by S. C. Green
I would kill them. “When were they saying this?”
“Oh, it’s everywhere. I sit in my supply closet and listen through the walls. I’m quiet at breakfast, and they don’t realise I’m listening.”
I absently twirled my fingers through her hair. “What was Dorien doing letting them talk around you like that? You can’t pay attention to—”
“Dorien was arguing with them. He got pretty worked up. Finally, May told them all to piss off and leave us alone. They were saying awful things to her, although I didn’t really understand what a lot of them meant.”
My pulse thudded between my ears. “May? She’s awake? She’s alive?”
Diana nodded. “She had a huge bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. Dorien says she doesn’t have any permanent brain damage, as far as they can tell.”
“That’s wonderful news.” Alain would be thrilled, though he likely already knew. Hopefully he was with her now. My stomach rumbled, and I realised I was starving. “Show me where I might find this breakfast?”
DIANA HAD EATEN in the Compound dining hall with Dorien most days during her stay, but I’d always been sent meals in Alain’s room or in the training room. When I entered the lofty space for the first time with its dark paneled walls, exposed wood beams, and long mahogany tables set with silk runners and tall, tapered candles, my breath caught in my throat. It looked like a university hall from a storybook, at once grand and inviting.
I spied May at the end of one of the tables, surrounded by six young Reapers all competing for her attention by proffering her bowls of food. My heart soared with joy to see her upright, dressings over the wounds on her face and arms as she spooned something into her mouth. She saw me lingering at the door and waved me over.
“I’d like to eat breakfast with Sydney,” she told the boys. “Please leave us in peace. But if you want to come back for lunch, I prefer goat steak to vegetable soup.”
They looked as though they wanted to stay with her, but I shot them all a deathly glare, and they scampered. May looked relieved.
“Thank you. No one has given me a moment to myself since I woke up.” There was a bitter undercurrent in her voice.
I remembered what Dorien had said about May being the only female Reaper left, and that her uterus was being auctioned off to the highest ranked of the Order. I figured now that Dorien was in charge, she’d be let off from that particular duty, but maybe the Reapers didn’t yet know that.
Did Reaper women have babies or lay eggs like ravens? That thought made my temples throb, and I decided that was too much to think about right now.
“I’m so pleased you’re okay.” I wanted to throw my arms around her, but she was seventeen and I wasn’t sure if we had that kind of relationship, so I simply slumped into the chair opposite her.
Diana tapped me on the shoulder. “I’ll get you something to eat,” she said softly and darted off.
“It’s all thanks to you.” May grinned, licking the back of her spoon. “Dad told me what you did, offering to go into the Citadel to find me, even though he’d only just met you. If there’s anything I can ever give to repay you—”
“You owe me no debt. It was nothing, really. Anyone would have done the same.”
“No, they wouldn’t. Which was why I’m glad he chose you.”
I stared at her hand holding her spoon. It was covered with a lattice of red welts and burns, just like her face. “Did the Mimir do this to you?”
“Yeah.” She frowned at her hand. “If my body is this bad, I can’t imagine what my face looks like. Dad and Dorien won’t let me have a mirror.”
I shrugged. “It’s not that bad.” It could’ve been a lot worse.
She dipped her spoon into her oatmeal and poured it back out with a wrinkle in her nose. “You’re a terrible liar.”
A tray slid in front of me, containing a plate of fresh fruit covered in yoghurt, a small bowl of oatmeal and raisins, dusted lightly with sugar on top.
“This is incredible.” I dug in, my mouth watering. “I haven’t had food like this in—”
“Six years,” Diana finished, scarfing down her own food. It made my heart soar to see her eating so ravenously. “That’s when our last package of oatmeal ran out.”
“The Reapers eat well,” May said. “We have cultivated many gardens and trees inside the walls of the Compound. It benefits our Order to remain self-sufficient.”
“How do you make yoghurt?” I asked between mouthfuls, relishing the tartness as my first taste rolled over my tongue.
“We have a small herd of goats,” she said. “They live in a pen in one of the cellars far below ground so that no one knows. It used to be my job to milk them.”
“Can we see them?” Diana asked. She’d grown up in Petrified City and had never seen any kind of livestock. There used to be the odd chicken around in the Rim when she was younger, but they had long since been killed off for meat.
“Of course.” May grinned back. “Later today. I have to help Dad and Cory with the weapons, and I’m going to be busy beating off potential suitors. But if Sydney brings you by my quarters after lunch, I’ll happily take you down to see the goats.”
THE REST of the morning passed in a blur of activity. I went to help Alain and Cory work on the weapons. I sidled up next to Alain, attempting to act cool while my insides leaped at his nearness. He gave me a secret smile, his eyes bright and happy.
Diana sat in the corner with Blackie and unfolded her chess set. After a while, Alain went to play with her as I helped Cory unscrew panels on the side of each weapon and fiddle with the wires inside.
“There.” Cory finished soldering two wires together, then handed the gun back to me to screw the panel back on.
“Is this going to hurt the wraith?” I asked, handing him another gun with the panel unscrewed. While he focused on his task, I shoved two of the finished guns into my balled-up jacket. I had been stashing a small supply of reaper tech in a box under the bed. Should Diana and I ever have to leave the Compound in a hurry, I’d be able to trade this stuff for food.
“I don’t know. Probably not.” Cory bent over the weapon, his brown hair falling over his eyes as he tinkered with the device’s innards. “In my simulations, I’m able to make them corporeal for only a few moments. It’s going to have to be enough.”
“Could we trick them with more simulations?” I asked. “Maybe the Reapers could use scanners to draw the wraith away from the populated areas, the way I did in the Citadel.”
“I’m way ahead of you.” Cory nodded at a stack of scratched-up smartphones beside the door. “I’ve programmed raven simulations on all of those scanners. But I don’t know how long that trick will work before they catch on.”
“Let’s hope it works until Dorien can figure out what to do.”
Diana and I left the training room—my jacket containing the hidden guns pressed tightly under my arm. On our way to drop Blackie and my loot back in Alain’s room and find some lunch, we passed Dorien in the hall, his head bowed in hushed conversation with two of the older Reapers. I waved to him, but he didn’t appear to notice me. I wasn’t surprised. Given everything I’d told him yesterday, he had his hands full trying to mobilise the Reapers and figure out a way to fight back the wraith.
Diana and I grabbed our lunch in the dining hall and sat down to eat in silence. I watched Diana as she chewed slowly, her eyes narrowing as she eyed something over my shoulder. I whirled around and noticed Lucien coming towards our table, clutching his tray in his hands. I gave him a filthy look, and he veered away from us and sat down with some of the other older Reapers.
“What was that about, Red?”
Diana suddenly appeared really interested in her stew.
“I don’t like him,” she mumbled, stuffing a huge spoonful into her mouth.
“Any particular reason?”
“I just don’t, okay?” She stuffed another huge mouthful between her lips, indicating the topic was closed.
�
�Mind if I sit here?” a soft male voice asked.
I looked up, thinking Lucien might’ve failed to take my hint, but my body recognised Alain’s voice with a quickening in my veins.
“It looks as if Cory will have the new weapons and simulations ready for the night shift tonight,” Alain said.
“That’s good news.”
He nodded. “Now, if we could just bring a wraith back here to study, we might yet find some way of killing them once and for all.”
“Is that Dorien’s plan?” I asked between bites of stew. “How does he expect us to capture one?”
“It’s one idea. But it isn’t a job for us, Sydney. It’s a job for the Reapers. You and Diana need to stay here where it’s safe.”
“It’s not safe here, though.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “The wraith have proven that by taking the Mimir. And with all these rumours about the Reapers being involved in the sex trade—”
“Not the Reapers, some Reapers. And I don’t believe that’s true. I think it’s a rumour invented to breed mistrust between us. For all we know, this Mayor could be behind it—”
“Can we go see May now?” Diana asked, pushing the vegetables in her stew around with her spoon.
“Of course.” I’d forgotten completely about May’s invitation to visit the goats. It would be worthwhile to investigate another corner of the Compound. And I was annoyed with Alain not wanting me to fight. Hadn’t I proved I was more than capable? “I’m sorry, Alain. But we have to go.”
I stood up and shoved my chair into the table so hard it knocked over Alain’s cup and caused his spoon to clatter to the ground.
Diana leapt up, as if to have my back if my temper escalated even more, her eyes wide. I took her hand and got us out of there for both our benefits.
“Did Alain do something wrong?” she asked. “Did he—?”
I glanced over at her and saw the way her chin wobbled.
“Hey, no.” I patted her shoulder. “Alain is one of the good guys. He’d never be involved in anything like that. I’m just angry at him because I’m a stubborn old fool, and I’m not used to someone trying to protect me. Okay?”
“Sure, Syd.”
We reached the end of the hallway. The corridor split in two, the left junction heading toward the courtyard, the right leading down a darkened staircase.
Diana pointed. “May said it was down there.”
We descended the stairs, falling again into silence. Unlike the other staircases in the Compound, this one was narrow and unadorned, the steps covered in dust. The air felt thick and heavy, muffling something below. Voices.
“Someone’s on the staircase.” I whispered to Diana. “Get behind me and don’t speak.”
She did as she was told. I crept down another few steps. The staircase curved around, and I could just make out a landing below, leading out into the corridor on the ground level. Three Reapers stood in the hall, arguing.
I couldn’t see their faces, but I recognised Malcolm’s voice. There was another man who I thought might have been one of his main advisors.
“—are we going to do?” Malcolm was saying. “Now that Dorien has power over the Reapers, he will be able to do whatever he wants to us.”
“We have to stop him,” the second voice said, the tone threatening. “You’re the only one who can save us.”
“You’re crazy,” a female voice shot out. “I’m not interceding with Dorien for you. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Let me go.”
That voice belonged to May.
My heart hammering, I dared to lean out further, trying to get a view of what was happening in the corridor. Now I could make out three robed figures standing in the hall, the two men flanking May in a menacing way. May fixed Malcolm with one of her devil stares and turned on her heel to storm off toward the stairs. I yanked my head back in, but it was too late if she’d seen me. I peered out again in time to see the dark-haired Reaper shoot out his hand and grab May’s wrist, twisting her hand around behind her, forcing her to face Malcolm.
“I said, let me go!” May tried to struggle away, but the Reaper was holding her tight.
“You have to listen—” Malcolm hissed to her.
That was it. I wasn’t going to watch this any longer. I swept down the stairs at a normal pace as if I’d just come upon them.
“Oh, is something the matter here?” I asked, my voice dripping with sugar.
“No, nothing.” May glanced between Malcolm and me, her voice strained. “We were just having a bit of a professional disagreement, is all.”
“I’ve brought Diana down to see the goats,” I said pleasantly, directing my statement to May although I kept my eyes locked on Malcolm. “Do you want us to come back later after you’ve finished your discussion? I’m sure Alain would love to join us.”
“No.” The other Reaper dropped May’s hand and shoved her toward me as though he couldn’t bear to touch her. “We’re done here.”
“Yes.” Malcolm nodded, his eyes wild. “Sydney, I would like to speak with you. In private. It’s very urgent. Come to my quarters when you have a moment, perhaps this afternoon?”
“I’ll see when I can find time in my busy schedule,” I said sweetly, giving them a finger wave as they retreated down the hall. “You two take care now!”
As soon as they disappeared, I draped my arm around May and led her back to the staircase.
“What was that about?” I whispered.
Diana peeked around the corner, then crept down when she saw the coast was clear and wrapped her arms around May.
“It’s not important,” May said, rubbing her wrist.
“Why was Malcolm trying to hurt you?”
“He didn’t mean to.” May stared at the stone steps. “He wants someone to listen to him. Now that Dorien has seized control, everyone is ignoring Malcolm. His old alliances have deserted him. He’s just a little lost.”
“Why does he think you can help him?”
“Because I have pull with Dorien,” May said, her face darkening. “And I am the last great hope of the Reapers, their queen bee, their breeding vessel. Malcolm thinks they’ll listen to me.”
“But why does he—”
“I really don’t want to talk about it, Syd.” May wrenched herself away from me.
I knew she was lying about why Malcolm was talking to her. The look in his eyes was desperate, almost feral. But why was he so interested in May? It could be that she had some influence with Dorien, but then why not go to Alain … Or could it be ...
Was Malcolm threatening May? Was he trying to coerce her into his service? Could Malcolm be the Reaper behind the sex trafficking?
May swept up Diana under the shoulders, and swung her, giggling, around the corner and down the next staircase. “Come on. Let’s go see these goats.”
I followed behind, my mind whirring with disturbing thoughts.
12
I barely noticed the pen of goats in the corner of the cellar. As Diana petted one of the calves and helped May bottle feed and milk them, I leaned against the railing and stared at the cold brick walls, my mind a sea of commotion.
It all fit. Malcolm had the most power of any of the Reapers. He was trying to point suspicion of the sex trade ring at Dorien and Alain, who were the easiest targets as they were directly opposing him and had made it clear they weren’t sure the ring even existed. And the things he was saying to May in the hall, threatening her if she went to Dorien—
I was right. I knew it.
I had to tell Alain. Malcolm could be dangerous, especially now that he suspected I may have overheard something.
We returned to the surface, in time to see a horde of Reapers moving toward the courtyard, weapons slung over their shoulders. Alain was at the rear, chatting with Cory about the weapons adjustments.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I yelled at their backs.
Alain spun around, his face stunned, then amused. “You surprised me.”
“You all look like the penguin mafia in those getups. Where are you going?”
Alain frowned. “It’s our shift. We have to go into the city, try to slow down the wraith if we can, stop them from taking the lives they need.”
“I’m going, too,” I announced.
“Sydney, no.”
“Alain,” I snapped, my voice harsher than I’d intended. He stepped back as though I’d slapped him. I had to put a stop to this walking-on-eggshells nonsense. I took a deep breath and tried again. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved earlier. I know you’re just trying to protect me, but I don’t need your protection.”
“I’ve placed you in more than enough danger,” he insisted. “You and Diana should stay here, as far from the wraith as you can get.”
I shrugged. “The Compound isn’t exactly safe anymore, and with your powers not working, I’m no less immune than any of you at the moment. This is my city, even more than yours. I know every alley, every hiding place. I’m an asset to you, and I’m going.”
He sighed. “There’s no point in trying to talk you out of this, is there?”
“An astute deduction, Sherlock.”
“Fine. Follow me,” he said, but I thought I heard the faintest trace of pride in his voice.
LESS THAN TWENTY MINUTES LATER, thirty Reapers gathered in the courtyard. I stood beside Alain, who draped a long black coat over my shoulders.
“This is so you fit in,” he said, his hand brushing my cheek.
My body flushed with heat again, and a flash of the previous night etched itself across my mind.
No time for that now, Sydney. Stay focused.
Dorien and Cory arrived, each carrying two long, black bags which they threw down in the centre with a heavy thud.
“With the Mimir gone, we can’t reap any longer. The souls of the dead are just going to accumulate here under the dome, like ghosts without a cause. And we can no longer take the wraith to the underworld, not even for a moment. But hope it not lost. We can still fight back. Based on the information we gleaned from inside the Citadel, Cory has been working on re-modulating the particle weapons.” Dorien yanked open the top of the bag and started handing out weapons. “They won’t be as effective as they once were, but you should still be able to turn the wraith solid enough to injure them.”
