noise, she asked, “How far is the nearest wayportal?”
He shook off his shock. “There’s one about a block away, just before you reach the lake.”
Viri grimaced, not eager to approach the boundary of the obelisks’ protection, but it was that or a long walk back through the uppercity dragging the quickly deteriorating reaper. She would have to take her chances.
Placing a gold coin on the bar, she said to the man, “For the mess downstairs.” She then asked, “Do you have a kitchen here?” At his nod, she added three more coins before indicating the children. “These two could use something warm to eat. Keep them comfortable until the Nox arrive—they’ll take their statements and see them home.”
If the barman was displeased by the idea of Viri sending the city guards to his tavern, he said nothing, only pocketed the gold with a grunt of agreement. She didn’t mention the third child, knowing the Nox Custodia would collect the body and notify his family.
Turning to the boy and girl, Viri smiled reassuringly and said,“You’ll be safe here until the Nox come. They won’t be long.” It went against her instincts to leave them after what they’d just been through—any time a hunt ended with survivors, part of her always wanted to stay and offer comfort. But she was a stranger to these kids, and they would be better off if she left now to notify the Nox.
“You’re both very brave,” she added softly, squeezing their trembling shoulders with her free hand. “In the coming days, when you can’t help thinking about what happened tonight, don’t forget that.”
She watched them give hesitant nods, then helped settle them on stools at the quietest corner of the bar, where two bowls of fudge-covered ice cream were waiting. It wasn’t the warm meal she’d requested, but when Viri looked at the barman in question, he shrugged and motioned to the kids, who were scarfing down the treat as if they hadn’t just witnessed a murder and nearly met the same end.
Children could be incredibly resilient, Viri knew, though she also knew the horrors this pair had witnessed tonight would haunt them forever.
Just as the horrors she’d once witnessed would hauntherforever.
Blocking out her own memories, Viri left the children and dragged the reaper outside into the crisp midnight air. He continued to spit curses all the way along the grungy alley toward the lake, his steps more labored and his insults less creative as his energy faded. Viri paid him no mind, her focus on squinting through the darkness for any sign of the deadly blackmist.
Relief hit her when they passed a crumbling building and shefinally spotted Lake Mirtis up ahead, the moonlight glimmering off its indigo surface, no mist in sight. Another few steps and she saw the wayportal—a ten-foot-high arch carved from silvery magestone—glowing against the darkness of the night.
They were a dozen feet from the portal when her captive stopped swearing long enough to say, “You won’t get away with this, hunter.” His voice dripped with menace. “The Reaper Priest will come for you. Forallof you, butyouespecially.”
Viri’s feet halted without her permission, her eyes slicing to the man only to find a smug look on his face.
“You think I don’t recognize you, Viridia Solace?” he continued, his lips twisting into a sneer. “That hair, those eyes—we all know who you are. You’re marked, hunter. And one day, the Reaper Priest will—”
“He’ll what?” Viri cut in. “Keep hiding, just as he’s done for the last seven years?” Her voice was as sharp as steel to mask her sudden wave of emotion. “Every hunter on Elverdine Isle has been searching for him that whole time, including me. You say he’s coming for us, forme? Then tell him to hurry the hell up.” She cocked her head to the side and adopted her own smug look to cover the rageful racing of her heart. “Oh, wait. You won’t be able to tell him anything, will you?” She yanked on the fillium, jerking him forward and eliciting another curse as he nearly fell. “You won’t be able to tellanyoneanything where you’re going.”
“He’ll save me,” the reaper snarled. “He’ll reward me for—”
Viri scoffed. “He doesn’t even know you exist. You’re just one of his many murderous acolytes.”
“I’m not. I’m—”
“Where is he, then?”
Silence met her question, just as she’d expected.
“If you weren’t a worthless underling, you’d know the answer to that,” she taunted. “But you have no idea, do you?”
