A Shade of Vampire 90: A Ruler of Clones - Bella Forrest Page 0,82

was half white and half black, the fabric so thin it seemed as though she had been glazed with it.

“I do look different,” the Reaper replied, long hair made of gold cascading down her back. “And no, I had no idea about any of it. I just… I knew the World Crusher could communicate through that book, and I figured she’d tell you how to break the seal.”

I pressed the blade of my scythe into her skin. Another millimeter, and I’d cut her. “That’s a load of crap.”

“No, it isn’t, I swear!” she replied, terrified. “She never talked to me directly! She only talked to the Ghoul Reapers, and they’re the ones who suggested I bring you over. I didn’t know how to break the seal!”

“Didn’t the Ghoul Reapers give you any reason why they wanted her here?” Tristan asked. He wasn’t ready to trust her, either. Not after what had just happened. We’d been blindsided, and this was a hard shame to come back from because we felt used. We felt like fools.

“I wanted the World Crusher free, don’t get me wrong,” Anunit said. “But I also wanted you to be the one to make that decision because, well, you always thought you were the first. This had to mean something to you.”

I moved closer, the blade demanding Reaper flesh. “Why did you want the World Crusher free, Anunit?”

“Because she deserved it. An eternity inside that stupid book? Come on. She never threatened anyone, she never torched an entire world… everything that happened here was because of Death’s stupid choices!” she said, raising her chin and straightening her back, galaxy eyes peering right into mine. “I wanted her to be free so that the whole world would know what a liar she really is. I wanted you to see for yourself. I did you a favor, Unending. It might not look like it now, but I did you a favor.”

I moved away from her, utterly disgusted. Every inch of me ached with humiliation and powerlessness. But I wasn’t sure what to believe. Anunit had not fooled me as badly as Death. Anunit had been pursuing her own agenda this entire time, and the more I learned about it, the clearer it became that she had a bone to pick with my maker. She claimed she wanted me to see Death for who she truly was, but she had accomplished that by revealing the existence of the true first Reaper. So what was her real reason for tricking me into releasing the World Crusher, too?

“What is it you really want? Chaos?” I asked, running a hand through my hair as I moved closer to Tristan. His close proximity helped me stay calm, and I needed myself wholly put together for whatever would follow.

Anunit shook her head. “No. I was going to forfeit the third trial if you told me you wouldn’t set the World Crusher free,” she said, and as much as I hated to admit it, she sounded genuine. Of course, I wasn’t a lie detector myself, but I’d learned enough about people and Reapers in particular to at least suspect deception when it was present. I was getting nothing from Anunit. Either she was honest, or she was the universe’s most accomplished liar. “Honestly. I just wanted you to read the World Crusher’s story. From the moment I learned about her, I knew Death had to be punished for this and her many other failings. When you came to me asking for a body… I thought the universe was basically telling me to have at it!”

I froze, picking up on something. “Wait. When did you learn about the World Crusher? And from whom?”

“It wasn’t the Spirit Bender, if that’s what you’re wondering,” she replied dryly. “He had heard faint rumors, but never any leads worth pursuing. I was the crazy one who followed up, chasing down even the quietest whispers. Lo and behold, I found Biriane, spoke to the Ghoul Reapers, yadda, yadda… The rest is history.” Anunit sighed. “Listen, I’m sorry it turned out this way. Like I said, the trials were a way for me to give you a truth I wasn’t sure you’d accept under different circumstances. I know Reapers worship Death. I used to think the world of her myself until I started pulling the shades back. The more light came through, the better I could see.”

None of us said anything for a while. I wasn’t sure what to believe anymore. I wanted to