Grim Reaper Academy- Complete Collection

by Cara Wylde

  The mage nodded his head, coughing.

  We all got detention, and our worth scores dropped by 100.

  “We couldn’t leave you here by yourself,” I winked at Lorna.

  She eyed me boredly. “What did the pixie do?”

  “This is my first detention,” Corri chirped. “I’m excited!”

  “Nothing. She just wanted to be included.”

  “Zip it, ladies, or this won’t be the last time,” Professor Halo warned us, not taking his eyes off his phone.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  As much as I hated it, Yoli would have to wait. For one, I hadn’t yet gathered the courage to call my adoptive parents after so many months of treating them like shit. Lena still tried to call me once every two weeks, and sometimes I answered and chatted about nothing in particular for a few minutes, but most times I switched my phone to silent and pretended I was busy. I was afraid that if I talked to them or saw them, they’d see how I’d changed. Lena was religious, so I didn’t even want to think how she’d react if she knew I’d been dead, and now I was alive. And no, Jesus hadn’t been the one to resurrect me. And Stepan… He’d beaten himself up so hard for almost letting Morningstar kill me when I was a child... He’d even beaten me for it, although that would never make sense in my head.

  That wasn’t the only reason. I’d also failed two tests – one in Anthropology and one in Psychology – and my worth score was almost down to 0. I wasn’t doing great, and the professors were kind of fed up with the whole “Mila is saving the world” story. It wasn’t working anymore. I’d ignored my homework, my projects and presentations, and now I was paying for it. My grades this semester were a disaster. So, Yoli would have to wait.

  I didn’t even go to the Halloween party. As usual, Pandora and the girls organized it on the hidden beach. I locked myself up in my room, and Sariel and Francis joined me. We studied for Geography together, then, obviously, had sex. It was more sensual and languid with the Fallen One and the revenant. GC and Paz tended to be pushy, demanding, and jealous of each other. Sariel and Francis understood each other through simple nods and gestures. It was as if they had their own secret language they’d made up over years of friendship. That night, I climbed on top of Francis and kissed him all over, as Sariel took me slowly from behind. We took a bath together, and we made love again.

  GC and Paz had been more interested in the Halloween party, getting drunk, and punching Merrit in the face again when the mage said some shit about how I was now in love with Sariel and Francis, and they were out. Corri told me all about it in the morning.

  The next week after Halloween, Professor Maat took us to Goblin Mountain, which was, in fact, a mine accessible through the Appalachian Mountains, and wasn’t called Goblin Mountain at all.

  “Avaa Yuoa Saavi Lom,” Mrs. Maat told us. “It means Marvelous Sanctuary of the Ancestors in their language.”

  “That’s a stupid name,” GC commented.

  “You will see that goblins love their pompous adjectives as much as they love their gold.”

  “We don’t understand their ridiculous language anyway.”

  “Mr. Apis, maybe you’d like to go back.”

  “No, ma’am.”

  The Carnelian City and Goblin Mountain were the most isolated pocket universes we’d visited so far. The Seelie and the Unseelie had plenty of contact with our universe, so they spoke English. Heaven and Hell had both given up using Latin centuries ago, and now English was the lingua franca. In the Carnelian City, though, very few people spoke English, and the goblins had no sense for the language whatsoever. Their own language was too tonal and vowely, which made it almost impossible for them to pronounce our hard consonants. But it didn’t matter. We only visited these places so we’d know where to go when we’d be called to reap here. It was sort of like adding new maps to our inner teleportation GPS. It was done half intentionally, half subconsciously. Once we graduated – well, some of us, because there were only twenty-two Reapers and we were one hundred students, – among the gifts we’d be granted, the gift of the languages was of major importance. I’d heard that in the very beginnings of Grim Reaper Academy, the study of the various languages had been a big deal, but the Council soon realized it was basically impossible for anyone to learn so damn many. So, they gathered a team of mages and tasked them with finding a more reasonable solution. The mages came up with a potion. I could only hope it didn’t taste too bad.

  “Don’t stare,” Professor Maat reminded us.

  The goblins hated it when we stared. They were short, ugly creatures, covered in rough, darkish skin from head to toe. But that wasn’t the reason why they didn’t want us to stare. They didn’t think of themselves as ugly.

  “They’re very possessive of their treasures. Don’t look at their exquisite clothes and brilliant jewelry.”

  “Professor, I’m afraid this adjective-heavy thing they suffer from is contagious,” GC chuckled. “You’ve used pompous, exquisite, and brilliant.”

  The sphinx furrowed her elegant brows. “And you’ve used stupid and ridiculous, Mr. Apis. Maybe we should get you a thesaurus for your birthday.”

  “As long as it’s an awe-inspiring, gregarious thesaurus…”

  I smacked him over the head. “That’s not what gregarious means.”

  The goblins were dressed to impress. I’d always associated people working in the mines with dirt, sweat, and rags. Every day, I learned a new thing. And today I learned that one could work in the mines while covered in thick gold bracelets, diamond necklaces, and ruby rings. The goblin ladies were dressed in fancy gowns, and the gentlemen wore silk shirts, velvet tunics, and a sort of tight pants that made them look rather funny. I tried my hardest not to stare. It was hot as Hell down here – literal Hell – but they pranced about like there was nothing wrong. They were probably used to the heat and stuffy air. As for the work they did, they weren’t actually digging the tunnels themselves. They had heavy machinery they programmed and maneuvered. Quite a technologically advanced race…

  Their homes were grottos they’d carved in the walls and decorated with precious stones, silver, and gold. They didn’t have doors, and they covered the entrances with beautifully embroidered carpets. For food, they raised small animals that looked like rats, cats, and wild rabbits in cages. There was an underground river crossing their mine, and they worshipped it like it was the center of their world.

  “It’s their only source of water, so they drink, bathe, and wash their clothes in this river.”

  We’d stopped on its rocky shore. Here and there, between the rocks, blades of grass popped up from the mushy sand.

  “They use this herb for salad.”

  “They are so poor,” I noticed in a bare whisper. “It just struck me. They have mountains of gold and precious stones, but they are so, so poor. Don’t they trade with other pocket universes? I bet they could trade with our world.”

  Nefertari Maat gave me a kind smile. “Too selfish. The only thing they have to trade is their gold, and they’d rather die than part with it.”

  “What about those beautiful gowns and carpets?”

  “Weaved with gold thread. Same thing.”

  “I pity them.”

  “Remember when I told you there are worse places than Hell? This is one of them.”

  Indeed. I needed a breath of fresh air. I needed the sun.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Everyone was getting ready for the Yule Ball. I could have invited my adoptive parents, and they might have accepted, but was that smart? Was I ready?

  “How about we teleport to the orphanage with Christmas presents?” Lorna asked me at lunch.

  “Shh!” I looked around me. She’d plopped down next to me, but the VDC table was mostly empty. My boyfriends were late, stuck in line at the open buffet. “Someone might hear you.”

  “Come on! This Saturday.”

  “You know I’m busy on the weekend.”


  She rolled her eyes at me. “Busy fucking. Haven’t you had enough? Nympho. Anyway, why don’t you tell them? You’re all in love and all that, mushy-mush-mush. You can trust them, right?”

  I shrugged. “I can, but I’m afraid.”

  “Of what?”

  “That they won’t agree.”

  “Of course they won’t. It’s a crazy, selfish plan.”

  “You’re on board with it.”

  “I’m a crazy, selfish bitch.”

  I sighed. What did that make me?

  * * *

  This year, I was going to participate in the scythe demonstration, and it was going to be epic. As the only girl in the Violent Death Cabal, Mrs. Charon placed me in the middle of the boys, giving me the lead role. I was dressed in a pearly white gown, with a long, transparent veil covering my blue hair. I wasn’t clear on what the idea was, but I sure looked like a bride, and the guys looked like bridegrooms in their black tuxedoes. GC, Paz, and Francis looked especially dashing, and I hated that Sariel couldn’t join us. Rules were rules. He was in the Merciful Death Cabal now, and he had to participate in the demonstration he’d prepared with them.

  I was nervous. All eyes were on us, and especially on me. In my white gown, I stood out. Lamia, Paz’s mom, gave me a bright, encouraging smile. As far as she was concerned, I was perfect no matter what I did. Andromeda and GC Apis the Second were just as thrilled. Francis’s parents didn’t look very impressed. Saint-Germain Senior had a sour expression on his face, which said he didn’t want to be here at all. His young wife was busy drinking glass of wine after glass of wine. It didn’t seem to me like she’d landed in a happy marriage. On the other hand, I was pretty sure her belly was rather round under her red dress. Was Francis going to have a little brother?

  “Don’t even think of saying a word,” Francis whispered coldly when he caught me staring at her belly.

  I didn’t. Was his father going to kill this child, too, when he got old and handsome enough, so he could throw him to his god and preserve that blossoming youth? Oh, he’s angry I didn’t accept his invitation to join the cult and meet the other revenants who serve Yig. He could die of bitterness for all I cared. If only he could die…

  We took our positions on the stage, me in the middle, and the boys around me in rows. The live band started playing a classical tune, and I started swaying gracefully, my scythe held high above my head. When the music picked up, we all swung our scythes through the air, as if attacking an invisible enemy. We retreated, one step back, swayed again. I twirled, the lacy hem of my gown brushing the floor. GC, Paz, Francis, and Caspian danced in circles around me, moving their scythes up and down, slashing the air, then retreating again. They did this a couple of times, then everyone took a few steps back to give me space. I knelt, placing my scythe on the ground in front of me, my palms flat on the floor, and my forehead between them. I was like a swan preparing to sing her last song. Slowly, with my eyes half-closed in reverence, I peeled myself off the floor, leaving the scythe where it was. The music had turned soft and grave. I bent back as far as my body would allow it – which was quite a lot thanks to the flexibility I’d gained in bed, – then moved forward, opening my eyes and looking straight ahead. This was the last part. The majestic ending. All I had to do was…

  The lights went off.

  Instinctively, my hands went for my scythe. When I wrapped my fingers around the handle, I noticed it was buzzing and vibrating. It anticipated danger.

  In the dim flicker of the lights, we all saw him. A black cloak hanging off a glowing skeleton, two deep blue eyes, the runes on the blade of his scythe bleeding red. He was looking at me. My father.

  I stood up, knees slightly shaking. It was a good thing the long skirt covered them. I hadn’t seen him in so long, and now he was making one hell of an appearance. He didn’t look human anymore. Well, not human… nephilim. The skin on his bones was thin and transparent, like parchment. He stepped up to the stage. I looked at him defiantly. He grinned.

  “You didn’t invite your own father to the Yule Ball. I’m disappointed.”

  “What do you want?” Because, for sure, he wanted something.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said, mockingly. Then he turned toward the students, parents, and professors at the tables. “Your world will perish soon,” he started in a low, mysterious voice. “The reign of Life and Death is nearing its end. There are worlds out there that know no Life, nor Death, and they are free. You all are living in a cage, trapped in an endless circle of birth, growth, and decay. No more. I will set you free, if it’s the last thing I do. This world is too precious to me to abandon it. So, I’ve come to tell you: set your affairs in order and prepare to be saved, released into eternity. Soon. I will come back soon.”

  His words fell like bricks in the silence of the ball room. What the fuck was he talking about? I couldn’t even imagine what was going on in his head. Was he trying to scare us, or confuse us? To what end? Maybe he thought we’d all forgotten about him, and this was just to remind us he was still here, hiding in the shadows, still posing a threat.

  The movement of his cloak told me he was going to teleport. Not so fast! I swung forward, and the blade of my scythe went through a disappearing edge of his cloak, like a hook, just as he vanished. I teleported with him. My feet firm on the frozen ground, the wind blowing my veil away… I looked around me and saw we’d landed in the middle of a frozen lake.

  “Good. You’re here.”

  “You wanted me to follow you?”

  “I made quite an entrance back there. Did you like it?”

  I scowled at him. “Didn’t impress me.”

  The wind was howling, raising flakes of fresh snow around my ankles. I squeezed my scythe, and the handle and blade grew warm, hungry for blood if I chose to fight. But I knew this wasn’t going to be a confrontation. He knew I couldn’t hurt him, just as he couldn’t hurt me.

  “What did you mean? The reign of Life and Death is nearing its end… What are you planning to do?”

  “Free you. Free all of you…”

  “That’s just nonsense. A story you tell yourself to justify your taste for power. You talk about Life and Death as if they’re… people.” He still looked like a glowing skeleton, which meant he didn’t do it to impress. He was actually stuck with it. Someone told me long ago… I couldn’t remember who. There’s only one other creature that looks like him. Death herself. If Death was a creature, then Life had to be a creature, too. I’d posed this question a few times to different people, but no one was able to answer me.

  “And if they are,” he said, “do you know what that means? It means they’re the real gods or goddesses of this world. Ruling from the shadows, holding Time captive, laughing as we all dance the same dance over and over again… There’s no end to our suffering. There’s no end when we’re born and we die, we’re born and we die…”

  It was the discourse of a madman, but there were details I couldn’t help noticing. What he was describing… If this was our world, and there were worlds were no one was born and no one died… What he was describing was the universe of the Great Old Ones. No Life, no Death, Time running free. But what about the people? There were no people. There couldn’t be. Only monsters.

  “What are you trying to do?” I asked in a weak whisper. I was afraid of his answer. No, wait. He’s just going to say he wants to set us free. “Do you even understand what you’re trying to do?”

  “Come with me, Mila. You’re not like the rest of them. You’re my daughter. Let’s do this together. You and me, breaking the Wheel of Time, saving everyone…”

  I shook my head. “Come where? You found a place, haven’t you? A parallel universe where this has already happened.”

  His eyes shined brighter, and that was the only answer I needed. I took a step back.

  “I can’t dream jump anymore. Have you forgotten? You killed me, and now I’m no longer human.”

  He let
his free hand fall at his side. He was holding his scythe in the other, and the blade started glowing read. A call to reaping that he ignored.

  “Human,” he said. “Humans and hybrids can dream jump. It’s a gift like no other. People travel the world to see how others live, see what others have that they don’t. They learn, they steal, they go back home and share with their own people. Jumping through universes is the same thing, but on a greater scale.”

  And that was when it dawned on me.

  “You wanted to convince the Council to pass a law against relationships between humans and supernaturals. Because humans and supernaturals create hybrids, and hybrids dream.”

  He smiled. “Close. Few hybrids can dream travel.” He made a bored gesture to wave them off. “Humans finding out about the supernatural world, and that they are, in a sense, supernatural themselves… Now, that’s the real threat. They outnumber us. Always have. Imagine a world of people who can cross to other dimensions the moment they shut their eyes. Imagine a world of dream jumpers who can switch places with their doppelgangers. Humans are stupid, you know that. Reckless and unpredictable. What would they do with such powers?”

  I shrugged. “You don’t know. Maybe you’re underestimating us. Them.”

  “One doesn’t just give powers like that to the uneducated masses…”

  “Who are you to decide?”

  “You know who I am.”

  “Oh, I know who you are, but I don’t know who you think you are.”

  He huffed and turned on his heels. He didn’t walk away, though. Not yet.

  “You can’t stop me.”

  I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp, freezing air. My lungs protested, which took me by surprise. Then I remembered almost four months had passed since my blood sacrifice. I groaned internally, suddenly less interested in Morningstar’s shenanigans.

  “I will try anyway,” I said, just to make sure he didn’t have the last word. “It’ll help me sleep better at night.”