Chapter 43 #2
“That was not one time,” Elle cuts in, launching the rest of her cinnamon roll at him. This time it lands dead center, leaving a streak of frosting sliding down his face.
“You cannot keep throwing food at me and expecting it to solve your problems.”
“That’s exactly what I expect,” she flashes him an innocent smile before turning back to me. “See, Raven? This is what I deal with. Daily.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I like her.” I give Cam my best glare, folding my arms over my chest, knowing I look anything but angry. “She actually got me food, which was more than I can say for you.”
Elle claps, aiming her spoon at Cam like she's just been crowned something that doesn't matter. “Thank you! Can you believe he didn’t even think to feed you? How rude.”
Cam rolls his eyes and shakes his head, taking another bite. “Great. Just what I needed…two of you.”
Elle looks outside and bolts upright so fast her chair screeches across the floor. “I've gotta run.” She’s halfway to the door before I even register she's moved—and then she's back again, pulling me into a hug before my brain can catch up. “We’re going out later, okay. I’ll find you.”
Then, like a whirlwind, she’s gone and I'm left blinking at the now-empty space where she just was.
“She’s something else, I really like her.”
“She’s definitely something,” Cam mutters, stealing another cinnamon roll. I'm not one to judge, but I'm pretty sure this is his fifth one.
“Don’t let her fool you though, she’ll drag you into trouble faster than you can blink.”
I laugh, because I can totally see that. “I love her already.”
Cam groans dramatically. “Of course you do. But be careful with her,” he says casually, brushing crumbs from his hands.
“What do you mean?”
He leans against the counter, watching me carefully. I can't help but feel like he's baiting me. “She can read minds.”
I freeze, staring at him. I'm sorry, what? “Did you just…She can what?”
He holds up a hand, clearly amused by my immediate what the fuck reaction. “Relax, she won’t do it without your permission. Besides, if she had gone digging around in your head, you’d know.”
I try to glare at him, but nausea wins out. Figures. “What do you mean I would know if she had? How do you know she wouldn’t? What does it feel like?”
Cam watches me carefully, but my mind is already miles away. How exactly would I know? Does it hurt? Would she say something? Would she know all the shit running through my head? Wait, does everyone here read minds? I'm fucked.
He must see the look on my face because his voice drops into something calmer. “I know, because she’s my sister.” He pauses, like that alone should explain everything. “It also means you passed her test.”
My stomach twists. “Test?” I echo. “Are we just ignoring how creepy that sounds?”
His lips twitch. “She calls it an evaluation.”
“I’m not really sure if that makes it better.”
I try to force a small smile, but the idea of someone poking around in my head, even with permission, makes my skin crawl. I look around and realize there's no one in the kitchen anymore. When did they all leave?
“Seriously.” He gives me a look meant to calm me down, but it doesn't work. “If she didn't like you, believe me, you'd feel it. She can be terrifying when she wants to be. But she's solid. You can trust her.”
I nod slowly, still trying to process where this conversation went. “Good to know,” I mutter, forcing out my best attempt at a laugh. “I’ll, uh… do my best to stay on her good side.”
My thoughts are a mess of questions, and because self-control clearly isn't my thing, I blurt— “Can everyone do that? Read minds?”
He shakes his head, leaning back against the counter and folding his arms like he needs the barrier between us.
“Not necessarily. Everyone’s gifts are…different,” he explains.
“Some are more unique, some more rare, but everyone’s level of power is different.
Some gifts are stronger than others." He shrugs, like it's no big deal.
"Most of us inherit the basics—accelerated healing, sharper senses, enhanced speed, and heightened instincts. The usual. For us, it’s like breathing. It's second nature.”
The usual? I arch a brow. “So, you’re all basically magical superheroes.”
His lips twitch, and I can tell he's trying not to smile. “Not quite. And it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Magic comes with its own challenges.”
I stare at him while my brain short-circuits for a solid second before I shove the freak-out to the back of the list while I think about magic. Yeah, poor you—how exhausting it must be to have literal superpowers while I can barely keep a fork in my hand.
“What can you do?”
“The only impressive one is shifting.” He laughs, saying it like we're discussing Netflix recommendations instead of actual magic.
“Shifting? Like… we're talking about turning into something else?” My voice climbs, caught between disbelief and actual concern.
“Exactly.” He grins. “Animals, sure. People if I push. But animals don't hide who they are. That's what makes them easier.”
Holy shit. He's serious. And here I am, about to pick a fight with the guy who claims he can't read minds. Brilliant plan, Raven. “Prove it.”
His grin widens, and for a second, I’m excited and a little nervous. “Oh, you want a demonstration?” He steps closer, and I can see the heat in his stare. “I would, but… you’re not ready for that.”
I roll my eyes so hard they practically leave my skull. “Oh, come on. You cannot just casually drop that you can shapeshift and not show me! That’s a total dick move. What the fuck.”
He laughs, holding up his hands. “Fine, maybe later.”
I open my mouth to argue but snap it shut, because I'm still trying to process the absolute insanity the last few days have been. I still have so many questions, and he seems to be answering some of them, so maybe I should test my luck.
“Who’s the most powerful one here?”
Something unreadable flashes across his face. “The king.” Huh. Interesting. He hesitates for a second, before adding. “The King’s abilities are… unmatched.”
I frown. “Why do you say it like that?”
He hesitates again. “It’s hard to explain. But… powers like that always have a cost.”
The air shifts, crawling over me in a way that makes my nerves spark and my stomach drop. “A cost?”
He nods, and the teasing edge in his voice is gone. “That’s why he’s both revered and feared. People respect him, but they also…” He tilts his head slightly, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Tread lightly.”
I chew on that for a second before asking the obvious. “So, does that mean he’s dangerous?”
Cam gives a small, humorless smile. “Anyone with that much power can be dangerous, Raven. It’s all about how they choose to wield it.”
I exhale slowly, because my brain's already lining up more questions. “And what are his powers, exactly?”
His smirk returns, but there's something different in his expression now. “Anything and everything.” He laughs, intentionally vague, yet again. Well, that wasn’t suspicious at all? But before I can press him further, he smoothly pivots.
“Why don’t we go for a walk? I'll show you around.”
I arch a brow at the subject change but decide to let it slide. For now. “A walk sounds nice.”
He looks at me for a beat, then starts walking down the hall, not waiting to see if I’ll follow him.
“Look, until we know more about you, you’re safe here as long as you’re with someone.
Especially in Nveri.” He watches me closely.
“The people here won’t hurt you, but if you are who I think you are…
” His voice fades, but the meaning lands anyway. “It’s better to play it safe.”
I nod, even though I’ve only gotten half answers all day, and I still have so many unanswered questions. And what the hell does that even mean? Who does he think I am? Ugh. I'm starting to get a headache just thinking about it.
“Okay,” is the only thing I can think of to say.
Because if I stop moving, if I let myself think too hard, I might actually unravel.
I haven’t allowed myself to think too hard about everything that's happened yet, and I know I need to. But it’s easier to compartmentalize than to unravel the shitstorm that is my life right now.
Is that the healthiest option, probably not.
But absolutely necessary for the time being.
Until I find out more, I can't afford to freak out.
I take in my surroundings as we walk through the halls, trying to commit everything to memory.
The place is unlike anywhere I've ever been.
It's practically a maze, but it's stunning. And yet, there’s something about it that feels oddly familiar.
Not in a way I can place, but whatever it is, feels out of reach.
Cam's voice pulls me back to the present. “There’s so much to tell you, but I’m not sure where to start,” he says thoughtfully. At least that's genuine. “You definitely have magic, that much is obvious. Even while you were asleep, we had a few situations.”
I nod, remembering the hushed voices and the storms bleeding through my consciousness. But I keep that to myself.
“Am I going to be allowed to leave?” My voice is barely above a whisper. The thought of being stuck here makes me want to throw up. And honestly, depending on his answer, I might have to come up with an escape plan. God, I hope it doesn't come to that.
Cam stops walking, and turns to face me. His hands settle lightly on my shoulders. “Of course you can leave. You’re not a prisoner here. I just want to make sure you’re safe while we figure out what's happening with you.”
The tension in my chest loosens just a little. I know he’s keeping things from me, but the sincerity in his tone makes me believe he’s telling the truth. “Okay,” I nod, but the nervous knot in my stomach lingers. “I just… I don’t want to be trapped here.”
“You’re not trapped,” he says gently. “There’s so much you need to know. So much you deserve to understand about yourself, and about your magic. I promise, we're here to help you.”
I search his face for any trace of deception, but all I find is quiet sincerity. The nervousness doesn’t vanish, but something else settles in alongside it. There’s a flicker of hope, but I don’t want to give it life just yet.
“Alright,” I sigh, taking a deep breath. “I’ll stay. For now. But I need answers, Cam. I need to understand what the hell is going on.” My voice wavers, but I force a smile. “And I'll try my best not to freak out again.”
He chuckles, giving my shoulders a light squeeze. “One step at a time, okay?” He winks before turning on his heel. “Come on.”
I hesitate for a second before I follow him, realizing I don't have much of a choice, since I have no idea where I am. And I don’t really feel like wandering aimlessly through a place I’ve never been.
Especially since he said I’m safest with someone.
That I believe. I’ll do my sneaking at night, when I can hide a little better.
So far, we’ve walked through endless hallways, turned a few corners, and much to my surprise, entered more hallways that look just as annoyingly gorgeous as the last. The entire place feels like something out of a fairytale, except this one doesn’t stay neatly on the pages of a book. This one breathes. People live here.
And I thought Kane's was big.
Cam laughs so suddenly, I nearly jump out of my skin.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.” He grins, “It’s kind of adorable, watching you try to take it all in.”
I snort, unimpressed. “Oh, so I’m just your entertainment for the day? You’re welcome, I guess.”
“Well, pretty much.” he admits without hesitation.
I roll my eyes but can’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips. “I can't believe you have electricity here.”
He bursts out laughing, holding his chest like I’ve just said the most hysterical thing he’s ever heard.
“Raven,” he wheezes between chuckles, “we aren’t cavemen. And, we’ve actually had it longer, considering we were the ones who showed you guys how to use it.”
I shoot him a look. That is definitely something I want to know more about. There are so many things I want to ask him right now. “I don’t know what I expected, but I guess I imagined more… candles and ominous firelight.”
“That’s still the vibe in some places,” he concedes with a shrug. “But no, we like to keep the best of both worlds.”
The more we walk, the more questions I get to ask. And shockingly he answers most of them. I've learned how Nveri functions, I have a list of all the food I have to try, and what to expect in town.
For a few minutes, it almost feels normal. Just two people talking. No magic, no apocalyptic-level revelations, no storms outside my window, and shockingly, no one trying to kill me.