The Ravenous Dark by Main Rebecca

Author:Main, Rebecca
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Via Graphia LLC
Published: 2022-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

XV

The silence Jax and Bailey encountered in the hall was akin to that experienced in the height of daylight. Their steps echoed on their way to a discreet stairwell at the back of the floor. The large antechamber boasted no other soul besides the pair. It unnerved Bailey.

"I didn't think anything could scare the Dark Court into submission like this," Jax muttered. His gait was lax as his eye darted back and forth across the expanse of the floor.

Bailey shrugged, peering over her shoulder like an afterthought as she, too, scanned the floor for signs of life, undead and otherwise. There was no one.

"There have been a lot of deaths lately, even for the court," Bailey replied, gazing forward once more. Jax paused and cocked his head to the side. Bailey stopped as well. "What?"

Jax's features crumpled into a pensive frown. "There have been, haven't there?"

"Normally, the court doesn't blink an eye if a dozen seasonal or houseless courtiers wind up on the wrong side of a bone steak in a week's time." Bailey scoffed and toed the ground. "But when Royal and Major Household vampyrés start to go? You'd think a case of the bubonic plague hit the court by the way everyone's locked themselves up."

"But not you," Jax observed.

Bailey's eyes narrowed. "Or you."

Jax's lips twitched upward as he inclined his head toward her. "I’m not afraid of some rogue sorcerer.”

“Is that what they’re calling the shadowmancer? A rogue sorcerer?”

“It’s just one theory floating around; either the thing is a rogue sorcerer or summoned by one. Personally, I’m fond of the theory that the shadowmancer is an angry spirit bent on revenge for a century's worth of injustices.”

Bailey snorted. “That theory certainly lives up to the flare the Dark Court loves.”

Jax grinned. “Shall we continue?" Bailey nodded, and the two resumed their unhurried pace. "You wouldn't, by chance, have happened to see Ronan recently, would you?"

Bailey's heart skipped a beat at the nonchalant question. "Er, no."

Jax passed Bailey a rueful smile tinged with sadness. "He's been avoiding me," he confided in a mock whisper, leaning toward Bailey slightly. Jax's throat bobbed conspicuously, as he straightened and readjusted his grip on her duffel.

He wore a decidedly mundane outfit by his usual standard. Dark navy pants with a sage satin shirt. No vest or jewelry, only his eye patch and trusted walking cane. Bailey glanced at the cane. Its canine handle gave her the creeps with ruby eyes that seemed like they knew too much.

"Me too," she admitted.

Jax sighed. "I fear I might be the cause of his hiding. We aren't seeing eye to eye at the moment, and it's causing a rather large rift between us. One larger than I would have ever anticipated."

"What will you do?"

Jax ducked his head and chuckled. "The only course of action is to try to make amends." Jax swallowed thickly. "We've been through too much together to let things fall apart now."

His low-pitched confession made Bailey's heart sore as her mind drifted to River.

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