“Get through what?” I look from Zaynab to Schuster. “What do you mean?”
Zaynab’s eyes dart over my shoulder, to the fireplace, to Grim, and then bounce back to me. “I’m not allowed to disclose any more than I have.”
“But you didn’t disclose anything!”
She begins to wring her hands and looks again over my shoulder. Schuster joins us and crouches in front of me. “You have to be strong now, Ana.”
A switch flips inside me. I leap to my feet. “Is it so much to ask for answers? Do I have to kneel and beg for the truth? Whatever is happening, it involves me. I have the right to know. Why am I being treated like some sort of fragile thing? If no one’s going to tell me what’s going on, I’m leaving.”
“Ana—”
I swing to face Schulz, my eyes narrowed. Just staring at his face fuels my anger. “I’ve had enough of this. Either someone talks or I’m leaving.” Silence bursts through the air, chasing away the echoes of my outburst. I can practically hear the wheels in their minds turning. From what I grasped when I woke up, I’m a big part of whatever scheme they’re cooking. A powerful weapon in their arsenal—the only weapon in their collection.
I wait, watching as eyes shift. The tension in the room heightens to mega proportions, and I begin to pace.
Grim’s voice finally shatters the silence. “Well, there is no need for all this drama, Ana.” I stop pacing. I really prefer when he calls me “Novice.” Ana sounds like a reprimand.
Schuster, now sitting on the couch, chuckles. I turn to face him. “Ah, and here I thought she lost that feisty side of her. Take a seat, Ana. I will try to explain as much as I can. Which won’t be much.” I continue standing, arms crossed. He inhales and opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by a knock on the door. Seconds later, after Grim’s announcement to enter, Shark Teeth sticks his head around the door. His body follows, a covered silver dish balanced in his small hands. His eyes dart to Grim. He scuttles forwards on tiny feet and places the dish on the dark oak table in front of me. After lifting the cover with enough flourish to shame even the most elegant of waiters, he flashes his jagged teeth at me. His eyes don’t hold the menace his teeth do. My eyes leave his face to the dish on the table.
“I’m not hungry,” I say. My stomach grumbles quietly, disputing my claim. Shark Teeth’s mouth snaps closed, lips pulling downward. So far, he’s been nothing but kind. “What’s your name?”
“Axe Van der Zee.” He smiles proudly.
“Van der Zee? From the sea, right? It suits you.”
He flashes those teeth at me again. “Yes, yes. My family originates from the sea many centuries ago and—”
“Axe.” That single word shuts Axe up. He glances at Grim, then back at me, and walks backwards like he did that day in the U-Bahn. At the door, he bows, twirls, flashes his teeth, and disappears out the door.
“Let us wrap this up. I have guests to attend to,” Grim says, glancing meaningfully at a black and white clock mounted above the fireplace. It has no hour or second hands. Strange.
Beside me, Schuster clears his throat. “Zaynab and I—” He turns and twines his fingers with Zaynab. “—have kept an eye on you since you were born.”
“Apparently you didn’t do the job so well,” Schulz snaps from the window. What is he so mad about?
Even at this interruption, Schuster’s eyes don’t leave mine for a second. A muscle ticks on his jaw, though. “Sarcasm will not help further our objectives, Meister.” Meister? Master of what? Other than glares? Schuster takes a deep breath. “As I was saying, we have been your Keepers since you were born and even before that.”
I’m about to say, “You and Zay?” but I stop, analyzing his words. “Keepers? What do you mean by even before that?”
“Schuster, I advise you to be very careful.” Grim’s voice is still calm, as if we’re all having a pleasant time.
Schuster shakes his head, rubs his forehead, and exhales. “Keepers are similar to godparents but with more responsibilities to their godchild. Listen, Zaynab and I have to go.”
“No! Please, Herr Schuster, don’t leave.” My voice quivers, and I hate it. Why do I have to sound so weak?
Schuster rises to his feet, pulls me into a quick hug and then holds me at arm’s length. “Call me Schuster, well at least for now. I’ve watched you grow and you have made us very proud. By gods, I can’t disclose any more at the risk of putting you in danger. Just follow your heart, and we’ll see each other very soon, all right?” His voice breaks at the last word. For some reason his arms around me don’t feel weird. It’s as if he’s embraced me all my life. Or maybe it’s just me in desperate need of a good hug. I burrow deeper into his chest. Don’t break down now, Ana. “Did you hear me, Ana? Follow your heart. Remember that. In the end, everything will be all right.” I nod.
He utters the next words so quietly his voice is barely a whisper. “Meet Zaynab and me where the lights touch the land and sky. You will know when the right time comes. Just nod your head if you agree.” I do, more because of the urgency in his voice than anything else. He wraps his arms around my shoulders and, this time, the intensity of that embrace almost cracks my bones. He lets go, stepping away to let Zaynab have her turn.
“You’ve made us proud, Ana. I hope to see you soon, love.” Zaynab’s arms around my shoulders calm the panic, anger, and confusion swirling inside me. When she takes a step back, she brushes her thumb across my cheek.
As soon as they leave, panic slams back into me. Schulz sinks in the armchair across from where I’m standing. “Please sit, Ana. We need to talk.”
I sit, rubbing my temples. “You bowed. In my room before you left.” I can’t believe I just said my room. “Zaynab did as well.” Grim and Schulz exchange glances. “You never did that in school. Can’t anyone tell me what’s going on?”
Grim seems to have found something worth investigating in the smouldering firewood. Schulz stares at a distance, as if he’s receiving a vision. Grim pushes away from the fireplace and excuses himself to return to his guests.
Schulz’s eyes focus. He leans forwards. “When do you begin your music lessons at the Conservatory?”
How did he know I was planning to attend? Does he know everything about me? I shake my head to ward off the thought. “I’ve applied for the winter intake.”
“Cancel the classes.”
My feet push my body off the couch. Heartbeats pound in my ears. “What? What do you mean cancel the classes?” Is he crazy? I begin to pace. Sweat beads on my forehead. “I worked very hard to get a place in the Conservatory. This has been my dream for as long as I can remember. How can you ask me to cancel so casually?”
“I mean just that. Cancel them. From now on, I will take responsibility for your music classes.”
“You? I mean no disrespect, Herr Schulz, but what do you know about music that you could teach me?” A tiny voice in my head chants, “You are being rude,” but the words are already out. I can’t take them back.
Schulz doesn’t look bothered by my tone or question. “More than you could ever imagine.”
I pace faster, then halt abruptly to face him. “First tell me what’s going on. Who exactly are you all, because you’re surely not my teacher. Where do I fit in all this?”
“If you think you can twist my arm, Ana, you’ll be disappointed.” His eyes are narrow slits, and I know he isn’t going to be swayed by anything I say. I curl my hands into fists, and bite my lower lip until sharp pain spreads all over my body. At least that put a brake on the hovering tears. And I’m not going to cry in front of him. But what will I do if he insists?
“Please, don’t take this away from me. Music is who I am, Herr Schulz. Please.” Right now, I’m not above begging.
“Music is just one part of who you are. The other part is what you have tried to hide from everyone’s eyes.” His gaze swoops to my hands and wrists, lingering for a heartbeat before returning to my face. “Now, will you cancel the classes
or should I?”
My heart lodges in my throat. I can barely swallow. My legs give way, and my body collapses on the couch. I whisper, “You know about the scars? Why I have them?”
“Yes, I do, but first things first. The Conservatory.” His eyebrows shoot up. He looks smug.
I drop my head in my hands. “I can’t. You can’t ask me to give up my dream.”
He leans forwards, elbows braced on his knees. He steeples his chubby fingers, studying me with pursed lips. Wars are being fought in his eyes. “What if…” He inhales. Exhales. I’ve never seen him at a loss for words. “What if I told you that you are a dream? A hope? The only thing keeping a race from giving up?”
I’m officially confused. Schulz seems to notice.
“What if I told you that you are the only who can save a race? Your people? Me, Zaynab, Schuster, and a whole lot of others?”
“What?”I can’t get enough air into my lungs. The room has shrunk to a shoebox. “What race?”
He doesn’t hesitate to answer. In fact he seems too eager. Words rush out of his lips. “A race that depends on you. The earlier we begin your training, the better you will be prepared for what is coming.” He stops, as if to catch his breath, and clears his throat. “I apologise I cannot disclose more at this moment. I will try to enlighten you more during our lessons.” And his bossiness is back with a bang.
True. The human race is suffering, with all the earthquakes and floods and famine… But me being the one to save them? Laugh-out-loud ridiculous. I’m water-phobic for goodness sake. I chuckle. Why am I even thinking about it?
Schulz frowns.
“I’m the wrong person to save humanity, Herr Schulz. Souls, yes. Humanity, a big N-O. Surely you know that.”
“The universe is populated with other races. One of them hangs by a mere wisp of a thread. Sorry to disappoint you. You are the one.”
I can’t hear anything other than a loud buzz in my ears, punctuated by the hiss from the fireplace. “You mean Mom and Dad and my siblings, aren’t really who they are?”
“They are exactly who they are. Humans. You, on the other hand, are not.”
I slump back on the couch, pressing my hands to my face. “No. I’m just a normal—”
“You are not normal. Your gift is proof enough.”
My head jerks up. “Gift? What gift?” He leans back on the couch and crosses his legs at the ankles. “You can’t drop news like that and refuse to explain.”
“I can and have. Get accustomed to it. Fast. Now, about the music—”
“My parents won’t be happy.” I cringe at the thought of giving up on my dream.
“Your parents are the least of your worries and priority, Ana. Lie to them. Do whatever you have to do. You and I begin lessons soon.”
I tug the bracelets on my wrist. How did my life change so drastically? I brace myself for the next question. “You mentioned the scars.”
“Ah, those.” For the first time ever, his lips stretch to a smile. His face takes on a proud look. This is not good. I wish he would stop smiling. “I will save that for our first lesson. Otherwise, I will not have enough incentive to lure you.”
“Is everyone happy to feed me with veiled snippets of information?”
Schulz looks unusually happy. I’m not sure I want to know anything about the scars.
“What about Rolf?” I’m not sure where that came from. The results are immediate, though. Schulz stiffens. His smile vanishes, and his eyes turn to steel. Whoa.
I squelch the urge to smile. He unknowingly confirmed my suspicion that he knows something about Rolf. Maybe even where Rolf goes during his frequent disappearances.
“None of your business.” His tone is so cold my blood turns to ice. He stalks to the door, swings it open, and bows slightly. “Lessons begin on Monday.” I step into the hallway. “One more thing.” I flinch at his tone. “To avoid becoming the hunted, keep this information to yourself.”
***
It’s almost two in the morning when Zig appears to escort me home. He hovers on the doorway, his arms folded across his broad chest. “You don’t need to,” I say.
His eyebrows shoot up. “Are you planning on walking home?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I can make it to my room without your help. I picked up a few things during practise, you know.”
“Can you, really?” He swaggers into the room. “A gentleman always sees the lady home and safely tucked in bed. Safely.”
I roll my eyes as I tug the edge of my skirt lower. It’s so tiny it should be declared illegal. My dinner gown was disposed of, or so I was told. Don’t they have washing machines? I really loved that gown. “I’m not in the mood to argue, Zig.”
He halts before me, eyebrows raised, and smiles. “What are you in the mood for?”
“My mood,” I snatch the clutch bag from the bed, “has nothing to do with you.” I’m not sure the little shifting knowledge I mustered will help me reach home. All I know is I want to get far away from Grim’s castle, lose myself, and not think about tonight’s dinner. Even if it means getting lost shifting back home.
I brush past him and towards the door. His strong fingers wrap around my wrist, yanking me around. He narrows his eyes. “I have a theory.”
My heart thumps violently until I feel as if my chest will rupture. Sweat beads on my forehead. Does he know what happened in the library? I clear my throat and lift my chin forwards. “What theory?”
“You’re trying to pick a fight with me. Have to warn you, though, I always win.”
“What?” I squeak. My legs almost buckle in relief.
It happens so fast I don’t have enough time to process his actions. He slips one arm on my waist, and the other glides up my back until his hand holds my head firmly in place. I blink, and his lips are on mine, kissing me. Kissing me!
What on earth? I twist my body to raise my arms. Too late. They are trapped between our bodies. Considering his height, bulk, and strength, which I feel pressing onto my bones, I’m at a disadvantage. His arm and hand are like steel around my waist and head. How had I not seen this coming? I stop my struggles, hoping he’ll get the hint. He doesn’t. His kisses taste like curiosity and peppermint. The eyes staring into mine gleam with amusement and… a challenge.
This is nothing close to Rolf’s sensual, toe-curling kisses. And I have a feeling Zig won’t stop anytime soon.
I lift my high-heeled foot and slam it down on his. Immediately, his lips leave mine. He takes a step back, a grin on his face. Is he made of stone? I’m sure I used a lot of force.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I brush my tingling lips with the back of my trembling hand.
“Cheering you up.” He shoves his hands inside his pants pockets.
Heat spreads all over my body until I feel as though I’ll explode into thousands of pieces. It pools on my fisted hands, tangling with tonight’s frustration build-up. I lift my right arm and swing. It lands perfectly on his chin, and I curse my height for the misplaced aim. I was aiming for the nose. He smiles wider, as if I patted him.
“Don’t you ever kiss me again, Zig. Ever.” My knuckles are on fire, and moisture gathers at the corners of my eyes. I swallow the tears threatening to spill.
“You enjoyed it. Your eyes say so.”
Before I can stop myself, I swing my left arm. It lands on his chest. His body doesn’t budge an inch.
“You can do better than that, lovely Ana.”
My tolerance quota of the day has been reached and surpassed. “Are you angering me on purpose?”
“Clearly, it’s working.” He holds his palms up, facing me, legs braced to balance his weight. “Come on.” With hands raised like he’s some sort of trainer, he looks hot.
I bite my lip as I stare at him. “Why are you doing this?”
He shrugs, still grinning, and beckons me with his hands. I kick my heels to the side and fold my hands into fists. Tiny fists compared to his huge ones. I s
wing anyway.
Five minutes later, I stop and lean forwards, wheezing unhealthily. Was that the best I could do? Five minutes and breathing like I’ll drop dead in the next second? So disgusting.
“You fight like a girl.”
I gulp air, lift my head, and glare at Zig. “I am a girl.”
He chuckles and pats my shoulder. “A girl who desperately needs fighting lessons.”
My chest is on fire. “Why would I need those?” I wince as I massage my knuckles. I doubt my fingers will manage to hold a pen in class in the morning. I should’ve taken those defence classes Lea slaved away to complete two years ago. They seemed like torture back then.
“Eternity is a very long time. People tend to get bored doing nothing. Feeling better?”
“Extremely invigorated.” I wanted to punch something during the course of the night. This was a great escape. My breathing regulates. “Wasn’t there another way to get me all worked up instead of kissing me?”
“I was thinking on my feet.” He grins, brushing a thumb along his lips.
“Well, next time try to think while sitting,” I snap at him.
“Oh, come on. Don’t be angry with me. Let’s get you home.”
Seconds later, we’re standing inside my bedroom. He strides towards the door, lifts his hand in a small arc, and mutters under his breath to un-spell my door.
I really need to learn that.
“You look exhausted. Need help with anything?” he asks, stretching his long body.
“Can you change forms and attend class for me in the morning?”
He chuckles. “Sorry, can’t help you there, lovely Ana. I was never good in keeping with school rules.”
I slip out of my heels and drop on my bed, pressing a hand over my mouth in a pretend yawn. I need him to leave so I can dissect the evening, one shocking moment at a time.
Reaper's Novice (Soul Collector #1) Page 17