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Was Bianca right?
Was Raven not betraying them at all?
Was she sacrificing herself?
That bloody idiot. Kellen whirled.
“I take that back. Let’s go get our girl.”
“What changed your mind?” King Callum asked, glancing down at the necklace that Kellen held.
“You’re all right. If Raven is the woman I think, well, I hope she is…then she’s not jumping ship to side with her mother. Sure, it’s probably a shock to learn who her mother is, particularly like this, but Raven’s not dumb, and she’s quick to think on her feet. She’s a survivor and has been that way for a really long time. We’re the first people she’s had…that really cared about her.”
“She’s protecting us,” Lily said, her face wreathed in concern.
“Is she buying us time? Leading Domnu away from here?” Seamus asked.
“I think it’s worse. Much worse than that.” Kellen grimaced.
“Oh, no.” Bianca reached out and gripped Kellen’s arm. “She’s not. She wouldn’t. Not without us there to help. That’s too much to take on…”
“What’s happening?” Callum demanded.
“She’s going to try and kill Domnu. Even if it means she dies trying,” Bianca said, fear in her eyes.
“We ride now,” Kellen ordered. The clock was ticking, and he had no idea how long Raven would be able to keep up her ruse with Domnu.
Bianca cheered, and even Callum smiled at his words.
“You’re certain?”
“Yes, but someone needs to lock him up,” Kellen pointed to his unconscious father.
“I doubt he’s going anywhere anytime soon.” Nevertheless, Callum snapped his fingers and the guards carried Devlin away.
Straightening, Kellen raised his hands in the air and stepped into the leadership role that he’d been meant for all along.
“My people, gather close. The time has come to take back what is ours.”
20
Raven
A sticky nauseaswam through Raven’s stomach as she rocked backward on her heels, taking in her surroundings. The magickal trip from the castle in the sky to the Dark Realm had been dizzying and disconcerting, like the particles of her body were being rearranged and put back together again. Raven took a moment to steady herself. Though she didn’t move, her eyes darted around, taking in as much of her surroundings as she could.
The sky was different here. A hazy green color, like a polluted city river, showcasing murky yellow clouds. The landscape was bare, like a barren winter’s day, as though not a single flower dared to try and bloom here. And it was still.
No breeze.
No birdsong.
No sounds of laughter.No dancing, happy Alicorns.
Raven had read once that a forest will go quiet when a predator arrived, and now she was reminded of that as Domnu turned, her arms held wide, eyes alight with delight.
“Welcome home, my dearest girl. I’ve hated having to bide my time, to wait to show you what I could give to you, but the time was never right. Now,now, it is. We’ll rule together, as it was always destined to be.”
“Two goddesses?” Raven forced herself to look, really look, at this abomination that was her mother. Bile rose in her throat. “Isn’t that your sister and you, then? I’m not a goddess that I’m aware of.”
