Page 18 of Frosty and the Reaper
“It was more than that. Famine controlled the balance between abundance and deprivation. Perhaps it was the constant reminder of inequality and desperation that made him want more for himself. He was also angry that he had not been chosen as the Keeper of the Seal for the Realm of Souls, and that resentment had caused him to lash out.”
“Lash out?”
Bitterness almost made her choke on the words. That son of a bitch had tried to murder her mate. She hoped he met a very painful end. No, she hoped that bastard was still alive, hiding in some hole somewhere. That way, she could have the pleasure of dealing with him herself.
“You may get your wish,” Zander said. “I believe he survived. The last I saw of him, he was badly wounded, but I did not sense his death.” He sighed. “Now that I am free again, I will have to track him down and finish him off for good.”
“If he survived, isn’t it strange that he hasn’t tried to make a move while you were gone?”
“Who says he hasn’t? If he is still alive, I am sure he has tried to access one of the seals. Perhaps some of the calamities that have occurred might even be traced back to him.”
That was a scary thought. Then, she perked up. Since the apocalypse hadn’t happened, that meant that he had failed.
“What’s his name?”
“Why?”
“I want to know who to curse in my head. Saying Famine over and over again is just weird.”
He chuckled. “His name is Silva. Death is Raziel, and Conquest is Devlin.”
“No last names? I thought yours was Cosmos.”
“I do not have a last name. It is simply what I use when attempting to fit in with the lesser beings.”
That made her snort out a laugh.
Everyone was a lesser being compared to him.
“That’s funny. I know a reaper named Devlin…” Her voice trailed off, then she gasped. “Are you fucking kidding me? Devlin Excess, billionaire owner of the social media empire in the Human Realm, is a Horseman?” She had to laugh. “Actually, that makes so much sense.”
Devlin Excess developed the Excess App, a social media platform offering instant messaging, mobile payments, and an independent seller shopping forum. But that wasn’t all he was known for. Within the supernatural community, he was also known as a broker of sorts, making deals and trading favors for the right price. His ruthless enforcement of those deals had earned him the nicknameThe Devil,which suited him if he was the Horseman called Conquest.
While some stories depicted the first of the Four Horsemen as Pestilence, most of the stories Kami had heard referred to him as Conquest. A rider of a white horse, he symbolized victory, dominance, and the pursuit of power. He set the stage for the destruction his fellow Horsemen wrought, though his role in everything was a little more ambiguous.
The social media app Devlin had created allowed him to spread his influence without him having to lift a finger. It was a genius move, as were the deals he made on the side.
Kami yelped as Zander’s arms tightened around her, squeezing the breath right out of her. At first, she thought he was jealous. A jealous Horseman would be dangerous for…well,literally everyone. Thankfully, she was able to relax again once she realized he was grinning at her.
“Forgive me, mate. I was just excited to hear that you know Conquest.”
“I didn’t know he was Conquest, though. I just thought Devlin was an ancient reaper.”
“He would not advertise his status. Not with Death missing, and me trapped by the curse.”
“Are you sure he wasn’t part of the whole conspiracy to break the seal? I hate to think that of him, but it could be possible, right? I mean, he’s the only one of you that seems to be out there chilling and enjoying life.”
“It is highly unlikely. Despite being Conquest, Devlin has always been lazy. He has never wanted more power or more responsibilities. It doesn’t surprise me that he has chosen to live amongst the humans. He was always fond of their simpler existence. It is also telling that in all this time, he has never tried to rule over them. At least, not overtly. That would just annoy him. Even those deals you mentioned are more for fun than for personal gain. I believe we will not have to kill him.”
“I’m relieved to hear that. It would suck to have to start hating him now.”
He smiled. “Conquest also happened to be the only one who knows where I relocated the seal for the Realm of Souls. If he wanted to break it, he would have come here and attempted to access it while I was gone.”
“Here? How can the Seal for the Realm of Souls be here?” She grinned as she pieced it together before he could explain. “It’s in the warded room with the devil fire, isn’t it?”
“Well done, mate. You figured it out. That room is directly connected to the Realm of Souls through a portal, which is how I was able to relocate the seal. That means it is technically still in the other realm while I am physically able to protect it here.It was the best way I could think of to keep it safe. The other reapers were helping with the transfer when we were struck with the curse. They didn’t know exactly what I was doing, but they had agreed to help protect the Seal after we discovered the others wanted to break it. So, it could be said that I am to blame for what happened to them.”
“No, you aren’t,” she stated with conviction. “The fuckers who cursed you are to blame. No one else. And I hope you pay them back for every minute of suffering you and the other reapers faced.”