Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

30 - Requirements (3 of 3)

"Do not make any sudden moves," said a male voice from behind me, the point of the blade drawing blood.

Managing to level my breathing, I slowly dropped my hand and let the Cataclyst falter.

Kyoshiro and Belial began stepping cautiously towards me.

"Irvine," Kyoshiro called out in a laid-back tone. "Don't be stupid. We can talk about this."

In an instant, Irvine had already locked an arm over my neck, while the other held the knife to my throat. If it was an ordinary knife, getting out of this situation might have been a lot simpler. But it wasn't. I could tell from the almost crystalline surface of the long and slender blade.

A laugh filled the air, quiet at first, becoming louder and louder to the point of hysteria. It bounced off of the walls, a cacophony coming from the man holding me hostage.

"First, you call me stupid," he said in between the chuckles. "And then you expect me to talk? Really?"

The blade dug into my skin when I swallowed. I tried to keep my breaths as steady as possible. I wasn't too scared of dying, but I always imagined going out with a bang. In some event of epic proportions. There was no way I would die like this.

"Are you here for Vincent?" I rasped. "Because, newsflash: he's not here."

"What am I here for?" he scorned, but then it seemed like he wasn't really expecting an answer. "I could kill you right now."

Locking my teeth together, I fought the urge to grab his arm. "I bet you would like that."

"Does it matter if I like it or not?"

"It does," I answered, my thoughts going back to the day I had killed his mother.

Back then, I was so good at following orders that I had forgotten the consequences that came with every action. In the end, it wasn't the ones who had given the order who had to live with it, but me. Only me.

A strange struggling sound escaped from Irvine's mouth as he tightened his hold on me. "It must be done."

Carefully, Kyoshiro raised his arms. "Okay, Irvine. Just tell us what you want."

"What I want..." he murmured to himself. "What I want?"

Irvine chuckled again, although not as lively as before. He trailed into silence as if to think. His eyes--red around the edges--lost focus, frantically roaming the ground. When he spoke again, his voice was weak, hoarse. "Nobody ever asked me that before. I've only ever done what Fathers wants, what Cai wants, what Sharifa--I thought I wanted this to happen... But I don't."

I felt his arm loosen from my neck while the other pressed against my back, violently shoving me towards Kyoshiro and Belial. It took a moment to regain my bearings, but when I did, I faced Irvine.

He let his hands fall to his sides, his blade hitting the ground with a dull twang before faltering. Backing away, he caught his head between his arms, his face contorting in utter distraught.

I looked to Belial and Kyoshiro for answers, but they, too, looked as confused as me. Even back when Cairo and I Scried their hideout, I already sense some degree of hesitance about Irvine. But he and Sharifa had done so much damage it didn't occur to me that he would want to stop.

"I don't..." Irvine repeated in a whisper, lifting his wide gaze to us. "You need to stop it. You need to stop her."

"Stop what?" Kyoshiro said. "Aren't you here to fight us?"

Irvine shook his head. "For what? Vincent's not here."

The realization came crashing at me like a piano from the sky.