Lyra's POVI reached up with trembling fingers and wiped it away, but more followed, thick and slow.My chest constricted. Panic surged like a tidal wave. No. Not now. Not here.The curse. It had to be the curse.I held onto the sink, struggling to remain upright. My face was ashen. Not the tough Ravenna everyone had witnessed."Ravenna?" I heard Orion's voice from the bed.I chopped my nose quickly with the back of my hand and switched on the faucet, letting water splash loudly into the sink."Yea?" I yelled out, trying to put calm into my voice."You all right?" he inquired."Sure," I said to him, trying to sound as normal as possible. "Just waiting for a minute. Hot water's taking forever.""Okay," he replied, not entirely trusting me but courteous.I settled in closer toward the mirror and studied my own eyes. The whites of my eyes had a very slight bloodshot appearance.There was a calming throb behind my temples now, the beat of a warning drum.Whatever spell that witch laid upo
Lyra's POVHe rose just enough to unbuckle his belt, shedding the last barrier between us. I followed suit, shedding the remainder of what I wore until there was nothing between us but skin.The moment our bodies made contact, heat exploded between us.He kissed me down to my navel, opening my legs with a worshipful hand. I gasped sharply as his mouth followed the lines his hands had inscribed.All the world dropped away, all but his tongue. My fists gripped the sheets, then tangled in his hair.I cried out in the open as the first wave broke over me, I breathed a whispered name. "Orion."He stood up again, kissing me fiercely once more, savoring my screams as I pulsed against him.Then he came into me, slowly, filling me inch by inch until he was deep inside me. I encircled his waist with my legs, pulling him deeper.He pushed gently at first, each movement sending shivers up my back. Then harder, his control falling apart as I screamed, arching beneath him.We strained against one
Lyra's POV"We're gonna find a way out of it if things go red," he finally said."Why don't you use that phone she gave you to call Keto or anyone for backup?""She's smart, the phone can only receive calls, it can't make calls."I breathed out a sigh to release the anger rising within me. I sat up, feeling a soreness in my back."Are you all right?" Orion's voice was gruff but troubled.I paused, then released the truth. "My back aches."He was quiet for a moment. I didn't turn to look, but I could feel t
Lyra's POV“I thought you said a young woman cannot handle the spell,” I said, folding my arms and nodding toward the door.“She’s not going to handle it,” Orion replied calmly. “She’s another intermediary.”I frowned. That didn’t make me feel any better. “I don’t trust her.”"I don't either," Orion admitted. "But we have no choice."Before I'd even had a chance to react, the door again creaked open and the young woman stepped out again.Her eyes glinted with a look that was almost exciting. "We're in luck," she said, stepping forward. "I just spoke with one of the elders. She'll assist us, but there are two conditions.""What conditions?" Orion asked bluntly."First," she said, her voice growing sinister, "both of you must stand before the coven and plead for the murdered witch."I knew the rolling in my stomach. I did not even require her to say the name of the witch. I already knew what she was talking about."Then if the coven forgives you," the girl went on, "the elder may help t
Lyra's POVSlowly, I gave in, the heat of his body offering a strange safety, though my thoughts were drifting back to that man, whatever he might have been.Orion began nudging the plate of food toward me. "Eat before it gets cold."I picked up my fork and ate very slowly. Somehow, my appetite was gone now. But he was right. We had to build up strength. I needed to think straight.He watched me silently for a while, then grabbed his own plate and began eating again."We'll leave in an hour or so," he said between bites. “We’ll blend into the community until I can figure out who to talk to.”I paused mid-chew. “What if they recognize us?”“They won’t,” he said calmly. “We’ve masked our scents. As long as we don’t do anything stupid, we’ll be fine.”I set my fork down. “You make it sound so easy.”Orion glanced at me, his eyes steady. “It’s not. But panicking will only make it worse.”I sighed and nodded. “Got it.”After we ate, he stood and began putting the dishes back into the bag.
Kate's POVWe all picked our weapons from the duffel bag the Captain's men laid open. Guns, silver blades, smoke bombs, and even strange grenades I couldn't name.I picked a compact pistol and a blade small enough to hide on my thigh. Kira went for a lightweight rifle, and Keto took two handguns like the overachiever he was.The Captain clapped his hands. "Alright, party's packed. Let's move."I adjusted my jacket and followed behind Keto as we approached the river. The boat was waiting, an old, rugged thing with a driver who looked like he hadn’t smiled in years."All aboard," the boatman grunted."Is this thing safe?" I asked, eyeing the water."Safer than walking," he muttered.We all climbed in. Kira sat beside me, quiet, fiddling with the edge of her sleeves. I knew she was nervous. So was I.We were halfway across the river when we noticed the ravens. Black shapes in the sky. One, two, then more. Circling, weaving patterns like a warning written in shadows."Creepy birds," one