"Ah, but he didn't, so I consider that a win for our side."
"It's hardly us and them. You're on the same side, remember?"
"Yeah, but they won't let me help."
"With good reason, I'd say. They're the professionals, not us."
"I promised Mom I'd investigate this." Which wasn't exactly the truth. All I'd really promised was to see the little girl and advise the parents as to her state. But after seeing her, after feeling what she'd gone through, I couldn't let the matter drop. Her death haunted me, and her pain wouldn't ease until I knew who—or what—had caused it.
And stopped them.
"Then what's our next course of action?"
I smiled at his use of our. Whether I liked it or not, he was going to help, and that was both scary and comforting. "We need to stop and get Ilianna her ice cream."
He waved a hand dismissively. "I know that."
I smiled. "Azriel said—"
"Azriel?" Tao interrupted. "As in the reaper? You spoke to him in there?"
"I called him. Apparently he's tuned to my Chi or something."
"Oh, that has to be fun," he muttered darkly. "You have a reaper at your beck and call."
"Trust me, this is one reaper you would not want to play with."
He snorted softly. "I can't see a good reason to be playing with any of them."