Page 227 of Bitten & Burned

Dmitri and Cassian were already gone, but I saw the remnants of their night spent in the chair by the door and on the floor beside the bed, respectively.

Every morning since Rellin’s confession, they’d lingered here with me. They went about business in the manor by night, but by dawn’s first light, they were all here in my room, with my window covered, lying around and near me.

I was still embarrassed about how badly I’d acted the day I’d spoken to Rellin. How I’d shaken and screamed and cried. Butwith them all close by, the bond humming happily with all of us in the room, I felt… oddly better about it.

The bond’s benefits manifested in other ways as well. My head was clear—clearer than it had been in nearly a week. I’d spent most of it sending Pulses to my father about the daggers I needed, as well as one to Thalia about the Pyraxis. I’d muddled through everything else the best I could.

But today? Today felt different.

If anything, the revelation ultimately hadn’t softened me: it crystallized my anger into sharp points. Knives. Honed for precision.

I knew with whom I was angry, and I knew on whom to turn the rage that filled me. One and the same: Silas Drummond.

Where before I’d been screaming and verging on insanity, I was now sharp and clear. I knew what had to happen… and I knew I was the one who had to do it. I had never felt so sure of anything in my life.

I shifted slightly, and Quil sniffed heavily, grunting as he stretched. “You alright, sweetheart?”

I hummed and turned into him, pressing my face to his neck. “Right now, yes. Ask me again in ten minutes.”

He chuckled softly and turned to look at the other side of the bed. “Aw,” he said. “I wish I could draw.”

I laughed and kissed his neck. “It’s sweet how all of you have stayed here with me all week.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it. Nowhere else I’d rather be. I’m sure the other feel the same. Now, speaking of…” He straightened slightly. “Where are Dmitri and Cassian?”

“I dunno,” I said. They were already gone when I woke up.”

“Probably waiting for all of us in Cassian’s study again. We need to head down there. Kind of a big day today.”

I groaned, snuggling closer.

He sighed and wrapped his arms tighter around me. “Or in a minute, I guess…”

We would leave the next night for Caer Voss. I’d been in touch with my superiors at Blackthorn, and they had promptly changed the wards after what had happened with Drummond. I was surprised they’d believed me; maybe that was just him getting in my head and making me think I was crazy. Because they’d been mortified when they learned what had happened and were already well into changing every ward before I even sent a Pulse.

As it was, they’d be fully warded by the time we arrived. We’d be staying in the archives for the day and setting off the following night for Dun Drummond.

Word had spread; the Arcanum of Caer Voss had been informed of Dr. Drummond’s activities, and he no longer had a job there. I was sure that truly bothered him. He was nothing without his career and his prestige, and I’d gotten it all taken from him in a few days’ time.

Of course, that was just his professional life. The law enforcement brigade in Caer Voss, and frankly everywhere else in Verdune, left much to be desired. In Verdune’s wish to remain a largely academically-minded region, it had skimped on funding for law enforcement agencies. As such, since no one was currently kidnapped or in immediate danger, our case would have been shuffled to the bottom of the stack.

No, if something was to be done about Silas, we’d have to do it ourselves. We would have no help from the brigade.

I’d taken some time to myself that morning to bathe thoroughly, change the bandage on the sigil on my thigh, and fix my hair. I was feeling very put together—as opposed to most of the time recently, when I felt like a dead fish on two legs. The others had all cleared out of my room while I finished, so I made my way on my own.

I was expecting something in the mail. Two somethings, actually.

As I hurried down the corridor, I rounded a corner andwalked to where I knew they’d all be: huddled in Cassian’s study once again; Quil and Anton sharpening knives, Vael bent over a book by the fire, Cassian and Dmitri discussing tactics. Dmitri was holding an axe in his hands, testing the weight and the grip on the handle.

I moved quickly, reaching for my bag and placing it upon a table. “Please tell me the mail came today? I’m expecting some parcels, and they were supposed to arrivetwo days ago. Please tell me they arrived today…”

Quil nodded, pointing to two small packages on the main table, one in brown paper, bound thrice in black twine, the way Thalia always sent her parcels. The other was in a jet black box with the Marlowe family crest stamped upon it. My heart leapt as I darted to the table to gather them. I untied the twine on Thalia’s and unwrapped the package gingerly, so I wouldn’t spill what I knew was inside.

The first package contained a small bag; within that, a grainy substance that gave off a faintly greenish orange flash. Small flecks of what looked like iridescent tree bark caught the light. Pyraxis. Volatile stuff; I’d have to be very careful with it. Once applied to the blades, they’d grow hot and never cool; every cut would move through someone’s body, solidifying their blood until they died.

I carefully set it aside and went to open the other box.

In that one, I pulled out two small sheathes, woven from fine black metal that glinted bluish purple in the light. It was tightly knit in the way that only my father could muster. I lay the sheaths flat upon the table and ran my fingers over the fine knitwork. Two witchsteel sheaths that would match the two daggers he’d also sent, although these weren’t made with Emberlaced witchsteel.