Gold white luminescence glowed in the aftermath of Ravenna''s big reveal, and for fifteen minutes straight in the canteen hall, the space was lit in saintly halo, pulsing out the ss windows; ebbing with saintly energy like amp in a dark room.


    Residue of celestial mana spilt out to the stic doors in front and the chefs nook to the side. As the boys were walking back the girls to their own various dorm rooms, Ravenna sidled in next to Rafel and said, "Just so you know, I don''t need protection. But I wee your chivalry."


    "It ain''t chivalry. It''s an oath. A demon''s oath." He replied. There wasn''t the trace of a smile on his face.


    The group fell silent for a beat then, wandering the long, quiet, stone archways of the academy. The other pupils would soon begin to return from their acolyte sessions. Rosa vanished off at an intersect into the crook of small chapel. Several hands in the circle of faithful were raised to the Martyr. They were murmuring.


    Rafel himself was godless. The gods many of his ssmates worshipped were his close rtives and personal friends.


    The water goddess, Yemaya was his wife.


    Rafel knew that praying to himself would probably tear the sheet on narcissism. He remained by that tiny chapel''s door until Rosa too joined the church of the Martyr. The [Martyr] was the God the realms served—at least enough who believed. And their source was headquartered at Titans Landing, in the cathedral tower of the highfather.


    Percival, Rafel, Aya, and Ravenna kept walking on.


    "The day is yet young, what might we do?" said Percival.


    Everyone was silent for a bit, before Ravenna hopped in front of the others. She pronounced her suggestion. "Oh I know! How about a pic?"


    "A pic, babe? I don''t know." Aya said. "The air outside is t."


    Ravenna wasn''t backing down. Her green eyes held ebullience. "Yes, a pic! The weather''s good. It''s nice out today. Most people are sleeping in afterst night''s Hallows fest.


    It''ll be perfect to bond, just like we used to at Emberfall. Maybe we could find a lute and persuade our liege here to serenade us to a folk one, huh?" Enjoy new adventures from m-v l''e|-NovelBin


    She nudged Rafel with a smile. "Perhaps a song out of you too, Aya. It''s been a while since I''ve heard you two y, and I don''t know a single opera house that makes the kind of music you two do. Besides," she shrugged, "the air is only t if we let it.


    We have a wizard of Griffin Arc in our circle, don''t we?" Ravenna put up her dark brows meaningfully at Percival.


    The rugged blond Royal smiled eagerly, "Oi! Does the damsel ask me to manipte the wind?"


    "I mean it''s right up your alley."


    "Yeah," Percival agreed. "It is."


    All eyes then fell on redhaired Rafel. Clearly, he had the final say. Ravenna made huge doe eyes at him. "Pleeeeeease!"


    He nodded and she pped giddily like a child.


    "So, where are we thinking?"


    Rafelughed. He couldn''t help it. Ravenna would always be wee at heart. She had the most free soul he''d ever cast upon. It was no wonder she was an angel. Her hair had gained a lustre, grown browner like bronze over the days of their stay at the academy.


    Rafel wondered if she used the hair oils he had secretly instructed be delivered to all his women by the hands of the catering madames.


    Rafel also made sure a purse of coin found its way into the girls lockers every start of the week for their upkeep.


    ''Pocket money,'' as Mikhail called it.


    "How about the court gardens?" Aya gazed at everybody.


    The others were soon smiling and saying what each would bring. "Yes," chirped Ravenna, "I''ll bring nkets and cots."


    "I''ll bring the food," Aya followed. "Wine, guys?"


    Percival nodded. "We''ll handle it."


    The afternoon was windy—courtesy of Percival weaving a spell into the August breeze—as the three friends settled into the gardens in an oval courtyard. The hanging flowers rendered the misty smell and serenity to their enve. It wasn''t long before Rosamunde joined them, bringing with her a fresh bottle of wine.


    Aya taunted her. "I hope that isn''tmunion wine. We do love our pagan ale here!"


    "Shut it, subus!" Rosa grinned.


    She fell into the spread nket underneath a sea of immacte and purple flowers. It was madefy by folds of fine Florentine sheets.


    "So, how was the chapel service?" Aya kept taunting Rosa. "Did your Gode INSIDE you? Did his spirit FILL you to overflowing—"


    "I said quit it." Rosa fell on Aya with a smile. The other girl shrieked and tried to crawl and hide behind Rafel. The three ended up up falling into the nkets, ticklish from all the ying and giggles. Ravennaughed too with Percival, popping the fresh bottle and grinning when Rafel rubbed pudding icing onto Aya''s nose.


    They were all totally engrossed and didn''t notice a hot blonde slide into their private corner.


    "Oh well! Would you look at that! So cute. A minute away from an orgy now, aren''t we?"


    Rafel stopped tickling the girls and raised his amber eyes. It leveled on the smashing blonde interruption. He growled out his dislike. "Erika, this is a private moment."


    "Yeah. Do you mind?" Rosa sat up in Rafel''sp and fired.


    Erika Burgess onlyughed and whirled back her waves of strawberry hair. "Oh please, I''m the student president. I''m entitled. . .to all private spaces on the school grounds. If you wanted PRIVATE, you shoulda used your dorm rooms.


    Anyway," she dropped a manicured hand to her waist, "I came here to personally deliver to you a Sabbath dinner invite—"


    "Let me just stop you there, Madame President." It was Rosa. "As you can see, we''ve got our own thing going on. Go find someone else to crush on."


    "Oh hold your horses, inder!" Erika pushed back. "The invite''s not mine. And I certainly have no crush on this...mundane group of yours." Her eyes slid like a serpent to Rafel, "—well, maybe one of you," she corrected.


    Rosa clicked her hands in front of Erika to focus her. "Well, the invite''s from whom then?"


    "From the Lady Fairfield."


    "The Lady Fairfield!?" Aya, Ravenna, and Rosa gasped as one.


    "Yes." Erika tweaked her long nails. "I know what you''re all thinking; like, isn''t that the Grand Duchess of Roanoke?


    Yes, she is.


    For some reason, the Lady of the most expensive ind on thends of Corynthia has requested your presence; each one of you. And she has graciously provided her lovely yatch, the SILVER MAY, to ferry you to her vi on her private ind."


    "Damn!" Percival spoke out of turn. "Lady Fairfield is the only woman to solely own an entire isle."


    "The only PERSON," Erika corrected. "See you losers there. Oh, and wear something fashionable, please! Gosh!" She flipped her long blonde hair as she sashayed away.


    Rafel dipped to whisper into the sweep of Rosa''s neck, against her bronze skin. "How the hell is she among the Children of the Crow?"


    Rosa replied, "You will also be surprised to know that she is also a firm believer in the Martyr."


    Ravenna turned a wry eye to the unfinished bottle of wine and tubs of little biscuits. She sighed audibly. "I guess the pic''s over now. We''ve got to prepare for Lady Fairfield''s damn yacht."