Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

26 - Siblings (2 of 2)

You think that you're deep under my skin

You're trying to keep me suffering
If you use your words as a weaponThen as a weapon, I'll shed no tears  

26 - Siblings

She looked at me with pity. "Once all of this is over, Vincent will be no more. There will be no more anything. Not even you or me."

The swelling in my throat kept growing, pushing out the sobs I had been trying to suppress.

"No..."

"There is nothing you can do, Aramis. Legion will devour all--Living and Immortal--until such time that the world is completely Purged. When it had done its purpose, Legion will starve and slowly perish." Her voice was quiet, so calm that it scared me. "It is what you may say hitting two birds with one stone."

"Is it because I killed your mother?! Is this some kind of revenge? Well then, I'm here now. Take it out on me. Let everyone else out of it!"

With a sigh, she flopped onto the only chair in the room. She took out an old leatherbound book--the Grimoire of Chasms--from her cloak.

"My mother..." she murmured, "has never seen me as anything more than a familiar."

"Sharifa..." Irvine called.

"You know it's true, Irvine."

Irvine didn't respond, but the expression on his face confirmed Sharifa's words.

She glanced at me with those sad, remorseful eyes.

"At first, it was exactly like that--revenge." With that last word, her brows furrowed slightly as if in disgust. "My only desire was to spite my so-called brothers, add a bit of chaos in their perfect immortal lives. However, I discovered that I can do more--something that would actually make a difference, something much bigger than ourselves."

"You're sick!" I retorted.

"Yes," she admitted. "I am sick. The world itself is ill. Are you not tired, Aramis? No matter how many wraiths we kill, we can never rid this world of chaos, of hate and suffering. Because people are evil and the world is a wicked place. All it has ever done is hurt us!"

It was the first time I heard Sharifa raise her tone. Her hand shook as she stroked the Grimoire's cover.

"After this Purge, Eldest shall recreate the world and this time, it will be perfect. That is why"--she gazed at me, her eyes hopeful--"I need your help, Aramis. I need you to convince Vincent to join Legion. He is the key for Legion to attain full power. Only he can be the Scarlet Beast, the scourge who shall pass judgement for all."

I clenched my teeth.

"Tell me, Sharifa. In this 'perfect world' you're raving about; where do you come in in all of that, huh? How about Irvine?"

She paused for a second as if to think.

"You. Will. Be. Dead!"

I felt Irvine squirm.

"We are already dead!" She slammed her hands on the table, toppling the chair over as she stood. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "Eldest will be pleased, Irvine. This is the grandest soul offering since the beginning of time. It will earn us a place in the new world."

The conviction that had always laced her voice seemed to waver.

"If I..." I forced back the sobs and cleared my throat. "help you, will you release my father?"