27. Raven

RAVEN

The news of the fourth years is unsettling. It plays on my mind even after class is over and the day is almost done with. Ordnance class was a blur, from the swords to the news, my head was awash. I hate that there are always ten more questions for each answer you get and a whole heap of deflection that follows.

I spent the weekend walking on cloud nine after Friday night’s revelations, yet one minute into classes and I’ve plummeted back to the ground again. I’m still unsure what everything means between the guys and I but, in comparison to the deaths that keep on coming, it’s not the first priority.

Nothing has happened between us since the drinking game, just some small touches here and there, but nothing more. All I know is I’m hands down ready to do that again. Sooner rather than later, even if it’s for distraction purposes.

I just need to get through the next class, then I can get out of here. Everyone’s swords were transported to their rooms and I’m eager to learn more about mine.

We’re back in the main building this afternoon, rows and rows of desks lined up for us, and I take the same one I was encouraged into on my first day. That puts Brax behind me, much to his discomfort, I’m sure. He’s driving me insane with his closed-off exterior and gruff approach, making it impossible for me to even attempt to speak to him without starting in a fit of rage.

It seems the Bishops have me twisted and there’s nothing I can do about it.

My ass has barely hit the seat when the professor turns to me with a tight smile. “Miss Hendrix, I believe a third year is coming to collect you. You’ve been called for a meeting.”

What?

“A meeting for what?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure the prefect can confirm more with you,” she explains, waving her hand toward the door. I turn to look at the entrance and my stomach sinks when I find Sebastian standing there. The smirk on his face instantly pisses me off. He doesn’t say a word and stands there waiting.

“You’re not going with him,” Eldon states from behind me, making Sebastian chuckle and my defenses continue to rise.

Not going would mean putting on a spectacle that he would likely enjoy, but there’s some weight behind what Eldon’s saying. Sebastian is never going to lead me anywhere good, I know it.

“Professor, who informed you of the meeting?” I ask, not yet rising from my seat.

“Sebastian did. Now, hurry along. The quicker you go, the quicker you’re back.” She claps her hands for me to get a move on but I’m still uncertain.

“Yeah, Sis, let’s speed this up. I have shit to do too,” Sebastian grunts from the door, making the professor gasp.

“Sebastian, language,” she scolds, but he doesn’t care.

Feeling eyes on me, I sigh, rising slowly as I throw my bag over my shoulder.

“It’s a set up, Raven,” Zane murmurs, irritation morphing his features as he slams his hands against the table and stands too. “Professor, I’ll escort her,” he starts, and she immediately shakes her head.

“You’ll do no such thing,” she retorts. “Take a seat, Mr. Denver.” His nostrils flare, indecision warring within him.

“It’s okay, I won’t be long. I’m fine.” I know my reassurances fall flat and as I glance at the other Bishops, I can tell they’re feeling the exact same way as Zane. Brax included.

Glancing at Leila, she nibbles nervously on her bottom lip and I can’t handle the unnerving vibe stemming from Sebastian’s presence. I’m sure he’s loving it.

“I’ll be fine,” I reiterate once more before marching toward the door.

Sebastian takes off before I reach him, always trying to place himself one step ahead of me. I don’t ask where we’re going. It’s not worth my breath and he either won’t answer or will give me some bullshit response.

He leads the way down the long, marbled hall, through the main entryway, and along the west wing of the building. He doesn’t slow until we’re approaching the medical center and my eyebrows start to pinch in confusion.

“Why are we here?” I finally ask, relenting against my better judgment as he raps his knuckles on one of the blue doors.

“I’m just the messenger, Raven. Papa’s here to take you away.” The sinister smile that spreads across his face infuriates me.

“I call bullshit,” I bite back. This might have been what I was asking for when I first got here, but hell, a lot has happened since then. Leaving isn’t what I want. I know that instantly. Not when I’m learning so much. The Elivin Realm is nothing like I thought it was. There is death lurking in all corners of this life. People are dying to protect the outposts while those suppressed in Shadowmoor are fighting just to survive. As much as I hate the latter, I would rather die for a cause than simple existence.

“You can call it what you want, Raven. He’s here, Mama too. I hope you weren’t getting attached to anything. Or anyone,” he adds with a smirk, winking at me as he knocks harder against the door.

I shake my head, a sneer on my lips as I get ready to lay into him, but the door finally swings open and it’s Mama standing on the other side. My heart sinks, horror at her presence slashing at my insides as Sebastian salutes her.

“Tell Papa I did his bidding. Next time, he can leave you at home,” he grunts and my mother says nothing, just takes his wrath before he storms off.

I don’t understand where his anger and hatred stems from. If it was new, a sudden shift because we left for fourteen years, then I might get it a bit more, but he was like this before we left.

Once he’s out of sight, I twist my lips and turn to my mother. The pity in her eyes is instantly evident and it does nothing to calm the turmoil rising up my spine.

“What’s going on?” I ask, shuffling my bag up my shoulder. She offers me a tight smile as she opens the door wider and steps back into the room but nothing more.

“Come in, Raven.”

To anyone else she would sound soft and delicately spoken, but I can sense the unease in her tone, the cracks in her confidence.

“Not until you tell me why I’m here and what the medical department has to do with it,” I demand, remaining frozen in place as her gaze drops.

“Because your mother asked you nicely. I can use the alternative route if you wish.” My gaze whips to Abel, who stands behind my mother. His lips form a thin line, his eyes boring into mine as he waits for me to follow his command.

I’m not entirely sure what the alternative route is, but if the grimace that takes over my mother’s face is anything to go by then I’m probably not going to like it. Exhaling, I glance down the corridor, confirming no one else is here to rescue me before I reluctantly step inside the room.

I remain by the door, taking in my surroundings as I try to figure out what the hell is actually going on. There’s a medic bed against the far wall and the wall directly to my left is lined with cabinets filled with potion ingredients.

“Why are you here?” I ask, glancing between the pair of them as mama inches closer to the bed and papa rolls up the sleeves of his shirt.

“To see you,” my mother murmurs, the tight smile not reaching her eyes as she twists her hands.

“I just saw you both on Friday. What the hell has happened since then?”

“Nothing. We were hoping to do this after you danced with Finn, but what a surprise it was when we learned you had already left.”

I gulp, watching as my father knocks on the opposite door, all while keeping his eyes on me.

“I don’t understand,” I murmur, and he shakes his head.

“I know, but you will.”

What does that mean? Glancing to Mama for more information, I find her gaze is tipped downward again. Where is the woman with a backbone who picked me up off that porch and got us the hell out of there? Where is she now when I need protection from this man who is supposed to be my father? I don’t even know what’s happening, but I already know it’s not good.

Clearing my throat, I inch closer to the door behind me as I drop my backpack on the floor. If I have to run, the extra weight won’t help. There’s nothing important in there anyway.

“How about you explain it to me then?”

“Take a seat on the bed and I will,” my father counters, making my gut clench. He’s playing me, I fucking know it. “The door behind you is already locked, so running isn’t an option. The quicker you follow my orders, the quicker this will all be over with.”

“What will be over with?” I grunt, frustration coiling tight in my stomach at his lack of information.

“On the bed.”

Grinding my teeth, I step back and test the door handle, confirming it is, indeed, locked, and my heart sinks. It’s always the same with this man: submit or feel his wrath.

I don’t want either.

I flex my hands as I go against my gut and move toward the bed. Mama plumps the pillows, still avoiding my gaze. Sitting at the foot of the bed, I hate that my feet dangle, not touching the floor, making me feel like a small child.

“Well…” I push, and my mother grabs my hand.

“When you and Sebastian were younger, your paternal grandparents gifted us with a seer who specialized in exploring a child’s gifts before they came of age,” she starts, looking deep into my eyes as pain seeps from her very essence. “It seemed absurd, like a violation or something, so we declined.”

“It’s a good thing they went against our wishes then, isn’t it, Evangeline?” Abel murmurs, his expression indescribable as my gaze flickers between them.

“No, Abel. It only made things worse,” she answers honestly, anguish quieting her voice.

“I still don’t know what you’re getting at,” I grumble, my body wound tight with what they’re saying. Someone looked at my magic? To what, learn I had none or…? Fuck. Hope seeps into my heart and I can’t take it.

“His parents had the seer look into your souls when they spent the day with you. It was our tenth wedding anniversary and they insisted we celebrate, so we took the opportunity. It was perfect.” Her voice grows shaky as she lifts a hand to her mouth, a stray tear tracking down her face. “Until we returned home.”

My chest is tight, my throat dry, and my pulse pounds in my ears.

The way she looks at my father in this moment, like the world was theirs, like the love that held them together was diminished by someone else’s actions. I try to remember who she’s referring to, a memory of spending time with someone other than my parents and Sebastian, but nothing comes to mind.

“What happened?” I think I might be sick, but I need to know.

“When we arrived home…”

“They learned of Sebastian’s powers…and yours,” my father finishes as the door he knocked on earlier finally swings open and an older man steps through.

My powers?

Mypowers…

I have them?

Mama smiles weakly at me, lifting her hand to my face, but she drops it before she reaches me. “They had your powers suppressed before we even returned home.”

“My powers?” I whisper nervously and she nods.

Holy fuck.

“But in doing so, they also let someone else know what you would someday be capable of.”

“What great things you would be able to do,” Abel reiterates, which doesn’t bode well for me.

“Which is what?”

“We can’t be sure yet, the seer isn’t always correct, but once the suppression is removed, we’ll find out.” My father encourages the man toward me and my adrenaline spikes.

“What does that mean?” I ask, lifting my hand to stop him from approaching, but he completely ignores me as my mother grabs my face, turning me to look at her.

“I thought it would be safer to hide you, but I was wrong. I thought those who loved you would only want the best for you, but I was wrong. I thought you would be safer without your powers, but I was wrong. If what the seer said is true, your best defense… is you.”

“What does that even mean?” I plead, hating that they’re still talking in circles instead of explaining everything to me.

“All that matters is that you trust no one. Not even me. You don’t know what abilities another has, what hold they can have on another,” she murmurs, her grip on my chin tightening.

Why does it feel like I shouldn’t have whatever ability she’s talking about? If it has them both so worked up, I don’t want it.

“I don’t want the suppression removed,” I breathe, and she sighs as my father comes into view over her shoulder.

“As soon as we learned about the suppression, I had it removed. But the second your mother took you to Shadowmoor, you were draped in theirs,” he states, running his thumb over my temple where my black ink once sat.

“The mark is gone,” I breathe, flinching back away from his touch and he shakes his head.

“The ink was concealed, but the suppression still remains. That’s what my friend here is for.”

“I don’t want it,” I blurt, and my father laughs.

“When the time comes and your magic finds your soul again, they will either want to kill you or use you, there’s no in between. You want the latter and that’s what I’m going to be able to aid you with, Raven.” He stands tall, almost proud of the fact that he wants to use me. But for what?

None of this makes sense. I thought I was at war with myself over whether I wanted to be here or not but that was only the surface problem. Now it stands between me and my power. A power I’m unsure I want, even though it’s all I’ve ever wanted.

“I don’t want this,” I repeat, glancing at my mother, but she takes a step back.

“If I thought there was a safer alternative for you, I would take it. I might look like the enemy but I swear to you, I am putting you first in all of this,” Mama promises, another tear trailing down her cheek as the stranger my father brought in nudges on my shoulder for me to lie down.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I shout, leaping out of his reach and landing on the other side of the bed.

“I’m sorry, Miss. It won’t take long.”

That’s not the reassurance I want. I’d rather be facing some bullshit Sebastian is throwing my way instead of this. I want to go back to the classroom and refuse to leave. I need the Bishops. I hate it. I hate that I can’t survive in this room on my own.

“No.”

“Raven, there really isn’t time for this,” Papa states with a sigh, glancing down at his watch as he circles the bed.

“Stay away from me,” I grind out, inching backward, but there’s nowhere for me to run and he knows it. “If you lay a hand on me, I will fight and I will scream,” I yell, the rage inside of me bubbling uncontrollably until my entire body stills.

The fire that burned moments ago turns into ice, my rage simmering to a placid sense of calm as I move against my will. My father’s hand is aimed in my direction, guiding my rigid body to the bed. I scream, but no words come out, not a single sound, but it vibrates in my head so hard I’m sure I’m going to pass out.

Droplets of rain trickle over me and I have no idea where they’re coming from, but the unmistakable sound of thunder rumbles in the distance. Mama’s magic.

It doesn’t save me though, it doesn’t shield me from what I don’t want, it just storms in the room until my world goes dark.