Book Eight: Chapter 117

“I see,” muttered the lake creature. “Thoughts hidden behind a binding contract. Very clever.”

“Enough,” she declared, then stood. “Our trade has been completed.” With that, she turned and walked away with the Nirumbi forming an honor guard around her. They didn’t get too far before running into Yuki, who just shook her head in disgust.

“I was this close to freezing the lake,” she said, holding her fingers just barely apart. “Would have served those bastards right.”

“Agreed.”

“What was that they asked about their missing brethren?”

“The less you think about it, the better.” Already, Beth was thinking about the stories she had heard of Grace and Death hanging bells and wind chimes around the house. There was also salt on some of the windowsills. The Grim Reaper and Grace knew more than they were letting on, and it was clearly a dangerous game for them to be playing alone. “Let’s head back.”

Yuki led the way, her tails swishing as she moved. When Be