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Sometimes too good.
Trust noonewas another thing I’d learned.
It had taken me a long time to trust anyone, especially someone of authority like Coltrane, but hearing her story and becoming friends with Hawk had smoothed some of my hard edges.
“Once you stopped rebelling and fell in line, you excelled faster than anyone here.” A hint of a smile tugged at her lips. “You’re lightyears better than most, even the novices who started training at a young age like Hawk.”
My damp hair fell around my face as my gaze dropped to the bedspread, unsure of how to handle her praise when I didn’t fully deserve it. “I just want to do my best to protect people who can’t protect themselves.”I want to make up for my mistakes.“I’m just like every other raven or trainee.”
“No, you’re not.” She gave me one of her signature stern looks when I opened my mouth to protest. “Don’t bullshit me. You know you’re different from most, and it’s not bad.” She crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “You have killer instincts, Tatum, and you’re going to do things most ravens would never be capable of. You’re going to save a lot of people.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to keep the tears at bay. That was all I wanted, to save people since I failed to do that two years ago.
“I got you something.” Coltrane bent and retrieved a long, rectangular box from under my bed. When she noticed my puzzlement, she shrugged. “I stashed it while you were getting dressed in the bathroom.”
I took the box and ran my fingers over the silver wrapping paper. No bow, but the paper was far fancier than Coltrane’s usual all-business approach. “What’s this for?”
“It’s an initiation present.” Some of the hardness drained from her features, and the edges of her brown eyes crinkled as she smiled. “Open it.”
I nervously peeled off the paper. “You didn’t have to.” Since she’d brought me off the streets, Coltrane had treated me differently than the other underaged novices, and I’d even spent a few holidays with her.
She also pushed me harder than anyone else.
I tossed the paper aside and pried off the lid, revealing a slender dagger sheathed in black and silver. “It’s beautiful.” Intricate designs curled around the decorative hilt's blue stone, and the gleaming blade appeared sharp enough to cut diamonds. “Thank you so much.”
Thanks to some powerful fae allies, the ravens were given mystical weapons that could change from an easily concealed hilt to a knife and a sword when necessary. But Coltrane’s gift didn’t bare any of the transformative fae runes.
“This is a special dagger.” She reached forward and used her thumb to twist the blue stone aside, revealing a tiny metal vial. “It contains Demise.”
My head snapped up. “Hispid bane and agrigon demon venom?” I plucked the bottle out, my pulse racing as I held the substance toxic to all demons. Any blade coated in this could kill one, even a royal, with a single stab. “It’s against the accords.”
We had stringent rules, as did nightworlders, and this was among the most important ones.
Nightworlders cannot feed from or harm children of any species.
Nightworlders cannot kill humans within the city.
Ravens cannot kill nightworlders without cause—except sub-demons.
Deadly toxins and poisons are banned.
“There’s a small loophole in that rule.” Coltrane pursed her lips. “All nightworlders have darkness in them, even the shifters, and it’s up to us to make difficult calls out in the field.” She curled my fingers around the bottle. “And I trust you to know when to use it if the time ever comes.”
“What about Hawk?”
Her sharp laugh bounced against the walls, and she released my hand. “Hawk is a stellar fighter, but he’s not like you. Despite the hardships my nephew has endured because of losing his parents, he doesn’t understand the evil in the world like you do, Tate.”
After Hawk’s parents died, his aunt raised and trained him. Like me, Coltrane knew her nephew hadn’t completely lost his innocence yet. He wasn’t ready to shoulder a bigger burden.
“I understand.” I concealed the vial beneath the stone and slid it into place. “I’ll only use Demise if and when necessary.”
She gripped my arm as her expression turned grim. “That time might come sooner than you think.”
My brow furrowed at her ominous words. “What do you mean?”
“More sub-demons are slithering through the Underworld door into Savannah, and as you saw tonight, the higher-level demons are getting bolder.” Her lips thinned, and the hardness returned to her face. “I fear the balance in our city is teetering too much to the dark side.”
ChapterThree
