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“Are they okay? How bad—? No, I understand. Yes. Keep me posted.” Her hands trembled as she lowered the phone.

“Raven?” Aurora moved closer, concern etching her features. “What happened?”

“My cousins were at Pike Place Market in Seattle.” Raven’s voice shook. “Vampires attacked. In broad daylight. They never—there’s a wellspring there, they shouldn’t have been able to—” She broke off, pressing her hands to her mouth.

“Were they hurt?” Lucas asked quietly, his bird familiar landing protectively on his shoulder.

“Marcus has a broken arm. Elena’s in shock, but physically okay. The Shroud Guard got there fast, but…” She swallowed hard. “Three people died before they could stop it. In the middle of the city. With a wellspring right there.”

The room went still. Scout curled tighter into the crook of my neck, his bones clicking softly as he shivered, tail wrapping around my collar like he could shield me.

Aurora squeezed Raven’s hand. “Come on. Let’s get you some air. Mountain View Cafe? My treat.”

“The skull foam art always cheers you up,” I added, trying to lighten the mood.

Raven managed a weak smile. “Yeah. Okay.”

As we headed upstairs, Scout nuzzled into the side of my throat, bones cool but familiar. The dead things whispered uneasily in the walls, their murmurs sharper now, as if echoing my own unease. This attack wasn’t just random vampire violence. It meant something more. Something worse.

If they could breach wellspring protections now… nowhere was truly safe.

The skull in my latte foam grinned up at me, its usual charm feeling hollow. Through the cafe’s floor-to-ceiling windows, mountains stretched endlessly toward clouds tinged pink with sunset. Raven’s hands still trembled slightly around her cup as she checked her phone again.

“Any updates?” Aurora asked.

Raven shook her head. “Mom says they’re still at the hospital with Marcus. Elena’s talking to the Shroud Guard about what she saw.”

“At least they’re safe,” Lucas said, his voice carrying forced lightness. His skeletal bird familiar hopped closer to Boris on the table, offering silent comfort.

Aurora stirred her drink absently. “I don’t understand how this happened. The Market’s close to the wellspring. That should have been enough.”

“Maybe that’s why the vampires targeted it,” I suggested. “To show they could breach even a wellspring’s influence?”

Raven swallowed hard. “Mom said the Shroud Guard had to cover it up. Make it look like a normal attack for the humans. They spun it as some kind of gang violence. But—” she exhaled shakily, “—that doesn’t change the fact that it shouldn’t have happened at all.”

Silence settled around our table, heavier than before. Scout pressed closer against my neck, while Boris clicked anxiously across Raven’s protective charms.

“We should head to Rivera’s combat training,” Lucas said finally. “After this, I don’t think any of us can afford to skip defensive magic practice.”

23

Marigold

We filed intothe combat hall expecting the usual routine—paired sparring, maybe another lecture on stance adjustments. But the moment we stepped inside, something felt off. The air was too still, too heavy. The scent of charred wood and old magic clung to the walls like an unspoken warning. Rivera stood at the front, arms crossed, his expression carved from stone. And behind the glass viewing panel, Lord Raynoff watched us like we were already on the battlefield.

Rivera’s gaze swept the students before settling on me. “You all know why we’re here. The Seattle attack wasn’t a one-time event. It was a message. The vampires are growing more aggressive, more organized. The defenses we’ve relied on aren’t holding.”

A murmur passed through the students, but it wasn’t surprise. We had known about the attack since yesterday. What we didn’t know—what Rivera wasn’t saying—was how bad things had really gotten.

“From now on, your combat training will reflect reality,” he continued, his voice harder than usual. “Vampires don’t fight fair, and they don’t fall for brute force. You’ll be fighting in teams today, because if you try to take them alone, you will die.”

The dead things in the walls stirred uneasily at his words, their whispers sharp with warning. Scout shifted higher on my shoulder, his little bones tense but his presence steady—like he was keeping watch for both of us.

The heirs weren’t unaffected either. Cyrus’s flames flickered erratically, his usual sharp control slipping. Elio stood a little too still, his golden eyes watchful. And Keane… Keane was the only one who hadn’t moved, but shadows curled unnaturally around his boots.

Rivera’s eyes flicked back to me. “Grimley. With the heirs.”

My stomach dropped. I wasn’t ready for this. Basic spells still gave me trouble—how was I supposed to fight alongside them?