Page 41 of Reapers Don’t Ride

I stopped walking while this weird feeling of betrayal mixed with the sound of fist punching face. Then Gavriel was there, opening the front door for me, his eyes concerned.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “Lorien’s always been an idiot.”

“I’m an idiot? I’m not the one who’s in love with a corpse,” Lorien yelled after us.

That hurt all the tender places I wasn’t supposed to have anymore.

“Can you shut up!” Shane barked, but then the door was closed, and we were on the street of Song, the world rushing by us and sweeping us along with it.

We walked in silence for a few streets until the lamps started to sing the city’s theme song. I stopped at a lamp and looked at it while the blurry nimbus reminded me of my problem with words.

“At least now we know for sure that he’s working with Tralcon,” I murmured.

“Yes. I thought that maybe he wasn’t, but he’s just too stupid to know who he’s working with.”

“Everyone is stupid compared to the demon. Still, if he can appear as other than threatening, he hasn’t increased in power to the point that I was worried about. He can still be killed.”

“And you didn’t kill Lorien, and neither did I, so we can still use him to get to the demon. Well done.”

I gave him a look. “Are you applauding you or me? We’re both of us too vulnerable to his manipulation. When he stuck you with his love dart, you were lost. And I couldn’t think of any way out other than almost bleeding you to death. I’m not immune to your charm, Gavriel. I very nearly succumbed to temptation and ruined you.”

He winced. “I wasn’t very charming. I apologize for making you uncomfortable.”

“Yes, do apologize for making me uncomfortable. Being uncomfortable is nothing, but we’re a team. I don’t corrupt the innocent, and I don’t betray my team. I very nearly did both.”

He smiled slowly and then took my hand carefully, like it was breakable. “Then I apologize doubly for putting your precious soul at risk. It is an honor to be on your team.”

I glanced up at him and then shrugged, tension easing in my chest where it had hurt so much earlier. “The honor is all mine. So, let’s make this team literate.”

“You want to get glasses?”

I sighed heavily and nodded. “If Lorien already knows that I can’t see well enough to read, there’s no point in pretending. Eventually, someone will use it to their advantage and put us at risk.”

“Then he’s good for something.” He gave me a sweet smile and tucked my hand in his. “Thank you for letting me help you with something. It’s an honor and a pleasure.”

I half expected him to kiss my hand, but instead he dropped it and walked beside me in comfortable silence.

Yes, Lorien was brushing up against demons, and no, I didn’t know what would happen if Gavriel got stuck with another lust dart, but we could deal with all of that later. Right now, Gavriel was going to help me read again. I loved books so much. But did I love anything as much as my angel?