The soft glow of dawn barely broke through the thick fog clinging to Varnath's streets as Liyana stepped out of her apartment, the crisp morning air biting against her skin. It had been a restless night—sleep came in fits and starts, interrupted by thoughts of revenants, ancient magic, and Rowan's ever-present shadow lurking in her mind.
Another day. Another fight. She pulled her coat tighter around herself and started down the narrow alleyway that led to the main street. The city was waking up around her, though Varnath never truly slept. Its inhabitants were used to walking between life and death, and even in the early morning hours, the air was thick with a magic that never quite settled.Liyana adjusted the bag slung over her shoulder, her mind already racing through the events of the previous night. She needed answers—about the revenants, about the dark magic infecting the city, and most of all, about Rowan. He knew more than he was letting on, she was sure of it. The question was how to get him to tell her without losing herself in the process.Her destination was one of Varnath's more unassuming spots—a small café nestled between two crumbling buildings, its windows fogged from the warmth inside. The sign overhead read "Farida's," though most of the locals simply called it "Fari's." It was one of the few places in the city that felt untouched by the darkness seeping through Varnath's streets, and Liyana had been coming here for years whenever she needed to clear her head.As she pushed open the door, the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee and sweet pastries hit her like a comforting embrace. The sound of quiet chatter mixed with the clink of mugs and the hum of a low, soulful jazz tune playing from the corner of the room. For a moment, the weight on her shoulders felt a little lighter."Liyana!" a bright, familiar voice called from behind the counter.Farida—or Fari, as everyone called her—was leaning against the counter, wiping her hands on a towel. Her dark curls were piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and her sharp eyes gleamed with the usual spark of energy that Liyana had come to rely on. Farida was everything Liyana wasn't—warm, open, and grounded. Where Liyana carried the weight of her family's magic like a burden, Farida wielded her own powers with ease, her healing magic a steady, calming force in the chaos of Varnath."Morning, Fari," Liyana said, offering a small smile as she made her way to the counter. "How's business?"Farida shrugged, pouring a cup of coffee and sliding it across the counter with a practiced ease. "Same as usual. People come in here pretending they're just looking for coffee, but really they're hoping I'll read their fortunes or heal some mysterious ailment they refuse to name." She raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Not that I mind. Keeps things interesting."Liyana let out a soft laugh, taking the cup gratefully. "At least your work is... predictable." She took a sip, the warmth of the coffee spreading through her, cutting through the lingering fog of exhaustion. I wish I could say the same."You look like you didn't sleep a wink," Farida said, her tone light but laced with concern. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter. "Rough night?"Liyana hesitated, her fingers tightening around the cup. Rough night. That was an understatement. She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could get a word out, the bell above the door jingled, and a tall figure stepped inside.Rowan.His presence filled the room in an instant, a ripple of energy that made the hairs on the back of Liyana's neck stand on end. He was dressed in his usual dark attire, his amber eyes scanning the room before they landed on her. There was something about the way he looked at her—something dangerous and magnetic all at once. Her heart skipped a beat, though whether from frustration or something else entirely, she wasn't sure.Farida glanced between them, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You didn't mention you were expecting company.""I wasn't," Liyana muttered under her breath, setting her cup down a little too hard on the counter.Rowan's lips curved into a small, unreadable smile as he approached, his movements graceful, almost predatory. "Morning, Liyana," he said, his voice low and smooth. "Thought I'd find you here."Liyana raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "And why's that?""Because you're predictable," he replied, his eyes glinting with something she couldn't quite place. "And you look like you could use another cup of coffee. Rough night?"Liyana resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Predictable. Of course he thought that. Because nothing about my life is predictable lately, thanks to you."What do you want, Rowan?" she asked, keeping her tone neutral, though the tension in her voice was impossible to hide.Rowan's smile didn't falter, but his eyes darkened, a hint of seriousness creeping into his expression. "We need to talk."Farida cleared her throat, raising an eyebrow as she glanced between them. "I'll leave you two to it, then." She gave Liyana a quick nod before disappearing into the back room, though Liyana could feel her friend's lingering gaze, no doubt filled with suspicion.Once Farida was out of earshot, Rowan turned his full attention to Liyana, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Something's happening in Varnath—something bigger than either of us thought."Liyana raised an eyebrow, her frustration mounting. "Bigger than revenants and ancient creatures trying to rip us apart?"Rowan's eyes flickered with something dangerous. "Much bigger. I've been following a trail—one that leads straight to the council. There's a conspiracy brewing, and if we don't act soon, it's going to tear Varnath apart."Liyana's pulse quickened. The council. She had known there were dark forces at work in the city, but this... this was something else. Something far more dangerous."And let me guess," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You just happened to come across this information while you were off doing whatever it is you do when you're not manipulating people."Rowan's jaw tightened, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he leaned closer, his voice a low, almost intimate whisper. "I'm not here to argue with you, Liyana. I'm here to warn you. You're in deeper than you realize. If you want to survive this, you'll need me."Liyana stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. Need him. She hated how much truth there was in his words. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew he was right. Whatever was happening in Varnath, it was bigger than her, bigger than the magic she had been trying to suppress for so long.But that didn't mean she had to like it."Fine," she said, her voice tight. "We'll talk. But not here." She glanced around the café, the warmth and comfort of the space suddenly feeling too small, too exposed.Rowan nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Lead the way." The fog outside had thickened since Liyana entered the café, swirling around them as if the city itself was trying to keep secrets hidden. Liyana led Rowan down the narrow streets of Varnath, the sounds of the early morning growing more distant with every step. She wasn't sure where she was going—she just needed to get away from prying eyes and ears, somewhere they could talk without being interrupted."You always take the scenic route, or are you just trying to tire me out?" Rowan asked, his tone light, though there was an edge to it that Liyana didn't miss.She shot him a sidelong glance, her expression flat. "You think I'd bother? You seem to have an endless supply of energy, and I'm not interested in wasting mine."Rowan smirked, his steps matching hers easily. "Good to know. I'd hate to think you were starting to enjoy my company."Liyana didn't answer. There was no point in engaging with his games right now. She had more important things to worry about than Rowan's needling. The truth was, she didn't know how to feel about him—didn't know how to reconcile the part of her that was drawn to him with the part that didn't trust him. That probably never would.As they turned down a quieter street, the tall, crumbling buildings of Varnath casting long shadows in the early morning light, Liyana finally stopped. She leaned against a nearby stone wall, crossing her arms over her chest. The magic in the air still pulsed faintly, an ever-present hum that made the city feel alive in ways it shouldn't."Alright," Liyana said, her voice low. "What's this about, Rowan?"He studied her for a moment, his amber eyes flickering with something she couldn't quite read. Then, with a quick glance around, as if checking for eavesdroppers, he stepped closer. Too close. His presence, as always, felt like a weight pressing down on her, heavy and intoxicating all at once."The council," Rowan began, his voice barely more than a whisper. "They've been involved in this longer than we thought. The revenants, the resurrections... it's all connected to something bigger."Liyana's brow furrowed. The council? She had suspected they were aware of what was happening in Varnath, but to be involved directly? That was something else entirely."Go on," she said, keeping her voice steady, though her mind raced with questions. "What do you know?""I know they're using the revenants for a ritual. Something old." Rowan's eyes darkened, his expression serious now. "They're harnessing the power of the dead to feed something beneath the city. Something they want to keep hidden."A chill ran down Liyana's spine, her pulse quickening. "Beneath the city? What are they trying to summon?"Rowan hesitated, his gaze dropping for a moment, his usual confidence slipping. "I don't know exactly. But I've seen the signs. The magic they're using—it's ancient. Older than anything we've encountered before. And if they succeed..." He trailed off, his jaw tightening. "Varnath won't survive. Neither will anyone in it."Liyana's breath caught in her throat. Older than anything we've encountered before? That didn't bode well. Whatever this ritual was, it was far more dangerous than she had imagined."And you're just telling me this now?" she asked, her voice hardening. "After all this time?"Rowan's eyes met hers, and for a moment, the mask slipped. He looked tired. Worn down in a way that she hadn't noticed before. "I didn't have proof until now," he said quietly. "And you wouldn't have believed me without it."Liyana clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to lash out. Of course, I wouldn't have believed you. She barely believed him now. But something about the look in his eyes—the weight of his words—made her pause. He was telling the truth. Or at least part of it."So what do you expect me to do with this?" she asked, her voice sharp."We need to stop them," Rowan said, his tone firm. "And to do that, we need to find out exactly what they're trying to summon and how they're planning to do it."Liyana stared at him, her mind racing. Stop them? She wasn't even sure where to begin. The council was powerful, with resources and influence that reached every corner of Varnath. And if they were involved in something as dangerous as Rowan was suggesting... she had no idea how they were going to stop it."And you think you can just waltz in and stop a group of necromancers who have been manipulating this city for centuries?" Liyana asked, her voice dripping with skepticism.Rowan's lips twitched into a humorless smile. "You're underestimating me.""Or maybe I'm just being realistic," Liyana shot back, pushing off the wall and pacing a few steps, her frustration mounting. She was tired of this—tired of the secrets, the manipulation, the constant danger. And now, to find out that the council was at the center of it all... it was too much.She stopped, turning to face him again. "Why do you care, Rowan?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "What's in this for you?"Rowan's expression softened, though his eyes remained guarded. "You think I don't care about this city? About what happens to it?" He took a step closer, his voice low, intimate. "You're not the only one who has something to lose, Liyana."She swallowed hard, the intensity of his gaze making her heart race. Something to lose. The words echoed in her mind, twisting around the part of her that still didn't trust him. But there was something in his voice—something genuine, something raw—that made her pause."What happens next?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.Rowan's eyes flickered with something dark, something dangerous. "Next, we find out what the council is hiding. And then we stop them—before it's too late." Liyana's thoughts swirled as Rowan's words sank in. Something to lose. She hadn't considered that he might actually care about Varnath—or that he had something more personal at stake. And yet, here he was, pushing her to act before it was too late.The morning air felt heavier now, thick with the weight of everything unsaid between them. Liyana paced, the soles of her boots scraping against the cobblestones as she tried to process it all—the council's involvement, the ritual, and the fact that, whether she liked it or not, she would need Rowan's help to stop it."You're sure about this?" she asked, her voice quieter now. The edge had dulled, replaced by a gnawing sense of dread. "About the council, about the ritual?"Rowan's expression hardened, his gaze steady. "I've seen the signs. It's real, Liyana. And it's already in motion. If we don't stop it, Varnath will fall."She bit her lip, her mind racing. Every instinct in her body screamed at her not to trust him, but she couldn't deny the truth in his eyes. We don't have a choice. Whatever this ritual was, it was dangerous. And if the council was behind it, the consequences would be catastrophic.Liyana let out a long breath, her shoulders sagging under the weight of it all. "Alright," she said finally, her voice low. "But if we're doing this, we do it my way."Rowan's lips twitched into a faint smile, though there was no humor in it. "I wouldn't have it any other way."The words hung between them, heavy with a shared understanding that this was only the beginning. Whatever was coming, it would demand everything from them—more than Liyana was ready to give. But for now, there was no turning back.