The Exodus Read online

  She couldn’t bare it if Caspian knew the truth of how she’d kept herself from fading out. The atrocities she’d committed, the rules she’d broken. Surely, he would understand but she didn’t want him to be reminded of that version of her every time he looked at her. A shudder ran through Camira over the things she’d done.

  Caspian put his arm around her. “It’s okay. You are back now. Nivian will be glad to know of your return. Have you told her yet?”

  Nivian’s name on his lips deflated her joy. Why could they never talk without it always being about that human lover? It instilled a sense of insecurity that Camira tried hard to push away. “No… but, Caspian?” She looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes. “Aren’t you glad?”

  “Yes, of course I am,” he said, smiling warmly at her.

  “Caspian—” Camira threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his, kissing him with the desperation and fear she’d felt in the desert. With the longing of all the years that she’d waited for him to just see her as she saw him.

  He unlaced her fingers and pulled her arms from around his neck as he moved away. “Camira, what are you doing?”

  Heat burned its way up her neck and flooded her cheeks. Her forehead creased as she wondered why he had ended the kiss so soon. “What’s wrong, Caspian? You said you cared.”

  “I do care, Camira. I care about all my Reaplings. I am glad you have come back to us, but I am still your superior.” The smile dropped from his face as it became a blank mask, giving nothing away; suddenly lacking the emotion she swore was there only moments before.

  Camira could feel her blood draining and slowly being replaced with ice. She’d opened herself up to him, poured her heart out. They’d kissed, and now it was as if he was a completely different Reaper. Not the Caspian she’d loved for so long.

  Humiliation roared in her ears. He would never admit his feelings when Nivian was still around. Why couldn’t he just see how much better she was for him? They would make a great couple. It shouldn’t matter that relationships were rare between Reapers. What they could have would be realm shattering, if only he would open his eyes and see that.

  Camira dropped her head as her vision blurred, a single tear slid down her cheek. “It’s because of her, isn’t it?” she demanded shooting to her feet.

  “Who are you talking about, Camira?”

  “Nivian!” she shouted, her anger at his blindness made her voice waver. “You can’t see me because of her.”

  “Camira…” Caspian frowned. “This has nothing to do with her—”

  “Yes it does!” she yelled again.

  He reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away from his confusing touches. The way he held her, touched her, said he cared… But his words didn’t match. “You’ve always thought you were in love with her, but you can’t see what’s in front of your face. I’m so much better for you—she will never love you like I do.” Tears streamed down her face.

  He opened his mouth to respond, then closed it without speaking.

  “You can’t even deny it,” Camira accused. Shaking her head, she took several more steps back, spun on her heel, and ran to the door.

  “Camira. Stop right this second and come back here,” he called to her. Out of habit, her feet stopped, grounding her to the floor as she gripped the door handle, her knuckles white.

  She turned slowly, glancing at him over her shoulder with narrowed eyes. “I am done. You can’t order me around anymore, Caspian,” she said, then threw open the door and ran across the hall. Camira dove out the window, her body arching in the air. Spinning as she plummeted down, she wrapped her cloak tightly around her and transported inches before hitting the ground.

  He was making a big mistake. How could Caspian wrap his arms around her—how could he hold her and comfort her like that if he didn’t have feelings? He was still too blinded by Nivian, even after she rejected him so openly for that Hunter during the fight.

  So she’s good at her job—many of the Reapers are. I am excellent at my job, but… “The second I disappear—because they abandoned me—he gives my job to some… some… nobody!” Camira fumed and paced across the desert sands.

  Not knowing where else to go, she’d ended up at the place she had spent months trying not to die. It was the first place she could think of that wasn’t Nivian’s human apartment or anywhere in Mophar.

  Camira let out a frustrated growl. She was one of the best Timeless Reapers to exist, and here she was tossed aside and treated like a piece of trash. How dare he dismiss her like that! The least he could have done was to spend half a second reflecting on how things really were and he would have seen she was right. Camira stopped pacing.

  Nivian blinded him to the truth. She had to be stopped.

  A lightning bolt struck. The flashing light of revelation hit her and she knew what she had to do. If she could get rid of Nivian, whatever spell she held over Caspian would be gone. Then, he could be free to admit how much he really loved Camira instead.

  It would be different if Nivian cared about Caspian at all. But she didn’t. Nivian had no intention of returning his feelings, she wasn’t capable of loving. Silas and Caspian had let her befriend a Hunter of all things. What knowledge did Nivian possess that she could hold over them and get something that so blatantly spat in the faces of all Reapers everywhere? There had to be something if they allowed that to happen.

  It didn’t make sense that she could be the only one immune to Nivian’s spell, that she was the only one not blinded by whatever she’d done. They let her do anything she wanted, regardless of how bad it was for everyone else. She even had that Hunter under her spell.

  “How? How is this even possible?” she yelled fisting her hands into her hair and yanking. It sickened her what Nivian had done to the others. Camira fell to her knees, the breaking of her heart almost audible to her ears.

  Nivian would pay for the heartbreak she’d caused. I’ll make sure of it, her lips pulled up, a crooked grin forming at the thought.

  FOURTEEN

  NIVIAN

  THE BLACK TOWN car pulled up to a large metal building. Tall wide doors were open, revealing a mostly empty warehouse with two planes inside. Nivian opened the car door and stepped out. Relieved to escape the silent confines of the small space she’d shared with a stone-faced Hunter driving her to an unknown destination.

  She stretched her legs as she waited for the man to exit the car and show her where to go. Nivian looked around. Her eyes stopped on a red emblem painted on the side of a plane. A howling wolf in a crescent moon. She stared at the symbol as a feeling of familiarity overwhelmed her. It was as if it was there to remind her of something, but the memory refused to rise to the surface, giving her shadows of emotions that she could only call nostalgia. Nivian licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. Without realizing it, she’d walked forward, drawn in by the crest.

  Uncertainly, she glanced back at her driver. He’d finally gotten out and was leaning against the vehicle with his arms folded across his chest. A long fringe fell across his eyes hiding them from sight, though she had no doubt he was able to see her clearly. At her look, he jerked his chin, gesturing for her to go inside.

  Nivian chewed her lip and scanned the wide-open space. Where was Kain? He had said he’d be there, to keep her safe. So his absence would have to mean she wasn’t anywhere near danger, or , he hadn’t been informed of her arrival yet.

  Pushing down her fear, she squared her shoulders and strode forward with a confidence she didn’t quite feel inside.

  Her pace slowed as she reached the open doors. The space was void of anyone except a single figure. A red-haired man in a tan flight suit had a hatch open on the side of the smaller plane, and he was tinkering with the insides. She stopped at the threshold, far enough away from him that she may still be able to draw her scythe should he try anything. After a few minutes of watching him, Nivian cleared her throat.

  The Hunter stopped wor
king and turned to her. Leisurely, he placed a tool in his pocket as he walked over to her. He reached up to his shoulder and plucked the rag off, then slowly wiped his grease stained hands on it.

  “You Nivian?” he asked. From here, she could make out a scattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose.

  “Yes.”

  His narrowed, blue eyes traveled up and down, scanning every inch of her, sizing her up. “I’m Colin. Follow me.” He turned and headed for the far side of the enclosure. Opening one of the unlabeled doors, he held it for her.

  Once in, he closed it behind them. The sound of the lock engaging set her heart racing, she whirled around, fear striking her nerves.

  Colin ignored her nervous movements and crossed the room, not seeming to care that she inched away from him as he did. He moved around as if it were a normal occurrence to have a Reaper in such a small space with him. He opened a thin metal locker and turned to her.

  “Put your things in this closet over here.”

  “I don’t have any things,” Nivian said.

  “Scythe and cloak in here,” Colin clarified, reaching in for a hanger and handing it to her. “We aren’t going to invite you in so you can slaughter us all. It’s for our protection.”

  Great, what about my protection? she thought.

  Nivian hesitated for a moment before surrendering her only means of escape. She unclasped her cloak and handed it over. After a moment’s hesitation, Colin made a motion with his hand and she reached into her back pocket, grabbing her scythe that was, for the time being, the size of a pen.

  It’s okay, she reminded herself, Kain will be here. He won’t let anything happen to me. I will be fine. Though part of her had expected him to be with her by now. If not for the ride here, then waiting outside the building to help usher her in.

  Once the Hunter put away her things, he closed the metal door with a clang, locking it with an audible click. The man locked it then handed her a small silver key. “For your protection.”

  He was a man of few words, but he’d made his point. Nivian slid the key into her pocket. She was comforted to know that she was the only one who had access to her belongings, not that the Hunters could use her scythe or cloak if they managed to get a hold of them. She shuddered to think what could happen if her scythe and cloak ended up in the wrong hands.

  Colin pushed the closet to the side. Smoothly and quietly, it slid away from the wall and revealed an opening in the floor.

  “You first.” He motioned for her to descend into the darkness.

  Nivian looked down the well and not even a flicker of light indicated how deep it was, or if there was anything or anyone waiting below. Giving Colin a sidelong glance, she turned and began the climb down the ladder. He followed once she’d gone the length of half her body. The opening closed above and locked into place.

  Thin circular lights flickered to life, illuminating the silver riveted tube as they descended.

  Colin’s feet hit the floor shortly after hers. His boots made a low clunk that echoed through the hollow corridor. He grunted, nodding his head in her direction, then started walking without waiting to see if she would follow. As they walked, Nivian scanned every inch, though after a few feet it was all the same. The same rounded metal tube with more of the same thin lights reaching from floor-to-floor, arching overhead. Occasionally, the tunnel would split, leading off in a different direction. There were no signs that she could see to indicate where each route led. They had only walked on one path, yet she still felt hopelessly lost.

  The tunnel curved sharply and they stopped before a large set of metal doors with a black pad on the wall to the right. But beyond that, there was nothing. No handle to open them, or button, nothing other than a black square on the wall.

  “This is it. Kain’s on the other side of those doors.”

  Nivian looked at Colin doubtfully. The key didn’t do her much good if this was a trap.

  He placed his hand on the dark pad mounted in the wall. Green light lit it up and scanned his hand.

  The vibration of grinding gears churning under the floor reverberated up through her legs, making her body hum. The enormous metal doors slid open, giving her just enough room to pass. She looked back at Colin who was watching her with one raised eyebrow.

  Nivian jumped as the doors clanged shut behind her. She could feel all the eyes in the room turn and narrow in on her. Her heart beat wildly against her sternum. They had required her to leave her scythe and cloak at the top—for their safety. She’d complied because Kain had asked her to come, but now she was left feeling naked and vulnerable.

  Surrounded.

  Surrounded by over a dozen Hunters and she was up against a wall with no way out and with nothing to protect herself. Nivian gulped, licking her lips.

  Kain hadn’t mentioned just how many Hunters there were going to be. She felt like an exhibit and suddenly felt bad for gawking at the animals at the zoo. Vulnerable was an understatement.

  No one moved and no one spoke. It was as if time stopped the second she had set foot inside.

  Franticly, Nivian scanned the room. Relief washed over her when her gaze finally landed on Kain, leaving a flush in its wake. On the far side of the large warehouse sized room, he stood close to a petite blonde.

  She was thin with very short hair, giving her the appearance of a fairy or pixie. Both were huddled over something she couldn’t see from this distance. And both were smiling and laughing. It was the smile he had when he was genuinely happy. A smile she’d thought he only gave to her. Nivian shook her head, clearing the thoughts that tightened against her core.

  The pixie looked up at hearing murmurs that had started as Nivian stared at Kain across the room. A large smile broke out on the girl’s face as she playfully shoved Kain to the side and took off running full speed at Nivian.

  Nivian’s eyes grew as big as saucers. Her gaze darting between the Hunter rushing her, and Kain who watched with a soft smile playing on his lips. There wasn’t enough time to react, wasn’t enough time to assess the level of danger this girl posed, before she was crashing into her full force and giggling.

  They stumbled backward. Nivian’s arms were out stretched, not sure what to do with them as the blonde clung to her. A strong set of hands caught her arms and steadied her, letting go the second she was stable.

  “Nivi!” she shouted, pulling back to hold Nivian at arm’s length. “I’ve heard so much about you.” Then once again, the stranger pulled her in for another hug.

  She continued to stand ridged, letting herself be embraced. While Nivian realized she wasn’t being assaulted, it was awkward. Being attacked might have been preferable at this point; at least it was something that would have made sense.

  “Uhh…” Nivian started but was at an utter loss for words and closed her mouth. Who was this? Having Kain hug her was one thing, they had established trust between them. She knew him—knew he wouldn’t hurt her. A hug from any other Hunter just felt… strange.

  “Az can get a little overexcited sometimes,” Kain said. Walking up to them, he placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. His smile slipped slightly when she looked up at him, grinning with all the same enthusiasm she’d had from the start, but finally let go of the wide-eyed Reaper.

  “Nivian, I’d like you to meet, Azira. She’s been showing me the ins-and-outs.”

  Nivian arched an eyebrow at the petite girl who continued to beam. “You’ve heard about me?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” Azira said with a look that made Nivian’s ears burn. “Kain can’t stop talking abo—oomph.” She was interrupted by an elbow in her side.

  “Anyway, she’ll show you around, too,” Kain said.

  “I thought you’d be the one to show me.” Nivian’s stomach dropped and she couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice.

  “I have some work to finish up, but I will catch up to you.” He pulled Nivian into him, wrapping his arms around her.

  It was a hug she hadn’t real
ized she needed. It comforted her and she felt safe for the first time since arriving. “Trust me, you are in good hands. I wouldn’t let you out of my sight if I didn’t trust Az completely.” Letting go, Kain turned to Azira, his face stern. “Take care of her.”

  She rolled her eyes in an exaggerated motion as if he were nothing more than an overprotective parent. “She’ll be fine. I’ll be with her the whole time.”

  “I’ll see you soon, okay?” Kain ran his hand down her forearm and linked their fingers together for a second before stepping away.

  “Right, follow me then. Let’s get started.” Azira said enthusiastically and linked her arm in Nivian’s, leading her off. Nivian looked back at Kain to see that he had the lopsided grin she loved so much as she allowed herself to be dragged out of the laboratory.

  Azira didn’t drop Nivian’s arm until the metal doors clanged shut behind them. They walked a few moments in silence as Azira played with a small black device.

  “Where are we going?” Nivian asked, her voice filled with trepidation. “Wasn’t I supposed to come here to work with Kain?”

  The small pixie stopped and turned to her. “It’s okay, Nivian. I’ll take care of you.” Azira’s smile grew even larger than before. “You wouldn’t believe how much convincing it took to get Kain to let me show you around.”

  “He trusts you then?”

  “Completely! We all want to start working with the Reapers now. We figure if we work as a group, then fewer mistakes will be made, and shifts like the other day are less likely to happen.”

  “They didn’t really look that excited about me being here.”

  “Most of them have never seen a Reaper, let alone met one. They just need to see that you aren’t much different than we are.”

  “I see.” Nivian rubbed her arm. It didn’t feel natural to be here. She wished she’d asked Caspian to come with her this time. Another Reaper with her would have made her feel more comfortable. “I wasn’t really expecting all of this. I thought there would be a meeting or something.”