24. Eldon

ELDON

Fuck obligations and everything else this shit show stands for. It’s been driving me insane being apart from her. She scanned the room for us over and over again, but little did she know I was staring at her the entire time.

Seeing her stuck between Sebastian and Finn had my mother noticing the rage in me. It didn’t take her long to find what was holding my attention and the smile on her face grew. That still didn’t allow me to break protocol, but the second we could “mingle,” I was on my way to her, but Finn beat me to it.

Fucker.

Now, with Raven in my grasp, I just needed to say goodbye to my mother so we can get the fuck out of here.

“I’m trying to remember the details Leila gave me about you guys,” Raven murmurs, not hiding the fact that she did some digging on us. “So, Zane’s father is a member of The Monarchy?” She sticks close to my side as we weave through the crowd.

“Yeah. He’s actually The Monarchy’s liason on the board. His sister is part of the Monarchy council too.”

She nervously nibbles on her bottom lip as she glances out of the corner of her eye at me. “If what she said about Brax and Creed’s parents is correct too, where are they sitting if their…family isn’t here?”

A sad smile touches my lips as my stomach clenches. “Brax is at my table over there,” I state, pointing to where I’ve spent the evening, but I don’t stop moving us toward my mother. “Creed’s mother is still here but my mother always makes sure to have her seated at the same table as us. Maybe going forward, I’ll make her do the same for yours.”

Her nose wrinkles in distaste. “Nobody wants to be seated at a table with my father. Even Finn’s family didn’t utter a word to him.”

“That’s because your father is known for being an asshole,” I admit, and she hums in agreement.

Approaching the main table, Zane spots us first, quickly rising to his feet when he sees who I have with me. Since his father is a member of The Monarchy, he’s even more restricted at these kinds of events than we are.

“Are we getting the fuck out of here?” he asks, eyes wide and pleading.

“I just need to speak with my mother, then we’re leaving.” His shoulders sag in relief. “Get Brax and Creed so we can head straight out,” I add, and concern flickers in his pupils as he glances at his father.

He must sense his son’s gaze because he pauses his conversation with my mother to look at him. Mr. Denver momentarily glances down at his watch before smirking at his son. “I’m going to let you sneak off early but only because I want to schedule a meet-up with you in a few weeks, check in on you properly. Agreed?”

“Thanks, Pops.” He throws himself at his father in a quick hug before rushing off to my table. Raven turns to me with a quirked brow.

“Did he just call him Pops?”

“I’m quite sure he’s the only child of a High Monarch who can get away with it,” I reply with a nod.

Zane’s father isn’t what you would generally expect from a Monarch. They’re usually uptight, pretentious, and self-righteous in both their professional and private lives. Mr. Denver, however, loves his children very much. He almost gives my mother a run for her money.

“Are you leaving too, Son?”

I move around the table to my mother, lacing my fingers with Raven to keep her at my side. “Yeah. We’re going to head out but I wanted to say goodbye first.” Everyone says I’m the double of my Mama. Same smile, same mischievous eyes, and the same brown hair.

As I expect, she plants her hands on either side of my face like I’m still a small boy and smiles at me lovingly. “Okay, but can I also schedule one of these meet-ups with you too? Hopefully your father will be home by then. It feels like forever and the Gauntlet was a complete surprise to everyone so I want to make the most of seeing you in the flesh.” She gives me her best pout and puppy dog eyes and I nod. It was never even a question. “I would love it if the boys came too. Raven, you as well.”

My mother’s gaze turns to Raven, who stiffens at my side. Her jaw goes slack as she stares helplessly at my mother. “I-I…uhm…”

“I insist. Once I’m done speaking to this old fool, I’m going to hunt Evangeline down. It’s been forever since I’ve seen you both. Gosh, you were such a sweet little girl and now a beautiful young woman.”

Raven’s eyes widen, unsure how to handle all of the compliments being directed toward her, and I grin.

“Mama, don’t overwhelm her.” I clutch Raven’s hand tighter, stroking her fingers with my thumb.

“Thank you,” she finally breathes, and my mother takes that as a cue to hug her.

I still keep hold of her hand as my mother embraces her. She doesn’t overdo it, thankfully, and quickly releases her.

“I’ll see you soon, but make sure you send those boys over to me to say goodbye as well.” She gives me a pointed look and I salute her, which earns me an eye roll.

“Evangeline…Raven…As in Raven Hendrix?” Zane’s father chimes in as we’re just about to leave, halting us.

“Yes, Sir,” Raven replies, standing taller, as if preparing for some kind of attack.

His eyes crinkle as he takes her in. I can’t read his facial expression as he does so, but I don’t get a chance anyway before my eyes slam shut.

Pink-feathered raven.

Black and white chess set.

A storm.

Everything shakes with the chaos, but only one piece falls.

A bishop.

The raven slowly moves toward it, rolling it around with its claw a few times before it finally manages to get a good grasp on it and stands it up again. The moment the base of the bishop reconnects the chessboard, the raven’s feathers turn black.

Blinking my eyes open, I squint at the overwhelming noise. My disoriented gaze instantly lands on Raven, but it’s my mother I can hear talking.

“Eldon…Eldon, are you okay?”

I can’t respond right away, I’m too locked onto the worry in Raven’s eyes combined with the vision that just consumed me.

Raven’s hand lifts to my arm, squeezing gently, and it seems to pull me from oblivion. “Sorry, I’m good,” I breathe, the noise around me no longer as amplified as it was.

“Are you sure?” my mother asks, and I nod.

“I’m fine. Just a…”

“Vision,” she finishes, keeping her voice low as she leans in to press a kiss against my cheek. “If you have any concerns, you know how to reach me, alright?”

I nod and take a step back just as Creed, Brax, and Zane appear. I let them say their goodbyes as I turn for the door with Raven still at my side. She doesn’t pepper me with questions as we head out, which I’m beyond grateful for.

The second we step out into the fresh air, I sigh with relief. Reluctantly, I let go of her hand to dig into my pants pocket, retrieving my small pad and pen that I carry everywhere with me. I jot down the entire vision. Even though I can see them in my mind all of the time, it can be therapeutic to handwrite them. It can sometimes help me piece it together too.

Once it’s secured in my pocket again, I turn my attention back to Raven. “Sorry about that.”

“Why are you apologizing? I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Cupping her cheek, I eliminate the small distance between us until our noses brush. “Thank you. It was a vision, that’s all. I don’t get a say as to when they come through and I don’t really have a handle on the way that it consumes me so completely when it does. But with practice, I’ll eventually have more control over them.”

“That’s hot,” she murmurs.

“What is?”

“That you can admit that you’re learning. The amount of swagger you have, I sometimes expect you to think you’re mightier than thou.”

“I am,” I reply with a snort, and she snickers at me. “I guess we’re both full of surprises,” I muse, and her eyebrows pinch together.

“What surprises have I had?”

“Where do I even begin with you?”

She pouts, but I kiss her before she can say a single word. It’s slow, deliberate, and consuming. Her lips melt against mine, parting to reveal her tongue as she entices me further, awakening my cock.

Resting my forehead against hers, I look deep into her eyes, but before I can speak, I feel a slap on my back. Creed, Zane, and Brax circle around us, the latter wearing a frown as he has all evening while the other two smirk.

“What now? Our pretty Raven looks far too delectable to call it an early night,” Zane says with a wag of his eyebrows as he pulls Raven from my grasp.

Asshole.

“I’m ready to get out of this dress. It feels fake as fuck, just like the evening I’ve had,” Raven grumbles, pointing back at the venue. “But my brain is too wired to sleep, too, so past getting out of this dress and heels, count me in.”