Page 33 of Reaper's Quest

“Need help?” Aoes leaned forward, his hand outstretched.

“I’m good.”

“Are you, though?” Something hard slammed across my back, knocking me flat against the ground, pushing my face into the dirt, and shoving muck into my mouth.

“What the?”

“Have we met?” Aoes asked, his voice hushed. “I feel like we’ve met in the past.”

I cleared my mouth with a strong spit. “Not possible. I’ve never been here before.”

I jerked my shoulders against the weight laid over my back.

Aoes leaned forward, pressing his weight into me and driving me deeper into the ground. “Let’s say I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t care what you believe. This is my first time to step foot in this wretched place.” I bucked, only using a fraction of my strength. I could easily best Aoes if I didn’t need to worry about the transformative magic lingering over my head. “Now, get off me.”

Aoes lowered his face to mine. “First, I need you to tell me why you’re really here.”

“Dude.” I shifted onto my side, shoving against the less-than-friendly guide and the added burden pressing across my body. “We’re here for the job. To collect and nothing more. Now move.”

The fact that Aoes might know, or had known, Ubel andtherefore recognized the resemblance between us held clear possibility.

Probably thinks I’m my dad.

“What’s taking so long?”

At Raven’s question, Aoes jumped back, allowing me enough room to extricate myself from the trench. Raven and Aldine approached, their attention now on the situation between me and Aoes.

“Well?” Raven dropped her hands on her hips.

“This thing fell.” Aoes lifted the weight off me?the pole serving as a marker?and tossed it aside. “He got tangled, and I was helping him get free.”

As if.

Aldine stepped forward. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I grumbled and pulled myself clear of the magical barrier.

Jumping to my feet, I tossed Aoes a burning glare, and mouthed,“Best watch yourself.”

Boiling acid pounded through my veins as I brushed the dirt from my attire and marched straight for the citadel wall. I maintained a path that kept me directly beneath the bridge, safe from being spotted by the guard above.

Aldine jogged to catch up and reached out as if to slow my progress, but I pushed his hand away.

“I told you I’m fine,” I said, my voice clipped.

He backed away.

With me now in the lead, our group climbed the short slope before us. Several feet ahead, an abandoned boat, giving way to the harsh touch of time and the elements, sat deteriorating against a stone support. The vessel’s wood siding looked dry and prickled with splinters.

“In the mood for a boat ride?” Aoes bumped my shoulder and strode past with long strides.

Hissing, I twitched away from the contact, but Aoes either didn’t notice or pretended not to.

“The boat and the path were once used to smuggle goods into the citadel,” he said.

I snorted.Aoes’s story was starting to take form.