Riva Rain's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Riva Rain spread a black cloth across the moss-covered stone, her wings catching moonlight between the willow roots. She arranged stolen love letters beside a vial of professor's tears—everything had a price at her secret market. A shadow creature slithered from under a nearby door, whispering secrets it had collected through keyholes. She grinned and added the information to her collection. Students would come soon, desperate to trade their own whispers for hers. This market would make her name feared and famous, one dangerous secret at a time. But the stone table wouldn't be enough. Riva dragged a cart between two thick roots, its dark velvet drapes perfect for hiding her best merchandise. The metalwork gleamed in the dim light as she loaded it with more items—a ring, three folded notes, something that rattled in a locked box. The cart could move anywhere beneath the willows, making her harder to find and easier to escape from if trouble came. She stepped back and studied her setup. Two shadow creatures circled the cart's wheels, hungry and waiting. Her market was ready. When students whispered her name in fear, when professors paid to keep their secrets buried, she would finally have the power she craved. Footsteps crunched on dead leaves above. Riva's hand moved to the cart's drape, ready to hide her best goods. A student appeared between the roots, eyes wide and searching. The girl held out a silver bracelet, her fingers shaking. "I need to know who wrote the note in my roommate's drawer," she whispered. Riva tilted her head, studying the bracelet. Worth something, but not enough. "That costs two secrets," she said. "One about yourself, one about someone else." The girl hesitated, then nodded. Riva's grin widened. This was just the beginning. Her night market would grow, fed by desperate trades and hungry shadows, until everyone at the Academy knew her name. The trade complete, Riva watched the girl disappear into the darkness above. She tucked the bracelet into a wooden box carved with vines, then placed it beneath a twisted root. The box looked like part of the willow itself—perfect for collecting payments when she couldn't be here. Students could leave their offerings and write what they wanted in return. She carved a small "R" into the wood with her nail. More customers would come now that word was spreading. The night market beneath the willows belonged to her, and soon everyone would know that secrets were her business. Nothing at Everbrooke Academy would stay hidden from Riva Rain.