Page 72 of Reaper’s Curse

I spent the rest of the day with the slightly crooked-nose version of Valen, studying, researching, and looking for a way around the queen’s reap-blocking magic.

If what Valen told me were true, and she was partially, if not fully responsible for the unreapable situation in the citadel, the least she could do would be to better point me in the proper direction. Provide me with more pertinent information to bring the dang thing to an end.

Only Valen’s words continued to ring in my ears, Do not mention it to her, lest your situation become far worse.

Why? Why couldn’t the magical-source topic be discussed?

When I finally returned to my rooms, a new chandelier hung over the table in the receiving room. I ate alone, with no visit from Winter or my two assigned servants, and then retired early, having received no reply from Chace.

The next morning, I awoke to the large raven waiting on the terrace. Taking time for nothing else first, I darted to the door, grabbed the scroll, thanked the bird, and dove back onto the bed to read.

Brave Black Bird,

Your beak is indeed strong. I have firsthand experience. Nevertheless, please practice caution when in flight. Feathers can too easily be plucked or torn. And should our paths soon cross (although it is recommended that the bird stay near the perch), I would not be opposed to revisiting our last…exchange. Your mention of delicious treats has me hungry for adventure and excitement.

Keep me abreast of any new unearthings, or treats turned sour, and maybe feed me a few tidbits regarding the creatures nearest you in that gilded cage.

Your curious Curse Chaser

P.S. You are most definitely no one’s servant.

My heart swelled in my chest, and I wasn’t sure why, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. Chace had yet to backpedal about the kiss, the things said about and around it. Why did the silly exchange of letters leave me warm and bubbly inside?

I scripted a reply, sent it on its way, then hid the one received with the other messages from Chace and got busy with the day. Lucas and Winter were a no-show, again, and Valen pawned me off on the portly royal advisor. I hadn’t seen the man since I’d sealed the deal with the queen.

He wasn’t the least bit interested in me, so I helped myself to the available archives while he read and signed document after document.

No one left me alone long enough to get anywhere near the tower with the questionable window.

That night was another dinner alone, as Neive was too busy to sit and socialize. And that evening, no reply came from Chace.

The next two days were more of the same. And my heart began to worry. For Chace and Winter.

But mostly Chace.

20

My mission: track down the others I somewhat remembered from my past life—my siblings—and uncover the location of the Killian’s home base.

After combing every nook, cranny, and corner of the citadel using my soul hunter sight, I had taken to searching the farmlands to the east, then I would make my way to the woodlands at the northwest end of the Veritas territory.

I’d begun the search over two days ago. The coming night would be my third to spend sleeping under the stars. The darkness, whispering breeze, and moon above were my own personal paradise, and I didn’t mind the lack of a soft bed upon which to rest.

The first night I’d found sleep in a boarded-up hotel in the middle of the citadel. On the second night, I’d stretched out for a handful of hours on the roof of the old mill, located near where the city life of Veritas ended and the farmlands began. Having covered the farmlands during the day and then moved into the woodland border, I planned to spend the coming night among the trees.

The siblings I knew existed, but whom I could vaguely recall, were last in the Citadel of Veritas, and I wouldn’t give up the search until I either found them or discovered what had become of them.

Pale skin, eyes, and hair. The coloring of a traditional ghost. That’s all I could remember about them. White as snow, like Prince Winter. Winter, who was sitting up in his fancy castle, causing who knew what kind of trouble for Raven.

I dropped my hand to my side pocket, the one that held Raven’s latest message. The bird had found me shortly after dawn, and I had cursed myself for having used my last blank parchment to make notations regarding the areas I searched. I would not be able to reply until I returned to the pub or found supplies elsewhere.

The sun had all but succumbed to the phase of the moon, the light growing dimmer by the minute. I pulled an apple I’d borrowed from the farmlands and ate while meandering through the tree line in search of a semi-soft patch of land.

The farmlands hadn’t held any hidden buildings, wells, or underground chambers. I didn’t expect to have any more luck with the woodlands, but I needed to be sure. And so, I searched.

Finding a tree and a patch of ground that passed my inspection, I slid to a seat with my back against the wide trunk, took another bite of the apple, and considered my course for the day ahead. I had entered the woods at the farthest northern location and proceeded west, following the territory’s outer wall.

I wasn’t exactly sure how much land I’d covered since leaving the farmlands behind, but I’d venture a guess of half the distance. In the morning, I would continue to the far west side, drop south a quarter of a mile or so, and return east. I would continue to scour the woods in that grid pattern until done then move on to the harbor. That was the plan.