Page 54 of Reaper
“Odin doesn’t scare me. He was nice when I met him.”
“That’s something you don’t hear often,” Skuld mutters. “Odin isn’t oftennice.”
“Really?”
“He’s a god. He can’t afford to be nice all the time.”
“That’s a shame. Catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”
I heard that.
“Shit. I forgot he can hear our thoughts.”
“Like I said, you’ll get used to it,” Skuld says with a laugh. We stop in front of a large door. “This is where I leave you.”
“What? No. I want you to come with me.”
“I cannot. This meeting is for you and Reaper.”
“But how will I know where to go?”
“Follow the path, and it will lead you where you must go.”
She shimmers away before I can ask her what the hell that means. I take a deep breath and shove open the door. There are twinkling lights illuminating a stone path.
Follow the path, and it will lead you where you must go.
“Okay, I can do this.”
As I’m walking, the lights suddenly dim, and another door appears. It opens on its own, and I freeze.
Dear God, Reaper is a sight for sore eyes. I take off running, jumping into his arms. He catches me easily, swinging me around.
“Okay, you two,” Odin says after clearing his throat. “We need to talk before you lose yourselves in each other.”
“I’m sorry, Kyra,” Reaper says, ignoring Odin. “I would’ve given anything to save your life.”
“I know. I do. Nothing would have changed the outcome.”
“That doesn’t make it any easier,” he quips. “My actions took you away from your children. I know what that feels like and wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
“Enough!” Odin barks, his voice echoing. “Reaper, you did nothing wrong. Sonny Harris wasn’t going to let Kyra walk out of there on her own two feet. He felt you took his father from him, so he had to take her from you.” He shifts his eyes to me. “And Kyra, you did what most people wouldn’t have had the courage to do.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“You gave Reaper permission to let you go. You gave your life knowing death was a foregone conclusion.”
“None of it had to happen,” Reaper seethes, his happiness at seeing me fleeing him.
“Don’t take that tone with me,” Odin snarls. “It all had to happen. In order to get the two of you right where you stand, everything happened exactly as it should.”
“She’s dead!” Reaper cries. “And her kids are?—”
“Just fine,” Odin barks, swinging his arm to his side. The bank of screens on the wall come to life. “See.”
I gasp when images of Heidi and Hunter at my funeral appear. Reaper growls low in his throat, and I grab his hand. Linking my fingers with his, I watch my children’s lives flash by in a series of short videos and pictures.
“They lived?” I breathe.
