Save Greg

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

Grey 

Lightning cracked over the castle on the hill, a stark reminder of the violence that had shrouded the building for centuries. 

I tucked myself deeper under the eaves of the ramshackle shop, leaning against the wall as the rain poured from the roof. It created a shield of water, separating me from the city that I’d once called home. 

A soft huff of wry laughter escaped me, lost to the howling wind. “Home” was too strong a word. I’d been here for only a decade, immediately after I’d been turned into a vampire. I’d been so enraptured by blood lust that I’d hardly had a sane thought the entire time. Certainly not any about “home.” 

Through the pouring rain, I could see the ancient buildings that crowded along the cobblestone street. The town of Siaora was entirely inhabited by supernaturals, but the population was down to a tenth of what it had once been. No one wanted to live in such a dark and dreary place. It was the Transylvania of sensationalized films, the myth that had created the legends. 

In short, it was dark and dreary and downright creepy, to use a word that Carrow favored. The truth of Transylvania was brighter and lovelier, but not here, not in the city that Silviu had created. 

My maker had been a miserable bastard, and I had no idea if he was still alive. I’d intentionally lost touch centuries ago, but I needed him now—which led me to this rainy night in this miserable town, waiting to learn whether he still crouched in that tower like the gargoyle I’d known him to be. 

A pain sliced through my heart, a visceral reminder of my need for Carrow. I rubbed my chest, wincing. This damned Cursed Mate bond was hitting me hard. The work that I’d done with the blood sorceress Cyrenthia had barely lasted a few days. We’d tried to break the bond between Carrow and me, but it was too strong. 

As a result, I felt my mortality creeping in on me. There was a heaviness to my footsteps now, and aches and pains that were otherwise foreign. And wounds… 

I didn’t heal as quickly or as easily. 

My time was running out. 

I thumped my head back against the stone wall, staring blindly out into the rain. 

The worst part was…I missed her. 

The mate bond would be there whether or not I cared for Carrow. Unfortunately for me, I had grown to care for her. I’d barely felt emotion in the five hundred years since I’d been turned, and then she’d appeared, and bam. 

Feelings. 

Disgusted with myself, I dragged a hand over my face. 

The slightest change in the air made me stiffen. I lowered my hand and searched the night, my enhanced vision catching sight of a small figure approaching me through the rain. The streets were empty at this hour, save for her. 

Finally. 

The woman hurried forward, her small form clothed in simple black trousers and a jacket—the kind of clothing worn by people used to sneaking around in the shadows. Her dark hair was soaked to her skull, and her eyes blazed a brilliant silver as she stepped out of the rain about ten feet down from me. 

“Devil.” She inclined her head. 

“Veronica. What did you find?” 

“He’s still there.” She hiked a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the castle. “Moldy and miserable as ever.” 

It was as I’d expected. He was far older than me, and immortality didn’t sit well the longer one lived with it. 

“He’s still in his right mind?” I asked. 

She nodded. “For the most part. Keeps himself entertained with books and some really terrible paintings. A couple of women who don’t like him much.” 

I grimaced. Would that be my fate if I managed to break this bond with Carrow? Eternity alone, growing more and more disenchanted with the world as each year slipped by? Worse, I’d have to watch Carrow grow old and die. 

The idea sent a shudder of misery through me, but I shook it away. 

“Will he meet me?” I asked. 

She nodded. “Tomorrow night. Although you’ll have to pass the gauntlet to get there.” 

“Truly?” The gauntlet was a series of protections that guarded the ascent to the castle at the top of the hill. It was what had kept Silviu protected all these years, and the reason I’d hired Veronica to check on him. She had a shortcut specially provided by him, though she used it infrequently. 

“He wants to make sure you still have what it takes,” she said. 

“Of course I do.” 

She shrugged. “You look different.” 

I could feel my lips turn down at the corners, and she stepped back, eyes flashing. “Good still, of course. Kind of tortured poet-like, with the shadows under your eyes.” 

I could hear the truth in her voice but didn’t care. It was the mere idea of changing after so many years—of not being in control of my body and mind—that bothered me. 

“Thank you, Veronica.” I reached into my pocket, withdrew a crisp set of notes, and passed them to her. 

She took them and stuffed them in her pocket without looking. “Let me know if you need anything else.” 

I nodded, and she disappeared into the shadows, slipping back out into the rain. I turned away, thinking of Carrow. 

I needed to find her. 

  * 

Carrow 

Dreams flashed through my mind, hazy and unclear. Grey, of course, always at the periphery of my thoughts. And Beatrix, my friend. She’d died over a year ago, murdered by the man who’d worked for the necromancer. That mystery had drawn me into Guild City, and in a terrible way, I supposed I had her to thank for it. 

Poor Beatrix. 

A tapping sound dragged me from sleep, and I rolled over, my body weighing a million pounds. Sunlight streamed through the small window set into the white plaster wall. Bright and brilliant, it slanted across the sheets, nearly blinding me when it passed over my eyes. 

I blinked, the dark rafters in the sloping ceiling helping me focus my vision. 

The tapping sounded again. 

I turned toward the window, squinting against the light. A dark shape was silhouetted against the sun—a bird. 

As I blinked and climbed out of bed, the bird coming into focus. 

Eve’s raven. 

“What are you doing here?” I asked. 

The bird didn’t speak—not to me, at least—but it tilted its head like it understood. 

I walked toward the window and forced the rickety thing open. The bird hopped to the side of the sill but didn’t take flight. I looked past it, down onto the street. 

“Eve?” I called. 

My Fae friend was nowhere to be seen. The street bustled with early morning foot traffic. Supernaturals carried steaming cups of magical coffee that billowed rainbows of steam, the color depending on the enchantment on the dark brew. Energy, charm, luck, or a bit of extra intelligence—all were yours for the taking if you ordered from the right shop. 

I looked up into the sky, expecting to see her hovering on her Fae wings. All I saw were fluffy white clouds against a brilliant blue sky. 

I looked back down at the raven. “Where’s Eve?” 

The bird just tilted its head, staring at me. Something pulled in my chest. Recognition, almost. Familiarity or connection. The dream of Beatrix flashed in my mind. She stood next to me, smiling and laughing like she used to. 

Pain sliced through my chest, and my hand instinctively went to my heart. I’d done a good job of banishing the sadness from my mind, but lately, it insisted on coming back. 

So strange. 

The bird took flight, launching itself into the gentle wind. It whirled on the breeze, then flew off toward the Shadow Guild tower. 

I watched the dark, glossy wings glint in the sun, feeling like the creature was calling to me, drawing me along. 

It had never done that before. 

I rubbed a hand over my face as I walked toward the bedside table and grabbed my phone, then typed a quick text to Eve: 

Saw your raven. Did you need me for something? 

I set the phone back down and hopped in the shower, making quick work of getting cleaned up for the job ahead. It had only been two days since the fight at the Temple of Anat—and two days since I had seen Grey. 

The Cursed Mate bond between us was as strong as ever, and I could feel it pulling on me. Like it had grown, leaving an imprint on my soul. A sensory memory of Grey. 

I knew he was away, trying to find a solution to our terrible problem, and I was doing the same. My gift told me that there were answers in the Shadow Guild tower. I knew it. I was drawn to that place like we were two enormous magnets, and there was no fighting the pull. 

More than that, there were answers there that could possibly save Grey and me. It was like my power had been building toward this moment, growing stronger and stronger. And now it told me that there were answers in the many boxes that filled the long-abandoned rooms. 

I hopped out of the shower and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, both appropriately ragged for the dirty job to come. Today was the day. I could feel it. I was going to find something. And damn it, I would use it to figure out how to save us. 

Eve never responded to my text. She claimed she couldn’t see the bird, but I swore that I occasionally caught her looking at it. Especially lately. 

I shoved the phone into my pocket and pulled on my boots, then headed out into the living room. Cordelia, my raccoon familiar, lay on the sofa, passed out next to an empty bag of crisps. Her little paw was still shoved into the bag, and her fluffy belly faced the ceiling. I left her sleeping and stepped out on the landing outside my apartment. 

The narrow stairs disappeared down toward street level. I lived on the top floor, with Mac on the one below me. She stepped out of her flat and looked up at me, grinning. “Perfect timing.” 

“You coming to the tower?” 

She nodded. “I don’t start at the Hound until later tonight, so I thought I’d help you out this morning.” 

We still didn’t know whether we would live in our guild tower like some of the other guilds did, but we needed it cleaned out, no matter what. And she knew I hoped to find answers there. 

“Thanks.” 

“No problem. Cordelia still sleeping?” 

“Yeah. With an entire bag of crisps next to her.” I shook my head. “I swear, I have to work on her diet, or she’ll have a heart attack.” 

Mac grinned. “I helped her with those last night, so she didn’t eat the whole bag.” 

“Really?” I’d had no idea she’d been over. 

“Yeah, we watched the old Twilight movie while you were asleep.” 

“My raccoon has a better social life than I do.” 

Mac laughed. “You need to work on that.” 

“I will, just as soon as I sort out this Cursed Mate situation with Grey.” I had no idea how long we had left before the curse took over his mind entirely, forcing him to drink me to death in order to save his own life. But it felt like the time was nearing. There was a heaviness to the air that was impossible to ignore. 

Mac and I reached the main street, and she turned back to lock the green door behind us. The kebab place under our flats was still closed due to the early hour, but the coffee shop down the street was open and bustling. 

“I’m dying for a coffee,” Mac said. 

“Same.” 

We stopped in at the little place, joining the short queue that waited along the left wall. Ten minutes later, we each clutched a steaming coffee. Mine was enchanted with a shot of mental clarity, and I was hoping it would come in handy. Mac had requested charm, though I had no clue why she thought she needed it. After all, it was just going to be the two of us getting dirty while cleaning the tower. 

“The weirdest thing happened this morning,” I said. 

“Yeah?” 

“Eve’s raven visited me, then flew off toward the guild tower, as if it was leading me there.” 

“That’s weird.” 

“Yeah. Why doesn't she see it?” 

Mac shrugged. “Maybe she’s lying. I’ve wondered about that. Or maybe it’s not really hers. It’s only been around about a year.” 

“What?” I flashed a look at her. “Only a year?” 

She nodded. “Showed up one day, but she never saw it. So maybe it’s just attracted to her Fae energy.” 

“What do you mean, ‘Fae energy?’” 

“They’re earth Magica, for the most part. Connected to the life force of the earth. Animals, plants, all of that. It’s one reason why Eve is so good with potions. So maybe that’s what the raven likes.” 

“Weird to be followed by a magical animal you can’t see.” 

“Very.” 

We reached the abandoned courtyard in front of our tower. Morning sunlight gleamed on the flowers filling the ramshackle space. It looked vastly better than when we’d discovered the tower a couple weeks ago. The plants had grown, green and bright, climbing up the remains of the pedestal upon which the statue of Councilor Rasla had stood. 

Mac gestured to the wild garden. “I think this is Seraphia’s work, don’t you?” 

I nodded. Our librarian friend had some kind of power over plants, though she never mentioned it. We never asked. The topic felt off limits. 

The stone statue of the bastard who’d nearly destroyed the Shadow Guild in the seventeenth century was now gone, blasted into rubble, but his shadow remained. I’d been obsessed since I’d learned of him. Why had he done such terrible things to the Shadow Guild, all but destroying it and wiping it from the city’s memory? 

A bird’s shriek sounded from the tower, and I spotted the raven sitting on the roof. 

“There’s your buddy.” Mac tilted her head. “Does it seem a little different?” 

I shrugged. “Maybe.” 

The raven launched itself into the air and swooped toward me. For the longest moment, I felt like I recognized the gleam in its eye. 

Weird. 

I shook my head and walked toward the door. Mac came with me, and we unlocked the heavy wooden thing. Pushing it open, I revealed the newly spotless room. After all our elbow grease, it looked gorgeous. The stone walls almost sparkled, and the large hearth looked inviting. 

My gaze landed on the heavy wooden chair that sat next to the hearth. Cordelia had dragged it into the front room last week, and I’d avoided it ever since. 

Mac caught me looking at it. “That’s the leader’s chair, you know. Every guild has one.” 

She’d told me that before, about a week ago. Apparently, she felt the need to repeat it. Probably because I’d ignored her the first time, pretending to be distracted. I studied the beautifully carved wood. It was an impressive thing, far too good for me. 

“You haven’t sat in it yet,” Mac said. “In fact, you’ve hardly mentioned being leader at all.” 

I swallowed hard. 

That’s because I don’t feel ready. Or worthy. 

“All we’ve done is clean this place,” she continued, her gaze knowing. 

“Spit it out, Mac.” She was beating around the bush. I knew her well enough by now to be able to spot it. 

“We chose you as leader because it was the obvious choice. You saved this place. And I’m not saying you’re being negligent in your duties or anything, just that I’ve noticed you shying around that chair like it’s going to bite you.” 

I drew in a deep breath and approached it slowly, running my fingertips over the smooth wood. “I don’t even know what I am. Or the extent of my magic. How can I possibly be qualified to lead?” 

“We believe in you,” Mac said. “You need to believe in yourself, too.” 

Easier said than done. 

“Anyway,” she continued, “this whole magic thing is a journey. You don’t need to be perfect right now.” 

Journeys had beginnings, and I felt like I didn’t know what mine had been. I had no idea where my magic had come from. Not my father. My mother? 

She’d died shortly after my birth, so I had no memories of her. 

Pain sliced through me, and I scowled. I’d long since stopped thinking of her. It brought more harm than good. 

But now that I was faced with my future and so much responsibility that I didn’t feel ready for, I wished I could speak to her. Ask her about my past and who I was. What I was. Especially with my magic, which had been more stubborn lately. I could mostly control it, but not entirely. And new powers kept popping up. 

The raven swooped inside, distracting me from my thoughts. This was the most I’d ever interacted with the bird, and so I followed it, cutting through the empty front room that gleamed from our recent deep clean. The bird flew up the stone spiral staircase, and I ran after it, taking the steps two at a time, with Mac pounding behind me. 

My heart raced as I stepped out into a second-floor room that we hadn’t yet started on. 

“Is it just me, or is this exciting?” Mac asked. 

“It’s not just you.” Something was happening—I could feel it. 

The bird flew to a dusty old box in the corner and landed on the wooden top. It turned to me, eyes glinting, then pecked at the wood. 

“Well, if that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is,” Mac said. 

“Yeah.” I approached the box, a strange tingle of awareness racing down my arms. As I neared, the bird hopped off. 

Magic radiated from the box, buzzing and bright. A chill raced over my skin as I reached for it, the bird’s keen eyes on me. 

What the heck was in here?

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Carrow 

Tension tightened the air around me as I rested my fingertips against the lid of the wooden box. It was fairly large—roughly a meter by a meter—and looked old. Really old. The layer of dust on the surface was thick, and there was no lock. 

“Go on,” Mac said. “I’m dying over here.” 

I nodded, my breath coming short. It felt like something momentous was going to happen. 

Quickly, I lifted the lid. Dust billowed out, and I coughed, blinking frantically against the sting. 

Finally, the plume cleared, and I looked down. Fabric filled the box, folded and dull. It had probably once been a brilliant blue velvet, but it was now faded and worn. The lace that edged the sleeves was yellowed and fragile. 

I frowned. “A dress?” 

Mac joined me, peering down. “There might be more.” 

I removed it from the box. The fabric felt heavier than it should have, with something bulky moving around in the middle of the folded pile. “I think you’re right.” 

I set the dress back in the box, since the interior of the container was the cleanest spot in the room, then rummaged around inside the fabric. My fingertips closed around a heavy object, and awareness shot through me. My magic flared, and though I didn’t get a vision like I normally might, I felt the connection as I pulled it free. The object looked like a stamp of some kind—the old-fashioned sort that was used to press a blob of wax on a letter. A seal, they were called, with an emblem carved on the business side. I raised it up and inspected it. 

There was an ornate symbol, along with a single word: Rasla. 

“Huh.” I shook my head. “I knew it. We’re connected somehow.” 

“You are?” 

“Yeah. I can feel it. My magic is going off like alarm bells.” 

“What do you see?” 

“Nothing, which is rare. Normally, I’d get a vision. And I should be, but something is blocking it. Or maybe my magic is just being stubborn. It’s seemed a bit wonky lately.” 

“You’re connected to Rasla, though?” 

“Somehow. I knew my obsession wasn’t random.” 

“True that. No one would be interested in that miserable bastard unless they had good reason.” 

I put the seal in my pocket and reached back into the pile of fabric. My fingertips touched the leather binding of a small book, and I drew it free. As with the seal, the book pulsed with magic. A connection zipped between me and the volume, a fizz of magic that lit up my mind. 

An ornate golden clasp locked the book tight, making it impossible to open. Protective magic swirled around it. “I don’t think we should try to open it without a key.” 

My power struggled to work, trying to read information from the object in my hand. I got a flash of an image—a woman wearing the dress in the box. She looked sad. Terrified. And there was something familiar about her. 

I tried to focus on her face—did she kind of look like me?—but her image faded away. Frustration seethed through me. 

Damn it. 

I opened my eyes, staring down at the book. “There are answer here.” 

“About you and Grey?” 

“About everything. My past, definitely. I can just feel it. My power is screaming. And she might have looked a bit like me, which was weird. But the book isn’t showing me anything else.” 

Mac held her hand over the lock for a second, then hissed and yanked it back. “Definitely don’t break the lock.” 

“That was my thought. Feels like a strong enchantment, huh?” I looked at the clasp, unable to find the lock hole. There were three other tiny holes, though. “Must be a really tiny key.” 

“Yeah.” Mac leaned over the box and picked up the dress, gently shaking it out. I watched, hopeful that a key might fall from the folds, but once she’d fully withdrawn the dress and shook it out without finding anything, I leaned over to look into the bottom of the box. 

It was empty. 

“Damn.” She met my eyes. “I can start searching the rest of the boxes.” 

I looked at the piles of dusty, battered crates. “I doubt it’s in here, but we need to search them anyway.” 

“My thoughts exactly.” She wiped a finger through the dust on the box. “But first, I want to get rid of this. It will kill us if we disturb all of it.” 

My nose itched with an oncoming sneeze, as if agreeing. “Maybe Seraphia could work on the book in the meantime. She’s got to have a trick for getting into locks like this.” 

“Great idea. Library should open any minute.” 

“I’m going to take it to her. Good luck with the dusting.” 

“Ha. Leaving me with the fun job, I see.” 

I grinned at her. “You really are the best. I owe you.” 

“A bottle of wine, at the very least.” 

“And a gift certificate to that Fae spa you like, because you’re going to need it once you’re done with this dust.” 

Her brows rose. “I won’t say no to that.” 

As I turned toward the door, I caught sight of the raven. The bird’s eyes had been riveted to the book, and as it lifted them, I held its gaze. “This is what you wanted me to find, isn’t it?” 

It didn’t so much as nod, but I was sure of the answer. Quickly, I left the tower, the book clutched tight to my chest. It was small, like a diary, and I wondered if that’s what it was. There was no title on the spine that I could see. The stone seal in my pocket sat heavily against my leg, and as I crossed the courtyard, I couldn’t help but look at the pedestal upon which Rasla’s statue had once stood. 

We’d broken his curse on the Shadow Guild tower and driven his ghost from Guild City, but he was still haunting us. Worse, I felt a connection to the space where the statue had been. 

I shook the thought away and hurried toward the library. The morning rush had quieted now that everyone had got to work, and I made it to Seraphia’s library in record time. 

The tiny Tudor building looked quiet and closed, and when I tried the door, I found it locked once more. A quick glance at the sign showed that it technically should be open. 

What was the deal? This was the second time the library had been unexpectedly closed. Our friendship felt too new for me to pry, but I was worried. 

I knocked on the door, tapping my foot as I waited. A few minutes passed, so I knocked harder, banging on the door like a lunatic. 

“I’m coming!” Seraphia’s voice filtered through the wood, and I leaned over to look in the window. 

She raced for the door, her clothes looking rumpled and worn. The skinny jeans were baggy at the knee, the way they became after wearing them too long—and her faded T-shirt hung off her shoulder, the neck stretched out. Her dark hair was a mess around her head, and shadows sat below her eyes. 

I frowned. Seraphia had never looked this rough before. 

She pulled open the door, her complexion paler than normal. “Hey. Sorry. I must have overslept.” 

“In the library?” 

“I live upstairs. Kind of.” 

I frowned, waiting for an explanation. 

None came. 

She stepped back and gestured for me to enter. “Come in.” 

I stepped into the enormous, cathedral-like space. Though the outside of the library was tiny, it was an illusion. The interior was a palace of books, so many that my mind started to fog if I tried to conceive of a total. The enormous, domed ceiling rose high overhead, reminding me more of St. Paul’s than a library. 

“What brings you here so early?” Seraphia asked. 

“It’s almost lunch.” 

She grimaced. “Seriously?” 

“Yeah.” 

She rubbed a hand over her face, the gesture weary. “Oh, boy.” 

“You can tell me about it, you know.” 

Her green eyes flashed to mine, indecision flickering within. “Thanks. But I’m fine.” 

I nodded. Sure. 

But I didn’t say it. Pressing was a bad idea. Seraphia started to close the door and hesitated. “Eve’s raven is outside.” 

“Really?” I turned back, spotting the glossy black feathers in the tree across the street. I shouted, “You can come in if you want!” 

The bird just stared at me, and I shrugged. “That’s a no.” 

Seraphia shut the door and turned to me. “Come on. I need tea before I can do anything.” 

I followed her toward the back. She led me into a small kitchen that appeared to be stuck inside a massive bookshelf. I walked between rows of books, and suddenly I stood in a little space that looked like it was from the 1940s. 

“They had to carve this spot out with magic,” Seraphia said. “One of the former librarians insisted on her tea breaks.” 

“I don’t blame her.” 

Seraphia walked to the old AGA cooker. The metal was painted a pale pink, matching the rest of the strange old kitchen. A kettle shaped like a very ugly cat sat on the hob, and she waved a hand over it. A second later, steam billowed from the top, and the cat yowled. 

“That’s handy,” I said. 

She grinned at me. “Another request of the former librarian. The spell isn’t complicated, but it’s expensive. Milk and sugar?” 

“Just milk, thanks.” 

She prepared the tea and handed me a cup. She took a sip, then sighed, her eyes suddenly looking brighter. “Now, what can I help you with?” 

I handed her the book. “That lock.” 

She frowned at it, lips pursed. “It’s a strong one. If we try to break it, I think the pages will incinerate. Do you know who owned it?” 

“No. A woman, I think. Maybe from the time of Rasla.” 

“That old bastard?” 

“The very same. We found it in the Shadow Guild tower. Mac is looking for the key, but we’re not hopeful.” 

“Yeah, she’d have hidden it well.” Seraphia flipped the book over, inspecting the back. “And I don’t think it will be a normal key. But I can work on this. Might take me a little while, but I’ll see what I can do.” 

“Thanks.” I hesitated. “Not to rush you, but…I’m pretty sure that book has answers about Grey and me.” 

Her eyebrows shot up. “Really?” 

“I don’t know how, and I don’t know what. But my power is telling me there’s information in there.” 

“You’re never wrong, so I’ll get to work on it.” Her head tilted, and her eyes brightened. “Someone is here.” She strode around me and exited the kitchen. 

I followed, clutching my tea. When I spotted Grey standing near the door, I nearly dropped the cup. 

A shaft of sunlight streamed over his face, highlighting the curves and angles that made him look like Lucifer himself. The shadows under his eyes only accentuated his otherworldly beauty, and though he hadn’t started losing weight like he had before, there was something sharper about him. 

His gaze moved to me, something indecipherable flickering in the depths. 

My soul felt like it fluttered inside my chest, reaching out for him. I sucked in a quiet breath and resisting pressing a hand to my chest to force it back in. 

“Grey.” 

“Carrow.” 

“I don’t suppose you’re here to check out a book?” Seraphia asked. 

“No, I’m here for Carrow.” 

I’m here for Carrow. I liked the sound of that, even though everything had gone to hell. 

Seraphia looked between the two of us, then gestured off to the right. “There’s a small room, if you want privacy.” 

“Thanks.” I smiled at her, then headed that way. I had no idea why he was here, but privacy sounded like the way to go. 

Grey followed me, and I could feel his stare on my back. It warmed me through, and I wanted to turn and throw my arms around him. I knew it was crazy, given everything, but I still wanted it. 

The little room that waited for us was a sitting room, complete with two cozy armchairs and a fireplace that flickered with flame. Bookshelves covered every wall, and about six Persian rugs overlapped each other on the floor. The scent of paper and leather binding filled the air, along with fresh flowers. I spotted the cheerful bouquet of peonies on the windowsill, then turned. 

Grey waited just inside the door, his gaze on me. 

Indecision tugged at me for a split second, and then I threw my arms around him. His arms came up, and he gripped me tightly to him, seeming to melt into me in a way that should have felt heavy but instead felt blissfully light. Like being surrounded in perfect peace. 

I clung to him, his scent of flickering flame and whisky wrapping around me. 

“This is a bad idea,” he murmured against my head. 

“I don’t care. I haven’t seen you in two days.” 

“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.” 

“Of course you have. At what?” I didn’t pull away. He could explain just fine like this. 

“I may have found something.” 

“Yeah?” This time, I pulled back to look at him, but didn’t let go. “What?” 

“Don’t get too excited. My last plan didn’t work.” 

“I’m hardly any further along at finding answers in the Shadow Guild tower.” Unless the book panned out. “What did you find?” 

“My maker is still alive, apparently. He’s the oldest turned vampire, though I haven’t seen him for centuries.” 

“He can help?” 

“Possibly. If he can’t, then he has connections with the most powerful seer in the vampire world. She’s an expert in all matters pertaining to us. She may know a way out.” 

It was all we had, so it had to be enough. “Where is your maker?” 

“In the town of Siaora, in Transylvania. We can leave now.” 

“Now? You want me to come?” I was glad but surprised. He’d been so distant and secretive lately. 

He nodded. “You’re half of this, and more than likely, we’ll see the seer. Her gift works by touch, just like yours. If we want full answers, we both need to be there.” 

“It’ll give Seraphia time to work on the book I found.” Quickly, I filled him in. 

When I finished, he nodded. “I need to stop by my flat for some things. Will you meet me there once you’ve collected what you need for a trip to the mountains? It could be cold.” 

I nodded, already thinking of how I’d stop by Eve’s for some weapons. “I’ll see you at yours.” 

Together, we left the library. On the street, we parted ways—he headed toward his tower, and I headed toward Eve’s place. 

I reached her shop a few minutes later, finding her buried up to her chin in books. All around her, the shelves were piled high with gleaming glass potion bottles. Every color of the rainbow glinted under the lights, making it one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen. 

Today, Eve’s hair was a brilliant copper. It gleamed like freshly polished metal and was twisted into intricate braids. Her dress matched, though in a slightly darker tone. 

“Hey.” I shut the door quietly behind me. 

She looked up, her face pale and her eyes tired. “Carrow! How are you? Figure things out with the mysterious raven?” 

The bird was nowhere to be seen, and I thought she looked a bit shifty about it. 

I shook my head. I was probably making that up. 

“No idea what’s up with the raven, but that’s okay.” I gestured to the books. “What’s with the library here?” I was more used to her slaving over little cauldrons, not old books. 

“Trying to create a new potion, but something’s not working right. I was hoping I’d find answers in these.” She sighed and stood. “No luck so far. How can I help you?” 

“I’m going to Transylvania with Grey and was hoping you could help me out with some potions. Defensive, mostly.” 

“Sure thing.” She came around the desk, her magic smelling like a fresh breeze and feeling like soft grass beneath my feet. “Follow me.” 

She led me to the back room, where she began to fill a bag with potions. As she held each bottle up and described the potion’s use, I memorized it and the distinctive color and shape of its glass container. Some were for defense, some were for healing. They’d be marked, but when one was in a hurry, it was better to just grab and go. 

Finished, she strode toward me and handed me the bag. “Be careful, it’s dangerous there.” 

“What do I owe you for these?” 

“A favor later.” 

I grinned. “Sure thing.” 

“Now get out of here, I have research to do.” Her smile was friendly, but her eyes were tired. I debated asking again about the raven—could she seriously not see it?—but I knew the answer I’d get. And anyway, Grey was waiting.

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