Chapter Five
RAVEN WENT VERY stillwhen the dark wizard stepped out of the mystical darkness that had surrounded her and Tor’s memory and stepped into the cave. When he did, whatever world had touched Midgard’s Rift faded, and everything turned golden, reflecting the way it actually looked. When that happened, her sisters and their mates finally became visible.
“Come no closer, stranger,” Dagr warned. He and Thorulf shifted and bared their teeth, assuming correctly that the Irishman could hear them speak telepathically. “Not until we know your role in all this.”
“Is it not clear?” The wizard’s steady gaze locked on Raven, and he lowered his hood. “I’ve been summoned, so I have come to help.”
Raven was surprised she didn’t have more of a womanly reaction to him because he was gorgeous. Nothing like she would have expected. Nothing like he'd been outside the cave in her trance. Despite robes hiding much of his physique, it was clear enough with his tall, broad-shouldered build that he had a body to rival Tor’s. His hair was a rich blue-black, his angular features chiseled, and his eyes not really black but a deep, dark, mysterious blue.
“Who summoned you?”Tor growled, up in arms.
“I think ye know the answer to that, dragon.” The wizard’s eyes never left Raven. “Yer mate summoned me.”
“I’m not his mate.” Raven narrowed her eyes. “Who are you? Why do you haunt me?” She shook her head. “And what do you mean, I summoned you?” She frowned. “More than that, how can you survive down here in human form?”
“My name is Cian.” He seemed completely at ease with the male dragons surrounding him. As though he could take them down with a snap of his fingers if need be. “Ye summoned me because I gave ye the power to long ago.” He glanced dismissively at their surroundings. “As to withstanding the elements down here? My magic protects me.”
“Some magic,” Jade praised, eyeing him over. “So you’re the guy who saved Trinity in Ireland?”
“I am.” His gaze remained locked on Raven. “But it’s Raven I answer to. Raven, who is my kind.”
“I don't think so.”Despite Raven being a damn ghost, Tor shifted closer to her as though he meant to protect her.“You’re no dragon, wizard.”
“No, he is not,” came a feminine voice before a woman appeared out of a burst of flames alongside Loki. “He’s something much more like me.”
If Raven could have physically tensed at the sight of the beautiful woman, she would have. Clad in a long, black sumptuous dress, random wisps of fire flickered over her skin, and her aura pulsed as dark as Raven's sometimes did.
“You,” she managed. “How do I know you?”
“My name’s Revna.” Dripping sensuality, the seer sauntered her way, eyeing her with approval if Raven wasn't mistaken. “And you know me because we are often one and the same.”
“What do you mean?”Tor asked warily, caution in his eyes.
“I mean what I said.” Revna stopped in front of Raven. “Where my mind might have been tampered with when it came to recalling your sisters, I always sensed you, Raven. Helped you when you summoned me.” Her knowing gaze flickered to Tor with approval before returning to Raven. “And I’ll admit, it wasn’t all bad.”
“I don’t understand,” she replied slowly. Caught somewhere between a massive sense of déjà vu and incredible confusion, she shook her head. “What are you talking about?” She glanced between Cian and Revna and kept shaking her head. “When,how, did I summon you? Outside of hazy dreams, I’ve never met Cian, and I don’t know you at all, Revna.”
“Oh, but you do,” Revna assured. “And it’s only a matter of time before it all comes back to you.” She made a dismissive gesture at the god. “Not because Loki designed it that way, either, but becauseyoudid, Raven.”
“Wow,” Maya murmured. “That would take some serious power, I’d think.” She eyed Revna, clearly sensing something. “Power kindred to yours.” Her gaze flickered to Cian. “And yours, yes? Which would make Raven a seer or wizard, too?”
“Which means,” Raven realized, positive she was right, “that I was likely born into Vanaheim before passing through Helheim.”
She had done her research not only because she was curious about the seer who had hooked up with Tor but because she liked to be educated. Particularly about things that would directly affect her. In this case, given the powers she possessed, Vanaheim made perfect sense. According to her research, the Vanir were an old branch of gods, masters of sorcery and magic who ruled over an equally mystical world.
“That was Vanaheim we just witnessed,” she said, referring to the mystical darkness. “Yet you’re a Celt, Cian.” She shook her head. “Not Norse.”
“Yet kindred all the same.”
She was starting to catch a variety of surprising emotions emitting off him.
“Every culture has its own gods or mythology about it,” Cian went on. “But those of us who possess the ability to manipulate magic and predict the future are all kin of a sort, no matter our ethnic background.” He gestured at Tor without looking at him. “Your mate’s healing abilities make him more seer than he realizes, so he too is of our ilk.”
Though Tor had been described as having fewer powers than his cousins, Raven had wondered. Felt it might not be completely true.
