Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

6 - Human

NP: Flowers For A Ghost by Thriving Ivory

We barely made it through the ruins of what used to be the golden bridge when I saw a girl emerge from the woods that bordered the labyrinth.

Vincent saw her too and motioned at me to take cover behind the overturned chunks of concrete.

The girl looked around as if she was lost. Somehow, she looked familiar, but I couldn't see her clearly from my spot without revealing myself.

"A familiar?" I mouthed to Vincent.

He shook his head and risked a peek. As he gave the girl a long once-over, he knotted his brows. He looked at me, then at the girl and back. All of a sudden, his face paled. Before I could ask why, he had already abandoned Amyr and headed for the girl.

His steps were slow but careless, as if he was sleepwalking.

"What the hell, Vincent?" I hissed.

If he heard me, he didn't show any sign.

Grudgingly, I peered from the side of the concrete.

Vincent was already in front of the girl.

From what I could make out, she was a very skinny girl with pale yellow hair stretching down to her thighs. There was an ashen tinge beneath her olive skin, making her brown eyes seem lighter than they really were.

Oddly enough, I found myself walking towards her.

I couldn't believe my eyes even as I stared at her face. I felt like I was looking at myself in the mirror.

Vincent just stood there. Not saying a word. Just... looked at her-that look when you're rummaging in the attic and found a favorite childhood toy you thought you had lost forever.

I thought something just cracked inside of me. Soon, everything would start shattering. And I didn't know how long I could keep it together.

"A-adrianna?" Vincent breathed out, managing to smile with his eyes.

It had been a while since I saw that smile. Before, I had wished so many times to see it on his face. So why did it hurt?

All of me ached to stop him. Instead, I just clenched my fists on my sides. I wanted to say something, but I knew I had no right to.

The girl did look like Adrianna. Like me. But a few inches shorter, with clear brown eyes and a kind smile. More delicate. More... perfect: bare feet, tattered white dress and all. The traces of her Swarth self were gone.

"You came back," he said, his quiet voice hoarse. "Is it... really you?"

Gently, the girl nodded; eyes on the ground, modest smile.

"What-H-how?" Vincent shook his head in disbelief, yet the look on his face told me he was hopeful for the contrary.

Adrianna looked distracted.

"I need to find the Grandmaster and quick." Even her voice was gentle.

"What for?" Vincent approached her, took her hand without even thinking twice. "Cairo nullified the barrier in the abyss. We have to go get Vlad and the others before the 'monster' wakes up and tear the whole place down."

Adrianna tilted her head, her pale brows puckering ever so slightly.

"Monster," she murmured in a dejected tone. "Does such thing truly exist? Are we not all simply... people striving to make ends meet, thrust into the world and responding to circumstances?"

Vincent threw me a look from the corner of his eye. "I... guess."

The girl gave him an approving smile. "More importantly, I must see the Grandmaster. It is of utmost importance."

"What for?" I couldn't stop myself.

Adrianna looked at me, then at Vincent as if debating whether I was worthy of her answer or not.

"He's at the castle entrance," Vincent answered obligingly, starting to lead the way. "Let's hurry."

Without another word, the girl took off.

"Well she's in a hurry, alright," I murmured to myself.

Vincent finally spared me a glance. More like a glare, really as he shook his head like I just ruined his life.

"God! You're just... so willing to leave us, huh?" I scoffed.

Wordlessly, he started after Adrianna.

I hated myself. I hated the wrenching feeling in my gut. I hated that I just couldn't be happy for him. For them.

Before he could get far, I said, "How sure are you... that it's her? That she's even human?"

He stopped, but he didn't answer. He couldn't even face me.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Because all of a sudden she pops out of nowhere and you just... start trusting her and doing whatever she says? No questions asked?"

"It is her," he said softly. "This is Adrianna we're talking about."

"Yeah... Adrianna," I breathed in, nodding. "Adrianna who used to be the head you sent to Hector, remember? S-see she was my... tank-neighbor back in the lab. Heck, the only reason why Alessandra took over and forced me to get captured was to free Adrianna. Adrianna who just an hour ago, was a Swarth. Adrianna who's dead-"

"Shut up!" he roared, his muscles trembling in ripples. He faced me. His left eye was still black. The other was back to normal. "You've no right!"

I forced a smile, blinking the mist that shrouded my sight. "You're right. I don't. I mean, she's here. Long lost soul mates, reunited. Finally. I totally get that. But how long has it been, Vincent? She was gone for hundreds of years."

"And it was my fault."

"Maybe," I shrugged, disguising a sob for a sigh. "B-but the whole time I was with you... after all we've been through, doesn't that mean anything?"

He pressed his lips together, his eyes on the ground.

"What now? You mean to say I have no right to your trust? Even just a little?"

His silence was the most painful thing I had ever heard. I couldn't stop myself from shattering after all.

"Silence means yes." I faked a chuckle.

I turned my back on him and went to Amyr who was still unconscious. With his arm over my shoulder and mine around his waist, I stood us up.

When I looked back, Vincent was gone.

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WARNING: The next few lines may contain shameless plugging. Hurling rotten tomatoes towards the author is not prohibited, but I just bought this shirt.

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