Page 98 of Reaper's Quest

“Plus,” Aoes added. “Ace thinks I don’t notice, but he’sextremely attentive to the old dude’s needs. He wouldn’t bail on him.”

Maybe. Maybe not. How could any of them be certain what these new strangers would and wouldn’t do?

“I don’t know what to say,” Winter admitted.

Aoes slouched. “There’s nothing to say. Just keep an eye out for the two of them and let me know if you see anything.”

“Of course.” Winter attempted to push away the onslaught of guilt that washed over him.

Aoes slapped Winter’s shoulder, then he turned and trod down the street, back in the direction of the pub.

Several strides into his departure, he glanced over his shoulder. “Come see me soon, all right?”

Winter gave him a solemn nod and watched his friend walk away. Once Aoes had turned a corner and moved out of sight, Winter made haste to Camilla…and Raven.

A growing murder of crows gathered in and beside the street near Camilla’s home, and their caws and flapping wings created a song marking Winter’s arrival.

No sooner had he let himself in through the front door and set the box of provisions on the table than a stampede of footfalls on the stairs greeted him.

Camilla swung into the room, her brown eyes wide, dress wrinkled, and hairs springing free of her plait.

She gripped the doorframe to hold her course and control her speed. “Thank the gods you’re back.”

Every hair on his body jumped to attention. “What? What is it?”

Camilla panted. “She awoke a few minutes ago. Screaming.”

25

Throat dry, eyes burning, muscles aching, and soaked sheets pressing against my backside. I rested on a bed in the same space I vaguely recalled from the last time I had woken—definitely not my own bedroom, nor the room I occupied at the pub.

I twisted and peeled back the covers. Patches of sweat and, in some places, blood covered the sheets beneath me. Blood had also seeped through and stained the dressings covering my waist, but not horribly so. My hand with the cut from the zombified woman and scythe incident was still wrapped…and aching.

I felt like a doll barely holding my stuffing inside. Everything hurt, yet I was healing, hopefully.

Easing myself flat against the bed, I stared at the ceiling.Winter had brought me here. I remembered that much. He had catered to my delicate ego, keeping me from being embarrassed by Chace…because I remained angry with him, or angry at myself for confusing my emotions regarding him.

But mostly I was embarrassed because of what I’d done—what I had allowed to happen. I hadn’t wanted Chace to know and take it as evidence that he was better than me.

Only, how long ago had that been? And how much more time would be required for me to return to the task of reaping? Or attempting to reap, anyway.

A woman—she’d said her name was Camilla—had fussed over me with a cold compress when I woke. Although I didn’t care to be fussed over, I had little fight in me. Camilla and all her actions had managed to shift me into a relatively calm state after the upset thrust upon me by my sleep terrors.

Had I awoken earlier to hear her talking to someone? I thought I’d heard a male’s voice. Had Winter been present?

I dragged oxygen deep into my chest, the action splintering pain across my ribs like the quick crack of a whip.

I closed my eyes. Took shallow breaths.

All I need is a tad more sleep, and then I’ll be good as new.

The bang of a door from the first floor vibrated through the front wall, followed by the clattering of what I assumed was a metal basin. Water splashed. Two voices grew louder, along with heavy footsteps.

The coming conversation hushed and then fell flat. Camilla appeared in the doorway, a basin of fresh water in hand.

She pushed the door open wider and moved to thedresser, where she set the basin down. “Sorry for the delay. A visitor arrived.”

Winter entered the room in her wake. He moved with the flow of mist and magic. A breeze of brightness in an otherwise dreary room.