The streets of Ravenspire felt loud, but not alive.
It was the kind of noise people made when they were trying to convince themselves they were safe.
Lanterns still glowed above the market roads. Vendors still called out their prices. Children still ran through narrow alleys.
But beneath it all, fear crawled like smoke.
The Blood Council had arrived.
Kael walked beside me with his hood up, eyes scanning every corner. His face was serious, his jaw tight. He was not cracking jokes today.
Not after Black Dock.
Not after the serpent woman's trap.
Not after hearing the words that had almost destroyed him.
She is alive.
Kael had not spoken much since we left the docks. His anger was quiet, but it was deep.
And quiet anger was always the most dangerous kind.
When we reached the inn, we did not go in through the front.
Kael pulled me into a narrow alley, pressed against the wall, and listened.
"What are you doing," I whispered.
Kael's eyes flicked to the inn windows.
"Checking if we are being watched," he replied.
He paused, then nodded once.
"Come," he whispered.
We entered quickly and climbed the stairs.
The hallway was empty.
Too empty.
Kael reached our door and froze.
The lock had been scratched.
Not broken.
Scratched.
Like someone had tested it.
Kael slowly pulled his dagger.
"Elara," he whispered, "stay behind me."
I did not argue.
Kael pushed the door open.
The room was dim.
The curtains were drawn.
The lantern was off.
For a moment, nothing moved.
Then a voice spoke from the shadows.
"You are late."
Kael's dagger rose instantly.
I stepped forward slightly.
And my blood went cold.
Lucien Valemont stepped into the faint light.
He was not wearing his noble cloak anymore.
His clothes were plain, dark, designed for hiding. His hair was messier than usual, and his eyes looked sharper, like a man who had not slept.
Kael's expression hardened.
"You," he said quietly.
Lucien ignored him and looked at me.
"Elara," he said.
My chest tightened.
"You should not be here," I replied.
Lucien's jaw clenched.
"I know," he said. "That is why I will not stay."
Kael stepped closer.
"So why are you here," Kael asked. "To betray her again"
Lucien's gaze flicked toward Kael.
His expression did not change.
"I came to warn you," he replied.
Kael scoffed.
"You expect us to believe that," he muttered.
Lucien's voice lowered.
"You do not have time for pride," he said. "Morcant has begun the cleansing."
My blood tightened.
"What cleansing," I asked.
Lucien's eyes darkened.
"He is placing blood runes across Ravenspire," he said. "Not to search randomly. To trap."
Kael's expression sharpened.
"Trap who," he asked.
Lucien looked at me.
"You," he replied.
Silence.
Kael's grip tightened on his dagger.
I stepped forward.
"How close is he," I asked.
Lucien exhaled slowly.
"He is closer than you think," he said. "The Blood Council has already searched three inns. They will search this one before midnight."
Kael's jaw clenched.
"How do you know," he demanded.
Lucien's voice was cold.
"Because I heard Morcant order it," he replied.
My heart slammed.
"You were with him," I said.
Lucien nodded once.
"Yes," he replied.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"So you are still his dog," he muttered.
Lucien's gaze snapped toward Kael, sharp and dangerous.
But his voice remained controlled.
"I am still alive," Lucien said. "That is what matters."
Kael did not reply.
I could feel the tension between them.
But Kael did not challenge him.
Not now.
Not with the city on fire.
I asked again.
"Why did you come," I said quietly.
Lucien looked at me.
His eyes were not soft.
But they were honest.
"Because Morcant is beginning to doubt me," he admitted.
Kael's gaze sharpened.
"Why," Kael asked.
Lucien hesitated.
Then he spoke.
"Because Selene is changing," he said. "And Morcant thinks I know more than I am saying."
My blood pulsed at Selene's name.
Lucien continued.
"I followed Morcant to Ravenspire to maintain my cover," he said. "But I did not expect him to come personally. He is not searching for a fugitive."
He stepped closer.
"He is searching for a key," Lucien whispered.
Kael's voice was sharp.
"What key," he asked.
Lucien's gaze stayed on me.
"You," he replied.
I clenched my fists.
Lucien's voice lowered.
"Elara," he said, "do not go near the Raven Guild underground tunnels."
Kael froze.
My eyes narrowed.
"What," I asked.
Lucien's jaw tightened.
"Morcant suspects the guild is hiding you," he said. "So he is planning to bait you."
Kael's voice became serious.
"How," he asked.
Lucien's eyes darkened.
"He will burn Black Dock," he said.
The words hit like a blade.
Kael's breathing stopped.
His face turned pale.
"You are lying," Kael whispered.
Lucien shook his head.
"I am not," he replied.
He stepped closer, voice urgent now.
"Black Dock will burn tonight," Lucien said. "And when it burns, you will rush to save people."
His gaze locked on mine.
"And when you rush… Morcant will track your scent."
Kael's hands trembled slightly.
I watched him.
That was where his sister's false trap had happened.
Black Dock was personal now.
And Morcant knew that.
Lucien continued.
"He wants you to break your cover," he said. "To use your power. To expose yourself."
Kael's voice was hoarse.
"Why would Morcant burn civilians just to find her," he asked.
Lucien's voice was cold.
"Because Morcant does not see them as civilians," he replied. "He sees them as insects."
The room fell silent.
Then Kael spoke again.
"What do we do," he asked.
Lucien looked at him.
"Do not go," Lucien said simply.
Kael's eyes hardened.
"You think we can just stay here and listen to screams," he asked.
Lucien did not answer.
Because he knew Kael was right.
Lucien turned to me.
"Elara," he said. "If you want to survive, you must become selfish."
My chest tightened.
"I cannot," I replied.
Lucien stared at me for a long moment.
Then he nodded slowly.
"I thought so," he murmured.
Kael's voice was low.
"If you are warning us," Kael said, "then why not stay and help"
Lucien's gaze sharpened.
"Because Morcant expects me at his side," he replied. "If I vanish, he will know."
Kael clenched his jaw.
"So you will go back," he muttered.
Lucien nodded.
"Yes," he replied.
He turned toward the window.
Then he paused and spoke again, quieter.
"There is something else," Lucien said.
I looked at him.
"What," I asked.
Lucien hesitated.
Then he spoke.
"Selene has begun using serpent blood rituals," he said. "Her senses are stronger now. She can track royal blood through dreams."
My blood turned cold.
Kael's eyes widened.
"Through dreams," he repeated.
Lucien nodded.
"She is not hunting you like a soldier," he said. "She is hunting you like a predator."
Kael swallowed.
Lucien's gaze returned to me.
"Elara," he said, "if you feel her voice in your mind…"
His voice dropped.
"…run."
I nodded slowly.
Lucien stepped back.
Then he glanced at Kael.
His voice turned sharp.
"Protect her," he said.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"I already am," he replied.
Lucien nodded once.
Then he turned to the door.
Before he left, he spoke one last time without turning back.
"Morcant is planning to search this inn before midnight," he said. "Leave before then."
And then he was gone.
He slipped out like smoke.
No footsteps.
No sound.
Kael stared at the door for a long moment.
Then he turned toward me.
His voice was quiet.
"He is dangerous," Kael said.
I nodded.
"Yes," I replied.
Kael's jaw tightened.
"But he looked scared," Kael admitted.
I exhaled slowly.
"So was I," I said.
Kael stared at me.
"What do we do now," he asked.
I met his gaze.
And for once, I did not pretend to know everything.
I asked him the question again.
"What would you do," I whispered.
Kael inhaled.
Then his eyes sharpened.
"We leave the inn," he said. "Now."
I nodded.
Kael continued.
"But we do not run out of Ravenspire," he added. "We go somewhere Morcant will not search easily."
I waited.
Kael's voice dropped.
"The Raven Guild," he said.
I nodded slowly.
Then we moved.
Because the storm was coming.
And this time, it was not just hunting me.
It was hunting Ravenspire.