24. Raven

TWENTY-FOUR

RAVEN

My fingers are intertwined with Creed’s, his scent still enveloping me as we take the steps leading down to where the rest of the Nightmares Guild gathers. I would have rather stayed at the house, continuing to get lost in my men, but it seems there are more pressing matters than stacking up my orgasms for the day.

I can’t seem to shake the unnerving sense of dread that clings to me. There haven’t been any meetings called since Erikel pulled us all out to the cave system at Ashdale, and now, all of a sudden, the guys come back and they’re summoning us to meet.

Brax leads the way, his frame seeming wider than usual as he trudges down the stairs, making the few lingering people hurry out of his way. Zane and Eldon keep a step behind us in the narrow hallway until we enter the open space, the golden table a beacon in the center of the room.

Does it hold any more truths that are yet to be told?

Maybe we should consider sneaking back in here again when no one else is around. Maybe I should make it come to life with everyone in here so they all know what we know, too. But that would just reveal the upper hand we have, and I’m not ready for Burton to be clued in yet.

I spot Leila immediately, looking up at Grave with a softness reserved for someone you have feelings for, and my gut clenches. She’s either blissfully unaware of the dangers that lurk with that guy, or she loves him despite it all. I’m praying it’s not the latter because I really don’t want to add her to my growing list of enemies. I need to learn the truth before I pass judgment again. She doesn’t deserve that. Not if she’s completely unaware of what she’s tangled up in.

“We need to keep our distance,” Brax grumbles, slowing to a stop before reaching Leila. I see the crinkle around her eyes, confusion getting the better of her.

Shaking my head, I tighten my hold on Creed’s hand and continue past the grumpy gargoyle, but not without murmuring to him first. “We also need to make sure we don’t act so obvious about it.”

He grunts, but a second later his back is in front of me, coming to a stop closer to my friend, but he doesn’t acknowledge either of them.

I fight back the eye roll, aware his intentions are good, but his execution leaves a lot to be desired.

“Hey, you guys okay?” Leila asks, and I nod.

“Yeah, you?”

“I’m okay,” she breathes, a softness to her eyes that only solidifies to me that she’s as pure as she was the day I met her.

We fall into a comfortable silence as the crowd grows around us, and I listen in on their conversations, intrigued to note that they seem just as suspicious and confused as I do.

“Why are we even here? All our missions and tasks drew to a halt the day Erikel arrived. We were supposed to stand for something more, yet we’re being led to follow under the enemy’s orders. Where’s the rebellion in that? Where’s the burning need and fight to take on the dangers that threaten our realm?”

I peer at the guy, trying not to draw attention to the fact that he has piqued my interest, and I notice it’s one of the fourth years.

“I know what you mean. What use has Burton been? I was almost certain he had found a way out for himself and left the rest of us to rot,” his friend retorts. “Especially since Fitch is hanging off Erikel’s every word,” he adds, and my gaze shifts to Leila, but she seems lost in a quiet conversation with Grave.

As I turn back to the fourth year, the room falls quiet, and the source of that becomes clear a second later when Burton appears. I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen him. Technically, I saw him earlier, but not in this skin.

It’s strange to say, to believe the extent of the magic some people wield, but I know it to be true. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’m sure if I called him out for it, right here and now, the gathered crowd wouldn’t believe me so easily.

His eyes are tired, his jaw tight, and his gaze lingering in my direction for a brief moment before he comes to a stop, leaning back on the golden table with a sigh as he intertwines his fingers in his lap.

I get the sense he’s gathering his thoughts, considering where to start or pausing for a sense of sympathy, but before he can compose himself enough to speak, questions are fired in his direction.

“Where have you been?”

I’m not surprised it’s the fourth year from earlier; I’m more impressed that he has the balls to call him out to his face.

Burton’s jaw tightens as he glares at the guy. “Trying to find any kind of information that may aid us,” he snaps, sitting taller as if to stoke fear into his audience, but it falls a little flat.

It seems we’re not the only ones bored of his bullshit.

“Aid us in what?” The question comes from the fourth-year’s friend, who folds his arms over his chest and quirks a brow in question. “We’ve been left vulnerable at their hands,” he adds, refusing to falter under Burton’s growing death stare.

“Do you want to run this academy? Do you want to run this guild? Do you want to consider all of the pieces of this situation that must be balanced to ensure the safety of not just us, not just the remaining students here at Silvercrest, but the entire Elevin Realm?” Burton vibrates with rage and I spot a few students taking a step back, lowering their heads and falling under his control just as he hoped we would.

“We’re doing nothing,” the guy continues to push, not backing down, and my admiration for this stranger is only growing.

“We’re doing all we can. There are many layers at play here. We have to bide our time, wait out the storm,” Burton snaps, although it’s clear he’s trying to hold back the burning anger from moments ago.

“What storm?”

“What is it Erikel wants?”

Both of the fourth years buzz him for more answers at the same time, and it takes everything in me to keep a smile from my face. Burton, however, isn’t pleased. His eyes turn toward me, ignoring both of them as he sneers.

“Why don’t we just give it to him? He’ll leave as soon as you do, surely.” My heart stutters as I feel every set of eyes in the room turn my way. “I think our necromancer knows what he wants, and she’s unwilling to hand it over.”

Is this for real right now? Surely not.

Clearing my throat, I feel Brax, Zane, and Eldon take a protective step closer to me while Creed’s hold on my hand tightens. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Erikel believes you know where the Potens Ruby is. Does he not?”

“I don’t know where it is,” I retort, keeping my voice even, and I’m technically not lying either.

I know who last had possession of it, but I specifically made a point of none of us knowing where it would be stored or destroyed so that we wouldn’t find ourselves backed into a corner. I’m aware magic like Lyra’s is possible. We couldn’t reveal a truth against our will if we didn’t know where it was.

“Are you sure?” he presses, coiling my muscles tight with frustration.

Is this why he called a meeting? So he can try and gain the information from me as himself instead of the second skin of Erikel he has taken on? Joke’s on him, but it’s good to know he isn’t aware we know his secret.

He’s going to be sorely disappointed if he thinks he’s going to break me today. That’s not how this is going to go. But the few glares I feel aimed in my direction confirm that he may have other students pitting against me if they believe his words.

Fuck.

“If you have the ruby, just hand it over,” someone hollers, but I don’t manage to see who.

Still, I sigh, refraining from showing my irritation with any other movement.

“I don’t have it,” I repeat. “I don’t know where it is. But you’re right; if I did, I wouldn’t give it to him. Too much power in the wrong hands is a dangerous thing. I think that’s clear to everyone.”

Magic tingles across my skin and the need to protect myself is growing, but I’m not going to deny the facts. Burton frowns at me, tongue sweeping over his teeth. My magic is eager to narrow down a target on his head. Recalling what happened to Genie, it’s eager to sink its claws into him in the exact same way.

If I was one thousand percent certain that it would bring a definitive end to this mess, I would do it in a heartbeat. But we have to be sure first. I don’t care if my moves may make me look like the bad guy here. I’ll do whatever is necessary.

“What is Erikel’s plan, anyway? Handing things over to a madman doesn’t sound like the logical answer,” Leila blurts out, and Burton’s stare turns her way.

“Yeah. That’s true. We don’t even know what the meaning of all this is,” the fourth year adds, nodding in agreement.

Burton glances around the room, folding his arms over his chest as he speaks. “Vengeance.”

One word. Two syllables. Yet the weight of a thousand.

“Vengeance? Why?” Someone from the crowd calls out, and Burton sighs in frustration.

“Because…” He stops, mouth open as he gapes at me. His hands fall to fists at his sides as he shakes his head dismissively. Clearly, whatever he was going to say wouldn’t have played into his hands right now. Whatever he was about to say may have led us to believe he’s closer to Erikel than anyone else is aware of.

Watching him slip up would have been spectacular.

Maybe if we keep pissing him off, it just might happen.

Burton straightens the lapels of his suit jacket and addresses the entire gathering. “If we don’t hand over the ruby, we’ll be forced into battle.”

Nice transition back to pinpointing this on me. Asshole.

“If he gets the ruby, we will be forced to fight then too. Regardless, we’re being left bending the knee to his will,” I bite, and Burton bares his teeth for the briefest second before gaining control of himself.

“Are you going to summon us all to our deaths?”

This fucking man. He’s rocked up here without caring about anything but his own intentions. One slip and his layers of secrecy and betrayal will all come tumbling down.

“This isn’t on me. It’s on Erikel. I can say it until I’m blue in the face but it doesn’t stop the fact that you’re not hearing me. I don’t have it. I don’t want it. And I don’t know where it is. If that’s the only thing saving us all, then give us a mission, set us a task, and we will perform for the safety and security of our academy and the realm.”

My words are firm, and my attempt to redirect the situation back to him is pretty successful, but he still inches toward me.

He’s either going to back off or expose himself, and I’m willing to watch either unravel before my eyes.

“Does nobody else find it strange that Genie was found dead in the caves, exactly where the ruby was believed to be? Her magic no longer lingered, and she couldn’t be saved from the darkness. That’s something only the ruby can do. Someone must have it, someone with fury aimed in Genie’s direction, wouldn’t you agree?”

My teeth grind together in anger, but I manage to keep my face neutral as I shrug. “I don’t know anything about that.”

Did I kill her? Yes. Did I take her magic? Yes. Did I use the ruby? No. And I don’t want him to know what I’m capable of either, so he isn’t going to find out right now.

Hurried footsteps stumble into the room, drawing everyone’s attention to the hallway where Professor Fitch steps in.

“And why is this guy hanging off Erikel’s every word all of a sudden?” the fourth year bellows, aiming his finger at the new arrival. This time, I have to lift my hand to cover my grin.

“How do you think I’m getting the information,” Burton snaps back, his face reddening.

He looks crazier than ever, completely unhinged.

A total madman, not the smooth, polished leader he was before. I’m not even sure how or why any of us are listening to him.

Fitch doesn’t pay the comment any mind, not even glancing in Leila’s direction as he leans in to murmur in Burton’s ear. He stands abruptly as Fitch takes a step back.

“This meeting is dismissed. Think about what I’ve said.” His eyes land on mine.

All he’s actually said is that I have to hand the ruby over, and I really don’t fucking have it.

Muttered annoyance echoes around the room as everyone shuffles toward the hallway. I hang back a step, hoping to catch any glimpse of information, but there’s no luck. Reluctantly, I take Creed’s tug on my hand and fall into step with him, surrounded by the rest of my Bishops as we go.

My steps falter when I make it to the bottom of the staircase, watching as my brother trudges down the steps with an unwavering aura of fear oozing from him.

His eyes lock on mine, pinning me in place as he mouths one word to me.

Now.