Night had completely settled over Raven's Crossing.
The noise of the inn had gradually disappeared as one guest after another retired to their rooms, leaving only the occasional creak of wooden floorboards and the distant sound of wind passing through the narrow streets outside. Moonlight slipped through the window of Luca's room, falling across the quiet bed where he lay asleep.
For once, there were no thoughts running through his mind.
No calculations.
No questions about the Cult.
No thoughts about the Vice Dean.
No concern about the future.
His breathing was slow and steady as sleep carried him deeper into unconsciousness.
Then...
The darkness changed.
Luca opened his eyes.
He was standing.
His feet were touching cold earth.
The sky above him was an unfamiliar shade of crimson, filled with thick clouds that seemed to stretch endlessly across the horizon. Smoke drifted through the air, carrying the metallic scent of blood and the bitter smell of burning buildings.
