Reaper's Order (Founders Series Book 1)

by Mari Dietz

  Three banners fell down from under the overhang in the colors of the Orders. On them, the names of the reapers who were accepted were already scrawled in black.

  The others rushed forward, most biting their lips and nodding in acceptance. If Dei wasn’t their first choice, Dei Order was better than the streets, especially if they couldn’t afford to wait until next quarter to try again. Some of them had their names on two banners, so they would get a choice. The excited voices filled the arena, then an angry shout boomed, and everyone went still.

  “Is this a joke?” Yaris yelled up at Xiona.

  Xiona tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

  His chest heaved, and he pointed at Vic, who hadn’t even looked yet. “How did she get into Nyx? I have the stone. Shouldn’t the third trial be worth the most points?”

  “Points?” Xiona’s asked blankly.

  Yaris threw down the stone. “The points from each trial!”

  Xiona laughed, and all the reapers backed away from the mocking tone. “Young one, we see what we like, and we claim it.” She pointed a finger at him as though she were aiming an arrow at his throat. “You were found lacking compared to her. Did you think getting the stone meant something? Working together, thinking, sacrifice—these traits matter, not some silly rock. If I ever need to pave a new walkway, I’ll find you.”

  Yaris’s face burned, and his gaze rested on Vic.

  Oh Blight, she thought.

  “A Glass? You hid your hair and shadowed your face in a hood to make us all into fools? It didn’t matter who came here today, not when there’s a founder. They will always get top choice. Skill doesn’t matter, only your privilege.” He took a step closer, and other reapers closed in but didn’t stop him.

  “Yes, I had more training, but you can’t say I don’t have any skill. I’m sorry you didn’t get what you wanted.”

  The other reapers watched the two in silence.

  “Is that why you gave me the stone? You wanted my help? Then like a bitch in heat, you used me and shoved me aside.”

  “Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I want you. Also, I didn’t need you. It made sense to work together so, you know, we wouldn’t die.” Vic widened her stance, subtly preparing to fight him. Her wounds hurt, but he wanted to lash out at someone, and she was the closest.

  Yaris’s fingers curled into his palm. He must have regained some sense, since he took a deep breath and glanced at the overhang. He bowed sharply and stalked out of the arena.

  Vic sighed. “I wonder where else I got in.”

  She saw her name on all three banners. Relief filled her. Maybe she could make enough and convince her sister that being a vital didn’t matter. The Glass founders would still provide the city with a hero.

  “Report to your Order of choice tomorrow morning.” Xiona dipped her chin, and with that, all the leaders left.

  Vic spotted a man dressed in white in the stands. At first she thought he was an imb from the trial. His stiff stature and judgmental gaze, gave him away as a radiant. What was a radiant doing here? They hated magic. Now that Vic’s identity had become clear to the other reapers, she felt like she was on display. With no reason to stick around, she headed to the door. To her dismay, it took her a long time to leave as other reapers congratulated her. Apparently, they all didn’t have the same resentment as Yaris. She finally reached the outside of the area. Her father stood there with the man in white she’d seen earlier.

  This couldn’t be good. Vic debated walking past but figured it would only hurt Em if she did. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Why are you with a nightlight?”

  The radiant’s narrowed eyes took in her disheveled appearance.

  Her father smiled lazily. “Oh, this is your future husband.”

  6

  Vic

  “Ha!” Vic bent over and gasped for air, her wounds throbbing. “What could you possibly gain by marrying me off to one of those Sally Sunshines?”

  If her father wanted to continue the Glass line, it made no sense for her to marry a radiant. What in blight was he thinking?

  The man stood next to her father, appalled by Vic’s dirty state.

  Vic grimaced. She was covered in blood and dirt, and that man looked like he didn’t even know what dirt was. His white uniform didn’t have a speck of dust on it. How tiring was it to keep it clean? It would be funny if she brushed up against him. Would he freak out? This person probably loved rules and cleaning.

  The man glanced between Vic and her father, his full lips pressed into a thin line. “I think you may have spoken too soon, sir.”

  “That remains to be seen.” He regarded Vic. “Today, you are to join this young man at their purification ceremony, then for dinner at our house tomorrow night.”

  She raised her eyebrow. “Am I missing something? I don’t live under your roof anymore.”

  Her father’s eyes emptied of emotion and became flat. The green irises dulled, and Vic’s throat constricted. The feeling of razors tickled along her skin. No loving father appeared here.

  “Victoria,” he intoned, “do you want to go into this with company present?” His fingers gripped his left arm. The bright sun contracted with the chill in the air.

  Vic focused on the feel of the air coming in through her nose. The way it brushed her upper lip. The way it tickled the inside of her nose to the back of her throat. She needed to calm down.

  “Fine.” The single word burst out, and Vic felt ashamed over how he could still control her. So much for leaving the family. Her victory in getting into the Nyx Order dampened under her father’s gaze.

  “William, please look after her today.” Her father bowed and strolled away.

  Vic stared at the space her father had left.

  “Do you need to treat those wounds?”

  “Huh? Oh, yeah. I’ll be a moment, William.” She squinted. Blight, his uniform was bright.

  Blood had already leaked through the patch job the reaper had given her. Her flustered gaze caught his eyes. He shifted on his feet. Vic guessed he was as caught up in this as she was.

  She sat down at the temporary tents set up outside the arena and let the reapers clean her wounds and bandage them. Her clothing was shredded on one side but still covered her.

  “Would you like something to wear?” a reaper offered.

  She smiled at the thought of showing up in rags to a purification ceremony. “Nah, I’m good.”

  If her father wanted her to meet the future in-laws, it was on him for throwing this at her last minute.

  William stood right where she’d left him, easy to spot in his bright white clothing. She had to admit he was handsome, in an orderly way. His light brown hair caught the sun and became streaked with gold. The blinding whiteness of his uniform accented his tan. This was someone who worked outside during the day. His shoulders were broad, and he had a tapered waist. He didn’t have the same build as a reaper, but radiant worked hard to live without magic. His angular face was alluring, but the fact he was a radiant closed off any attraction. She could only imagine what had gone through her father’s head to make this arrangement. Whatever he plotted was way beyond her, and she didn’t have the energy to figure out his goal. For now, she just had to go to the ceremony and maybe dinner.

  Vic knew she had a chance to win this battle with her father. Once her sister left for Haven, what would her father have to hold over her anymore? He wouldn’t stoop so low as to take her scythe—maybe.

  “What Order will you choose?” William asked, interrupting her thoughts. The disapproval had left his eyes, and he might be kind. The radiant weren’t bad people. Mostly, they judged magic users harshly. The thought of losing their magic made most people nervous around them.

  “The one that will give me the most freedom.”

  If the statement shocked him, he didn’t show it. “I see.” His tone softened. “I think I understand.” The last part he spoke so quietly Vic barely heard it.

  They
followed the canal. Other reaper hopefuls trailed down the pathways, going home with smiles or tear-streaked faces.

  Vic let William take the lead. She’d never been to a purification ceremony, so she didn’t know where they purified others.

  She felt an odd kinship with this stranger. “What brought you out to see the reaper trials? Had a craving to see what magic turns us into?”

  He also seemed like a good target to tease.

  He glanced at her sideways. “I’m well aware of what we turn into if we don’t charge ourselves with magic. I wish for a world where we don’t have to depend on this broken economy.”

  Vic chewed on her bottom lip. He had a point. They needed blighted magic to purify in order to charge and keep the blight away. If the cycle broke, they would all turn into mogs. If everyone stopped using magic, how long would it take for the blight to go away? That was something everyone was too afraid to test.

  “It isn’t perfect, but I think being a walking automaton would be worse?”

  William stiffened. “Everyone is still in control of themselves.”

  “Hmm, the glassy-eyed ones are great at making choices.” They responded, but their answers were simple, and they always did what they were told. She shivered at having that kind of power over another human life. How could they trust that the radiant wouldn’t abuse that power? It didn’t feel right. Only the radiant who purified kept their magic. Apparently, once everyone was purified, they would join the rest.

  His jaw twitched. “They’re happy and uncorrupted.”

  “If you say so.”

  “If you would rather go home …” William paused and straightened his cuffs.

  Her father’s eyes flashed in her mind’s eye. “No. I guess I need to be respectful. I’ll try.” She glanced at him. “But you have to understand that I think what you do is wrong.”

  He ran his tongue over his teeth. “The feeling is mutual.”

  “Wow, this will be a great marriage, don’t ya think?”

  Blight help her that his show of attitude made her like this orderly light lover.

  “If the blight doesn’t kill us, we’ll likely kill each other,” William responded dryly.

  Vic lightly punched his shoulder. “Look at that! A joke!”

  “You know, I am human.” A flicker of a smile twitched at the corner of his mouth, his stance relaxing.

  Vic wished she could see him really smile. “Good to know.”

  They neared the center of town, and Vic saw the sea of people wearing white. Radiant led the unpurified to the center, where the few radiant with rings waited. After a moment, the new radiant would be led away smiling.

  “So creepy,” she whispered. What went on in a radiant’s mind? Was it just filled with happiness?

  William looked at her sharply.

  “Fine, fine. Tell me where to stand, and I’ll shut up and be good.” She needed to sit down. She had the urge to take a nap on the ground.

  “Why do I always have to babysit?” he muttered under his breath.

  He led her away from the others, and she noticed another man who was like the happier version of William. He flashed his teeth in a wide grin.

  “Whoa, Brother, I didn’t know you could leave the ceremony to pick up women. Nice score!” He smiled brilliantly and stuck out his hand. “I’m Samuel.” He pointed his thumb at William. “This one’s better-looking brother.”

  He mirrored William in appearance, with slight differences. His light brown hair was ruffled, and his clothing had wrinkles. Samuel’s tan was a smidge darker, and he had more smile lines around his mouth. His blue eyes were the biggest difference. Where William’s were cool and maybe tired, Samuel’s danced with mischief. He stood back from the purification. Was he not wanted here?

  Vic grasped his hand. “Nice to meet you, I think.”

  Her gaze wandered around the center of town and over all those gathered. Other citizens of Verrin still shopped around the purification ceremony. Those who didn’t want to get purified gave the radiant a wide berth.

  “Yeah, this isn’t a great place to meet people. What brings you here? Don’t tell me you’re getting purified?” Samuel grimaced.

  William cleared his throat at his younger brother.

  Vic laughed. “No, and you make quite the sales pitch. Are you sure you should be here?” She let her guard down. Something about these brothers made her relax. She’d spent the last few months mostly in isolation. How long had it been since she’d sat down and spoken with other people? She’d grown tired of games and walls. Her instincts told her Samuel was good people and she would go with it.

  “I could ask the same of you.” He took in her torn black clothing and the scythe holstered on her back. Bandages covered the exposed skin on her waist.

  William broke in, saying, “Okay, we get it. Will both of you stop talking? There are desperate people coming to be cleansed, and you’re making a mockery of it.”

  Vic sat on the ledge next to the statue. Samuel sat next to her, and they watched in silence as William purified those who came to him.

  “I don’t think I understand what all this means,” Vic whispered. She felt something strange as she watched those broken people who couldn’t afford to charge or eat leave with a vacant look and a smile. It couldn’t be right, could it?

  “You’re telling me,” Samuel answered. “Try growing up around it and watching your friends turn into smiling radiant who’re happy at their little jobs and only talk about purity without magic.” He scuffed his foot against the stone. “William’s all I have left of my group of friends, and he spends most of his time telling me how wonderful it is to be a radiant.”

  Vic shuddered. “Why are you normal?” She caught herself. “I mean, not normal, but you don’t buy into what they’re selling.” She understood the feeling of having everyone believe something different from her. If it wasn’t for her sister, would she think people should leave their families to become vitals and save the city?

  Samuel nearly laughed but stopped himself. “Thanks? William and I used to run around town.” He winked at Vic. “He actually got in more trouble than I did. Then one night, he changed.” He gripped the ledge. “And here we are. He’s the future leader of the radiant, and I’m the odd brother who won’t step in line and purify people.”

  “Were you supposed to?” Vic leaned in, wanting his answer to match her own rebellion at leaving her family.

  Samuel nodded. “I turned down my relic. I may have a way to get a third-generation wand, though. I have a little money. I hope I can be an imb instead of a reaper castoff without a scythe. I wasn’t tested to see what I could be.” He waved his hand toward the ceremony. “But I don’t want to leave him.” His gaze shifted to the swirls of blight above them. “Wow, I told you our life story.”

  Vic snorted. “Not wary of strangers, are you?”

  His face tilted, and he looked thoughtful. “Usually, yes, but I don’t know. I have a strange feeling William will need you.”

  Vic scrunched her face. “I’m not sure about that. We’ll likely be at each other’s throats.”

  Samuel nudged her. “Now you spill. It’s only fair.”

  It wasn’t like the town didn’t already know the gossip about the Glass founders. “I’m a rich brat from Glass, and I don’t agree with the founders or Haven, so I ran off to be a reaper in a lone protest. I got to live alone for a while, but now it looks like I’m right back where I started.”

  Samuel stared at his brother. “Blight take us. It’s easier to fall in line than mess with the system, isn’t it?” His blue eyes studied her. “But that isn’t it, is it?”

  Vic flexed her fingers and noted how thin they were. “I have a sister, and she’s an imb.”

  “Vital?”

  “Vital. She was supposed to leave with me, but she didn’t.” In one heated argument, Vic had thrown away everything she’d known. She’d thought her sister would follow her. She had a strange feeling he understood the broken sys
tem they lived in.

  He cracked a smile. “I don’t suppose you’ll bring her around?” He waggled his eyebrows, breaking the somber mood.

  “Not a chance, lover boy.” Emilia would have liked him, but it was pointless. Vitals didn’t have long relationships.

  His face grew thoughtful. “I wonder if our parents had two children to use one to blackmail the other.”

  The dull green of her father’s eyes came to mind. She’d left her sister with him. Her sister claimed she wanted to fulfill her duty to the city. Emilia didn’t share Vic’s doubts. It’s not like Vic had proof that Haven was bad. She could be honest and admit she didn’t want to lose her sister, so it was easy to make Haven the villain.

  “I wouldn’t put it past them. Reputation is more important than our choices.”

  “You two must be having a serious conversation.” William stood over them, the setting sun haloing him from behind.

  Samuel jumped and put his arm around William, who immediately shrugged him off. “You wanted us to be serious, dear brother. We merely complied with your wishes.”

  Vic stood with Samuel. “Is it over?”

  William nodded. “I will take you home now.” He glared at his brother. “You are to go home. Straight home.”

  Samuel saluted. “Yes, sir.” He winked at Vic. “I hope you stick around. We have a lot of work to do with this one.” He launched himself at William and hugged him. Before William could do anything, Samuel let go and ran off.

  She watched Samuel leave with the other radiant. They left the center of Verrin, their white uniforms ghostlike in the growing darkness. It surprised her that they wanted to be out this late. Mogs still ate the purified.

  William stared after his brother, his brow furrowed.

  “You’re worried?” Vic asked.

  “Let’s go.”

  Apparently, William didn’t like to share as much as Samuel. It was strange, but she understood him. William might want to purify her, but they seemed to be in a similar situation. She wondered if, like her sister, he didn’t have a choice. Samuel had said he’d changed in one night, just like her father.