Ashen's eyes narrow in confusion and question.

"Bring the soul."

For a moment, I think the guards behind me will push me to the dais. But there are no hands on my back.

I hear chains clanking from the shadows of the room. A Reaper pulls a thin and tattered soul toward the dais. A witch. I can tell, though I don't know how. I just feel it, the dead magic within her.

I look to Ashen. His breath is quickening in his chest. His lips part. His eyes dart from Eshkar to the soul and back again.

Eshkar looks to the woman next to him and sweeps his hand toward the witch soul. “Imogen, if you will, please begin.”

She gives a nod in reply and closes her eyes for a long moment, and then she starts to chant. When Imogen opens her eyes they glow with a brilliant green flame. She continues her chant as she descends the steps of the dais, raising her hands toward the soul. Black tattoos etched to her palms glow with golden light.

The chain clasped to the soul's neck breaks apart and clatters across the stone. The soul wavers on her feet but the guard holds her arms, keeping his grip solid as Imogen draws to a halt before them. She presses her palm to the soul's chest.

Golden light hums on the witch's skin. Static crackles in the air.

"Sag anir niggiggaa udmi nibzal zale," Imogen says.

Light explodes from the body of the soul. She crumples to the floor, naked and shaking. Black tattoos erupt across her skin as though carved from the inside out. A bird. Geometric flowers. Honeycomb. She turns over and gasps for breath, her eyes burning bright with white flame. On her chest, the face of a jackal above her heart.

The last of the black lines carve sweeping lines beneath her collarbones. They burn out like fuses in her skin. When the last of the golden light dies, the witch curls into herself, panting and shivering on the cold stone floor.

The Reaper who dragged her in lays a cloak across her naked body and pulls her to a seated position. She brushes long hair the color of honey and gold away from her face and looks around in confusion and fear.

Ashen takes a heavy step from the dais. He looks at me. For a moment I see every truth behind his eyes. That life is time and loss. It's choices and failures. It's holding on and letting go. And I don't think I fit in any of it. Not anymore.

"Ashen?" the witch asks from the floor. Just one word. It means so much to her. I can feel the time and loss just like I see it in Ashen. But I hear rebirth in it, too. Another chance at something lost long ago.

Ashen takes another step down the stairs. I see the doubt, the question in his eyes.

"Davina?" Ashen asks.

She pushes herself to her feet. She takes an unsteady step in his direction. He takes another down from the dais.

A sound of hope and disbelief pours from her and she rushes to him, crashing into his body, wrapping her arms across his back. Her cry is unlike anything I've ever heard. But it's everything I wish I felt. Ashen wraps one arm across her back, and then the other. He closes his eyes and I lower my gaze to the floor.

Eshkar pounds his spear to the dais. The sound ricochets across the walls around us. Two Reapers creep from the shadows as the guards behind us step closer and grip my arms. I look one last time at Ashen. Davina weeps in his embrace. His eyes are fused to mine over her shoulder, glowing with the brightest flame.

"Take the witch and the weapon to the cage," Eshkar says as his voice booms around us.

"The war against the Realm of Light has begun."

OceanofPDF.com

Acknowledgments

Thank you so much for reading A Shadow In The Reaping! I absolutely loved writing this book and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please consider leaving a review; not only will it help me to reach more readers, but it will also bring some sunshine to my day! Writing can be a very solitary, lonely process, and the feedback I receive truly does keep me going. And please reach out, I’d love to hear from you! I really do love to hear from readers and I’m always happy to answer questions. You can find me here:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/brynne_weaver/

Email:

[email protected]

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/brynneweaverbooks/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21299126.Brynne_Weaver

ASITR started as an exercise for me to get words out more quickly. I was already deep into writing The Elysian, the second book of The Diviner series, but was struggling with how heavy that project is. It takes a lot more time to write as there are many intricate characters to keep track on top of an evolving, complex magical world. I felt like I couldn’t get the words out that were trapped in my head. So, I set a little challenge for myself, to tackle a genre I felt was maybe a little stigmatized, or ‘overdone’. Vampires really fit that bill. I wanted to make a book that was fresh, fun, and unique. My only rule was: HAVE FUN.

And that’s what I did! I just had fun. In the moments where I struggled, or doubted myself and the direction I was taking, that’s what I kept going back to. Make it batshit crazy. Make it weird and wonderful. Make it FUN.

I am still a total pantser, and this book was no exception. I really didn’t have much of an idea what I was doing when I started. But Lu and Ashen absolutely swept me away. Sometimes, it felt like I couldn’t keep up with them. The world rose up to meet them, and I cannot wait to write the next step in their journey.

On the moments where I stalled, I owe my deepest gratitude to my friends of WattPad for their encouragement and kindness. In particular, William Martin, Anny Quist, and Lady Universe (guess what, that’s not her real name!), whose early feedback kept me motivated and on track. Thank you also to my amazingly supportive insta crew, in particular Bella, Nessa, Debbie, and Natalia. I don’t think you guys know how much you mean to me!

A huge thanks to bestselling author extraordinaire Stephanie Fournet, whose work I have adored ever since I came across her novel Someone Like Me a few years ago during a dark and difficult time in my life. The characters were complex, relatable, and beautifully written. I promptly devoured all of her books. Please check them out, you will NOT be disappointed. Stephanie has been so kind and supportive to me as an indie writer, and I’m honored to have her provide an ARC review for ASITR.

Of course, all credit to Cardi B., Megan Thee Stallion, Birdy, RHODES, M.I.A., and Doja Cat for the musical inspo. Lu and I are both huge fans!

Thank you also to my family and friends, who have supported me with kindness, encouragement, and often plenty of wine. In particular, thank you to Sanja for being my ride-or-die, you would glow like a fucking spotlight in the Shadow Realm, you magnificent bitch. Your soul is the brightest I’ve ever seen. Thank you to Lisa; your hilarious ecards and jokes and shared book crushes and your support mean a lot to me. I didn’t write any zombie ducks, just for you. To April who is always one of my faithful go-to ranters, those rants have kept me sane. My dear friend Regan, who has taken the time to read my works in their earliest versions and who has provided unfailing support and enthusiasm for these projects. Whenever I’ve felt most alone in this process, you were always there for me. Thank you. And to my parents and in-laws, who have always bought my books, even the ones I told you not to (ahem…). Love you guys.