Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

40 - Scarlet Woman (1 of 2)

There was a boy with the world on the palm of his hands

Bright like a star but he burnt everything that he had

Trading his life, punching hole in his veins

Fear of the height was a long fall from grace

40 - Scarlet Woman

I woke up to the sound dried leaves crunching under several pairs of boots. When I opened my eyes, the world was somehow upside down and was bobbing rhythmically. I told myself that that didn't make any sense.

I know. And I had just been shoved out of my sister's imaginary world through a door that had magically appeared in the middle of the forest.

Groaning, I swallowed the bile that crept up my throat. I realized then that the world hadn't turned upside down all along. It was me who was slung upside down on someone's back.

My limbs felt numb and lifeless. My eyes were so tired I could barely keep them open. I lifted my head as much as the dizziness would allow me without throwing up.

Was it just my mind playing tricks on me or was I actually inside Sinclair Mansion? And the dilapidated, abandoned one at that? Not the Adrianna-version of the Sinclair Mansion.

The people carrying me seemed to be in a rush on their way out of the hall of Doors.

"Vlad?" It was Alex's voice. "I think the Woman is waking up."

When I glanced to my right, I saw Adrianna slung over Alex's shoulder.

I heard Vladimir grunt exhaustedly. "I just gave it the last of our SirenSoul. I guess we have no choice but to destroy it before it wakes up."

"And how are we going to do that exactly, eh Vlad?" Hector asked.

"I don't know!"

"Maybe we can use that Helcium pendant on it."

"The pendant isn't a cure-all, Hector. It protects the user. It doesn't kill anything." Vladimir sighed. "If Aramis doesn't wake up soon--"

"I'm awake," I moaned, trying to lift my head but failed.

As soon as we reached the living room, the person carrying me sat me on the nearest intact chair. Dust and webs stirred, making us cough.

Amyr's face was the first thing that registered to me. He propped me carefully on the armrest so I wouldn't slide down.

"How're you feelin', Noob?"

"Like I donated four bags of blood," I mumbled. "What happened?"

"You passed out in the middle of the ritual," Vladimir answered, his face grim. "Vincent--the Beast got through the others and went after the Woman. We had no choice but to take both of you out of Halo."

Alex craned his head towards the hallway as if waiting for something. He kept fidgeting with the button at the end of his sleeves. "How did it go, Aramis? Did the ritual work?"

"I'm... not sure," I answered.

My reply seemed to have extinguished what little hope remained in the room.

"It won't be long now," Hector muttered, staring blankly at the floor. "Vincent's going to get here. You saw what he's capable of! We don't even know if the Haljans and the other cabals are still alive. Vincent will find us and--"

"Shut your friggin' face hole, Hector!" Belial hissed, taking a nice long glug from her flask. "It ain't helpin'."

Across from me, Alex set Adrianna on the floor. Her face looked as serene as when I had left her in the forest inside her mind. The other familiars gathered around her as she began to stir. They trained their weapons on her.