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At first, Raven had chalked it up to learning about charisma. All day long she watched people. Before, when she’d begged for her food, and after, when she’d played for it, Raven was a watcher. Those who lived on the fringe had to be highly observant. Through the years, Raven became quite adept at reading people—and certain people just exuded power. Some might call it confidence, but to Raven, it was power. It was the ability to walk into a room and command attention, to ask for what they wanted, and get people to listen to them that made these people powerful.
At first, when Raven tried to mimic that charisma, she’d felt silly. But then people started responding to her small requests—simple things, really—and Raven began to test the limits of her newfound confidence. But it was one night, one chilled and damp night, where a group of drunk thugs was harassing a young homeless girl, that Raven had learned her voice might just exceed confidence and dip into something unknown.
The thugs had left, screaming, and the girl had run away from her as well.
But Raven had saved her. So that was all that really mattered.
Not the fact that she’d managed to turn the boys on each other, or that she’d broken one’s arm with just her voice. Nope, that wouldn’t do well to think too deeply about. So she’d shoved it away for a while, not wanting to uncover what secrets lay deep, because sometimes, well, she’d learned it was best not to pick the scab.
She’d already bled enough, hadn’t she? What did it matter where she came from or what made her different? The reality was that Raven lived life on the fringe, and it would likely always be that way.
“Back. Farther.Leave. Leave Galway,” Raven ordered, focusing on the Fae.
And to her complete shock—they did.
In a second, they were gone, the wind whipping a tattered sheet of newspaper across the street where they once stood.What the hell just happened?
“Buzz. Are you all right then?” Raven crouched by Buzz, who looked up at her with a gummy smile.
“Aliens. Now I’ve seen it all.” Buzz sighed in contentment, and dropped his head back against the brick wall, sliding into an easy sleep. He didn’t appear to be worse for wear, and the Fae hadn’t seemed particularly interested in him. No, it was Raven they wanted. But why?And why had they bowed and called me Banphrionsa?Glancing once more at the now-empty street, Raven debated what to do. Her instincts told her to keep moving, because if the Fae wanted her for something, it wasn’t likely they were going to give up anytime soon. At the same time, they’d responded to her command. Did that mean she could hold them off? For a little while at least? Torn, she made what she hoped wasn’t a decision that would cost her her life. Jumping up, she bounded to the door of her building, unlocked it, and ran down the hall to her apartment. In under a minute, she was back outside, her guitar strapped at her back. Sure, she was a touch less mobile with it, but leaving it behind had felt like severing an arm.
The studio was another thing, and Raven glanced woefully at the building, stopping to gently pat Buzz’s shoulder.
“Take care, old man.” She didn’t wake him, for sleep was precious, and instead detoured down the street to her favorite early morning coffee shop where she knew there would be loads of people milling about. There, she’d come up with a plan.
Two cups of steaming black coffee, a sausage roll, and an orange juice later, Raven still hadn’t figured out what to do. Part of her kept wishing she’d spoken more with Kellen, as he’d at least warned her of impending danger. She’d had a real Fae speaking to her, and she’d ruined the chance to ask some of her burning questions—most importantly, could he read what was written on her necklace? The pendant hung low between her breasts, a constant reminder that she was different.
Not like she needed that reminder all that often.
“Rough night, Raven?”
“Do I look it then?” Raven glanced up at the tired waitress who’d always been kind to her while she’d counted out her payment most mornings.
“Hair’s a bit of a mess.”
Which wasn’t surprising, considering the racing about that Raven had been doing this morning, but still she shifted and ran a hand over her hair. Dying it lavender had been a bit of fun she’d tried after discovering there were inexpensive dyes that worked easily on her light blonde hair. It had been the one spot of vanity she’d indulged in, next to her used leather jacket and serviceable boots. They were the only jacket and boots she owned, so she’d scrimped and saved until she could afford the best charity shop purchases she could find. It had been worth it, however, because her feet stayed warm, and her jacket provided protection from the elements. The tulle skirt she regularly wore had been marked to almost zero, and she’d grabbed it without a second thought. This outfit had become a uniform of sorts for her, the juxtaposition of hard and soft, and she carefully washed the skirt and hung it to dry every few days.
Nodding her thanks to the waitress, she stopped by the toilet to freshen up, acknowledging that she did, indeed, look a touch wild this morning when she saw herself in the mirror. Her hair stood out in all directions, and dark circles smudged her eyes. She didn’t have any makeup, so there wasn’t much she could do about the dark circles, but she ran her hands under the tap and smoothed her hair, before dusting dirt off her jacket. After using the toilet, Raven left the diner with a wave goodbye, knowing she needed to keep moving.
Maybe there was a way to summon Kellen back? If so, she might be able to ask him what was going on. She kicked herself for being stubborn and pushing him back, all while feeling very much alone.Sadly, that wasn’t a new feeling for her. Raven then pushed inside the front door of her favorite place in the world.
The Galway Youth Centre was a space for forgotten kids like she’d been. Children who were in and out of the foster system, children who never knew where they were going to sleep the next night, children who didn’t trust easily. Raven had started volunteering there a few years ago when she’d stumbled across it on an early morning walk home from a night of busking. Now, she went regularly to the Saturday morning group, where she’d teach the kids music or just be a sounding board when they needed to vent. It was pretty incredible what the children would confess, when teasing out a song on the guitar, and Raven did her best to listen and provide encouragement where she could. It wasn’t always easy. She lived a hard life. These children likely would as well. Maybe that’s why they liked her so much. Raven never sugarcoated anything. She was a realist to the core, so instead of promising them a future that seemed beyond reach, Raven taught them ways to deal with life in the now.
“Raven!” Taryn, one of her favorites, ran over and stopped short of giving her a hug. Physical intimacy was difficult for most of the kids here. Instead, they bumped fists and Raven noticed a light bruise on Taryn’s cheek.
“What happened?” Raven asked, nodding to Taryn’s cheek as she pulled the guitar off her back and took a chair in the corner. The room was set up with tables and chairs pulled to various areas to create little conversation corners, so the kids could have space while they worked through whatever they needed to work through. It was a safe space for them to just be, even if all they ever did was sit quietly in a corner, like Daniel who never lifted his head from his book.
“I tripped.” Taryn grinned at Raven’s look. “Really this time. I was trying to get a lady’s iPhone back for her.”
“Why? Who took it?” Raven handed Taryn the guitar, keeping her eyes on the window in case of any silver men walking by.
“Stupid street rats,” Taryn muttered, bending her dirty head to the guitar. Raven’s heart twisted. Taryn always tried to differentiate herself from the kids who picked pockets for a living, her heart full and aching for love, and she tried to land on the side of good. There were times when that line blurred, but mostly Taryn was a great kid. Raven wished she could do more for her.
“Did you get it back?” Raven asked, tugging on a lock of Taryn’s hair.
“I did.”
“Thatta girl. Remember the move I taught you, right?” Raven had also been teaching the kids how to protect themselves, her jujitsu training coming in handy.
