have told someone else. Before long, everyone would learn that consuming a soul gives more energy than reaping them. We cannot have that.”
He shot up from his seat, surprisingly spry for his age. Grace’s teary eyes returned to me, and it seemed like she wanted to say something but didn’t quite know how she felt about it.
“Grace,” I said softly. “They were blocking planets so they could farm the souls. Then they would pluck one and stick it in a cramped, dark box until they were ready for it. They had to shove it in a container that destroyed it, breaking it apart into tiny pieces, so they could inhale it. Those souls will never again live. Imagine if just anyone learned they could be more powerful than us by eating a soul. Imagine what that would do, not only to the souls on other planets but here as well.”
She nodded, but I could tell that murdering a houseful of Reapers disturbed her, no matter the reasoning behind it. Perhaps that said something about me because I wasn’t at all bothered. I’d done the right thing, and I knew it.
“The souls?” Master Akai barked. “Of the Reapers? What did you do with them?”
“We stuck them in the boxes they used for the others before we burned the house. We’ll need to get them to the cleansing, but…” Trace trailed off, not needing to finish.
We all recognized that cleansing them would be a problem. Their secret could not be passed on to anyone.
“How?” I asked, and he spun, his face full of thunder and his eyes brimming with fire.
I’d just questioned him, and that made me want to run, but I forced my legs to stay planted. This was our case, our problem, and I wasn’t only his adopted daughter and employee any longer. Instead, I held the title of the Master of the Office of the Ministry of Investigation, Earth Branch. I was a near-peer, barely below him in our society, and I refused to be cowed anymore.
He nodded, seeing the resoluteness in my eyes. To my surprise and confusion, he smiled. It was a small thing, scarcely a curl to the edges of his lips and gone in an instant, but I saw it.
“I’ll do it myself. It’s not my specialty, but I learned how to do it,” he paused and pursed his lips before saying, “When I found it necessary. Zella, you will assist me, and I’ll teach you. Sometimes, our skills are the only thing that can save us, and sometimes—”
He cut off and stared at me, expectant.
“Sometimes, our enemies are the teachers,” I finished, quoting an oft-heard adage from my life in his home.
He nodded and settled himself back into his chair. “You have many enemies now, daughter, and only a few allies. I have no doubt that you’ll collect more before this is over.”
He shot me a pointed look.
The King. He still wants me to kill the King. Why? Why has he been so insistent on this? It’s not about me. Or at least it’s not just about me.
Kian mumbled something, and my train of thought derailed as I snapped around to check on him. He appeared to be dreaming—nothing to worry about beyond his inability to stay awake. My gaze slid over the rest of my allies as Master Akai called them.
One sleeping Fae, one soft-hearted Angel, an exhausted Reaper, a Demon who seemed to have as little concern about murder as I did, an Earth soul, and an old Reaper with dubious motives made up my team. How could I go wrong?
The End
Zella, Grace, Shadow, and Grim Grouping Mannix will return in Exposed Essence. Find out if Kian ever wakes up. Can Grace handle the tasks forced on the group? Is the monster really dead? All of that and more can be found in the next installment of Zella’s story.
Glossary
Important Players:
Zella Healani: Main character, Elite Grim Reaper, only member of Reaper Grouping Healani
Axton Mannix aka Angel Baby: Grim Reaper, Leader of Reaper Grouping Mannix, ancestry includes Angel
Trace Hafin aka Q aka Quixon: Grim Reaper, Second of Reaper Grouping Mannix
Kian Raster aka Fae Boy: Grim Reaper, Third of Reaper Grouping Mannix, ancestry includes Fae
Hedda Lanis: Spoiled Bitch, daughter of Chancellor Lanis
Chancellor Lanis: Head of Reaper U, super special asshole
Neil Elliot: Ex-boyfriend of Zella’s, Asshole, cheater, all-around douche nugget
Master Akai: Zella’s boss and adoptive father, First Master of all Masters, Head Grim of the Office of the