29. Raven

TWENTY-NINE

RAVEN

Lips press against my neck as my eyelids fall closed, and I lean back into the hard chest behind me. Last night may not have left me the most rested, but officially starting the day with all of my men at my side definitely makes up for it.

Peering through my lashes, I find Creed looking at us in the reflection of the bathroom mirror with a soft smile on his face, which I return.

“Are you ready to head out?” he asks, trailing another kiss beneath the collar of my academy-issued blouse, and I hum in agreement.

“Yeah. The quicker we get this moving, the quicker we can move on to everything else.” Speaking the words out loud fuels my determination. After my impromptu talk with Ari this morning, I feel somewhat rejuvenated and a lot more focused on the giant task at hand.

It seems breaking the issues down in my mind and considering who would be best suited to the task works wonders, as opposed to the opposite. Which was figuring out how to bend myself at will to achieve everything with little help.

I practically pranced back into the bedroom after my familiar took off with a knowing look in his eye, waking my men with my rambling, but thankfully, it had them all intrigued, too. I already feel lighter from getting it off my chest, all we have to do now is start putting things into action. We just have to get over this hurdle first.

“Agreed. Then we can come up with the longest fucking vacation that ever existed.”

I lift my hand to my chest, soaking in his words as I nod eagerly. “That I can sign up for,” I insist, taking one last look at my new hair in the mirror before I follow his lead.

The pink is completely gone, and there’s no chance it’s coming back. I was expecting the black hair to be a drastic shift, but it weirdly highlights my eyes, even if it does leave my skin looking a little more porcelain than before.

I don’t mind, though. I can take it all in my stride if I’m here, still kicking, and that’s what grounds me more than anything. We’ve faced a lot over the past few months, I’ve faced a lot over the past few months, but I’m still fucking here, and there’s a reason for that.

The moment we step into the lounge, I’m yanked from Creed’s hold, and I don’t miss the grumbling under his breath as Zane grins down at me.

“How’s my dove doing this morning?”

“The same as I was doing five minutes ago when you last asked me,” I retort with my eyebrow raised at him, but he waves me off, guiding me toward the front door with his arm around my shoulders.

“It was seven minutes ago, but who’s keeping count?”

I roll my eyes at him, which only makes him smirk more, and I’m certain there’s a huffed chuckle that comes from Brax’s lips, too, but it’s gone before I can confirm it.

The air outside is warmer compared to earlier as we make our way toward the main academy building. The pathways are quiet, not a single person around since it’s well ahead of classes being due to start.

We walk in comfortable silence, and when the building comes into view, our pace quickens. The faster we can slip inside and get to Lyra, the faster it will be done with. Not that I’m trying to wash my hands of her; I possibly am with Sebastian, but there’s really no time to waste worrying over that with everything else going on.

We’ve played one step behind this entire time and I’m done being on the defensive with Burton. It’s time moves were made and lines were drawn.

The double doors stand wide open, enticing us in, and we hightail it to Lyra’s office, but I still two steps back from her door when I see it standing slightly ajar. My eyebrows pinch and panic tingles down my spine as I peer at Brax, Creed, Eldon, and Zane to see the same hint of uncertainty and confusion on their faces.

Inching closer, Zane’s hand slips from my shoulders to grasp my palm, refusing to leave my side, and I freeze once again when I lift my hand to push against the door, not actually connecting with the wood.

“I can feel something,” I breathe, resisting the urge to swing the door open.

“In what way?” Eldon asks, and it takes me a moment to find the right words to describe it.

“It’s magic, but it’s not like anything else I’ve felt before,” I admit. “I can’t actually feel it with my fingertips, but it’s in the air. I can sense it.”

“Then someone else steps in first,” Brax grunts, squeezing by me so I have to back up a step, and I glare at his head. “Don’t give me that look, we’ve talked about this shit,” he adds, making my jaw fall slack.

How does he know exactly how I’m looking at him right now when he isn’t even looking at me? Fucker.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to blurt the question at him, but he’s nudging the door open before I get a chance, distracting me from my thoughts.

He scans the room, and I try to catch a glimpse around him but his broad frame fills the open doorway, giving nothing away. Growing impatient, I tap on his shoulder blade, and a moment later, he takes a step into the room. I’m right behind him, trying to step to his left as I slip my hand from Zane’s, but between the pair of them, I don’t stand a chance.

Brax’s arm swings out wide, blocking me from passing him, while Zane’s hold slips from my hand to my wrist. I’m not about these good reflexes outside of the bedroom. Assholes. Clearly, I’m cranky this morning with my lack of sleep. Swiping a hand down my face, I try to compose myself, but my words still come out harsher than necessary.

“Can you two not?”

Brax glares daggers at me, but I match them right back. His glare deepens, and my neck muscles jump. “I can do this all day. Can you?”

He rolls his eyes at me, muttering the word dramatic under his breath before he sighs, dropping his arm to his side. “I can’t see anything,” he grumbles, but I don’t take his word for it. Something isn’t right here, I know it.

Zane releases his hold on me, and as I move, it feels as though the magic is dancing around me like thin fabric draped from the ceiling. Her desk area is set, her chair twisted out, but there’s no sign that she’s already been here.

It’s not until I turn toward the far left that I see the secret entry to her private area of the office is also slightly open. My feet carry me toward the little hole in the wall before I can consider my options and the magic seems to thicken around me.

“I feel like it’s hard to breathe,” I state, my hand lifting to my chest as I struggle to take a deep breath. Glancing back at the others, I find them frowning.

“It seems fine to me,” Eldon offers, concern flitting in his eyes as the others nod in agreement with him.

Forcing the strongest inhale I can, my lungs almost feel like they’re burning. I push against the door tentatively, my vision blurring as the magic becomes unbearable, and it only takes one second of peering inside for me to realize why.

“Oh my gosh,” I rasp, falling to my knees. The magic around us becomes dizzying, but I fight through it, crawling on my hands and knees to where the body lies.

Not just any body… Lyra’s.

Hands grab my waist before I can get to her, hoisting me into the air, and I all but collapse in their hold as they shift me around to carry me.

Colors flash around me as we move until everything seems to calm down, but that’s when I realize I’m no longer in Lyra’s secret room. I’m slowly lowered to Lyra’s desk, and I manage a deep breath, my body trembling with relief as a hand brushes down my back comfortingly.

“I need to help her,” I state when I can focus properly, my eyes landing on Brax’s, and he grimaces.

“I don’t think that’s going to be possible, Shadow.”

“Why?” I bark, trying to scramble to my feet again, but he pins me in place.

“Because only you can sense or feel the effects of the magic swirling in the room, which is conveniently keeping you away from her,” he grinds out, the anger not aimed at me, but it still sends a shiver down my spine.

Who would do this?

“Is she…”

His eyes darken as he nods once, and a strangled sob parts my lips as my heart races so fast, I’m certain I’m going to pass out.

“How… I… There must be something I can do,” I say with a gasp, my eyes darting back to the room just as Zane steps out, followed swiftly by Eldon and Creed, who carry Lyra’s body between them.

I shuffle off the desk, moving everything with me as they lay her down on the glass top, and I’m relieved to find that I’m not overcome with the same disorientation I had been when I stepped into the room a moment ago.

“I’m okay here with her; I can help,” I state, running my hand down her arm as the others take a step back, but it’s just like Genie; my magic finds nothing to cling to.

Lyra’s eyes are still open, glossed over, and void of any life, making my gut twist with pain.

“How did this happen?” I ask, hoping someone can piece this together better than I can, and it’s Creed who speaks.

“I think the room was coated in some kind of ward or spell that would only have the ability to affect you and no one else. I don’t know what or how, but it clearly took hold of you while leaving us unscathed,” he explains, but that doesn’t really get to the reason why Lyra is lying lifeless like this.

“And her?” I push, sweeping a hand over her hair before closing her eyelids, unshed tears filling my eyes.

Fuck, I hate how emotional I can be. I’ve seen death enough times for it not to hurt like this, or it didn’t used to, at least.

“I don’t know, Raven. There’s no physical sign of pain, and I can’t access her mind.”

“I can’t find a single piece of her to hold on to, to try and bring her back,” I admit, pressing my lips together as I try to stop the tears from falling down my face.

“What do we do now?” Zane asks, the room growing quiet for a moment as we realize everything that was planned for this morning isn’t going to happen.

“Whoever did this did it to impact you, Shadow,” Brax bites, hands clenched at his sides, and I nod in agreement.

“Which means they likely know about Sebastian, ” Eldon adds, and I curse under my breath.

This is exactly why we should have moved yesterday, then we could have saved her.

“We have to tell him,” I say with a sigh, and Zane offers me a sad smile.

“Do we take her with us or not?” he asks, and my stomach clenches.

The alternative is to leave her here, and she doesn’t deserve that. She’s already been put through more pain than necessary.

“With us,” I murmur, placing my hand on her one last time to make sure I’m not missing something, and in doing so, I spot a black mark on her chest. “What is that?” I ask, not wanting to snoop on a dead woman’s body, but surely it means something.

Eldon steps closer to get a better look, and the way his face pales tells me it’s not a good sign. “That’s magic at play. Whoever did that marked her with death. It could have happened at any time. I’ve heard my parents talk about it, but I’ve never seen it for myself,” he explains, swiping a hand down his face. “It’s a special kind of magic, one that leaves an invisible imprint on the person without them even knowing, and with a simple snap of the power-wielders fingers, the magic can take effect.”

“So, you’re saying someone marked her with this and pulled the trigger when they wanted to without even being present?” I clarify, and Eldon nods.

Fuck. I didn’t even know something like this could exist.

“Let’s get her out of here. If this was aimed at me, then I’m certain we don’t have much time before Burton decides to make his next move. We need to be as prepared as possible.”

“I’ll carry her and hide myself with my magic until we get to the Gauntlet. Is that okay?” Zane asks, and I nod, mouthing my thanks as we head for the door.

My body is a scrambled mess. I’m not ready to proceed to the next step, whatever or wherever that may fucking be. I need a minute to deal with this heartache first, but our enemies don’t care about that. This just plays to their advantage. Which means I need to get my shit together and fast.

I expect someone to jump out at us as we exit into the hallway then leave the academy building, but to my disbelief, nobody does. It doesn’t fill me with a single ounce of confidence, though. It leaves me even more unnerved, which is exactly what Burton will be going for.

This has to be him. This has to be his move, and now he has me on high alert, looking over my shoulder at every turn, yet I know he’s still going to have the ability to catch me off-guard.

I take the stone steps into the Gauntlet arena two at a time and find Zane already waiting at the bottom with Lyra’s body. He must have run ahead, which is weird as fuck because I had assumed he was at my side the entire time.

Seeing her like this again pours another bucket of sadness over me. I clench my hands tight, my nails digging into my palms as I hold my emotions at bay. I can fall apart later and drown in my feelings then, but for now, I have to power through.

As I reach his side, he drapes an arm around me, pressing his lips to my temple as Eldon silently picks Lyra up. Brax moves through the gateway first and I follow after him, aware the others will be hot on our heels.

A moment later, the familiar forest that was once the compound of the magical creatures comes into view. Yesterday, it was a glimpse at a fresh start, a symbol of hope for Sebastian, whether he deserved it or not. Today, however, it feels like torture.

Stepping over a fallen log, I hear movement from my right, and a moment later, Sebastian’s face comes into view.

His jaw falls slack before he rushes toward me as fast as he can. “Where is she?”

I stare at him bleakly, wiping a hand down my face as my eyebrows pinch and my jaw wobbles.

“What have they done?” he snaps, his eyes searching mine before he glances over my shoulder. I see it the moment he has his answer. The color drains from his face, his jaw hits the floor, and his pupils turn to pinpricks in his eyes.

I’m uncertain whether he’s going to fall to the ground, swarmed with pain, or charge into battle, especially as his nostrils flare and his hands curl into fists.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, not really apologizing to him, but to her. “She was… I couldn’t…”

“This isn’t your fault, Raven. Don’t put the weight of this on your shoulders as well,” Creed says, eyes glued on my brother as he awaits his response.

Sebastian peers at me, then at Lyra, then back at me. Clearing his throat, his mouth opens, but nothing comes out as he moves toward her instead. He takes her from Eldon’s hold, lowering her to the soft earth beneath us as his head hangs between his shoulders.

Silence cascades over us as emotions rise, leaving my heart racing wildly in my chest once again.

“This wasn’t on you, Raven,” Sebastian finally states, stroking a hand down her face before rising to his feet. “None of this is on you,” he repeats, and I feel the tension gripping my men ease, but there’s still an edge that surrounds them. One that I don’t think will ever go away when it comes to my brother. “I will die in her honor, Raven. I swear it. I pledged an oath to you, and I need you to know that this includes her, too. I will right my wrongs in her name. Tell me you understand.”

“She doesn’t have to tell you shi—” Brax’s grunt is cut off when I nod, looking my brother square in the eyes.

“I understand.”

If this was the other way around, if this was one of my men lying on the ground like this, I would be doing the same. The least I can do is understand.

“What now?” he asks, his gaze glancing to Eldon, Creed, Zane, and Brax, as well as mine.

“They knew Raven would go to her. Am I to assume you played a part in that?” Creed questions, cocking a brow at Sebastian, who gapes at him in horror.

I clutch my necklace, feeling Lyra’s magic still thrumming inside of the locket as Sebastian speaks. “Are you fucking serious right now? I wanted her safe. I didn’t think they would do this and cause…” His words trail off as he looks down at Lyra, and I know every word he said is true.

I nod subtly at my men, confirming the fact that he isn’t giving us some covered bullshit.

“If that’s the case, then I think they know Raven helped you. Which means⁠—”

“They know I’m still alive,” Sebastian admits, finishing Zane’s sentence, and I sigh. “There’s no point hiding then. They’re gearing up for war; I’m better at your side than hidden away here,” he adds, and I purse my lips, trying to decide if that’s the best option or not.

“Oh, you better believe your ass is coming back with us,” Brax grunts and my eyes widen in surprise.

“Let me say goodbye first,” Sebastian mutters, dropping to his knees beside Lyra. He whispers words to her so softly that I can’t hear them, and I instantly start to feel like I’m imposing on a private moment, so I take a step back.

My men follow and we wait beside the gateway until Sebastian stands, using his magic to bury her, placing a single flower where she was moments ago. He walks toward us with a new-found purpose.

Brax steps through the gateway first, as always, and I follow after him, but I stumble to a halt when the Gauntlet arena comes into view.

It’s nowhere near as empty as it was before. Every possible seat is filled with students, both Silvercrest and Shadowgrim alike, but it’s the fact that my father has Brax on his knees, arms pinned behind his back and head slung low, that freezes me in place.

A cackle rings in my ears as I hear Sebastian curse under his breath beside me a moment later. My eyes lock on the source of the harrowing cackle: Burton, dressed in his Erikel get-up again.

His gaze travels from mine to Sebastian’s then to my father’s before coming full sweep back to me again.

“Ah, what a family reunion this is.”