Page 8 of Frosty and the Reaper
“What does that mean?”
“That is…something the master should explain.”
That was cryptic as hell, but she could accept it for now. Thinking of another question she wanted to ask her host, she paused and pointed back in the direction they had just come from.
“I was wondering what those black flowers are? The ones with the heart-shaped petals and the golden leaves. I’ve never seen them before.”
“The noctis blooms are a rare flower that can only be found here in the In Between. The scent can knock you out, and a drop or two of the flowers’ nectar can cause prophetic dreams if consumed. Too much of it can drive someone insane. So, it would be best not to touch them.”
That was information she could have used ten minutes ago, before she’d gotten a whiff of them. Kami definitely made a note to avoid them in the future.
“Anything else I should avoid while I’m here?”
Mali nodded. “I shall make you a list.”
Kami started to chuckle, then stopped when she realized the demon wasn’t joking. She remained silent as she followed Mali to the pavilion. When the door swung open before she could touch it, she hesitated briefly before stepping into the dark interior.
She had been expecting to find some sort of basic kitchen and dining hall, but what she found instead was a beautiful fairy bower. The floor was a spongy layer of bright green moss, and the walls were comprised of tree bark and vines. Glowing flowers grew on the tree branches sticking out from the wall, and more bloomed around the base of the tree trunks.
The room reminded Kami of the fairy glade found in the great hall of her dorm back at Aegis Academy. The most powerful supernaturals were placed in the dark tower on the Island of Misfits, far away from the other residents. The only thing that was missing was the temperamental ceiling that mimicked the weather conditions outside. Instead, the starlight shining through the sapphire rooftop of the pavilion cast a blue radiance through the room that added to the magical ambiance.
In the center of the fairy bower was a long table that looked like a massive amethyst geode cut in half with glass on top so the crystals inside the stone were visible. The throne chairs around the table were made of silver and gold with bright jewelsdecorating the top rail and arms. The table was set with large silver plates adorned with intricate floral patterns around the edges and golden cutlery.
Crystal goblets sparkled in the soft light, while the center of the table was laden with platters of food. The tantalizing scents made her stomach rumble unhappily. She slapped her hand over it, but that did nothing to hide the sounds of her hunger.
A strange black mist emerged from the shadows, and Kami swallowed hard as she watched the dark smoke shift and change into the large form of her mate. She’d seen some impressive magic before, but literally being able to turn into a shadow was really freaking cool.
No longer dressed in his armor, Zander was wearing a thin black tunic with long sleeves and a low V-neck front and black pants. While he had looked strikingly handsome in his armor, the more casual style suited him just as well. Actually, Kami thought he looked even more attractive in modern clothing.
His long black hair was shorter now, falling in soft, tousled waves around his broad shoulders. She wasn’t sure why he had changed his look, then decided it didn’t matter since it looked damn good on him. His black and red eyes were even more mesmerizing in the soft blue light, making it harder for her to look away once her gaze met his.
There was something inherently magnetic about him, a blend of danger and allure that she was sure would have captivated her even if she didn’t feel the mating pull between them.
When his lips curved into a welcoming smile, her heart nearly stopped.
“Come, mate. I have been waiting for you.”
Chapter Three
Zander was utterlyfascinated by his new mate.
He was well aware that she was frightened of him, but she seemed to be adapting to the situation quickly. Since he had brought her to the In Between, she had been doing her best to cover up her unease with sheer bravado and false outrage. He shouldn’t have found such behavior endearing, but he did.
In fact, he thought everything about her was appealing.
The moment he had woken up in that cursed Realm of Illusions, his mind had been hazed with rage and confusion. Acting on instinct, he had almost annihilated everyone in the cavern, including his own brethren.
The only thing that had saved everyone was his mate.
Unlike the other reapers who had shared his imprisonment, Zander had retained bouts of painful awareness while he’d been unconscious. His unique abilities had kept him from completely succumbing to the curse that had been cast upon them, but that came at a terrible cost. Whenever he woke, he was tortured by the knowledge of what was happening around him, forced to witness time passing while he was powerless to speak or move.
As the centuries passed, Zander tried countless ways to break free from the magical restraints that bound him. However, all his efforts were constantly thwarted since magic from all six races was needed to unravel the spell.
While he’d been trapped by the curse, he’d passed the time thinking of countless creative ways to get revenge against those who had wronged him. He’d also been immersed in memories of battles and bloodshed. Admittedly, there were times he had trouble deciphering the difference between dreams and reality, and the torment of helplessness had slowly driven him to madness.
During the moments he’d been awake, his only companion throughout the long years had been another dark god named Merlin, who had managed to avoid being ensnared by the curse. Merlin had created a small sanctuary within the Realm of Illusions where he protected the slumbering reapers. Because of his sacrifice, they had remained safely hidden away from their enemies.
Using a scrying mirror, Merlin was able to keep track of what was happening within the six realms while he was stuck in the Realm of Illusions. Since he developed a habit of speaking out loud to help with the isolation, Zander had also been able to get updates about current events.