Valeria Nocturne's Arc

Chapter 1 of 4

Valeria Nocturne climbed the courthouse steps with a folded brief tucked under her arm. She had come to file another petition about the missing humans, hoping the magistrates would finally listen. Clearing her family's name and finding the true killer was the only goal that mattered now. The magenta walls loomed behind her, black roses curling along the stone. A small obsidian tree glowed pink near the bottom step. Beneath it, Xander Korbin Xiran waited, gloved hands folded, eyes sharp. "Valeria. We need to talk." He blocked her path without raising his voice. He held up a crimson-stained newspaper. The headline screamed about a fifth victim. "Five now. Found near your family's archives. You know something. You are hiding the monster, or hiding for it." Valeria's jaw tightened. A flock of pink-lit crows scattered from the tree branches above them. "You think I would shelter a killer of my own neighbors? Look closer, Xander. The clues point past both our houses." She pushed the newspaper back into his chest. "If you want the truth, stop hunting me and hunt with me." Xander studied her for a long moment. Then he lowered the paper. "One night. You show me what you have. If you lie, I bring this to the magistrates myself." He stepped aside. The accusation was gone, but a fragile pact stood in its place — and somewhere, a sixth victim was already being chosen.