Book Five: Chapter 64

“Pestilence is a girl?” Beth asked, tilting her head slightly as she studied the rider in the high-tech hazmat suit. The layers of protective material shimmered faintly under the ambient light, the helmet reflecting distorted glimpses of the room behind her.

“No,” Death said calmly, leading her toward the door. His skeletal hand rested lightly on the handle, guiding her forward. “They’re… complicated, and still figuring things out. Their identity has been in flux for millennia. In fact, Pestilence is their new name. I think they like it, but it’s hard to tell now that I can’t see their face. When I stand really close, I can hear what sounds like thousands of bees buzzing inside the suit. Can you imagine that?” His voice carried an odd mix of fascination and mild exasperation, as though the sound was simultaneously mesmerizing and irritating.

Beth shivered slightly at the thought but quickly