Ravenna Shadowmoor's Arc

Chapter 2 of 7

Ravenna packed her saddlebag in the pre-dawn darkness. She rolled two changes of clothes and tucked them beside dried meat and bread. Her fingers moved quickly, checking each item twice. The moonpetal powder went into a padded case. She added her journal, a water flask, and a small knife. The eastern markets were her first destination. A merchant there might have the second ingredient she needed. She fastened the bag and slung it over her shoulder. The castle gates waited below. Before she left, Ravenna circled the outer courtyard one final time. She checked the water distillery she had installed last month. The metal device collected rainwater and filtered it through copper coils. Clean water pooled in the basin below, ready for her return. She would need pure liquid for mixing the cure once she gathered all three ingredients. The distillery's celestial etchings caught the first light of dawn. Across the courtyard stood the smokestack she had built after her last failed experiment. The tall structure rose above the castle walls, its top releasing a faint shimmer of mist. Two weeks ago, toxic vapors had filled her laboratory when a test brew went wrong. Now the dangerous gases could escape safely through the iron tower. She made a mental note to seal the laboratory windows better when she returned. Ravenna headed toward the ancient tree at the edge of the castle grounds. She had discovered it three days ago while searching for old family records. A door carved into the gnarled trunk bore glowing sigils. Inside, shelves of books and documents lined the hidden space. She had found references to her bloodline's curse in those pages. The affliction had started six generations back. Someone in her family had made a terrible mistake. She pulled one leather journal from the shelf and tucked it into her bag. The answers might be in these records. She closed the hidden door and walked toward the castle gates. The merchant was waiting.