The Daughter of Death- *RAYOR*

Chapter 6: Wise Woman

I woke up to a bucket of ice water.

I sat up, sopping wet and coughing, realising that I had been sleeping on a couch, in Willow and Arielle's house. I must have been tired. Then I realised how I'd refused Arielle's offer of a place to stay, and humiliation and anger burned in my cheeks.

"Take a shower," scowled Willow, then he walked off, dropping the bucket on the floor. I glared after his retreating form, getting up.

Arielle stood in the doorway timidly.

"What?" I said darkly, dripping like a sea monster.

"I... I can lend you some clothes."

"Thank you," I said sarcastically, but her face brightened. "Where's the bathroom?" I asked, keeping my voice hostile.

"First floor, second door on the right," she said, and she scurried away, as if scared that I would bite her.

Weird girl.

I stomped upstairs, dripping and muttering and glaring. Thinking angrily about Willow's dumping of water on me- I'll get him back for that!- of my predicament- what the hell am I supposed to do now?- and of Arielle's instructions- who even talks like that, anyway?

I turned on the water, and squealed as hot liquid rained onto me, much warmer than I had anticipated. I put in on the coldest setting, and turned it off quickly, drying myself off. Arielle had left clothes by the shower curtain, which I put on. Thankfully, they weren't light and bright and princessy like her. They were so unlike her style that I wondered if she had another sister, or maybe they were hand-me-downs from her mother.

I went downstairs, then stopped as my stomach growled. Great. Reapers don't need to eat, but instead consume the life force of souls as they pass into the afterlife. But it seemed that I had to, now.

"Willow and I will look in on the wise woman," said Arielle when she caught sight of me. I grudgingly nodded. In full daylight she was even prettier than I had expected, in a youthful, girlish way. Angels, I had said before, were hard to love romantically. If I were a man, Arielle would be an exception.

"Thank you," I said.

"Are you hungry?" asked Arielle, seemingly eager to please. "I can-"

"No," I glared, first at her, then at a very grumpy Willow, who was poking at what looked like rabbit droppings. "Don't suppose you could have woken me up in a better way, could you?" I shot at him, before slamming the door behind me.

Being human didn't seem to have improved my mood. I wasn't that annoyed, not about the water bucket, anyway, but I was yearning to pick a fight. I walked outside, and saw Aster, who looked flustered, but brightened when he caught my eye.

"How are you?" asked Aster.

"Bad. I'm hungry," I said. I swore I saw a glint of something like amusement in Aster's eyes. "Can you get something for me to eat?"

"You don't have money," said Aster, "and neither have I."

"Can you or can you not turn invisible?" I said, crossing my arms.

Ten minutes later, I picked off bits of a pastry as we walked back to Willow's. "How's life suiting you?" he asked.

I elbowed him. It was an obvious pun, and not a good one either. "It hasn't grown on me. And you're not helping!" I glanced up at his horns, wishing I had them too.

"Sorry!" Aster raised his hands in mock defeat. "Sorry."

"There's Arielle's," I said, pointing to one of the houses, recognising the roses. The scent was heady and strong.