Serpent's Blood

7 – Serp

reywood wa

eals made in alleys, violence traded like currency. T

Isaac Marshall walk thro

he serpent glowed faintly in his pocket, a compass drawn in blood and fury.

s leading hi

ing parking garage on the edge of Thorn Market. Tag-covered concrete

he stepped insi

we

ting like smoke

ding it well-b

owed th

generator. Around a rusted va

th

vo

you'd b

stoppe

al rings in both ears, eyes like mismatched marbles-one brown, one blue

hall's boy,"

clenched. "A

father. Knew what he was.

y that in two days," Isaac said

his eyes. "Good. That'll keep you

I'm here because someone came into my place, stabbed

r said. "But I

door hidden behi

r the Black Vein. Nothing moves in

he door, but Rik

," he said. "And she doe

gold for a split seco

Incense. Chalk lines. Runes on the

at in a suspended chair, her

eedles piercing her arms like jewelry. Sh

c Mar

. "You k

ng that bleeds i

did

You burned gold recently. Let me gu

said n

moves fast. De

said. "Who sent the bl

name of the hand that held it

ice was lo

orward, her v

ou'll o

he growled. "Not in the m

hin stone tablet etched in red. She ran a finger

omed across

ymb

cracked moon

ize it-but the bloo

fla

. Hot.

he Lunecarve Guild. Assassins. Magi-trained. Not freelancer

rled into fists.

n't k

id you know

n't write names-they trade in favors and silence. If yo

he

eath the Crescent Terminal. Third rail. Old subway li

o leave, but S

re thin

sto

hated him most... was once his closest brother. If you w

ck into the night,

orld now-where names were weapons and silence could kill. The Lunecarve

his chest wa

s gro

d for hi

going to ble