Page 87 of Reaper's Quest

Something unreadable swam in Winter’s gaze, lightening and sharpening the color of his sky-blue eyes. His chest heaved, and he dropped his gaze to the soiled piece in his hold.

Don’t say Raven. Don’t you dare say her name.

A sense of dread clenched my heart. Cold and lethal. I pushed the emotion away. I couldn’t afford to grant energy to baseless fright.

Winter raised his head, his mouth dropping open. “It. Ahh…”

Aoes stepped between us, his eyes wide. His arms moved sharply and quickly, accentuating his words. “It was horrible. Your friend was coughing and choking and spitting up blood. I thought for sure he was a goner.”

“Aldine?” The idea that the blood on Winter’s clothing belonged to Aldine was somewhat plausible. Rather wishful.

I swung my attention to the room beside Raven’s and the unlatched door. A sliver of light from the space beyond spilled into the hallway.

I marched for the threshold, pushed the door wide open, and stepped a foot inside. “What happened?”

Aoes stood at my back. “I don’t know. It’s not my area of expertise. I seriously thought he was going to die. But then,suddenly, he was much better. And can you believethis? Somewhat lucid.”

I glanced over my shoulder.

Aoes shrugged. Grimaced. “At least, kind of lucid. Enough to utter a few words and shake his head while asking for something. Couldn’t figure out what he wanted, though.”

Aoes and Winter hovered in the doorway as I moved to Aldine’s side. The older reaper slept, but clear signs ofactivity cluttered the nightstand. A half-empty glass of water, a lukewarm bowl of broth, and…

I snatched the pad of paper and lifted it for Aoes to see. “What’s this?”

I pointed to the letters in rough, unfinished scribbles.

K I L

Did Aldine want to kill someone? Was someone trying to kill him? Or had someone been killed?

My brow tightened.

Aoes moved deeper into the room. “He said something like Killian. I’m not sure what that means, but it seemed to mean a lot to the dude.”

“Killian?” I asked. “Did he saytheKillian?”

“Maybe.” Aoes flipped his hands out at his sides.

“Was anyone else here in this room with him, besides you and Winter?”

“Not that I was aware of.” Aoes tossed Winter a sideways glance.

Winter had backed into the hallway but continued to hold his gaze upon the situation—upon me and Aldine.

A hand clasped my wrist with an iron grip.

I startled with a hard jolt and twisted back to Aldine. Fought the urge to yank my arm free.

“Killian,” Aldine whispered, holding firmly to me. “Came for me.”

I leaned closer and lowered my voice to speak without being overheard by the others standing near the door. “The Killian is a myth. A legend created to keep us in line. Don’t speak of him in front of those who are not one of us.”

“Heisreal. And hewashere,” Aldine said, his voice stern. “He told me my collection was temporarily suspended and that I had my charge to thank.”

Aldine’s charge? But I knew nothing of the so-called Killian. And if not me, then…

Reaping demons.