Page 23 of Right Hand Of The Reaper
Chapter Nine
Roux
Theprivateofficeofthe Fates was ridiculously sumptuous. Everywhere was gold and velvet and luxurious fabrics. They were clearly rich but when you knew everything worth bartering, I bet you could set your own price. No wonder they were rich.
The three of them sat in a row along the long sofa, each holding a glass of champagne. They were stunning. A set of androgynous triplets that were dressed in the same pant suit in varying shades of yellow. Dawn was in a pastel shade, Dayna in a bright sunshine and Duskia in dark mustard. The three of them stared at me and I knew, they could see everything about me that was, is and could be all in the blink of an eye. It was a little intimidating.
“So, you’re the new Grim,” Dayna said, their voice like a song.
“Yes,” I replied. “I’m hoping you can help me find the old one.”
“Hmm, Thane has got himself into a spot of trouble, hasn’t he?” Duskia tutted, their voice somehow sounding older than Dayna’s. Or maybe it was wiser.
“Can you help me?” I asked.
Dawn looked at me curiously. “We can tell you whatever you want to know but you can only ask one question of each of us.”
“So, you accept my offer?” That surprised me. I thought they’d want to negotiate terms or something.
Duskia grinned widely and I found it a bit unnerving. “Oh yes. Your terms are very satisfactory.”
“But to make an official contract, we will need to bind your word.” Dawn got to their feet and strode towards me, their blonde hair swaying behind them like a golden curtain.
That meant they wanted to do a magical oath. I could do that; I’d already decided I’d do whatever I needed to get Thane back.
“May I take your arm?” Dawn asked, pulling a knife from inside their jacket pocket.
I nodded and held it out, watching as they sliced into my forearm whilst muttering ancient words. There was a sharp sting, but it wasn’t a deep cut. Dawn dragged their finger through the blood that pooled there all while still chanting those ancient words. Magic sizzled along my skin and settled into my bones. The wound healed and, once Dawn had finished the spell, there was a large symbol that looked like two stars on top of each other surrounded on one side by the moon and on the other, the flares of a sun.
Dawn returned to the sofa and sat with their siblings.
“Now, Reaper,” Dayna said. “Ask us your questions.”
Okay. This was it. Three questions. I needed to be specific because I had a feeling that they’d be stingy with the answer if my question was too open.
I looked to Dawn, the Fate who saw the past. They had their chin propped in their hand and an eager glint in their eyes. “Ask me, child.”
“What did you all discuss with Thane when he visited three nights ago?”
Dawn’s eyes widened and a slow smile curved their full lips. “He asked me to tell him the story of where Nyx and Erebus disappeared to.”
“Why?”
Dawn tutted and sank back into their seat. “Ah ah, just the one question. I will not tell you more.”
Dammit. Why the hell would Thane want to know about Nyx and Erebus? Everyone knew the tale of the dark lovers. How they were separated and punished by the other Gods for creating too much darkness in the world. It was said that Zeus cast them out into nothingness, sworn to be separated forever from each other. Nyx was banished to the night sky and Erebus to the Depths of Hell, the pair never to set their eyes on the other ever again. It was sad really. But what was Thane’s interest in it?
I turned to Dayna, the Fate who could see what is and wondered how to phrase my question this time. I needed to know where Thane was but was it more important to know that he was okay?
“Where is Thane staying safe?”
Dayna chuckled at my question, their eyes brimming with laughter. “Very cleverly worded.” They pursed their lips and I guessed they were thinking about how little they could give away with their answer. “His safe space is the Mansion of Night.”
Where the fuck was that? Was it even a real place?
My last question was the most important one. It was about the future, or what could be. I knew the future wasn’t set in stone, that there were things we could change but I also knew that pivotal moments had to happen and that there was no changing those.
But what to ask?
