by Donna Grant
Other Light wondered why the Reapers hadn’t taken her. One such Fae asked that question loud enough for Neve to hear. Talin thought Neve might respond, but she simply looked at the female in question as she walked past.
With the white skirts of her gown billowing around her, Neve continued to explore corridor after corridor. She didn’t stop to talk, not even if someone called her name. She had a single—minded purpose—to locate the place where her family had been kidnapped.
Not that it would do any good, but Talin understood her need for some kind of connection to her loved ones. He wondered if they would even be able to know where that place was.
Then they turned down another hall. It was long, narrower than most with a fifty—foot section of nothing but windows overlooking the sea. He heard his name whispered in his head. It was a warning from Kyran that they were close.
Neve’s steps faltered, then slowed before halting altogether. Talin walked around her and felt anger sizzle along his skin.
On the opposite wall from the windows, written in blood, was the mark of the Reapers. A triskelion inside a circle inside a triangle pointed downward. If there had been any doubt Bran was responsible for the Everwoods kidnapping, there wasn’t any longer.
Neve stared at the symbol for a long time, as if committing it to memory. Then she turned in a full circle, looking around her.
Talin got close enough to touch her. He could sense her pain, the anger that was close to consuming her. There were no words he could give to comfort her because to do so would mean her death.
But how he wanted to draw her into his arms, to hold her as he gave her his vow to kill Bran and return her parents. Her brother. He might not be able to say the words aloud, but they were shouted. In his heart.
Neve inhaled deeply and slowly released the breath. Then she walked to the Reaper sign and put her hand next to it. “Who are you?” she demanded of Bran. “What do you want with my family?”
A chuckle behind them had Neve spinning around. Talin watched as the veil dropped and a Dark appeared, leaning against one of the windows with his arms crossed.
Neve gasped and took a step back. “No Dark is allowed in this place.”
“Your queen isn’t here to stop me,” came the smug reply.
Talin hated to admit it, but the Dark was right. Usaeil set the rules, and without her in residence, there was no one to uphold them besides the Queen’s Guard. But they weren’t there either.
He recognized the Dark from their battles with Bran. The Dark was always near the former Reaper. Capturing him would be a boon for sure.
“Then I’ll stop you,” Neve replied.
The Dark raised a brow. “Do you really believe you can? Alone?”
“Yes.”
Talin wanted to cheer her courage, even though it put her in danger.
Neve took a step toward him. “I want the name of the Dark who kidnapped my family.”
“Searlas is my name,” he stated.
“Why do you want my family?”
He shrugged and crossed one ankle over the other. His short black hair was liberally laced with silver while his red eyes watched her with interest. “I’m not the one you should be asking that question.”
“So you’re not the one in charge.” Neve briefly looked upward and sighed loudly. “Why should I bother with you then?”
“Because I’ll be the one giving you information on your family.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“Say please.”
Talin fisted his hands in an effort to keep himself still. They had to know where Bran was. As much as he wanted to go after Searlas now, it wouldn’t be wise.
So he had to stand there and listen to the Dark taunt his woman. It was one of the hardest things Talin had ever done. The urge, the need to protect her warred with his orders from Cael.
Several seconds passed before Neve looked Searlas in the eye and said, “Please.”
“That’s better.” The Dark laughed and dropped his arms as he pushed away from the windows. “All three are alive for now.”
“What happens next? I need to know what to do to get my family released.”
Searlas smiled slowly. “Why are you here alone?”
“Because this is my family.”
“You don’t happen to have anyone walking around veiled?”
Neve’s brow furrowed as she shrugged. “No. You’d know anyway since no Fae can remain veiled that long.”
Searlas just chuckled in response.
That only angered Neve. “I’m here because this is my battle. I don’t need anyone to help. You took my family, and I want them back. What do you want in exchange?”
“We’ll get to that eventually.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she snapped.
Searlas looked behind Neve, right to where Talin stood. There was no way the Dark could know he was there, but Talin didn’t like it regardless.
“Perhaps you should return with someone to help you . . . negotiate,” Searlas said.
Neve took another step toward him. “No.”
“That isn’t a request,” Searlas said before he vanished.
Neve whirled around and slammed her hand against the wall. She put her forehead against the stone and closed her eyes.
Talin looked behind him. Since Reapers could remain veiled indefinitely—and used the ability often—Death made sure they could see each other, even when invisible to others.
Cael and Eoghan were stationed directly behind him. Coming down the opposite direction were Fintan and Kyran. Cael motioned for Talin to follow him as the other Reapers set up a perimeter around Neve.
Talin trailed Cael into a room where he promptly closed the door and ensured that no one would be able to come in or hear them. While Cael did that, Talin made sure there were no unwanted visitors within the room.
Cael dropped the veil and waited for Talin to do the same. Only then did he say, “They’re going to ask for you.”
“I know.” Talin rubbed a hand along his jaw. “Bran is going to force the issue where I either have to tell Neve who I am—or she guesses.”
“Either way means her death.”
Talin didn’t want to think about that. “Is there another way?”
“We have to let this play out.”
“I doubt we’ll have a chance to get Bran. He’ll stay away. We could take Searlas.”
Cael’s grin was wide. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“Bran takes something close to one of us. We’ll take something close to him.”
“It won’t gain the release of the Everwoods.”
Talin wanted to punch something. “I know.” It was Cael studying him that made Talin frown. “What?”
“How do you do it? I’ve not figured it out.”
Talin shrugged, unsure of what Cael meant. “Do what?”
“We’re assassins, Talin. We kill. It’s our job, it’s everything we do.”
“Not everything. We’ve been fighting Bran of late.”
Cael cut his hand through the air. “All those Baylon killed came close to destroying his soul, but then he found Jordyn. Kyran loves the danger of what we do. It’s because he was Dark, and though he may never admit it to anyone, I know that killing gets to him sometimes.”
Talin looked away, because he now knew what Cael was getting at.
“Eoghan feels everything deeply. In order to deal with the killings, he goes off by himself. Daire feels as if he must make up for his past, so each death against those doing wrong or evil balances him. Fintan,” Cael said and then paused. “Fintan buried his emotions so deeply he’s forgotten what they are. He feels nothing.”
“And you?” Talin asked.
Cael ignored the question. “I see you attempting to push aside your feelings. Don’t. I wouldn’t want you to follow Fintan’s path.”
Talin thought of all those he’d slain in the name of Death’s judgment. He saw their faces constantly, but they
didn’t haunt him as they did others.
“I knew what Death asked of me. I understood I’d be killing for eternity.” Talin looked at Cael. “I trust Death’s judgment. If she says someone needs to die, then my sword is at the ready.”
Cael sighed as he nodded. “That same calmness you exhibit daily is why Death sent you here. It’s what you’re going to need to help Neve get through this. Because we both know Bran is going to kill her family. It’s your nature to protect, but you must do it veiled this time.”
“You’re asking the impossible.”
“No, wanting Death to not kill Baylon and Jordyn because they fell in love was asking for the impossible. Look how that turned out. Bran has been ahead of us for the last time. Death is waiting for us to bring Searlas.”
That made Talin smile. “I’d like to be the one to capture him.”
“Of course. Let’s get back out there.”
He turned to the door when Talin said, “I love her, Cael.”
Cael halted and looked over his shoulder at him. “I’ve known for some time.”
“How? I just figured it out.”
“It doesn’t matter how. Have you told her?”
Talin shook his head. “I don’t know if I should.”
“You’ll be leaving her after this is over. Perhaps it’d be wise not to say anything.”
“Probably.” But that’s not what Talin wanted to do. The sudden, crushing need to tell Neve his feelings consumed him.
Death had changed the rules to allow the Reapers to find love, but had she meant with half—Fae only? Surely if Death intended to exclude the Fae she would’ve said something. Talin saw Cael staring at him with a frown.
Talin veiled himself and walked from the room, returning to his post beside Neve.
Chapter Eleven
Neve was terrified. It was the first time in her life that she’d ever experienced such an emotion. And she hated it.
Reapers she was prepared to deal with—only because she didn’t know specifics about them. But a Dark? A Dark, who brazenly appeared within the halls of the Light Queen?
There was much Neve knew how to handle, but with this, she was out of her depth. She wished Talin were with her. He always seemed to know what to do in any situation.
He handled the court as if it were mere child’s play. Neve didn’t think anyone could outdo her father in such a way, but Talin did it without even trying.
She stood with her back to the windows, staring at the giant symbol on the wall. It meant something. Though she’d never seen it before, there was a connection, and she guessed that somehow it would lead back to the Reapers.
Everything led back to them.
Neve turned and strode away. She needed to know about the Reapers, and if Talin wouldn’t tell her, then she would go to the next best source—the Queen’s library.
After having been watched for so long, Neve knew the feeling well. Someone else was following her. She was tired of being spied on.
The thought of spying drew her up short, right as she reached the doors to the library. From the moment she’d first seen Talin, she’d thought him a spy. Though she’d never asked because she really didn’t want to know.
Now, she wanted to know everything.
Neve pushed the door open and walked into the library. A three—story room stretched endlessly before her. In the center of it all, high above them, was a dome of windows, allowing light to stream in. There were comfy chairs, sofas, and even tables one could go to.
Though she’d rather do her research in private, that wasn’t possible since she was being watched. The millions of books before her gave her pause, but just for a second.
“Reapers. Origin and facts,” she said aloud.
All around the library, small, hovering lights appeared next to the books that mentioned Reapers. Neve walked to the closest book and opened it.
Since she was being observed, Neve wasn’t going to be able to write down the things she found. It would all have to stay in her head.
She went to each and every book regarding the Reapers. Neve was shocked at just how many there were in the library, but most merely mentioned them as a legend.
Just as she was about to give up, Neve saw something within a small book titled The Truth of Legends. Within the pages, she learned that the Reapers were real.
The volume went on to tell her that Reapers weren’t around to ensure a Fae didn’t turn Dark. Though it never told her exactly what a Reaper did, the author was explicitly clear that they should be avoided at all costs because they were highly dangerous.
Neve closed the book and moved on. Twenty books later, she ran across another obscure text that mentioned the Reapers as being harbingers of Death. This author surmised the Reapers were not to be feared, but accepted as part of Fae culture.
She looked at the book and how pristine the pages were. It was at least a million years old, but no one had read it.
Neve spent another hour finishing off the rest of the books containing anything about Reapers. The last book held the most information, however. On the back cover, in the lower left—hand corner was the same symbol painted on the wall.
She opened the book, flipping through pages and searching for information on Reapers. Then the light coming from the dome above struck a page. And she saw the faint watermark of the symbol once more. It was on the upper inner corner and was so small it would be missed unless someone knew what they were looking for.
If only she’d read this one first, she could’ve saved herself a lot of time.
On the same page as the watermark, she found a poem.
The seven there are, warriors all.
Do not do wrong or their blade will fall.
Their appearances shrouded.
Their approach, clouded.
Against evil they fight.
Power and magic are their might.
They serve only one.
If you expose their identity—run.
Secrecy is their defense.
If the truth escapes, Death will commence.
Neve read the poem thrice more. Each time, her gaze stopped on Death. It was no happenstance that the word was capitalized. The poet spoke of a person, not an event. It made sense that the Reapers worked for Death.
Seven. Could this mean there were seven Reapers? It didn’t seem like much of an army. Neve always assumed the Reapers numbered in the hundreds of thousands. But if the poem were right, with secrecy and magic, much could be accomplished. Especially with Death leading the charge.
Neve closed the book as she repeated the verse in her head. There was nothing more in the library for her. She needed to think over all she’d read.
She slowly made her way back to where her family had been taken. Her thoughts kept returning to the symbol. She’d suspected it had something to do with the Reapers. Now she was sure of it.
Her heels clicked loudly on the marble floor. Whoever watched her was close. It was the tingling along her skin that made her heart skip a beat.
There was only one who could do that to her with just a look.
Talin.
Neve’s steps didn’t slow as she began to list everything in her mind.
Talin had gotten into her flat without Atris. That would take a considerable amount of magic to break through hers and Atris’s spells.
He was most likely a spy. She’d never outright called him that, but she knew he had secrets, and then there were the many times he’d disappear.
He’d said her family’s abduction was because of him.
Talin refused to speak of the Reapers. It was obvious he knew something, but it was as if talking about it would be a crime.
Then she recalled a part of the poem.
Secrecy is their defense.
If the truth comes out, Death will commence.
The halls of the castle were all but deserted, especially where she was. Whoever watched her did so veiled. And she recognized Talin’s gaze on her.
When
she added all of that up, it pointed to one thing—Talin was a Reaper.
As soon as she came to that conclusion, everything made sense. Chills raced over her skin as she realized she’d taken a Reaper as a lover.
If their identities were to be kept secret, someone had to know who he was to spread the rumor of a Reaper at court. Neve halted before the symbol painted in blood.
Talin hadn’t been lying. This was about him, about the Reapers. Whoever took her family and tried to kill her did it to get to the Reapers.
And if she knew Talin at all, she knew he wouldn’t leave her on her own. For all his secrets and mystery, he was, without a doubt, a defender of anyone who needed it.
If he were a Reaper as she assumed, then that was why he’d told her he wouldn’t be remaining at court long. It was also why he’d divulged nothing of himself. No one knew a Reaper or what they did because they didn’t speak of it.
And those that did learn, didn’t say anything . . . because they couldn’t.
Death would commence.
Neve wasn’t sure if Death would be lenient on her because she’d pieced it together on her own, but it was a chance she would gladly take. Because it was her family. They were all she had. If she lost them . . .
She couldn’t even finish the thought. It didn’t matter that she’d fallen in love with Talin. They could never be. It was easy to accept now that she knew the truth about who he was. What he was.
All she could hope for—pray for—was that she was given time to free her family before Death came for her. Neve had never been brave before. There hadn’t been a need, not in court.
She smiled when she was supposed to, kept her mouth shut when she had to, and proved she was an Everwood when needed. She learned how to flirt, how to charm, how to lure, and even how to seduce.
But to be brave? That was saved for Atris. The only thing she’d ever needed courage for was when she entered court. And that really didn’t count because she wore armor. It was invisible, and really only in her mind, but in order to survive at court, a Fae learned to ignore everything that might hurt them.