Relic and Ruin

CHAPTER FIVE

EPISTEMOPHOBIA – FEAR OF KNOWLEDGE

There was a bird at the window again.

It was big, with the same blue-black, oil-slick feathers as the first one. But this bird had pea-green eyes; its face was completely unscathed. It watched from outside as Nyx resurrected the butterfly within the jar.

They'd returned home that afternoon only to have to sit through another lecture from their mothers about the importance of laying low. Later, Nyx found a note, written in Chasity's cursive, slid under her bedroom door:

We need to talk. I'll come see you tonight.

Chasity hadn't spoken a word or even glanced Nyx's way all night. Maura and Nyx's mother both said she seemed fine, but Nyx thought otherwise. Chasity knew something. Whether it was about Erebus, the raven, or the locket, she knew something. And right now, something was better than nothing.

Nyx glanced at the clock on her bedside table: 11:42.

Tap.

The raven outside shuffled closer. He turned his head side to side. Bjørn growled from the end of the mattress.

"What?" she said to the raven.

Tap.

"What do you want?" She waved it away. It briefly leaned backward before tapping once more. Then it placed its beak to the window and scratched the glass, around and around until a clear, lopsided circle appeared in the frost.

Nyx raised an eyebrow. The raven leaned back again to assess its work.

"I hope you don't expect me to understand what that's supposed to be," she said. The raven answered with an irritable squawk. Nyx stared at the squiggles on the glass, which reminded her of Lilith's painting. The necklace and the raven. Erebus's necklace.

"What are you, his pet?"

The raven tapped the glass.

Chasity burst through the door, causing both Bjørn and the bird to jump. She closed it behind her. The raven inspected her. Bjørn sat up, tail wagging.

"Hey," she said, facing Nyx. She spotted the bird. "Nyx, what are you doing with that?" Chasity crossed the room and went right up to the window. "Get out of here," she hissed, followed by some seer curses.

The raven flapped clumsily and flew up into the trees. Chasity glared until it was no longer visible.

Nyx gave Chasity a less-than-impressed look. "What was that for?" She peered out the window, trying to find the bird in the trees.

"I don't like them," she said.

"Since when?"

Chasity sat down on the edge of the bed, tucking a strand of curly blond hair behind her ear. "I honestly don't know. The vision I had last night . . . I, uh, I saw a lot of them."

"Ravens?" Nyx asked. Chasity nodded. "Any idea why?"

Chasity shook her head. "Sometimes I'd see a boy—a few boys, different faces each time. One second they would be there, and then the next there were just these big black birds in their place. I kept getting caught in between. Seeing them half man, half bird. Beaks on human faces—I don't know, it just scared me."

Nyx cleared her throat. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Chasity narrowed her eyes. "You know exactly what I want to talk about. I know you have the necklace, Nyx. The vision showed me the amusement park. I saw you pick it up."

Nyx swallowed and looked out the window.

"So, do you have it here?" she asked. Nyx stared at her for a long second before nodding. "Can I see it, please?"

Nyx stood and went to the bookcase. She pulled out a shelf and held it as she retrieved the silver locket, which she'd shoved behind a row of books.

Outside, a raven called, and Chasity glanced out the window. Nyx sat back down on the bed and held out her hand, the silver coiled in her palm.

Her cousin backed away, raising her hands. "Oh, no, I don't want to touch it."

"Why?" Nyx asked.

"Just . . . because." She turned her head, birdlike, inspecting the jewelry. "So, what's he like?"

Nyx looked at her, confused. "Who?"

"Erebus Salem," she said, not taking her eyes from the pendant.

"How do you know him?" Nyx asked.

"I saw him, Nyx."

"What, the other night?"

She nodded. "The vision showed me where you met. And then some."

"What do you mean?"

"He's going to come back. He's going to find out you took this—if he hasn't already." Her eyes welled with tears.

"You're freaking me out. Why are you so worried about this? It's just some kid—"

"He's not just some kid, Nyx. I don't know about you, but I could feel how not normal he was. There's something wrong with him, and I don't want you anywhere near him."

Nyx knew what she was talking about. Her detector had warned her over and over that night—something was wrong with him.

"What else did you see?" Nyx asked, whispering, afraid of what she might say.

Chasity sighed. "I heard people yelling, screaming. The sound of fire crackling and smoke so thick I almost choked." Her eyes were wide and blank, like she was reliving her vision. "Then you're standing with Erebus. He's got his hands raised, blood all over him. You're crying and holding a blade at his chest. There's blood all over you too. It's dripping from your chin, the ends of your hair. I can't see where you are; I don't recognize any of it."

Nyx blew out a puff of air. "Anything else?"

"A lot of birds. Ravens, anyway. Trees full of them. And then it's a group of boys, watching me, and there are daggers and staffs and these different symbols that I don't know, but they made me feel physically ill. Then a woman with red eyes, smiling—"

"Not Eris?" Nyx asked.

"No, this one had horns."

"Horns?"

Chasity nodded. "I'm always seeing doorways, gold and red ones. An albino snake sitting on the shoulders of a man as he leans into frame. I can't see his face, either, but I know he's, like, waiting for someone."

"And you don't recognize anyone?"

Chasity shook her head. "I have no idea who they are, but I know they're important—or, at least they will be, to you."

Nyx nodded, and the two of them fell silent.

"And . . . was that the end of it? The man at the door?" Nyx finally asked.

Chasity stared out the window. "No."

Nyx watched her, waiting.

"The last thing I see is you, alone, on a floor. There's blood and golden dust all around you. Your wrists and ankles are bound, and you're just sitting there, crying. People are screaming for you, and I just get this feeling like . . ."

"Like what?" Nyx pressed. Her cousin didn't answer. "Chasity," she hissed.

Chasity looked up, eyes wet, and Nyx knew what she was about to say.

"Nyx," she began. "It felt like you died."