by Silver, Ruth
“It's over,” Wynter said. Beside her stood the ghost of Larkin Alis.
“All for a girl.” Larkin sighed, glancing back at the podium where his body hung limp.
“Tell me about it.” Wynter nodded. “Sorry you had to go through all that. You didn't deserve it.”
By the time the execution finished, Leila and Wynter were soaked. It matched Leila's mood, the heavens crying for Larkin. Leila wiped the tears away and cleared her throat. “I think it's time for you to move on.” The three of them walked away from the townsfolk and toward the edge of the kingdom, where the horses waited. The rain refused to slow.
“I know you.” Larkin studied her face. She had a petite nose and full pale lips. Even soaked, she was familiar to him. “You came to see me. Why?” he asked. “No one else came to visit, except Princess Mara.”
“I already told you. I knew Ophelia. She would have wanted me to help you.” Even after he was dead, Leila was still lying to him. “Why did Mara come to see you?”
“Princess Mara apologized for her father's decision. She knew I didn't hurt Ophelia and pleaded her case with King Philip, but he refused to listen. She wanted me to know that she would fight for me up until the end and even after, because she knew it was what her sister would have wanted.”
Leila pushed away the wet strands of hair. “Thank you.” It was what she needed to hear. Her sister would become a great leader one day as queen.
“Will I get to see her where I'm going?” Larkin asked. The rain pelted through him, hitting the ground.
Leila exchanged a quick glance with Wynter.
“Where you go, it'll be far better than this place,” Wynter said.
A shimmer glistened through the forest that only Larkin and the reapers could see.
“Goodbye,” Leila whispered, waving as Larkin walked into the unknown and disappeared. She bit down on her bottom lip, finding it hard to keep the tears at bay. It didn't work. They fell harder and faster until she collapsed onto the ground. She didn't care about the soft wet grass or the mud edging its way out. She found it difficult to breathe. Gasping for air, pain ripped at her heart. “I hate him. I hate King Philip!” She blamed her father for Larkin's death. Thunder clapped overhead, drowning out her voice.
Wynter bent down to her level and lifted her into his arms. “We have to get you home.” She shuddered in his arms. Between the rain and her emotions, she could barely stand.
“I can't . . . go back.” She sobbed between breaths. “They hate me.”
“No one hates you,” Wynter said.
“Easy for you to say.” It wouldn't be easy going back to the cottage. Violetta and Emblyn were likely to be in an unpleasant mood, given their workload. Hopefully, it had nothing to do with Leila and they would see that and leave her alone.
He untied her horse from the fence and helped Leila climb atop. She was unsteady at best, her mind in a fog. Wynter rode alongside of her in silence, through the rain, and back to the cottage.
The Ball
Chapter 6
Since Larkin's death, Leila had kept to herself. She barely spoke two words to Violetta and Emblyn. She knew they blamed her for the Great Plague and the massive amount of reaps they'd endured. She could hear them talk through the walls about the ravaging disease. They felt dirty, coated in sickness, but were the few protected, because grim reapers couldn't get sick. It was one advantage to being undead.
Violetta and Emblyn spent their free afternoons at the bathhouse, trying to wash the stench away. It wasn't cheap, but Edon handed them money as he pinched his nose to keep the smell at bay. There was absolutely no way they could do their job with the reek of rotting flesh lingering on their skin.
The bathhouses soon closed because they too had been contaminated. The disease spread from country to country and coast to coast. There was no escaping it.
Leila felt detached from the world since Larkin's death. She followed the rules, never missed an appointment, and always took their souls on time. She had even gone to Edon at the asylum and insisted he give her more reaps. It wasn't fair to Emblyn and Violetta that her load was minimal.
A week later, after she'd proven herself, her list of reaps grew exponentially. It wasn't fun. It was exhausting, but it kept her mind from Larkin. If she was working, she didn't have time to miss him.
It had become routine. Leila’s spark had died with Larkin. She felt like nothing more than a shell of a body, her soul tethered, trapped to this world. She wanted to float away, soar high above the clouds like a bird, and be with Larkin Alis.
“Leila, open the door!” Wynter pounded on the bedroom door. She'd shut him out. It wasn't hard avoiding him when she wasn't home. When she was home and he visited, she hid in her bedroom.
“Go away.” She shut her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She silently counted to ten. If she was lucky, the scroll would tingle and give her another assignment. Since when did she consider reaping the dying lucky? Her priorities had changed.
“Come on, Leila. You have to let me in. I have a surprise for you. It involves Mara.”
A minute later, Leila opened the bedroom door, coming face-to-face with Wynter. “What about my sister?” She wasn't in the mood for games. If he was joking around, she'd slug him for it. Leila was glad that he didn't correct her. Mara wasn't her sister anymore. Not in any technical terms.
“You have to keep it down,” he whispered. Edon was in the next room over, visiting the reapers. He did it every so often, checked in on them. Wynter walked into her bedroom and shut the door, keeping the conversation strictly between them. “The Winter Solstice Ball is coming. Don't tell me you forgot about all the royal parties you used to attend.”
“You're mocking me.” She shot him a look to watch what he was saying. She wasn't in the mood.
“I'm suggesting we bend the rules and have some fun. I know you miss her. It would give you the opportunity to see her again. Plus we get to go in costume. That's always fun.” Wynter reached for her hand. “I know you want to see Mara again.”
“I do,” Leila said, “but I can't. We can't. Aside from not being invited, it would be too hard to go back.” It would be hard to see her sister, and worse, she didn't want to face her father. He was the one who had ordered Larkin executed. She could never forgive him for stealing an innocent man’s life, no matter the circumstances. Leila loved Larkin, and to know that he died in vain because of her was the harshest crime.
“You're a coward.”
“I am not!”
“Then why won't you go?” Wynter smiled. “Give me one good reason.”
Leila groaned and threw herself back on the unmade bed. She stared up at the ceiling. “It'll remind me of my life, the one I lost.” She was being honest.
“That's a crappy reason. Your sister's still alive; you're alive, just in a different form. You should enjoy it. I'm not suggesting to go and make friends with her, but maybe just seeing her again will help you find a way to move on.”
Leila chewed at the bottom of her lip. He really was a rule breaker. “I don't have anything to wear.”
“Violetta and Emblyn can help you with a costume.”
Leila cautiously sat up in bed. “They want to help me?” After the mess she'd made, she was shocked they would still talk to her.
“They're worried about you. We all are. I think it'd be good for you. If I remember correctly, you said you only dance at balls.”
Leila felt the hint of a smile at her lips. “I did say that, but what about Emblyn and Violetta? Aren't they worried about Edon finding out?”
Wynter's eyes twinkled and he grinned. “They're up for an adventure. What do you say?”
“I'm in.”
Leila stood before the mirror, staring at her reflection. It was still weird to see another person's eyes staring back at her. She would never get used to it. Leila watched the reflection of Violetta drawing dots of black against Leila's porcelain skin. Emblyn affixed tiny ruby-colored sequins between the dots every so
often to embellish the mask. At the corners of each eye, Violetta drew a wide v with swirls curling both north and south of Leila's eyes. She then added a few additional ruby-colored sparkles for the finishing touch.
Leila couldn’t believe how nice the girls were being to her. “I’m sorry, if I’ve been difficult lately.” She hadn’t said much to Violetta or Emblyn, and now they were being overly kind.
“We’ve all watched someone we love die,” Emblyn said. “We know it’s not easy, but don’t ever forget that you’re one of us, a grim reaper. You’re not alone, Leila. Pushing us away doesn’t solve anything.”
“You’re right.” Leila felt guilty for how she’d treated her friends. There were very few people she could call friends when she was a princess, and it felt like even less now that she harbored a huge secret.
“A masterpiece.” Violetta stood behind Leila, glancing at her own reflection in the mirror. “I think we look good.”
Leila admired their gowns. Leila's lavender dress draped down to the floor. She held the ends to keep it from dragging. Violetta wore a short black lace dress that she'd made months ago. Black silk gloves covered Violetta's arms. She kept her dark hair down and her makeup considerably plain by Violetta's standards.
Emblyn secured Leila's hair up with a clip in the back. “You both look amazing.”
“I didn't realize Violetta and Jasper were the only ones coming with us tonight. You can't come?” she asked Emblyn.
“I wish I could.” She kissed Leila's cheek.
Violetta secured a silver mask that covered her eyes around her face. The top of the mask was decorated boldly with white feathers. “Tell me I look divine!”
“Heavenly.” Wynter pulled Leila to his side. He leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear. “Tell her she looks good, or we'll never leave the house.”
Leila smiled kindly. “You look like a princess.”
Violetta spun around on her heels. “Are you mocking me?”
She wouldn't dream of making fun of Violetta. On a good day, she could take out a bull in the arena, without a scratch on herself. Leila was terrified to see her on a bad day. ”I swear I was being nice.”
“Leave her alone.” Emblyn nudged Violetta's arm. “You do look like a princess. All three of you look royal. Are you sure you'll be able to get into the palace?”
“We'll be fine.” Leila had seen the invitee list a dozen times growing up. She knew everyone who showed and everyone invited who didn't. “Are we ready?”
“Almost.” Wynter walked up to Leila and slid his hand into his pants pocket. He pulled out a necklace. The pendant was round and made from bronze. The center was a pleasant sea of rich purples and blues, mixed together with sparkles that dazzled in the light. Leila turned the charm in her hands, and the colors changed from each angle, revealing a warm mix of pink and orange hues like a gorgeous sunset. “Even though you're no longer a princess, you will always look royal.” He took the pendant from her hands and fastened the antique bronze chain around her neck.
“Thank you.” A real smile met her lips. She hadn't felt this content since before she died.
“One last surprise.” Wynter's eyes twinkled. He led the girls to the front door and opened it. Outside waited a horse-drawn carriage. Jasper sat up front, ready to drive the coach.
“Where'd you get a carriage?”
“It wasn't being used anymore,” Jasper said.
Wynter offered his hand to Leila as she climbed into the carriage. He did the same for Violetta before he stepped in last.
“I doubt that. There's nothing wrong with the carriage,” Leila mused, staring up at the ceiling. There were no holes, no evidence that it had toppled over and been smashed against the ground.
“It's what was wrong with the owners,” Wynter said and sat back in the carriage beside Leila. “They died.”
“Oh,” Leila said and the carriage jolted forward. The horses’ hooves thumped against grass. “Jasper did you steal this carriage from a reap?”
“I don't think he can hear you.” Wynter grinned. “Yeah, he may have borrowed it. It's not like the guy will be needing it again. Besides, you can't arrive at the ball riding a horse. It would look unsophisticated. Trust me, we'd never get in.”
Leila sighed. She hadn't thought about their arrival. “Just tonight. Then we return the carriage.” She knew Edon would be fuming if he found out what they were up to. Not only were they crashing a ball, but they were also stealing from the dead. Were there any rules left that Leila hadn't broken?
“Are you nervous?” Wynter nudged her thigh with his leg.
“Why would I be?” She was an anxious mess. She hoped he couldn't tell. She'd been trying to convince herself all afternoon that it was no big deal, Mara wouldn't recognize her. Just the thought of being near her sister again made her miss her old life.
“No reason at all.” Wynter smiled. “We're going out tonight to have fun.”
“I can't believe it took you five times to pronounce the right name.” Wynter kept his voice low, so that only his nearby friends could hear him. The ballroom was loud. Music and voices echoed off the stone walls.
Violetta laughed. She seemed to be in a pleasant mood. “She had to spell it out for the guy. Otherwise we'd still be outside.”
Leila rolled her eyes. “It's not my fault he was a baboon. I take that back, an animal could have understood better than he did.”
“Ouch.” Jasper pointed at Leila standing beside him, with his thumb. “I like her.”
“Too bad I'm taken.” Leila sauntered off down the hall. She looked every bit the part of a princess, even without the crown. She mixed in with the crowd and grabbed a glass of wine from the waiter. Leila grimaced as she sipped the golden liquid. It didn't taste as good as she remembered. Perhaps it had been because she'd snuck off with her sister and stolen two glasses when they were younger. Breaking the rules must have made it taste better.
Wynter watched Leila glide off into the crowd. There was something about her he found inspiring. Perhaps it was her desire to visit her sister, even after her father had sentenced the man she loved to death.
“You’re staring,” Jasper said.
Wynter averted his gaze and quickly looked at his friend. “I can’t help it.”
“She’s going to get you killed.”
Wynter rolled his eyes. “Lucky for me I’m undead.” He kept his voice to a low whisper, careful no one else could hear them, although the music pulsed through the ballroom, making conversation difficult.
“I’m only telling you this, because we’re friends. She’s trouble.”
Wynter grinned. “I like trouble.” He always got himself into a mess and out of it without too much damage. Edon had scolded him a dozen times over, but no one had kicked him out of being a reaper.
“You would.”
“And you think Leila is trouble?” Wynter laughed. “This coming from the man who’s been courting Vi for how many years now?” They’d all lost count. It was a dance they played. Wynter often wondered if she liked the chase, but not so much the relationship that followed. Young men came and went from her bedroom over the course of decades, but none she could share who she was with. It was no wonder she kept her heart locked up tight. Jasper was the only one who could understand what she was, a reaper.
“I think she’s warming up to me.” Jasper grinned. He grabbed a flute of champagne from a tray a waiter carried through the ballroom. “Watch this.” He carried it across the room and spoke quietly in Violetta’s ear.
Wynter couldn’t tell what was being said, but she tossed back her head and laughed, before taking the flute, swallowing the amber liquid in an instant.
The guests wore elegant dresses made of silk in bold, bright colors. All the women had masks on, or carried one in their hands. Most were decorated with sequins or gold. Leila glanced up from her wine, catching sight of Wynter as he crept against the wall, stopping when they locked eyes. She sipped her glass of wine and scrunched her
nose, it was tart.
He inched closer, joining her. “Bored yet?” he asked.
“I haven't seen Mara.” She shifted anxiously on her feet. “Do you think she'll come down from her room?”
Wynter glanced toward the vacant staircase. “Should we go upstairs, have a look around?” “You know we can't.” Leila ached to see Mara again, to know that she was fine. The last thing she wanted was to put Wynter in jeopardy. She'd lost Larkin; she wouldn't lose another friend.
“We've come all this way. You're not going to let a staircase stop you from seeing her?” Wynter didn't wait for Leila to answer. He headed for the grand stairs and walked up to the second level as though he belonged.
Leila rushed after him. “Not without me.” She lifted the hem of her dress, clicking up the staircase in heels. She held her head high and slid her arm into his when she reached the second floor. “We're doing this together.” She didn't want her nerves take over; she forced them back down. “Where did you learn to act royal?”
“If you pretend to belong, people often think you do.” He smiled. “Which way?”
“Third floor.” Leila led Wynter down the hall and toward a back staircase. She took the stairs first, heading up and letting him follow behind her. There'd be no reasonable excuse for them to be on the third floor. If they got caught, there were screwed.
“What's our plan?” Wynter kept his voice down to a whisper. “You can't tell Mara who you are. Trust me, she won't believe it.”
“I know.” Leila hadn't told Larkin even after she reaped his soul. She was afraid he wouldn't have been able to move on. She wanted to protect him. “I haven't thought that far ahead.” She approached the top stair and slowed. She glanced both ways to make sure the hallway was clear before tiptoeing across the wood floor to her old bedroom. The door was closed.
