When the Raven Calls

Chapter 26

I WISH THINGS HAD STAYED that way for long--we all needed time and space to grieve and regroup, but sadly, we were still fighting to take down the Deditanum, save the Tainted, and stop me from slowly dying to to poison.

The black marks in my veins had spread when I woke up.

"Hi, guys," I said hesitantly, coming into the living room. I looked at them, their dried tears and empty shot glasses, and I could perfectly imagine what Syrena would do: how she'd put her hands on her hips and cock her head and tell them to pull it together, that the job wasn't done yet. I wanted to do that, to honor her, but I was crumbling down too, and honestly, I was the last person who should lead them. I was the one who had the stupid, dangerous plan, and I was the one who left them, and that meant I was the reason she was dead.

I waited for the grief, but mostly I just felt hollow. I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. Regardless of how I felt, we had taken one of the Seconds and killed another--if we weren't already on the Deditanum's kill list, they were coming for us now.

"Okay, we need to come up with a plan for what to do next," I said, my voice cracking slightly.

Macey looked up at me, a million unspoken questions in her eyes. I couldn't muster the energy to fake a smile, but I told her through our best-friend psychic bond that we'd talk later. She nodded, then sat all the way up, getting on board.

"Alright. Thomas, you said you had news last night?"

"Yeah... speaking of which, we should probably get ready for company soon."

"Company?" Chris slurred. I cringed, realizing just how much he must be hurting--it was my fault, but he was there. Even if he couldn't have stopped it, he had to have survivor's guilt.

I noticed that Aria looked a little worried, too.

"Yeah, I ran into Malcolm--one of the Tainted we saved a while ago--when he was passing through town. He said he was still in contact with a bunch of the others, and that he could get them to come and help us. He's a psychic, and he said he'd come and help us with the Second today."

"Oh, great," Chris muttered darkly. "Let's just go on with life, pretending one of our best friends didn't just die."

I flinched, but straight after a moment. "Come on, Chris. You need a lot of coffee. And maybe a bucket of ice water."

***

MALCOLM DID COME by, as promised, but it was only for a short amount of time. No one had been brave enough to move her body, and when he saw it, he gave us his condolences and offered to send over someone who could help until we had time for a proper funeral. We said yes, thanking him, and then he went into the room with the Second and didn't come out for 30 minutes.

I didn't move the whole time.

"Hey," he said softly, emerging a little while later. We stood, moving closer, ready for the knowledge that had cost Syrena her life.

"Listen, there's a lot--and none of it's good. Are you guys sure you don't want to just run? It'd be safer."

"Yeah, but not for long. Naenoting's government can't handle this--the Deditanum are going to spread across Illvonya unless we stop them here," Aria said,

"You're right," he admitted reluctantly. "Okay, here's what I know: His name is Gormir Stanton, his 'master' is Bertina Furth, who is a member of the Coven and has control over people's minds, and..."

He hesitated, his face betraying his fear.

"There's a plan--one you won't like."

"What is it?" I asked.