I nodded. Most Harvesters had run when the King went through a childish tantrum and began searching for a new toy to play with. They hadn't come back, but I had no doubt they watched what happened here, just in case I ever agreed to or was pressed into serving the King. No one wanted him to have that power to abuse at his whim.
“The Reaper had been told where I would be,” I divulged.
He sighed heavily before saying, “So it begins. Watch yourself carefully, daughter. Someone is playing a deadly game here, and they want you off the board.”
Knowing he had access to the reports, I decided to add the findings in Dalrin as well. “I also came across another case of Reapers with their memories altered. Also not good quality, but it didn't have the same feel. I believe it was a different Harvester altogether, perhaps two, but I can't be completely sure.”
His eyes glinted with that little something that always appeared just before he gave me a puzzle. It was a look I both loved and loathed. The challenge usually felt enjoyable, pushing me to view things in a peculiar way, but if I failed… Well, that never felt enjoyable.
“Coincidence or plan? And was it two, or simply one who chose to make it seem like two? What do the Harvested have in common? Figure that out, and you'll likely find something there to help,” he instructed.
It bristled against my skin. His tone sounded like he knew something but refused to tell me, wanting me to learn on my own. The problem was that the consequences of my failure this time wouldn't be a beating or surviving on an ice planet with no supplies. It would be…
What are the results of failing? I've made it through much worse than a silly assassination plot before. No, the one who lost wouldn't be me. It would be my new team and the planets that would never be discovered.
“I will work on this,” I said in my most respectful tone, something I didn't use often.
“And the King?” he asked, returning to the start of our private conversation.
“That also,” I answered, earning a sharp nod from him.
“Unless you have anything else to ask, I need to prepare for another meeting. One thing they never tell you about becoming a Master is about the never-ending meetings.” A slight curl to the edges of his lips softened his face more dramatically than it should have, and he slid his ferrule in front of him.
“I appreciate your time and advice, Master Akai,” I said, standing.
When he didn't respond, I turned and walked away, leaving him to work. Just as my hand touched the doorknob, he stated quietly, “Be cautious, Zella. The game is not yet finished.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Grace and I walked home in silence. She kept glancing over at me, but I didn't want to talk. I couldn't, it seemed. Too much mess filled my mind, playing on a chaotic loop. The attack, the planets, the trio, the order to kill—all of it cycling, mixing, and screaming. Behind it all, I heard a slithering sound.
I latched onto that, letting it distract me from my failings and my impossible situation. My feet moved on their own, carrying me home. And still, I strained to hear the voice whispering in my head.
Sometimes, I could detect snatches of the sentences, but they were only words that had no real meaning on their own. That is until I began to piece them together in order. Each one had its own place, its own space within the loop.
When I finally realized what it said, it was as if I gave it power. No longer a whisper, it boomed, echoing through my entire body, and I stopped short. The visions that came replaced my previous worries, and I whimpered. They hit hard and fast, locking me in.
Grace kept going a few steps, not realizing I'd paused. Once she did, she turned, and her mouth moved as if she asked me something, but I couldn't hear her over my own words. She tugged on me, but I couldn't seem to move, either.
You will be the death of them all.
Images of the trio falling, their lifeless eyes accusing as the King laughed. Grace followed, tears dripping from her chin as she trembled and then gasped when the blade ran her through.
Your failure will destroy everything.
Master Akai walking calmly, his face defiant, and his hands shackled.