The Grim's Daughter

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:

Reaper Manor looked like it had been abandoned for hundreds of years with dead rose thorns twined around its steel gates and crusty brown leaves scattered across the ground. The sculptures and statues in the endless garden were drowning in green moss and leaves from the trees above their heads. Nevaeh took her scythe from out it's case, chucking the case at the ground. It took only a few seconds for her to unfold her scythe and cut through the rose thorns with the sharp blade. She was just about able to open the gates and sneak in. 

In the Manor there was only silence. She ran to the gallery, where the wall had been hit with something heavy, repeatedly. Nevaeh stepped into the blackness, where her eyes started to glow. But Dusk wasn't there. The floor was black, with only a small light shining on the floor that had almost closed. "No!" shouted Nevaeh, running towards it. She quickly jumped at it, her eyes closed. "Did I make it?" 

She opened her eyes, seeing the bridge above her head. "I made it," she sighed in relief. Nevaeh got up from the floor, looking around. She hid in the darkness, away from all the street lamps. "Where would Dusk be?" she asked herself. Nevaeh walked around the stairs, leading to the bridge over the train track, noticing a man, pacing fastly as he tried to get around the block; his hood was over his head, his hands warmed by black gloves and wearing long, black robes. Nevaeh walked behing the bring wall near the stairs, watching Dusk as he hurried. "I've found you!" she whispered. 

Dusk walked fast, almost to fast for Nevaeh to keep her eye on him. But she managed. He ran through an alley, where Nevaeh ran in too, and rushed back out when he had stopped in the middle of the alley, standing with his back to her. As soon as a girl with a blue hood above her head walked in, he kept to the shadows. Then something fell. Nevaeh peaked her head around the corner, seeing the girl collapsed onto the floor. "The sacrafice!" Nevaeh gasped. 

He picked up the girl and swung her around his shoulder before walking again. "You'll make a fine sacrafice," he whispered to the girl, who was knocked out. 

Nevaeh followed him into an old building. There were tall fences around, and a sign on one saying, 'No Trespassing. Building Under Construction.' Nevaeh's body froze for a second or two at looking at the place. Though, she knew she had to save the girl and the Underworld. Dusk used his scythe to cut through the metal chain holding the fences together. Nevaeh waited until Dusk had disappeared and ran inside after him. 

He had walked up the stairs and into a small room. Nevaeh waited by the stairs when she heard him talking to someone. 

Plaster fell from the ceiling above her as Dusk walked. Nevaeh could here him placing the girl onto a table. "Ah, Luko. I see you've came to your senses. For a while, I did worry. But as I promised, when I become leader of the Underworld, YOU will be second in comand."

For a moment Nevaeh didn't know what was happening, until she heard Luko. "I got the girl to actually believe me," said Luko, laughing. 

Nevaeh started to sob. Why did I, she thought. 

"Did you do the deed?" asked Dusk.

"Yes," said Luko. "I set fire to the house, with those mutts inside, and I took a small bit of hair while she was sleeping."

She could hear Luko handing Dusk the short strands of hair. She felt her hair, but she couldn't tell any was missing. "My!" said Dusk. "These are really short. Anyway, you have pleased me Luko. I'm sure you were quite convincing." Luko and Dusk laughed. "Now, let's start with the sacrafice." 

Nevaeh snuck upstairs, peeking into the room. She could only see Dusk's back as he sprinkled the hair over the girl. "This is going to be quite a party," he laughed. Luko stood, one had behind his back, the other helping him lean on the table. Dusk shut his eyes. "Any second now... why won't it work?"