“Ronan can you just sit still?” Skylar snapped, glaring at him over her map of Ravenrock.

“It feels like water over-boiling under my skin when I make myself sit still.” He muttered, showing no sign of stopping the restlessness.

Sky sighed but just went back to his map. We were all used to his antics at this point but this was more than usual.

Declan walked in with a small stack of books, his baby sister right on his tail.

I wasn’t even sure why Tessa was here—she’d play no part in the mission considering how protective Declan is over her.

The kid took a seat beside me, coloring book and pencils set on the table like she was in her own little world.

Declan wanted to keep it that way—keep her in the dark, keep her hidden, safe, away from the truths of reality.

I didn’t think it was the best idea, considering how much Tessa wants to help and hates being left out. But for now I stayed quiet. I’d say something when it would actually mean something.

“Morning, everyone.” Declan said calmly, sitting down at the table with the rest of us.

No one responded.

Ronan poured expired trail mix into his mouth, Max sat watching him with his usual masked calm and protectiveness. Skylar’s eyes darted across the map, Tessa’s pencil scratched slightly against the page, Eliot sipped their tea, completely focused on their latest book.

And I watched Declan.

Declan cleared his throat and everyone finally looked up at him.

“Alright. We need to get this job together as soon as possible. The quicker we are about it, the less time the army will have to prepare for the war.”

Everyone nodded, except for Ronan—who didn’t even seem to be listening in the slightest.

Declan set out the map he had printed at the library, a map of Thornblade’s headquarters. The most secure building in Ravenrock.

“Thornblade’s office is at the top, we’ll have to track him down in the building before we can do anything else. We’ll want to keep the guards the least alert as possible.” Declan stated, pointing at the top of the page where the office was. 

“Thornblade is rarely in his office.” I cut in. “Often he’s attending to the solider’s training or making sure prisoners aren’t comfortable.”

Skylar flinched. I knew she hated her dad more than any of us, but I’m sure the thought of assassinating her own father—her last family member—was not easy.

Declan noticed it too, he set his hand on her wrist, grounding her as he continued. “We’ll need your guys’ insight as much as possible. I know Thornblade could’ve changed things by then but you guys have the most experience with him and his building.”

“I know he drinks on Saturday nights.” Ronan blurted, his chair scraping the floor as he stood. “Maybe we just catch him tipsy in his house, slice a sword through his guts, and bam!” He clapped. “No more Thornblade, everyone goes home a hero as the government falls apart.”

He smiled like this was funny.

I assumed he was dropped as a child. More than once. 

Max put a hand on his shoulder, easing him back like a babysitter. Predictable. Ronan pouted anyway. The kid was impossible but eventually sat his ass back down, smacking Max’s hand away.

“‘Kay, that’s one option.” Declan said after a moment of awkward silence. “As I was saying, Skylar, Ronan, River—I need all the information you can think of that’ll help us with the job.”

We all nodded.

“Eliot any luck?” Declan turned to them. They looked up from their book and shook their head.

Declan nodded and kept talking but my mind wandered. Eliot was holding a book on Ravenrock’s monsters, the worn cover fitting perfectly in their hands. 

“What are you looking for?” I asked them quietly. They spared me a glance before going back to their book.

“Looking for the things that ambushed us that one night.” 

They were still on those guys. Zombie-like creatures that were too easy to kill but too odd to just brush off. They were obsessed. I didn’t get it—but obsession like that sometimes made people useful. I’d let them dig. For now.

“I think Thornblade experimented with people.” They muttered, shutting the book. “I think he’s experimenting with forbidden relics and creating new monsters that there’s no record of.”

That was an interesting theory. 

I decided not to say what I thought. Instead I just nodded along.

“So you think Thornblade’s creating his own monsters?” I asked, clarifying their idea.

They shrugged, tracing the book cover with their fingers. “Either that, or experimenting on preexisting monsters or people.”

That thought scared me a little. “Experimenting on humans?” My eyes widened slightly, I turned my body to face them, outright ignoring whatever Declan was saying now.

“Everyone knows Thornblade never treats his prisoners well. What if he uses them as bodies for experiments?” Eliot suggested.

“He tried that on me once.” I heard a voice cut in. We both looked up to see Ronan looking more serious now—just idly playing with a ring with his fingers.

“What do you mean?” I asked quickly.

“You were on some forest mission for Thornblade—I did something stupid and he wasn’t scared to hurt me when you weren’t around.” He started, his voice shaking slightly.

“He knew I had Fire, so he tried to smother it. Beat me up so bad i could barely breathe then locked me in an ice cold room for days, no warmth, no windows, no food.”

“What’d you do to make him so mad?” Tessa asked, clearly had been eavesdropping this whole time. 

“I think I stole some extra bandages for my wrist or somethin’. Just enough to give him a reason to make me lose my shit.” He muttered, his eyes darker, watching his wrist with the brace around it.

I kept nodding along, ignoring the dread curling in my chest. Experiments or not, it didn’t change the plan. But it did make me watch Ronan differently.

“What would be the benefit to him for your suffering?” Eliot asked him.

“Power.” I responded for Ronan. “Thornblade will do anything to establish that he is in control. If someone goes out of line, you get the whip, sent out on a suicide mission, or something like that.” I nodded towards Ronan, knowing we both had our share of whip slashes.

“Maybe he’s taking more extreme measures now? With those zombie-things, maybe he’s trying to build a weapon.” Eliot suggested.

Ronan nodded. “It is possible. He tried with me and River, failed with both of us.”

Failed with you. I though. He still has hope for me.

Declan cleared his throat—loudly. We three turned to him, who was clearly done with our bullshit.

“Sorry it got boring, not like the fate of the city is in our hands.” Declan said, his voice low and warning.

Ronan sighed and rolled his eyes, but slumped back in his chair, arms crossed tight across his chest.

“We have a theory about the zombie-like creatures.” Eliot mentioned.

Declan’s eyes widened slightly, nodding. “Eliot, I’ll talk with you after I’m done with these three.” He motioned to Skylar, Ronan, and I.

He was ready for us to give up all the information we remembered about Thornblade.

He had no clue what he was getting himself into.