Page 45 of Villainous Greed

“Oh, so that’s what we’re doing.”

“I knew something felt off about you that day,” August said, pulling my attention away from the past unfolding before us. “I was too young to realize it might not be you.”

“It’s not me,” I murmured as Younger August asked Not-Me, “Why are you acting so weird?”

My thoughts whirled as I watched Young August falter and stumble with his words as the fake me stared at him like he was the dirt beneath his shoe. Exactly how August inmymemories had looked at me. The truth unfolded before me as I gawked at the blackness wafting around Not-Me. The answer was within the blackness. August didn’t betray me. What happened between us was so obvious it hurt. There was an entity who could become whoever he wanted to be. An immortal with an icky black essence that seemed to spill out around him if one paid attention to auras.

Our past was Harvest’s doing. The very creature who kept me shackled in a cell for a century turned me against August because of his sick game.

“I’m going tokill Harvest.” August eyes blackened completely as his grip tightened on me. “Long before the end, the entity has been plaguing us. A player of faces—Fuck! I should have considered this. He was the entity searching for you back then, too.”

I gripped his cloak. “How did we not know? I didn’t see Harvest’s essence back then.” Or anyone’s.

“I think we were too young back then,” August said as he watched the younger version of him. “I was so desperate to chase after you. That desperation is the only thing that got me through the barrier.”

Just as he said that, Not-Me sent Young August flying with the flick of the wrist, then left him there. Young August was screaming and pulling at his hair as he sprinted through the woods. Still in August’s arms, we chased after Not-Me and Young August’s yellow essence burst to life around him. Young August walked through the barriers as if nothing was there. I didn’t think Young August realized he was running through layer after layer of heavy magic.

“Do you see my essence? This is when I unlocked it for the first time.” August’s jaw tightened. “To think, moments after my encounter with Harvest impersonating you, I gained the ability to see mine and everyone else’s soul.”

Sweat beaded my forehead as we continued to follow Younger August. If he found us that day… I didn’t want to see any more of the memory. I tugged at his cloak, causing August to glance down at me. He wasn’t out of breath, even holding me.

“Let’s leave,” I urged him. “We got the truth. I don’t want to see them dead again.”

“You need to see this. You need to see where they went.”

“Please,” I begged, tensing as the tents and cottages came into view. Derrick’s men lay slaughtered throughout the camp.

“I unlocked my Reaper powers this day.” August stopped running. He didn’t go inside the cabin, but the gut-wrenching scream that came from Young August the second he slipped inside stole my breath.

My chest tightened as the young boy wailed in what sounded like agony.

I covered my mouth and allowed myself to cry with him. I grieved for the little boy and girl we once were. Nothing that happened was fair. My hatred for over a century resulted from Harvest. I didn’t think I could despise Harvest any more than I already did. No wonder he knew what August did to me, since it was actually him. Harvest tormented me, reminding me over and over how August had abandoned me. I bet the entity thought he was so clever to see me so infuriated.

I froze when Young August walked out carrying Sofia. “What…”

My heat gave a little twist as Sofia kept chanting, “You’re too late, you’re too late.”

How…?My ears rang as I watched her stand beside Young August as he dug four large holes.

“She survived?” I asked.

“Sofia is still alive,” August confirmed. “She’s been with me since then.”

Been with him?Something in my stomach felt like it was sinking at those words, and I wasn’t sure why. Sofia was alive. That was… I smiled. “Thank you.”

“Keep watching,” August said, smiling slightly when he saw my own.

“I…” I frowned as three white orbs darted out of the house and circled Young August. “What is that?”

“Odin, Finn, and Cloud’s souls,” August replied. “I shouldn’t have been able to see them. Dad hadn’t given me my Reaper powers yet, but when you guys died, I tapped into them on my own that day.”

I felt my forehead crinkle.

“What I’m trying to say is I sent them to Heaven.” August pointed to the sky. “You understand, don’t you? They’re in a place we can’t reach, likely living carefree.”

I lifted my arm high and imagined what Heaven must be like. Still in the memory, we were in the Underworld, staring up at a dark, empty sky. I wondered what their new home must be like. Was Heaven bright and hot like the human world could be in places? Did it make their insides feel warm and comforted? While I imagined, I said, “They’re free.”

“They’re free,” August confirmed.

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