My Soul to Take
Page 40
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Whered you find her?
We do age, Nash said, but the last word was clipped short, like hed almost said my name, then left it out at the last minute. And thats when I understood: he didnt want Tod to know who I was.
I was fine with that. The very idea of Death knowing my name made my skin crawl. Even if this particular Death was only one of many, and almost too pretty to look at.
We just age very slowly, Nash continued.
By then I was blushing furiously; Id just painted myself as a complete fool. What kind of idiot doesnt know the lifespan of her own species?
Nash hooked his foot around my ankle beneath the table, rubbing my leg in sympathy and comfort. I shot him a grateful smile and made myself meet Tods eyes boldly. The best way to even the playing field was to knock him down a peg. Why are you stuck here? I asked, hoping Id correctly assessed that as his sore spot.
Because hes a rookie. Nash smirked. And there isnt much opportunity for advancement in a line of work where the employees never die.
Youre a rookie? I looked at Tod again, and again his jaw bulged with irritation. How old are you? Id assumed, based on that ageless comment, that he was much older than he looked.
Hes seventeen, Nash said, his smirk still firmly in place.
I was seventeen when I started this job, the reaper snapped. But that was two years ago.
Youve been doing this for two years and youre still a rookie?
Tod looked insulted, and I wasnt sure whether to laugh or apologize. Yeah, well, my recruiter wasnt very concerned with truth in advertising. And your boyfriend here is right about the turnover rateits nonexistent. The senior reapers in this district are edging up on two hundred years old. If we hadnt lost one last year, Id still be sitting in the TV room at Colonial Manor, waiting for old men to keel over into their oatmeal.
Wait, how do you lose a reaper? I couldnt help but ask. Freak sickle accident? But no one else looked amused by my joke.
The less you know about reaper business, the better, Nash whispered, and Tod nodded arrogantly.
Oh. I held both hands up in defense and leaned back in my chair. Sorry. Soold men keeling into their oatmeal?
Tod shrugged. Yeah. But at least here I get the occasional gunshot victim or unexpected relapse. Lifes all about the surprises, right?
I guess. But surprises had kind of lost their novelty for me with the discovery that I wasnt human. Except for that whole fatal premonition thing. Id love to be caught off guard by death again, like normalpeople.
Well, not by my own death, of course.
Speaking of surprises Twisting the lid off my Coke, I glanced at Nash for a signal, and he nodded, telling me to continue. Evidently I wasnt imagining Tods willingness to talk to me, rather than to him. We need your help avoiding a really nasty one.
Tod made a show of glancing at his wrist, conspicuously absent of a watch. You two have already wasted my whole break. I have an aneurism on the fourth floor in ten minutes, and I cant be late. I hate the ones that linger.
This wont take long. I pinned him with my gaze, refusing to break contact once I saw him hesitate. Please.
The reaper sighed, running one hand through his mop of short curls. You have five minutes.
I breathed softly in relief. Until the reality of the situation sank in.
Had I just begged for an audience with Death?
11
THIS IS ABOUT the exchange rate? the reaper asked, drawing me out of my own head, where shock over the events of the past couple of hours was finally catching up with me.
When I didnt answer, Nash nodded.
The reaper shrugged and slouched back into his chair. You know as much as I do about that. A life for a life.
Nash glanced at me with both brows raised, to ask if I was okay. I nodded, drawing my thoughts back into focus, and he leaned forward with his arms crossed on the table. But thats the penalty for saving someone on your list, right? Someone whos supposed to die.
Youre not saving anyone. Tod scowledwed obviously found his hot button. Youre stealing souls, which only delays the inevitable. And throws my whole shift off schedule. And hurls my boss into all new realms of pissed-off. And you dont even want to know about the paperwork involved in even a simple, equal exchange.
Im not Nash started, but Tod cut him off.
But beyond all that, its illegal. Thus the penalty.
I screwed the lid back onto my bottle and pushed it toward the middle of the table. But does the penalty still apply if we save someone who wasnt supposed to die?
Tods forehead wrinkled in confusion, then his expression went suddenly blank, leaving a cold comprehension shining in his eyes. Shit like that doesnt happen here
Come off it, Tod. Nash eyed the reaper intently, old pain etched into the lines of his frown. You owe me the truth.
But Tod went on as if he hadnt been interrupted. and even if it did, youd never know it, because no reaper could afford to admit he accidently took the wrong soul.
We do age, Nash said, but the last word was clipped short, like hed almost said my name, then left it out at the last minute. And thats when I understood: he didnt want Tod to know who I was.
I was fine with that. The very idea of Death knowing my name made my skin crawl. Even if this particular Death was only one of many, and almost too pretty to look at.
We just age very slowly, Nash continued.
By then I was blushing furiously; Id just painted myself as a complete fool. What kind of idiot doesnt know the lifespan of her own species?
Nash hooked his foot around my ankle beneath the table, rubbing my leg in sympathy and comfort. I shot him a grateful smile and made myself meet Tods eyes boldly. The best way to even the playing field was to knock him down a peg. Why are you stuck here? I asked, hoping Id correctly assessed that as his sore spot.
Because hes a rookie. Nash smirked. And there isnt much opportunity for advancement in a line of work where the employees never die.
Youre a rookie? I looked at Tod again, and again his jaw bulged with irritation. How old are you? Id assumed, based on that ageless comment, that he was much older than he looked.
Hes seventeen, Nash said, his smirk still firmly in place.
I was seventeen when I started this job, the reaper snapped. But that was two years ago.
Youve been doing this for two years and youre still a rookie?
Tod looked insulted, and I wasnt sure whether to laugh or apologize. Yeah, well, my recruiter wasnt very concerned with truth in advertising. And your boyfriend here is right about the turnover rateits nonexistent. The senior reapers in this district are edging up on two hundred years old. If we hadnt lost one last year, Id still be sitting in the TV room at Colonial Manor, waiting for old men to keel over into their oatmeal.
Wait, how do you lose a reaper? I couldnt help but ask. Freak sickle accident? But no one else looked amused by my joke.
The less you know about reaper business, the better, Nash whispered, and Tod nodded arrogantly.
Oh. I held both hands up in defense and leaned back in my chair. Sorry. Soold men keeling into their oatmeal?
Tod shrugged. Yeah. But at least here I get the occasional gunshot victim or unexpected relapse. Lifes all about the surprises, right?
I guess. But surprises had kind of lost their novelty for me with the discovery that I wasnt human. Except for that whole fatal premonition thing. Id love to be caught off guard by death again, like normalpeople.
Well, not by my own death, of course.
Speaking of surprises Twisting the lid off my Coke, I glanced at Nash for a signal, and he nodded, telling me to continue. Evidently I wasnt imagining Tods willingness to talk to me, rather than to him. We need your help avoiding a really nasty one.
Tod made a show of glancing at his wrist, conspicuously absent of a watch. You two have already wasted my whole break. I have an aneurism on the fourth floor in ten minutes, and I cant be late. I hate the ones that linger.
This wont take long. I pinned him with my gaze, refusing to break contact once I saw him hesitate. Please.
The reaper sighed, running one hand through his mop of short curls. You have five minutes.
I breathed softly in relief. Until the reality of the situation sank in.
Had I just begged for an audience with Death?
11
THIS IS ABOUT the exchange rate? the reaper asked, drawing me out of my own head, where shock over the events of the past couple of hours was finally catching up with me.
When I didnt answer, Nash nodded.
The reaper shrugged and slouched back into his chair. You know as much as I do about that. A life for a life.
Nash glanced at me with both brows raised, to ask if I was okay. I nodded, drawing my thoughts back into focus, and he leaned forward with his arms crossed on the table. But thats the penalty for saving someone on your list, right? Someone whos supposed to die.
Youre not saving anyone. Tod scowledwed obviously found his hot button. Youre stealing souls, which only delays the inevitable. And throws my whole shift off schedule. And hurls my boss into all new realms of pissed-off. And you dont even want to know about the paperwork involved in even a simple, equal exchange.
Im not Nash started, but Tod cut him off.
But beyond all that, its illegal. Thus the penalty.
I screwed the lid back onto my bottle and pushed it toward the middle of the table. But does the penalty still apply if we save someone who wasnt supposed to die?
Tods forehead wrinkled in confusion, then his expression went suddenly blank, leaving a cold comprehension shining in his eyes. Shit like that doesnt happen here
Come off it, Tod. Nash eyed the reaper intently, old pain etched into the lines of his frown. You owe me the truth.
But Tod went on as if he hadnt been interrupted. and even if it did, youd never know it, because no reaper could afford to admit he accidently took the wrong soul.
