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“You’re right. I shouldn’t have.”
But I couldn’t resist.
We’d come back to our host’s domicile to feed her body but on hearing the knock at her door, we released control of her mind, hoping she’d deal with the visitor quickly so we could continue. But watching from the back of that woman’s mind as the person who claimed to care about her refused to respect her wishes. Feeling her body react so negatively to his presence…
“What’s done is done.”
“I still think we should have stayed after to finish the reaping for the night,” Typhon says, downing the last of his elixir with a smack of his lips.
“And risk that male coming back to find our host gone? He’d have called the authorities. Or worse. Her mother,” I say. “No. I couldn’t risk that. We will allow her body rest and recover for the prescribed duration and come back stronger than ever. We’ll make up for what we lost tonight on the next possession. Understood?”
“Yes, Rhygel,” Typhon acquiesces.
If it were closer to the end of the trials, I might be concerned. As it stands, we still have plenty of time to collect enough souls and land a spot in the next round. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to grow lax. The more souls, the better placement, and a better placement means we’ll receive more time for the next event. If we do poorly now, the chances aren’t good that we’ll do well later.
And we need to do well.
“Eat, rest, and return in one week’s time, ready to reap,” I say as a dismissal, and my horde heads for their sleeping quarters.
One week to regroup. One week for the host’s body to recoup. And one week for all the others participating to gain the upper hand. A calculated risk we all agreed to.
We knew playing by these rules could ultimately be to our detriment. Most who participate in the trials don’t care how many hosts they leave in their wake. As long as they get their share of souls and move on, what’s a few human lives? And while I can’t say I’m particularly fond of humans as a rule—especially the ones who always seem to be in power—to the four of us, life, no matter what kind, is valuable.
Working as a team instead of individually, and being mindful of our host’s limitations, will hopefully give us enough of a lead to gain a good position in the next trial.
If not, then Malphas, Barbas, Typhon, and I will be cast out of the Underdark, forced to make our way in the unchartered badlands. No one survives there.
It was this or death for us.
And we choose life.
Chapter3
Lily
“Lily, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you at least a dozen times these last weeks. The filing status of each claim must be updated after each interaction with the policy holder or their spokesperson.”
Yeah. That’s my life. Those words actually mean something to me. I can hardly believe it either.
I’d swear on my life I had updated it each time, yet there it was in blinking red letters in front of me. My gaze finds Rhonda’s. “I’m sorry, I thought I had.”
Rhonda is exactly what her name evokes. Middle-aged and round, with bright red lips, and a hairstyle that went out of fashion thirty plus years ago. She folds her arms over her bosom, leaning against the wall of my cubicle, pity in her kohl-rimmed eyes.
“Look, hon, I know you’ve just been through a breakup. Lord knows I’ve seen my fair share of those. But I need you to focus on work when you’re here, OK?”
I nod, still certain Iwasfocused and that I had changed it.
“Good. If it happens again, I’ll have to write you up.”
“I understand,” I say, voice weak and thin, knowing another write-up would make my third in the last month or so.
Three write-ups in a single quarter is an automatic dismissal and we both know.
She leans in, lips pursed as if I displease her in some way. “Tillamook Mudslide.”
“What?” I ask, gaze drawn to the freshwater pearls that hang around her neck.
Tad gave me a pearl ring in college. A promise ring. I’d thought it was the sweetest thing ever.
