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11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Raevyn

T he Revenant's home was massive. I mean, the corridors seemed to go on for days. A scent of incense and patchouli hung in the air, cloaking the place in something that felt familiar. The Raathmore coven had revered death magic for as long as I could remember and it was woven into every part of our lives.

Not that I had ever been involved in anything other than the mundane tasks. Tasks usually reserved for servants.

"How big is this place?" I asked, trying to distract myself from my spiralling thoughts.

Rook laughed as he pulled me along behind him. "You get used to it. Eventually you'll feel an internal sort of navigation system. Now that you're connected to us, the house is bonded to you too. Just think of where you want to go, and you'll feel a pull in that direction."

"Really?"

"Yep," Nox replied before dropping his voice to a low whisper, his eyes wide like he was telling a horror story. "Just don't go in the West Wing."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because even Revenants need to be afraid of something," Korbin said softly, but I didn't miss the seriousness of his tone. There was something else laced in his words, something that sounded a lot like grief.

We walked past a library, a study and a wide-open space that looked like a meeting room. I'd already seen the main lounge when I'd arrived but there seemed to be a number of little snugs dotted around which I liked. I liked feeling cosy.

Then we descended a flight of stairs, which was odd. "The bedrooms are downstairs?"

Rook looked over his shoulder at me. "Yes. Our house is built into the side of a cliff so the entrance to the building is at the top. Makes landing for all the winged creatures easier too. I'll show you the vista tomorrow."

"Winged creatures?"

Nox sidled up next to me, bumping his shoulder with mine. "We can change into animals, as can several other beings down here."

I stared at him. "Really? Can you all change?"

His expression turned mischievous. "Casimir and I can, it's part of our gifts. Want to know what else I'm gifted with?"

Nox's eyebrows wiggled above his expressive eyes but his words had set a spark of desire burning in my veins. I did want to know what else he was capable of, not just in the bedroom – which would no doubt be delicious, I mean the guy was gorgeous – but they kept mentioning the gifts they had.

I went to answer Nox's question, but Korbin spoke before I could.

"Tomorrow, Raevyn. You can ask all your questions tomorrow."

The group came to a stop at a crossroads in the corridors and I felt like this was the centre of the house. There was a glass dome roof above us, and I could see the colours of the sunrise blazing on the horizon. On the floor, in the centre of the crossroads was an intricate circle. I recognised the sigil of Hades and runes of the Infernal Tongue. One of the perks of not being able to do magic, was that I studied it intensely. This was dark magic, old magic, and I felt it rippling over my skin, warning me away. Floating in the centre of the circle, at my eye level, was a single black rose with embers kissing its petals.

"What is it?" I asked, unable to look away.

"The magic that binds us to this place," Casimir explained but said no more. I could tell there was more to the story, and why the rose was there suspended in dark magic, but now wasn't the time. Today had already been intense and I was ready for sleep. Which was weird. I didn't think the dead could sleep, but there I was, completely dog tired.

The rest of the group moved on, but something had me held in place. Something called to me, a caress I felt against my skin like the brush of a finger against my cheek. It called to something dark, something wicked.

Raevyn…

I took a step, intent on discovering what it was, but a hand at my elbow stopped me.

"Don't," Casimir warned. "It's forbidden."

I frowned. If it was forbidden, how did it know my name?

I caught Korbin looking at me with a curious expression on his face but before I could ask him about it, he turned and walked away.

"Come, draguta , I want to curl up with you tonight."

Hawk's words had a spark of heat lancing through my core and distracting me from whatever was housed in the West Wing. I let him pick me up into his arms and carry me as we followed the others.

"No good will come of walking down there," Hawk whispered by my ear.

"Do you know what it is?" I asked.

"I've heard stories," was all he said.

That couldn't be good. My understanding of Hawk so far was that he'd been in the Depths for centuries. I glanced down the corridor, at the entrance of the West Wing, and stared at the innocuous black door. Whatever was in there was probably ancient, dark and so powerful that he needed watching by the Revenants at all times. The guys were right. There was no sense in wondering what was down there.

But why then, couldn't I get that whisper out of my mind?

" I think this will be perfect for you," Korbin said as he pushed open a large wooden door. I followed behind him into a huge bedroom with the biggest bed I'd ever seen.

"Does the bed need to be that big?" I asked. I mean you could fit like ten people on there.

An arm wrapped around my waist and the scent of something wild and dark encased me.

"Want to try it out?" Nox said, his lips ghosting against my skin.

A shiver trailed down my spine and I felt his mouth pull into a grin against my neck.

"Knock it off," Korbin said sharply. "Now is not the time."

Nox pressed a soft kiss against the spot beneath my ear then stepped away.

"The room attunes to our needs," Casimir said, a curl to the corner of his mouth that was almost a smile.

Heat prickled my skin. What the fuck did the room think I was getting up to in my spare time?

Images of orgies and porn filled my mind. Don't look at Hawk, he'll know exactly what you're thinking about, Raevyn…

I turned away from the bed, looking for a distraction and found one in the shape of the biggest window I'd ever seen. It stretched the entire length of the wall, and I had the most amazing view of the city below. I walked over and pressed my hands to the window, the glass warm beneath my fingers despite being the early hours of the morning. "Is that Infernium?"

"Yes," Korbin replied as he came to stand next to me, his gaze looking towards the city. "We sit on the boundary. The cliffs protect the capital, and behind us lie the cemeteries and the Outlands."

"Good spots for nefarious doings," Nox piped up with a grin on his face. "We spend a lot of time there."

Korbin gestured to the left of the city. "Miseriae lies that way, where the souls are reaped, and beyond that is Dolorem, the Winter Realm, and then you find the Ascension Plane and the Isles of the Blessed."

"Wow, I didn't think the Underworld would be so big."

Casimir snorted. "It's a world, just like yours was."

I gave him a hard stare. "Well forgive me for not knowing the ins and outs of place I've only just arrived in."

"Whatever. I'm going to bed." Then he turned on his heel and left.

What the hell was that? Was that the same guy that had kissed me like he wanted to devour me? "Is he always like that?"

"Like what?" Rook asked.

"So… hot and cold."

The others, even Hawk, said, "Yes."

I eyed the dark giant curiously. Again, I wondered how he knew the Revenants and what he had done to make them wary of him. Hawk looked back at me, a knowing smile on his beautiful mouth. "We will talk tomorrow. First, we sleep."

"Agreed." Korbin squeezed my shoulder. "Sleep well."

"Tomorrow will be a big day for you, Lilac." Rook took Korbin's hand and lead him out of the room, kissing their interlocked fingers and muttering sweet words. Those two were so cute together.

Nox eyeballed Hawk as he left the room, seemingly pissed at not being the one snuggling up next to me. If I were being honest, they all could have stayed, but maybe I should work my way up to that. They all seemed rather intimidating in one space.

Hawk turned down the covers and climbed into the massive bed. With tiredness seeping into my very core, I couldn't resist the pull of sleep. Cleaning up could wait until later. Much much later I thought as I snuggled deep into Hawk's embrace, the scent of crisp mountain air accompanying me into my dreams.

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