34. Raven

THIRTY-FOUR

RAVEN

Ispend a moment saying goodbye to my father. The words are stilted yet rushed, and I know when I have more time to process everything, I will have more to say, but for now, I surprise myself by leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead.

The second I stand, I’m hauled into a hard chest and the familiar scent that I know belongs to Brax surrounds me. More and more arms wrap around me from every angle and I know it’s my men. It’s weird being the one on the other side of death.

For me, it was all dark and bleak, but to them? Everything inside of me wants to apologize for putting them through that. Five seconds or five hours in the limbo of the unknown when a loved one is hurt equals the same amount of despair, and I hate that I put them through it.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter, and Brax rears back instantly with his usual frown in place.

“Don’t fucking apologize. Just be ready for us to slaughter that motherfucker on sight,” he grunts, and I have to bite back a smile at his fury.

“He’s going down. They’re all going down,” Creed adds, promise in every word, and I let his promise fuel my adrenaline.

“Are we ready?” Rhys asks. I find his gaze over Zane’s shoulder and nod.

“Yes.”

“And you?” His question is aimed at someone behind me, and as I slip from between my men, I find it’s Sebastian who has his attention.

“I’m all in. For my father and for Lyra,” he states, a darkness settling over his eyes like I’ve never seen before. I thought I had seen his dark side before, but this… this is something entirely new. And if it were aimed at me, I’d be terrified.

Mama grabs his hand and he stares down at it, his body stiffening, but he seems to accept her comfort despite his clear desire to not be touched. It’s weird to let someone in when you’ve been programmed to believe they’re the enemy. Even weirder when those people are family.

“Everyone, gather in close. We need to meet up with the others. Let the war begin,” Rhys says with a heavy exhale, and we all move in before he raises his hands in the air.

My eyes widen as the world shifts around us and I quickly realize he’s not using gateways. He’s just… moving us.

Noise picks up around us, warped and distant at first, as the scenery changes and bodies come into view. There are more people here than I expected, but still not enough to compete with the entire realm’s army.

“Zane!” The shriek comes from a girl who races toward us, bundling Zane in her arms before I can see her face, and my blood runs cold as jealousy coats my skin. My jaw clenches and my nostrils flare as they dance around in a circle, hugging each other.

“As much as green looks good on you, Little Bird. It’s his sister,” Eldon mutters, nudging me with his elbow, and embarrassment quickly prickles the hairs down my arm, replacing the jealousy that slipped over me so easily.

“I knew that,” I grumble, clearing my throat, but I know I’m not fooling anyone.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, the girl releases Zane and her gaze immediately fixes on me. “Oh. My. Gosh. You must be Raven, sans the pink hair, of course.” She smiles wide, and as I take in her facial features, it’s beyond clear that they’re definitely related. “I’m Sammi. The Denver who got the better genes, so I apologize for the shit you have to put up with from this one,” she adds, her grin widening even more, and I can’t stop my own grin from taking over my lips.

“I’m thankful you’re a girl because if you had taken that department as well, I would⁠—”

“Ew! Ew! Ew! Too much. Too fucking much,” she squeals, covering her ears with her hands as Zane laughs before smothering my cheek with feather-light kisses. The air transforms around us, a solemn and eerie atmosphere reminding us of what we’re about to walk into. “Are you guys ready?”

“I was born ready, Sammi,” Zane retorts, puffing out his chest, and she rolls her eyes at him. “I mean it, Zane. I fight for a living. I need to know your head is on straight and you’re not going to do something stupid the second we get in there.”

“He definitely can’t promise that,” Brax mutters, earning a death glare from the man in question, but he doesn’t respond to him, instead focusing on his sister.

“I’ve got this, Sammi. I promise.”

“Perfect. I was worried I was going to have to make you drop and give me fifty push-ups.” She winks at him as he shoves her away, then saunters off to join the others. That’s when I actually pay attention to what she’s wearing. She’s dressed a lot like a student from the Shadowgrim Institute. She’s geared up for war in tight attire, covered in sheathes with daggers attached to her in some way or another, and her hair is braided back off her face.

She looks ready for war and I look like I’m ready to…go to first class.

That needs to change, and fast.

“Any chance of getting our hands on some alternative gear to actually go to war in? I don’t think this skirt is quite as versatile as I’d like it to be.” I’m still looking down at myself as I ask the question, not realizing Rhys has rejoined us. It’s all well and good using my magic, but I don’t know where I’m at in relation to my closet so I can’t quite pinpoint what I need.

“Once we get inside, you can do what you need. We’re going to split up once we’re in there. The Monarchy members and fighters are going to circle around from the back of the Gauntlet. I believe he is going to have everyone gathered near the main entry point, and we’re hoping for the element of surprise. I’ll transport you guys to your house so you can take a second, and we’ll meet you here.” He holds a map out, and we all nod in acknowledgment. “Are the shadows, Drakes, and griffins waiting like we said?”

A smirk tilts up my lip. “Fuck yeah, they are.”

The stunning viewfrom the cliff’s edge swiftly fills my vision after Rhys gives his orders, and I can’t deny that this feels like a final goodbye. This place lured me in, made me believe there was hope in a time when I thought there was none left in the world.

It’s weird to consider how things carry on existing whether you do or don’t.

Inhaling a deep breath, I take in the jagged edges, the crashing waves, and the birds in the distance one last time. No matter what happens from here, I’m never going to live in these walls again. Win or lose my things will be shipped out and I’m finding a better alternative.

Lips press against my temple, filling me with a calmness that feels out of place in the face of what awaits us around the corner. I lean into their side, peering up at Eldon a moment later.

“Let’s gear up. It’s about time we brought all of this to an end, don’t you think?”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I murmur, despite the thoughts rattling around in my mind. I want to explain how much he means to me, how much they all mean to me, how this isn’t what I wanted for any of us, how I’ve wondered what a normal, mundane life with them would look like, but none of it is relevant right now.

Maybe if we get through this…

No… when we get through this, I can say it all then.

“Why did Rhys send us to our house to change when we could have used our magic to do it?” Brax asks, and I frown, just as confused by it as he is.

“I think he wanted to give us a moment. Everything happened so fast back there, and even though we don’t have much time, it’s a moment just for us. To take a deep breath, feel gratitude for everything that has led us to this moment, both good and bad. Then we can charge out there, focused and aligned with what needs to be done,” Zane explains, the words resonating deep inside of me.

A serene feeling settles over us and I know the rest of my men are letting his words settle in them too.

After a moment, I clear my throat before tugging at my magic to change. I watch the material change on my body, but I still feel the icky blood clinging to my skin, even though it’s no longer there.

“Dove, you look hot as fuck,” Zane blurts, eyes roaming over me.

“She’s ready for battle, now isn’t the time for you to start leading with your dick,” Brax grumbles, earning a chuckle from Creed and Eldon.

“You’re just jealous you don’t look that hot ready for battle,” Zane retorts, wetting his bottom lip, and I roll my eyes at him.

Black combat pants tucked into black combat boots with a skin-tight long-sleeved t-shirt slipped beneath the waistband. I opt to braid my hair too, taking inspiration from Zane’s sister, but I try to pin the entire length to my head in an intricate design so it won’t get in my way.

Calling upon my sword, it appears in my hand a moment later and I strap it to my waist. No other weapons, no other items of defense except for the necklace around my neck. I run my fingers over it and take another deep breath, then I tuck it away for safekeeping.

I may not be able to bring anyone back from the dead, but that doesn’t mean I’ve lost my other abilities, and I can still wield the magic gathered in the locket too. Mirror magic is now my bitch if bringing people back from the dead isn’t, and I can’t deny that it feels right…more me. The version that has had to adapt to the ever-changing world around me.

I’m a force to be reckoned with, and Burton isn’t prepared for what’s about to come his way.

Looking over at my Bishops standing before me, it feels strange to call them that now. It was a nickname bestowed upon them before I arrived here, and now that they’re my men, I don’t find it fitting at all. They’re more than Bishops, more than any other piece on a chessboard. They’re not a game piece to be played at someone else’s whim. They’re strong, resilient, and the backbone keeping me up.

They’re each wearing similar outfits to me, black from top to bottom, with fitted long-sleeve t-shirts, combat pants, and boots. They have more weapons attached to their hips in comparison to me, but Zane is right: prepared for war is definitely a hot look.

I store that fact away for another time as I roll my shoulders back, stand tall, and exhale.

I’m ready.

I part my lips, about to say those exact words when a garbled cry softly echoes in the air. My eyebrows pinch and I glance at the others to see if they heard it too. Everyone’s heads whip around when it sounds again, and we start to try and follow it to see what the source is.

Walking along the cliff’s edge away from our house, the guys right beside me, it feels as though the noise is getting louder, and after a few moments, understanding comes into view.

“Holy fuck.” I gasp, gaping at Leila, off the side of the cliff, her back pinned to the jagged rocks. Her arms are wrapped around herself as she sobs, confirming the source of the sound, and I hurry toward her.

“Raven, wait. It could be a trap,” Creed calls out, but it’s too late to question myself because I’m hovering above her, calling out her name.

She cranes her neck, staring up at me with tears streaming down her face. She blinks, and blinks again, her cries softening as she looks from me to my men and back again.

“Raven,” she croaks, tears continuing to flow down her cheeks. “You’re here. Y-you’re not d-dead.”

I try to smile, but I know it doesn’t meet my eyes. “No, I’m not. What’s going on here, Leila?” I ask, and she swipes her hands down her face, a choked snicker tumbling from her lips.

“My father wasn’t too happy with how I used my magic on Grave the second his grandfather’s abilities didn’t render me useless. I didn’t realize he could slow time for everyone in the vicinity.”

“What do you mean?” Brax grunts, folding his arms over his chest.

She’s the closest thing to a best friend I’ve ever had, so I hate that I do it, but I press my hand to my locket, seeking Lyra’s magic to ensure she gives us nothing but the truth.

“I mean that motherfucker stabbed Raven. Rage coursed through me, and in the next breath you were all gone, and someone had to retaliate.”

“So you decided that person should be you,” Creed states, and she nods.

“Even if he hadn’t hurt Raven, I would have done it. That fucker used me, or tried to at least. The entire time he was working with my father, with him. I’m pretty sure my father made a big fucking deal about me hanging out with him because he knew it would push me to go against his wishes anyway and throw me into the arms of the person he wanted me beside all along.” The tears start again, her pain vibrating from her.

“Is Grave…?”

“No, I didn’t get the opportunity to kill him. My father intercepted me before I could,” she admits, hanging her head in shame, but I’m quite certain the fact that he’s still breathing is a relief because I want to either do it myself or watch one of my men finish him. I deserve the satisfaction of watching him fall.

“Can we help her up?” I ask, unsure how to go about it, but the guys make it look simple as they hoist her up and place her on the grass beside me.

“Thank you,” she murmurs, running her fingers through her hair before exhaling harshly.

“Why did he leave you here like this?”

Her gaze falls to her hands twisted in her lap. “He declared me unsuitable to fight because I refused to stand beside them.” A hysterical chuckle breaks free from her throat as she shakes her head. “He muttered some shit about protecting me too, but felt I needed to be taught a lesson at the same time. Hence the cliff hanging.” Her head sags further with disappointment. “I had been holding out hope that he was under someone else’s control, Raven. Like, silently pleading every moment of every day, and to realize that this is all him…it’s harder to swallow than I expected.”

My chest clenches for her. All of this is hard, but at least on my end, both Sebastian and my father weren’t truly themselves. It doesn’t make their actions any less heinous, but it clouds my instinctive thoughts to rain Hell down upon them.

Standing, I offer her my hand, and she takes it.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she rasps, making my chest clench for an entirely different reason.

“Are you ready to fight?”

She nods before I even finish asking. “I’m ready to wreak havoc.”

Determination flashes in her eyes as Eldon pats her on the shoulder. “Perfect,” he mutters in approval.

“What’s the plan?” Her hands clench at her sides and her sword appears a moment later, ready for whatever comes next.

Smiling, I’m sure I look feral, but I’m channeling it. “We’ll walk and talk.”