Chapter 37 Call it What You Want…
Call it What You Want…
Raven
The next few days pass in a blur, and for once, without incident. No strange dreams, no whispers brushing against the edges of my mind, and no one trying to knife me or elbow me in the face. Honestly, it’s unsettling how normal everything feels.
The weather’s been unusually perfect too, and Rachel’s insisted on dragging me outside at every possible opportunity, not that I'm complaining. She’s convinced this is what vacations are supposed to feel like, and I almost believe her.
She left for the airport this morning, and the emptiness hit me harder than I expected. Sleep has been a joke lately. Every night, I wake up restless and edgy, like there’s something just beyond my reach. I’ve been awake since she left, watching the faint glow of sunrise creep over the horizon.
But sitting here now, with the morning sun spilling over the hills, it makes sense in a way I can’t explain.
This place feels like it knows me. Like it’s pulling me in and refusing to let me go.
The second Rachel mentioned going home, I knew, deep in my gut, that leaving wasn’t an option for me. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
With Rachel gone, I decided to make some new friends. Or at least try. I’ve left food for the dog that’s been hanging around the property, hoping to coax it closer.
The snap of a twig pulls me out of my thoughts. My eyes lock onto the edge of the woods, and there it is. The dog stands at the tree line, half-hidden in shadows. Its head tilts slightly, and I can see its ears are forward, watching me with cautious curiosity.
There’s something about it that makes me want it to come closer. Maybe it’s the way we’re both a little out of place, alone, and circling something we don’t understand.
“Just in case you were hungry.” I motion to the food I left with a shrug, feeling more than a little ridiculous talking to an animal that’s clearly not ready to trust me. “It’s not poisoned, promise.”
The dog doesn’t move, it just keeps watching. “I'm Raven, by the way.” I add, like the dog actually gives two shits about who I am. “And, I think we should be friends.”
The dog’s ears twitch, and for a second, it steps closer to the light. I feel my pulse quicken, though I couldn’t say why. “I won’t bite,” I whisper. “Can’t say the same for you, though.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Alright, fine. Be that way.”
With one last glance over my shoulder, I head back inside, leaning against the door as it shuts behind me. “I need a hobby,” I mutter, rubbing a hand over my face.
I grab my phone off the counter and collapse on the bed, tapping the screen and read Kane's last message for the thirteenth time.
Kane: We’ve got some news to share.
That was yesterday morning. I should’ve answered then, but I didn’t know what to say.
Now, I’m just flat-out avoiding it. Whatever they found, it has to be big.
I can feel it in the way he worded it, all formal and serious, like he’s bracing for impact.
And let’s be real, I’m not exactly known for handling big news with grace.
Me: Want to meet at The Realm?
I hit send before I can talk myself out of it, tossing the phone aside. But my phone buzzes almost immediately.
Kane: I’ll pick you up at four.
A smile pulls at my lips despite myself. Typical Kane, always so damn sure of himself. And damn him for the butterflies he stirs up, no matter how much I try to ignore them.
Me: See you then.
I drop my phone and stretch out on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as unease coils in my gut. There’s a tension clawing in my chest that whispers that something’s coming. I can feel it.
I push myself up, deciding that a change of scenery might shake off the feeling creeping in.
I slip into my jacket, tugging it tighter around me as I step out into the crisp morning air.
The cold bites at my cheeks, and I welcome the sting.
The town is quiet this early, and the streets are painted in shades of gold and shadow, with only a few people drifting by.
As I turn a corner, my eyes catch an older woman standing at the edge of the street. She’s bundled up in a long coat with her gloved hands clasped in front of her. When our eyes meet, she beams. I slow down as she lifts a hand and waves like she knows me.
I look over my shoulder, half-certain that she's waving at someone else that must be behind me, but the street's empty. It’s just us.
“Hello, beautiful,” she calls out. Her loud voice cuts through the morning air.
I hesitate, something about her makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, but I've been feeling that a lot lately here, so maybe it's nothing.
“Hi,” I smile, forcing a casualness I don’t feel. “I was just admiring your outfit, I love your coat.”
Her smile stretches wider, and it's bright enough to light up her entire face. “Oh, thank you, dear. It’s so nice to finally have someone so vibrant and full of life to talk to. You don’t see that kind of spark very often these days.”
A nervous chuckle slips out before I can stop it. “Well, I hope you have a great morning.”
The woman’s head tilts slightly, and her expression shifts into something sharper. “Sweetheart, have you accepted it yet?”
A chill slides down my spine. “Accepted what?”
Her eyes lock onto mine and there’s a challenge buried in her stare. “Your gift. It's been calling to you. Haven't you heard it?” She steps closer, but it feels like the air thickens between us. “It’s been waiting, you know. And you’ve been running for too long.”
My nerves go haywire and my pulse kicks up a notch. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
The woman lets out a soft, almost pitying laugh. “Oh, but I think you do. You can’t hide, not here.” Great. Cue the full body meltdown. “It's ancient, but it doesn’t belong to you.”
“Look, I don’t know who you are, but I think you have the wrong person.”
Her smile doesn’t falter, but her eyes grow colder. “No, I’ve got the right person. You’ve been marked.” She leans in, and her voice drops to a whisper. “You can feel it, can’t you? The pull. The way it wraps around you.”
My throat tightens, and I force myself to hold her gaze. “If you know something, then tell me what it is.”
She laughs again, and the sound sends another shiver rippling down my spine. “It’s not my place, darling. But you’ll find out soon enough. The question is, will you be ready?"
The words hang heavy in the air, and I can’t shake the feeling. I swallow, struggling to keep my voice calm. “And what if I’m not?”
She shrugs, and her smile turns sad. “You’ve always been different, haven’t you?”
A beat of silence stretches between us, and I hate how her words claw at something buried somewhere deep. But I have no idea who this woman is. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“Oh, but I do,” she whispers. “I’ve watched you for a long time, little bird. And they’ve finally found you. You must be careful.”
The sound of my nickname on her lips slams into me, knocking the air clean out of my lungs. No one calls me that. “Who are you?”
But before she can answer, another voice cuts in from behind me, shattering the tension like glass.
“What did you say, dear?”
I whirl around, bracing for impact before I even know why, and catch a younger woman a few feet away. Her expression is polite, but her eyes study me with quiet curiosity.
“Sorry, what?”
“I thought you said something,” she shrugs, tilting her head, looking behind me.
“Oh, no, I was—” I turn back, gesturing toward the old woman, but the words die in my throat. The corner is empty. My pulse spikes as I scan the street, looking at every shadow and space where she could’ve vanished. But there’s nothing. There's no trace of her.
The younger woman lifts a brow, shifting on her feet. “Well, have a nice morning,” she says politely before quickly walking away.
“What the hell?” I mutter under my breath as my chest tightens with unease. I scan the street one last time, but there's still no sign of her. Everything she said echoes in my mind like a ghostly whisper. She knew something. And then she just vanished?
I force myself to push past the lingering unease and head into the café. The comforting aroma of fresh coffee and pastries wraps around me, grounding me in the present. I place my order, but my movements are automatic. My mind is still tangled in the strangeness of that encounter.
Walking outside, I settle at one of the small tables, hoping the morning air will clear my head.
I stare out at the street and the chatter of the town fades into a distant hum as I replay the woman’s words, dissecting every inflection, trying to figure out what she could have meant.
And the more I think about it, the more unsettled I feel.
Time blurs, and I barely notice my tea cooling on the table. When I finally lift the cup to take a sip, the cold liquid makes me wince, and I set it back down with a sigh. Frustration simmers beneath my skin, and I absentmindedly stir the tea, debating whether I should get a new cup.
A faint wisp of steam curls up, and my breath stumbles. I stare into the cup wondering if I've lost it. It wasn't warm a second ago…was it? The heat clings to my fingertips when I tighten my grip.
I'm so focused on my cup that when a hand lands on my shoulder, I jerk, nearly sending the tea flying. My head snaps up, and I see Mike standing above me, and his expression is a mix of amusement and apology.
“Didn’t mean to scare you again, love.” He raises both hands slightly, but the corner of his mouth curves into that charming grin I’ve come to expect. “I called your name, but you didn’t seem to hear me. Is everything alright?”
I force a smile, trying to steady my racing pulse. “Hey, Mike. Sorry, I must’ve been lost in my own world.”
“Clearly,” he teases. His grin widens into something more mischievous. “And here I thought you’d be harder to catch off guard. Guess I'll have to adjust my expectations.”