2. Severn
SEVERN
Ceril pulled me into a dark cave and shoved me to the ground.
Rocks embedded into my hands and soot plumed around me as I scurried back and away from him.
The madness that was etched across his face was lethal.
I didn’t dare speak or make a sound. A muffled scream came from deep within the cave, and I jerked my head in that direction.
“Severn!” Ceril shouted at me. My attention was back on him in an instant.
The look in his eyes was laced with anger and rage.
“You will stay right there and not ask any questions. Understand?” All I could do was nod as Ceril walked deeper into the cave, a rush of wind following him into the tunnel.
More screams made their way through the tunnel before I eventually covered my ears, unable to take the sounds any longer.
Howling wind whipped through the cave, and the night sky filled with stars was the only bit of light I had.
This high in the mountains outside of Noirhaven, you couldn’t even see the neon glow of the nightlife. It was nearly pitch black up here.
A while later, everything in the cave went calm.
There was no rush of wind. Clouds slowly moved in to cover the stars, making the cave truly dark.
Footsteps sounded from within the tunnel as I pushed myself back harder against the cave wall, ignoring the agonizing pain of the sharp rocks against my wing scars.
I knew Ceril would likely be coming back, but there was more than one set of footsteps walking from the tunnel within the cave.
Ceril turned on a flashlight, and I saw that he was walking with Beck, the current head of the Blight family.
Beck was mirroring every move Ceril made.
Each step they took, they took together.
When Ceril lifted the flashlight to shine it so they could more easily see, Beck lifted an empty hand.
My breathing started to become irregular.
“Well, son, you’ll be the first to know.” Ceril smiled and squatted down to be at my eye level. Beck followed suit. “I think you’re very aware of what this means.” Both of the men tilted their heads to one side and smiled.
“You didn’t…” I whispered.
Snapping out of my vision, I almost fell out of the chair in the conference room. Every angel around the table whipped their head to me except for Ceril.
“We will talk about that later.” His teeth were clenched when he spoke, and I dreaded whatever was in store for me. Taking a deep breath, I readjusted in the seat in the corner and listened to the conversation in the room.
“Where did you get these Senketsu from Ceril? It’s a miracle you keep finding them.
I’m honestly amazed. It’s how you keep us on top of this business.
Between the black market sales and this auction, there shouldn’t be an issue with us taking a huge lead for a good chunk of time.
Vea won’t have a chance to catch up.” The angel to Ceril’s left was flipping through documents as they spoke.
Looking at financials for the family's various business ventures.
Ceril took a sip of the wine in front of him.
“Where I got them doesn’t really matter, does it?
” The angel’s faint golden glow dimmed slightly at Ceril’s response as they tucked their flowing dark hair behind their delicate ear.
Ceril lifted his eyebrows in question before setting the glass down and picking up a cigar and puffing it lightly.
The dark-haired being stopped fidgeting with the paper and looked at Ceril. “No, sir. Just my curiosity getting the best of me, I suppose.”
Ceril pulled the cigar from his lips and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger.
“Mmm,” Ceril hummed with his eyes down. “Your job here is pretty important, Callum.” Ceril slowly turned his head to look at the Chief of Finance for the Shirogane Auction House.
Callum nodded, fear now shrouding his eyes.
“Might want to keep that in mind.” The angel looked as if he had seen a ghost. I closed my eyes, knowing exactly what it felt like to be on the receiving end of one of those looks.