Life in Raven Hall
Irene
Mansion wasn’t the right word for Raven Hall, but royal palace was more fitting.
Fiona, another wili, was showing me around, and we hadn’t stopped walking for an hour. We’d seen the drawing rooms, sitting rooms—I’d lost count of how many of them—the galleries, and the sunrooms.
“This is the ballroom.” She entered a ridiculously wide room with at least twenty arched windows overlooking the gardens.
Rows of small mirrors opposite the windows created a dazzling effect of space and luminosity. The chandeliers cast dozens of rainbows over the walls, and the frescoes on the ceilings, depicting a cloudless sky, gave the illusion of being outdoors.
Fiona sighed. “We’ve never used it since Ravenhill became the duke.”
“Who was the former duke?” My reflection glittered in a group of mirrors, showing different angles of my face.
“Lord Koschei.” She twirled, letting her white gown sparkle. “A very charming sorcerer with the nasty habit of kidnapping maidens. Myrtha fought with him constantly.”
“What did Koschei do to the kidnapped maidens?” I touched the marble statue of a stunning nymph.
“He charmed them and made them dance for him. When he got bored, he would release them. He didn’t kill them, otherwise Myrtha would have killed him.
When Ravenhill challenged him for the role of duke, Myrtha and I supported him.
Carabosse, a witch you haven’t met yet, wasn’t sure.
The servants were on Ravenhill’s side the moment he agreed to give them a raise and paid holidays.
” She spun faster on one foot. “Then Ravenhill and his wizard friend beat Koschei in a vicious fight. We wilis celebrated. Little did we know Ravenhill was an unbearable bore. Never a ball, a party, or a soirée.”
Her comment offended me. “But no more maidens were kidnapped and forced to dance.”
She stopped spinning. “I suppose.” She beckoned me to follow her along another corridor.
“There are two other courts. The Fair Court is ruled by the holier-than-thou fairies, and the Moon Court, which we call Furry Court, is held by werewolves. The Furry Court had its own problems when Ravenhill took power and didn’t show its support either for Ravenhill or Koschei, but the fairies supported Ravenhill, only to change their minds afterwards because they thought he was too young and impulsive to be the duke. ”
Fairies, werewolves… Would I ever get used to this world?
“Do you kill a man every year?” I sped up to keep up with her.
“More than one.” Her light flashed more brightly. “I prefer killing men who take advantage of girls working in disorderly houses. My husband forced me to work in one until he killed me. He regretted it.” Her aura darkened and expanded with bitter dark blue sorrow.
“I’m sorry.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Every wili has suffered, or we wouldn’t be who we are.” She pushed an ornate door open. “This is the library.”
I shifted my weight with anticipation. “The libr—”
My enthusiasm evaporated. The room had plush armchairs, a thick carpet, and a lively log fire. So far so good. But only a half-empty bookcase took up a corner. There had to be no more than twenty books. My bedroom in Mayfair had been better supplied.
“You’re joking. A palace like this can’t have such a small library.”
She hid a yawn behind her hand. “You’re right. There’s another library, huge. But only Darius, the wizard, can enter.”
“Darius is a wizard? Darius Strange?”
“Indeed. He’s a know-it-all, but charming. Well, as charming as a man can be.”
That explained his unusual aura.
If I asked, he might let me see the library. “I would like to see him.”
Two other wilis entered the room. Their white gowns and radiance made them easy to spot.
Fiona gestured towards them. “Irene, these are Rosella and Lavonia.”
I nodded to them. The two wilis weren’t similar. Rosella had black hair and large black eyes, and Lavonia had luscious brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes, but the two wilis shared the same elegance and royal bearing. Lavonia’s radiance shone more strongly than any of ours.
“You’ve killed someone.” Fiona gave Lavonia a long glance. “Your energy is bursting.”
Lavonia beamed. Her aura glowed with yellow happiness. “Indeed. I’ve never felt better.”
I shifted my weight, not sure that killing someone would make me feel better.
“That nasty piece of work,” Lavonia said, “trafficked women and sold them to houses of ill repute or wealthy men looking for entertainment. Some of the girls he sold were barely thirteen.”
I might change my mind about not feeling better.
“You’re the new wili.” Rosella selected a book from the shelf. “I heard you don’t belong to Myrtha.”
“It’s not possible, is it?” Lavonia sat on the sofa.
“Ravenhill claimed me,” I said, not sure what that meant.
Instant coldness descended on the room. Rosella’s aura turned ash-grey with confusion while Lavonia’s became scarlet with anger.
“You poor thing.” Rosella patted my shoulder. “It must be awful for you.”
“Shall we attack Ravenhill?” Lavonia’s tone was deadly serious. “I bet he forced Myrtha to become your master and that he treats you like vermin. He crossed a line. He shouldn’t meddle with us. Wilis aren’t any of his business.”
“Attack Ravenhill?” I gazed at Fiona who shrugged. “There’s no need to attack anyone. Ravenhill is very kind to me. He didn’t force Myrtha.” I wasn’t completely sure about that.
“You’re happy to belong to him.” Rosella searched my face as if wanting to spot a lie.
“Yes. I don’t mind.”
Their auras were tinted with dusty-rose pity.
“I don’t understand Ravenhill.” Rosella frowned. “Wilis disgust him, but he claimed you.”
“Disgust him?” I was puzzled.
Lavonia squeezed my hand. “If you change your mind, we’ll all stand up for you against that monster. We endured Koschei only because Myrtha wanted to keep an eye on him…”
“And because he knew how to throw a party.” Rosella winked at me.
Fiona laughed. “True.”
Lavonia didn’t smile. “But even Koschei wouldn’t have dared to own a wili. Ravenhill’s hatred for us knows no bounds.”
“I wouldn’t say he hates us.” I slid my hand out of Lavonia. “He doesn’t bother us, does he?”
“He ensnared some of us.” Lavonia shot a glare at Fiona who glowered.
“What…?” Pain caught me off guard. It sliced through my chest like a red-hot blade.
“Irene?” Fiona’s voice sounded high-pitched.
“Not…me.” I gritted my teeth, focusing on blocking the source of the agony.
Alex’s loud voice came from the hallway. “I told you there was nothing we could do.”
“But I didn’t think…” That was Myrtha’s sobbing.
“What happened?” As I moved to rush into the room where the voices came from, Lavonia tried to take my arm.
“Irene, leave it.”
Myrtha and Alex stood next to a white-clothed woman writhing in bed, their faces grim. Myrtha’s sorrow pinched my chest along with the familiar pang of Alex’s presence. He gave me a polite nod of his head.
“That’s a fading wili.” Rosella’s voice broke. “Myrtha created her a year ago when she didn’t know her power was dwindling.”
The poor woman twisted and let out awful choking noises of agony.
“Can’t we do anything?” I stood next to Alex.
He swallowed hard. “Nothing works. Wilis’ power is delicate.”
The other wilis hugged each other.
“Poor Anne.” Fiona shook her head.
Myrtha sobbed into her hands. “She seemed to be fine. For over a year, she didn’t show any signs of fading. I didn’t create her recently. I don’t understand.”
Fiona put a hand on my shoulder. “Come.”
“But I want to stay close when she dies.”
“It might be a long time.” Gently Fiona led me out of the room, her aura glowing with tea-rose pink compassion.
Lavonia and Rosella filed out of the room quietly with us.
Alex glanced at me as I was leaving. He put a hand on his chest and bowed his head. The pull gave a little tug.
Once outside, I clamped a hand over my mouth. “Awful.”
“It is, but consider that the woman was going to die anyway. Myrtha tried to save her and failed.” She hugged me, and I cried on her shoulder. “Our world is made of pain.”
She was right. So much pain around me, and I was asked to cause more.
Lavonia patted my back. “Let’s go to the main dining room.”
“Can’t she be turned into a vampire?” I asked.
Fiona shook her head. “Ravenhill tried that. It didn’t work.”
I didn’t pay attention to the route Fiona chose, thinking of the poor wili.
The sumptuous dining room wouldn’t be out of place in Buckingham Palace with its chequered marble floor, chandeliers, and paintings. It was like walking into a crystal ball filled with sunlight.
Such a beauty right next to such a horror.
The butler bowed as we entered. His azure aura spread calm.
“Lunch for four, Lowe.” Fiona took a seat.
The butler clasped his hands behind his back. “Miss Harlowe can use His Grace’s private dining room.”
Envy tinted Fiona’s aura with hunter green. Lavonia’s aura glowed burgundy with shock, and Rosella’s was orange with surprise.
“His Grace’s orders,” Lowe added. “Of course, Miss Harlowe can have lunch here, should she wish so.”
Fiona’s pursed lips. “That’s a great honour. Myrtha is a countess here, and she has her own private dining room, but Ravenhill has never invited her. Only Darius can dine with the duke.”
“I don’t know what to say.” I sat at the table, pretending to admire the fine porcelain plates and the exquisite linen tablecloth.
Lavonia rested her chin on her palm. “You truly are his favourite.”
So it would seem.