Page 71 of Reaper's Quest
Now that the remedy had been applied, the knowledge could not be stripped away.
A cure existed within the walls of Veritas. Be it me or something other. Would selling such information, controlling it somehow, fit in with the impression I had pieced together of the pub manager and possible smuggler?
My attention finally settled upon Chace. His stature strong—unnaturally still—and as I expected, measuring my every action. Likely trying to discern my thoughts and waiting to see how I would handle the situation.
The messages his body language sent didn’t surprise me. But something else unexpected glimmered in the corner of his eye. Something that left me unsure. Suspicion? Fear? Hope?
Like he saw me…the me beneath all the layers…for the first time.
The couple stopped mumbling and closed the gap toward me once more, drawing me from my thoughts.
I curled my lips into a smile I hoped they would find reassuring as I reached wide and slapped my palms to their upper arms. “Can we count on your confidence?”
They both threw their arms around me in a chorus of accord.
Aoes added his hug to the circle. “This makes me so happy.”
The embrace represented a show of kinship, real or false, with which I was unfamiliar. My family rarely expressed that kind of emotion openly in public, and my friendships remained few.
Not unsurprising to me, Chace held back from the exchange. We were, after all, coworkers by consequence. We were rarely friendly, and I didn’t need him judging me. I judged myself enough already. Whatever I did or didn’t do to make the woman better, I’d figure it out with or without him.
Most likely without him, I decided.
Extracting myself from the shared show of affection, Iwaved my hands to let them know I’d had enough hugging for now—for the day or even the week and longer, really.
A door off the kitchen swung open, and Earl shuffled in, tray in hand. He carried several steaming bowls and a large basket of bread rolls. He placed the tray on the corner of the bar and trudged toward the coffeepot.
“Earl. You’ll help Earl next.” Aoes waved his arm wide to indicate his old boss.
With a smile brightening all his features, Aoes grabbed napkins and the basket of rolls, then he offered them to his two guests.
I dropped into the nearest seat and rested my head on my hands. What should I do now? Where to begin?
My state of being left me feeling…lonely.
Aoes arrived with two bread rolls and two bowls of porridge. He settled into the seat beside me.
“Breakfast?” He slid one of each in front of me, handed me a wooden spoon, then dug into his meal. “I thought I knew why you folks were here. Collect and study. But…”
He sighed then shoveled a second spoonful of porridge into his mouth and spoke around his food. “I’ve seen your people attempt many things. The magic your kind wield is far different from what the people of my dear citadel used to access. Still…never have I seen any of them, outside of maybe royalty, do anything like this. Why didn’t you tell me you could do such a thing?”
“Before today, there was nothing to tell.” I dipped my spoon into the porridge and swirled circles in the mush.
What exactly did he think my kind to be? I snuck a peek at the woman giggling at something the man had said. Her newfound life radiated something beautifully vibrant.
“Honestly…I don’t think I had anything to do with whatever happened to her.”
Chace stepped up to the couple’s table and exchanged a few words with them. Everything Aoes said became static in my ears. I couldn’t hear him or the conversation at the other table. I simply couldn’t draw my gaze from the way Chace moved.
He enveloped my world as my focus consumed all my senses.
His apparent ease in the way he leaned into the other table. The curve of his lips as he smiled, spoke softly. The casual slide of his hand into a position between the woman’s shoulder blades.
A pang shot through my chest. I swallowed hard and pressed my fingers against the internal sting.
Chace’s palm emanated with his reaper’s violet glow.
He’s trying to reap her. Here. In the pub.
