The Reaper's Wicked Obsession
Chapter 81: A Cruel & Creative System

Chapter 81: A Cruel & Creative System

Isadora couldn’t stop thinking about what happened, it was hard not to.

The things she felt when he touched her and the murderous intent he had the next moment.

Whatever it was, she wished it wouldn’t ever happen again. Getting attracted to someone like Kraven was the last thing she wanted.

She needed to build some anti-attraction to ward him off. He was a walking beacon of many things, surrendering to his control would not bid well for her sanity.

Isadora sighed for the fourth time today before moving her eyes to Vanya drinking from the river.

She woke up a few hours ago and with a little rest, they would keep moving.

Isadora gulped as she watched Vanya stand to her feet and strode toward her, yet a sound could not be heard. Her steps were as quiet as a mouse.

Vanya sat beside Isadora with a bright smile on her lips, she made simple gestures. "Thank you."

"What does that mean?" Isadora asked but she simply just shook her head as a brush off.

Vanya’s eyes veered to the ropes that once hung them on the tree. It didn’t look like it was cut by a dagger, but as if someone or something had ripped it off.

She had a strong feeling that Isadora didn’t act alone but she wouldn’t question her.

Vanya noticed she had that look again, a look that said she had experienced something dreadful and embarrassing again. At least her chest wasn’t hurting again.

"Vanya."

Slowly she turned her head to Isadora.

"What Dain said, is it true?"

She nodded without question and Isadora froze but then shook her head and pressed her fingers closely.

"A little?"

She nodded and pointed to both of them before crossing her wrists together.

"You and I? Same?" Isadora asked, with trembling eyes. "You’re a stray too."

She smiled and made different gestures for Isadora to understand even though it took half a day.

Isadora finally caught on, and according to her gestures, she left home—for personal reasons, wandering, until she stumbled on the Raven Court by chance. She snuck in and blended with the rest of the denizens for winters.

Some may have noticed but didn’t question which was strange for Vanya, as she explained. She came of age and decided to pursue the way of a warrior to gain some recognition.

It was a difficult choice for her knowing her true background would be revealed but she fell in love with their ways, loving how true they were to their cause.

To her, this wasn’t the worst place to be.

"And this?" Isadora made a gesture.

And Vanya laughed inaudibly. Isadora giggled, happy, she was finally getting a grasp of her signs.

It wasn’t as hard as it seemed as long as she paid deep attention and read the look in her eyes.

Vanya was very apparent in showing emotions, so it helped.

"These spies from the other Courts and the Hunt, it’s brutal," Isadora said thinking deeply about it.

Just the thought of living here and figuring out the person you knew all your life was a false person.

And the Hunt? It was frightening to think of a system that root out weeds. The true nature of the Hunt; The warriors to be, hunt the spies as an initiation.

A cruel and creative system.

"Those meant to be eaten weren’t just the weak but the spies, one way or the other."

Vanya nodded, sighing.

"And yet you joined this knowing you’d get eaten."

"Because this is my home now and I wanted to earn that," she signed slowly for Isadora to understand.

Isadora’s heart tugged at her confession. She was just like her in a way... trying to prove something.

They were two peas in a pond neglected because of how different they were.

~♧~

"I can’t hear a sound from you... not even your steps," Isadora finally asked the question that had been bugging her since she met Vanya.

Even now, as they both walked through the woods, Isadora couldn’t hear Vanya’s footsteps against the grass or even the sound of her hand brushing the branches and leaves.

Her movements were graceful and quiet, blending into the environment most astonishingly.

Vanya gave a smug grin and demonstrated, using her hand to circle her chest.

"Aura?"

She nodded in relief that Isadora was quick to understand.

She exaggerated something big and then heavy.

"Aura is heavy and big?"

She nodded, pointing to herself, and made slow movements with her small frame.

"But yours is light and small."

She smiled a toothy grin and nodded.

Isadora blinked confused. "Is it possible to make your aura do that?" she asked, puzzled, suddenly remembering a certain teacher’s words and lesson.

"Aura’s are our energy flow, a part of us, hold a blade and it’s just a blade, even when made by the finest blacksmith but when you infuse your aura within it. You make it sharper and denser, no one can use it against you."

"Can you teach me?"

Vanya stopped at her words and turned to the mannfae, the fire in her gaze told her that this was something she needed.

She crossed her arms watching her from head to toe as if to analyse her. This was a technique special to her and...

"Teach me to understand you better too... I really want to," Isadora added with a smile.

And this caught Vanya off guard. No one had ever wanted to understand. She was a black sheep in the Raven Court and even when it was much needed for teammates no one agreed to pair with her.

But Isadora was a different breed, not only had she saved her life twice, ignoring her own wounds.

She had the chance to abandon her but she didn’t.

It made her wonder if there was more to this mannfae who was labeled a cheater. In what she had seen in the past days, Isadora was none of those things.

Vanya nodded with a smile on her lips.

They had today and a day left, making the most of it would be rewarding.