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AS THE RAVEN FLIES

GAVREL

T he hunched female looked as if she had been created from the haze drifting far in the distance, and was about to crumble back into it.

Covered in peat and brown slime, Seryn’s chest rose and fell fitfully as she lay at the woman’s feet, scowling at her. I knew the moment the woman’s words registered and overcame Seryn’s annoyance.

Jerking and then scrambling to her feet, her eyes went wide. Seryn’s gaze snapped to the woman’s and then to mine as she realized my presence. Her brows lifted so high I thought they might disappear into her curls.

I flexed the fingers of my right hand, the burn of my tattoo easing.

Rhaegar and I had been nearing the square when my rune lit up, like it had the day Seryn was first attacked by a mare wyrm in Surrelia.

The deep bite of fear overtook me when I knew Seryn was in danger, as if her terror were my own.

Rhaegar didn’t question me when I ran to a boat and let my rune guide us away from the city. I was grateful that my second—my friend —was with me. Not once had I ever had a reason to doubt his loyalty. His steadfast support.

He hopped from our vessel and bowed to the female perched on the mound opposite. “It’s a privilege to meet you. I’ve heard a great many tales of your wisdom over the turns.”

She lifted her chin and one palm, inviting Rhaegar to rise.

“You’re the Augur? Well, color me impressed.” Breena dipped her head respectfully before elbowing Seryn and giving her a pointed look.

Dear Ancients, the woman never knew when to keep her thoughts inside. My hands tensed at my sides, studying the Augur’s response. She looked down her curved nose at Breena with an unreadable expression before turning her attention to Seryn, her light eyes assessing.

On unsteady legs, Seryn brushed her hand down her muddy tunic and then lifted her chin. I knew that look. She was about to get straight to the point. Resolutely, she took another step toward the female, chest expanding with her request. “Pleasure to meet you. I … We’re looking for?—”

“I know whom you seek,” the old woman replied, her eyes twinkling knowingly. Seryn snapped her mouth closed, looking at her expectantly. “And you’ll recover them once you embrace your Ancient-given gifts.”

Seryn winced, her fingers digging into her palms.

Chest rigid, I stood, the boat rocking against the thick muck.

Frustration skittered up my neck. I was completely sick of all the obstacles thrown in our path as of late.

“With all due respect, we don’t have time for your games.

Do you have the information we seek? My brother’s life hangs in the balance. ”

One of her eyebrows lifted as she focused on me. “As do all of your lives, do they not?”

My chin jutted forward, mouth smashing together so I wouldn’t say anything I would regret.

Fuck it .

Likely sensing the shift in my decision-making, Rhaegar coughed loudly into his fist. No doubt trying to get my attention. I pushed my shoulders back even more, my tunic stretching across my chest. “Indeed. But?—”

Her words, sharp and strong, belied her frail body. “It’s as I said. Embrace her gifts, or the ones you love cannot be recovered.” She looked at Seryn again. “Come to my home on the morrow, and we’ll begin.”

“Why would you help me?” Seryn asked, eyes narrowing.

The old female lifted her chin. “I help those who are vital to maintaining Kosmos—order and equilibrium. And who are important to … to the Fates.”

“Aren’t we all important to maintaining balance?” Breena quipped.

The Augur’s mouth curled. “Some more than others.”

Breena rolled her eyes.

“How will we find you?” Seryn asked.

“As the raven flies.” A barely visible shimmer blinked over her, and in a burst of billowing sparks, she was gone.

Breena muttered a string of curses, grabbing Seryn’s hand as they stumbled backward. Rhaegar jumped onto the moss and grabbed their hands before they tipped into the mud. “Shall we head …” He paused, bending to peek behind Breena.

I followed his line of sight as both women moved to his side. The fog was thickening a short distance away; the mist a breathing mass pulling the edges of itself inward.

“What the … Get to the boat.” His quiet words were almost lost to the sound of his battle axe brushing against its sheath and the wavering chirps of swamp crickets.

Instead of heeding his words, Seryn and Breena drew their blades. My jaw set, and I cracked my neck from side to side before readying my sword.

The darkened patch of haze pulsed a few times and then spun, drilling itself down into the muck with a splash.

The crickets quieted. A gelatinous ripple swept over the surface from where the throbbing cloud had disappeared .

“Uh, let’s get to the boat,” Seryn whispered, agreeing with Rhaegar. They jumped to the hummock nearest me as the sound of squishing and groaning rumbled under the surface of the peat.

All at once, the vessel lurched to the side, threatening to spill me into the bog. I grunted, swinging my sword upon the pallid, decaying hand clamped on the wood. An angry moan sank back into the water as the severed hand flopped at my feet like a fish.

“Gavrel!” Seryn yelped, darting toward me. Three sets of waxy bodies rose from the depths, their flesh and clothing in various states of bloated pallor. Jerkily, they lunged their torsos onto the mound, fingers creaky and stiff as they grabbed at Seryn. Hollering, she cursed.

Breena lunged, swinging the curved blade of her dagger into the creature’s ear canal. Its bulbous eyes rolled back as it collapsed, lifeless, onto the moss. “Well, butter my arse and call me a biscuit. The bog bodies are awake,” Breena tossed over her shoulder.

Rhaegar chopped his axe into another creature’s skull as it skittered toward him. And then another. “I can bloody well see that,” he retorted.

“Bog bodies?!” Seryn squeaked, jabbing her blade into a creature’s eye as it grabbed her ankle, chomping the few teeth it had left in the air.

I cut off the heads of two more bodies lunging for me. One’s graying skin was so puffy, it split like a grape up the center of its cheek as it toppled back under the layer of peat. “Fucking void. Get in the boat!”

Weapons slashing, they landed beside me, the small skiff dipping precariously low in the water. Hastily, Rhaegar and I paddled away as several more bodies lunged for us.

After several hurried minutes and no further signs of attack, Breena pointed at their raft tied to a tree. “Over there.”

We sidled next to it, and Rhaegar stepped inside while nodding at Breena, who was pouting. “Just when things were getting fun.”

“Come on, you.” Rhaegar chuckled as she joined him .

Seryn’s eyes were wide, her hand still tight around the hilt of her dagger. “Bog bodies?!” she repeated, her voice rising at the end.

Breena shrugged. “Well, they normally don’t move. Being dead and all.”

“They bury their dead in the Bogs. It’s a sacred space. But alas, that fog.” He frowned, forehead scrunching. “That fog wasn’t normal. Likely another Void creature.” Rhaegar tapped his pointer finger on his chest with each word.

My brows fell. “No doubt. Neoma mentioned the dead scratching at their wards, but usually at dusk. Just what we need. More damned Void beasts stealing into the realm.” My blood boiled against my pulse points. “There was a sea monster in Lotus Loch as well.”

Rhaegar’s head dropped. “Shite. We need to meet with Yaya. Tell her what happened.”

Suddenly, Seryn shot up and flung her hand out. Her dark blade whizzed past the side of my neck, barely nicking my flesh. I winced, turning just in time to see the point of the wavy obsidian sink into a bog body’s eye socket with a squish. Its jaw went slack as it fell backward into the water.

The molten, rainbow-like mist in the pommel stilled, and I jerked to the side just as the weapon snapped past me and back toward Seryn’s glowing hand.

Her chest pressed against her tunic with every ragged breath, curling tendrils whipping against her rosy cheeks. As she gripped her dagger, warmth spread to my tailbone, my bottom lip dropping. I gulped, air sticking in my throat.

Ancients.

I wanted her hand wrapped around me.

She sheathed her blade, set her full mouth into a grim line, and dipped her chin as she claimed her seat. “Let’s go find Yaya.”