Page 29 of Reaper's Quest

Except maybe…

Reluctantly, I pulled a chunky chocolate bar free from my bag’s side pocket and raised the treat into the air. “I have this.”

He scrutinized the block in my hand and sniffed the air. “What is it?”

I waved the chocolate bar, attempting to waft more of the sweet aroma in his direction. “This is a sweet, tasty treat. Have you ever tried a chocolate bar?”

“We don’t have any cocoa beans, but we have something similar.” His smile wavered, as if he questioned the quality ofany substitute. With a shrug, he attempted to drop all emotion from his expression. “Okay. I will accept that as a start.”

“A start?” I hooked my fists on my hips. “Greedy much? Unless you want my hair comb or toothbrush, I don’t have anything else of interest.”

He appeared to entertain the proposed trade for a moment, then motioned to the approaching members of my team. “What do they have?”

Mr. Aldine stepped forward and drew a wary gaze over the guy. “Who do we have here?”

“Aren’t you…?” Chace pointed to the guy, then swung his hand toward the citadel’s entrance.

“Yeah,” the guy replied. “I was the one inside the guard tower. Lucky me, I happened to be visiting my buddy Fen this evening. I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to miss your arrival. Probably the highlight of this century.” He thrust his hand forward. “The name’s Aoes, by the way.”

Chace glanced at Aoes’s ears, then he narrowed his glare on the guy’s hand but made no attempt to connect.

I arched my eyebrows. If Aoes truly was the same guy from the other side of the magical barrier, then the fact that he stood before us was impressive…and hopeful. The clenching in my chest eased ever so slightly.

Mr. Aldine cleared his throat. “Why don’t you come out from between the trees?”

Aoes glanced in the direction of the citadel entrance. “It would be best if Fen didn’t learn of my presence here.”

“Aoes says he can get us into the citadel,” I said. “But he considers himself an entrepreneur.”

“Meaning?” Mr. Aldine pressed.

Aoes raised his chin and smiled widely. “Meaning I will happily trade my services if you have something of interest or worth.”

“Right,” Chace mumbled.

He crossed his arms and braced his feet shoulder-width apart. Suspicion caught in the creases of his eyes.

“Hey,” Aoes blurted. “I can get you safely inside the citadel. I don’t believe there is any other who can make the same claim. You saw me in there”?he jabbed a point toward the citadel’s main gate?“and now I’m here. That should be proof enough for you lot.”

A smidgen of Chace’s cold façade chipped and slipped away, but not nearly enough to make him anywhere near warm and welcoming.

“We shall accept your trade,” Mr. Aldine said. “What can we offer you in exchange for your assistance?”

“What do ya’ got?” Aoes motioned them closer with an inward fold of his hand.

Chace huffed. “Why do we have to pay him anything when we could just follow him when he heads back inside?”

“Unethical,” Mr. Aldine declared.

“But true.”

His family is not in the business to help the departing souls, but to be the absolute best at claiming souls.My father’s words didn’t project an image of an ethical family.

A touch of the devil twinkled in Aoes’s bright eyes. Mischievous and unlawful. “You wouldn’t be able to follow me unless I allowed you to do so.”

“I think you’re bluffing.” Chace’s shoulders stiffened, and he turned his gaze away, the corner of his left eye twitching.

Why is he being a larger jerk than necessary?I shed the thought with a shake of my head.