Valeria Nocturne's Arc

Chapter 2 of 4

Valeria reached the Nocturne Archives before moonrise, her gothic folder of roses pressed tight to her ribs. The pact with Xander was simple. One night. One look at her proof. She climbed the steps beneath the magenta spires and waited at the doors. Xander came up the path empty-handed. His gloves were clenched. His coat was open. Whatever he had carried before was gone. "My file is missing," he said. He stopped beneath the bleeding rose archway near the entrance. "I had it an hour ago. Now it's gone. Only your people knew I was bringing it here." Valeria felt the heat rise in her throat. "You think I stole it? I have been here, waiting for you." She held up her own folder. "This is what I promised. Take it. Read it tonight. If I wanted your evidence hidden, I would not have opened my doors to you." Xander studied her face for a long moment. Then he took the folder. His shoulders dropped a fraction. "Then someone followed me. Someone who did not want our lists to meet." He looked back at the path, then up at the dark windows of the archives. "They know we are working together." Valeria's hand tightened on the iron rail. The alliance held, but the killer had moved first. Their secret was no longer secret, and somewhere in the night, stolen pages were already burning.