The Reaper by Mya Richter

Author:Mya Richter [Richter, Mya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MYA RICHTER
Published: 2022-07-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

23

Kalieth

My father used the drearwood chains to hang the Reaper from the ceiling. His boots hung nearly a foot off the ground while his arms were stretched over his head, angled away from his body on either side. He was confined to a small cell with stone walls and a single iron-barred door. Etched into the stone walls of his cell was a symbol. Two hands holding up the moon. The symbol of the gods. As if my father saved this cell for the Reaper– as if he knew all along.

I held the key to his chains in my hand, as well as the rusted brass one that opened the cell door. I watched closely from the hall as his chest rose and fell. He clutched the drearwood chains tight to try to take some of the pressure off his wrists. His neck was too weak to hold up his head. It rested uncomfortably against his chest. But relief coursed through me with each breath he took.

Breath in.

Breath out.

As long as the rise and fall of his chest continued, hope for the city would live on. Hope for peace lived on.

My father stood within the Reaper’s cell. He looked up into the Reaper’s eyes with curiosity. His hands were crossed behind his back while he paced the short length of the cell. “What do you think, Kal?” he called. One hand slowly reached for the Reaper’s face. “Is it time to see who lies behind this mask?”

“No.” The word left my mouth before I could stop it. I knew it was not the answer my father wanted to hear. Even the Reaper raised his head to look down on me, knowing that I’d just made an idiotic mistake.

I couldn’t explain what I felt in that moment. But seeing my father’s hand reaching to rip the Reaper’s mask off his face… it sickened me. I couldn’t bear to see it. I wanted nothing more than to know the face under the mask. But I wanted the Reaper to show me himself. I wanted the trust that would come with the reveal.

“No?” my father repeated as his brows knotted together.

I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. “I only meant that unveiling the Reaper alone in your dungeon would not be nearly as satisfactory as doing it in front of the whole city.”

My father cocked his head. I’d gained his interest.

“If you wait for tomorrow, we can do it publicly. Unravel everything the Reaper has worked for by showing his true face. Show the people that they cannot hope to defeat the Vermillions, that the Reaper is nothing more than a vengeful man who failed.”

An inhuman sound came from the Reaper as he thrashed against his chains. A sound that brought a smile to my father’s lips. There was nothing more satisfactory to him than having control over others. He would do anything if it meant breaking the Reaper’s spirit before his execution.

“Very well. You’ll see to the preparations?” Xaphan asked. He turned away from the Reaper and left his cell.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.