Looking into the box, there’s a severed head of what looks like a drow. The dark skin is ashen in death, and the distinctive pointed ears are unmistakable. Blood has pooled at the bottom of the box, creating a grotesque display that makes my stomach lurch.
Stepping back so quickly I nearly trip, I grab my phone from the nightstand. My hands shake as I open the family chat.
Raven: My mate left a severed head in my room.
Ziggy: I know for a fact he didn’t.
Ziggy’s answer makes my blood run cold as ice floods my veins. I stare at the box, the reality of the situation hitting me like a physical blow.
Mina: Check the locks on your door and windows.
I do a thorough check of all the locks, my bare feet padding across the cold floor. The metal fixtures are all secure, showing no signs of tampering. Nothing is unlocked.
Raven: All doors and windows are locked.
Thauglor: I’m moving you three to Malivore. It’s warded, and no one can phase in or out.
Leander: What if it’s another mate of Raven’s that killed her would-be assassin?
Thauglor: No one else has made themselves known to me yet.
Callan: If it’s non-dragon, they don’t have to.
I watch the typing dots start and stop by my father’s name several times, and I can practically feel his rage building through the screen.
Klauth: If it was the one that attempted to kill Raven, then it’s good they’re dead.
Abraxis: I’ll up security in the dragon dorms.
Ziggy: There are at least seven species that can phase like I can. Four of which are at the school.
Dots appear again by Dad’s name, then stop. I can almost hear Mom telling him to calm down.
Balor: Leander and I will investigate it.
Thauglor: Good...
With how short Dad’s answer is, I know Mom stopped him from sending what he was originally going to type. Probably something involving acid and destruction.
“Why do I smell blood?” Thorne’s sleepy voice cuts through the tension as she sits up, her hair mussed from sleep.
“Someone left a drow head in a box for me. Ziggy says it wasn’t my mate, which confirms that he’s been helping him.” I arch a brow, looking at Thorne while gesturing toward the gruesome gift.
She shakes her head and laughs, the sound slightly hysterical. “He always gives himself away trying to be helpful.”
“Ugh, why am I smelling dead blood?” Lily asks as she sits up, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Her black hair falls like a curtain around her shoulders.
“Someone left Raven a drow’s head,” Thorne supplies as I step into the bathroom to get ready for the day, needing to escape the metallic stench.
I take a fast shower, the hot water washing away the cold sweat of fear. Steam fills the small bathroom as I dry off and dress in my uniform. The green sash fastens around my waist with a soft rustle of fabric. I braid my hair back with practiced efficiency and oil my wings using the special brush Dad got me—the bristles designed specifically for dragon wing membranes.
When I finish and step out, Thorne heads in for her turn. Balor and Leander are in our room, both of them bent over the box like crime scene investigators. The morning light catches the red in Leander’s hair as he examines the contents.
“Figure anything out?” I arch a brow, looking at my two nest fathers.
Balor palms the head, his scarred fingers gentle despite their size as he examines the neck. “It was cut with a single stroke of a very sharp sword. Whoever did it is skilled with a blade and can phase.” He glances over at Leander, their eyes meeting in silent communication.
“There are nine students at Shadowcarve who aren’t related to you that can phase and are good with swords,” Leander supplies, his voice thoughtful.
