Page 238 of Midnights
I slide my eyes to her, trying to read her expression, but she’s locked up tighter than a safe. The only clue to her turmoil is the shallow rise and fall of her chest.
“Raven,” I murmur, my voice low enough for only her ears. “Talk to me.”
She looks up to meet mine and opens her mouth, only to look away.
I turn to my men, my tone dropping to a lethal calm. “Thank you. That’s all for now. Clean up the mess outside, and if there’s something out there, I want to know about it.”
“Yes, sir,” they reply, both moving quickly, leaving us alone in the dim light of my office.
Raven’s fingers lift to her necklace, again.
“Let’s take a walk.”
She blinks, startled out of her thoughts, and looks up at me. For a second, I think she might refuse, but then she nods. “Yeah… okay.”
I guide her out of the room, my hand on the small of her back, a possessive touch I don’t bother to hide. As we move down the hall, the house feels different.
Raven drifts slightly ahead, stopping in front of a series of paintings hanging along one wall, the same ones she's seen before. She's looking at them like she’s searching for answers in the brushstrokes.
“Those were my mother’s doing.” I try to keep my tone casual. “She insisted they stay, no matter how much I might’ve wanted to redecorate.”
A faint smile tugs at her lips. “Poor baby,” she teases. “The old paintings didn’t fit your bachelor pad aesthetic?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’ll have you know, I’m very attached to these paintings. They add character.”
Her eyes linger on mine, “They’re awesome,” she whispers, her voice quieter now. “I can see why she wanted you to keep them.”
For a minute, silence stretches between us as she lifts a hand, hovering near the edge of the frame, but she hesitates, pulling back like she’s not sure if she should touch them.
“What’s on your mind?”
She exhales slowly, her shoulders sinking under the weight of whatever she’s caught in. “Everything that's been happening… it's just a lot.” She admits. “The lights, the storm, the things Cam found about my family. It’s like… I’m starting to wonder if there’s more to this than just bad luck.”
Her voice trembles, and I catch the fear she’s trying so damn hard to hide. I also notice that I didn't fall under that category.
“Part of me wants to believe it’s just a fluke,” she continues, her eyes looking between the paintings. “But another part I’ve tried to ignore for so long… wonders if there’s something more. Ya know? Do you ever wonder if there’s any truth to fairy tales?”
Her question catches me off guard as she lifts her eyes to mine, searching for something.
“My sister and Cam believed in magic too. Every Solstice, we’d all leave little gifts for the fairies, hoping they’d lead us to their camp.”
A quiet laugh escapes her, light and unexpected. “Did it work?”
“Not exactly. But Cam swore once that he saw a fairy ring light up. I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was just fireflies.” I chuckle, the image of Cam running around the garden with a jar of cookies still vivid.
Her smile softens, but the weight in her expression doesn’t fully lift. I can feel it pulsing between us like a heartbeat.Let me in, Princess.
“Sometimes, I think those old stories hold more truth than we give them credit for,” I add, my tone softer.
Raven stops walking, and turns to face me, her eyes search mine like she’s trying to decide whether or not I’m fucking with her.
“Whatever this is, it's mine to deal with.” I pause, letting the silence stretch. “Might even be entertaining.”
She lets out a laugh, and the tension in her shoulders eases slightly. “I think…” she hesitates. “I think I need to sleep on all of it.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “Maybe we can talk more in the morning?”
I nod, hearing the exhaustion in her voice. “Sleep, Princess. I'll handle the rest.”
When we reach the door to her room, I stop, turning to face her. “If you need anything, you know where to find me.”
