An Isle of Mirrors (A Shade of Vampire #88) - Bella Forrest Page 0,10
concern at this demand. “You want to assume the power of those Reapers as your own? No wonder Death wants you captured…”
“I only desire it so that I can better protect myself against her,” Anunit retorted. She seemed offended. “My whole existence revolved around my service as a Reaper until I gave hope to some of my disillusioned brethren by sending them back into the world of the living. Suddenly, I became an enemy. Frankly, I like my so-called life just the way it is, and I don’t do this kind of favor for just any Reaper. I’m not a threat to Death, but she treats me like one, so I need the Mixer because I have to protect myself from her. That’s my only reason.”
“What will stop you from using it against innocent people?” I asked, equally untrusting.
“Why would I use it against innocent people? Tristan, I’ve been staying under the radar for some time now. On the run. Always looking over my shoulder,” Anunit said. “I just want to be able to stop and breathe for longer than a few days in one place. That’s all.”
Unending jabbed a finger at her. “If we do this and you hurt people with the Mixer, I will do worse things to you than Death ever would. It won’t make you stronger than I am. Hell, a thousand scythes won’t make you stronger,” she warned. “Anunit, I need your word that you won’t disappoint me.”
The Reaper exhaled sharply. “I know better than to piss off a First Tenner. I was hiding from Spirit for a while. I know what that’s like, and I don’t need you tailing me on top of Death, thanks.” She offered me a dry smile. “Anyway, this is the deal. Take it or leave it. If you choose the latter, I hope I never see you two again, and good luck with your adoption efforts. But if you choose the former, I’ll be happy to consider you my friends and escort you both as close to the soul fae village as possible. Either way, make up your minds. I don’t have all day.”
I would’ve liked some time to properly discuss this with Unending. She was thinking the same thing. “There are a few aspects of the whole situation that don’t quite add up,” she said through our telepathic connection. I also had a ton of questions, though I wasn’t sure if either Unending or Anunit would be able to answer them. “I don’t like being rushed into something so major…”
“It seems like we don’t have much of a choice,” I replied. “Anunit won’t give us the time we need to investigate this properly. We’ll have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
“Something tells me we can’t turn back now, anyway. We need to see what Anunit is planning for her future. We have to capture and bring her back to Death, anyway. Whether she helps us with what we want or not.”
“Yeah… so, saying yes to this first trial is still our best way forward,” I concluded, using my mind to communicate with her.
Unending took my hands in hers and leaned closer, whispering in my ear. “It’s going to be okay, my love.”
She had an air of confidence, of security, like she knew more than she was saying. It made me curious, but we’d been together for long enough for me to trust her with everything I had.
One step at a time, I told myself.
One step at a time, and Unending and I might not only get our chance at a family, we’d also get answers to my many questions about the soul fae village and Joy, the bitter and undefeated Reaper.
Tristan
Anunit walked with us through the jungle for a while, getting us as close as she could to the warded area of the soul fae’s village. From the outside, the jungle had seemed like any other wild place in the world, filled with rapidly growing greenery, curious animals, and the kind of humidity that made my shirt stick to my skin. But this place was different.
The most notable peculiarity was the existence of luminescent green veins that stretched through every single leaf, no matter how small. The light pulsated as if the jungle itself had a steady heartbeat. It was alive. The branches moved slightly, like ribs expanding with each breath. The deeper we went, the brighter the emerald glow.
“This is so weird,” I said as we followed a narrow path between the enormous