Page 146 of Reaper’s Curse

His words faded as he steepled his hands and pressed his fingers to his lips.

I didn’t have the clarity of mind to worry about Aoes or Chiara, the latter being beyond worry at that point. She was gone, and nothing in my power would change that fact. Still…

What happened here that led to her demise?

And…

In what manner is Raven involved?

I rubbed my chest and scrutinized the scene.

Raven was somehow involved, but with no one else to question about the situation, the answers to how and how much might remain elusive until I located her. Which I was going to do. Right. Now.

I marched past the death scene in the center of the room and followed Raven’s aroma toward a pitch-black tunnel at my right. Above my head, black birds cawed and dove. Swooped past me into the darkness of the passageway ahead.

Aoes jumped to his feet. “Where are you going?”

I paused and glanced over my shoulder at the pub manager. “I’m going to find Raven. She is my priority above all else.”

“But—”

“You’re over a hundred years old, right?” I asked, cutting off what I suspected would be an objection.

Aoes swallowed hard and nodded.

“Then can I trust you to do whatever needs to be done here? I’m sure your friend Winter would be quite helpful, considering the location.”

Aoes sucked back a breath through his teeth and fixed his composure, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders. “Don’t worry. I’ll do what needs to be done. You go find our girl.”

With a sharp nod, I turned back to the darkness, paused, and patted my thigh pocket. My fingers brushed the bulk within, verifying the presence of a small journal filled with hand-drawn maps documenting the network of underground tunnels. After finding the notebook in Raven’s room, I’d taken to keeping it on my person…just in case.

Armed with the maps and my hunter senses, I stepped into the tunnel. Several strides in, a dark shape slumped against the wall caught my attention.

My nostrils flared. The associated scent had absolutely nothing to do with Raven. Therefore, whoever lay there was not my present concern.

“There’s another body over here,” I called over my shoulder.

“I’ll check it out,” Aoes replied.

And with that, I became one with the darkness, handing over control to my soul hunter instincts.

I hunted Raven’s soul, and I would not stop until I had her back in my arms…alive, healthy, and safe.

37

Winter stood in the throne room with his hands folded just below his waist and his back pressed against the wall.

He had positioned himself so as not to draw his grandmother’s eye and thereby had made himself as invisible as possible in the royal setting. Or, given his complexion and hair, any setting not drenched in white marble or snow.

Valen held the center of attention. He pleaded Raven’s case―Winter’s friend, current puzzle, and now missing guest.

“She put an end to the specters, my queen. She fulfilled her part of the agreement. It’s now up to you to follow through on your end.” Only family or Valen would be so bold as to speak to the queen in such a manner.

Winter’s grandmother scoffed. “We have no proof that the girl did anything of the sort.”

“My hunter witnessed the deed,” he countered.

What hunter? Winter wanted to ask, but he remained silent, pressed against the wall. Was the so-called hunter the creature and thing Valen kept in that cage tucked away in the hidden room behind his workshop?