Page 38 of Moon Raven Rising
“I hope you’re right. Are you ready?”
“Baby, I was born ready.”He grins, but even as he does, he swallows hard and chews on the inside of his lip. Taking a deep breath, we make our way to the table. Trent’s tunic sleeve covers the bond, and mine is only visible if you were looking for it. The sheer fabric sleeves on the dress I chose conceals them well enough. I’m not trying to hide the fact that we are bonded, but I want to be the one to tell them. Not just the mark on my skin.
As we approach the group, I feel Trent’s barriers rise as I taught him, not wanting my mother to pry into his mind. Not that she would, but with all the news they are about to receive, I know they will have questions, and I know from experience that it’s hard not to just try to just pluck the answers right from someone’s mind. Right now, they know only of the war we are on the brink of and Raelle being taken by Soren.
I rest my hand on my father’s shoulder, and he quickly turns to face me. His face morphing from shock to jovial.
“My girl!” He shouts as he stands, his voice echoing through the large space and his chair screeching across the stone floor. I am wrapped in his embrace, laughing before I can even think to respond. My mother stood in the commotion as well and is now eyeing Trent warily as he stands awkwardly beside me. My father finally places me back down on my feet, and Trent steadies me with his hand on my lower back and another wrapped around my elbow.
My mother’s eyes drop to the motion, then snap to meet mine, then my father’s. Pop nearly drops his whole head to Trent’shand as he sees it move from my lower back to gently rest on my hip. Only after my father clears his throat does Trent snap to attention, removing his hands and instead offering it to the man who sired me. I roll my lips to contain my smile, and making eye contact with Dax tells me he’s enjoying the scene unfolding too. His usual mask of fury instead is replaced by a moment of pride and maybe a hint of entertainment.
“Marybeth and Henry Amarose, meet my brother, Trent Fornax-Ravendene,Lord of Ravendene.” Butterflies of pride shoot through me at the formal introduction. I don’t care about titles, but I know it will impress my ma and pa.
“Call me Beth. Marybeth was my mother, and she was a bitch.” Ma smiles and then pulls Trent away from me. His face is beetroot red as she wraps him in a motherly hug. My father on the other hand stiffens. Placing his hands behind his back and says nothing. “This is my brute of a husband. You don’t worry about him. Come! Sit. We have much to discuss,” she says excitedly. This is her element after all, being a war maiden to the previous queen, not to mention an empath who literally can read the room.
Dax clears his throat, sitting back down as everyone finds their seats. “There is much to discuss, indeed. I’m not one to make idle small talk so please accept my apology now for cutting right to business. We have a war to fight, and I need my queen at my side.” Everyone sits up a little straighter as he demands the room.
“A fine king she has chosen. Queen Selene would be very proud of her daughter,” my mother says warmly. Dax’s jaw clenches, but he bows his head respectfully. “Maki, Lord of Loema, has been in charge of the regime in my absence and while things have been quiet; we suspect that much has been going on behind closed doors.”
“The sentries near the border of Demetrey have said that there is more than one dragon now. Ships have also arrived with the latest dragons joining the one that was a part of the attack on Loema, making us believe that Soren is working with Valeska,” Maki says. The collective silence is deafening as he lays out a map of the realm. “The kingdom is stirring with speculation as it is becoming known to the people that the queen is missing and the dragons have returned to Aldramani.”
“Soren is up to something. The deal that was in place with the Aberra crown and Valeska—died with the king and queen—Soren knew that. I think he’s struck his own deal now, and Raelle is part of that. It’s the only thing that makes sense.” Dax says this as he moves figures into place around the map.
“We plan on taking control of Castenelle first.” Dax continues, stabbing a knife at the cliffs on the map and deep into the wood of the table. His eyes are a storm of smoke with glowing embers at the center. “The Lord of Castenellehas chosen his side of this war with hissilenceto my claim on the throne.”
“Well, it shouldn’t be too hard to take from a dead man.” Everyone’s head turns as the man in the shadows speaks. “I mean, it wouldn’t have been hard to take regardless, but now…it’s likely protected by Demetrey. Soren likely has the prince and his forces already standing guard at its borders.”
Dax stiffens, but it’s Trent who speaks up. “What makes you speak so surely?”
“It’s not like anyone has asked for my knowledge of the situation… and I’ve been a little busy with all myinfirmary trips.” Cano steps out from the shadows, eyeing Dax, and continues, “When would you have liked I share?” Cano’s inky dark magic stains his skin, and the dark aura that surrounds him makes it appear as though the shadows follow him from where he pushes from the wall.
My mother sucks in a short breath at the sight of him. The ink that once stained his fingertips now spreads up his hands and arms and crawls up his neck like dead branches on a tree. “My gods, what has happened to you?” she asks under her breath.
“Castenelle is a fruitless target. It would better serve you to cut the head off the snake. Go strong at Demetrey without the warning attacking Castenelle will give.” Cano says pulling a chair from the table and sitting heavily into it. “That is, if you want to win.”
“And you know what it is to win?” Trent chuckles low, and I elbow him in the ribs. Cano may not deserve the respect he once had, but I can tell he’s trying. Not only that, but something about the way the darkness is traveling up his body and how his aura has changed tells me that something about him is off, making me both worried for him and those around him.
The brush of magic caresses my mind, and as soon as I drop my barrier, I hear my mother’s voice in my mind.“Dark Magic? His soul has been tainted by his wrongdoings,”she says while continuing to stare at Cano.“Only a gift from the gods will wash away the darkness.”
“What will happen if the gods don’t see him worthy?”I ask in return.
“The darkness will win and he will die.”Her response is simple but heavy causing me to swallow, blinking at the man who has been through so much at his father’s hand, and I can’t help but pity him. When he feels my eyes on him, he looks in my direction. His thoughts are unfiltered.
“Power radiates from Dax, but I feel nothing. Not a flicker of the fire that once burned inside of me. My wolf even feels far away. The darkness is eating me alive. I will give these Fae everything if it means my father pays for what he’s done.”
A choked noise comes from my mother, telling me she likely heard the same declaration I did from Cano. Reaching over, Iplace my hand on Trent’s thigh. When I see him about to open his mouth again, I shake my head. His lips snap shut in a frown, but he does as I wish, and I thank the gods for it. As much as Cano has done… something tells me he doesn’t deserve nearly as much as he’s gotten in return regardless of the pain he’s caused. The pain coming from him at this moment almost takes my breath away. I have to shut myself off from him so I can even think of anything else.
“What would be your move? How do we get Raelle safely from the castle and still take down Demetrey?” The room goes silent at my interruption, but I don’t falter. I keep my attention trained on Cano. He shifts in his seat, noticeably uncomfortable, but he clears his throat.
“The tunnels and caves beneath the castle. It has to be where they are letting the dragons perch. Many of the caves open up to the sea wall, and the tunnels are a labyrinth that lead to many areas within the castle and beyond.” He sits up straighter, laying his blackened palms down on the table; his arms spread wide. “I would send a small group inunderthe castle; there are no barriers anymore that work. If you can get in undetected…”
“A dragon can eat them? That’s your genius plan?” Trent all but laughs.
“He’s right.” The voice comes from behind us, and I immediately freeze. My mother’s head snaps up from where she was staring at Cano’s stained hands, and her eyes flare. She stares wide-eyed at Dax as the owner of that voice closes the door to the dining room with the dragging click of his boots approaching the table behind us.
It’s my father’s choked voice that pierces the thick air. “Ric?”
“Pa, you put on some weight.” Emotions I’ve never seen grace my father’s face fill it so fully I almost choke as Alaric addresses him. Tears fill his eyes as he takes him in, head to toe. “I guess I have too, huh, considering I should be bones and all…” Mymother’s hand slaps to cover her mouth and her tears steadily fall over it, dotting the wood where she leans over the table. Her eyes close, but the immense feeling of hurt and relief swirls through the room from Ma and Pa as the realization hits them.
