Page 82 of White Raven

“I never knew my mother. I don’t have one memory of her,” I uttered, tucking a lock behind my ear. “Not even a trinket as a reminder of who she was.”

“Really?” His head curved toward me. “The king didn’t give you anything of hers?”

I rolled my lips together, watching the deer. “I got jewels the queen wore, but nothing from my mother.”

He dipped his head like he understood my sentiment exactly.

“Can I ask how they died?”

“In the war.”

“The Battle of Blood?” It was the only war. “Did Greythorn’s army murder them?” So many nights dinner would be filled with tales of the dramatic war scenes, heroic guards, the brutal and cruel acts of the Leatherwings king, and my father, the valiant king protecting us.

Onyx huffed, his gaze searching mine with resentment, before he looked away. I could sense him closing up, but I couldn’t seem to stop now that I got him talking.

“What about your father? You never mention him. Did he survive the war?”

His jaw clenched, the openness of just moments ago coming down like a wall, his shoulders rising.

“I should get everyone up, get going.” He spun away. “We still have over a day and half until we reach Ravenshadow.” He brushed past me with a blunt coldness. “Bjørn!” Onyx strode for the camp, the name ringing with ire. “You better be awake, drittsekk. You know what happens when you fall asleep on watch!”

A groan of swear words could be heard coming from where Bjørn sat by the fire, the conversation between them getting muffled while I looked back at the grazing fawns.

They were nibbling on the grass when their heads popped up, peering around, before they took off running, like they could sense a predator hunting them from the shadows.

A chilling howl resonated through the air like an omen of death. A reminder of who was the hunter and who was the prey.

CHAPTER 19

“Munch, stop provoking Fluffy.” My tone came out like one of my cranky tutors, frustrated with my lack of focus. “Stop tugging on his mane like they are reins.”

A twitter sang from the tiny creature positioned between the horse’s ears. Peering back at me, he kept his gaze on me as he slowly reached out his one arm, clutching more of the mane on top of the horse’s head.

“I can see you.” I motioned at him. “What did I just say?”

Fangs peeked out from Munch’s mouth before he yanked and whipped the hair like leads with excited clicking. Fluffy shook his head violently, trying to dislodge the nuisance. Munch hung on with a joyful peep like it was a fun ride, as Fluffy grew more and more agitated, biting back at me for retaliation.

“Both of you stop it.” I scolded.

“You all need to stop,” Onyx muttered in my ear with an exasperated sigh, his foul mood darker than the skies. This morning, he’d found Munch had eaten a hole through the saddlebag.

“Not housebroken your pets yet?” Bjørn rode up next to us, chuckling.

“Which one?” Onyx grumbled.

Bjørn’s gaze ran from the groundling, to me, to the large horse, standing over a foot taller than his own steed.

“Where the fuck did you find a draugrhest?” He motioned to the beast in awe. “And get it to obey you?”

“The same place I got this scythe.”

Brynn twisted around from her mount leading the pack, worry and adoration flickering in her eyes. “You could have been killed.”

“That fucker die?” Renyx snorted derisively from behind us. His mood was reserved, but I could feel his spikes of anger and grief ready to drive into someone. And that someone seemed to be me and Onyx. “I think he’s immune.”

“You are a fucking legend, man.” Bjørn shook his head with a chuckle. “How did you cross paths with cannibals and survive? I mean, the Jackals are ruthless. Notorious for not letting anyone escape them.”

Onyx shrugged, but his hand pressed down on my waist, like he understood it was a hard memory for me to relive. “We survived and I was able to kill two of them, steal their horse and leave with their weapon.”