2. Raven

TWO

RAVEN

“Our goal here tonight has been achieved. Please, go home and rest. There’s a lot to prepare for in the coming weeks. School will continue as normal, just with a few… adjustments,” Erikel declares, releasing my chin and staring out at the crowd.

Wait… what?

My eyebrows pinch with confusion as he steps back, his students flanking him on either side as he claps his hands together and disappears before our very eyes. Eldon, Zane, and Brax rush to my side, dragging me to my feet, but my eyes are set on Creed, who stands in the same spot he did earlier. His gaze is fixed on his father, Erikel’s warrior, who is staring right back at him.

My heart beats hard in my chest as the warrior takes a moment to search out Creed’s mother, the world stopping as they stare at one another, but it’s over too quickly as he spins on his heels and leads the rest of Erikel’s battalion back through the double doors. The second the wood slams shut behind them all, hysteria breaks out across the room.

“We need to get out of here,” Brax grunts against my ear, his hands on my shoulders as the sea of students and their families disperse around the room.

A grunt of pain reaches my ears and I look down to see Professor Burton lifting himself to a sitting position. He presses his palm against his chest, where the wound that killed him had been moments ago, as a confused look takes over his face.

I don’t have the energy or patience to catch him up to speed. I saved him. Someone else can deal with this part.

Eldon’s hand finds mine and I meet his eyes with a half smile, hoping to look less overwhelmed than I am, but I know he sees right through the attempt. Realization over what I just did is kicking in and the results of that are taking their toll on my body.

“Raven? Raven!” Mama appears before me a second later, tears filling her eyes with worry. Her hands clasp either side of my face as she tries to pull me in, but Eldon and Brax aren’t willing to let go. “My darling girl.” Tears fill her eyes but not a single drop falls down her cheek.

“How long have you known?” Abel demands, appearing behind her a moment later, and I shrug. Despite his earlier bullshit statement, which was something along the lines of, “You might hate me, but I love you more,” I still don’t trust him. Not one bit.

“Step back before I make you,” Brax bites, his hands dropping from my shoulders and grabbing at my waist as he pulls me back against him, effectively moving me far enough away from my mother that her hands fall dramatically at her sides.

Abel rolls his eyes, silently calling his threat worthless, but he doesn’t move closer as I expect him to. Instead, he wipes his hand down his face and glances out at the crowd as they hastily filter through the double doors.

“We should probably be doing the same,” Zane states, his shoulder brushing against mine as he steps into my right side.

“Fat chance of that,” Abel mutters, his brows furrowing as he continues to watch the mass fight over who is getting out first. “How are we even going to get out of here? The academy is no longer safe.”

As if hearing his concerns, another parent by the doors turns and hollers, “The gateways are open. We’re free to leave, but no students can pass through.”

The room drowns in silence for a split second before all Hell breaks loose and parents start wading their way through the crowd faster, plotting their own escape and leaving their children here to suffer.

I shouldn’t be surprised. I shouldn’t. But for some reason, I always expect better of people. Is that my version of hope? Clinging to the fact that people will be better, do better, try harder? Fuck if I know, but I don’t like the taste of disappointment on my tongue either way.

“What’s going on?” Zane asks as his father appears, offering Burton a helping hand and pulling him to his feet.

“He’ll want us to spread the news but keep the students captive,” Rhys explains, making my gut clench. After what I just revealed, that’s never going to end well for me. I know it.

Burton scratches his head and turns to face me. Despite wanting nothing more to do with the man right now, I still can’t help myself. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better,” he admits. “I’m sure I’ll get there, but you have a lot of explaining to do.”

I feel Zane, Brax, and Eldon tense at his words, which ratchets up my own nerves. But before I can respond, Rhys beats me to it. “No, she doesn’t.”

He wraps his arm around Burton’s shoulders and steers him toward the far corner of the room without a backward glance. My shoulders sag with relief.

“Seriously, let’s leave. Now,” Brax grunts, his hands flexing at my waist, and I nod.

“Surely there must be a way I can take you home with me,” Eldon’s mother states, appearing in front of us. “I can’t leave, not if you can’t,” she insists, and my heart clenches. “Are you okay?” she asks, stepping around my parents to look at me.

How ironic that it’s not my own parents asking me that, but someone else’s. Despite the appreciation for her question, I don’t have the ability to form an answer for her. There are so many concerns sitting on the tip of my tongue, but she doesn’t need to hear them. So, instead, I settle on glossing over everything. “I’m okay.”

“Mother, you need to leave. The sooner, the better. We’ll be okay. We’ll figure this out together,” Eldon insists, releasing my hand to envelop his mother in his arms for a brief moment. I watch her almost go limp in his arms, worry getting the better of her, but the grip she has around him shows her strength through it all, clinging to him like her life depends on it. All while my parents stand and watch.

“Creed,” Zane calls out, garnering his attention. He turns on the spot with his onyx eyes glossy and confused. “You need to say goodbye to your mother, help her get home, and then we can regroup back at the house.”

He nods once, Zane’s words kicking him into action as he strides toward the table where his mother is still sitting. I don’t hear what he says to her, but she rises to her feet a moment later with a sniffle.

“We should do the same, Evangeline,” Abel states, and my mother’s gaze cuts to mine.

“But, Raven.”

“It’s fine, you need to go. Hurry,” I insist. If she tries to stick around, I won’t be able to focus. It’s almost like I’d be taking care of her and not the other way around, and I don’t need the responsibility of someone else right now.

Abel places a hand on the small of her back and encourages her toward the door. He doesn’t glance back at me or seek out Sebastian. He’s just as focused on himself as he’s ever been.

“Let’s move,” Eldon orders, squeezing his mother’s arm one last time before he takes my hand again, and the five of us start moving, bypassing the students and families hovering in the hall who are wailing for help like they don’t have magical abilities themselves. Not that anyone actually threw them around to defend our academy—or realm, for that matter—but I guess they must have known we didn’t stand a chance. Not with the battalion waiting at the doors too.

We’re so fucked.

“This is all your fault!” Genie appears in front of me, pointing her finger in my face as her own scrunches with ugly tear tracks down her cheeks. Her confidence wanes as her bottom lip wobbles, but I don’t get a chance to push back at her outburst before she’s turned into ice before my very eyes.

I blink at her a few times, making sure I’m actually seeing what I think I’m seeing, but it’s not until a flash of blonde appears beside the ice sculpture that I realize it’s Leila.

“I’m sorry, I just… fuck her.”

“Yeah, fuck her,” Zane repeats, pumping his fist in the air triumphantly, easing the tension around us. Just a little.

“Thanks,” I murmur, sidestepping the icicles that hang from Genie’s still-outstretched finger.

“It’s no bother.” She glances around as if searching for someone, maybe her father, but after a moment, her gaze falls back to mine. “I think you guys better get out of here. Who knows what tomorrow will look like after you just exposed yourself to him.”

I nod numbly, my mind unwilling to consider anything past this very moment. I’m sure it will come alive later when I try to go to sleep, then it won’t just be the shadows dancing in my vision. It’ll be all of my thoughts and the worst possible outcomes that come with them.

The five of us move in sync once again, almost reaching the door before a breathless Burton appears in front of us. What is it with everyone wanting to get in my way?

“What now?” Brax snarls, clearly thinking the same as me, but Burton pays him no mind as he plants his hands on his hips and looks at me.

“Thank you. You didn’t have to do that. But you saved a lot of people.”

I shake my head, not wanting to hear what else he might have to say. Stepping out from my guys, I move toward the professor. “The only reason I did it was for him.” I point to where Creed stands a step behind me without looking. I need this man to know I mean exactly what I’m saying right now. “I’m not a hero, and I have no intention of becoming one, so don’t expect me to start changing who I am.”

Standing taller, my shoulders rolled back, I breeze past him without a backward glance. The only confirmation I have that the Bishops are still with me is when we make it outside and Zane sighs.

“Fuck, that was hot.”

“Shut up, Zane,” Eldon retorts quickly, but the snicker in his tone tells me he’s not in complete disagreement with his friend.

All of the carriages have gone and, to our left, gateways are lined up. Those who can escape flee swiftly, while other students are left sobbing beside them, unable to follow their families home. Most of them don’t even look back to console their children. They’re just gone.

Spinning to face Brax, I part my lips, but Zane speaks first. “Get us home, Stoneman.”

Brax rolls his eyes at the nickname thrown his way, but he still waves us to a quiet corner, hidden in an alcove of the academy building, where he creates his own gateway. I step through without hesitation, both relieved and worried at the familiar sight of our home that comes into view around me.

My feet hurt from not wearing shoes, but I feel too antsy to sit on the sofa and ease the discomfort. Creed steps past me, almost as though he’s in a trance as he comes to a stop at the glass doors at the back of the house, looking out into the darkness.

“What now?” Eldon asks as Zane flops down on the sofa to my right, but I don’t know how to answer him. My forehead crinkles with worry as I take the necessary steps toward Creed, desperate to pretend my own anxiety doesn’t exist so I can focus on him.

“Are you okay?” I ask, knowing it’s a pointless question, but I need to hear his voice in some way.

He tucks his hands into his pant pockets and continues to stare outside. “I don’t know what I am.”

Fuck. My heart clenches, threatening to take my last breath as helplessness claws at me, but I tamp it down, keeping my attention on him.

“I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now.” I reach up to tuck his hair behind his ear and he glances at me out of the corner of his eye as a heavy sigh rumbles from his chest.

“That’s the issue, Raven. I don’t feel anything. I’m just… numb.”

“We don’t have to just accept this, you know. We can demand answers, a war, whatever we want,” Brax states, and Creed instantly shakes his head.

“We can’t act rashly.”

Fuck. Wouldn’t we all like to, though? Direct all of the pain and anger we’re feeling inside at those who deserve it.

“Tomorrow is a new dawn. You know we’ll face everything together,” Zane murmurs, his words empowering in comparison to his usual humor, making my chest puff out.

“Why does it feel like we’re going to be waking up in the pits of Hell?” Brax asks, rubbing at the back of his neck, and I can’t help but agree. The anticipation of what comes next, after being completely blindsided, is twisting me in knots.

“Maybe we should try and sleep. We’re going to need all of our energy for whatever’s next,” Creed says, turning away from the window to place his hand on my back, and I immediately lean into his touch.

Everybody agrees with him as I nibble on my bottom lip. It’s only when onyx eyes peer down at me that he notices I haven’t responded. “What’s wrong, Raven?”

I feel like a fool saying it, but damn…

“Can you guys stay with me? I don’t want to be alone.” Not when I exhibited the magic I’m capable of. Not to some people I trust either, but to everyone. Friends, family, and enemies alike. I just made myself their weapon whether I like it or not.

Without missing a beat, all four of them say the same word in sync with one another, confirming that, with them, I’ll get through anything.

“Always.”