56

A New Dawn

XAVIER

With solemn steps, Dalen led us to the ruined Healing Clinic.

Not much was left of the building, its rubble scattered on the streets in a crumbled mess of bodies and blood, desolated like the rest of the city.

I’d let Alexander take control and watched from the psyche as he hobbled alongside our steady-striding father, followed by a guard of armored Reapers. Vendy marched blithely at our other side, her arms folded behind her head, sword rattling at her hip and braid wavering over her back.

The others had left for the last train station that wasn’t ruined by the destruction. We would meet them there later. The concerns of Octavius’s incident with Cilia would have to wait until then, since there were still loose ends to tie here.

We found Dalen’s siblings in the destroyed Clinic, standing over his breathless body. They were in tears, masks peeled off to rub their red-rimmed lids.

Dalen went to them, first explaining it was he, and not a strange horse-shifter. He cursed when looking at the wreckage.

Dalen’s body, looking much like his ghost, was laid on the cluttered floor, motionless and pale.

“I Bloody knew it.” Dalen wiped his eyes. “I knew it. I… I’m dead…”

Our father stepped up to them, demanding an explanation. In hushed whispers and choked hiccups, they told him their story. They spoke of the robbery in the armory, the stolen scythes, the traitorous Reaper, Dalen’s ghost, Maveric Liste, our involvement…

When they’d finished, Father rubbed his beard ponderously.

“Everyone,” he commanded gruffly to the Reapers escorting us. “You are dismissed.”

They saluted with fists to their chests and obeyed, respectfully taking their leave.

Father waited until we were alone, then turned back to the siblings. “For your crimes, you all should be tried and imprisoned. The evidence against you in regards to the stolen scythes is too great, however, so you will be sentenced to hang instead. No council will believe that a Reaper would steal their own weapons.”

“But we didn’t do it!” Carrie sobbed, her freckled face red and eyes blurred with tears. “We swear, it wasn’t us…! We didn’t…!”

Father raised a pacifying hand. “The council will not believe you… but I do.” Father cleared his throat and tugged on his gauntlets. “Your grief for your brother is proof enough for me. I understand the pain—the desperation of wanting to abandon everything to bring him back… And I’m honestly impressed at your bravery for coming before me instead of fleeing. Anyone guilty would have ran at the first sign of getting caught. Death, even if they weren’t guilty, they would have run.”

Carrie rubbed an arm over her eyes. “Th… thank you…”

“Unfortunately,” Father sighed, “this is not evidence enough for a court… Since there were too many witnesses for me to let you run, I must apprehend you, as is my duty. Thus, I see two options before you.” He lifted a hand. “Either stand trial and face death, where your ghosts will be imprisoned in the afterlife…” He lifted his other hand toward Alexander and me. “Or have your ghostly brother serve my sons under a Bloodpact.”

Dalen swallowed, sniffing. “Wh… what’s a Bloodpact?”

“It is the Pact made between a Necrovoker and a ghost, which would bind them in a vassalship,” Father explained, giving a nasally hum. “A Bloodpact is highly respected in Grim. Even those of the council honor this. Such a contract will be seen as an act of atonement for you, Dalen Carter—”

“Tesler,” Dalen’s ghost mumbled. “Carter’s just a name to throw off the Runners…”

Father nodded and began again. “Yes, well… if you accept the Bloodpact, the court may pass judgment in your favor. As for the rest of you, I will have a better chance of getting an appeal to pardon you if you agree to pay for your crimes by serving my sons as well, for a time.”

They all took a long pause, then after exchanging resolute glances, the siblings quietly agreed.

Father folded his arms behind his back, satisfied. “Very well. A Bloodpact it is.”

Vendy shot us her famous crooked-toothed grin. “Looks like I get a friend. Hey, am I older than him in dead-years?”

In the night-darkened ruins of the city, I strode beside Father and our accompanying guard of armored Reapers. The Tesler Siblings huddled between them, tears still stale on their cheeks and sniffles still sounding between sobs. Dalen had formed the Bloodpact with us, and now walked with his physical feet alongside his family, having been resurrected before we left.

I relayed our findings of Sirra-Lynn—or lack thereof—to Father, as well as Maveric Liste’s disappearance. Father listened with impeccable intent, nodding slowly as I explained the arduous turn of events.

We reached the train station, echoing with shouting Reapers and clattering footsteps, the whistle blowing as steam hissed from the hover-train’s chimney at the front.

“And what of your new members?” Father rumbled in a hum, rubbing his peppered beard. He stopped at the platform. “The cat and the officer? They say they… knew the Sentient?”

I shook my head. “We’ve yet to gain clarification, my lord. It seems this Sentient resembles Octavius’s sister… And, I suppose, Officer Ringëd’s fiancée.”

“Could this woman have Changed since they’d last seen her?”

“Unlikely, my lord,” I said. “We had seen Miss Mikani ourselves not days ago. It would have taken her three days after death to Change, and this Sentient we’d faced was far too sure of her convictions than a newborn Necrofera would have been.” I crossed my arms and drummed brooding fingers. “Though, it’s uncanny… she did look much like the woman. Alexan…” I paused, craning to the many Reapers buzzing about the station, then began again. “I… thought the Sentient looked familiar when we’d first met her in High Nulani… but why would a demon as powerful as she look like a modern, living shifter?”

Father considered. “Perhaps this Mikani woman is a descendant of the Sentient?”

I grumbled. “Perhaps… I admit, I hadn’t considered this.”

“It is wise for a Reaper to consider all possibilities in the matter of demons,” Father said, wrapping his arms behind his back. “Do not be so quick to ignore these possibilities, no matter how slight they may be.”

“Yes, my lord,” I said, my spine straightening from habit.

Bloods, this is unnatural, I thought in a shudder, stealing a sidelong glance at Father’s intimidating visage.

Though, oddly, I found little difference in our heights. I remembered when he towered over us, yet now we seemed to match his eye level. I wasn’t sure when that had happened, but I supposed such details were expected to be missed: we’d barely spent more than ten minutes with Father these past few years. It wasn’t as if I had time to pay attention to these things. Which makes this long-drawn interaction all the more unnatural.

“My lord,” I began, clearing my throat. “What is our next objective? With Maveric Liste missing, and likely a demon now, where do we start from here?”

Father stepped onto the hover-train, answering over his shoulder. “We go to this land’s capital. Where miss Bianca’s master will, with luck, have more information to offer.”

“We?” I echoed, stepping aboard behind him, Vendy and the Tesler siblings following after. “You’re coming as well?”

“Your mother and I have business with Everland’s king there,” he said, striding through the empty car and crossing to the next one. “Which, if I’m not mistaken, is where Miss Bianca is studying as well. It seems only prudent that you join us in the king’s quarters if our separate missions meet at the same location. Once you have a new lead to Sirra-Lynn, you may be on your way as per your preference.”

“Ah,” I said. “And, er, how long will it take to reach the capital?”

“A month,” he grunted. “We plan to make multiple stops along the way, to give you and yours proper treatment for your injuries as needed, and to search each city for signs of our retreated Necrofera. One cannot be too careful with a horde that size. If they regain their numbers, we must be prepared.”

He stopped and turned to the Tesler siblings behind us, nodding. “You four are permitted to stay in this cart at your leisure. To discuss future plans and such, and perhaps take time to grieve, if you wish.” His gaze turned sullen at them. He clasped Dalen’s rigid shoulder. “I truly am sorry this happened. But I believe my sons will provide you a safe transition to your afterlife. My wife and I raised them to respect the deceased with great care.”

Dalen’s nod twitched, seeming unsure how to respond. “Th… thanks, High Howllord…”

“Please.” My father curled his hand behind him once more, a broad smile stretching his face in a chuckle. “You are my sons’ vassal now. Along with dear Vendy, here. You may both call me Lucas, if you wish.”

Dalen’s face wrench into stunned shock, and Vendy smiled excitedly.

Father bowed respectfully, murmuring a Grimish prayer to Dalen and his siblings, then left.

Vendy and I followed him through the connecting, accordion tunnel to enter the next car.

This one had many, feathered beds instead of seats, all empty save for one… One where Willow lay covered in layers upon layers of blankets. Her ashen hair fell over the bolted frame, her blue lips warming slowly.

Sitting in a chair beside her slept a second woman, with short, white hair and a velvet-azure cloak. The cloak trailed with silver buttons down the middle, opening only for the hood, chain dangling between the buttons. A blue and white patch in the shape of the Dream King’s sigil was sewn at the breast.

Father nodded to the sleeping woman, seeing her hands were gleaming with an azure light. “I see your mother has asked Yulia to watch Willow in her dreams,” he said, moving his gaze from the Dreamcatcher to turn to me. “Now. You say Willow knows of you both?”

“Yes.” I touched Willow’s cold brow. She was warmer than earlier, thank Death, but it was still far cooler than her usual warmth.

Her usual warmth… I brushed my fingers over my lips, remembering how they burned, though sweetly. That’s right. It had always been that way, hadn’t it? Vague memories resurfaced, but they refused to focus.

“Father,” I began, “What will happen to Willow?”

Father’s gaze dripped into a creased, troubled expression. “That, I’m afraid, I do not yet know. Come. We will discuss such things with your mother.”

He strode to the next car, leaving me behind with Willow.

I traced my fingers over her smooth jaw, tucking a strand of ashen hair behind her ear—

I was pulled into the psyche so swiftly, I found myself tumbling in circles in the psyche. When I’d regained my wits, I righted myself and saw through the void’s window as Alexander tugged his coat and stormed after Father, muttering. “Bloody pest. This is my body you’re using…”