Royals
Like something out of a human child’s storybook, a massive golden castle gleams under a sun-filled sky in the distance. It’s larger than any building I’ve seen in person. Bigger than the castles of Europe that I’ve read about, if I had to guess. It’s truly magnificent.
Heavy iron gates open as we approach, allowing us access to the inner heart of the reaper kingdom. I must look like a fool to all the reapers walking past River and me. My mouth is agape, and my eyes are wide as saucers.
Reapers call out their greetings to River, but I hardly register any of them. I don’t offer a single smile or wave. I’m too enamored by this place to pay any attention to anything but the scenery.
The architecture is a hodgepodge that somehow manages to come together in the most spectacular way. The cobblestone roads leading to the castle entrance are lined with timbered storefronts, the likes of German villages I’ve visited in the past, selling a variety of items.
There’s your typical bakery, an armory, and a grocery store on one side and furniture, clothing, and shoe stores on the opposite side of the road. Thatched-roof huts begin after the end of the stores selling various produce.
Reaper children call out current deals, trying to sell their daily stock.
This place is a mix of old and modern times.
I feel like I’m in the twilight zone, unable to decide what century this place adheres to, because it feels medieval in some respects and modern in others. It’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever been.
Toward the edge of the town center, a uniform set of brick homes form two rows. Each house has the same outside facade, and they are spaced equally apart. The lawns are manicured, and the shrubbery is the same.
“What are these?” I ask, pointing toward the identical buildings.
“The guard houses. It’s where our military generals reside.”
“With their families?”
River glances at me. “No. The guard don’t marry. They might look like houses, but inside, they’re the equivalent to barracks.”
“So, not family friendly,” I think out loud.
“Definitely not. I can’t think of one female that would choose to live in the bunk houses.”
“Does Cat have to stay there?” I recall the female guard we met when we arrived.
I can’t imagine having to stay in bunk houses with the angels. We were given our own residences in Heaven. There’s no way I would’ve managed to not end one or more of their existences if I had to share confined space with any of them.
“She actually lives in the castle. She’s one of Camille’s personal guards.”
I don’t remark on his informal use of the queen’s name, but I wonder if that’s normal around here or a River exception. In the end, I don’t ask, and River doesn’t elaborate.
We continue walking in silence, and I don’t mind it at all. There’s so much to see.
Over the rooftops of the guard houses, several large estates loom in the near distance.
“And those? What are they?”
“That’s where your dukes live.” He smirks and I roll my eyes, recalling our conversation back in Hell, when he attempted to explain reaper hierarchy.
“Hardy har har,” I say.
“In all seriousness, that is where the higher-ranking reapers reside.”
“So you weren’t lying when you said it was similar to a monarchy?”
“Why would I? Like I said, this information is readily available if you know where to look.”
“I’ve always been told that reapers are tricksters. Creatures that like to keep others at bay.” I shrug.
“We’re actually an open book … if you can get one of us to talk.”
I grunt. “You talk … a lot.”
He smirks but otherwise ignores my dig. “The only thing you won’t find is where our kingdom is hidden. We like that part to remain a mystery for safety purposes. It’s easier if everyone believes reapers to simply be wanderers.”
My cheeks heat, recalling how I’d called them just that not long ago.
“It seems our plan has worked,” he chuckles.
The farther we travel outside of the city, the closer we get to the enormous castle that had been visible from our arrival point. It’s perched on top of a small mountain.
The front is lined with trees that appear to be pine, but they’re far taller than any pine tree I encountered on earth. They’re easily as tall as a New York City skyscraper.
“Wow,” I say, because clever words elude me.
The entire castle glows as if made from gold.
My head snaps to River to ask, but he’s not looking at me. His gaze is trained on the castle with something so close to longing that it couldn’t be anything but that.
“I hope you take my advice, River. I can tell how happy you are to be here. If this place makes you that happy, you should stay.”
He offers me a crooked smile but doesn’t say anything else.
“So what’s the plan? Are we just storming in there and going straight to the queen?
Or do I get to change out of this?” I ask, looking down at the red monstrosity I put on back in Hell.
“I don’t buy for one minute that I am the missing reaper princess, but I surely don’t wish to meet your people looking like something straight out of the bowels of Hell. ” My nose is scrunched in revulsion.
He snickers. “I can’t say I blame you. That outfit is s—”
“Shut it,” I snap.
“I was just going to say slightly revealing.”
I curl my lip in what I hope is a warning before deciding maybe a different route will have a better outcome. “Please let me change. This is highly inappropriate and utterly embarrassing.”
He nods. “I’ll arrange for someone to get you situated while I inform the queen of our arrival.”
I don’t know why, because I maintain that I don’t buy into my being a reaper princess, but my stomach flips and flops with nerves.
I’ve never thought about what having a mother would be like. My father was always God; angels are created by the Creator himself. We’re not born of a woman’s womb. At least, most angels. I, apparently, am one of the exceptions.
But all the talk of the queen being my mother has foreign feelings flowing through me. I feel uncomfortable and clammy. Oh so clammy.
There’s perspiration building on my forehead, and my hands are damp. I wipe them on the little material I’m wearing, but it doesn’t last long.
“Calm down, Victoria. Everything will be all right. The queen is … well …” He shuffles his feet, looking boyish, and embarrassed.
“Come on, lover boy. Out with it. The queen is … ?” I tease, and his face quickly turns into a scowl as he kicks a pebble out from under his boot.
“She’s brilliant. Beautiful. Incredible. You’ll like her and she’ll like you.”
My lips purse in mock revulsion at his profession of adoration for her royal highness.
River turns away from me. “You look a lot like her.”
I close one eye and narrow the other at the side of River’s face.
“As soon as you meet her, you’ll know it’s true. I know you are her daughter, Victoria.”
“That makes one of us.” I sigh. “We’ll see. For now, I just want to freshen up. It’s been a long damn day.”
He bobs his head. We walk for several minutes in silence, both lost in our own thoughts. Mine are firmly on the man I left behind.
He might’ve forced my hand, but in the end, I chose to leave.
“Victoria,” a woman’s voice shouts, and both River and I turn to find Leeanna heading toward us.
“How the hell did she get here?” River asks.
“I was just about to ask you that very question.”
“I can hear you two. You’re not exactly quiet.”
“We weren’t trying to be,” I mutter. “What are you doing here?”
“God sent me.” She shrugs. “I’m not sure why, but it was requested that I escort you to ensure you find your way to Queen Camille. Heaven made an exception.”
“I didn’t realize that it was Heaven’s place to allow access to a kingdom that isn’t theirs,” River snarls.
I turn on my heels, ignoring his outburst. “No need. I have my escort right here,” I say, motioning toward River, who’s joined me in my retreat from Lee. “But you’re welcome to watch the shit show if you’d like.”
“I can’t leave, so I might as well. Could be the most entertainment I’ve had in a while.”
I snort. “That’s the understatement of the year, if you’ve been tied to Michael lately.”
She sighs. “You know it.”
We walk at a clipped pace for several quiet minutes. The air is thick with tension.
“You might as well say whatever it is that’s perturbing you. I can practically taste your anxiety.”
“It’s not anxiety.”
Lies.
“No need to lie to me. I know you too well,” she says.
I never look Leeanna’s way because I don’t want to see her concern. It’ll only increase my anxiousness.
“I’m sorry. I’m just … nervous.”
“That I wasn’t expecting,” Leeanna admits. “You’re typically too stubborn to be nervous. Color me surprised.”
My head swivels toward her. “I’m not stubborn.”
“You are, but I forgive you. And for the record, I’m sorry too.”
“For what?” I ask, having a feeling I know, but wanting her to say it anyway.
“For turning my back on you. I didn’t know that Heaven orchestrated your fall. Now that I do, I’m ashamed of how I treated you.”
I huff. “Don’t feel too bad. Heaven didn’t push me to Earth, Lee. I chose that all on my own. I fell in love with Luke despite their plans.”
She snorts. “I’m positive Satan wasn’t part of God’s plan.”
I smirk. “Yeah, well … being the reaper queen isn’t part of mine.”
She shakes her head, looking frustrated. “I didn’t know that part. Not even Michael did until recently. You know this.”
“If he’s to be believed,” I grunt.
Michael has always been privy to things the rest of us weren’t. He was the one who carried out the orders and ensured the key players were in position. To think that he was in the dark about something this big is insane.
“He truly didn’t know. It’s eating him up inside, Victoria. He cares about you.”
I roll my eyes. “He turned his back on me.”
Her eyes lower to the floor and we don’t say another word.
I appreciate her acknowledgment that she was wrong, and I do forgive her, but it’ll be a while before I put any amount of trust in her. Besides, she’s an angel and I’m fallen. Our time as friends has ended. We’re two different people from two different worlds now.
I’ll always love Luke, and that’s not something she or Michael will ever approve of. That truth will always separate us on different sides of the invisible line. They’ll always believe they’re on the right side of it, and I’ll always know better.
Just because you’re an angel by title, it doesn’t truly make you good. Being decent requires you to step away from norms and see the person before you condemn them. There are always two sides, and I’m finding that Heaven’s isn’t always right.
When we enter the elaborate castle, Leeanna whistles. “This is something straight out of Heaven.”
She’s not wrong. The golden columns leading into the foyer gleam under the bright sun, shining through the three-story windows lining the front of the castle.
A woman dressed in reaper leathers scurries toward River.
“Sir,” she says, bowing, “welcome home.”
“Thank you, Apple. Can you show these two ladies to their rooms?”
“In what wing would you like me to put them, sir?”
“The west wing. Directly across from my quarters, Apple. Thank you.”
She bows low before rushing off, completely forgetting me and Leeanna.
“Apple? That’s … an interesting name.”
He shrugs. “She’s a sweet kid. Came to the castle at the age of ten. She was left an orphan after a demon raid during a soul transfer.”
I have absolutely no idea what any of that means, but my heart hurts for the young woman.
“Umm … Apple. Are you forgetting something?” he calls.
Her cheeks turn a deep red as she hurries back toward us.
“I’m sorry, sir. Of course, sir. Right this way, sirs. I mean, ma’am.”
The poor girl stumbles all over herself.
River chuckles. “Apple. Slow down. You’re doing fine.”
She exhales, seeming to relax slightly. “Thank you, sir. Right this way.”
She motions for us to follow her, and we do.