The Reaper Saga [Book 1-3]

CHAPTER 19 [EDITED]

VERMON

"Dear diary,

Talk about irony.

I just found out that this place used to give protection to people like me until Byron took over. I knew something was shady about him. He didn't want us here to keep us safe. He just wanted to torture us for being different. 5133 asks me why I didn't kill him yet. What she didn't know that listening to Byron gets you insane, not listening to him gets you killed. I know how to pick my battles. That doesn't stop her from shit-talking about him all the time though. It's entertaining, really. I have learned quite a few curse spells.

Esti am mi ekius murvulas.

Ei mi yam makuru herium.

She also talks about Mikhail...

The last time I saw him, my whole body wanted to rip him to shreds. But I also wanted to sit on his lap and kiss him.

Great, I must be off my meds.

Unlikely but still.

Speaking of that, today a vomited a soul. Mikhail thought I was a soul junky and that's not even the worse part. When I feed, I don't have the same pleasure I usually get. It's almost like eating a boring meal you don't even care about. 5133 thinks it's because I've been closer to Mikhail that the urge to take souls is going away.

So, Mikhail, if it's your fault that I can't enjoy my meal? Go suck a cactus on my behalf."

"Esti am mi-"

I paused, cursing at the way my voice shook. It was a literal clusterfuck trying to find the right words to enchant.

"Esti am mi ekius murvulas." I started again, gazing hard at the diary in front of me. "Ei mi yam makuru herium. You have got to be kidding me."

It definitely was not a curse spell.

"Actually it's spelled yami makuru herium."

I flinched, finding Aaron not far away. He was supposed to be out on a hunt when Ivy invited him to a branch. It worked for me, really. He would be out of the house for a few more hours and I could figure things out myself. In the back of my mind, I wondered if this was Ivy's way of punishing me. Not telling me they were back so I get caught by Aaron. Low blow, sister, low blow.

Trying to laugh the uneasiness away, I shrugged. "Yeah, they don't make sense either way."

"It does to me. Curse spell, was it?"

Shit.

"Aaron. I get that you are reading the diary without telling me but I'd appreciate it if you did. We could both laugh at it together."

"There's nothing to laugh about, partner." His words felt slurred like he was drunk but I've never known Aaron to be drunk on a job. He just wouldn't. "You brought this body here, knowing what's waiting for you. You never cared about anything, do you, boy?"

Immediately my instinct was to harm him but it was Aaron or someone else in Aaron's body. I couldn't hurt him without hurting the host's body. Dammit.

"Who are you?" I formed a fist, ready to attack if he did.

"A well-wisher of yours. The spirits talk, boy. What you have done is an atrocity to their legacy." Trust a spirit to be a dick too. "You've brought shame to the clan-"

"A clan I'm not even a part of nor do I believe in their practice." I reminded him, even managing a smile. "Now tell me what are you really doing here?"