The artwork above is not mine.

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    Sarai woke late the next day. Early afternoon sunlight streamed into the room, falling onto Ruhn's golden skin. Sarai smiled to herself, watching him for a moment. He lay on his stomach with his head facing her. His raven hair had come out of its braid and covered a large potion of his back. One tattooed arm stretched towards her, while the other was hidden beneath his pillow.

    Her heart twisted with affection and Sarai covered his hand with her own. She lightly kissed his knuckles, still memorizing the sight. How was it possible that she had once hated him so thoroughly, and why did she now care for him so deeply? What would her life have been like if she'd accepted him from the beginning?

    Well, he did only want a fling at first, Sarai thought to herself. We might never have moved beyond that if I'd accepted him then. Regardless of what could've happened, I'm grateful that we're together now.

    Ruhn blinked his eyes open and met her gaze. "Morning," he mumbled.

    "I think it's actually early afternoon," Sarai giggled.

    Ruhn shifted onto his back and draped an arm across his face with a faint groan. "Is the power back on?"

    "I haven't looked, and my phone is dead so I can't check the news broadcast."

    Ruhn reached for his own phone which sat on the nightstand nearby. He squinted at the screen. "Declan texted me at three to say he got the power on at the Aux facility. One of the other guys texted again at five and said power was restored in FiRo." He switched to a news app and skimmed over the latest articles. "Power is back on for the whole city, but there's still no information on what caused the blackout."

    Ruhn fell silent as his phone lit up with an incoming call. Sarai recognized the name. She slipped her hand into Ruhn's free one and sidled closer to him, letting her head fall into the crook of his neck. Ruhn sighed and answered the call. "What?"

    "I want you here within the hour," Einar Danaan ordered.

    "The blackout has been resolved. I'll submit a report on my actions to the Aux and you can read over it."

    "I don't care about what you did or didn't do last night. Luna's Horn was stolen from the temple, and we need to address the issue immediately."

    Ruhn glanced at Sarai and she mirrored his surprise. "Fine. I'll be there soon." He ended the call before the Autumn King could respond.

    "Why would someone steal Luna's Horn? It's just an old relic," Sarai said.

    "My first guesses would be for political gain or pitting Houses against each other, but who knows?" Ruhn swept his mouth over hers and hauled himself out of bed. "Are you going back to the Wolves Den?"

    Sarai shook her head. "I'll stop by Bryce and Danika's first. I need to check in on everyone and I'll have to do that in person since my phone is dead." She sat up, tugging Ruhn's shirt down over her lap.

    Ruhn eyed her for a moment, a teasing grin on his face. "I want to wear that shirt today."

    She raised a brow. "To a meeting with your father? That doesn't seem like a good idea."

    "I'll use your cover story. You were with the Devils when my patrol met up with them and we mingled for a little while, sharing what information we had. It's perfect." He planted his hands on the edge of the bed, on either side of her hips, and leaned closer. "My father won't be able to do anything to us this time, and I'll get to walk around smelling like you."

    Sarai laughed, spreading a palm on his chest as he kissed her. "I can't say I'm not fond of the idea myself."

    Ruhn cupped the back of her neck in his hand, tracing her jaw with his lips. "I wish we could stay here a little longer. I just want to be with you and forget about everything else."

    Sarai threaded her fingers through his hair and let her eyes drift shut. She breathed his scent deeply. "Me too, but the Autumn King could retaliate if you skip a summons. If you intend to meet with him carrying my scent, you might as well be on time and not give him a different reason to hurt you."

    "Sometimes I really hate when you're right." Ruhn drew back and Sarai shrugged out of his shirt. He bit down on his lip ring, letting his gaze sweep over her.

    Sarai crossed her arms over her chest. "Pervert," she said with a smirk.

    "You should come up with a different name to call me," Ruhn chuckled.

    "Prince Pervert."

    "Put a shirt on before I open the door. I'll have to kill Flynn if he's standing in the hallway and sees something he's not supposed to."

    Sarai hopped out of bed and grabbed her discarded tank top. She smiled to herself, taking as long as possible while putting it on. She made a show of arching her back when she lifted her arms over her head and shrugged into the shirt. Then, she carefully adjusted it until the neckline sat lower than it was meant to be worn.

    "Fuck you," Ruhn grunted.

    Sarai didn't have to look at his pants to know that he was aroused. The low rasp in his voice and his increasingly evident scent was proof enough. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She jumped into her pants and breezed over to him. "Maybe later. For now, you'd best behave yourself." She patted his cheek and left the room.

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    Evidence of multiple break-ins littered the streets as Sarai made her way to Bryce and Danika's apartment. She couldn't say that she was surprised. Bryce and Danika's street wouldn't have been patrolled during the blackout, as it was one of the poorer locations in Moonwood. Other areas took priority.

    Sarai grimaced, stepping over a puddle of clotted blood. There was a trail of it leading into an alley, but she chose not to investigate. She reached the apartment building and hurried inside. Sarai made her way up the narrow stairs until she reached Bryce and Danika's floor. She rapped her knuckles on their old blue painted metal door, but there was no response.

    Sarai knocked again and waited, but still, nothing. Bryce might be at work, she thought. I doubt Jesiba would give her the day off even after what happened last night, but surely Danika is home?

    "Dani," Sarai called. "It's me. I just wanted to check in and make sure you and Bryce are doing all right." She knit her brows, listening intently. Danika didn't respond, but she thought she could make out faint voices coming from inside.

    Sarai tried the doorknob and found it unlocked. She entered the apartment silently and closed the door. The voices were audible now, and coming from Danika's bedroom. The door was open just a crack. Sarai could see the back of Danika's pale head. She snuck closer.

    Danika was watching a grainy recording on her laptop. Sarai could barely make out what was happening. A male in a white lab coat was injecting something into the arm of a thin Human woman. Sarai blinked in surprise and continued to watch. The minutes rolled by and presently, two Vanir males entered the cell with the female. Sarai already knew what was going to happen.

    The two males lunged at the Human, and she met their attack. Sarai watched in stunned silence as the female tore the Vanir apart piece by piece, until they were nothing but bloody piles. Then, she turned on herself. When the mist of blood settled, the Human was indistinguishable from the Vanir she had slain.

    Danika's head whipped around. Sarai didn't balk. "What the fuck was that?" Danika didn't respond. "It has to do with that new drug, doesn't it? You know something." Sarai narrowed her eyes. "What's going on here, Danika? Tell me now."

    "You don't need to get involved," Danika protested.

    "Don't I? That looks like it pertains to the case Ruhn and I were working. The same case that was stolen from us when it didn't yield results. If you've known about this the whole time..." Sarai narrowed her eyes. "Does Bryce know too?"

    "No, and it needs to stay that way," Danika spat. She massaged her forehead with a weary sigh. "If I explain this to you, will you leave the matter alone?" Sarai crossed her arms, not answering. "Rai, please?"

    Sarai set her jaw and glared at Danika. "Tell me everything."

    "I work part-time for Redner Industries," Danika began. "They're the company that has been developing synth. That's what the drug is called."

    Redner. Sarai wracked her brain until an image of the males appeared. Of course! No wonder I recognized the suits on the drug dealers. The Redners wear ones similar to them. I've seen them on the news broadcasts dozens of times.

    "My job is tracking down people Redner wants me to find," Danika continued. "When the Redners caught wind of a group of Human rebels who were working to develop a form of synthetic magic, they sent me after the research. To cover their tracks, they introduced synth as a healing drug. It worked exactly as they planned at first, but the side effects that came with the drug..."

    "It's like nothing I could ever have imagined. The power and ferocity it induces...eventually driving oneself to..." She gestured to the laptop. "And then it was leaked onto the streets, and these attacks started happening. I knew what was going on the minute Sabine told me she'd assigned you to work a drug case."

    "Why didn't you tell me?" Sarai's lips peeled back in a snarl. "People lost their lives because of this stuff and you've known about it the whole time? Why haven't you brought it to the City Heads? They'd put an end to it. Hel, inform the Asteri! They'll leap at the chance to destroy synthetic magic!"

    "And me along with it," Danika interrupted. "There is more going on here than any of us truly realize. I'm trying to learn what I can now before it's too late. I'll accomplish nothing by revealing what I know to the City Heads."

    "You'll restore peace and safety in Lunathion!"

    "That won't be enough to spare my life."

    "Then lie," Sarai exclaimed. "Lie about how you learned all of this."

    Danika shook her head. "I can't. There's too much evidence that will link me to the synth and the Redners."

    "Explain it to the Governor. Tell him what you've been trying to do. Maybe he'll grant you a pardon, or..."

    "I can't go to the Governor. Don't you understand? It doesn't matter who I go to. Nothing will happen because the Governor is controlling all of this!"

    Sarai's mouth ran dry. "What?"

    "He's playing a game with the city, Sarai. One I refuse to let him win.

    "Then...let me help you."

    "No. I don't want to involve anyone if I don't have to."

    "I'm already involved."

    "No, you're not. The Governor gave your case to the 33rd. As far as he knows, you learned nothing of real value. Don't jeopardize your safety by getting involved again."

    Sarai held Danika's caramel gaze for a heartbeat. There was true desperation and fear within it. "Tell me what's really going on, Dani," she urged. "Let me help you."

    Danika closed her laptop and turned away. "I've said all I intend to. Now, hold to our deal and stay out of this."

    Sarai turned on her heel and left. There's only one problem with that, Dani, she thought. I never agreed to your deal.