Chapter 41 #3
His expression remains unreadable, which is annoying.
“The short answer? You have magic. And somehow, you used it to cross the veil, the boundary between realms. There aren't very many ways to do that, so if you don’t have the magic to get here, you can’t.
Humans can’t cross over unless they’re escorted by someone who can. ”
My steps slow as his words sink in. Magic. Veil. Other realms. It sounds like something straight out of the bedtime stories my grandmother used to tell me. But the way Cam says it… it doesn’t feel like a story.
He hesitates, like he’s trying to decide how much to say. “I’ve had my suspicions about who you are, but…” He rolls his eyes, laughing as he continues. “That’s more of a show-and-tell conversation, and honestly? I’m still trying to wrap my head around all this. Even for me, it’s a bit much.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Oh, is that all?” I scoff, trying not to be annoyed at his non answers. “Everything that comes out of your mouth so far is crazy. I’m probably dreaming right now, and none of this is real. I don’t think it could get any weirder.”
Cam smiles like he knows something I don’t.
“You’d think so, wouldn't you?” The humor fades enough to put me on edge and his expression darkens.
“The names on your birth certificate are fakes, which you figured out. Your birthday, though, I believe is real. Minus the day, of course. That part, I’m still working on. But here’s where it gets even crazier…”
Every word pulls me deeper into this impossible reality. My breath catches, but the skepticism is still at war with the gnawing curiosity. “Crazier than all this?”
His eyes search mine, and for the first time, I see something new there.
“We have an old… saying… over here,” he pauses. “One that I think might pertain to you.”
My grip tightens on the dagger like it’s the only thing keeping me sane. “What’s the saying?”
He doesn’t hesitate. The words slip from his lips like a prayer.
When the twins rise high in the heavens,
Leaving her wild, untamed and free,
On a night when summer greets the moon,
and the solstice whispers to the sea.
When the longest day meets the fullest night,
and the blood is spilled upon the ground,
The stars will align in their ancient dance,
And all the signs shall come around.
The ground,
the whispers,
the flames and the sea…
He shrugs, then starts walking again. “Then it goes on about wars, fates, and soulmates. You know, the usual.”
His tone is light, but his expression is anything but. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch him looking at me, then quickly back to the trail ahead. Like he’s still watching my reaction without trying to make it obvious.
I let out a slow breath, rolling my shoulders like I can physically shake off the weight pressing against me. “I’m not going to freak out,” I say, but my voice wobbles just enough to betray me. “At least, I hope not.”
Cam smiles, and his dimple makes an appearance. “I really do like you, you’re funny.”
I bite back the urge to push for more, even though it’s clawing at me.
“There are still gaps we need to fill in.” His jaw tightens slightly before he continues. “The only people who know the whole story are the Protectors. They keep it hidden because the witch is…” a pause. “Powerful.”
My frown deepens. “Protected? From who? And why is she such a big deal?”
His expression darkens. “Because if the hunters catch wind of her existence…” He trails off, and I can see the tick in his jaw. “They won’t stop until she’s dead.”
A slow, creeping unease curls through my stomach and my hands start to tingle.
“They’ve been searching for her for centuries, drawn to the scent of her magic.
” His voice is quieter now. “That’s why the Protectors guard the details so fiercely.
If the hunters even suspect she’s out there, it’s over. ”
I swallow hard, but my throat feels dry. “Wait.” My voice comes out cautious and unsure. “Are you saying they don’t even know who she is?”
Cam shakes his head. “No. No one does. That’s part of the problem. There are hints, but nothing definitive. Most people don’t even believe she’s real anymore. The protectors reveal just enough to keep people searching, while keeping the witch herself hidden.”
His eyes flick back to me, and something heavy settles between us. “Let’s just say the hunters aren’t the only ones afraid of what she’s capable of.”
His words slam into me. My mind spins, grasping at fragments I’m not sure I want to piece together. Old sayings. Myths. Wars. Witches. A witch so powerful that she’s both hunted and protected? What the fuck is happening?
I force myself to speak, even though my voice is barely louder than the rustling leaves. “Why would anyone want to kill her?”
“Because there’s a lot of people out there who want to control that power.” His voice dips lower. “And she’s a witch.”
I narrow my eyes. “And what does that have to do with anything? Don’t you all have magic?”
He holds my gaze, and I watch as something like frustration flashes behind his eyes.
“Yes, most Fae have magic,” he admits. “Witches are different. Their power doesn’t come from within them. Not entirely, anyway. It’s tied to something bigger. Something ancient. They’re connected to the very fabric of this realm in ways the rest of us aren’t.”
He pauses, then adds. “Witches went into hiding centuries ago.”
Interesting.
“So, what? Because her magic’s stronger, she’s automatically a threat? That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
Cam chuckles, but there’s no humor in it. “Raven, you’d be surprised what people will do out of fear. It’s not just her magic, it’s what she represents. For better or worse, she changes everything.”
A slow chill creeps over my skin. “How? By making people uncomfortable?”
His lips press into a thin line. “By waking things that were meant to stay buried.”
I inhale slowly, feeling my frustration simmer. “We’re getting off track,” I mutter, shaking my head. “But let me guess, no one knows where she is still?”
“Exactly. When they find out, she’ll be easier to hunt.” He nods, looking around. “And because I know you’ll just keep asking, the fear isn’t just about what she could do.”
His words are cold and suffocating.
“So, they want her gone because they’re afraid of what she might do?” I scoff. “Shocker.”
He pauses, letting his mask slip back into place. “When you asked us to help with your family, I tried to dig deeper.”
A pit forms in my stomach, but he keeps going.
“I couldn't find anything. It was like they vanished without a trace.” He stops, staring right at me. “And that’s saying something, because I can find anything.”
“Not just because of, you know…” He trails off, letting the implication hang in the air before adding with that familiar cocky swagger of his, “But because I’m really fucking good at what I do.”
Despite myself, I let out a nervous laugh. “Modest, too.”
He starts walking again, not missing a beat.
“I came here because your grandparents were royalty.” His tone shifts, and the teasing edge is gone.
“Over here, we have people who deal exclusively with royal bloodlines. Bartering goods, managing alliances, maintaining the balance, that sort of thing. If anyone knows who your grandparents really were, they’ll be in this realm. ”
My stomach knots. There is so much going through my head right now, I'm not even sure where to start. “Okay,” I reply cautiously. “Let’s say all of that lines up. What does any of this have to do with me?”
Cam stops abruptly. His expression tightens like he’s at war with himself. His chest rises with a slow, measured breath before his eyes find mine.
“You fit the description.”
I blink, holding back a giggle. “Except for one tiny little flaw in that theory, buddy. I don’t have magic.”
The air shifts, and a gust of wind tears through the trees, rustling the leaves at our feet. They swirl in an unnatural dance around us, and I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance.
I look up at the stars that had been so vivid moments ago, but are now swallowed by thick, rolling clouds.
A deep foreign pull hums under my skin, threading through my veins. The hairs on the back of my neck rise as heat prickles at my fingertips. And for the first time, I wonder if maybe he’s right?
I don’t realize I’ve stopped walking until I feel Cam’s eyes on me, his expression hesitant.
“Raven.” His voice is laced with concern. “Hey, stay with me.”
I nod faintly, but my gaze stays locked on the sky. The distant flashes of light pulse through the darkness and I can feel a thickness around us. I can feel it getting closer.
“Raven!” Cam’s voice sharpens, sounding more urgent now. He moves into my line of sight, cutting through the haze. “Look at me.” His tone dips into something close to panic. “I need you to calm down. Right now.”
“I’m not doing anything!” I snap. I can feel the crack in my voice as the panic rises, clawing at my throat.
I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing air into my lungs.
One, two, three… but it’s useless.
Four, five, six… It feels like it's pressing in tighter.
Seven… eight… nine… the numbers tumble through my mind, but they aren’t working.
My hands tremble at my sides, and I'm holding onto the dagger so tight, I can feel it digging into my palm. I force my eyes open, locking onto Cam’s.
“This isn’t me, Cam,” I say again.
I stumble back, shaking my head. “Please, I'm not who you think I am! I don’t know what’s happening, but I'm not—” The words pour out, and it feels like a dam breaking.
He steps closer, and his voice is so calm despite the storm raging around us. I can feel everything—the thunder, the wind ripping through the trees—but at the same time, it's like the storm is under my skin too.
“Raven, sweetheart, listen to me.”
His hands find mine, and I feel him squeeze.
“We’ll figure this out, but I need you to breathe.”
I shake my head, trying to pull away, but his hands hold me in place. The air crackles, pressing against my skin like a vice.
Crack.
A nearby tree splinters apart as the blinding flash carves a stark white streak into the darkness. The deafening roar of thunder slams through my chest like a battering ram, and the force of it vibrates in my bones.
A strangled gasp tears from my throat as the storm shakes the ground.
“I can’t,” I whisper.
I can feel the storm inside me. Burning and freezing at the same time invading every nerve. It feels like an unrelenting force clawing to be unleashed. My hands tremble violently, but all I hear is the loud, endless ringing in my ears.
The wind screams through the trees, and you can hear the branches snapping like brittle bones. Leaves spiral through the sky, caught in the violent current, and I can feel the ground pulse under my feet.
I don't know how to explain it, but I can feel it climbing higher with every frantic beat of my heart.
“Raven.”
Cam’s voice slices through the storm. Louder this time.
His hands move to my face, gripping my cheeks, forcing me to look at him.
“If you don’t calm down, you’ll burn yourself out.” His thumbs press against my jaw, anchoring me. “And that is not good. Do you hear me?”
The sky splits open, unleashing a torrential downpour.
Rain comes down in sheets, soaking us instantly. It slams against my skin, cold and punishing, but the storm inside me doesn’t care. It rages, clawing for control. The world is unraveling, and I can’t stop it.
Somewhere deep inside me I feel something stir. And the only sound I hear is a whisper.
Fight.
A choked sob escapes my lips, but the sound is swallowed by the roaring wind. My chest tightens, squeezing until I can’t breathe.
I start to feel a strange warmth spread through me, but it doesn't feel like it usually does. It feels foreign, but calming. I can feel it radiating through my body, grabbing hold of my limbs, and pooling in my fingertips.
Cam’s grip tightens and I can feel something warm trailing down my face. My stomach drops and I force my eyes open, blinking through the rain. I can taste the blood as it mixes with the rain.
He catches my wrist mid-air and the sight of him startles me. His eyes are glowing and a faint pulse of light flickers in their depths. It's beautiful and yet, unnatural. I feel like I can't breathe.
For the first time, Cam feels like a stranger.
“I’m so sorry, Raven.”
His grip tightens but his voice stays calm. The power radiating off him intensifies and all I hear through the ringing in my ears is, “... safe.”
The words barely register before something settles over me, drowning me in a tide of unnatural stillness.
No.
It’s him. I know it’s him.
“No!...” The whisper slips from my lips as my body surrenders. But a wild force flares inside me, fighting back. And it’s furious.
Fight.
I feel it snap like a whip. A last, desperate pulse of resistance and lightning strikes. So close I feel the heat in the air between us. The deafening BOOM rattles through me, and the tree beside us explodes into splinters.
My knees buckle and I can feel the fire inside me sputter while his magic presses in harder. It wraps around me like a weighted blanket I can’t shake off.
“I’ve got you.”
The words sink into me, pulling me deeper. Dragging me under.
The storm, the pain, the fire. All of it fades.
The darkness closes in, and his voice is the last thing I hear before everything goes quiet.