Raina’s POVI sucked in a breath, awestruck, as Ysra moved closer to the table, a hand poised above it, lips moving rapidly. I couldn't decipher the words she was saying, but then, the pool of Ian's blood began to stir, thin lines branching out across different points on the map like veins finding new paths.“What's she doing?” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.“She's chanting a spell to help us locate Velmoran,” Ian answered calmly.Liam tilted his head, brow furrowed. “Yeah, but shouldn’t it be going in one direction? Why is it spreading everywhere?” Almost as if in response, Ysra’s body jerked violently. The cutleries on the tables clattered, vibrating with the same sudden force.“Is this normal?” I called out, the rising tension in my chest threatening to choke me.Neither of them answered. Instead, both brothers stepped closer to me in protective stances, their eyes never leaving their sister.Ysra’s head snapped back, her voice rising, multiplying in tone, like more
Raina's POVI couldn't bring myself to talk to Nina. She'd gone behind my back, even after all our conversations, after I'd made it clear I didn’t want my uncle involved. She broke that trust. And now, I didn’t know how to face him.For several minutes, I stood outside his study door, unsure whether to walk in or wait until after the dance—after we'd hopefully captured Velmoran. If the door hadn’t pulled open, I probably would’ve done the latter.Surprisingly, Uncle Garett was calm. Hurt that I hadn’t been the one to tell him, but calm. He believed every word Nina had told him.I apologized, and to prove I was truly sorry, I told him everything. From the meeting in the library to the plan to capture Velmoran.He said little in return. His eyes dulled with sadness, his mind elsewhere. I asked what he was thinking, but he brushed it off, saying it could wait until I returned. That image of him—his silence, his sadness—it lingered in my mind, even as I arrived at the party with Liam.The
Liam’s POVThe ball was exquisite. Held at Skypane Hotel, the same one I'd been on the roof of with Raina only a few hours ago.Ian had rented the hall, going all out to outdo himself. Dark velvet, floating lanterns, blood-red roses, and chandeliers made from bone and crystal decorated the entrance all the way to the inside. I'd say its high gothic decorations were a dead giveaway that this wasn't a ball thrown by any human.It was elegant with a predatory undertone, a violin quartet playing a haunting tune that shifted to modern orchestral remixes during intervals. It was literally the definition of hauntingly beautiful. Yet, my admiration wasn't on the ball or its finery, it was on the girl standing beside me, hand interlaced in mine.The burgundy red dress that pooled around her legs, clinging to her waist, accentuating her curves, made it hard to keep my primal instincts in check. It was obvious she was the center of attention.The way she moved—with grace like I'd never seen befo
Raina's POVNina was on her feet the second I walked into the living room. “You know, when someone says, 'I won't take long,' they're usually back in five to ten minutes. It's been hours, Rain!"I gave her an apologetic smile, arms outstretched for a hug. She reluctantly embraced me."I'm sorry. I didn't realize I'd been gone that long."She pulled away, eyeing me suspiciously. "You didn't realize?" Her face twisted into a smirk as she tugged me onto the couch. "Spill. And it better be good."I laughed and made to stand, but she held me back. I furrowed my brows. "Seriously?""Yes, seriously. You went in to see Miss Dorothy. Spent over an hour. Came out with a vampire at your heel—" I started to argue, but she raised a finger. "Then you asked us to leave so you could have a quick word with said vampire. And now... you come home two to three hours later, saying you didn’t 'realize' the time? Come on. You don't expect me to believe you two actually spent all that time talking about the
Liam’s POVI didn’t like this plan one bit. To Ian, Raina might just be some pawn in whatever twisted game he was playing—someone he could use and discard later. But to me, she was so much more than that. Just the mere thought of anything happening to her was unnerving.I wanted to object, to suggest a better plan. Yet, I kept my lips sealed, because honestly, I doubted there was a better one.It was obvious Raina wasn’t comfortable with the idea either. Her expression betrayed her anxiety. I reached for her hand on top of the map.“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”Her gaze flicked to where our hands touched, and she yanked hers away, eyes flashing with anger before turning away from me.“If I don't want to, I'll say so,” she snapped. “Do me a favor. Keep your distance. Just because we’re working together doesn’t mean we have to be friends.”Ian raised a questioning brow behind her. Miss Dorothy watched us silently. As much as I wanted to clear the air between me and R
Raina’s POV“What’s a devourer?” I asked, my gaze flicking from Miss Dorothy to Ian.No one answered.Liam kept his expression blank—or at least he tried to. But I could see a subtle flicker of worry in his eyes. Miss Dorothy had her eyes on the book Ian had handed her, occasionally glancing up at me, then back at the vampires, like she was trying to silently warn or guide me. As for Ian, he just stared. It was unnerving. His eyes didn’t blink, his smile stayed curled like it was sewn into his face, and I couldn’t stop shifting from foot to foot under his gaze.The silence in the room stretched uncomfortably long. The kind of quiet that made every second feel heavy. I opened my mouth to ask why everyone was acting weird when Ian clapped his hands suddenly, slicing through the stillness like a blade.“Let’s move on to business, shall we?” he said, looking to Miss Dorothy. “The girl is here now. Can we begin?”My eyebrows shot up. “Wait—were you guys waiting for me?”Miss Dorothy was th