fight was so unnecessary, and wouldn't I be better off relaxing? Those thoughts scared me, speeding my heart up and spurring that stubborn speck I had within. Then, just as I gained ground in the battle with whatever held my mind, she stopped.
Only after she released me and shrank back down did I glance at the injury on my wrist. Where the monster's claws gouged into my flesh, leaving tracks of gaping wounds, healing scars remained. My hand flew up to the weeping scrape that marred my chin. It, too, had quit bleeding, and though it still felt tender, it also seemed slick to the touch. Even my ankles only showed old bruises.
“I didn't completely heal you,” Grace said as I jerked my head up. “Just in case you wanted to show someone or required proof. Of course, they know of my skill, so that should explain why you look better.”
I didn't speak, afraid that my words would expose my rapid breathing. Grace's ability to dispose of my will to resist gave me more pause than I'd expected, and I needed time to chew over exactly where that put her on a threat level.
Since I couldn't do anything more, I nodded and stood, turning away. No matter what I thought, we had an appointment to make with our second sector. And with only one Grouping left, I was ready to leave Enyre behind for a little while.
I approached the final Grouping of five and went through the same spiel as I started my binal with. The instructions, the portal, and the shredding of my very atoms all mimicked the first round. When we arrived on Earth, the Reapers reacted about the same, twirling and unsure where to look. None of them had ever seen another planet like the one before us, so I didn't blame them. I remembered doing something similar not so long ago.
Has it really been such a short amount of time since I first saw Earth? It feels like forever ago.
My quarries on that trip were as easy to obtain as every other Earthling I'd transported home. They swarmed us, and I entwined my essence with that of two females. One had lived her life as a fruit picker, a hard existence full of back-breaking work but also full of joy and laughter. The other had just moved to the country she died in, and her surety that everything had begun to look up saddened me. She believed so much, and the world failed her. We failed her.
Our return trip to Delon passed uneventfully, though a few of them hesitated when I broke the line and floated straight to the Angels waiting to take possession of the souls. It took more prodding that I liked to convince them to bypass those who stood patiently, but I did not have time for niceties. And the Earth souls had a higher priority than all the others. Or at least they would the moment I got a chance to speak with the one in charge of the soul soup room.
They'd been forgotten and waiting for far too long. Certainly longer than any other planet, and they shouldn't be tortured anymore.
As we exited in our Reaper forms, members of the Grouping asked me questions, and I tried to answer as best as I could.
“Why did we not know of them? How do you bring back more than one at a time? What is that on your shoulder? How many credits does each soul net us?” They spit them out one after another, sometimes speaking over each other. The youngest ones were especially enamored with the romantic thought of being a hero, while the older and more cynical Reapers spoke of logistics and credits.
I didn't care. Whatever got them on that portal worked for me. When I finally rid myself of the last one, I floated over to where the trio and Grace waited.
“Well, I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed a robe from Master Akai for you. He said for you to keep it.” Folded over Grace's arm lay the robe in question, and she thrust it towards me.
I minded. She had no place telling of experiences that were mine and mine alone, but I didn't say anything. I could sense the anxiety hidden within her and covering that was simple concern. Even her posture warred with itself as she alternately cowered and stood firm.
I pulled it from her arm and shook it out, my eyes tracing the pattern along