Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

40 - Scarlet Woman (2 of 2)

If only I could move. If only I wasn't so powerless.

"I-it's your soul, Adrianna!" I pleaded, spitting the blood from my mouth. "Yours! Fight for it!"

Legion contorted Adrianna's face into what was supposed to be a frown. She turned to the Beast and said, "Finish them."

"No!"

She kicked me again. And again. "You." Thwack. "Keep." Thwack. "Running your mouth." Thwack. "It's annoying!" Thwack.

My whole body felt sore when she was done with me. I think she managed to break a few bones and turn my liver into patte before she got satisfied. And for the cherry on top, she placed her foot on the side of my head.

When I tried to squirm and claw on her leg, she stepped harder on me so that my head was facing the Beast.

"That's right, Aramis Rayne. Watch," she sneered. "Aren't you having fun? You shouldn't look away. It's rude. If your so-called friends should die all because of you, you might as well watch every second of it."

Through the tears streaming from my eyes, I could barely make out whose bodies were scattered around the yard. The Beast had caught someone in its claws and the scream that came with it sounded very much like Hector.

Legion was right. This was all my fault. They put their faith in me, yet I led all of them to their demise.

"Sorry," I choked out. "I-I'm so sorry..."

Slowly, I forced my hand to reach for the Helcium necklace in my pocket. At first, I thought of wearing it. I wasn't sure it would work the same way with Legion, but if it does and I become invisible to her, I wouldn't be able to fight anyway. Besides, how would I reach out to Adrianna if she couldn't see me?

But I was desperate.

Taking a deep breath, I shifted and pulled Legion's leg until she was thrown off balance. As she fell down, I ignored all the pain in my body and looped the necklace around her neck. I tightened it and yanked like my life depended on it.

She made these weird choking sounds that slowly turned into maniacal laughter.

"Sorry," she kept on laughing. "That was just--ahhh... priceless. That stings a bit, we admit. But do you really think this old relict could kill us?"

Effortlessly, she knocked the necklace from my hands and threw it away.

Breathlessly, I crawled away from her.

Her steps were slow, deliberate as she approached me. "Really, Aramis Rayne. Can you be any more entertaining? Too bad we have to get rid of you. As much as we're enjoying this, we've got a lot of things to do. You know. People to kill. World to destroy."

I ignored her monologue and looked her straight in the eyes. "I know you can hear me, Adrianna. Remember your promise! Remember our promise!"

Giggling, she hopped towards me and kicked me to the dirt. She had the decency to say "Buh-bye," before stepping on my throat.

I tried to kick and flail as much as my deadened limbs would allow me. With air not being able to enter my lungs, it was just like drowning again. Finally, a stabbing pain shot from my neck.

"Oops," she winked. "We broke your windpipe."

Even as she lifted her foot off me, I still couldn't breathe. Every gasp, every struggle for air made it ten times more painful.

A gurgling noise forced its way out of throat. Blood oozed down from the corner of my mouth. If I was healing at all, I couldn't tell anymore. And I had no Vincent to help me with it.

Vincent.

The mere thought of his name brought a steady stream of sadness from my eyes. Everyone thought I could save him. Myself included. But now, my doubts were coming true. Even if I somehow manage to bring Vincent back, I knew he would forever blame himself for every life he had taken using the Beast's hands.

His burden was on me.

One last time, my shaking hand shot up, reaching up for Adrianna.

Please, I pleaded soundlessly. I'm not asking you to come back for me. Come back for Vincent. Help him.

I forced my mouth to call her again, but my voice was gone. Instead, I had managed to hold her hand as if that was my only lifeline.

"T-together..." I mouthed.

Legion's eyes widened. Angrily, she tried to remove my fingers from around her hand. But before she could do so completely, her eyes glazed over. Coincidentally, the Beast had stopped moving, too.

Her head began twitching from left to right and back. By the way her facial muscles strained, I could tell she was having an internal battle. For a few seconds, she wasn't moving. Her whole body was trembling, though.

The moment black blood trickled down from her left eye, she finally blinked. Looking down at me, she fell to her knees. Right then, I knew my sister was back.

"Together," replied she, wiping the tears from the sides of my eyes. Black blood rolled down her cheeks continuously, falling onto our joined hands. "Forgive me, sister. I was weak."

Again, I tried to speak, but my voice still hadn't come back.

"Sshh," she hushed, tracing the triangular marking on the back of my hand with my fingers. With a small smile, she wiped the black stains from her cheeks. "I won't be able to keep control for long. But with the two of us, it is possible. You will have to help me save Vincent. Will that be alright?"

Adrianna seemed to have already figured out my backup plan. And the sad part? She was okay with it even though she probably already knew what was going to happen to her. I didn't know which was more painful: my broken windpipe or the fact that I would have to part with my long lost sister once again?

I was secretly thankful my recent injuries had made me unable to cry aloud. Or else, I was scared I wouldn't be able to stop.

Despite the choking feeling in my throat, I moved my head to what was supposed to be a nod.

Holding my hand, she muttered the words of Offering as our mother had taught us. At least, she remembered it.

And my mother used to say I was going to be the better witch. That one day, my knowledge of spells and magical prowess would save the world. But it was our little Adrianna who was going to do it. And I couldn't be more proud.

Halfway through the spell, Adrianna pulled my free hand towards the Bind mark on my neck. I focused what little was left of my life force into summoning my scythe. This time, I didn't bother counting. I knew I was well past my limit.

Adrianna's whole body began to glow towards the end of the spell. Before uttering the last few words, she leaned down to place a kiss on my forehead.

"Thank you for making me remember," were her last words before she turned into a glowing orb.

Unlike Carter's soul, hers had streaks of black swirling at the very center of the orb. It looked nothing short of harmless, quiet as if the millions of tainted souls inside it had fallen asleep all at once.

I needed not move. Adrianna's ball of light moved by itself towards the tip of my scythe as if it knew exactly what to do.

The soundless explosion of light came after, rendering everyone in the yard awestruck.

Bearing the soul of my sister in my hand, I became the Scarlet Woman.