CHAPTER SEVEN
829 Words
CHAPTER 7: INTO THE UNDERCITY
(Damian’s POV)
Selene was too quiet.
The moment we left Devereaux and his lackeys behind, she hadn’t said a damn word. She walked fast, cutting through Ravenshade’s alleys like she was being chased by ghosts, and maybe she was.
Maybe we both were.
The idea of her making a deal with Devereaux churned my stomach, but what made it worse—what really f*****g terrified me—was that she had done it for me.
I wanted to be free of this curse, yeah. But not at the cost of putting her in his debt.
"Selene."
She didn’t stop.
"Selene." I grabbed her wrist, forcing her to turn and face me. "Talk to me."
Her jaw was tight, her eyes flashing. "There’s nothing to talk about."
"Bullshit."
She yanked her arm free, stepping back. "What do you want me to say, Damian? That I hate this? That I know it’s a trap? That I’m walking straight into Devereaux’s game because I don’t have a choice?"
I clenched my fists. "There’s always a choice."
She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "Not this time."
I stepped closer. "You don’t have to do this for me."
Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, I saw something crack in her—something raw.
But then, just as quickly, she slammed the walls back up.
"We don’t have time for this," she said, turning away. "We need to get to the undercity before sunrise."
I watched her walk ahead, every step a battle she refused to let me fight with her.
And I hated it.
---
(Selene’s POV)
The entrance to the undercity wasn’t marked on any map.
It wasn’t a place most people even believed existed.
But I had been there before.
And I knew exactly where to look.
We stopped in front of a crumbling building—the Hollow Vein Tavern. It was abandoned now, the windows shattered, the sign half-rotted, but beneath its ruins lay something far more dangerous than any city street.
The tunnels of the undercity.
I crouched by the cobblestone path, running my fingers along the cracks until I found what I was looking for—a hidden switch buried beneath loose stone.
With a sharp twist, the ground rumbled.
And then—a trapdoor creaked open.
Damian stepped beside me, peering down into the darkness. "Remind me again why this doesn’t seem like a terrible idea?"
"Because it’s our only option."
I climbed down first, landing on the damp ground below. Damian followed, his presence solid behind me.
The undercity was a world of its own.
Tunnels stretched for miles beneath Ravenshade, a labyrinth of forgotten ruins, thieves’ dens, and black-market dealings. It smelled of wet stone, old blood, and the kind of magic that didn’t belong topside.
I led us through the twisting passageways, keeping my senses sharp.
People were watching us. I could feel them in the shadows, hear the soft murmurs just out of reach.
And then—we reached the heart of it.
The undercity’s marketplace.
A place where anything could be bought and sold—including secrets.
Damian tensed beside me. "I don’t like this."
"You don’t have to like it. Just follow my lead."
I moved through the crowd, searching for the one person I knew could help us.
And then I found him.
Sitting at a makeshift bar, grinning like a devil who had just sealed a deal with a dying man, was Silas Wren.
"Selene Vaughn," he drawled, swirling a glass of something dark. "Well, well. It must be my lucky night."
I crossed my arms. "Cut the crap, Silas. We need information."
Silas arched a brow, then glanced at Damian. "And who’s your grumpy companion?"
Damian growled low in his throat. "Try me, leech."
Silas chuckled. "Oh, I like him." His gaze flicked back to me. "What’s the job?"
I didn’t hesitate. "We need to find the Moonstone of Elaris."
Silas went still.
The lazy amusement in his eyes vanished, replaced by something colder.
"Ah," he murmured. "So that’s why you’re here."
"You know where it is."
Silas sighed, setting down his glass. "I know who has it. And trust me, you’re not going to like the answer."
I held his gaze. "Try me."
He leaned forward, voice dropping to a whisper.
"The Moonstone is in the hands of the Hollow Queen."
I inhaled sharply.
Fuck.
Even Damian stiffened beside me. "You can’t be serious."
Silas smirked. "Oh, I am."
I clenched my jaw.
The Hollow Queen wasn’t just some underground dealer. She was one of the most powerful, feared, and unpredictable figures in the undercity.
A woman who never gave anything for free.
Silas studied me carefully. "If you want that stone, Selene, you’re gonna have to do more than just ask for it."
I already knew what he meant.
The Hollow Queen didn’t make deals.
She made demands.
And whatever she wanted in return…
It wouldn’t come without a cost.
- Writer
