Raven moved through the palace corridors with practiced stealth, retracing the path she had taken earlier through the servants' passages.
Her mind was still occupied with thoughts of Ava. The princess's devastated face, her trembling hands, the hollow look in her eyes that spoke of unbearable pain.
But beneath the concern for her friend, Raven felt a renewed sense of purpose.
She needed to be stronger. She needed to be ready for whatever came next, which meant she needed better weapons.
The morning sun was bright as Raven emerged from the palace grounds, and she took a moment to orient herself before heading toward the downtown district.
The marketplace would have what she needed. There was a particular weapons merchant she had dealt with before, one who didn't ask questions and ke
