Page 50 of Guarded By the Reaper

I couldn’t help but think about how fragile all this was. Millie, worrying about her daughter’s mood when her own life hung in the balance. Elysia, blissfully unaware of the sacrifices being made for her. And me, stuck in the middle, wanting to protect them both but not knowing how.

The hallway felt too quiet, too still. Like the calm before a storm. I had a sinking feeling that bringing home a cat wasn’t going to fix what had been broken, nor what was coming.

Chapter Thirty

Millie

My fingers tapped anxiously on the steering wheel as I drove to the pet hospital. I couldn’t help but smile, thinking about Elysia’s face when she’d see Lady Mews again. It had been over a week, and she was missing her cat like crazy.

“You know, we could’ve been there and back by now if you’d let me teleport us,” Grim grumbled from the passenger seat.

I glanced over at him, trying not to laugh at his pouty expression. For an all-powerful Grim Reaper, he could be such a baby sometimes.

“We can’t teleport Lady Mews. She hates traveling as it is. I don’t want to freak her out more than necessary.”

Grim crossed his arms, sinking further into his seat. “Fine. But don’t blame me when we hit traffic.”

I rolled my eyes, but my smile widened. Even when he was being difficult, I couldn’t help but feel a warmth spread through my chest. It was nice, having someone to banter with on these mundane trips.

The drive to and from the hospital was surprisingly uneventful. No Poppets in sight, which was a relief. Maybe Ma-Vasha was actually keeping her word about the extension. It felt too good to be true, but I didn’t want to question it. Not when I had Lady Mews safely in her carrier, ready to go home to Elysia.

Back at Asterhaven, I carefully lifted Lady Mews out of her carrier in the living room. She meowed softly, stretching her legs and looking around curiously. I gave her a gentle scratch behind the ears before picking her up.

“Let’s go surprise Elysia,” I said to Grim, who nodded and followed me up the stairs.

We made our way to Elysia’s room, Lady Mews purring contentedly in my arms. I knocked on the door, my excitement building.

“Elysia? We’re back, and we have a surprise for you!” Silence. I frowned, knocking again. “Come on, sleepyhead. Don’t you want to see who’s here?”

Still nothing. Lady Mews let out a louder meow, as if trying to coax Elysia out herself. But the door remained closed, no sound coming from within. A knot formed in my stomach. This wasn’t like Elysia at all. Even when she was upset, she couldn’t resist Lady Mews for long.

“Here,” I said, handing the cat to Grim. “I’m going to get the skeleton key.”

I rushed to my room, my mind racing. Was Elysia just sleeping deeply? I tried to push away the darker thoughts creeping in, focusing instead on finding the key. As I rummaged through my drawers, tossing aside old receipts and spare change, I couldn’t help but think about my parents. They’d insisted on keeping the old locks when we renovated the house, along with the skeleton key that opened them all. Mom had called it romantic, a throwback to a simpler time. Dad just liked the idea of having one key for everything.

I paused for a moment, nostalgia washing over me. It was funny how the smallest things could bring back such vivid memories. I could almost hear Mom’s laugh as she twirled the key around her finger, Dad rolling his eyes but smiling all the same. The memory faded as quickly as it had come, leaving me with an all too familiar ache in my chest. I missed them so much, especially in moments like these. They would’ve known exactly what to do, how to handle Elysia’s moods and my own worries. But they weren’t here. It was just me, trying to hold everything together with duct tape and sheer willpower.

I shook my head, refocusing on the task at hand. Now wasn’t the time to get lost in memories or self-doubt. Finally, my fingers closed around the cool metal of the skeleton key. I pulled it out triumphantly, only to pause as I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror. I looked tired, wrinkles that hadn’t been there a year before etched around my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and headed back to Elysia’s room.

As I approached, I saw Grim still standing by the door, looking uncomfortable with Lady Mews in his arms. The cat was meowing more insistently now, as if she knew something was wrong.

“Got it,” I said, holding up the key.

My hand trembled slightly as I inserted it into the lock. I hesitated for a moment, a feeling of dread washing over me. What would I find on the other side? I pushed the feeling aside. This was ridiculous. Taking a steadying breath, I turned the key and pushed open the door.

The room was empty. My heart dropped as I took in the scene before me. Elysia’s bed was unmade, sheets twisted and hanging off the side as if she’d been in a struggle. The window stood wide open, curtains billowing in the breeze. But what made my blood run cold was the message on the floor, spelled out in straws:

Dinner is served.

My legs gave out, and I crumpled to the floor. This wasn’t happening. Elysia was gone, taken right from under my nose. And I hadn’t even checked on her properly last night. I’d just gone to bed, assuming she was asleep.

“No, no, no,” I choked out, tears blurring my vision. “This can’t be real.”

The reality of the situation hit me like a freight train. Elysia had been snatched away while I slept peacefully down the hall. My little sister – my daughter – was probably... I couldn’t evenfinish the thought. The idea of Elysia being hurt – or worse – because of my negligence was too much to bear. I wrapped my arms around myself, rocking back and forth as sobs wracked my body. How could I have been so stupid? So careless? I was supposed to protect her, to keep her safe. Instead, I’d failed spectacularly.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, though I knew Elysia couldn’t hear me. “I’m so, so sorry.”

My mind raced, replaying every moment of the day before. Had there been signs I’d missed? I’d been so focused on her cat, on the relief of getting an extension from Ma-Vasha, that I’d let my guard down completely.

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