Ru sat up abruptly, startling her mom and sending Piper scurrying for cover. Thankfully, nothing came shooting out of her hands. Her grandmother didn’t seem to miss a stitch as the knitting needles rattled on.
Wiping her mouth on the back of her hand, Ru looked around the room. Her mother’s eyes were wide in concern, but she said nothing, giving Ru time to compose herself. “Sorry,” Ru muttered. “I guess… I was dreaming.”
“Were you?” Nana Sue asked, not even looking up from her project. “Didn’t sound like it.”
“What do you mean?” Ru asked, hoping she hadn’t been talking in her sleep.
“Usually, when someone comes back so forcefully, it’s because they’ve been out of their body,” Maggie explained, reaching a comforting hand out and placing it on Ru’s shoulder.
It helped, and Ru settled back against the sofa. “Maybe it wasn’t a dream. I don’t know. It just seemed… odd.” She looked at each of their faces, not sure what she could say.
“You can tell us about it if you’d like,” Nana offered, finally looking at her granddaughter. “But you don’t have to.”
Ru felt like it would help to tell someone, but she didn’t know who her best option might be. Definitely not Cutter. He was already overly-sensitive when it came to Nat, she’d realized after Kayakoy. Maybe one of the girls would be better, but it was late and she didn’t want to disturb them. The idea that her mother had dealt with a similar situation, although her feelings were much different, made it seem like she would be the best person to discuss the encounter with. Nana Sue might not understand at all, but she was here, nevertheless, and it would be rude to dismiss themselves.
Taking a deep breath, Ru said, “It was Nat. He was on a mountaintop, one he’s taken me to before, though he insisted this time that I brought him there. He wouldn’t look at me at first, just yelled at me for closing the portal. When he finally turned around….” Memories of his disfigured face made Ru’s stomach tighten. “He was missing most of the skin from one side of his face. He said his father had done it.”
Maggie’s eyes were wide, and Nana Sue made a clicking sound with her tongue, though she was back to her knitting. “Did he say why?” her mom asked.
Nodding, Ru said, “He was blamed for the portal being closed. He wasn’t even there, Mom. Why would Azrael think it was his fault?”
She shrugged. “Maybe he thought he should’ve been there. Ru, Azrael is a fallen angel, a demon. Who knows why he might do something like that.”
“If it’s even true,” Nana Sue added in. “Nat isn’t exactly the most honest creature, now is he, honey? I’ve never met him myself, but I’m not sure I’d trust a darn thing he says.”
It hadn’t crossed Ru’s mind to think the whole thing might be a ruse. He’d done it before, after all, more than once. She’d been sympathetic when he’d cried over the family that had died at the hand of Deena Jones, the unmarked soul one of his Reapers had been trying to collect to prevent the wreck that had claimed five lives, but then she found out Nat’s tears were meant to gain her compassion. And then there was the creation of Kyle, someone who didn’t exist, which he’d attempted to use to get close to her. That one had worked up until the point where he’d tried to force her into the portal. Nana was right; there was no point feeling sorry for Nat when this was likely just another trick.
“Personally, I can understand why you might be sympathetic to him, Ru. I have never met him either, but I know some Keepers who have. They say he can be quite charming and is desperately good-looking.”
“Well, he was….” Ru muttered, though doubts crept in again.
“It could be a trick, or it could be Azrael really was that angry. I’m sure, either way, whatever happens to Nat will be deserved.” Nana Sue was much less emotional than either Ru or Maggie.
“There isn’t much you can do about it, Ru,” Maggie reminded her. “You have your calling, and he has his. If he can’t stop you from closing the last portal, and he can’t, then he’ll have to deal with the consequences.”
The argument made sense, and Ru had no idea why she felt so drawn to a man who was her mortal enemy. Her mind wandered back across the words he’d said. “But it’s not his fault,” she offered. “He can’t help the fact that he’s a Reaper. Unlike me, he didn’t get a choice.”
“He could’ve chosen compliance,” Nana offered. “If he would’ve followed the rules, like Reapers are supposed to, he wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“Could he have?” Ru asked, leaning forward a bit, emotion causing her to speak faster. “Do you think Azrael’s son really ever had a choice? Wouldn’t his father have forced him to do whatever he wanted him to do—or else?”
“I don’t know, Ru,” Maggie admitted, shaking her head. “It doesn’t seem fair when you put it like that.”
“Life’s not fair,” Nana concluded. It was clear to Ru that there was a long way to go between the two of them, and she didn’t want to be the cause of any arguments. Looking at her mother, she could see her literally biting her lip against a retort.
“I guess there’s not much I can do about it anyway,” Ru sighed. “I know what I have to do, and I will do it.” The thought of Nat being punished again, likely worse this time, because of her, was unsettling. But then, Cutter would destroy him if he had the chance, and that wasn’t a better alternative. “I wish there were another option,” she muttered.
Her mother lovingly stroked her hair, and Ru gave her a small smile. “Why don’t you go to bed?” she probed. “It’s been a long day for you.”
A yawn stifled any argument Ru might’ve come up with, and she nodded. Her grandmother had made up the guest room for her, and all of her things were already there waiting. Hopefully, she’d get some rest this time. She stood, bent down and hugged her mother, kissing her on the cheek and then did the same to nana as they all wished each other good night. So long as no Reapers or demons showed up this time, Ru was certain it would be.