by Allison West
"What do you mean?" Her voice hitched as she leaned forward with wide fear-filled eyes. "Tell me!"
"Reapers can't stop an appointment once it's been written on the scroll. A dark angel is the only entity capable of changing one's fate." Wynter wasn't thrilled with divulging such information to a young reaper. When he'd first learned of dark angels, he had wanted to save every soul imaginable. There were consequences, though, one he learned rather quickly about and understood that balance must be maintained.
"No one told me about this before Larkin was murdered!" She groaned under her breath and pinched the bridge of her nose, frowning. "I need to save Mara. How do I find a dark angel?"
"They live among us, just as we live among mortals," Jasper said.
"So where do I find one?" Leila pleaded with them. "I have to save my sister, please."
He wasn't pleased to travel all the way back to the one creepy place that most resided, at least the ones who were still young and malleable. "Many live in the asylum," Wynter said.
"What does that mean? Where do the rest live? Are there any near Casmerelda?"
"I know of one, Juliana, who doesn't live too far from here, but she doesn't like me very much," Wynter said. His experience with Juliana had been rather unpleasant, but she was the only hope that Mara had avoiding death. "I can take you to her."
"No," Jasper insisted. "You and I will go. Violetta will stay with Leila."
Violetta cleared her throat. "Why do I get babysitting duties? What am I supposed to do while you two are gone? Pick dandelions?"
"Figure out how Mara is going to die. Maybe you can both intercept death," Wynter said. He knew it was a long shot; he'd never known it to happen without a dark angel's interference, but perhaps the royal council could be wrong on who was destined to die.
"You two, out of the carriage." Jasper was short and to the point.
"We'll meet you back at the palace as soon as we find Julianna," Wynter said.
Leila slowly climbed down from the carriage, looking unpleased with the situation. She wrapped her arms around herself, the night air cool.
"Come on." Violetta pulled Leila close to her. "Let's go find Mara and see what trouble's brewing."
Wynter shut the carriage door, watching as they rushed back toward the palace, presumably trying to slip back inside unseen. Hopefully, they wouldn't get caught. Scooting back, he tried to relax as Jasper drove the carriage west. Wynter's heart skipped a beat, and his stomach tensed just thinking about what was to come. Was he stupid? Leila didn't even love him, but he couldn't allow her to lose her sister. He knew what it felt like to lose a sister, and he'd never gotten over Hannah's death.
"You're an idiot." Jasper glanced back at his friend, his voice loud over the horses' hooves. "Juliana is the devil, and you're about to make a deal with her."
Wynter held his tongue. Maybe he'd been wrong about Juliana. Although he doubted it. She hadn't helped the last time he'd sought her assistance. Years ago, he'd traveled to Seora, when he'd been going through a rough patch. He'd sought her out, and she had turned him away. What made him think she'd change her mind?
"You have to help." Wynter showed Juliana the scroll. It wasn't the name, but the age of the child that he hoped would convince her to help.
She stared at the scroll silently. Juliana, the dark angel, sighed and her hand reached out, touching Wynter's arm. She paused, conflicted. A moment later, Juliana flinched and pulled away as if she'd been burned. "No." She gasped and took a step backward. "I can't help you, Wynter. Please don't ever come here again."
He knew it was a risk, going to visit Juliana. She wouldn't want to see him, but Mara's life depended on it. She was next in line for the throne. Surely, Juliana would consider his request this time? Mara was important, and Juliana was allowed to save only those who mattered in the grand scheme.
The carriage jolted along the dirt path. Wynter gripped the seat as he bit his lower lip. He was nervous to see her again. Maybe Jasper could walk up to the dark angel refuge and convince her to help. Juliana wouldn't recognize him.
Chapter 19
Leila glanced at the road. The carriage vanished on the darkened path. Would they be back in time? She had to trust Wynter. He'd given her no reason to believe otherwise. He was her professor, her mentor, with plenty of lifetimes of experience in reaping souls. If anyone could help, he could. "What do you know about dark angels?"
"Not much." Violetta walked alongside Leila around the perimeter of the castle. "They have both the power to give and take life. As reapers, we're forbidden from asking favors of dark angels. They worry it would mess up the system. It's why most reapers are removed from their location for at least a hundred years, to sever their past human connections. Occasionally, when a human is murdered and becomes a reaper, the higher-ups let them remain in their district. I guess you're one of the lucky ones."
"You think I'm lucky? I had to watch the man I love get executed, reap his soul, and now my little sister is about to die. I wouldn't call my life lucky. I'm anything but lucky. My family is cursed!" She did not quite know what had happened to create the curse upon the Dacre family, but it certainly seemed to be real. Leila walked to the hidden entrance and swung open the door. She snuck inside and let Violetta follow behind her. "What exactly are dark angels?"
Violetta frowned. "Dark angels were human once, just like us." Violetta kept her voice low; she didn't want to alert the guards.
"What happened to them?" Leila led Violetta through the tunnel and made a sharp right and then another left, guiding them to a different exit. She didn't want to be seen on the ballroom floor.
"Everyone dies, Leila."
Leila rolled her eyes. Now wasn't the time for a lesson on the human life cycle. She knew everyone died at some point, but Mara was still so young. She deserved a full life with love and happiness. Then, when she grew old and her time came, Leila wouldn't fight it anymore. "This way." She escorted Violetta through the back hall parallel to the ballroom.
"How are we going to find Mara if we're out here?"
"Give it time." Leila knew her sister. There was only so much mingling with guests that the young girl could handle.
Leila and Violetta didn't have to wait long. Mara opened the door, peeking her head out to make sure the hall was clear. "You again?" Mara nodded to Leila. "I didn't catch your name earlier."
"Leila." She hoped Mara wasn't going to turn her in to the guards for trespassing. Thankfully, she'd never told her younger sister the name she'd used when sneaking out to meet Larkin.
"Easy enough to remember, and you are?" Mara turned toward the taller girl.
She hesitated before sticking out her hand. "Violetta."
Mara turned to Leila and grinned. "You want to get out of here?"
Leila shot Violetta a look. Was this a good idea? They were supposed to meet the boys at the palace. How were they going to do that if they snuck out? Then again, maybe Mara would miss her date with death.
"Where are we going?" Leila followed Mara through the hall, around the ballroom and toward the main exit. Were they just going to walk out of the party?
"Outside. Where's your boyfriend?" Mara asked.
"They had an errand to run. They'll be back in a few hours." It wasn't a complete lie.
"That's a shame. I was hoping to borrow your carriage. We'll just have to steal one." Mara didn't flinch as she walked outside with Violetta and Leila trailing behind her.
"Princess Mara, what are you doing outside?" a guard asked.
"Escorting my friends to their carriage. Do you have a problem with that?" She didn't wait for him to answer. Mara walked past four carriages and their drivers until she spotted an empty one at the front of the line. Torches lit the path outside the castle. It was a new moon and the heavens offered no light this evening.
"Why are you in a rush to leave the party?" Leila kept her voice low, careful not to let the guards overhear their conversation.
"Warner de Clare. Not t
hat the name means anything to either of you. He's a persistent, vile creature who won't take no for an answer. Trust me, I need some space before I do something I might regret." Mara stopped in front of the empty carriage. "Which one of you is riding up front?"
"I'll figure it out." Violetta stared up at the two horses and carriage. She took a deep breath and shot Leila a look.
The three of them would likely end up dead before the night was over. The good news—two of them were already grim reapers. Death wasn't avoidable, even for the undead.
Chapter 20
Jasper drove up to the front of the refuge and halted the horses. "We're here." He glanced back at Wynter.
"Yeah." Wynter didn't feel ready. The longer he waited, the more anxious he felt. Would he ever feel ready to face the dark angel again?
"The longer you wait, the greater chance Juliana will be asleep." Jasper didn't budge. "Oh, if Juliana says no, you can always ask another dark angel."
"There isn't time." Wynter knew Juliana was the most likely to help, and at the same time the least likely to agree to get involved in something Wynter wanted. Besides, Juliana was the dark angel of the refuge, the leader, if such a title existed among their clan. If Juliana refused him, all the dark angels at the refuge would do the same.
He opened the carriage door and climbed out. The more time he wasted, the less chance he had of saving Mara Dacre. Wynter stepped onto the grass and walked up to the refuge. It was a two-story old white house with thirteen steps to reach the porch. Did all entities involving death live in creepy places?
Wynter took the first stair, pausing as it creaked beneath his feet. He glanced down at the worn white wood, hoping it would hold his weight. He dashed up the stairs and knocked briskly on the front door. Would she see him or turn him away before he had the chance to ask for help?
Wynter could hear movements and voices from inside. "Who's there?" a female voice asked.
Wynter squinted, trying to see in the dark. The door was shut, and he didn't see anyone from the first-floor windows. He took a step toward the left, noticing the window ajar and saw the blonde interrogator. "I need to speak with Juliana. Tell her Wynter is here." Her wings were tucked in at her back, her dark brown eyes staring back at him.
"She doesn't like you very much." The female dark angel snickered. "But, I'll relay the message."
"Thank you." Wynter waited by the front door, hoping Juliana would at the very least hear his request. He did come all this way for her help. Would she even care?
Shifting on his feet, he waited as patiently as possible. Every second that ticked by was a moment closer to the princess' death. Would she, too, be murdered like Ophelia? Had the same man who wanted the princess dead now come after her sister?
"Please, Juliana, I need to speak with you." His voice echoed through the wooden door, hoping that she heard him. "I've come to ask you for a favor."
Her footsteps clicked over the floor, her heels the loudest sound until she flipped the lock on the door, pulling it back to meet his stare. "Wynter, I didn't expect to see you again."
He hadn't expected to visit with Juliana, either, but he wasn't here for himself. "We need to talk."
Chapter 21
"Where am I heading?" Violetta asked. The horses trotted over the drawbridge and followed the path south.
"I need to know what happened to my sister, Princess Ophelia. Take me to the Blue Moon Tavern."
Violetta rode in silence and followed Princess Mara's instructions.
"What are you hoping to find?" Leila asked.
"You were friends with Larkin. Whoever killed my sister is the reason your friend is dead. Doesn't it bother you, not knowing who is responsible?"
It did bother Leila, for more reasons than Mara could ever know or understand. "It won't bring her back." It was the truth. Even if they knew who killed Ophelia, they couldn't magically undo everything that had transpired. Ophelia was dead to those she loved. She was a grim reaper to the few who knew the truth, the undead.
"It might not, but she deserves not to have died in vain. If I have to single-handedly take down whoever killed her, I will."
Leila reached her hand out and rested it on Mara's arm. "You won't have to do it alone."
"Thanks." Mara didn't smile. There wasn't a hint of happiness in her voice.
Violetta pulled the carriage to the front of the tavern. She stepped out and opened the door for Mara and Leila. "Where to?" Violetta didn't look pleased with being there.
Mara stared up at the rustic wooden sign swinging in the wind. It creaked and thudded against the panel of the building. With a sigh, Mara entered the tavern. Leila walked in behind Mara, wanting to keep her sister safe. This was no place for a young princess.
Four musicians stomped their feet, sang, and played instruments: lutes, a recorder, and an organ. "I'm going to talk to the bartender," Mara shouted over the music to Leila.
Violetta stood by the door, keeping an eye on the situation.
Mara approached the bar. The barkeep flirted with a brunette patron in her mid-twenties. Not waiting for the man's attention, Mara interrupted their discussion. "Excuse me."
She was loud and persistent, and the moment the bartender caught her gaze, he straightened up. He knew immediately who was in his presence. "I'm sorry, Princess Mara. What can I get for you?"
"I'm not putting beer in my mouth or anywhere near it." She looked appalled. "I want to know what happened to my sister."
"Oh, that. It's not good for business bringing it up." He kept his voice low. "I already had guards tear apart the bar and interrogate customers. I lost business for days because they were scared of being seen in this place."
"You'll tell me what I want to know." Mara stared him down. "Or, I'll have my father come in and shut down this establishment for treason, you little weasel."
He rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his long, ragged dark locks. "I didn't know she was the princess until everyone made a fuss about her death. She didn't come here dressed like you." He gestured toward her attire. "She was inconspicuous. Used the name Leila, I believe."
Mara turned her head slightly to the side, shooting a look at Leila. She whipped her head back around, facing the bartender. "Tell me what else you know and I won't involve my father, King Philip."
He reached for a dirty white rag beneath the bar. He rubbed at the wood, polishing the surface. "I didn't see anything, but you hear rumors. People talk." He averted his gaze. "No one around here thinks Larkin was guilty of killing your sister. We can't think of anyone who would want her dead. I'm sorry, but I don't have an answer for you. If I did, I would have told your father, when he came to see me."
Mara turned and walked away from the bartender without another word.
"Thanks."
Mara pushed past Violetta on her way outside. Violetta followed after her. Even if she wasn't supposed to die at the tavern, a lot of terrible things could happen to the young princess away from the castle.
"It's not fair!" Mara threw her arms up in the air. "My sister is dead, and for what?"
Leila stepped out of the tavern and closed the heavy wooden door behind her. They'd spent enough time away from the castle that Mara had missed her appointment. She dared not look at the scroll snugged to the inside of her thigh. It was not something to be shown to the living. At least, it hadn't burned her flesh.
"We should get you back home," Leila said. It was late and King Philip, at some point after the party ended, would notice his daughter missing. Leila didn't want to be accused of kidnapping the princess.
Violetta shifted her weight and grimaced, removing her shoes. "Damn blisters." She stood barefoot in dirt.
Mara sighed. "Fine, take me home." Leila helped Mara into the back of the carriage. They headed back to the castle, hoping no one had noticed the princess' disappearance.
Nearly an hour later, Violetta pulled the carriage to the front of the castle. The torches remained lit, but the festivities had long ago en
ded.
"Goodnight." Mara sighed and opened the door, trying to help herself down from the carriage.
"Let me help you." Violetta jumped down and held out a hand, offering it to Mara. "Do you mind if we come inside?" Violetta asked.
Mara hesitated. She shifted on the balls of her feet. "You have to be quiet. Everyone was supposed to have gone home hours ago."
"We won't make a sound," Violetta said. "Promise."
Mara nodded and gestured for Violetta and Leila to follow her in through the main gate. "I can get you some bread and water from the kitchen if you'd like a snack."
"Thank you." Violetta mustered up the best smile she could offer. "We really appreciate your help." She hoped the boys had arrived back with the dark angel.
"Of course. Follow me," Mara said, heading into the kitchen. She pushed the door open and her eyes widened upon seeing the two boys sitting on the counter with a dark-haired woman with short black wings. Mara opened her mouth, but no sound made its way past her lips. The dark angel swiftly rushed across the space between them and covered the princess' mouth. Mara seemed to freeze in place, as if time had stopped for only her.
Leila stepped forward in an attempt to protect her sister. "What just happened?" Leila glanced at Wynter for an explanation.
"This is Juliana, the dark angel we were telling you about," Wynter said.
He hadn't told Leila much about Juliana and even less about what was going on now. Though Mara was perfectly still, the room felt warm and swayed for Leila.
"She'll be fine after you've made your decision. You have a choice," Juliana said to Leila. "A soul exchange or death transfer."
"I don't know what that means." Leila glanced at Wynter, hoping he could explain what was going on right now. Did they still need the dark angel? Mara was alive. Her soul hadn't needed to be taken because she'd missed her appointment of her own free will.