Chapter 35
RAVENA
Three days.
Only three days to figure out how to save Darian.
Three days to take control of my magic before Vesperas' army comes crashing down on us.
For a moment, I felt something close to peace, being with them, seeing that they are okay.
But that moment was fragile, slipping away fast. Because in three days, none of us is guaranteed to be okay.
I caught the flicker of betrayal in Drew's eyes when he found out about Daleyza—and I got it. Secrets like that can shatter trust. But I also understand why she kept it hidden. She didn’t want to drag them into it, not until she had to.
The way she looked at them when she told them, the weight behind her actions about Vespera coming…
it was clear she knew they couldn’t stay in the dark.
She didn't pressure me to reveal my secret. Perhaps it was because both of our secrets could endanger our lives—or worse, turn us into pawns in this war. However, my secret carries an additional risk: the chance that they might leave me behind. That's a pain I don't think I would survive.
So, I told them what I could.
Told them about Vespera—about the truth.
That she isn’t just touched by darkness…
she is it. I told them she worked with some faceless man to kill her parents, that together, they planned to take the kingdom using the dagger I now carry.
I didn’t tell them everything. Not about my mother being pregnant around the time she had an altercation with Kind Draeven, that he wanted me.
Not about the demon. I only told them about the time they crossed paths because he wanted something.
I wouldn’t have shared that, but Kieran heard Vespera's questions that day. And he remembers everything, because he watches, he listens. So, I told them that it was the dagger the King wanted. It’s not exactly a lie—it is connected.
The dreams. The way he looked at it was like it was more dangerous than, well, me. Like it could hurt him
And maybe… It can.
Kieran told me what Darian said—that he knows what’s happening to him.
That it’s a constant war inside his mind…
between who he really is and whatever darkness keeps trying to take over.
And even after everything, after the cruel things he said, after telling me I should’ve died to save his family—I still want to help him.
I still want to bring back the boy I secretly fell for.
He was always grumpy when we met in the Whispering Woods, always on edge, always guarded.
But then I started to see it—the way his face lit up when he talked about his siblings, his parents…
the way his fingers moved when he spoke about playing the piano like it was part of his soul.
We never touched, not because of the age difference, not because of his OCD, though those were part of it—but because deep down, I knew what touching him would mean.
He doesn’t believe he can be saved. Maybe he’s convinced the darkness has already won. But I don’t care. I refuse to give up on him. Because there’s always a way. Some magic may be cruel, but it's never without a loophole. And if there’s a spell holding him down, I’ll break it—whatever it takes.
After everything, I needed a moment alone, so I slipped outside.
The woods here weren’t the same—different trees, different smells—but the crisp, cool air brushing against my skin was a relief.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves, warm and golden, weaving through the chill in a way that settled the havoc inside me.
I caught sight of a pack of wolves deeper in the forest, chasing after fallen leaves like they had no worries in the world. A soft smile tugged at my lips. Then, a cool hand brushed lightly against my arm. I turned to see Daleyza standing there quietly.
“Thank you for not telling them,” I whispered, my voice barely above the rustle of the trees.
It’s your secret to tell, and them finding out now won't help anyone. Her expression is calm as her gaze drifts towards the house where they all are. They’ll need to know eventually—especially if you plan on spending your life with them.
I swallow hard because she's right. But knowing that doesn’t make it any less terrifying.
“So… you know everything?” I ask quietly.
She nods once. The moment you touched me, I saw it all. I had a migraine for days. I didn’t mean to, and I’m sorry. But one thing… She grabs my arms gently, grounding me before continuing, her signing firmer now. I don’t think you’re a monster. He is. He’s the only monster in every realm.
I lower my head, trying to hold back the sob clawing up my throat.
I swipe at my eyes, cursing the tremble in my hands. Damn it. Daleyza knows. She knows the truth, every piece of my darkness I’ve kept chained up and locked away. And she doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t look at me like I’m broken
My mother always said no one would ever get it. That if anyone saw the truth, they'd see a monster, not a girl just trying to survive. But she was wrong. Because this time, someone saw it all—and didn’t run.
I squeeze her hand, the warmth anchoring me while tears cling to my lashes, refusing to fall. “Thanks,” I murmured. “For being my friend. And Drew—though God knows he doesn’t make it easy.”
We both laugh, quiet and shaky, clinging onto each other.
I steel my breath and lift my chin. “I want to save Darian… for you. So, I need you to look into my mind. I’m tied to all of it—Vespera, the darkness, our bloodline. There’s a chance you’ll see something. Maybe even the ritual they had to perform and how to undo it.”
Her smile fades. Her fingers slip from mine like she’s suddenly cold. I can’t. I don’t know how. And… wouldn’t it hurt?
I glance away, swallowing hard as I nod. “Yeah. It does.”
Pain, I can handle. I’ve made peace with it, stitched it into my skin like armour. What terrifies me is not doing anything.
I really don’t want to hurt you.
The wind stirs around us—gentle, sudden—tugging at her wild curls like it’s trying to soothe her. I don’t know if it’s just the spring or my power shifting the air without meaning to.
“I can take it,” I say, even as my voice cracks. “We have to try. She’ll be here in three days—God knows how many she’s bringing, and probably with Darian too. I’m not letting her twist him into something he’ll never come back from. I won’t.”
This is my family now, and I will do anything for them.
“We do it tonight, when everyone is asleep.”
What about Malrik and Ronan? They’ll know if you go.
That might be a problem. They’re both equally obsessed and protective.
“Leave that to me.”
The door creaks open beside us, but I don’t need to know that it’s Malrik.
I feel it before his footsteps even land, the air thickening around us.
He moves like death wrapped in shadows; every muscle coiled tight with purpose.
Black leather clings to him like a second skin, and the silver daggers strapped across his chest catch the light.
His boots make no sound, but those burning red eyes…
they blaze with a fire only I know the cost of.
“Come with me.”
I arch a brow. “A please wouldn’t go amiss.”
Malrik doesn’t say a word, just shoots me that wicked smirk just before he swoops me up—bridal style, because being dramatic is his speciality.
I yelp—half surprise, half protest—but he’s already gone, the wind ripping past us as he blurs through the trees.
The world around me melts into streaks of green and gold, shadows and sunlight twisting into a dizzying whirl I can’t follow. I have no idea where we’re headed, but then I catch it—the steady roar of water, close and relentless. A river, maybe a stream, rushing wild and sure ahead.
Wherever he’s taking me, one thing is clear: he wants us alone. The world blurs again for a heartbeat before snapping still.
We stop.
The woods here feel older, somehow, quieter… sacred. A hush settles over the trees, like even the wind knows not to speak too loudly. But it’s the waterfall that steals my breath away.
Not just a waterfall—more like a living dream.
Silver ribbons of water spill from the jagged cliffs far above, tumbling over moss-covered stone that seems to pulse with a faint, otherworldly glow.
The pool below is vast and impossibly clear, its surface dotted with petals—lavender, crimson, gold—floating like whispered incantations caught in a slow, sacred dance.
Around the edges, smooth stones of every shape and shade frame the water.
“Wow,” I breathe out, suddenly feeling small beneath the weight of it all.
Malriks' low chuckle breaks the silence. He sets me down gently, and the grass beneath my bare feet feels like a soft, green carpet—woven by the forest itself. His heat lingers close against my skin, but all I can do is drink in the view, caught somewhere between awe and the quiet pull of him.
“I’m pissed at you.”
My pulse spikes. I glance up, scrunching my nose. “What now?”
He steps closer, crowding my space like it's his to take. His voice is a low snarl. “Don't ever tell me not to save you again.”
I force a scoff, even as my throat tightens around the words. “It worked.”
His jaw tightens, muscles twitching. “That’s not the fucking point.”
“That's the point, Malrik,” I snapped. “I have my power. Ronan and Kieran are fine. It worked out. So don’t—don’t make it into a damn thing.”
My chest is pressed against his hard abdomen. There’s no room to back away. His shadow swallows me whole, and his heat seeps under my skin.
“You almost died.”
I blink at him, seeing the sadness on his face, something I have never seen.
“I heard it,” His voice fractures. “I heard your fucking bones break. Heard you scream like the realm was tearing itself apart. And I couldn’t do a thing about it.”
His hand grips my jaw. Not enough to hurt, just enough to hold me still. To make sure I’m listening. Looking. Seeing him.