Death Warden by C.J. Stilling

Author:C.J. Stilling
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Young Adult Fiction, Action & Adventure, General
ISBN: 9781999219208
Publisher: Saeculi Incorporated
Published: 2019-11-15T13:44:56.056242+00:00

I hope you haven’t forgotten my invitation. Looking forward to tomorrow. Fondest regards, Erend.

Reen smiled, returned the card to the envelope, and leaned forward until her nose brushed the flowers. She inhaled deeply.

“Well?” Klara demanded.

“Well, what?” Reen asked, feigning innocence.

“What’s this about?”

“Oh, Erend invited me to the Caravors’ Landing Day ball.”

“You? He invited you to the Caravors’?”

“Yes, so what?”

Letting out a shriek, Klara stormed toward the door, then spun around. “You’re just a commoner, you know. A filthy, ignorant commoner. You can lift your skirts for all the boys you want, but none of them will marry you.”

Reen kept her face passive as Klara disappeared. Randal tilted his head, and his eyes narrowed with concern.

“You think that bothered me?” Reen asked. “Please. Considering what we have to do, the words of a spoiled girl aren’t going to upset me. Besides, she’s right. I am a commoner, even if I’m not as ignorant as I was. She says it like it’s something to be ashamed of, as if she earned her station in life.” Reen sighed. “She didn’t pick her life and Life Giver knows I didn’t pick mine. I wouldn’t be here if I had.”

Randal mimed taking a dagger and plunging it into his heart. Her custodian assumed the same pose behind him. Reen picked up a bun from the table and threw it at Randal, who snatched it out of the air. Storming death warden reflexes.

“You know what I mean,” she said. “You guys are all great. I love being with you and all the things you’ve taught me, it’s just that . . .”

Randal nodded. Of course, he understood.

“Oh, winter lilies!” Isbelle said, entering the dining room in a beautiful red dress. Her eyes settled on the ring that held the stems. “Are these yours, Reen?”

“Yes.” She explained about Erend’s invitation.

“Well?” Isbelle asked. “Are you going to go?”

“I told him yes, but I don’t have a costume.”

Isbelle waved a hand. “Don’t let that stop you! We’ll get you something suitable.”

“It doesn’t matter, I suppose. He said I could go in trousers.”

“Trousers?” Isbelle looked more horrified then when they’d found the body in the bathtub. “Remember who you represent now, young lady. No woman of this household will ever wear trousers to a dance.” She smiled to take the sting from her words. “Oh, it will be so nice for you. I remember my first Landing Day ball. I dressed up as Lady Margrit and Manus was Saint Thomlin. And the dancing was . . .”

Randal hopped to his feet and bowed low. Isbelle took his hand, and they pranced around the room.

“Dancing? No, no.” Reen shook my head. “I’ve changed my mind then. I’m not going.”

“Oh, dancing is easy. Especially if you have a good partner, and Erend should be well-trained. You’ll have a great—“

A crash from upstairs killed the words on her lips. Instantly, three sets of black wings unfolded. Reen might be a commoner, but she belonged there more than anywhere else.

They shadow-jumped to the second floor hallway and emerged to a shrill yowling coming from Reen’s room.

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