Chapter 28: The Crimson Sorceress Offered Me a Deal. I Wanted the Monster Instead.

The nearby mercenaries did too.

Raven considered his possible responses.

Asking how she knew his name was unnecessary. In a city where a House employee could sell contract information to cannibals, learning the name of a foreigner didn’t seem particularly impressive.

"Yes."

The woman waited.

Raven did too.

One second.

Two.

It was obvious the conversation had been designed for him to ask the next question.

Raven didn’t cooperate.

Eventually, she raised one eyebrow slightly.

"Aren’t you curious who I am?"

"Not particularly."

The silence around them was immediate.

One mercenary let out a sound that might have been a badly disguised cough.

The woman’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Valeria von Nacht."

Raven nodded.

"Raven Ashford."

"I already know who you are."

"Then we finished the introductions faster."

Another silence.

A man behind Valeria looked at Raven as though calculating how much work it would take to clean blood off the floor.

Valeria, on the other hand, went slightly still.

She wasn’t used to this.

That much was obvious.

Raven had been around enough powerful people to recognize the microexpression.

The automatic expectation that a name would produce a reaction.

Fear.

Respect.

Interest.

Something.

Raven didn’t have enough context to provide any of those.

"House Nacht," she added.

Raven waited.

"One of the Nine Great Houses of Asteria."

"Good."

Valeria studied him.

"’Good’?"

"Now I know one more thing about Asteria."

The woman seemed torn between being insulted and amused.

A combination of both won.

"You really are a foreigner."

"That’s what my paperwork says."

"No registered nation. No House. No Blessing. No declared Bloodline. Level five. Provisional Copper."

Raven looked toward the gray-haired clerk.

"Is all of that public?"

Without looking up, the woman answered:

"Half of it."

Raven looked back at Valeria.

"Then you paid for the rest."

Valeria smiled.

"Maybe."

"I hope it wasn’t much."

"Why?"

"You didn’t find anything interesting."

The smile remained.

"That has yet to be decided."

Raven started walking again.

"Decide without me."

"Wait."

Raven stopped again.

This was starting to consume time.

Valeria approached.

The guards stayed behind.

She didn’t need protection at this distance.

Or she didn’t want to look like she needed it.

Probably both.

"You killed an Awakened Gloom Stalker while still Common."

"Yes."

"Alone."

"Yes."

"Then you killed six members of the Hollow Father Cult."

"Also true."

"One of them was Awakened."

"You’re very well informed."

"I like knowing what enters my city."

Raven looked at her.

"Your city?"

"My family owns a considerable amount of property here."

"Your taxes must be terrible."

The woman stared at him for a second.

Then she laughed.

Short.

Real.

Her guards looked mildly surprised.

Raven hadn’t been trying to make her laugh.

That happened too often.

Valeria regained her composure.

"You also used a Skill that isn’t listed in your registration."

"Several."

"You admit that rather easily."

"I don’t see the point in pretending I don’t have abilities people have already watched me use."

"Most people protect their secrets."

"So do I."

Valeria tilted her head slightly.

"So you’re telling me that what we saw isn’t even important."

Raven thought about it.

"I’m saying that if it were important, I probably wouldn’t tell you."

Her smile widened.

"Interesting."

"People keep saying that."

"Maybe you should ask yourself why."

"Usually means they want something."

That stopped her.

Raven continued.

"What do you want?"

Conversation around them had almost completely disappeared.

Not because the entire building was listening.

Because the people nearby had learned that listening to nobles could be dangerous, but also far too entertaining to walk away from.

Valeria folded her hands in front of her.

"I wanted to meet you."

"You did."

"Not exactly."

"Then the problem is your definition of meeting someone."

"Are you always like this?"

"When I’m awake."

Raven looked toward the stairs.

"And I need to use the library."

"I can get you access to records a Copper would never see."

That got his attention.

Not visibly.

But genuinely.

Raven looked back at her.

Valeria noticed.

"Ah. Finally."

"What records?"

"Rare creatures. Migrations. High-level materials. Private archives from noble hunts."

"Price?"

"A conversation."

Raven thought.

"Five minutes."

The woman blinked.

"Are you putting a time limit on me?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how many men would pay for five minutes with me?"

"That sounds like a bad financial decision on their part."

One of the guards lowered his head.

Raven suspected he was hiding a smile.

Valeria noticed.

The man immediately recovered his posture.

"Four minutes and fifty seconds," Raven said.

She stared at him.

"If you keep counting, I’ll have you thrown out of the city."

"That would be a rather childish use of power."

"I can be childish."

"I had considered that."

Valeria watched him in silence.

Then pointed toward a secluded table.

"Sit."

Raven looked at the table.

Then at her.

"That sounded like an order."

"It was."

"Then no."

Her smile disappeared.

There.

The first genuine irritation.

Not deep.

But real.

"Ashford."

"Nacht."

Several mercenaries suddenly found their drinks fascinating.

Valeria stepped closer until Raven could smell a light perfume.

Dark flowers.

Something spicy.

Raven also registered the mana moving around her.

Subtle.

Far more than he’d sensed from anyone else in Greyhaven so far.

Predator’s Instinct detected no attack.

But it did detect potential.

A lot of it.

The woman was dangerous.

That was more interesting than her surname.

"People usually do what I tell them," Valeria said.

"Then you should talk to those people."

"You’re in a kingdom where my family name opens doors you don’t even know exist."

"Excellent."

"’Excellent’?"

"If I ever need one of those doors opened, now I know who to ask."

Her irritation increased.

So did her interest.

Raven could see both.

Bad combination.

Especially in a noble.

"You wouldn’t ask me for anything."

"Probably not."

"Pride?"

"No."

Raven pointed toward the library.

"I usually prefer getting things without owing favors."

That changed her expression slightly.

She wasn’t only playing anymore.

"Smart."

"Sometimes."

"But favors are the foundation of any functioning society."

"They’re also the foundation of plenty of dysfunctional ones."

Valeria went quiet.

Raven knew this kind of exchange.

Information.

Influence.

Debts.

Loyalties.

Black Hound had operated using the same currencies even if no one used the word favor.

The problem was never receiving help.

The problem was finding out how much it cost afterward.

Valeria finally walked toward the table without saying anything.

Raven considered leaving.

Then she placed a folder on the surface.

Opened it.

A drawing became visible.

Quadrupedal creature.

Long body.

Dark plates along its back.

Small horns surrounding the skull.

And red veins visible beneath nearly translucent skin around the neck.

Beneath it:

Crimson Mirehorn

Raven changed direction.

Sat down.

Valeria smiled immediately.

"I thought you didn’t take orders."

"I didn’t."

He pointed at the folder.

"You showed me something useful."

"How romantic."

"I wasn’t trying to be."

"I know."

That seemed to amuse her even more.

Valeria sat across from him.

The guards remained far enough away to pretend they were giving privacy and close enough to kill someone.

Raven read.

«Crimson Mirehorn

Estimated Level: 18–22

Rank: Awakened

Habitat: Wetlands, blood-rich mana zones, old battlefields.

Known Traits:

"Coagulation Control"

"Bloodsense"

"Hemal Reinforcement"

Rare Organ: Crimson Blood Core»

Raven reached the final line.

Predation reacted.

Not with a full interface.

A faint pressure.

Interest from the Authority.

«"Potential compatible biological material identified."»

Valeria watched his eyes.

"That interests you."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It has a useful ability."

"Which one?"

Raven pointed at Coagulation Control.

"That."

"You want to stop bleeding?"

"I want to stop needing ten feet of bandages every time I kill something."

Valeria looked at his side.

"Seems to be a recurring problem."

"I’m working on it."

"You could hire a healer."

"I could."

"You won’t."

"No."

"Money?"

"Partly."

"Trust?"

Raven looked up.

The question had been too precise.

Valeria smiled.

"That wasn’t difficult."

"Then you didn’t need to ask."

"I wanted to see if you’d answer."

"No."

"You just did."

Raven thought.

"That was irritatingly accurate."

She smiled with satisfaction.

"Thank you."

Raven continued reading.

The creature was valuable.

Very.

Its blood was used by alchemists.

Its horns in rituals.

The Crimson Blood Core was especially valuable to blood mages.

Raven looked up.

Valeria had red eyes.

She wore burgundy.

Her surname belonged to a noble House with a reputation he still knew nothing about.

He didn’t need much more.

"You want the Core."

Her smile changed.

"Very good."

"Wasn’t difficult."

"Most people would need to know what kind of magic I use."

"Blood mage."

This time, Valeria actually looked surprised.

"Who told you?"

"No one."

"Then?"

Raven pointed at her clothes.

"Colors."

Then her eyes.

"Your mana shifts slightly when you talk about the organ."

Then the document.

"And no one pays to track a rare creature because they want the cheap parts."

Valeria remained still for a moment.

"You’re observant."

"I used to get paid for it."

"By who?"

"Dead people."

Silence.

Valeria stared at him.

Raven went back to reading.

She couldn’t tell whether he’d been joking.

The best kind of humor.

Garrick Venn appeared a few minutes later.

He stopped when he saw Raven sitting across from Valeria.

His expression was extraordinary.

Recognition first.

Then concern.

Then the kind of rapid calculation Raven had already learned to associate with money.

"Lady Valeria."

She didn’t look at him.

"You’re late."

"My apologies."

"The records."

Garrick handed her a thicker folder.

Then looked at Raven.

"Ashford."

"Venn."

"What are you doing here?"

Raven pointed at the chair.

"Sitting."

"I meant—"

"I know."

Valeria lightly covered her mouth with one hand.

Garrick decided continuing the question was probably unhealthy.

"Do you need anything else?"

Raven said:

"Yes."

Valeria said:

"No."

They looked at each other.

Garrick remained still.

Raven spoke first.

"I need the Crimson Mirehorn sighting records."

Valeria narrowed her eyes.

"Those are the records I just requested."

"Perfect. Saves paper."

"They’re private."

"Then I suppose you don’t want my five minutes."

She exhaled.

"What an unpleasant man."

"I’ve been called worse."

"I’m sure."

Valeria looked at Garrick.

"Leave them."

"My lady, those records—"

She turned her eyes toward him.

Garrick stopped talking.

"Leave them."

"Of course."

He placed another folder down.

Raven watched.

Corruption.

Nobility.

Hierarchy.

Everything continued to be surprisingly useful.

Garrick left.

Raven opened the records.

Three sightings in the last two months.

One false.

One unconfirmed.

One recent.

Blackthorn Forest.

Twenty-four miles northeast.

Near an old flooded quarry.

The creature had killed two hunters and disappeared.

The last sighting had been four days ago.

Raven memorized it.

So did Valeria.

Neither spoke for several seconds.

Then Raven closed the file.

"Good."

He stood.

"Where are you going?"

"To eat."

Valeria blinked.

"That’s it?"

"You said you’d give me information in exchange for a conversation."

"Yes."

"We talked."

"For seven minutes."

Raven glanced toward the decorative hourglass on the wall.

"Then I gave you two for free."

The woman stared at him in disbelief.

"Raven."

He stopped.

It was the first time she’d used his first name without his surname.

"What?"

"I’m hunting the Crimson Mirehorn."

"Good."

"Soon."

"Also good."

"This week."

Raven understood.

He looked at the folder.

Then at Valeria.

"So am I."

The interest returned to her eyes immediately.

"Then we have a problem."

"Not necessarily."

"There’s only one Crimson Blood Core."

Raven thought about that.

That was a problem for her.

Not necessarily for him.

"I don’t need the Core."

Valeria went still.

"What do you need?"

Raven pointed at the description.

"The tissue associated with Coagulation Control."

"The hemal gland?"

"Probably."

"What for?"

Raven looked at her.

"To eat it."

Silence.

Not only from Valeria.

One of the guards close enough to hear him slowly turned his head.

Valeria stared at Raven as though trying to determine whether he was joking.

"Eat it?"

"Yes."

"Raw?"

"Probably."

"Why?"

Raven considered explaining Predation.

Decided that would be stupid.

"Dietary preference."

Valeria held his gaze.

"You’re lying."

"Badly, apparently."

"Extremely."

"I’ll have to practice."

She slowly stood.

Now they were face-to-face.

Raven was noticeably taller.

Valeria didn’t seem accustomed to tilting her head very far upward when speaking to someone.

It didn’t intimidate her.

She simply seemed annoyed by the geometry.

"So we’re both hunting the same creature."

"Seems that way."

"I need its Blood Core."

"I need another part."

"Which means our interests don’t conflict."

Raven noticed how easily she’d phrased it.

There it was.

The transition.

Conversation to proposal.

"Yet."

Valeria smiled.

"Exactly."

Raven gathered his things.

"Then try not to destroy the part I need."

"Was that a request?"

"Advice."

"And if I find it first?"

Raven shrugged slightly.

The movement reminded him of his ribs.

Bad idea.

"Then it’s yours."

Valeria went quiet.

That wasn’t the answer she’d expected.

"You wouldn’t try to take it from me?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"How badly I need it when that happens."

She smiled.

"There it is."

"What?"

"Some ambition."

Raven shook his head.

"Don’t confuse need with ambition."

"You don’t want power?"

"Of course I do."

"Then you’re ambitious."

"I want food too. Doesn’t mean I aspire to become a baker."

Valeria laughed again.

One of her guards failed for the second time to hide a smile.

This time she caught him.

"Roland."

The man immediately restored a perfectly neutral expression.

"My lady."

"If you laugh again, I’ll assign you to my sister for a week."

The guard’s face went pale.

"My apologies, my lady."

Raven looked at him.

Then at Valeria.

"That sounded worse than an execution."

"It is."

"Now I’m curious about your sister."

"You shouldn’t be."

"Then I’ll stop."

Valeria raised an eyebrow.

"That easily?"

"Yes."

"How disappointing."

Raven started walking away.

"You’ll survive."

---

The Iron evaluation turned out to be considerably less interesting than Valeria.

A Level 17 examiner named Tomas wanted to determine whether Raven could fight without relying on a single Skill.

Raven said he could.

Tomas said he’d be the one deciding that.

Five minutes later, Raven was standing in a training yard holding a wooden sword he didn’t like, while three ribs were preparing to file a lawsuit.

He didn’t need to win.

He only needed to demonstrate enough competence not to be considered a complete liability.

Tomas attacked first.

Raven blocked.

The impact confirmed something.

The man was stronger.

By a lot.

Raven didn’t use Stonehide.

Didn’t need to.

He changed the angle, struck the wrist, and retreated.

Tomas smiled.

"Military training."

Raven didn’t answer.

Second attack.

Feint.

Raven didn’t bite.

Predator’s Instinct recognized the intent.

He turned.

The wooden sword passed by.

Raven struck the man’s side.

Tomas barely reacted.

"Nice Skill."

Raven paused for half a second.

"Which one?"

"The perception one."

Interesting.

Someone experienced enough could tell his reactions weren’t completely natural.

Raven filed that away.

Tomas attacked.

Faster this time.

Raven took a hit to the shoulder.

Pain.

Not enough to stop the response.

Knee.

Pommel.

Wrist control.

Tomas used his superior strength to throw Raven to the ground.

Raven rolled.

Got back up.