Page 90 of Raven's Dawn

I didn’t want to think about that, but I had to understand.

What I didn’t understand was the plan. Evidently, they all did. But it sounded like we were a part of it, and we had no idea what they were talking about.

“Thank you,” Laila said.

“Thank me when it’s over,” Rania said. “If you insist that the necromancers can do it, the larger problem then becomes the Witches.” Again, she looked over us all. “Which ones of you are the Witches?”

Luci and Rain raised their hands.

Squinting, she walked closer to Rain. “You’re the one who can tap into the other’s power, no?”

“I am, yeah.” Rain pointed to Warren, Graham, and me. “Between us all, we’re pretty strong.”

“Oh, darling, I feel that.” Looking Rain up and down, she traced her tongue along her teeth. Her eyes came to each of us next. She studied every inch of us. “My worry is your experience. Or lack thereof.”

“She is young,” Caeda conceded.

“Young, but strong,” Luci said. “And a very attentive learner. If you explain exactly how the spell should work to her, walk her through it step-by-step, she will do it. She will do it well.”

I agreed. I agreed with every word.

Yet something about those words made me wonder. I never quite understood Luci’s relationship with Rain. He had been patient and instructive with all of us throughout our training, but he had a particular interest in Rain that I couldn’t put into words.

There was no romance involved. That, I had no doubt about. He looked at her the same way that I looked at Laila and Jeremy’s children.

He just cared more than I expected him to. With the others, it made sense when they helped us. Not only did they feel obligated to because they were gods, but because we later learned, we were related. Luci wasn’t, not really. He had no direct ties to us, but he still worked incredibly hard to train Rain in every area of witchcraft that he could.

“She’s your responsibility then,” Rania said.

“A responsibility I happily accept.”

“That means you’re responsible for these three as well.” Rania gestured between Graham, Warren, and me. “Do you happily accept that responsibility?”

“They’re not quite as powerful, but they’re mostly obedient.” Luci’s tone and expression were as flat as Rania’s. “So yes. I do.”

“And you realize that this one,”—she laid her hand on Warren’s shoulder— “will be completing two incredibly difficult tasks at once. Can you support him through that?”

“It’s the same tasks I will be completing, if I understand the plan here,” Luci said. “If that is the case, then yes. I have no doubt he can handle it. I would like clarification on the plan, however.”

“Pretty cut and dry, really,” Jeremy said. “The Witches are going to cage them in. The necromancers are going to siphon their souls from their bodies and launch them into the abyss.”

I wasn’t sure I understood.

“Like we did with Dathor?” Warren asked.

“Exactly like that,” Laila said. “Just on a much larger scale.”

I felt the heat drain from my cheeks. A glance at Warren and Rain told me I wasn’t alone. Graham seemed nonchalant, only nodding slowly.

“If you look at the maps I passed out, you’ll understand a bit more,” Laila advised.

Swallowing hard, I looked down at mine. It looked like any other map, shapes and lines drawn on parchment. Most of it was ocean, then the edge of a small landmass on the far left. Somewhere in the midst of it, close to the coast, was a big red star.

“You can see where we are on the map.” Holding it up, she pointed to said star. “Go about two inches to the right, and you’ll see a yellow circle around an island.”

Sure enough, I did.

“That’s where they are, and that’s where we’re going,” Connor said. “Honestly, the way I see it? The hardest part here is going to be remaining undetected until we arrive. As soon as they know that we’re coming, they’ll either leave, or they’ll attack.”