Kill A Dove E-Book

Kirro Burrows

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Krimi
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Planning a wedding should be the joy of Raiven’s life, but fear lingers in the air around her.

With Mater Vitae hunting for her and her necromancy growing into a power beyond her control, Raiven’s life takes another unsuspecting turn when the potential appearance of a new Hunter draws Raiven and Kisten to Africa, the continent of her birth. Raiven knows that hidden somewhere in the dark continent lies the truth not only about her past, but the future of Supernaturals as a whole.

Surrounded by fear, lies and misdirection at every turn, who can Raiven truly trust, and will her future with Kisten survive the truth?

Leseprobe

“Vogel.” I heard Kisten’s voice as he shifted behind me, the rest of the pack turning their attention to their leader. I could vaguely hear her snapping at them as they began to inspect the corpses of their dead companions. Their fear of death still seemed to wash over me, but I ignored it as some of them shifted back to their human form. They quickly picked up the bodies and disappeared back into the grass, hoping to escape us in my distraction. “Who… who is that?”

The being smiled softly as I stopped, searching the eyes of the person in front me as I tried to determine if they were real. When I finally spoke, my voice was barely above a whisper.

“The Seraph.”

Kill A Dove

SEALED BLOOD

BOOK THREE

KIRRO BURROWS

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Epilogue

About the Author

Notes

Copyright (C) 2023 Kirro Burrows

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2023 by Next Chapter

Published 2023 by Next Chapter

Edited by Lorna Read

Cover art by Lordan June Pinote

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

To my beautiful daughter,

Who gives me the strength to face my fears.

To my partner,

For being my strength.

1

I sighed as I spun on the projector again, doing my best to let Shannon see the dress from behind. She frowned as she leaned back in her seat, balancing the tablet on her knee as she made several different noises. Then finally, she shook her head, blowing a raspberry as I glanced over my shoulder. She was running her hand through her blonde hair, a pouty expression on her face as she glared at the screen.

“It just looks too… princessy,” she complained, swiping on the tablet as I turned to face her again. Justina laughed in the chair beside her, adjusting her wrap as she shifted baby Noelle in her arms. “Too much fabric, and it’s just way too big.”

“Is my сестра1 not good enough to be a princess for her own wedding?” the sorcerer joked, and I couldn’t help my slight laugh as Shannon rolled her eyes at the two of us. I spread my arms out as she chose another dress and the image around me shimmered before adjusting. This particular dress shop had actually been recommended by Vanessa, but the vampire had declined to accompany us for the fitting, saying it still held too many memories for her.

I sighed as my thoughts drifted, barely hearing what my other bridesmaids were saying as they fussed over the detail of the dress. It hardly seemed like only three months had passed since Shannon’s wedding and Mark’s death, and I couldn’t help as I pushed against the ring on my finger. Vanessa was Mark’s surviving wife, and while she agreed to still be a bridesmaid for my union, she excused herself from most of the planning, more than content to leave it to her sister-in-law and Justina.

“Feathers? Just because she’s named after a bird doesn’t mean she should look like a plucked курица2.”

“With the way you’re acting, I would think this was your wedding, Bridezilla.”

“You are insane if you think I’m going to let you do that to my Raiven,” Justina spat, and I couldn’t help my giggle as the two went back and forth, Justina trying to take the tablet from Shannon. Both were strong-willed and stubborn, neither willing to back down once they had made up their minds about something. Luckily, their partners liked their fire, and I simply found it endearing as Justina finally stopped trying to take the device, settling for reaching over Shannon’s arm instead.

I jumped slightly as my phone vibrated and I was careful to pull it from my pocket, not wanting to disrupt the projection. It held a message from Kisten and I couldn’t help smiling as I opened the device.

<I swear these two are worse than their wives,> he complained, and I laughed out loud as Justina changed my dress again. Kisten and I were only separated by the wall behind me, Arkrian and Crispin helping the Alpha to choose his suit. The shop specialized in holo-designed wedding attire, and the couples could easily share their designs with each other via the designing tablets. It was exciting to think that we were so close, but would still remain unaware until the day of the wedding, my heart pounding as I considered seeing him in his suit.

“There it is!” I returned my attention to my bridesmaids as Shannon exclaimed, excitedly selecting a new dress. I was unable to help my surprise as the hologram changed, the fabric now dragging from my hand as I lifted my phone. Even Justina seemed interested in the more goddess-like style, humming her agreement as she finished feeding Noelle.

“The style is nice, but white looks absolutely hideous on Raiven,” the sorcerer mused, reaching over to tap on the tablet in Shannon’s lap. I watched as the material around me flashed through an assortment of colors and shades, the women trying to agree on a color. I carefully slid my phone back into my pocket, looking up to notice baby Noelle watching me curiously. Despite the danger to such a young vampire, Justina took Noelle with her everywhere, wanting to enjoy as much time as she could with her child. Considering it was likely the sorcerer wouldn’t even live long enough to see her daughter’s tenth birthday, it was a choice that made sense and my chest clenched slightly with the thought.

“Hey.” I pushed away my morbid thoughts, waving slightly and the little girl tilted her head more, still watching me as her mother adjusted her again. Noelle had been born right after the incident at Shannon’s wedding with Whistleblower, and her bright green eyes were an exact match of her mother’s. Justina and Crispin were still betting over whether her hair would be blue or blonde, but I had a feeling they would both be wrong as I made a face at the baby. She looked at me curiously before attempting a smile, and I was unable to help my chuckle as Shannon spoke again.

“C’mon Justina, dark purple with glitter is perfect, look!” Shannon gestured toward me as the hologram shifted again and the dress shimmered as I moved. The purple was a slightly lighter shade at the neckline, but slowly deepened into almost a black color, and the glitter twinkled like stars as I moved. I turned to see myself in the mirror and my heart pounded at the sight. I found myself grinning as I considered Kisten seeing me in a dress like this, and I heard Justina sigh with defeat.

“Well, given that stupid smile on Raiven’s face, I’ll have to concede,” the sorcerer said, giving me a soft smile despite her dismissive tone. I shrugged and smiled back and Justina shook her head as she turned to Shannon. “Looks like you win this round, Дорогой3.”

“If it makes you feel better, I’ll let you have full rein over the bridesmaid dresses,” Shannon offered, leaning back in her chair as she smiled at Justina.

“Good to leave that to someone with taste,” the sorcerer jabbed and Shannon laughed, motioning the attendant over as she sent the design to her husband. As the hologram faded from my body completely and I gently pulled my sleeves back down, I felt my phone vibrate again and was unable to help my amusement at Kisten’s new message.

<I don’t know what you guys did, but it set a fire under these two. I'm likely to be here for at least another hour.>

<Wait until you see.>

<Now, Vogel4, we agreed on no teasing.> I glanced up as I saw Shannon motion for me, and I gingerly stepped off the projector as the attendant turned to face me.

“We should have the dress ready in about five weeks, and we can go ahead and schedule your next fitting to ensure no adjustments are needed!” The siren beamed, taking a moment to adjust her hair as she cradled the tablet. Her hands shone with glitter and from the way her fingers danced around the tablet, it was clear that she was excited by the dress my companions had designed. “Will that do, messere5?”

“That should be more than enough time.” I nodded and the girl giggled, her chestnut brown hair swaying as she rocked with excitement. Shannon and Justina both stood to walk away with her, eager to see what options they would have for the bridesmaids. I glanced at the phone in my hand to see the time and responded to Kisten’s text.

<As much as I would love to wait for you, I need to get to the Coven. Lucius should be awake by now.>

<Go. I’ll meet you there later.> I hummed with delight as I exited the dress shop, quickly spotting my car in the parking lot across the street. Traffic was already starting to pick up in the late afternoon and I waited impatiently to cross the road. The light changed soon enough and I walked briskly across, the first hints of thirst starting to rise. As soon as I slid into my car, I felt the need hit me like a train and I gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to bury it as best I could.

My thirst for undead blood used to barely bother me, but ever since I unlocked my true power, I could barely keep my addiction under control. Where once Lucius only had to share blood twice a year, I could barely go a week before I needed to drink from him again. It used to be intensified by using my power, but it had started to progress on its own, leaving me nearly desperate in my need.

“We don’t have much time,” I growled as I managed to start my car, and I could feel my sister’s faint agreement as I pulled out into the growing traffic. I had already been told that I needed to return to my birthplace and the location where Vitae found me to understand my new power, but between my new placement in Division 11 and planning for the wedding, it was hard to justify the time I needed. I wasn’t even exactly sure where I needed to go, as where I grew up was unlikely to be marked on any sort of map. Even after Europeans had started to be interested in Africa, they had not done a decent job of marking locations in those early days and while I could likely get close to my birthplace, much of the search would have to be done manually. Mater Vitae herself was also a concern, since both Lucius and I had no doubt she was trying to locate where we were and I worried she would use my absence as a chance to attack if she learned of it.

I arrived at the Landing, pulling out of the growing traffic and into the back of the Dream. The parking lot was quiet for now, and I knew it would quickly fill up as the day dragged on, as most of the workers would be arriving to start their nights once the sun set. For my part, I started down the sidewalk, quickly making my way to the door that would take me down into the Coven. A few of the workers waved to me as I passed, and I politely returned the gesture, my thirst starting to bother me again.

I quickly reached the door that would take me underground and as I opened it, I pushed against the magic barrier, hating the way this new one required more force to push through. All things considered, I couldn’t blame Lucius for being cautious and I shook the threads of magic from my hands. I took my time as I descended down the steps, making my way down the dark hallway into the living room. Liel and Quinn were relaxing in the redecorated space, both lounging on opposite couches as they talked. The TV was on the wall beyond them, but it seemed the pair was no longer paying much attention to the show.

“Just because it’s predictable doesn’t mean – oh Raiven, wanna join?” The wraith grinned at me, his red eyes full of mirth as he looked up at me. He was lying over the edge, his dark gray hair almost touching the floor. “We’re debating whether or not Glitch and Force is a good show or not.”

“It’s over-the-top and melodramatic,” Liel rasped, rolling her eyes as Quinn gasped with fake surprise. The banshee barely shifted on her couch, sipping on her tea as she ignored the wraith. “Besides, the story is contrived and too predictable.”

“But the animation!” Quinn argued, finally sitting up as he began to gesture with his hands towards the TV. I looked at the device as the show returned from a commercial break, humming as I recognized the episode. “The animation is beautiful and the jokes are funny without being distasteful. A predictable story doesn’t take away from that. C’mon, Raiven, you gotta agree with me.”

“Well, sorry Quinn but Liel is right about the story. We both know it’s been done a million times,” I started, watching the wraith as he lay back down, throwing his hands up in defeat. I chuckled as I continued, looking over the banshee as she gave Quinn a smug grin. “But I agree with you, it is a good show despite that. The way it’s presented makes up for the lackluster story, and the animation is a nice departure from most media we see now.”

“Ha! See, Raiven agrees with me so I win!” Quinn’s sour mood quickly changed to glee and Liel rolled her eyes again as she leaned into her couch. I couldn’t help laughing as I continued through the living room, doing my best to ignore the banshee’s annoyed glance as I left. I continued down the hall to find Lucius’ room, pausing outside as I considered I had failed to tell him I was on my way. I didn’t want to deal with Evalyn if she was with him, and I had started to walk away when I heard him call out to me through the door.

“It’s alright, Raiven. You can come in.” I hummed with embarrassment as I slowly let myself in, and found the Overseer sitting in his armchair, facing away from the door. From the copper smell in the room I knew he had recently fed, and I hesitated near the door, unsure if I had interrupted him. Once again, Lucius seemed to sense my thoughts, chuckling softly as he beckoned me closer. “It’s alright, I woke up and was… thinking.”

“About?” I asked, taking my time as I approached the vampire, kneeling on the floor next to him as I waited for permission to feed. My thirst was unbearable as I sat and I was unable to help as my body reacted, my stomach rumbling as I tried to swallow it down. The Overseer glanced at me with his blue eyes, black hair cascading over his shoulder. He was wearing one of his more casual outfits, a red button-down shirt with black pants, although it seemed as if he had slept in the clothing. “Something important?”

“Yes, but we can talk about that in a moment,” he said softly, motioning me closer as I slid across the carpet, adjusting my hair as I laid my head in his lap. I had cut it to a short afro again, but just as the thirst had accelerated, my hair was growing unnaturally fast whether or not I used my power. It had already grown past my shoulders again, and I did my best to pull it back as I waited for Lucius.

“Alright.” I felt the Overseer wrap his arm around me, gently holding me as he placed his wrist in front of me. I could barely resist the desire to immediately bite down and indulge in his sweet blood, but I forced myself to gently cradle his arm, waiting for permission as Lucius hummed again.

“Go ahead, drink your fill, ama6.”

I didn’t hesitate as my fangs extended past my lips and I sunk them into his skin, humming with delight as the blood hit my tongue. It was the sweet, filling taste I desired and I closed my eyes as I drank with deep pulls, unwilling to spill even a single drop. Lucius shifted slightly as he leaned into me, and I felt him wrap his arm around me tighter as I lifted his wrist, still drinking from the Overseer. This was always Lucius’ preferred way to feed me, as it allowed him to be comfortable while I indulged my thirst and he was easily able to pull his wrist away from me if I started to drink too much. I enjoyed the gesture for the trust he showed me; most others that had been willing to help satisfy my thirst would only present me with blood they drew themselves. I could understand the fear of having their blood drunk, but it always stung slightly that none of them had believed that I could control myself.

“You called, Lucius?” I barely moved as Crispin’s voice interrupted the silence and I heard him as he paused in the doorway. “Oh, I can wait if–”

“You can come in. Raiven is almost done,” Lucius called out, barely shifting his position as Crispin obeyed, slowly closing and locking the door as he entered. I heard him as he moved behind us, sitting on the Overseer’s bed as Lucius gently pulled against me, and I released him, still humming with delight. My thirst had settled into its usual mild annoyance and I sighed as I opened my eyes, lifting my head from the Overseer.

“Thank you,” I breathed as I stood, adjusting my hair again as I moved to the bed to join Crispin, the vampire shifting to give me space. I didn’t particularly like Crispin, especially since I had known him before he turned and didn’t like what becoming a vampire had done to him. However, he was with my best friend, and I was slowly discovering that he still had echoes of who he used to be, even if he wasn’t that person anymore.

“So, what did you need us for?” Crispin offered, leaning back on the bed as he waited for Lucius to speak. The vampire playfully tossed his hair as he grinned at me, and I resisted the desire to roll my eyes. Despite giving up his pursuit of me as a lover, Crispin still enjoyed teasing me whenever he could and it always took all my effort not to give him the reaction he was fishing for. However, both Crispin and I quickly turned to look at the Overseer as Lucius spoke and I felt my heart pound with worry.

“We need to talk about Evalyn.”

2

Both Crispin and I remained silent after Lucius’ quiet statement and the pair of us shared a look as the vampire slowly sat up next to me. As First and Second in the Coven, we were considered of equal rank to the Three, but both of us preferred to not look at our positions that way. Neither of us particularly wanted to become an Overseer and Lucius wanting to talk about Eve without even Kisten present was a bad sign.

“What about her?” I cautioned, watching as Lucius sighed, sinking deeper into his chair. He hesitated to speak and both Crispin and I fidgeted uncomfortably on the bed. “Did she do something that has you worried?”

“She… has been acting differently since the incident with Whistleblower. It used to be impossible to get her to leave me alone, but since returning, she has become distant,” the vampire admitted and I barely swallowed my sound. Eve had indeed seemed more independent since our return to Decver, but I assumed it was due to Lucius’ change in attitude. “I know she was moved to the S-Men as a result of her true race being revealed, but she seems as if she’s gone on her missions far longer than she should be.”

The silence between us was deafening as none of us spoke, and I fidgeted on the bed again as my mind raced. Lucius had a point that Eve’s sudden shift in behavior was worrisome, as the ala was fairly predictable in how she reacted to things. An ugly thought began to form in my head, and I couldn’t help the noise that escaped me as the frown on my face grew.

“You think she had something to do with Aurel?” I offered, ignoring the concerned look Crispin gave me as I spoke. I felt the charge in the air increase as I said the lich’s name but Lucius only hummed angrily in response. “We know he tried to betray us to Whistleblower, and you said it started right after that.”

“I should hope not,” Lucius finally spat and I growled softly, sharing the Overseer’s sentiment.

“Unfortunately, I can’t say it would surprise me,” Crispin finally spoke, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. We both turned to look at him, but the vampire was frowning as he avoided our eyes, instead glancing at the bed sheets. “When you called us after killing Whistleblower, Evalyn definitely was not happy with the news. At first, I thought it was because she hated the idea of you making changes to the way you handled the Coven, but–”

“It easily could have been because she was hoping to not hear from you,” I interrupted, flinching at the slight sting I got from the electrified air. Lucius was doing his best to contain his anger, but, all things considered, he had every right to be upset. Aurel’s betrayal had caused many deaths, and almost included Lucius’ longtime friend LeAlexende. The idea that Evalyn had been a part of the lich’s plot was alarming at best, and I pulled my hair back together as I continued. “After all, it would explain how Aurel knew Whistleblower would want Kisten and that LeAlexende was one of the First.”

“To be fair, I didn’t even know about Whistleblower and Kisten, and I’m First in the Coven. If anyone should have known about that, it should have been me, not that bastard,” Crispin scoffed, tapping his hands on the sheets as he mulled over his thoughts. It was clear that in some part, Crispin also blamed himself for not seeing through Aurel sooner and I watched the vampire angrily brush his blond hair off his shoulder. “He’s lucky we didn’t have Richie yet.”

“True,” I sighed, thinking of our two new additions to the Coven as Lucius hummed in his chair. Richie was another lich that had taken Thirteenth, and he specialized in serums and potions while Sixth, Aurel’s former spot, had gone to a fairy named Emelia. At first, I worried that Emelia and Kisca wouldn’t get along, as fairies and pixies often fought over whose glamor was better, but they were actually very cordial with each other when they had to interact.

“It also would’ve worked out great in her favor had Aurel succeeded,” Crispin continued, the vampire’s expression lost in thought as he tried to logic out Eve’s plan. “I mean, you left her and me behind, and if Aurel just so happened to betray you so he could get Raiven, and you died, she would’ve become Overseer.”

“And she wouldn’t have had to worry about Aurel revealing the truth, because Whistleblower would kill him for trying to keep me. Kisten would also be out of the picture, so no one would be left to really voice their opposition to her,” I said, mentally cursing the ala as I considered her involvement. It was exactly the type of underhanded trick she would try, especially if she thought the odds were in her favor. “She becomes Overseer through a bad circumstance, and while no one likes her, they’d have no choice but to accept it.”

“Exactly; the only person who would have the power to contest it is me, and I’m sure she would have found a way to try and eliminate me from the equation as well,” Crispin said angrily, clearly also hating how much it made sense. “She could even keep her tie to Whistleblower, since she’d easily be able to feed him information about the remaining First in exchange for favors.”

“So, you believe she may be involved with Vitae?” Lucius finally asked, his voice soft with his hurt and anger. I felt my heart twist as I hesitated to answer, unable to help my pity for the vampire. While it had always been clear to the rest of us that Evalyn was only with Lucius for the power boost he offered, it was also clear that he cared about her. I wasn’t sure it could really be called love, but even the idea of her betrayal was obviously enough to make his heart ache.

“I doubt directly: if she was, I would imagine Vitae would have found us by now. She probably passed the info to Aurel to see what the outcome might be, especially since if he failed, we’d kill him and not learn about her involvement,” I breathed, choosing my words carefully as I spoke. “It’s likely that she has a contact, probably one of Vitae’s servants. A Hunter wouldn’t hesitate to just kill her or torture her for the information they needed, so she must be working with someone below them.”

“Someone who would be willing to work with her in hopes of betraying her later on,” Crispin agreed, sighing heavily as he leaned back on the bed again. “I’d bet she’s just using them to try and figure out where Mother is herself. After all, Vitae’s blood would be the biggest power boost she could ask for at this point, especially if she’s decided Lucius is of no more use to her. A Sibling would be another option, but LeAlexende is the only one left and he would never help her.”

Silence filled the space again as Lucius took in our words and I shared another glance with Crispin. The question in the air was obvious, but had no good answer: what would we do now? If she was working with Mater Vitae, it was too dangerous to simply dismiss her, as nothing would stop her from running to Vitae and making her betrayal obvious. Killing her was the simplest solution but also dangerous, as we had no way of knowing if she had tasted any of Vitae’s blood yet. If she had, taking her on would be equivalent to taking on a Hunter and considering her flames, the damage she could cause would be devastating. There was also Division 11 to consider: even if she was dismissed as Retainer, she would still be a member of the S-Men, and therefore still have access to information about Lucius and the Coven. Remembering the agency brought a new idea to my mind and I leaned back on the bed.

“Hmmm… I could try talking to the Director,” I offered quietly, and Lucius finally looked up from the floor to meet my gaze. I could see the quiet tears that flowed down his face and I forced myself to keep speaking. “I know that any option is a dangerous one, especially considering how much of a threat Vitae already is. But if I talk to the Director and Evalyn is meeting with a servant of Vitae, he could have her detained via our protocol. Any contact with Mater Vitae or one of her vassals is ground for immediate termination and imprisonment, pending review and punishment by the Overseer.”

“That would also take the blame off us,” Crispin agreed, sighing deeply as he slid his hands along the sheets. “If the agency finds her guilty, then we look like we’re merely reacting to what they found, rather than having caught on ourselves. Also gives you time to choose a new Retainer to have ready once the Division imprisons her.”

“And you trust them to be able to hold her, if she has been drinking Mother’s blood?” Lucius whispered and I nodded my head.

“We’ve never really tested it with a Hunter before, but Valkyrie should be able to negate her powers. It has worked on an Overseer during our live test, and the research team gave it a 75/25 percent chance on a Hunter,” I admitted, crossing my arms as I considered the device. Valkyrie was a marvel of science and magic, a device that made holding dangerous Supernaturals possible and could neutralize the powers of most beings. It had only been used twice since its creation, but considering it was only six months old, it was an amazing achievement and the Director already had our research team working on a portable application. He seemed to be hoping we could use it out in the field to put a stop to Hunters and other Supernaturals with the potential for large amounts of destruction.

“Crazy what humans come up with.” Crispin sighed and I echoed his sound, giving him an annoyed look.

“Valkyrie was a joint project, not just human. If not for Supernatural input and help, it wouldn’t work as well as it does and I doubt it would work at all if not for the Dokkalfar being willing to add their magic,” I pointed out and the vampire shrugged, clearly not interested in arguing with me. I shook my head as I looked back to the Overseer, who was still watching me with hurt and concern. “Point stands, it should be able to hold Evalyn, at least until we can deal with her and Valkyrie is stored underground just in case it fails. Her damage would be limited to a small area and that’s safer than if she’s outed above ground.”

“Tell the Director as soon as possible,” Lucius finally ordered, and his blue eyes swirled with power as I shivered. “I’ll look for a replacement Retainer in the meantime. Once I have one, I’ll reach out to the Director myself.”

“And while we wait?”

“Until Evalyn is dealt with, this conversation never happened,” Lucius commanded and both Crispin and I nodded, understanding the silent order. We weren’t allowed to discuss Lucius’ doubt about Evalyn with anyone, but he also wanted us to keep an eye on her for any possible admission of guilt. As much as I was certain Lucius wanted to tell Kisten his worries, the Oath of Truth made it impossible; even if the Alpha was good at speaking in half-truths when it suited him, there was no way he could avoid tipping off Eve if she questioned him.

“Well, if we’re done with our chat, I’d like to get back to my little family.” Crispin stretched and I watched Lucius’ lips twitch into a slight smile. The vampire stood with his usual flare, tossing his gold hair as he continued. “Justina will kill me if I keep finding excuses to escape my parental duties.”

“By all means, don’t let us be the cause of your death,” I joked, unable to help my own smile as the vampire strolled out, not trying to hide his laughter. I slowly followed behind him, surprised to see him waiting for me in the hallway. I quietly closed Lucius’ door, sealing the Overseer in his room. “What, had a change of heart that quickly?”

“No, I–” Crispin paused, and I felt my heart twist as his expression changed. Since learning about our past together, I became the only person besides Justina that he would let his guard down around. As much as his flirtatious nature was who he had become, he still was the same soft and insecure man he had been when I first knew him. “I wanted to… ask you something.”

“Which is?”