Page 19 of Moon Raven Rising
“You have missed some pretty important moments in my life, Dax.” His lips thin into a line as he tries to hold emotion in, talking to the man behind his back.
“The gods blessed me with a mate.” He smiles, “Ambriel. She’s everything, Dax. Everything and more. I understand your actions a little more now. Everything that has led up to this moment. I guess I just wanted to say that… I understand. I’m not a boy anymore. I just—get it. And I love you more for it. I’ve never thought less of you, but now that I have a mate, a future to look forward to for more than myself… the loss of Mel… Life is too short and it’s taken too much… Pain and loss, grief and anger, and just time for me to figure that out. I hope that one day you get to make that realization too.” He rests his head on the stone wall behind him and wipes his hand down his face, quietly sitting there with those words hanging in the air.
I feel his words wrapping around my heart and squeezing so hard it’s painful. He’s right. My little brother, the sweet baby Trentikins from our childhood, has evolved before my eyes over the years. I wish I could tell him that he need not look up to me and the man I was because the man he is now is far superior.
“I’m proud of the man you have become. Our parents would be proud, and you should be proud of yourself. I love you, Trent.” As though he hears my words, he tilts his head, his eyes searching the darkness just where I’m sitting.
“I love you, brother.” He whispers, his vision lingering for a moment longer before he pushes from the ground and climbsfrom my view in the direction that Ambriel and Alaric went. A burning pain sears my chest watching my kid brother walk away from me. So bad, do I want to yell for him to come back. I want to pull him in close and squeeze him in an unyielding hug and never let him go. Even though I feel desperate and broken, I have to stay positive.
My brother is here; granted, he brought Cano with him, but there must be a reason. Alaric and Ambriel too. They must have a plan, and I have to trust them. Though, even as I think it, I wonder about Raelle. Where she is… and why is she not here with them?
My gaze is pulled to my body, still unmoving on the dirt floor. My brow furrows the longer I sit there, staring at myself lying there. Thinking of why I am here. I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I would bet that what they came looking for is also the key to my escape.
Chapter seventeen
“Stand back,” I sayas I approach the glimmering magic veil that blocks off the cave entrance. We looked all around for another way in, but it seems the only way into this cave and the tunneling that is throughout the cliffside is deep underwater, just as Dax said.
Except I have an idea.
Trent wraps my sister in his arms protectively, and I lift my chin as I take another step closer to the dark magic. I truly feel better about doing this knowing that Trent will protect my sister if something were to happen to me. The mating bond and their feelings for each other seem strong enough to give me at least that confidence.
My throat is suddenly tight when I try to swallow. I would never admit it out loud, but I’m terrified Dax or I will not come out of this. I worry that he has been right all along. That allthe Ravendene line will ever know is a failure, that my father’s sacrifice will have been for nothing. Now that I know I am a Ravendene too, it only makes sense, considering the life I’ve lived… or perhapsnotlived…
The magic reaches out for me like mist. The cool malefic darkness causes my heart rate to spike and my breath to hitch being so close to it. My nose flares as I pull in as much air as my lungs will allow, then forcefully blow it out of my mouth. Readying myself for what’s to come. I can feel the other’s presence behind me. Each of their gazes, burning at my back. I have no time for goodbyes, no time to go back on this decision. They know how much is riding on this, even if they don’t fully understand it.
Hell, I barely understand it myself. All I have to go on is my instinct and the trust I have in the bond marked on my chest. Somehow, after the vision from the fountain, I just have an overwhelming sense of knowing what needs to be done. After the visions, when my body went to rest in a healing sleep from the magic it took from me…
I saw how.
Just the thought of doing it brings a burning sensation to my chest, to the shield that lies over my heart. Lifting my right hand, I remove one glove and then the other. Tossing them to the pile of rocks to my right. I bring my hand up parallel to the rippling dark magic. Close but not yet touching, my fingers tremble with both trepidation and anticipation. My heart is pounding like a war drum in my chest. I clench my jaw tight as though it will stop it from crawling out of my throat.
Then, I call on my magic.
Usually, I have to be touching someone to control their thoughts and their minds, but I don’t only call on the magic inside me. Closing my eyes, I bring every ounce of magic to the bonding mark I have with Raelle. Should this work, I will be ableto step through the dark rune barrier. The shield on my chest burns white hot, as though it’s being branded there by a hot iron. It sucks the air from my lungs. There is a swarming of chaos in my ears as I inch closer to the wall of magic. I’m not entirely sure what will happen if this doesn’t work… Something I refrained from telling my sister.
Then, like stepping through a waterfall, the fire is gone. Both inside and outside heat pulled from my body as though I was just splashed with the coldest water. The moment my eyes snap open, the torrent of chaotic noise in my ears is—gone. Deafening silence now greets me as I spin to face the Fae who I came here with, and I’m greeted with none other than a wall of black. I cannot see anything beyond the barrier.
I take a step backward and inhale a deep breath through my nose and out of my mouth.
It worked.
I’m in the cave, having crossed through the rune wall of magic. But with the wall at my back, I don’t know what it means. Perhaps I’ve only locked myself in this prison too. There is no way of knowing until I find Dax, we get what he came here for, and we try leaving together. I refuse to leave without him by my side.
The cave is dark, and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust. There is only one small archway at the back of the cave. Stepping forward, my boot catches on something, causing me to careen forward. I curse as I stumble to catch myself. My body lifts from the ground and then is slammed against the stone wall.
“Where is she?” A voice growls as it pins me harder against the wall. The man’s eyes lighting from behind in a flash, like a candle flickering in the night. My face softens with realization—It's Dax.But when I say nothing, his hand wraps around my throat, pushing harder, and he crushes me to the wall.
“Soren—” That bastard’s name is all I choke out in response to his question. I don’t fight him, only look him in the eyes, in hopes that he sees the pain I have there matches his.
“Is she—” Dax’s words trail off, but the pain is no less intense.
“I believe that she’s okay, but we don’t know for certain. None of my spies have been able to get eyes on her… We would feel it though, Dax. If she were to—” It’s his turn to interrupt me, but he doesn’t use words. My voice is cut off by the impact of his fist on my face. The strike sends a bolt of lightning through my skull. I scrunch up my face, then turn my head as he lets me go. Roughly pushing me away from him. I spit on the ground, a mixture of saliva and blood, and slowly bring my eyes to meet his once again.
“I’m sorry. I failed, but I’m here now. I’m going to help you get out of here, then we are going to fucking kill Soren Croix,” I say, stepping forward, refusing to back down. He has to understand.
“And what of Cano? You came here with him. Trent too…Why is he walking around alive?” Confusion clouds my mind with anger, and I grind my teeth.
“It’s a long story. Perhaps a story for another day.” Wiping blood from my busted lip, I stand and straighten my tunic. “Let’s find what you came here for. We have a queen to rescue,” I say, and he growls, narrowing his eyes but doesn’t argue. Seeing him like this is bizarre, to say the least. The same man, but darker, wraith-like. As though he is only a breath away from blowing away in the wind. My gaze lingers with his for only a moment before I brush past him. I can’t help but look down at my hand, wondering if I too have this ethereal look of a shadow, but my hand is as solid as it always has been.
