A Grim Love: Can't Fight Time (12 page)

Weird,
Nina thought as she looked over her shoulder at the woman, who was rubbing her calf absently while looking over at them. The woman shook her head softly before grimacing and going back to her leg.

They all finished packing the leaves up and set them down in front of the woman. “We’re so sorry, Miss…”

The woman’s smile was kind, if a little nervous. “Iris, Your Highness.” She executed a perfect curtsy.

Nina bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Never had she thought someone would refer to her as “Your Highness.” Here she was with a r

eaper prince, traveling around in a freaking carriage, and some poor woman that they’d nearly killed was referring to her as royalty. It was almost comical.

Shaking her head, Nina addressed the woman. “I’m not royalty by any stretch of the imagination. You want to talk to this guy.” Nina pointed her thumb at Uri.

“Prince Uriel Bloodspurn, at your service.” Uri graced the woman with a bow that every prince charming in any book would have taken note of. Sometimes Nina completely forgot Uri was a prince, and other times it was so blaringly obvious it hurt her eyes to watch.

This was one of the latter times.

The woman flushed a delicate rose and looked back at Nina. Her mouth was open, about to pose a question, when her entire face shifted and she took one huge step back. “Human,” the woman whispered fearfully, like she was saying the Devil’s name.

Nina furrowed her brows and shifted on her feet. It was the castle guards all over again. It seemed the whole Underworld had some kind of hate-on for humans. It made Nina feel a little angry, but most of all very sad. If the history was different, if things could have worked out in the past, if--

Nina mentally shook herself.
If-ing solved nothing, and helped no one,
she reminded herself, the lesson from her sixth grade English teacher coming back to her.

“Yup, I’m a human,” Nina said with more cheer than she felt. “Something wrong with that?”

Iris shook her head quickly, almost fearfully. “Nothing. It’s just, we don’t have humans here. It’s not allowed.”

Nina’s smile was wry. “I just love breaking the rules.” Uri snickered beside her, and Nina cast him a sidelong glance.

“Do you need a ride, Iris?” Uri asked pleasantly.

Nina turned and cocked a brow at him, but the man had turned into Mr. Innocent. Nina rolled her eyes, pretty sure he was only offering so that he didn’t have to be trapped in a carriage with her alone again.

“I wouldn’t want to imp--” Iris began softly.

Nina waved aside her concerns as the men began lifting her bag of leaves and placing them into the cart. “You’re not imposing. We were just out on a sightseeing trip.” she gestured to the carriage. “If you wouldn’t mind riding with a human, then we’d love to have your company.”

Iris was smiled gently. “I would love to ride in the carriage. Thank you so much!”

They all climbed back in the carriage and settled down. Then with a flick of the reins and a click to the horses, they were off.

Nina smoothed her skirt down and turned to smile politely at Iris. “So, um, what do you do?” Nina asked then amended herself. “I mean, in the Underworld.”

Iris nodded like she’d already understood. “I’m a messenger. I deliver specific souls to Yin and Yang.”

Nina felt her curiosity peak and she turned slightly to really take inventory of the woman beside her. Iris looked like a strong wind could knock her over, and the sweet demeanor she wore like a second skin was a little disconcerting.

“Can you elaborate on that? I’m not exactly up to date on the whole hierarchy here,” Nina asked, excited that she could get her mind off of Grim, her death, the weird engagement thing, and the other dozen or so thought floating in her head.

Iris pursed her lips for a second before releasing them. She looked like she wanted to refuse, but Iris just clasped her hands and began speaking. “Of course, Ms. Nina--”

“Just Nina is fine.” Nina interrupted before smiling politely for her to continue.

“A-alright.” Iris looked at Nina quickly before looking down at her lap, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her skirt nervously. “In the Underworld, there are much three stations: nobility or royalty, commoners, and then messengers. We’re the lowest, and barely recognized as anything.

“You do know about Yin and Yang?” Iris asked her, with a quick glance up.

Nina turned to Uri and gently nudged him. “I know a little, courtesy of Uri. Mad scientist gods and all that.”

Iris nodded and looked at Nina with a bit more respect. “Yes, that’s more or less how it is. My job is to deliver specific souls to Yin and Yang. They tell me which souls they want and I go find the reaper that has them and give them to Yin and Yang.”

Iris paused, and pursed her lips. “There are other messengers who just recycle the souls. They have more prestige than me, because they can prove they are doing their job. But since the Yin and Yang are forbidden to directly meddle in reaper affairs--due to some events in the past--I cannot prove that I am actually doing my job. It’s a bit complicated to explain.”

It was all very fascinating to Nina, and made her curious to what other dissimilarities lurked just under the surface of the Underworld. So far, she just found herself in a world that almost directly mirrored her own, with the occasional weirdness that accompanied beings of Death.

Nina paused and for a second forgot she was in a carriage. Thoughts floated through her mind in waves, and again she felt like there was a puzzle being laid out in front of her that she just couldn’t see. But then a thought struck.

Perhaps she hadn’t finished the puzzle at all.

Nina bit her bottom lip and thought hard. She was still alive by some weird force of nature, still learning and discovering new things. Now, whether any of this could actually help save her life was the real question. But she really doubted any of it could do much more than fascinate and dazzle her until her death.

But there was still a puzzle that was unfinished, still a puzzle that she might not have finished at all. Maybe she’d just begun to collect the million or so pieces that made up the whole picture.

And perhaps you’re just going crazy because every second that ticks by brings you closer to death and you're trying to keep your mind occupied with everything but that fact,
her internal voice mocked in a scathing tone.

Nina felt blood coat her tongue, and realized she’d bitten through her lip.
Damn!
she thought as she licked at the blood and looked at the woman beside from her.

As much as it pained her to admit it, the voice was right. Nothing she learned actually helped her. All it did was make it easier for her to digest that there were things she’d never known existed, but that were real. All it really did was open her mind. And while that was great for the long term, it really didn’t help with her shortening life.

“Nina?” Iris asked; bring her attention back to the jostling carriage.

Drawing back from her dark thoughts, Nina smiled at Iris and then cast a sidelong gaze at Uri. He was still looking relaxed and completely unfazed. Nina would have killed to have Uri’s “whatever” look; the best she could manage was a “doing-my-best-not-to-break-down” look. That one had been popping up a lot more lately.

“Yeah, sorry, zoned out for a second there.” Nina waved off her wandering mind and crossed her legs. “So basically, you can’t prove that you do your job because your employers are forbidden from coming here.”

Iris blinked back in surprise and nodded slowly. “Actually, yes. That’s exactly how it is.”

Her expression pensive, Iris folded her hands and stared at Nina as if she was some kind of new species. “Our world is different from yours. While your world is based more on monetary power, our world is based on spiritual power.

Iris nodded to Uri. “If you touch his highness and then touch me, you’ll see. The power difference is drastic.” Iris held out her hand.

Curiously, Nina touched Uri and felt the power thrumming through his veins, faster than even her blood. Turning, she grasped Iris’ hand and felt… nothing. It was sort of like touching herself, like touching a human.

Nina gripped tighter and tried to feel the power, and just when she thought there was none, she felt it, so faint it was like a single drop.

“Wow.” Nina opened her eyes slowly and let go of Iris’ hand. The woman nodded and tucked her hand back into her lap.

“A reaper can achieve power one of three ways: be born into power, work to get power, or take it from another. Reapers can kill each other and take on the others power. ” Iris explained.

Nina mentally snorted.
Kind of like the human world. Not exactly, but closer than I thought.
“You know, our worlds really aren’t so different.” Nina cocked an eyebrow and Iris and Uri.

Uri laughed the sound like something out of a wet dream. “You have no clue how different our worlds are, Nina.”

Rolling her eyes, Nina turned to share a smile with Iris, when she saw the grim set of the woman’s face. Dove-gray eyes met her own, and she saw a steel behind them that she’d only ever seen in herself, and only at her lowest moments.

“Our worlds are completely different, Nina. The only way you would understand our positions is if you became apart of our world. At the moment, you are simply human. ” Iris said quietly, and then turned her eyes to Uri. The two shared a bond that Nina knew she would probably never understand.

Turning to look out at the rolling scenery, Nina hoped it wouldn’t be too much longer to the town. It hurt to realize the mistake she’d made, thinking that she could humanize the Underworld. They were beings of death, Grim Reapers.

In that moment, Nina couldn’t have felt farther away from Uri, or from Grim.

CHAPTER NINE

“Well that was a fun little adventure,” Uri said around a chuckle as he helped her out of the carriage and grabbed her bags. “You got to pick up a hitchhiker, and spend my money on new threads.”

Nina rolled her eyes and looked over the dozen bags hanging off Uri’s arms. “Don’t you mean,
you
got to spend all
your
money?” Nina said pointedly, holding up the single bag she carried. “I only bought a dress. Not a new wardrobe!”

Uri shrugged and gave her another killer smile. He could get away with treason on that smile alone.

Nina thanked the driver and waved goodbye to him. The man had been courteous to her, and that was far more than she could say about the castle staff. Nina smiled brightly as she breezed by one of the guards, only to get a murderous look in return.

For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out how she’d been rude to the guards. But every single one of them seemed to have a hate-on for her. Goddess forbid they smile at her, or even acknowledge her beyond a glare. That would just be audacious!

Nina mentally chuckled as her internal Southern belle came to the forefront. Way too many late nights loaded up on energy drinks had caused her to turn to any and every movie on the Internet. Sad life of a college student.

“But you did have fun, right? Oh, and turn right, we’re going to the throne room first. Someone’s here,” Uri said, handing off their bags to a pair of waiting maids.

Nina frowned and switched direction. “How do you know that?”

It wasn’t like there had been another carriage when they rolled in, or a bunch of scurrying maids. Everything looked exactly the same, and if Uri hadn’t told her someone was there, Nina would have never guessed.

“I can feel the different power.” Uri shrugged and tucked his hands into his back pockets as he strolled. “A reaper’s power is their signature. The more powerful the reaper, the easier they are to identify.”

Nodding absently, Nina thought back to Iris, who had about as much power as a human. In a twisted way, it sort of made sense that power would define a reaper. It defined most of their world, why not themselves?

“So, did you have fun?” Uri fished, casting Nina a sidelong glance.

“Yeah, I had fun. It was a little weird and tense at the beginning, but the town was really cool,” Nina said with slight amazement.

She wasn’t lying. The town of Elysium was a cross between an artisan hipster town and a Middle-Eastern Bazaar. The buildings all looked like something Sheiks and Arab princes should live in, complete with pavilions in the center of the houses and water fountains everywhere.

The only thing that had been weird was the utter lack of restaurants or food! There wasn't a coffee shop in sight, and forget about fast food. Uri had said it was because reapers didn't eat human food, but feasted on the lingering emotions and power of souls.

It made Nina appreciate Grim more, because never once had she gone hungry in the castle. Actually, she really hadn't gone without anything but friendly company and a change on scenery, both of which she was currently getting.

Uri had also told Nina that the town was the largest and closest to the castle. Though close was relative; the carriage ride had taken at least an hour, and with the tension in the carriage it had felt close to three.

But once they’d gotten there, the town had come to life and Nina had thoroughly enjoyed herself. Weaving in and out of shops both on the street and in buildings, and getting more curious looks than angry or mean ones. In fact, being in the city had been the warmest reception she’d gotten as a human in the Underworld. It had been refreshing.

“I really liked Iris, too. At first I thought she was kind of meek and timid, but she showed her stripes in the marketplace,” Nina said with a hint of proudness.

IIris had pulled through and shown that she could take care of herself. It was like the docile governess she’d met had flown out the window the minute she’d seen something she wanted. Then the devil haggler had come through, and practically robbed the owners blind with how little she was willing to pay. But she’d still gotten her way, and in the end she’d come out looking strong.

“Did it take your mind off of
it
?” Uri asked her with a soft, pitying look.

Nina nodded her head and mimicked his killer smile. “Nothing can really take my mind off my death, Uri. But it helped." Nina pushed back a strand of her hair. “So, how was it--”

All of a sudden Uri stopped and held still. Nina stopped a second later, and looked at Uri over her shoulder. His lips were set in a grim line and his green eyes looked like a stormy sea. Whatever he’d sensed had set him off, and if it spooked Uri, that it was probably going to terrify her.

“What is it?” she asked quietly, barely above a whisper.

“Unexpected trouble,” Uri practically growled before he caught himself and his expression went back to its usually facade.

The fear Uri had displayed a second before didn't sit right with Nina, and despite his once again relaxed posture and sure stride, she felt her defenses rise and was immediately on alert. Surprises had become normal, but that didn’t mean Nina wasn’t still on alert and worried.

Uri didn't look happy, relaxed, or anything like his usual carefree self. And, if that hadn't warned her that the shit was about to hit the fan, Uri's next words sure did: "Everything's going to be fine, Nina. Don't look so suspicious." Uri's smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and the lines around his mouth looked strained.

"Fine" in Nina's life was relative to time and place: anywhere her father wasn't trying to kill her was a fine place. Uri's words of reassurance did the exact opposite, and for once in her life, Nina wished she had a weapon, or some kind of power. She was a pacifist by nature, by nature wasn't helping save her butt, Grim reapers were. And those reapers had wicked looking scythes and the power to choke a person with a simple thought.

Right then, Nina would have traded her first born for a suit of armor and a big ass sword.

Uri slowed and came to a stop in front of two thick doors with the Bloodspurn insignia carved on the handles.  
Apparently Grim hadn’t been able to remove these.

Nina craned her neck and took inventory of the hallway, but had no clue where she was, and none of the guards looked familiar. The only thing she was sure of were the anxious waves coming off Uri. The guy really didn’t like, or want to be near, whoever was on the other side of the door. Hell, even Nina could feel the power coming from the room, sliding against her like gentle but firm currents.

But she felt a power she recognized, Grim’s power. Time was still not on her side, and as much as she’d enjoyed her day out with Uri, she’d still rather be with Grim. And that thought alone, was enough to convince her.

“You’re sweating bullets over there, Uri,” Nina said casually as she summoned up her courage and reached for the handle.

“I’m doing just fine, Nina.” Uri’s voice didn’t hold the usual sauciness that he seemed to have in spades. In fact, he sounded a bit guarded, maybe angry.

Nina twisted the knob and gave him a weary smile. “Sure you are.” Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. “Don't worry, Uri, I’ll protect you.”

Uri’s strained chuckle helped ease some of the tension gripping Nina, but not by much. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Throwing the door wide, Nina entered first, and took a quick glance around. Luxury didn’t begin to describe the place. Everything seemed to be custom made, from the drapes to the marble floor to the gruesome paintings lining the walls. The entire room was straight out of a warlord’s castle, with hints of a sophisticated monarchy just hidden underneath. It was barbarism for the 21st Century.

“Uriel!” A voice that sounded like that weird bone whistle snapped loudly, and forced Nina’s attention to the four people on the other side of the room. Two were sitting on what looked like stone thrones, surrounded by twinkling glass. Nina didn’t really have a chance to look at them, before all four were suddenly in her face, and she was partly behind Uri.

Crap, they move fast!
Again ,Nina wished humans had some sort of supernatural power. It would have helped her blend in with the reapers crowding her space.

Two looked human, and two didn't. It was still strange for Nina to see a reaper that looked like a human one minute shift into skull and bones in the very next. Grim spared her the gruesome transformation, but she'd seen it in the town. Some of the townspeople had shifted from skin to bone and back again. The skin seemed to, well, melt from their bones as if they were wax figurines that had been put in the microwave. The transformation to a human wasn’t much better, their muscle, tissue, and skin seeming to knit over their bones, like a bunch of knitters had suddenly appeared on the bones. Both processes took less than a few seconds, but Nina had seen it a couple of times, and some seconds felt longer than others.

Turning to the reapers around her, Nina at least recognized two. The hissing black cloak she recognized as the Queen. The slightly chilled finger bones that rubbed lightly against her arm she knew to be Grim, though Nina didn’t understand why he was in that form. The other two were a man who looked to be in his late thirties with the lithe body of a swimmer, and a child who looked like a gothic Shirley Temple with her jet-black ringlets, too-short dark purple dress, and obnoxiously bright smile.

“Hello, Father, Mother.” Uri said from just in front of her, as he slowly moved away and Grim took his place.

Grim didn’t touch her again, but his presence soothed her. For some reason the air in the room was filled to the brim with tension, and Nina was pretty sure her presence had only made it worse.

The thirty-something year old man clapped his hands excitedly. Nina turned to him, put off by his weird behavior but intrigued at the same time. The situation was laden with tension, the emotions so thick in the room one could probably swim in them. But the man looked unaffected, actually he looked downright carefree.

Nina turned to Grim, about to ask who the wacko was, when the man suddenly spoke, his words almost lyrical. "See you soon, my son, but now I must run. Because this time is no fun, it's the future, it's the past. Spinning, spinning, crash."

Nina cocked her hand and watched the man's arms move wildly, his eyes lit up. He looked like he was on some kind of demented rollercoaster ride, and it really creeped Nina out.

But just as quickly as the craziness started, it stopped, and the man looked right at Nina. He seemed to see inside of her, finding her darkest secrets, the ones she knew and the ones that she didn't. Never had someone looked at her like that--even Uri and Grim, with their weirdly intense gazes, didn't look at her the way this man was looking. It didn't exactly creep Nina out, but it didn't make her want to strike up a friendship with the guy either.

Flourishing a bow, which looked oddly like it was directed at Nina, the man turned and practically skipped out the door. For a moment, the entire group stared after him, wondering what the hell had just happened.

"Who was that?" Nina whispered, blowing out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

The tension in the room seemed to skyrocket, and Nina could almost feel the pressure pushing at her chest. It was suffocating, and all she'd done was ask a simple question.

"My husband," the words were angry, clipped.

Nina turned to the black cloak and shining bones that she knew to be Grim's mother. Her cloak shook as the queen seemed to bristle with indignation, then she raised her hand and a wicked looking scythe shot across the room and into her waiting grasp. Nina flinched back at the easy display of power, the element grace Grim's mother used when dealing with a weapon that was taller--and in her current form--probably heavier than she was. Nina could only imagine how easy it was to let the blade slip from the queen's hand and cut her throat.

Reflexively, she swallowed and touched her neck, making sure her head was still on her body. If skeletons could smile, the queen definitely would have. But the queen just swept her cloak in a wide circle and exited the room without a backwards glance.