The Revolt (The Reapers: Book Two) by Katharine Sadler Read Free Book Online Page B

not willing to do that.”
    Anger boiled up under my skin. After the
morning I’d had, I was looking for any excuse to fight. “It’s
either you or me, Tucker. I’m not going to leave town when my best
friend might be in trouble. Bruce said the curse causes people to
die early.”
    “Kelsey, be reasonable…” Jed started.
    I didn’t hear the rest of what he said,
because one of the three dead guys in the back piped up. “I’ll do
it. I know some folks in town, and I can find out right quick.”
    Tucker looked back at the guy with what
appeared to be seething rage. “Go. If you aren’t back before the
plane takes off, meet us at headquarters,” he said.
    The guy popped out of sight. “One of Tucker’s
friends is going to town to find out about the curse and I’m not
leaving until I hear what he says,” I said, twisting around to look
out the windshield.
    “I will carry you onto the plane if I have
to,” Jed said, with a smile in his voice that said he’d enjoy it.
“I’ve been looking forward to showing you my skills.”
    He was referring to his telekinetic abilities
and I had to admit I did want to see what he could do. I just
didn’t want to be involved in the show. “Let’s hope he gets back
quickly,” I said. Angelica had crossed a line with me, but she
deserved to be safe and happy and loved.
    Jed pulled into the long-term parking lot and
started looking for a spot. “It doesn’t matter what he says. I’m
not letting you go back there.”
    “It’s not up to you,” I said, trying to stay
calm.
    He parked the car. “Look, I get that this is
all new to you. I’m trying to ease your transition as much as
possible, but it’s my job to keep you safe. I’m not going to let
you risk your life for some girl I don’t know. Especially not if
this thing with the reapers is bigger than we think.”
    “You said it isn’t…” I said. He was already
out of the car and heading to the trunk. I opened my door to follow
him.
    “He’s wrong,” Tucker said. Sympathy lay heavy
on his face, but his eyes were hard. “The reapers are looking for a
war and I’m afraid they’re going to get one. We’ll need you on our
side.”
    I studied Tucker’s face for a moment. I
didn’t know him well enough to know whether or not he might lie to
keep me safe, but that line he’d just given me sounded like some
bullshit from a movie. “You can’t seriously think… there aren’t
that many reapers are there?”
    “There are enough,” Tucker said. “Placed in
the right positions, and believe me they would go after the
wealthiest and the most powerful people, this country could
potentially be run by reapers and the reaped.”
    That all sounded pretty fucking awful, but it
also felt pretty damn impossible. And a hell of a long way off. “So
I just pop back to Briarton and fix Angelica’s problem, then go
fight in the war. It’s not like Varius is going to let me do
anything useful, anyway.”
    Jed’s face was getting redder by the moment.
He waited, with our luggage, until I got out of the car and started
following him to the airport. “Oh, right, we’ll just ask the
reapers for a time out so you can go save your friend from her
boyfriend’s curse.” Jed readjusted his grip on a suitcase and took
a deep breath. The suitcases were on wheels but it couldn’t have
been easy jostling all of that luggage. I reached for my bag, but
he gave me a look that would have scared a woman twice my size and
I stepped away from him as we kept walking. “What I don’t get is
why you’re so concerned about this curse. Bruce said what? Two of
his grandpas died before age 40? Forty’s a long way off for
Angelica, but you’re acting like she’s on the brink of death.”
    “She said she’s had a couple of accidents. I
just want more information before we leave,” I said as calmly and
rationally as possible. We walked into the terminal and headed for
the ticket counter.
    “Sure,” he said. “Or you’re looking