Page 29 of Shadow Seer (Scythe Grove Academy 1)

Mathias clears his throat. "We should go to Juliet's before they decide to lock us out."

I nod, trying to ignore the disappointment welling up within me. "Yes."

But I'm not going to be forgetting this moment between us any time soon. If anything, I'm going to end up fixating on it more than I should. Hopefully, that will help me come to a conclusion for what I want to come from it and what I want from him.

Chapter Thirteen

I'm nervous being outside the academy for the first time since receiving the summons from the Shadow Association, but I know I need to be here if I want to see what happens when a ghost is reaped.

If we were on our own schedule, perhaps I'd have had to wait. But after it became clear Denise's death was due to foul play, we moved onto a very different one. When the police called this morning to say they were going to arrest Daniel, it made it impossible for us to say no to leaving. If this is Denise's unfinished business, then she'll be ready to move on and we sho

uld be there to reap her. We could have passed it on to the Reaper Guard, but I can't run away from the first reaping I'm going to be a part of.

I glance over my shoulder, half expecting someone I know from the Shadow Association to be standing there with ropes and a bag for my head. They're not. Which makes sense when it's the middle of the day.

Not that they'd need anything as mundane as ropes and a hood if they're all supernaturals. I'm almost certain they'd be able to overpower me considering I'm an eighteen-year-old reaper who had no idea about her powers until recently, never mind any control over them.

At least I have my scythe with me. I'm not sure whether or not it'll do any good protecting me, or how much trouble I'd get in if I used it that way, but it's a reassuring weight on my back.

"Nothing bad is going to happen," Mathias assures me. "We're going to make sure everything is fine."

I sigh. "I really hope you're right."

The policeman in front of us knocks on the door a few times but doesn't announce himself. I suspect that's the next step. It's strange to be waiting behind law enforcement when I've only ever seen them from a distance before.

The door swings open, revealing Daniel with a confused expression on his face. Denise floats a few feet behind, a surprised expression of delight on her face.

"Daniel Robinson, you're under arrest for the murder of Denise Robinson..."

"No." The man in question stumbles back before turning and racing through the house, presumably to the back door. The police aren't fools. I'm sure they have it covered.

The two officers at the front with us chase after him, leaving Mathias and I alone with the ghost.

"Thank you," Denis says to me.

"You're welcome. Are you ready to move on?" A small part of me worries about doing this without another seer around, but Tobias briefed me before I came out here. I still wish he and Juliet could have come with us, but they had to be at a meeting.

"I think so."

"Okay. Mathias is going to do that for you. Is there anywhere, in particular, you want to be for this?"

She shakes her head. "This is fine. I just want to be out of this house."

"All yours," I say to Mathias.

"Hi Denise," he says. "I'm going to get my scythe out now and open the portal."

She nods, which I know he can see. It's strange to me that not all reapers have the same abilities, but I suppose it makes sense. People have different skills even if they have the same capabilities. It would be weird if we were all exactly the same.

Mathias pulls his scythe from his back. He places both hands on the shaft and spaces his feet apart to give himself a good centre of balance. The wood on his staff is a lighter colour than the ebony of mine, and the blade is shorter and fatter than mine. I don't think that's anything to do with function, as this seems to fit with the idea of Mathias in my head, just like my slimmer and thinner blade fits better with me.

I step back to ensure he has enough space to swing.

He brings his scythe in a powerful arc towards where Denise is standing. She doesn't even flinch as it flies towards her. Maybe she expects it. Then again, being dead probably makes her less worried about getting hurt. Something changes in the air, and even though I don't have the same abilities as he does, I can sense the world reforming around a path to the next realm.

The air shimmers, almost as if there's a heat haze. I'm guessing that's where the path to the next world is, even if I can't see it.

"Your path is ready for you, Denise," Mathias says softly. "Good luck on your journey."

---