Chapter Text
"You can't tell anyone. Cross your heart."
Badger obeyed without question. Fingers quivering, he drew a cross over his heart. The situation must have been pretty desperate if Crow was resorting to a pinkie swear.
Strangely, in the wake of Crow's stunning revelation, Badger felt calm . What Crow had done... it could ruin the Black Ravens as they knew it.
Still, the fact that Crow had chosen him to be the secret-bearer— above all of their friends— held some comfort. It stirred a hidden confidence within Badger. So much that he was able to argue, "You should probably let the others know."
"I don't want them involved."
But you're willing to drag ME down with you? Badger could've screamed. Of course, he didn't actually scream. There was no way Crow could get out of this alone.
Sighing with resignation, Badger said, "Okay, then. What are we gonna do...?"
The two boys talked solutions, unaware that someone was listening to them from the auction hall's tunnel.
Louis had just been on his way in to the bazaar to show Crow the latest knick-knack his dad had bought. (Again, why his father needed a golden monkey statue , Louis would never know.)
However, Louis paused when he heard a hushed, urgent conversation happening. He pressed himself against the tunnel wall, recognising the voices of Crow and Badger.
As he listened, Louis's eyes widened; both at Crow's dangerous secret and his decision not to involve the rest of the Black Ravens.
Dropping the golden monkey statue, Louis darted outside to share the news.
Roddy was the first to know, and he was fuming. Rather than let him confront Crow immediately, Louis convinced him to help round up their friends. As soon as they informed Marylin, word spread like the plague.
Crow's got a secret! Crow's got a secret!
Less than an hour later, seven angry Black Ravens burst into the auction hall.
Crow blinked as the flock of kids consumed him onstage, each questioning and accusing and panicking.
"What were you thinking?" Roddy ranted.
"He wasn't thinking at all!" Scraps snarled.
"Told you!” Louis looked smug. "I told you he was hiding something."
Wren wailed, "How could you keep this from us, Crow?"
"Yeah! How could you , Crow?" Socket seconded.
" Why, Crow?" Marylin murmured.
Gus, who was the last to arrive, gasped, "What's this big secret? What is it—?"
Crow was blown away by their whirlwind of queries. Hysteria had turned them all against him, robbing Crow of his authority. He wet his lips to speak, but Badger beat him to it:
“SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!"
When everyone turned to him in shocked silence, Badger winced and shrunk behind Crow. "L-let Crow explain..."
"Explain what ?" Gus said. "Please, just tell us what this is about!"
"Maybe if you give me a chance ..." Though Crow glared at Gus, he'd regained the entire gang's attention now.
”You really want to know the truth that badly? Well, here it is. Somehow, that Third Eye Jakes found his way into the Black Market. And I refused to do business with the greedy git. Any minute now, he and the bobbies could be on his way to close us down." Crow folded his arms, taking in their horrified expressions. " Happy now?"
"Sorry we attacked you, Crow," Marylin said. "But you should've told us sooner."
Crow sighed, "I didn't want you all to get in trouble."
"Then how come Badger was in on it?" Scraps asked, still suspicious.
"Badge' could outrun Jakes if he came in.” Crow shrugged. (Not to mention the guilty secret had been eating him up inside...)
Wren rolled her eyes at him, but she was smiling. " Ah, Crow. We all could've helped you come up with a plan to stop him..."
"You... do have a plan, right?" Roddy checked.
Much to their relief, Crow tipped his cap, flashing them a confident smirk. "' Course I do ! Came up with it while you lot were all fussing. First, we're gonna need a tonne of melted chocolate..."
" Uuhhmm, chocolate!” Gus licked his lips. "What's that for?"
"For the birds , that's what. Now, let's head to Aunt Taffy's cart!"
With a cheer, the reinvigorated Ravens rushed out of the auction hall.
Louis remained, however, frowning apologetically at Crow.
“I'm... I'm really sorry, honestly..."
Crow jumped off the stage, grinning. "Forget it. Like Mari said, I should've told you sooner."
"It's not just that," Louis admitted. "About Jakes finding the Black Market... I think my dad might‘ve had something to do with it. He said he ran into Jakes the other day, on his way back from an auction..."
"Still, not your fault," Crow dismissed. "We can worry about your dad later. Jakes is our main problem right now."
Nodding, Louis smiled and they went to help the others set the trap.
Chief Jakes was going to get dunked in melted chocolate and attacked by a swarm of magpies.