Page 17 of Vexed
I sigh, “I know all of that. But I can’t help it. There’s something about her that draws me in. She’s different from the other humans. She has a spark in her, something that sets her apart. And I can’t help but want to be around her.”
He looks at me with a mixture of pity and amusement, “You’re a fool, Vexlorn. A fool for a human. And you know what they say about fools and humans.”
I shrug, “I don’t care. I’ll take my chances. She’s worth it.”
With a shake of his head, he steps aside and allows me to pass back into Vuamorta, but not before issuing a warning, “Just be careful. You know how this ends. And I don’t want to see my friend get hurt.”
I nod, “I know.”
Yes, I know that my interactions with Lily are against the rules. And yes, I know that it’s only a matter of time before I have to let her go. But for now, I’ll cherish the time I have with her. They won’t keep her away from me. Not if they don’t want another war on their hands.
As I walk along the path towards the Erebus Cathedral, I notice Ophiel standing at the door watching me.
Shit. Please don’t.
Don’t.
Don’t.
“Vexlorn.”
Ahhh!
“I’m thrilled to see you still know your way back.” He states and I don’t miss the sarcasm in his tone. One of these days I’m going to strangle that asshole.
I stay silent, keeping all my thoughts to myself as I nod and walk past him into the Cathedral. If I open my mouth now, I might say a few things that will land my ass in Purgatory.
I barely take a few steps before Ophiel speaks from behind me, “Have a seat, Vexlorn. We need to talk.”
I should’ve seen this coming. It’s like every time I step into this place, I get scolded like a child. I should be used to this by now, but as I take a seat in front of the Altar of Souls, four more arc reapers step forward. Well, this is going to be fun.
The cold stone of the altar sent a shiver up my spine, even through the thick robe.
I perched on the edge of the bench, the weight of my scythe, leaning against the stone at my side.
The air around the Altar thrummed with the echoes of a million lives, a constant, low hum I usually found strangely comforting. Today, it just amplified my anxiety.
I knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time.
The clicking of Ophiel’s heels on the polished marble floor echoed through the chamber, followed by the heavier steps of the four arc reapers flanking him.
Damn Ophiel. Always so meticulous. Everything had to be done by the book. Even when the book was, to put it mildly, bullshit.
He stopped a few feet away, his face a mask of disapproval. His arc scythe hummed faintly, its ethereal blade flickering with barely contained energy. An arc reaper’s authority resided in their scythe, and Ophiel wielded his like a weapon.
“Vexlorn,” he began, his voice smooth but edged with steel. “We need to talk about Lily.”
I sighed, running a gloved hand over my face. “I knew it. You’ve been watching me.”
“It is our duty to ensure the... proper execution of our responsibilities,” one of the other reapers, a woman with a nervous tremor in her voice, piped up. Her name was Thalia, fresh out of reaper training. I almost felt sorry for her, being dragged into this mess.
“And what, seeing a human is now against the rules?” I ask, hoping for a simple answer.
Ophiel tilted his head, his eyes, like chips of obsidian, narrowed. “It is unorthodox, Vexlorn. Grim reapers are tasked with guiding souls, not forming attachments to the living. It compromises our impartiality, our judgment. It is…” He paused, searching for the right word. “...unbecoming.”
I scoffed. “Unbecoming? I’m not exactly throwing tea parties with the living. I check on her. That’s all.”
“Checking on her?” Ophiel’s eyebrows rose. “We have reports of… extended conversations, gifts, even protection.”
My jaw tightened. Fucking traitors. There were whispers everywhere in our realm, and now, they were being used against me. I avoided Ophiel’s gaze, knowing that any slip up would also be used against me.
“She’s a complicated case.” I offered weakly.
“Complicated how, Vexlorn?” He pressed, his voice deceptively gentle. “Is her designated time of passing inaccurate? Is there some celestial interference we are unaware of?”
“No. I just...” I faltered. How could I explain the pull I felt toward her? The way her laughter was a bright beacon that lowered me out of the dark? “She’s... different.”
The others exchanged glances, Thalia shifting uncomfortably. The remaining three reapers were silent, their faces impassive.
“Different?” Ophiel repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism. “Different how? She’s human. Flawed, mortal, ephemeral. We are beyond such fleeting attachments.”
“She is kind, pure. Untouched by the darkness in the world, despite everything she’s been through. It’s refreshing,” I said. It all sounded so pathetic, even to my own ears.
How could these idiots, immersed in the cold reality of death, understand the fragile spark of life I saw in her?
Ophiel took a step closer. “Your infatuation is clouding your judgment. It puts the entire system at risk. What if you intervene? What if you alter the natural course of her life? The repercussions could be catastrophic.”
“I wouldn’t,” I said, my voice firm. “I would never interfere. I just observe.”
“But you are interfering, Vexlorn. You are diverting your attention, risking exposure. It is a breach of the Reaper’s Code.”
The mention of the Code, a document I had been forced to memorize since my induction into Reaper hood, felt like a punch to the gut. It was the ultimate authority, and I knew I was breaking it. I’ve known it since the first time I decided to interact with Lily.
Silence hung heavy in the air. I knew what was coming. Disciplinary action. Maybe even… reassignment to a remote, insignificant realm. Even Purgatory. Anything to keep me away from Lily.
Ophiel sighed, “Vexlorn, I am giving you a direct order. Cease all contact with the human girl. Sever all ties. Focus on your duties. Is that understood?”
I looked down at my scythe, its polished surface reflecting the flickering light of the altar. The souls of the departed whispered their mournful songs around me. And in the distance, I could almost hear Lily’s laughter.
With a heavy heart, I closed my eyes. “Understood,” I whispered, the words tasted like ashes in my mouth.
The feeling of being watched didn’t stop over the next few days, and just like that, my world went from having color to only being gray again.