Page 38 of Reaper's Quest

Aoes’s stoic expression hinted at little emotion, although I suspected he was disappointed in the arrangement. I also sensed his relief to have any deal made. After all, something was better than nothing.

Then again, I might have misread the situation. For him, new company could possibly stand as motivation enough. After a century of the same people—or no people—any visitors in the pub or a few new faces with which to converse had to equal positive change.

Aoes led us to a room at the back. Four low-burninglamps cast limited illumination over our surroundings. Centered in the windowless space, a large table coated with thick dust suggested a long-unused private meeting space free from the possibility of prying eyes.

Visions of Aoes and others coming together to plan their next smuggling caper bloomed in my head.How much time had passed since such a gathering had taken place?

I dragged my finger through the dust, cutting a deep line to the table’s surface.

We locked our belongings inside a cabinet on the side wall, and Mr. Aldine collected the keys from Aoes. Aoes then grabbed an additional set of keys from a desk shoved against the back wall and handed those over as well.

With our travel bagssupposedlysafe and secured, we headed out to explore the citadel.

“Hey.” Aoes raced after us and pulled us to a stop at the door. “I forgot to mention, watch out for the RFYLs. You seriously want to avoid those.”

“What’s an RFYL?” we all asked in unison.

“Run for your life specters. They first showed up close to a hundred or so years ago, and they bring nothing but misery, so avoid them at all costs.”

It took some effort to keep my responding frown from creasing my forehead. For as old as Aoes likely was, I found his use of acronyms rather ridiculous. Why not simply call the elements what they were? Specter or demon or whatever. Definitely rolled off the tongue easier than RFYL.

And the chance of me remembering that acronym… Not likely.

Mr. Aldine jerked straight. “Do you know what they are or where they came from?”

Aoes shook his head. “No one does. They’re an enigma. But they’re what happened to old Earl and many others. They’re the reason for the condition you see, and their presence has been seriously bad for business.”

Zombies. Specters. Magical barriers that turn people into monsters. What is going on with this place?

“Thank you for the warning,” Mr. Aldine said with a nod.

We strode out into the street, leaving Aoes alone at the pub with zombie Earl.

The sign above the pub’s door readBridge Crossings. I took a moment to memorize the name and location, making sure we could return to the proper place for our belongings.

Beyond Aoes’s establishment, a large, open square spread out before us, lit by soft glowing lanterns. In the center of the square, a once tall statue now stood as nothing more than a base and lower body. The image of the one once represented had long ago broken off at the knees.

Located near the citadel’s massive, closed gate, businesses outlined the surrounding open area. A once fine hotel, now boarded up and abandoned, nestled among them. No doubt, the public square had bustled with the daily coming and going of people and provided the first welcome zone for newly arrived travelers—in the days before whatever curse that now plagued the citadel had forced the gates closed to outside civilization.

Back then, the pub was probably a happening place. Full of opportunity and income.

Now, the square and streets, humming with confining magic, evoked a ghostly area image—eerily absent of life and noise.

Could be the late hour or could be the curse.

Above, stars provided a dull gleam, and the moon, settled high, complemented the glow of the lamplight-illuminated street. Plus… I tilted my head… The shimmer of the magical barrier stretched overhead, a rainbow of color…like the Aurora Borealis. Only tattered and torn, with thin patches and jagged holes.

Holes through which flying creatures escaped the citadel.

I gnawed on my lower lip and filed the condition of the barrier magic away for later consideration.

A black bird, little more than a shadow against the night, flew overhead. I dropped my gaze to the retreating forms of my fellow reapers, momentarily snagging on Chace’s backside.

So unfortunate, his drool-worthy good looks.

A crisp breeze brushed my cheek, clearing my thoughts and returning me to my senses.

Redirecting my attention to the path ahead, I placed the pub at my back. Our reaper team walked beyond the square and up the main street in silence. We covered a block, then two. And everywhere we looked?all quiet with no apparent signs of life.