Death stepped around a pile of bones as she approached her intended target. She barely spared the two jackals in the corner of the cave a glance, her attention drawn by the figure of a sleeping girl that appeared to be 16 years old. Even in sleep, she appeared vicious. Blood covered her face. It was smeared around her mouth, and you could see several open wounds. She had bones decorating her body. The most pronounced ones were on her head, surrounding her jaw and mouth. They were from various large wolves. The light from the cave entrance did little to soften her features, as it caused Death’s shadow to cover the girl in unintended darkness.

“I came here expecting to find a shapeshifting youth, in need of teaching.” Death sighed as she lifted the girl by the jaw bone that ran along her own jawline. The girl snapped awake the moment she was moved. She growled fiercely at Death as she writhed in Death’s grasp. When it became apparent that Death was barely bothered, she changed tactics and launched herself forward in an attempted attack. Death was, again, barely bothered by the outburst. Instead she simply held the girl a little further away. “You’re nothing but a human, aren’t you? Not a conventional one, I grant you, but human nonetheless.”

Death dropped the girl back onto the ground as she turned to leave. She’d seen enough. It wasn’t until she felt a jaw on each of her wrists that Death felt like she miscalculated something. She looked down to see the two jackals from before attached to her wrists by their teeth, and that’s when she felt the ghost of a third set of teeth on the back of her neck.

Death’s head turned as a voice echoed behind her. “You never let me bite you, should I be jealous?”

Death gave both Jackals a sound smack before she fully turned around and acknowledged Khalida’s sudden appearance. Khaldia had restrained the young girl from before. Her scythe was in the girl’s mouth, and her captive appeared to be trying to bite through it as she struggled.

Death internally winced as she watched, and mumbled out a “You’re getting my…” before she shook her head and sighed. “Jealousy is merely an emotion the weak feel as they gaze upon objects that they can never have.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Khalida merely grinned in response. “There you go, not directly answering my question again. Yet just another reason why I…”

“Why are you here, Khalida?” Death interrupted. “And don’t use that mutt as an excuse. We both know she couldn’t harm me, no matter how much she wanted to.” They both looked at the girl that was still in Khalida’s arms. She had calmed down considerably as the two of them had been talking and now she watched them, curiously. Death’s eyes narrowed at the sight but before her brain could catch up to the emotion, Khalida released the small girl and she scampered out of the cave.

“I heard you were out here, looking for students.” Khalida started, her scythe disappearing as she talked. “So I figured I would use the chance to tell you that I’m…”

“Not going to be attending the school, I know.” Death interrupted her again.

Khalida’s face fell before a look of pure determination crossed her face. “ Look here, I went to talk to Lorelei and she thinks...”

On the wall behind Khalida’s head, Death’s shadow shifted into her crow form before twisting back into her human one. Her real form remained unchanged. “And what were you doing, talking to Lorelei?” Death asked, her tone was even as she stared at Khalida.

Khalida let out a frustrated breath before she crossed her arms. “What are you doing, talking to Lorelei?” She gripped her arms tightly as she continued. “You don’t tell me anything anymore. All I want to do is help you and you won’t let me. Why? Why did you turn me into this if you won’t let me help?”

Death’s face fell as Khalida spoke. She reached out to touch her shoulder, “Kali, I…”

Khalida stomped her foot on the ground, her eyes were pure black. “Adrian tells me all these stories. Stories about how he helps you. Helps the dead find peace. Stories that I’ve never had a chance to create for myself because you won’t let me.”

Khalida stomped her foot onto the ground one more time. This time her whole body turned a pitch black and her scythe was once again in her hand. Unlike before, however, it was several times bigger and surrounded by a dark aura. She slammed it against the floor of the cave as she cried out, angrily. “I’m one of your reapers too!”

Death watched her in shock, but after not even a second Khalida had returned to normal. Death let out a sigh before she placed a hand on Khalida’s shoulder. “You’re right.”

Khalida looked up at Death, wiping some stray tears away. “I know.” She reached up to hold Death’s hand.

Death cleared her throat before she asked, almost timidly. “So tell me… What did Lorelei have to say?”