Death and the Lady

“Wait, you two know each other?” Nate asked and Haji looked at Lily.

He saw her expression change, smoothly changing from a look of shock to a mask of self-assurance. His heart froze. What was she going to do, accuse him of kidnapping and wrongful imprisonment?

“We work together,” Lily said as she took the other girl’s arm in a firm grip. “Which is why I can speak German and French. The company we work for stipulates that we speak a minimum of four languages.”

Haji felt the rest of him grow cold. The girl was another Reaper? Now that he looked closely at her he recognised her from the farm. The girl with the claws.

Lily started dragging Claire from the kitchen. “Just give me a second to talk to her. My phone doesn’t have any reception here so I haven’t been able to call in to work to tell them why I haven’t been there for so long.”

Haji and Nate both watched as Lily and Claire disappeared out of the kitchen. Nate looked up at Haji.

“Whoa, bro? You okay? You’re seriously pale.”

Haji leaned against the counter and tried to get his world to stop pivoting around him. He felt sick to his stomach with fear and anxiety. He felt Nate take his arm and steer him towards the table.

“Sit down, drink this.”

Nate pushed a cold glass into his shaking hands and forced him to down the contents.

Lily was going to leave.

Lily pulled Claire up the stairs towards the bedroom. This was the only place where Nate couldn’t listen in. Haji made sure that the younger man couldn’t hear anything from outside the room when the door was closed.

“Lily, why are you here? Everyone in the Domain is going crazy looking for you. Helandel is out of his mind. Why didn’t you let anyone know?”

“Whoa, slow down, Bells,” Lily said as she waved her hands in front of her.

“When you and your clothes disappeared I didn’t think so much about it, but when you didn’t come to the Domain or even call anyone I got really worried. We’ve got every French Reaper out looking for you.”

“Claire, stop.”

Claire shut her mouth and Lily put her hands on the younger woman’s shoulders. She looked up at Lily with a look of anger mingled with hurt and relief.

“You’d better sit down, this will take a while.”

It took Lily a surprisingly short time to explain the situation to the younger woman, who sat and listened in silence.

“So he kidnapped you and took away your weapon, key and phone?” Claire asked when Lily finally finished.

“Yes.”

“And kept you here for a week without any explanation, put up a barrier so that you couldn’t leave and disappeared?”

“Yes.”

“And Nate, my Nate, doesn’t know anything about Reapers and Clerics?”

Lily thought for a moment. “Yup, that about covers everything.”

“So why are you still here? You said that Haji took down the barrier last night.”

“Nate’s in danger.”

“I don’t get that part.”

Lily ran her hands over her face. “Imagine Death came and threatened your family,” she said and Claire gave her a sharp look.

“He wouldn’t.”

“Just work with me here.”

“Okay.”

“Right, now, imagine your family is in danger, right, from Death. Imagine that Death used your family as leverage to keep you in line as a Reaper. What would you do?”

Claire thought for a while and then realisation dawned. “Oh,” she said flatly.

“Right, understand. Now that Haji’s left the Clerics what’s to stop my father, a man who tortured his own daughter, from hurting Nate? He’s been grooming Haji to take his place one day.”

“I see your point.”

“I was planning on calling you when we figured out a way to keep Nate safe from the Clerics. I knew if I called in Helandel wouldn’t let me come back again. And come on, he should know better than to worry about my safety. I would have called out if I was in any real danger.”

“You we’re in a weird mood when I last saw you.”

“So you just assumed that I wouldn’t ask for help if I really needed it?”

“Yeah.”

Lily shook her head. “Never assume that.”

Claire nodded. “So have you figured something out yet? To keep Nate safe?”

“Not yet. Haji said that there was a way for Nate to stay safe.”

“And?”

“I can’t let him do that.”

“Do what?”

Lily looked at Claire. “Haji needs to die.”

Haji looked up when Lily and Claire came into the kitchen. She was startled by how pale he looked. Her hand tightened into a fist and she glanced down at Claire, who didn’t hide her glare of distrust when she looked at Haji.

“Lily told me that you’re not too good with French and I suck at German, so we’ll do this in English,” she said, her usually gentle voice harsh.

Haji nodded. So this was it. Lily was going to leave and heaven alone knew how he was going to deal with that.

“Lily has told me about the situation she finds herself in,” Claire said stiffly and Lily nudged her.

“Be nice,” she hissed and Claire drew a deep breath.

“I don’t like you,” she said and saw Nate’s shocked look. “But I agree that Lily should stay here for the time being, for everyone’s safety. I’ll go and smooth things over with my superiors and see if there’s anything we can do from our side. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure something out.”

Colour returned to Haji’s face and he got to his feet suddenly. To Lily’s surprise he drew her into a tight embrace and held her as though he’d lost her.

“Haji, what’s wrong?” she asked as she patted his back.

He muttered something in German, too quickly for her to catch, and then stepped back. He brushed past her and headed up the stairs before anyone could say anything.

“I have to go,” Claire said softly and looked at Lily with a frown before she turned back to Nate. “Sorry about this, but I have a few things to do. Can we move the study session to tomorrow?”

Nate grinned. “Sure. I get that you need to go and talk to your bosses. See you in class tomorrow.”

Claire smiled. “Yeah, see you tomorrow. Walk me to the door, Lily?”

Together the two women walked to the front door and Lily stepped out onto the porch. The warm sunlight played over her skin and she drew a deep breath.

“He really loves you, you know,” Claire said suddenly and Lily looked down at her.

“Come again?”

“Haven’t you noticed the way he looks at you? I wish someone would look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like he’d die if I left. Are you that blind? That’s love, Lily.”

Lily turned her head away. “I don’t know what love is.”

“Then find out quickly,” Claire said as she hugged Lily tightly. “I’ll tell Helandel not to worry, that you’re safe and playing hero, again.”

Lily hugged her back. “Thank you,” she said and stepped back. She watched Claire head towards the small gate when she called out to her. “How do you know? About Haji?”

“I’m French, Lily! Just trust me.”

Nate was standing in the hallway when Lily came back into the house. His usual sunny face coloured in suspicion.

“What kind of trouble are you in?”

Lily blinked. “Sorry?” she asked and he stepped closer.

“Is it mob related? Is someone trying to kill you? Will it hurt Haji?” he asked, firing the questions quickly and angrily.

Lily held up a hand. “You told me that Haji has a hero-complex, right?” she asked and Nate nodded slowly.

“Yeah, what about that?”

“Well, I’m the same. I’m protecting someone too.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the best one you’re going to get.”

Lily moved past him towards the stairs and Nate grabbed her arm. “Don’t dare hurt my brother,” he growled and Lily looked up at him.

She yanked her arm and pulled his face close to hers. “If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?”

“That was Shakespeare, wasn’t it?”

Lily pulled her arm free of his grip and turned her back to him. “Haji told you that I’m studying acting, didn’t he?”

“Something like that. He also said that you like quoting Shakespeare.”

“Well, can you tell where the act ends and the person begins?”

Nate frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Then I’ll put it to you in a way that you will. I will never, ever hurt Haji, but I will probably kill anyone who dares to try.”

With that she walked up the stairs. She peeked into Haji’s bedroom and saw him lying on the bed with his arm thrown over his eyes. She closed the door, walked into the room and sat down beside him, lay her hand on his chest and looked down at him in silence. After a while the arm moved and a blue eye fixed itself on her.

“Are you alright?” she asked and Haji sat up.

They sat close to each other, her shoulder bumping against his chest. Haji looked closely at her face.

“For a few minutes I thought you were going to leave,” he said and she smiled at him.

“I promised that I would stay to protect Nate, didn’t I?”

“Is that the only reason?”

Lily looked away. “All my life I’ve spent all my energy making sure my mom was safe. Made sure the house was clean and that the meals were cooked when my mom got off work. She had to take extra classes to cover our expenses. In high school I started working as a waiter on the side, just to bring in some extra money. I’ve never had time to be a kid; I never got to be a teenager. I’ve always had to be strong and unbending.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I don’t know what love is,” Lily said and looked into Haji’s blue-blue eyes. “I’ve never had time to learn.”

Haji smiled and cupped her face in his big hands. “Then let me show you?” he said and pulled her down onto the bed.

Lily, Haji, Claire and Nate were in the Tuileries Gardens a few days later, enjoying the summer sunshine and the clear air. They were having a picnic on the lush green grass near one of the many statues that resided in the gardens.

Lily was lying with her head on Haji’s lap, reading a book while Claire and Nate were arguing about some exam that they were supposed to be studying for. Haji was leaning back against the tree they’d spread the blanket under and was also reading a book.

Birdsong filled the air and the sounds of children playing in the distance made this place a little piece of heaven. Haji was playing with Lily’s fringe in an absent-minded way as he read. In the last few days they’d grown nearly inseparable.

Lily sat up to take a sip of the iced tea they’d brought with them when her eye caught a movement to her left. She turned her head to look at it and something blew past her face. She heard the pock sound as whatever had passed her face buried itself in the tree next to her.

Her head snapped around and saw the hole in the bark, right next to Haji’s head. The young man was pale and his face was pulled into a look of shock. Lily’s head snapped around and froze.

Striding towards them was Stephen, a maniacal grin plastered over his face and his gun pointed right at them. People were screaming and running away from him while four more Clerics appeared behind him, fanning out and lifting their guns.

All of them wore peaked caps and black coats over their suits. In the blistering heat of the day the heavy coats must have been suffocating. Lily rolled over and grabbed Inoue from where it lay next to the picnic basket. She and Claire stepped forward and Claire raised her hands. As she thrust them down there was a burst of soul fire and her claws appeared on her hands.

She lifted her hands and took an attack position. “How did they find us?” she asked and Lily drew Inoue.

“I have no idea,” she said as she held the scabbard up. “Kill for me, Inoue,” she whispered and the second sword appeared.

Stephen lifted his gun sideways and smiled at Haji. “So this is where you were, traitor. I should have known.”

Haji got to his feet and drew his gun. He stepped up beside Lily and cocked it, never taking his eyes off the approaching Clerics.

“Who are they?” Lily asked and Haji’s eyes narrowed.

“They are de fire pilar riddere, the four pillar knights on which the head of the Order stands. They are the four strongest, most experienced and most successful members of the Order.”

“And that was what Stephen wanted you to become?” Claire asked and Haji shook his head.

“Stephen wanted me to take his place as Paladin, the head of the Order.”

“I’m disappointed in you Haji,” Stephen laughed as he stopped a few paces from the three of them. “How easily you’ve had your head turned by that painted jezebel.”

“How sweet, he called me a butterfly,” Lily said sarcastically and saw Stephen’s face twist in anger.

“What are you talking about,” he snapped and Lily indicated her discarded book.

“The Painted Jezebel Delias hyarete is a medium sized butterfly of the family Pieridae found in Asia.”

“You read that stuff for fun?” Claire asked as she flexed her fingers.

“What’s going on?” Nate asked suddenly, making everyone remember him.

“Oh crap, I completely forgot about him,” Claire muttered, “quick, take us out of here.”

Just as Lily raised her hand to snap her fingers Stephen fired off a shot, making her duck.

“Not so fast, little Lilith,” he said and grinned. “I want that boy to see just what you’ve been hiding from him all these years, Johannes.”

Haji narrowed his eyes. “Still planning on using him as leverage?”

Stephen put his head to one side. “To do what? Take back a traitor? How little you think of me. I’m here to kill you.”

“Over my dead body,” Lily snapped and Stephen looked at her.

“Isn’t that a little redundant?” he asked and Lily’s hands tightened on her swords. Stephen raised his gun again and narrowed his eyes. “Kill them all.”

The four other Clerics ran forward, firing at them. Lily and Haji jumped away from the gunfire and Claire grabbed Nate and ran for the trees. She pushed him behind one pushed him into a kneeling position.

“Stay here and don’t come out,” she said as the bells on her claws tinkled merrily.

“What’s going on, who are those guys.”

“Your brother used to work for them.”

“Wait, what?” Nate called, but Claire was already running back towards the fight.

Lily was fending off two of them and Haji and a third was locked in a fistfight. The fourth was running towards Claire, taking aim with his gun. He fired a shot and she spun out of the way.

Lily had commented a few months ago on Claire’s fighting style. Because the girl grew up dancing, she fought like a dancer. Twirling and weaving between the attacks. It made it damn hard to hit her.

Lily ducked a thrown punch and slammed the back of one of her blades into the Cleric’s arm. She heard the satisfying crunch of bone and the man screamed. They weren’t too good at close-range fighting, after all.

The other man shot at her and she managed to deflect it. She kicked the stricken man away from her and swept the other man’s feet from under him. Vaguely Lily saw Claire take down her opponent and jump over him towards Haji, who seemed to be struggling. When Lily tried to head his way to help, the Cleric she’d tripped grabbed her leg and pushed his gun against her thigh.

Lily sheered through the barrel of the gun easily with her sword and the man fell back, the two pieces of his gun falling from his hand. The Cleric with the broken arm shot a round at her and it grazed the top of her arm. Lily kicked at the man who was holding onto her leg and hit him on the temple. He slumped and blood welled from the cut on his head.

She cut the second man’s gun in half and kicked him hard in the stomach, kicking his wind out. Now was not a time to fight fair. As she looked up Lily saw Haji forced down onto his knees. His white shirt was stained red with his blood and the Cleric he’d been fighting stood behind him, gun pressed to his head execution style. Claire was on the ground a little way away, but she was getting to her feet.

Everything was moving slowly, far too slowly. In horror Lily watched as Stephen stepped up to Haji and press his gun to the younger man’s forehead. Lily was running towards them, screaming his name.

Stephen looked up at her, smiled evilly and the turned back to Haji. Lily was moving too slowly. She wasn’t going to reach them in time. She saw Haji turn to her and saw that his face was covered in blood from a gash over his eyebrow. His one eye was already starting to swell and change colour.

Lily screamed as she tried to force her body to move faster. Her heart felt as though it was climbing out through her throat. She couldn’t breathe as she watched her father start to pull the trigger.

There was a flash of steel and Lily saw Claire fall to the side and stay on the ground. The Cleric who was standing behind Haji lowered his gun and looked down at the young girl that lay unmoving on the ground.

Lily screamed Claire’s name when she saw the girl on the ground. The Cleric turned back to Haji and placed a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. His expression was empty and calm, as though he hadn’t just killed someone. Stephen smiled and looked down at Haji.

And pulled the trigger.

The sound of the gun discharging brought Lily to a standstill. Haji’s body was allowed to fall to the side and the thump resounded through Lily’s head. All the feeling left her body and she sank to her knees, shocked into immobility.

Hot tears streamed over her cheeks as she stared at the two bodies on the ground. She heard the crunch of grass as Stephen walked towards her and felt the cold metal of his gun press against her brow.

“Your turn,” Stephen said coldly and Lily raised her eyes to look up at him.

He hesitated when he saw her face. Her eyes were dull, but tears were streaming from them and a confused look covered her face, as though she wasn’t quite sure what was happening. He made an angry sound and tightened his hand around the trigger.

Someone reached down and lifted Stephen’s hand, making the shot fly over Lily’s head.

“Not so fast,” Helandel said coldly.