Raven POV

The tears were a nice touch. Truly. If I hadn’t been so thoroughly disgusted, I might’ve actually applauded the performance.

I didn’t rise from my chair. Why would I?

Instead, I let my gaze slowly drift from Callista’s trembling lower lip up to her wide, innocent eyes.

I let the silence drag out between us until the dramatic little scene she was trying so hard to create started curdling into awkwardness.

"I’m not suggesting anything," I replied coolly. "I’m asking a question. There’s a difference."

Immediately, Callista’s hand flew protectively to her stomach.

"The healer already confirmed the timeline," she whispered. "Ask him yourself if you don’t believe me."

"Okay," was all I said as I finally rose to my feet.

The second I moved, Callista rushed to Jaxen’s side, and he immediately shifted to shield her behind him.

"Raven." Jaxen’s voice came out sharp with warning.

"What?" I asked innocently. "You asked if I had something to do with Lorelei’s escape. I’m asking questions too. Fair’s fair."

Within seconds, Callista burst into tears, and Jaxen instantly wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Callista was a virgin when I slept with her," Jaxen said tightly. "There was blood on the sheets, so the child is definitely mine."

"Okay," I replied, my gaze drifting toward the trembling woman in his arms. "Then I guess I was wrong."

With that, I turned and started walking toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Jaxen asked, making me pause.

"To my room," I answered slowly as I glanced back at him. "Why?"

I watched him swallow hard before he quickly looked away.

"You must be tired," he muttered. "You can leave."

Like I needed his permission.

Still, I left without another word and headed straight for my room before I said something that would actually start a fight.

A room I had only slept in once within the past two months because of how rarely I came home anymore.

The room looked exactly as I had left it the night I rescued Lorelei.

The maids weren’t allowed to enter whenever I wasn’t around, so a thin layer of dust had already started settling over everything.

I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, exhaling slowly.

What a mess.

I crossed over to the window and stared out at the estate grounds below. Guards patrolled the perimeter while search parties gathered near the gates, moving in and out like frantic ants.

All this for a woman they wanted dead.

And somehow, I still couldn’t stop thinking about her.

A week from now, it would just be the two of us.

I knew there was a very high chance she didn’t feel the same way about me, but if she saw how much I cared about her... wasn’t there at least a small possibility she could eventually love me back?

I sighed heavily before collapsing onto my bed.

Look at me. Already getting ahead of myself.

But still...

What if?

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

Maybe, for once, things could actually work out for me.

My eyes slowly grew heavy as the thought kept repeating itself inside my head.

At some point, I must’ve drifted off because the next thing I knew, my phone was buzzing loudly beside me.

"Hello..." I answered groggily without even checking the caller ID.

"I’m sorry..." Cole’s choked voice came through the line, instantly making me sit upright.

Every trace of sleep vanished immediately, and my stomach dropped violently.

"What is it?" I demanded.

"I really tried..." he continued weakly.

"Cole, what are you talking about?" My voice cracked as I tightened my grip around the phone.

"We got attacked by rogues," he said, and the color instantly drained from my face. "I fought as hard as I could, but there were too many of them..."

"No," I breathed, tears immediately burning my eyes.

"They took her..."

The phone slipped from my grasp.

It hit the floor with a loud clatter while Cole’s voice continued faintly through the speaker, desperate and muffled.

But I couldn’t hear him anymore.

All I could hear was the blood rushing violently through my ears.

All I could feel was my heart shattering inside my chest.

They took her.

Rogues took her.

My entire body went cold.

What if they hurt her?

What if they were hurting her right now?

The thought alone nearly made me throw up.

My hands trembled violently as I quickly snatched the phone back off the floor.

"Cole," I said shakily. "Where are you?"

"About an hour from the safe house. I’m injured, but I can still—"

"Stay where you are," I cut him off immediately. "I’m coming."

"Raven, it’s too dangerous—"

"I don’t care!"

I hung up and scrambled off the bed so fast I nearly stumbled.

My hands were shaking violently as I pulled on my boots, grabbed a jacket, and started strapping on weapons.

Knives.

Guns.

Whatever the fuck I could find.

Then I rushed out of my room and down the corridor toward the stairs.

"Raven?"

Jaxen’s voice stopped me right at the top of the staircase.

Fuck.

Was he stalking me now?

Because I genuinely did not have the patience for this tonight.

I quickly wiped at my face before turning toward him. He stood in the hallway with his arms crossed, watching me carefully with narrowed eyes like he already knew something was wrong.

"Where are you going?" he asked slowly. "It’s almost midnight."

"I need some air," I replied as calmly as I could, even though I could still hear the crack in my own voice.

"With weapons?"

My gaze flickered briefly toward the knife strapped against my thigh and the gun holstered at my hip.

"These woods are dangerous at night," I said evenly. "You know that."

Jaxen kept staring at me for a long moment before exhaling heavily.

"About what I said earlier..."

"I don’t have time for this," I snapped.

The words came out harsher than I intended, and the look on his face made it obvious he wasn’t expecting that reaction.

I inhaled sharply and forced myself to calm down before I completely lost control.

"I just need air," I muttered more quietly.

"Okay," he said slowly, still watching me carefully. "Be careful."

I nodded once before turning away.

I forced myself to walk calmly down the stairs, but the second I stepped outside, I broke into a full sprint toward my car parked near the gates.

I yanked the door open, jumped inside, and shoved the key into the ignition.

The engine sputtered weakly but refused to start.

My stomach dropped.

"No... no, no, no..."

I twisted the key harder, more desperately this time.

The engine coughed once, then twice before dying completely.

"FUCK!"

I slammed my palm repeatedly against the steering wheel in frustration. The horn blared weakly with every hit, but the engine still refused to turn over.

My breathing turned ragged as I leaned forward and pressed my forehead against the wheel.

Then a broken scream tore out of me before I could stop it.

Tears spilled down my cheeks almost instantly.

"She asked me to go with her..." I whispered between sobs. "She was scared, and I told her everything would be fine. I promised her."

My chest tightened so painfully it felt unbearable.

Because now she was gone.

She was gone, and it was all my fault.