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Barf.
My gut tells meI’mthe “fucking brat” being referenced here. I want to be mad about it, but I’ve been called far worse.
Like “Void.”
Bracing myself for some asshole to walk through the door, it swings open a moment later, leaving me dead in my tracks for what feels like the hundredth time in less than twenty-four hours.
His eyebrows wrinkle, his nostrils flaring as his jaw tenses.
“Raven?”
My name on his lips sounds like more of a curse than a blessing and I’m already regretting being here—well, being here without asking some obvious questions beforehand—but it seems information was withheld on both sides, not just mine.
Sighing, I steel my spine, ready for the onslaught.
“Sebastian.”
My brother. Fourteen years and he doesn’t look any different. His eyes still glimmer with mischief, his angry, snappy tone all-too-familiar, and the sneer on his lips remains the same as the day we left all this behind. Nothing has changed.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Raven?”
3
RAVEN
Istand in shock, staring at my brother, the grown version of him not far from the boy I remember. Confusion clouds my brain, the familiarity of him wanting to warm my senses, but his wrath, which haunts my memories, still lives in the sneer on his lips.
If anyone was born to be an only child, it was him. Until now, he’d had his wish, it seems. My forced presence here appears to be pissing him off more than it does me.
His navy-blue and gold uniform reminds me of our warriors' outfits upon their return from battle. Except he’s wearing a crisp white shirt and polished black shoes with a matching tie perfectly centered at his collar.
Glancing down the length of me in my baggy pants, oversized jacket, and combat boots, the stark difference between us is clear. That’s just the exterior version, though. I’m sure the interior would be just as drastic.
“Well?” I blink at his words, watching his nostrils flare and his pupils widen with annoyance. “What are you doing here?”
Hiking my duffel bag up my shoulder, I sigh. “Abel sent for me.”
His face scrunches as he takes a step toward me, our height difference becoming noticeable, but I don’t retreat. “You mean Papa?”
“I said what I meant.” I cock an eyebrow at him.
He huffs before swiping a hand down his face in frustration.
“You’re not attending here.” It’s a statement, not a question, and when I smile, he frowns.
“Excellent. That’s exactly what I told him as well, but it seems I don’t get a say in anything that happens to me within this family. So, despite my refusal, here I am. But if you think you can change his mind, I’m all for it,” I offer, more than happy to be out of his hair.
Sebastian purses his lips. His jaw is still tight as he looks at me in disgust. I catch his gaze lingering on the mark by my left eye before he nods, but he doesn’t get a chance to speak before a bell chimes in the distance.
He curses, exhaling harshly as he assesses me. “It’s going to have to wait until after this,” he states, spinning toward the door with a stomp.
“I’m sure it doesn’t. The quicker you speak to him, the quicker I’ll be out of your hair.”
He stops, glancing back over his shoulder to sneer at me. “If that’s what you think, then I don’t need to worry because you won’t survive a day here.” Without another word, he continues inside, not looking back as he forces the door open.
Uncertainty worms its way inside me as I consider chasing after him or hightailing it out of here, but when I glance back, I realize the car is gone.
Great.
