Page 98 of Payne's Envy

The group scattered like flies after that. I didn’t make it out the door with my mate before her father called my name.

Joy and I looked back at him. “I need a minute alone with Payne.”

She kissed my cheek and left the room.

“You have your memories back.” It wasn’t a question. He pointed to the weapons on my back. “When I saw them the last time we were in this room, I knew.”

“I didn’t have my memories fully then, but I do now.”

He nodded. “Do you know why you lost them to begin with?”

“That’s why you wanted to speak to me?”

He sighed. “Joy brought up what the angels did to me and Melanie. My daughter accused me of separating you two like they did us, and my heart shattered into pieces. She was partly right. I might not have kept you apart completely, but I forced you away. I was so scared by what you had done to Joy that I ignored how much you loved her. She loved you so much in return. I could go on and on about it, but I’ll just say sorry.”

“The first time she touched me after that incident was one of the most terrifying seconds of my life. For months, I’d done so well at getting away from her until she had caught me off guard and hugged me from behind. My heart felt as if it had stopped. I jerked away from her so quickly, thinking I’d see that nightmare again, but I didn’t. She just looked confused and hurt by my reaction. I couldn’t trust myself to touch her again. What I’m trying to say, I guess, is… Even if you hadn’t done what you did, I would have still pulled away from her. Too terrified the wrong touch could send her up in flames again.”

Grim covered his face. “I’m sorry that we could never find the answers you needed.”

I stared at his gloved hand again. “You need to tell your family.”

He froze. “Tell them what?”

I walked up and grabbed his wrist. Grim could have done so many things. Faded or pushed me away. Instead, he let me rip off the glove and see the nothing-less inside. He had no hand. If he did, it was so transparent I couldn’t make it out.

“You’re fading away before the end,” I said.

Grim took a deep breath, pulled his hand away, and replaced the glove. “I am old. It started with me. Before Melanie, before my kids, I existed with the sole purpose of ascending and descending souls, trying to find a balance in both worlds. The end is making sure I can’t do that anymore. I came first. It only makes sense for me to leave first.”

“You have to tell them.”

“I need them to have hope. I need them to succeed.”

“If you’re suddenly gone one day, do you think they’ll be able tohope?”

“Melanie and I will tell them soon.”

My shoulders drooped as the tension drained. “You were doing what you thought was best back then. I told Joy that. She loves you very much, and will forgive you like I have.”

Grim patted my arm. “Thanks for that. Now go. I wish to be with my wife, even if it’s only a moment.”

He faded before I made it out the door. I didn’t surprise me that the two Reaper brothers propped up near the door when I cracked it open. Sebastian pushed himself off the wall and faced me.

“You heard,” I stated.

“We already assumed,” Barron replied.

“It’s just not as easy for us to call him out on it like it was for you,” Sebastian muttered as he pulled at his hair and paced.

Barron’s red essence moved around him erratically. “It’s why he’s helping us plan now, because he won’t be there.”

“We’re going to destroy Harvest,” I said. “We’ll stop the end.”

“It’s already here. It’s been here this whole time, but we don’t acknowledge it.” Barron scowled. “What we’re trying to do now is save what’s left of a world already dipped in ruin.”

“Even so…” Sebastian looked at Barron. “As long as there’s people to save, we still have a job to do.”

“That’s not what you were thinking the day you saved Isabella instead of the human realm.”

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