But when I notice the bandit from earlier, the one who kidnapped Gem, it’s almost enough of a shock to allow me to ignore the searing heat. I start to push myself onto my elbows.
Instead, the movement sends a spike of agony tearing through my chest and I crumple back to the earth.
“Take it easy,” the bandit says sternly, still avoiding my question.
I ask again, through gritted teeth, and I wish I could claim it’s from vigor instead of pain. “What did you do with my sister?”
“She’s safe,” he says. “That’s all that matters.”
The vague answer reminds me of something my brother would’ve said, but the tone is that of my father’s, and I’m aggravated all the more.
Before I can demand any real answers though, the bandit lifts me off the ground and hoists me like a sack of potatoes across his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” I manage between winces.
This time, Sinisa steps in. I’ve never heard her sound so fierce. “Put him down, or—”
“Stop,” the bandit says gruffly, cutting her off. He peers over at me, slung over his back. “You plan on living long enough to see your sister again, right?”
The question cuts away any fight I had left.
“That’s what I thought. I’m taking you to camp. You’ll find her there, safe and unharmed.”
With me on his shoulder, he climbs over the rocks and boulders until we reach flat ground again. Sinisa follows closely behind, her hand readied. My brow furrows, and I shake my head at her, and surprisingly, she listens, lowering her arm with a grumble.
Once atop the rocks, I peer over the bandit’s shoulders, sensing something ahead. Through the trees, I see glints of campfires for the first time and wonder how we managed to miss them before. The bandit camp was practically right on top of us. It’s probably how this bandit found us, likely hearing our screams, maybe even the wolves who howled right before they attacked. Maybe he came to check out the commotion and see if we were all right.
“What are you after?” Sinisa asks, her eyes dark and menacing as she comes around to face him. “First, you kidnap his sister, then you stalk him? If you wanted the prince so badly, why didn’t you just take him when you used the daminila pollen?”
The bandit growls, and I feel it rattling against my torso. We’re both silent for a moment, waiting for more of an answer, but when it becomes clear he’s not giving one, I let my thoughts wander.
Without Sinisa’s help, I would be dead. I have no doubt of that. It’s a miracle she was able to subdue one wolf, let alone all four. I know I shouldn’t guilt her for killing them, but part of me can’t help but wonder if there had been another way. All my life I’ve been told that death is wrong, evil. We’re taught growing up that every life is important, every living creature no matter how small has value.
Except for babies born with deformities that they can’t help, I guess…which contradicts everything when I think about it. If every life has value, then surely so do the most vulnerable among us. And if I’m all that stands between Gem’s life or death, then maybe it was right that the wolves died. At least it was quick. Painless.
When did everything I’ve ever known start to seem so backward?
Sinisa leans in close, even though the bandit can likely still hear her. “We can’t trust him.”
The man snorts. “And I suppose the prince is supposed to trust a Reaper?” Unlike most people, there’s no disgust behind the word when he says it. He just seems to be calling her out, challenging her to argue with him. “Tell me, how did your paths cross? Wasn’t it the princess you were meant to kill?”
I stiffen, unable to find words. He can’t know that, not unless he’s been following me a lot longer than just since my arrival in Ngal.
It’s obvious his words have disturbed Sinisa as well.
“Who are you?” she asks, the words so forceful that licks of black smoke spark beneath her skin.
I wonder what it would take for her to unleash the same force onto the bandit that she released on the final wolf. I’m not sure I want to find out.
The bandit stops walking and inhales deeply. “The name’s Rhetriel. Rhet, if you don’t mind.”
Turning around, Rhet looks her up and down, grimacing the entire time, as if he found her so hideous to look at, it was hurting him to continue doing so. Don’t get me wrong, I know she is a Reaper, but she isn’t painful to stare at. Unlike the images of Reapers in Gem’s book, Sinisa is actually, admittedly, surprisingly pleasing on the eyes. There’s a swagger to her hips when she walks that would be mesmerizing if I stared too long. And her eyes, although the depths of their sadness are a bottomless pit, there’s something striking about them, fierce and unyielding. I’ve also seen her smile, unbound by darkness. Not many people can say they’ve seen a Reaper smile. It makes me feel privileged, knowing it is all the more special.
I clear my throat and roll my shoulders when I realize I’ve been staring too long, but thankfully neither of them seem to notice. The movement of my arms makes me also realize that the pain continues to dwindle. In fact, my shoulder feels almost numb now.
“Okay, Rhet. Who are you?” she prods further. “Why did you take the princess?”
He grunts. “That’s as much as you need to know for now.”
“Fine. How much farther are we going then?”
The question takes me by surprise. As best I can, I prop myself up to peer around Rhet’s head, easily spying the bandit camp just ahead. From a distance, the towering wooden
