Down from the Tower (Deadly Endings Book 1) by H. N. DeFore

Author:H. N. DeFore [DeFore, H. N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-07-25T00:00:00+00:00

“You never explained how you became a Reaper.”

Zarev glares down at me as we walk. When night settles in, the land around The Missing Shoe is absolutely gorgeous. The shoes up high seem to have a bit of pixie dust, making them shine like lights outside of the tavern. I’ve learned it’s best to not hang out directly out front during the busy season, because people walk past the doors all night long, making it impossible to hold a real conversation, not to mention keeping anything confidential.

Just past the treeline, little lights are hung in the branches, giving Sherwood a pretty bluish glow. The lights illuminate a winding path, like walking into a secret garden. This is my favorite spot to be at night. Not in the tavern with company and good food, but out here, beneath the stars.

“It’s not a happy story, Rapunzel.”

I scoff. “You’re dead, Zarev. I assume it’s a sad one.”

He shrugs, glancing away from me. The lights gleam off his scythe as we walk, giving it an unusually pretty glow. It’s too early to see the moon, and he already told me we might miss it with the clouds. “People are traveling all over Sherwood, even across The Barrens from Wonderland.”

I nudge him as we walk. “That has nothing to do with anything, Zarev. You’re stalling.”

With a sigh he stops walking, scratching the back of his head. He looks resigned and uncomfortable, like he knew it was inevitable but didn’t want to go down this path. “The four of us - myself, Raymundo, Ban and Lucius - made the grave mistake of trying to steal from the Queen’s gardens in the Red Woods long ago. Legs spotted us and tried to send us back, but guards caught us and brought us before the Queen.”

I surf through my memory, trying to remember the name. “Legs… the gardener?”

“You wouldn’t think she’s one of the good guys would you?” he asks, shooting me a half smirk. “She used to be loyal to the Queen before she stole her legs. The nickname stuck.”

I blink. “She… the Mad Queen stole her legs?”

“Well, ripped them off, if you want to get technical.”

Ripped them off.

To think this is the woman who once abandoned a cat in Tressa is surreal. The Queen was a lot to handle, but not some beast of a ruler back then. Or at least she wasn't during her time in my kingdom.

Zarev looks off into the distance before speaking again. “We were young. It was an ignorant idea, but we were struggling. Across The Barrens in the Red Woods there were different things to eat, drink, trade. I was an orphan, Raymundo a child of many, Lucius was banished, and Ban a murderer. People didn't like us hanging around. Going that far north was an insane attempt to try and bring some money in so we all didn’t struggle as much.”

He pauses, and I have to physically bite my lip to keep from jumping in with questions. He rarely speaks of the other two Reapers, and I’m bursting to ask about them.

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