Moon Raven Rising (The Moon Raven Trilogy #3)

33. Raelle

Chapter thirty-three

I tear across the castle—never breaking my stride as I approach the last door in this hall. The guards jump to attention when I stop abruptly in front of them. Drawing their swords, they push me behind their bodies. I cough hard as I attempt to speak, but I’m so out of breath and panting from the exertion of using my magic. Both my training earlier and whatever that was with Soren have completely exhausted me.

“I’m ok…no one is coming. No one followed me. Please. Just let me into my room.” I say breathlessly. The guards share a look with each other, and one breaks away to unlock my door while the other keeps his sword drawn and looks down the hall from where I came, but they don’t question my request or why I am alone. They merely unlock the door and step aside.

Once inside, I rest my back against the cool wood, trying to pull deep breaths into my lungs. It’s not until the lock slides shut that I sink to the floor. What the fuck was that? Soren lost control of his magic. There can be no other excuse for what just happened. The amount of power he expelled was more than any I’d ever had aimed at me, including from the dragons. If he did not lose control, then he was aiming to kill Osiris.

My magic was enough to stop him, though. I blocked everything he had. I saw the look on his face the moment he realized I had been hiding my true power from him. The moment he knew I was holding back, because while the power I used felt like a lot… I was still able to run down the hallway, stay conscious, and if necessary, I’m confident my magic would flare in my palm just as it always does. I’m getting stronger.

The slide of the lock above me makes me jump, and I scuffle away from the door and climb to my feet, facing the point of entry. I’m about to send my magic flying when Osiris’ head pokes from the edge of the door.

“It’s me.” He whispers calmly before looking behind him and then coming inside. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright. That shield was impressive. How are you feeling?” He eyes me up and down, checking for fatigue or injury—I’m not sure.

“I’m fine. A little tired, but no more than a strenuous day of training would have me.” His lip quirks up the smallest amount with my response, but I think the Prince of Dragons has been stoic for too long; the muscles in his face simply don’t work.

“Get some rest. Judging by the look of Soren when I left him, he will be out for a while. I’m going to do some digging. Some information turned up that I need to look into. Just stay put, and tomorrow we will make a plan to find out more about where the chamber in the mountain is.” Osiris says as he moves to walk away.

“What are you going to do? Can you bring me?”

“No,” he grunts.

“Why?” He gives me a sidelong look.

“Because Moon Raven, you are still a prisoner. Or at least pretending to be a prisoner. It would seem highly suspicious for you to be gallivanting around the castle with the prince of another kingdom…” He responds; his growing impatience ticking with his jaw.

“And it looks like what to have that same prince visiting my bed chambers at all hours of the day and night…” He narrows his eyes at my question. “Are we not meant to be courting anyway? Take me with you.” I plead. I need to do something, be anywhere but here.

“I am cautious. No one knows of my visits. Just sit tight, would you? I promise we will get out of this together.” He places his hand on his ribs just at heart level under his arm. “You and I have the bond marks to prove it. Trust me .”

Dropping my head back with a groan, I turn my back on the prince and head to the bathing chamber. Before entering, I turn back and retort, “Fine, but just know that I’m not happy about it. And I will probably still be unhappy tomorrow. It’s likely until we get out of these stone walls, entirely.” I slap the stone archway that leads to the bath.

“I look forward to hearing you complain about it tomorrow then. Goodnight, Moon Raven.”

“Just call me Raelle. Enough with the Moon Raven stuff.” We stare at each other for a moment longer before he finally nods. Accepting my words for what they are. The trust he has asked for.

“Raelle,”

“Goodnight, Dragon Prince,” I relent, with a grin. He shakes his head, eyes rolling, before closing the door. I can’t help the curl that comes to my lips. I saved Osiris tonight and I think I’ve gained a true friend in the process. I only hope that we can make it out of this and save both of our kingdoms in the process.

A clammy hand smacks over my mouth, causing me to wake suddenly. My eyes are wide as they snap open to stare at the intruder looming over me. His rotten smile drips with sin as he holds me down and looks my body over like it’s a meal, and he is a starving man.

Just before I blast him with my magic, another shadow blots the moon’s light filtering in through the single window. His arms crossed over his chest; I’m too late to react as he nods and swiftly plunges a needle into my arm.

My eyes become heavy, and as the room spins and darkness descends, I hear only one voice in my head. “ I’m coming, my love. Hold on. ” A black Raven caws on the balcony before launching into the sky and dissolving into mist in the night. Before my eyes finally shut, they make contact with Soren’s, and the flash of fear I see is enough to bring a smile to my face, and though my mouth is covered, I know he sees it in my eyes nonetheless. Then the world goes black.

Faded voices come in and out as I try to pull myself back to consciousness, but whatever they drugged me with is strong. My magic feels far away, and the pull of the moon is nonexistent. Dragging my eyes open with all the strength I can, I see a flash of red hair. Bottles, bowls, and miscellaneous items are strewn about on a dais not far away, and Soren stands a few feet back with his arms crossed, watching with rapt attention.

As though he senses my gaze on him, his eyes flick to meet mine, and a whimper escapes me unabated as I try moving but am unable. I’m frozen in my own body. My limbs are leaden, pressure holding them in place but with nothing that the eye can see.

The small cry causes a foul smile to twitch the corner of his mouth. He tilts his head to the side before he starts prowling slowly toward where I lay. The sound of his boots tapping against the stone has my muscles straining with the burning need to move, but as hard as I try, it’s no use. Soren comes around to stand at my feet and wraps his hot hand around my bare foot. Then his fingers crawl up my leg in a slow ascent. That’s when I realize I’m nearly naked, laying on a stone dais parallel to the one Violet…or Thames, as she calls herself, prepares.

Two fingers trail around the outside of my hip, then across the dips and planes of my stomach and ribs. Another whimper escapes from my throat in a weak attempt to protest, but I can’t even move my mouth to form words. Tears burn my eyes and blur my vision, threatening to spill without my permission. I am helpless. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to witness any more of the slow torture as he explores my skin.

The movement makes tears fall from the corners of my eyes. I promised myself I would not cry or give him the satisfaction, but my body disobeys me under the influence of whatever they have me drugged with.

His fingers brush over the swell of my breasts, and my breathing becomes more shallow after every soft caress he defiles my body with. Another tear falls, and then I feel the firm press of his fingers as he drags them through the salty trails. When I hear him moan, my eyes snap open to see him sucking his fingers and the tears that coat them.

“Your tears taste so sweet, little bird.” He says, leaning in over me so his hot breath flutters at the skin of my neck. “Taste for yourself.” He wipes the tears from my eyes, shoving two fingers into my mouth and pressing them down. His fingers slide along the pad of my tongue and to my throat, but I was gagging even before they reached the back of my throat; his vile touch alone causing my stomach to swim.

Pulling his fingers free, he grins before looking up at Violet, who watches the whole interaction with unfiltered jealousy. As though I enjoy his unwelcome touch.

“I’m ready, my king.” She says before glaring back at me.

“Good. Little bird, that little power play you pulled the other night cost me quite a bit… I suppose your little boyfriend told you the news?” He now asks as he tucks his arms behind his back. I’m able to pull my eyebrows down the slightest amount, but it’s the only movement I can manage. It seems to be enough of the question I want to ask though and Soren’s eyes blaze with the realization that I don’t know what he’s talking about.

“Oh, he didn’t tell you. Did he?” Soren exclaims. Again, his lips curl wickedly. “It seems we all have our secrets. Some are just hidden better than others.” He flicks his finger, and at that, Violet begins her conjuring of the dark shadows. I feel a slight shaking when I realize that my lip now trembles. Another movement I wasn’t able to do a moment ago. I just need more time, but I can see that I’m running out.

The last time they forced the shadows upon me, they did not affect me the way that they were anticipating… perhaps they won’t work on me at all; maybe because my magic doesn't seem to be like any other. My eyes shake back and forth between Violet and Soren. In the distance, I think I hear the clamor of chains… Shouting… Soren curses under his breath, but he only starts to pace while he urges Violet to do her dark magic. His hands now planted impatiently on his hips.

Closing my eyes, I do the first thing I can think to do. Bracarva! I call the dragon with urgency. Just as Osiris taught me. Hoping with everything I have that the bond magic outweighs whatever they have suppressing all else. Bracarva! Help me! I shout with a deafening vigor into the dark depths of my mind.

She answers my call with a scream that is so loud, it shakes the foundation of the castle where it is built into the earth. Soren works his jaw, looking around the dark space.

“Hurry up,” He snaps at Violet and she quickens her movements, the darkness building to a different color than the green hue that I’ve seen before. I swallow hard as bile rises in my throat and the now deep purple smoke snakes out toward me. It curls through the air like the reaching limbs of a dying tree. The smell is rancid, a mixture of sulfur and rotting that can only be the smell of death.

Bracarva’s screech rattles the stone walls, and I hear more shouting from up the nearby stairs, but it’s too late. The shadows slither from my toes and up my legs. Taking the same sickening path that Soren’s fingers took. Almost as though Violet steers them to erase his lingering caresses in a jealous fit. Then the dark magic slams into me like a hammer to a blacksmith’s anvil. The torrent of the thick smoke pours into my mouth. Forced down my throat and nose, I can do nothing but breathe in the horrid darkness. My body convulses violently. I thrash under their control; I’m being suffocated from within.

A loud boom sounds somewhere in the distance, snapping Soren’s attention, but he could be anywhere and I would not notice. Not as the icy darkness fills my body. The shaking eases into a shrill nothingness, and the last thing I see before the darkness takes my vision is Violet as she looms over me with a scowl filled with loathing and promises of pain.

With a gasp, my breath fills my lungs with all it can, but unlike last time… I feel the shadows within me.