Chapter 10
Reeve made himself comfortable, stretching his legs beneath the table and ignoring Viri’s kick when he encroached upon her space. “A deal’s a deal, Little Shadow. Where would you like to begin?”
“You can start by not calling me that,” Viri said. “Then continue by telling me what I’ve already asked countless times: Where’s the Reaper Priest?”
“Why don’t you ever use his real name?”
Viri’s vision turned red. “Because when he became the Reaper Priest, he forfeited his humanity, and therefore his right to have one.” She leaned forward and hissed, “And this isn’t your time for questions—it’s mine. So answer, or I’ll take you straight back to the Underlock.”
Reeve huffed out a laugh. “As if you’re not planning to do that anyway.”
Viri stilled, then forced the tension from her body. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“To be fair,” he continued, as if she hadn’t spoken, “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t have some kind of double-cross in mind. You’ve earned a reputation for being a ruthless hunter, Viridia Solace. It’d be a shame to find out it wasn’t true.”
Before Viri could think of a response—or come up with a believable lie—Betty reappeared from the kitchen and placed a tray in front of them, loaded with enough cupcakes and cookies and custard tarts to feed a city.
She left again, only to return moments later with a steaming teapot and two mugs painted with gold hearts, setting them down on the table with a flourish.
“A romantic feast for my two favorite people,” Betty said. “You cuties enjoy your date.” She sighed wistfully. “Oh, to be young and in love.”
Viri made a strangled sound. “No—That’s not—We’re not—”
But Betty was already hobbling away, disappearing into the kitchen once more.
“We’ll be sure to invite her to the wedding,” Reeve said, lips twitching as he poured their tea. “If we ask nicely, maybe she’ll make the cake.”
Viri scowled. “Stop laughing. This isn’t funny.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“Your eyes are.”
“My eyes?”
“Just—ugh! Never mind.” She snatched up one of the custard tarts and bit angrily into it, but her pique dissolved instantly as a rush of sweetened vanilla flooded her senses.
“Amazing, right?” Reeve said, reaching for his own tart and taking a bite. He moaned, the sound unforgivably suggestive. “Mmm. Delicious.”
Viri took a scalding sip of tea in the hope that it would hide the flush rising to her cheeks.
“But back to what we were saying,” Reeve continued, licking his fingers, which only made Viri’s flush deepen, “I don’t care about your intention to double-cross me, since it’s not going to happen.”
Viri’s gaze narrowed. “It’s not?”
“You need me,” Reeve said simply. “As long as I have information about the Priest and the kids, you can’t risk letting me out of your sight.”
“Information you owe me, per our bargain.”
“You’re right, I do,” Reeve agreed, sipping his own tea. “There’s just one slight problem.” He raised his free hand, pressing his forefinger and thumb together. “A teeny, tiny issue.” He paused. “Or, well, three issues, if we’re being exact.”
Something about his tone had Viri bracing. “What kind of issues?”
He drank more tea, then set his mug down. “You want to know where the Reaper Priest is? Where the children are? When the sacrifice is happening?”
Viri nodded stiffly. “Yes.”
“Then those are your three issues,” Reeve said. “Because I don’t have the answers.”
Viri stared at him for a beat, then started laughing. There was no humor in the sound. “Nice try. Now tell me what I want to know.”
Reeve raised his hands. “I swear, I’m telling the truth. But before you skewer me with your glare, it’s not all bad news. I know how to find the information. We just have to go somewhere else to get it.”
Viri laughed again, incredulous this time. “You’re joking, right?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
His serious expression made Viri sober.
“Why would I go anywhere with you?” she demanded. “You already know I was planning to betray you—”
“Past tense? That’s encouraging.”
“—so why would I risk my life following a reaper?”
“Because we want the same thing,” Reeve stated plainly.
“And what’s that?” Viri asked, doubt clear in her voice.
“To stop the Aurora sacrifice.”
Viri reeled backward in shock, but then she frowned. “You’re the Priest’s most loyal follower—why would you want to stop his plans?”
Reeve’s expression blanked. “No personal questions. That was our deal.”
“A deal you’ve broken,” Viri fumed. “And how is that a personal question?”
“I haven’t broken our deal—I literally just told you how we can get your answers. You’re the one arguing about logistics.”
“I’m not arguing,” Viri argued.
Reeve looked at her pointedly.
Viri wouldn’t have been surprised if steam began to shoot from her ears.
She took a moment to breathe deeply, inhaling the calming scent of vanilla and custard, hating that her plan had gone so awry.
Reeve had played her—again—but if there was a chance he was telling the truth…
if he had a way to get the answers she needed…
if he really did want to stop the Aurora sacrifice from happening…
then that meant they shared the same goal.
She wasn’t deluded enough to think all their goals were aligned, not while he was faithful to the Priest—and a reaper, at that—but in this single instance, it might be worth the risk of going with him, especially if it meant saving the children.
Viri’s instincts had never led her wrong before, and she prayed they weren’t about to start now as she looked Reeve squarely in the eyes and said, “Where do we need to go?”
In answer, he downed another custard tart and rose to his feet. “It’s not far. A quick trip through the wayportal.”
Pressing her lips together, Viri stood as well, wondering if she was making a terrible mistake. But her gut was saying this was the right thing to do. She didn’t trust Reeve as far as she could throw him, but she’d long since learned to trust herself, and she wouldn’t stop now.
“Thanks for the midnight snack, Betty!” Reeve called into the kitchen as he began to lead the way toward the door. “Catch you next time!”
“Bye, loves!” the old woman yelled from somewhere out of sight. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
Viri cringed at the implication but focused on following Reeve around the decorated tables, her fillium shining between them. Seeing it, something began to niggle at her, growing into confusion and then alarm as she watched Reeve stride comfortably forward—too comfortably.
“Why aren’t you stumbling?” she asked.
He looked at her over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised. “Because I learned how to walk as a child?”
“No—why aren’t you tired?”
His eyebrow rose higher. “Because I’ve been locked in a cell with nothing to do but nap for a week? And because I just ate my body weight in sugar?”
Annoyed, Viri said, “Stop answering my questions with questions.”
Bemused, Reeve returned, “Stop asking vague questions and just say what’s on your mind.”
Viri waved her hand holding the fillium. “You’ve been wearing this long enough that you should definitely be feeling its effects by now. You should be exhausted, not…perky.”
“Perky?” Reeve’s mouth curled upward. “I’ve certainly been called worse.”
Viri halted just before the bakery door, tugging on the cord to make him stop. “Answer me.”
He shrugged. “I haven’t siphoned in a while. Maybe that has something to do with it.”
Viri flinched at the reminder of what he was, what he did. “That only means it wouldn’t affect you as fast. You still have your own drop of ellixen for it to suppress—it would’ve taken more time, but you should be as weak as a kitten by now.”
He shrugged again. “Maybe it’s broken.”
Dread flooded Viri at the thought. But…she could still feel her weapon, her heightened sensitivity picking up a low-level thrumming of ellixen that told her it held as much power as it always had. So that meant—
“It doesn’t work on you,” she gasped out. “Does it?”
A devilish grin stretched across Reeve’s face. “Took you long enough.”
“You asshole.” Viri shoved his chest, then shoved him again when he unwound the cord from his wrist and dangled it tauntingly in the air, something that would have been impossible for any normal captive.
“It’s not my fault you didn’t ask,” he said, still grinning. “You of all people should have noticed the signs, especially since it doesn’t work on you, either.”
Viri gaped at him. “How do you know—”
“Because I remember, Viri. Just because you chose to forget our past doesn’t mean I did.”
“But—I—” Viri didn’t know what to say, having no memory of a time when they might have both realized they were immune to her parents’ fillium. But Reeve was right about her choosing not to recall so many things from back then, the pain too raw to handle, her grief easier when kept at a distance.
Now wasn’t the time to wonder what else she might have swept into the depths of her subconscious, so she held on to her anger and said, “You’ve been able to lie all night. Has anything you’ve told me been true?”
Sobering, Reeve said, “I haven’t lied to you. Not once.”
“You told me you knew about the Priest and his plans.”
“No, I told you I know more than you do, and that you’re going to want to hear it. That’s still true. In more ways than you know.”
“Then tell me,” Viri said.
“I will—just not yet.”
Viri wanted to stomp her foot like a child. Instead, she coiled her weapon around her arm while grumbling under her breath about infuriating reapers, then reached for Reeve and began checking the pockets of his dark coat.
He jolted back in surprise, bumping into a chair, but Viri didn’t pause her search.
“What are you doing?” he asked in a What the hell? tone.
“Stand still,” she ordered, patting him down.
“If you wanted to feel me up, you only had to ask.”
“Let me restate,” Viri bit out. “Stand still, and don’t speak.”
There was nothing in his outer pockets, so she unbuckled the front of his coat and began to rifle through the insides, her fingers skirting lightly over his sides as she sought to find what she knew had to be in there somewhere.
Reeve’s frame stiffened and then jerked slightly as her fingers shifted between pockets, a noise escaping his lips that had Viri looking at him in disbelief as she realized—
“Are you ticklish?” When he didn’t answer, she continued, almost accusingly, “You can’t be. You’re a reaper.”
“Why do you make it sound like there’s a rulebook I’m meant to be following?” Reeve asked. “Should I be taking notes?”
Viri shifted her hands upward, deliberately grazing his sides, and this time, an audible squeak left him.
“You are ticklish!” she cried. She nearly laughed at how ridiculous the thought was, but before she could make that mistake, she finally found what she was looking for. “Aha! Thank you, Soren!”
When Reeve caught sight of what she’d been searching for—a standard accoutrement carried by all Nox guards—he sighed. “Nullicuffs? Are those really necessary?”
In answer, she slapped one around his wrist and the other around her own, wincing at the sting of ellixen as the nullification effect set in.
Unlike her fillium, there was no cord dangling between the cuffs, just two separate bracelets that were linked intangibly, both intended to stop magic from being used rather than suppressing and draining it.
While less powerful than her own weapon, at least Reeve wouldn’t be able to siphon. Plus, there was one more benefit.
“Since my fillium doesn’t work on you, this will ensure you don’t try to run away.” Viri touched the glittery black cuff. “Move more than ten paces from me, and every nerve in your body will feel like it’s on fire.”
“Yours, too,” Reeve warned.
“It’s worth it for my peace of mind.”
There was a hint of frustration in his tone as he said, “I told you before, we have the same goal. I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“I know you’re not,” Viri said, touching her cuff again. “Now take off your coat. You’ve played Nox long enough tonight. Betty will make sure it gets back to Soren.”
“You didn’t think to have me take it off before you went all handsy on me?” Reeve asked dryly, removing the uniform and laying it over the back of a chair. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you enjoyed—”
“Finish that sentence and I’ll walk ten paces away myself,” Viri threatened, willing the heat from her cheeks. She hadn’t even thought to ask him to take it off first, much to her embarrassment. “Now get moving. You have a bargain to keep.”