Raven Moore's Arc

Chapter 6 of 6

The passage opened into a wide hollow beneath Ashvale. Broken columns leaned at sharp angles in the dark. Old stone streets disappeared beneath dust, roots, and collapsed masonry. Buildings without roofs stood like hollow ribs beneath the city above them. Raven slowed as she stepped forward, taking it all in. A dead city. Buried under another one. The drag marks ended at a low ring of carved wards in the center of the street. Raven let go of Lucian’s hand and crouched. “This is it.” Lucian stood behind her, watching the darkness instead of the markings. “The old city.” Raven traced the edge of one symbol without touching it. “These aren’t like the ones upstairs.” “No.” “They’re older.” “Yes.” She looked over her shoulder. “You know, eventually I’m going to start charging you for every one-word answer.” His eyes moved to her. “You couldn’t afford me.” Raven stood. “See, that. That right there.” “What?” “That thing you do where you say something incredibly irritating like you expect me not to react.” Lucian stepped closer. “You always react.” “Because you’re unbearable.” “And yet here you are.” Her jaw tightened. He smiled. That smile was becoming a problem. A very specific problem. A flutter of warmth curled low in her stomach, annoying and immediate. Raven hated that arguing with him had started doing that to her. She hated even more that he seemed to know. Before she could say anything else, a voice drifted from behind a fallen column. “You made better time than I expected.” Raven’s knife was in her hand before she fully turned. Lucian moved at the same time. Not in front of her. Beside her. That detail did not escape her. A man stepped into the pale glow. Raven recognized him immediately. The watcher. The same stranger who had followed them through the tunnels days ago. The one who had disappeared every time she turned toward him. Now he leaned against the stone like he had been waiting for them. Like he owned the place. He was tall, lean, dressed in dark layers that blended into the ruins. A worn courier’s satchel crossed his chest. And hanging from his throat— a small metal charm. A circle crossed by two lines. Cross’s mark. Raven’s knife lifted. “You.” The man smiled. “I was wondering when you’d notice me properly.” “I noticed you.” “Eventually.” Lucian’s voice turned cold. “Choose your next sentence carefully.” The stranger looked at him. His smile widened. “Lucian Vale.” Lucian went still. The stranger pushed away from the column. “Interesting.” Raven glanced between them. “You know him?” “No,” Lucian said. The stranger laughed softly. “But I know you.” Lucian’s eyes hardened. “And your father.” That changed the air. Raven felt it immediately. Lucian stepped forward. “Say his name.” The stranger tilted his head. “Touchy.” “Say it.” “Lucian.” Raven’s hand caught his arm. He looked down at her fingers. Then at her. “I’ve got this.” “Clearly.” His eyebrow lifted. “Clearly?” “You’re doing the murder face.” “I have one face.” “No, you don’t.” The stranger chuckled. Raven looked at him. “You are enjoying this way too much.” “Watching the two of you?” His eyes moved between them. “Very much.” Lucian’s attention snapped back to him. The man smiled. “There it is.” Raven frowned. “There what is?” “That.” He gestured loosely between them. “The part where he forgets everything else in the room the second someone looks at you too long.” Raven’s pulse jumped. Lucian’s expression went flat. “Careful.” The stranger looked amused. “Oh, I am.” Raven crossed her arms. “Can we focus?” “You’re blushing.” “I am not.” “You are.” She looked at Lucian. “Say something.” His gaze moved over her face. Very slowly. “You are.” Raven stared at him. “Traitor.” His mouth twitched. A rush of warmth slid lower in her body. She hated him. Probably. Maybe. The stranger laughed again. “You two are exhausting.” “You’ve known us for five minutes,” Raven said. “I’ve been watching you longer than that.” Lucian moved before Raven could. One second he was beside her. The next he had the stranger by the throat against the column. Raven blinked. “Lucian.” The stranger didn’t look afraid. If anything, he looked entertained. “You should really work on that temper.” Lucian’s grip tightened. “You’ve been following her.” “Following both of you.” “You said her.” “Did I?” “Lucian.” Raven stepped closer. He ignored her. The stranger’s smile thinned. “Cross was right about you.” That got his attention. Lucian released him hard enough that the stranger stumbled. Raven’s eyes narrowed. “You work for Cross.” The man adjusted his collar. “I carry things for him.” “That isn’t an answer.” “It is exactly an answer.” Raven stepped forward. “What do you carry?” His gaze dropped briefly to her knife. “Messages.” “What else?” “People.” Her stomach tightened. The humor left her face. “The courier.” The stranger said nothing. Raven moved closer. “Where is she?” “Alive.” Relief hit hard and fast. Then suspicion followed it. “For now?” The stranger smiled faintly. “For now.” Lucian stepped beside Raven again. “Where?” The man’s gaze shifted between them. “At the center.” Raven frowned. “The center of what?” “The first binding.” Silence. Raven’s skin prickled. Lucian looked toward the ward circle at their feet. “You brought her here.” “I didn’t.” “Cross did.” “I carry messages.” “You just said people.” “Sometimes.” Raven’s voice sharpened. “Stop playing with me.” The stranger looked at her. Something in his face changed. Not fear. Interest. “You really don’t know.” “Know what?” “Why he wants you.” Lucian’s blade was out. The stranger looked at it. “Predictable.” “Answer her.” “Lucian.” His jaw tightened. Raven looked at him. “I can speak for myself.” “I know.” “You keep doing that.” “Doing what?” “Stepping in.” “I’m standing beside you.” “You were about to threaten him.” “I am threatening him.” The stranger sighed dramatically. “There it is again.” Raven looked at him. “Shut up.” He smiled. “You really do like him.” Her face went hot. Lucian turned his head toward her. Slowly. Raven glared at the stranger. “One more comment.” “What?” “And I stab you.” “See, that’s exactly the kind of answer Cross said you’d give.” That stopped her. Raven’s expression changed. “What did you say?” The stranger’s smile faded. “He knows you.” “No, he doesn’t.” “He knows enough.” “How?” “He’s been asking questions.” Lucian went still. “What questions?” “About the human woman who crosses boundaries she has no business crossing.” Raven’s grip tightened around the knife. The stranger continued. “The one who keeps company with witches.” His eyes moved to Lucian. “And demons.” Lucian’s voice dropped. “Who told him?” “People talk.” “People die too.” Raven looked at Lucian. “Can you not?” He looked at her. “He’s threatening you.” “He’s explaining.” “He’s enjoying it.” “So are you.” His eyes narrowed. “That makes no sense.” “You enjoy having a reason to be violent.” “I do not need a reason.” “That was not the defense you thought it was.” The stranger laughed. Lucian looked at him. The laugh stopped. Raven almost smiled. Almost. She hated how attractive he was when he did that. Actually, she hated a lot of things about Lucian that apparently translated directly into a dangerous sort of warmth inside her. His voice. His temper. That stupid look in his eyes every time she challenged him. The way he stood too close without ever apologizing for it. The way he made anger feel dangerously similar to wanting. Raven shifted her weight. Lucian noticed. Of course he did. His eyes flicked down. Then back up. “Problem?” “No.” “Liar.” Her pulse jumped. The stranger looked between them. “Oh, this is worse than I thought.” Raven pointed the knife at him. “Focus.” He lifted his hands. “Gladly.” He reached into the satchel. Lucian’s blade rose. “Slowly.” The stranger rolled his eyes. “You really are your father’s son.” Lucian’s entire body changed. Raven saw it happen. The humor disappeared. The tension. Everything. Just gone. His expression went empty. Dangerously empty. Raven stepped between them before she thought better of it. “Enough.” Lucian looked at her. “Move.” “No.” “Raven.” “I said no.” Something passed between them. His eyes held hers. Close. Too close. She could feel the anger rolling off him. And something beneath it. Something wounded. Something she suddenly wanted to understand. The realization irritated her. “You don’t get to order me around,” she said. His gaze dropped to her mouth. “Interesting time to remind me.” A rush of warmth climbed through her, sharp and embarrassing. Raven swallowed. His eyes darkened. Oh, he noticed. Of course he noticed. Lucian leaned slightly closer. “Still want me to move?” Her heart slammed against her ribs. “Still want me to make you?” His mouth curved. The stranger cleared his throat. “Should I leave?” Raven turned so fast her hair whipped over her shoulder. “Do not.” He grinned. Lucian stepped away, but not before his fingers brushed Raven’s waist. Deliberately. The bastard. The stranger pulled something from the satchel. A metal charm. He dropped it. It struck the stone and rolled across the floor. Raven caught it beneath her boot. Cross’s symbol. She crouched and picked it up. Warm. Too warm. Like someone had been holding it moments ago. Her expression changed. “What is this?” “A message.” “You said you carried messages.” “I do.” “What does it mean?” The stranger looked at her. “He said you’d understand.” Raven turned the charm over. The back was covered in markings. Old ones. The same kind carved into the tunnels. She stared. Lucian stepped closer. His shoulder brushed hers. “What?” “I’ve seen this pattern.” “Where?” “The Knotted.” Lucian’s expression hardened. Raven looked back at the stranger. “He’s making more.” The man said nothing. Her stomach dropped. “He’s binding people.” “He calls it maintaining the old system.” Raven’s face twisted. “That isn’t maintenance.” “No.” “It’s sacrifice.” “Yes.” Lucian’s jaw tightened. “And the courier?” “Alive.” “Bound?” The stranger’s silence answered. Raven’s blood went cold. “Where?” “At the center of the old city.” “How far?” “Far enough.” Raven stepped toward him. “Take us.” “No.” Lucian smiled without humor. “Wrong answer.” The stranger looked at him. “I was told to bring you the charm.” “By Cross.” “Yes.” “And then?” “To invite you.” Raven stared. “Invite us where?” “To him.” Silence. The stranger backed slowly toward the ruins behind him. Raven’s fingers tightened around the charm. “He knows we’re coming.” “He hoped you would.” “That means trap.” “Obviously.” Lucian looked at Raven. “We leave.” She laughed once. “No.” “Raven.” “The courier is alive.” “And Cross wants you.” “Then he can have the pleasure of seeing me show up.” Lucian stepped closer. “He wants something from you.” “And I want answers.” “He knows your name.” “So do you.” His eyes narrowed. “That is not the same thing.” “No?” “No.” Raven stared at him. The stranger’s voice cut between them. “This is adorable.” They both turned. “Run,” Lucian said. The stranger grinned. Then he did. Lucian lunged. The man disappeared between two collapsed buildings. Fast. Far too fast for a normal human. Lucian stopped at the edge of the ruins. Raven came up behind him. “What?” “He isn’t human.” “You’re just figuring that out?” Lucian looked at her. “You knew?” “I suspected.” “Based on what?” “The creepy lurking.” “That is your evidence?” “It was strong evidence.” Lucian stared at her. She shrugged. “What?” “You are impossible.” “And yet here you are.” His mouth twitched. Raven smiled. “Yeah. I can do it too.” He stepped closer. “Oh, I noticed.” The air shifted again. That same charge. That same stupid pull. Raven looked up at him. “You really need to stop doing that.” “Doing what?” “Standing like that.” He glanced down at himself. “Existing?” “Smugly.” “Is that affecting you?” “No.” “Liar.” A rush of warmth pooled low in her body. Raven hated her body. Lucian’s eyes darkened. He took one slow step closer. “Interesting.” “Say it.” “Say what?” “Whatever stupid thing is sitting behind that smile.” He leaned down. His mouth hovered near her ear. “You get angry when you want something.” Her breath caught. Raven turned her head. Their faces were inches apart. “And you talk too much when you’re trying not to admit you want the same thing.” His eyes dropped to her lips. Silence stretched. The city around them disappeared for half a second. No Cross. No wards. No dead streets. Just him. Just her. Just that unbearable heat. Raven’s fingers curled around the front of his shirt. Lucian looked down at her hand. Then back at her. His voice went lower. “Careful.” “Why?” “Because eventually I’m going to stop assuming you don’t mean it.” Her pulse hammered. “Maybe you should.” A sound echoed through the ruins. Metal against stone. They both turned. The moment snapped. Raven released him. Lucian exhaled slowly. “Your timing is terrible.” She glanced at him. “My timing?” “You started it.” “I did not.” “You grabbed me.” “You got in my face.” “You told me to.” “I told you to say something.” “You are arguing semantics.” “I am winning.” He stared at her. Raven smiled. Lucian shook his head. “Unbelievable.” She looked toward the dark street where the stranger had disappeared. Then down at Cross’s charm in her hand. The markings along the back had begun to glow. Faintly. One symbol at a time. Creating a path. Lucian saw it too. “He wanted us to follow.” “I know.” “It’s a trap.” “I know.” “He may know exactly what you are going to do.” Raven looked at him. “Then he should know better.” Lucian drew his blade. Raven tucked the charm into her pocket. The courier was alive. Cross knew her name. The watcher was something other than human. And somewhere deeper beneath Ashvale, someone had begun rebuilding a system of blood, bone, and magic that should have died centuries ago. Raven looked into the buried city. “Ready?” Lucian stepped beside her. “Absolutely not.” She smiled. “Good.” They started walking. After several steps, Lucian caught her hand. Raven looked down. Their fingers laced together. Again. She looked up at him. “You’re doing this on purpose now.” “Yes.” At least he admitted it. Raven tried not to smile. Failed. And together they followed Cross’s glowing mark deeper into the ruins.