Page 37 of Guarded By the Reaper

I blinked, confused. Ansel Sullivan? Who was that? I glanced at Grim, expecting him to be equally puzzled, but he stood tall, his skeletal frame rigid.

“Yes,” Grim replied. “It’s been about a year.”

My mind reeled. Ansel Sullivan was Grim? Of course, I realized. How silly of me. Of course he had a name. He’d been human once. The thought made my chest tighten. There was still so much I didn’t know about him.

Grim continued, “I needed a break.”

Death’s form flickered, their expression unreadable. “Grim Reapers don’t take breaks. There’s no such thing as taking a vacation.”

I held my breath, waiting for Death’s anger, but Grim seemed unfazed. “I know,” he said. “Will I be punished?”

To my surprise, Death’s ever-changing features softened. They sighed. “I understand this job is hard, Ansel. No, you will not be punished. You were punished enough as a mortal. I am not in the business of punishing anyone.”

Relief flooded through me, and I felt some of the tension leave Grim’s body beside me.

Death’s gaze flickered between us. “All right, Ansel, tell me what you need.”

Grim straightened, his voice steady as he explained. “Millie has made a deal with Ma-Vasha: her soul in exchange for saving her sister’s life.”

Before he could continue, Death raised a hand, silencing him. Their gaze turned to me, and I felt pinned in place by the weight of their attention.

“You wanted to save your sister’s life,” Death said, their voice neither accusatory nor sympathetic. “What is her name?”

I swallowed hard, barely finding my voice. “Elysia.”

Death nodded, the movement causing their form to ripple like water. “And how do you feel about lying to this man who would do anything for you?”

The words hit me hard. I felt the color drain from my face, my heart pounding so wildly I was sure Death could hear it. I wantedthe floor to open and swallow me whole. How did they know? What was I supposed to say?

Beside me, Grim tensed up again. “What’s going on?”

Death’s gaze never left me. “I might be able to help you, Camellia, but if there’s one thing that I cannot stand is to have lies uttered in my office. The Halls of Death are a place of truth.”

I nodded, shame burning in my chest. “I understand. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” I turned to Grim, my heart breaking at the look of confusion on his eyeless face. I took a deep breath, knowing I couldn’t put this off any longer. “Elysia is not my sister,” I said. “She is my daughter.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with eight years of secrets and guilt. I’d never said it out loud before, not since the day my parents and I decided on our elaborate lie.

“I gave birth to her when I was eighteen,” I continued. I owed Grim the whole story. “I was young and stupid, and thought I was in love. When I found out I was pregnant, I told my boyfriend, thinking we’d face it together. He dumped me on the spot, said he wasn’t ready to be a father, and that I should… take care of it. My parents were so understanding. They supported me through everything. When Elysia was born, they adopted her as their own.” The memories flooded back – the paperwork, the quiet conversations late at night, the carefully constructed story we’d tell the world. “They wanted me to finish school, go to college, and have a normal life. We decided it would be easier if everyone thought she was my sister.”

I fell silent, the weight of my confession hanging between us. Grim didn’t move, didn’t say a word. I couldn’t read his expression, couldn’t tell if he was angry, or hurt, or both. The silence stretched on, each second feeling like an eternity.

“Grim?” I finally asked, my voice small and scared. “Please say something.”

He turned to me slowly, his dark eye sockets seeming to bore into my soul. I held my breath, terrified that I’d ruined everything between us. What if he hated me now? What if he thought I was a terrible person for lying about my own child?

Before Grim could respond, Death’s voice cut through the tension. “Camellia, wait outside. I need to speak with Ansel alone.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Death’s unwavering gaze made it clear this wasn’t a request. With a last, desperate look at Grim, I turned and walked towards the massive door, my steps echoing in the quiet room.

Chapter Twenty-One

Grim

I watched Millie walk away, her shoulders slumped. The massive door closed behind her with a soft thud, and I nearly bolted after her. The Halls of Death were no place for a human to wander alone, even for a few minutes. But before I could take a step, Death’s voice cut through my rush of emotions.

“Come closer, Ansel.”

Reluctantly, I turned back. As I approached the desk, Death’s ever-shifting form seemed to solidify slightly, their gaze piercing through me.

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