Page 50 of Down from the Tower

The Reaper’s eyes lift to mine, and Modred’s head twists unnaturally on his body. I step back as his neck twists until he’s looking at me backwards, his body still in place.

It occurs to me I’ve not seen Zarev reap anything over the weeks I’ve come to know him. I guess that’s largely because of the dead problem in Tressa, but out here I hoped he’d send Modred on so I could witness his full power. The gold is putting a damper on that, but to say I’m anxious is an understatement. When Zarev reaps, and acts like a true Reaper, I think I’ll have an idea of his full power.

Right now, I’m in the dark. He’s seen some of what I can do, and even I don’t know what my limits are. But Zarev is more comfortable in his skin, aware of his own boundaries, and I’m eager to see how far that extends.

There’s more to him than the shadowy darkness. The occasionally sharp teeth, the red orange eyes, the unique senses…

I’d almost call him a wolf, but that’s absurd. Wolf shifters are the stuff of legends. Hunters killed them off decades ago, or at least that’s the tale Dorah spun when she bothered to try and warn me away from things as a little girl. Big, bad wolves that devoured young girls for dinner were one of her favorite tales.

Shaking the thought away, I try to focus. Modred’s voice rises along with Zarev’s, and they are arguing about the same thing again.

I should defend myself, but the words lodge in my throat. Modred already unsettles me enough this way. Raising my voice, I try to be heard over the bickering. “I’ll just pick some berries over here for a few minutes.”

There’s no immediate protest, so I spin and rush off further down the berry path. I don’t plan on going far, but I need some peace for a moment. Although there are no walls, it’s like I can’t be alone.

Since coming over the wall, I’ve spent every second with Zarev. Modred is occasionally there more than I like too, but I’m used to hours and sometimes days of solitude. No one ever chooses to spend this much time in my company, and it’s a little unsettling.

I bet Zarev sees a puzzle, something interesting to figure out. I’m a burden in his eyes, not a friend or companion. Maybe someone fun to sleep with, but that’s as far as it goes.

I at least consider him to be a friend. My list of those is nonexistent, and it’s kind of nice to add my first to the list, unless you want to count Cheshie.

Eating at the berries as I walk, I ignore Zarev’s warning to let him check what I pick. I’m being careful, matching the berries to his examples as closely as I can. Once I have enough I can turn back and cut into whatever argument those two have next.

I take another step as I round a bend, and suddenly my feet come out from under me. I slide down the side of a dirt hill, gasping at the sudden drop. Everything in my hands goes flying, and I roll down the rest of the way, my body crushing berries and twigs as I go.

I think I scream, I’m not sure. But when I stop rolling I groan, wrapping my arms around myself. There’s hair in my mouth, and the makeshift braid is torn apart again. I cough, shoving away the long locks and twigs that tangled in my fall.

Sitting up with a groan, I find smashed berries along my legs and feet, staining the white underskirt and shift. It’s torn to one side, creating an uneven divet in the top that makes me look sloppy. At least it distracts from the richness of the fabric.

“Miss! You alright there?”

I jump, scrambling to my feet. A young boy from the trees, hair a light brown and tied at his nape. My eyes widen as he approaches, carrying a basket with him. He doesn’t appear to have much else, a loose green shirt and worn green trousers with holes at the knee showing tanned skin.

Blinking, I realize he’s barefoot like me too. That’s a unique fashion choice for someone who doesn’t have to walk around like this. My feet feel cut up again from the fall.

He pauses in front of me, a big smile stretched across his face. “I saw your fall.”

Blinking, I wait for him to continue, but that’s all he has to say. I’m sure Zarev heard me too, and he’ll be along at any moment. “Oh, yes. I must’ve slipped. I was just picking berries…”

My voice trails off when I turn, finding a steep hill behind me. When we stopped at the bushes I don’t recall seeing a slope like this, and I doubt Zarev would’ve missed it. Or maybe he didn’t care.

I shake my head, wondering where that negativity came from. He hasn’t left me to die yet. I should have a little more faith in him.

“Long way to fall,” the stranger goes on, his grin staying unusually wide. “Can’t say you will have an easy time climbing back up.”

Slowly I nod, glancing down at myself. The stranger seems to have no issue with how I’m dressed. In fact, I don’t think he’s even noticed. His startling green eyes stay fixed on my face, and he cocks his head to the side without blinking. Chills dance down my spine at his sharp, curious look. “Are you hungry, maiden?”

I may not meet a lot of people, and people in the forest is a whole new world to me, but this kid creeps me out more than Modred as a man or as a ghost. I give him a tight smile, his wording a little off. “I’m just waiting for my friend. He’ll be looking for me by now.”

That better be true too.

He points at me, not seeming to mean anywhere in particular. “You’re stained in berry juice. You’re hungry, aren’t you? My granny makes the best pies. She’s just down the road. Surely you could come and wait in our house or on the porch? It’s not far from here. Your friend can find you easily there.”

I raise a brow. Kid gets right to the point. “I’d rather just wait here.”

“But you’ll get hungry,” he pouts. He looks so sad it’s bizarre. “And gran loves to have guests over. Oh, she makes such wonderful sweets! Cakes and cookies and gingerbread houses…”

His voice trails off and my traitorous stomach growls. I am hungry, and the most filling thing Zarev offered so far is something we have to kill and skin. The berries were fine until I dropped them as I rolled. Looking back to the slope once more, I note my corset and shoes are pretty high up and my feet ache at the thought of going up there. My body already protests standing so straight after rolling down the hill.

---