Page 6 of Eclipse of Fate
Though everything went to shit with my plans, it’s working out nonetheless. I saw the mating bond marks on Raelle and Dax’s arms. I see now why it was so hard to change the course she was on. There was nothing I could have done to prevent them from coming together. The relief I felt when I saw the bond marks was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I knew that it was divine intervention that was working against my mission and not just my failure blocking everything I have worked for. It didn't change my goal.
The forest around me begins to thin, and the mud under my boots thickens the further I venture from the dense canopy of pines. Slowly, I trudge on toward the castle. Sentries are along the perimeter and on high alert since the battle, but I don’t plan on sneaking around much... I just want to try to get eyes on my sister again. It’s selfish, really, but I miss her something fucking terrible. I never got close to the farm once I faked my death. I didn't want to chance being seen by anyone, as much as I would have loved to go visit my family. Even a glimpse of them would have beenamazing, but I couldn't risk anyone realizing that I didn't parish in that accident. It was already a risk being so close to Cano and the regime when I was following Raelle.
I see a sentry inching toward where I’m concealed and duck low. She’s still oblivious to me where I am in the trees, though, the dark of the night working in my favor. There is another Fae posted on the battlement, watching over the grounds, but I’ve been doing this for a while, and I’m fucking good at it. I see where they have gaps in their coverage. It only takes minutes to notice they have their eyes turned away from each other long enough that I can slip right through.
Three… I take a deep breath…
Two… I incline my head as my focus narrows on the destination I'm set for…
One… I launch myself from the tree line, pumping my arms and legs at a quick pace. It only takes about twenty of my long strides to reach the castle wall. By the time the sentry at the tree line turns back around, I am hidden in the shadows of the tower. My chest rises and falls in quick succession as I catch my breath, but I can't help the satisfied smile that spreads across my face.
The guard above me turns just then and continues their patrol, completely unaware of my advancement on the castle walls. It’s sad how easy it was for me to get this close, and I will make a point to address the security detail at the castle wherever the queen settles when she takes her rightful place. That is, once I’m in good graces with her and Dax. I know it’s going to take a shit ton of convincing, though. From what I’ve witnessed, Raelle will likely not be too hard to convince... It’s Dax I worry about, especially once he finds out I’m responsible for Raelle’s memories being lost. I'm not naive enough to think that I can keep that hidden forever. They will find out, I’m sure.
I press myself against the rough stone of the castle, creeping further along the exterior wall toward the massive archways that must lead to grand corridors and even more opulent rooms. Maki has a thing for flare, so I can only imagine how that is displayed within the walls of his castle. Before I get too far, though, I hear boots stomping toward me at a furious pace. Holding my breath, I narrow my eyes as I try to see through the darkness. The moonlight highlights a dark figure that emerges from the shadows of the tall arches.
As the shadowy figure steps closer and into the moon’s glow, and when I realize who it is, my entire body stiffens. Dax stops abruptly, just before me—his chest heaving, jaw clenched, and his tight fists covered in blood. A ripple of magic brushes over me as he fully shifts, his face shrouded in shadow, but I see the glow of his raven behind his eyes. His wings burst from his back and bristle behind him before his chest rises on a deep inhale of the cool evening air. Judging by the hostile tenseness in his shoulders and the blood drying on his fists, I know that now is not the time to approach him. That wasn’t my plan for tonight anyway. Using my best judgment, I sink further into the shadows, allowing the darkness to consume me.
As though he senses my gaze on him, he sweeps his head in my direction, but it doesn’t linger on me for more than a second before he spreads his wings wide and launches into the night sky. The powerful gust of wind caused by his takeoff blows my shaggy, dark hair from my face. A grin spreads across my face as I think about one day showing the bastard who thinks he’s better than everyone else that he’s not the fastest in the sky.
I’ve been watching Dax and the others for a while now. Ever since I found out Raelle was holed up in Ravendene, getting way too comfortable with Cano. I was trying to figure out a way to get her away from him, when Dax went out and got himself cursed—it was me who delivered him back to Ravendene. However, the group doesn’t know any of that. Ensuring Raelle found the book that detailed how to break the curse was the most difficult part, but it had the effect I wanted and got her out in the open so I could get to her more easily.
I laugh inwardly at the thought. There was nothing easy about trying to capture her. I feel like I’m always just out of reach, and now I’ve come to realize that it was always supposed to happen this way. It makes me wonder if I should just step back and let fate play out. Clearly, nothing I’ve done this far has helped anything… unless it has. Lost in my own thoughts, I don’t notice the footsteps approaching until they are right on top of me, and it’s too late.
“Gods. Sorry, you scared me.” Raelle gasps as she steps out of the archway. Her hand shoots up to lay over her chest and her brows dip as she takes me in. I say nothing. Dipping my head in respect to her, I try to skirt around her to enter the castle without engaging—this is not what I planned for tonight. “Wait.” She puts her hand out, signaling for me to stop, but doesn't touch me. “Do I know you?”
“I don’t think you do,” I reply. The lines on her forehead deepen as she looks me over and then around us. Unease settles into her features as she realizes she is alone with a stranger, and she backs up a step. She’s smart to create space between us, but if my aim was to harm her, she would have already been fucked. She should not be alone outside of the castle walls. “It’s not safe for anyone to be outside of the castle walls right now. Especially seeing how easyit was for me to sneak past these sorry excuses Maki has as sentries. Would you like me to escort you—wherever it is you are headed?” My gaze sweeps out the moon-washed courtyard, then back to her.
“I—No, it’s ok. I’m going to go back in. I thought I saw someone come out this way, and I wanted to speak with him. I guess I had just seen you. I’m sorry for interrupting.” I can see how she would think that she confused me with Dax. We are nearly the same height, and both have strikingly dark auras. Dark hair and the same bronzed skin—in the shadows, I can see how we would easily be mistaken for one another.
“Sorry to disappoint.” I lull with a grin as I begin to turn away from her, away from the castle, and my diluted plan to see my sister.
“You didn’t tell me your name…” Her words stop my exit, and when my eyes meet hers, she narrows them, like doing so will show her what she's missing.
Deciding this was all a bad idea, I let my wings shift and unfurl. The black feathers shine in the light of the moon as I spread them wide in preparation to take flight, and I don’t miss how Raelle’s eyes widen with my shift.
“You’re right, I didn’t… I’ll be seeing you around, Raelle.” I wait for a beat before winking, and her eyes whip back to mine as I make sure to use her name. Which she's likely realizing now she never gave me. The way her brows shoot skyward brings a grin to my face. I shake out my wings before saying cryptically, “You better get back inside. There are holes in the defenses here; anyone could just sneak in and be hanging around the castle.” Then I launch myself into the night sky, and she watches in bewilderment as I hover there a moment longer than I need to. Not worrying about the sentries who will inevitably spot me. I'll be gone before any ofthem could catch me anyway. Something about the way she's looking at me and the magic I feel pressing against my barriers keeps me hovering there a moment longer than I probably should, but even though I’ve been studying her, she is still an enigma to me.
Chapter six
Surprise filters through mymind seeing the raven shifter hovering above me. He stays there only for a moment, a lopsided grin brandished on his face before he juts his chin to the castle, a clear indication for me to head inside. I heed the warning and do just that. I turn back the way I came, and my feet move at a quick pace as I return to the safety of the castle walls. When I round the corner, I slam into a hard body, and an embarrassing squeak erupts from my throat.
“Oh, gods. I’m sorry.” I rub my nose to dull the pain from where I just slammed it into his chest. Tonight is making my head spin with everything going through it. Why do I keep running into men left and right?
“Raelle? Are you okay?” Maki grips me lightly by the shoulders to ensure I’m steady on my feet and then lifts his gaze above myhead, looking down the hallway behind me. “What are you running from?” His brows furrow as concern brackets his mouth.
“I—I guess, I think I was just spooked and got a little turned around. I was looking for Dax. I thought I saw him coming this way.” I don't lie to Maki, but I also don’t mention my run-in with the raven shifter. I’m not sure why I don’t, and I chew my lip as I think about it. I didn’t get any sense of danger from him, even though he was most certainly ominous with his words. He looked so familiar to me. He sounded familiar…but I couldn't put my finger on it. Even when my magic hummed through my veins. Maybe I met him before I lost my memories? He clearly knew who I was, either way. Maki clears his throat, pulling me from my thoughts.
“I was headed to the infirmary. I got word that Trent is there.” The shock of his statement pulls my lips down at the corners as my gaze flicks to Maki’s.
“Why is he in the infirmary? Was he hurt?” My head begins to ache at the base of my skull. The tension in my shoulders pulling at my scalp.
“I guess so. Naza just came with the news only moments ago.” Maki’s brows raise as he holds out his arm, offering with a deep breath, “Would you like to come with me to see what’s going on? I don’t have all the information.” I press my lips into a hard line, taking Maki’s arm, and he begins leading me to the infirmary. My thoughts continue to swirl through my head about all the things that have happened tonight and my concern about what could have happened to Trent. I have a whole new set of worries accompanying those thoughts. Dax. I don’t know where he went. I thought he was going to be with Maki, but that’s obviously not the case. Maki curls his fingers on top of my hand, where it restson the crook of his elbow. “It will take time, but I’m sure Dax will be okay.” My eyes slowly lift to his.
“Was he with you?”
“Tonight? No. I haven’t seen him since breakfast.”
“I worry about all of them, but Dax... With everything that has happened, I’ve felt his energy shift, Maki.” He purses his lips as his gaze flicks over my face, then back to the hall we walk along. The dark stone of the castle walls bleeds into the shadowed floor. It feels like darkness is trying to consume me. Like the walls are closing in, narrowing, and my lungs struggle to get a full breath. I need fresh air. The high ceilings do nothing to stifle the chill settling into my bones. Everything in this castle seems colder and more empty in the wake of all of the death and destruction that Cano brought here. I swallow hard as all the emotions at war within me threaten to choke me.
