《The Fates' Dark Whisper》 Open your eyes "I¡¯m going to count down from three to one, and when I get to one, open your eyes," a mysterious voice whispers. The season was undecided; it was not quite winter just yet, but the cool winds of the changing season entangled themselves around my neck. Every step was taken in agony, but I had to keep going. I had no choice. The firewood would not cut itself, and I barely had enough to last the night. I left my small cottage in the woods and ventured into the depths of the vast, snow-covered forest on a mission for dry wood and whatever food came my way. In my small, mangled bag, I managed to fit a bunch of almost-dead berries, two white rabbits, and some winter roots and herbs¡ªmostly barks and saps that I collected in my old glass mason jar. With every step, I glanced around for anything I could scavenge. Herbs for medicine were what I needed most, but the sodden ground had other plans. With the howling of the wolves, I now knew it was time to return to my dismal home. I had walked this path in almost every weather, at almost every time, through every season, but tonight I was undeniably scared for reasons my rational mind could not justify. I walked on, reciting incantations to myself. "But the land is vast, and my spirit is low, but as long as I walk within you, I shall never perish." My mother had always said this to me growing up; it was the only memory I had of her where I could clearly imagine her voice. I heard the howls again and quickened my pace. There was something grotesquely strange about the cries of the wolves, and my feet treaded on as if I had lost control of my own movements. Before long, I arrived at my cottage, covered in decaying leaves and branches that I had collided with. I frantically brushed myself off. ¡°Step aside, for I am not far,¡± I said in a shaking voice. The door opened, and I ran inside. I composed myself and whispered, ¡°Protect me, for I am here.¡± The door shut, glowing slightly in a purplish hue. The vines around the cottage thickened and grew until I was certain that I now stood in an unbreakable fortress. Using so much spirit force to create a barrier took a lot out of me, but I sighed in great confidence that I was safe for the night. I set aside the wood that I had collected in the corner of my one-room home. With a few steps, I arrived at the table where I skinned each rabbit and cleaned them for dinner. I already had a pot of vegetable stew brewing, but I was grateful not to have to eat the same thing for the twentieth time that month. I couldn¡¯t complain, however, because I thought myself luckier than most. I had fire, a straw bed, sheets, a table, pans, a few spoons, two knives, shoes, three dresses, and fire most days¡ªwhat more could I wish for? From my window, I could still hear the ominous growling of the relentless wolves. A fight amongst them, maybe? I set my rabbits to grill slowly; it would take the night with how low the fire was. Time and patience were the only valuable things I owned, so I waited. I tucked myself into my grey sheets and whispered my mother¡¯s incantations. My memories flooded with her as I took the last bite of my stew, set my pan down, and dozed off into a light sleep, using the growling of the wolves as a sinister melody. The agony I had felt earlier slowly eased away. Before long, it was dawn. The dismal woods were unusually silent. I paid no mind as I conjured water to bathe with. I only had enough spirit force to make the water lukewarm. As I stood in my large, chiseled wooden bucket, I strained my ears to hear a sound. Even the slightest tweet would have been enough to ease this ominous feeling, but all I heard was silence. Endless, painful silence. The echo of my beating heart and the cloth against my skin convinced me further of my paranoia. The woods were motionless. I quickly finished my bath and cast another spell to dry up the now ice-cold water. Once done, I propped the bucket up against one of my only four corners. As I got dressed, the tempting thought to go and find out what had made the woods so still leeched onto my mind, but fear is the enemy of man, so I chose to stay. ¡°Right, rabbit time,¡± I said, half excited, half petrified. The rabbits had to last me a week because a storm was soon to greet me. I had soon decided that the noise outside was the least of my worries. If the woods did not get me, then hunger would surely be happy to end me. Breakfast was drab: roots and roasted nuts¡ªthe same breakfast that I had been having for about four years since I found myself in this derelict abyss they called The Fates. On the menu for lunch today was sleep¡ªperfect, I could not wait. For the last four years, I have done nothing but scavenge, draw enchanted circles, and grow my spirit energy. I heard the cracking of thunder suddenly; it sounded distant yet close. Thunder without rain was not impossible, but it was unusual. This only grew my sense of impending doom even more. My mother often said that before one dies, they sense their death. That chilling thought ran over my mind. At that very moment, I felt the presence of death, but not mine. A cloud of death was on its way, and I had no way to escape. I rushed to grab my old brown winter coat, grabbed a heating crystal that I had conjured, and ran out of the decaying cottage. If death was coming, I had to greet it first. I refused to die if death would not come on my terms. Dashing out of the cottage without bringing down the barrier shattered it completely, and as I ran towards the burning smell of death, I could see the vines fall and die to the ground. I had forgotten my own strength; I had forgotten the terms to building a barrier. I had no time to wait, so I ran till I could feel my feet giving in. As I fell to the snow, I grabbed onto the new sheet of snow and pushed myself back up. I could not stop, for death would soon be near. As I left the woods and entered the unsettling forest, I could see the scattered corpses of the wolves that I had heard last night. Smaller animals seemed to be dashed around the bark of the trees. A war had been fought here, without a doubt, I thought to myself. Nothing else could explain the sight before me. No human could have caused this either. The air was engrossed with the stench of blood and fear. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. A voice deep within me told me to turn around, but before I could, I saw darkness. I froze. Someone or something was covering my eyes. It felt like hands. Long and wide. They had a vague scent of wintersweet. "I¡¯m going to count down from three to one, and when I get to one, open your eyes," a mysterious voice whispers. I kept perfectly still and obeyed the voice. It was almost like I could not disobey even if I wanted to. I felt the warmth of the person¡¯s breath on my ears. It was clearly a man¡¯s voice that had just spoken. Not a beast, but a man. He counted and released me. I scrambled to put some distance between us before turning around to face him. I felt weak at the knees as I gazed upon the man in front of me. A beast. To meet his eyes, I found myself straining my neck. There this strange creature stood, shirtless and covered in blood. "Did he fight the wolves?" I thought to myself. I took another look at the wolves and then at him, remaining silent. His mouth was dripping with blood, and the wolves looked as though they had been ripped apart and then stabbed with two sharp yet small daggers. I began a protection incantation and then the prayer taught to all to speak before death. "You... you are a sorcerer?" the beast said in shock as he fell to the ground. I began to run but stopped in my tracks. "The beast is dead?" I asked myself, slowing down and looking back. I stopped and walked slowly towards him. I knelt down. He was still breathing. I poked him with a stick that I grabbed nearby, but he did not move. Leaving him there to die would be easier. That is not in my nature, so I must help him. I sighed at my stupidity and my willingness to ignore my own safety, and cast an incantation to hover him off the ground. I walked slowly to my cottage in hopes that I could maintain the spell. My home had never seemed so far. Casting an incantation on a human being was one thing; maintaining it was even harder. I looked at the beast floating beside me. His silver hair was drenched in blood. He seemed vulnerable in this state, but my instincts screamed not to trust him. Retracing my steps, my mind was plagued by questions of who or what this man might be. My spirit force waned with every step, and I could feel the weight of the muscular, silver-haired creature growing heavier. I began stumbling every few steps, struggling to maintain the incantation. As my cottage came into sight, I quickened my pace. The once-green, dense vine barrier lay lifeless on the murky ground. I entered and laid the beast on my straw bed, which now seemed diminutive compared to the man I had carelessly brought into my home. As I set him down, my legs nearly gave way, but I had no time to rest. I observed his lean body for wounds while muttering the incantation to repair the barrier. I healed him and my dying home simultaneously. The spells were the same, and I had only enough spirit force to cast one. His breathing steadied, becoming shallow. I went to my table to mix herbs for the wounds I could not completely heal. The storm, which had been threatening, finally broke. He needed warmth, so I gave him my only heat stone. I managed to find enough clean cloth to wrap his wounds. I felt my body beginning to give out on me, my last thought being: who is this man? I opened my eyes to the raging storm. I felt something warm beneath me. ¡°Are you comfortable?¡± the beast asked. I looked down to see that I was lying on his bare chest. I quickly got off him, pushing myself to the end of the room, which seemed much smaller with him in it. He sat up, looking at me with a sinister grin. ¡°Is it a hobby of yours to pick up strangers from the forest and turn them into beds?¡± he asked, wincing as he held his stomach. The bandages were soaked red. The Beast is a Man ¡°Let me help you,¡± I say, trembling as I approach him. He remains still, and I take that as permission. I conjure hot water, clean, and bandage him as he looks down upon me with his piercing blue eyes. ¡°Thank you,¡± he says, genuine kindness in his voice. The beast begins to glow and shrinks slightly in size. I glare at him, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re a shape-shifter,¡± I mumble without thinking. ¡°No,¡± he answers, ¡°it¡¯s regression magic. I don¡¯t fancy hitting my head on your roof. I don¡¯t have enough strength to get any smaller.¡± He suddenly grabs my left hand. I struggle. ¡°Let me go!¡± I yell. ¡°Keep still,¡± he growls. ¡°You have my blood on you. I¡¯m checking to make sure you don¡¯t have any open cuts, or it could get dangerous.¡± I gasp. ¡°Are you a blood sorcerer? Forbidden creature, get your hands off me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a sorcerer. Just keep still.¡± I obey him again. He wipes the blood off my hands with the clean side of the cloth I used to bandage him. ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± he says, throwing my hand away from his. ¡°You¡¯re the one who took my hands,¡± I say angrily, ¡°so why are you treating me like I¡¯m diseased now?¡± I get up and storm off to my work table. I trip on my bag, which I tossed on the floor the night before. I see the ground and am sure this is going to hurt. I close my eyes and brace for impact. After a few moments, I feel no pain and open my eyes. I am in the arms of the beast. ¡°Let me go!¡± I yell. ¡°No, wait,¡± I begin to say, realising he managed to get from one end of the room to the other in seconds. ¡°Wait or let go? Make up your mind.¡± He¡¯s smirking again. ¡°I meant let me go!¡± He slowly lets me go, making sure I regain my balance. ¡°How did you get here so fast?¡± I question, knowing that, like all my other questions, I probably won¡¯t get an answer. ¡°Draven,¡± he grunts. ¡°What?¡± I ask in confusion. What annoyed me more? The fact that I obey his commands without hesitation or the fact that this stranger seems to think he owed some essence of me. He continues to growl, repeating, ¡°Draven.¡± ¡°Draven,¡± he growls, ¡°is my name.¡± He kneels to the ground and takes a deep breath. As he exhales, he shrinks slightly. ¡°I need you to come with me,¡± he grumbles. ¡°It¡¯s not safe here,¡± he continues. ¡°It¡¯s not safe here; let¡¯s go now!¡± He yells as he grabs my arm again. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Let go now!¡± I scream. ¡°I can hear them coming. It¡¯s not safe; your barrier won¡¯t hold up.¡± I look at him with pure anger. Within his eyes, I see that he¡¯s genuinely concerned. I lower my head. After some contemplation, I dash to the fireplace, lift up the stone to reveal my secret hiding place, and grab my emergency bag. ¡°That stone seems heavier than you,¡± Draven says, smirking to himself. ¡°I¡¯ve got everything that I need; let¡¯s go,¡± I say decisively, yet contemplating further where we would be going. I begin to cast an incantation, and my belongings start to disappear one at a time. First, my jars filled with herbs and medicine, and before long, almost everything but the bed, table, and bag is gone. With very little spirit energy, that¡¯s all I could do. Draven looks at me, amused. ¡°I would ask where you got such a rare item from, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s the same reason why someone who is not part of the royal house can use magic,¡± he says, his smirk turning into a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯m impressed,¡± he adds. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He flings open the door and steps out. ¡°What¡¯s your name, please?¡± he suddenly questions. ¡°Ave,¡± I reply reluctantly. ¡°Well, excuse me, Ave,¡± he says as he suddenly grabs me from the ground and starts to run at an inhuman speed. I struggle to hold back my screams. ¡°Wait, Draven,¡± I screech. ¡°You can¡¯t just teleport people off the ground.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way of putting it,¡± he says in a low voice, the wind muffling his speech. ¡°We all die one day, I guess,¡± I say, having already made my peace. I close my eyes. After what seems like a lifetime, I open my eyes to find his face inches from mine. ¡°You have purple eyes; you¡¯re full of surprises, Ave.¡± How could he see past my rune? I didn¡¯t feel it breaking. My eyes should be black, my hair black, I think to myself, hesitant to reply. ¡°Sometimes,¡± I utter, now vividly aware of the lack of distance between us. I feel my cheeks warming up and turn my head away from his to notice that we are definitely nowhere near Fate¡¯s Forest. Everywhere I turn, I see endless sun, green, and signs of life. It was truly beautiful. I could feel the peace in the air. I glance back into his crystal green eyes. His eyes begin to glow and he suddenly puts me down. ¡°What did you just¡ª¡± he yells. A look of anger and sorrow on his face. The beast has more than a smirk and a frown, I think to myself, joking. I take a step back from him to see his face had turned cherry red. Within seconds, he starts to break into a ferocious sweat. He picks himself up and acts like nothing is happening. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he says in an oddly sweet tone. I follow him and after a while, I find myself looking at a dreary mansion. All stone, all creepy. It was oddly welcoming, like a summons to the grave. It was clear that though people lived here, it was unkempt and neglected. There was a singular light on in the whole colossal mansion, and it appeared that our presence was sensed as one by one the rest of the lights visible from the front began to turn on. ¡°This is my home,¡± Draven says, gesturing for me to enter the old decaying gate. I take a better look ahead and notice that the front entrance is quite a walk away. ¡°Ave,¡± Draven says, ¡°I¡¯m going to pick you up again. Don¡¯t get scared.¡± He commands in a sweet voice. I nod my head yes, filled with questions about his sudden change in demeanour. The beast was starting to seem more human, which made me even more inclined to say yes to him. He lifts me off the ground and into his arms in a bridal hold, and I place my hands around his neck, my face buried in his chest. He shoots off again and within seconds we are at the front door of the grim mansion. He gently puts me down and brushes off my hair. ¡°The danger is not gone, just simply left behind,¡± he says with a half sigh. ¡°What would happen if we just ignored it?¡± I ask, already assuming the answer. ¡°The forests would die,¡± he replies, opening the large black oak doors. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this conversation inside,¡± he adds. Hair and Bones I follow him inside, content to get answers. He takes me down a hall, and I stay alert, taking in every detail in case I need to escape. Though the mansion seems to be in desperate need of attention, it has an allure about it. The place is falling apart yet seems oddly well-kept, and the items are clearly valuable and of good quality but made to seem cheap. The questions I have grow. ¡°Ave,¡± Draven says, stopping in his tracks. I almost collide with his back but stop myself short as he suddenly turns around. I notice the lack of distance between us yet again and take a quick step back. ¡°Ave,¡± he continues, also taking a step back. ¡°Ave, I will answer your questions as best I can later on. Through those doors,¡± he points to a large, cracked, brown door, ¡°is my butler. He will give you a room, a change of clothes, and whatever else you may need. Join me for dinner later on, please, Ave.¡± He opens the door, and behind it stands a man in a pristine grey suit, middle-aged and almost grey. He walks towards us and bows his head to Draven, his short greyish hair bouncing with him. ¡°I greet the master, I greet the young lady. My name, young madam, is Lysander.¡± I had never been greeted so formally in my life. ¡°My name is Ave. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± I reply. ¡°The young lady has no last name?¡± Lysander says, piercing his eyes at me. ¡°The young lady needs no last name,¡± I reply, almost annoyed at his clear interrogation. The butler seems nice but has a shadow about him that warns me not to get too close to him. He bows yet again and starts to walk away. I take that as a sign to follow him. He stops five doors down the large corridor and opens a door with an incantation. ¡°Open to the East,¡± he enchants. He opens the door to the room once the floral glow at the centre of the door has faded. Yet again, I have more questions that I will not get answers for. Why does such an old mansion have space manipulation magic? Why waste it on bedrooms? I learnt space manipulation last year in an attempt to grow my cottage. The incantation was simple enough, but the map had to be drawn in the form of a tulip with descending vines. So the laws for it were simple. Each room you wanted needed a vine, and all the vines needed to form a circle around the tulip when completed. Each location needed a name and an equivalent space. Space manipulation was simply a way to hide the space that you already had and also a way to move things closer to you. You could not, however, create an extra room. That could only be done by growth magic. The law of growth and the law of space manipulation meant that you had to be a dual-spirit user to do both. My grandmother once told me that dual-spirit users were rarer than pure-blood spirit users. As a child, that seemed like no big deal, but in my pursuit to learn how to control my spirit energy, I dived into books and learnt that there are only three remaining pure-blood user families left after the Eclipse War. So why does this derelict mansion have such a rare, expensive incantation? The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. I walk into the room as he holds the door for me. The shock when I entered the room was almost as overwhelming as when I discovered that almost every fruit could be made into jam, and that all jams can be enchanted to last forever. It was an expensive, elegantly decorated room with everything a young noble lady would need. I was shocked yet unimpressed; that much I knew. Wealth meant very little to me. The time I lived in that forest taught me there are far more valuable things. Being in such elegance made me uncomfortable. Dinner, then answers, I thought to myself. I can handle this much. Lysander directs me around the opulent room. ¡°Please take a shower, Miss Ave. Dinner will be ready in an hour. I have left clothes for you by the dresser.¡± I walk towards the dresser as he pragmatically explains the little details. I listen to be polite, hoping that I might learn something relevant. He leaves the room, and I¡¯m left alone. It feels bigger than the forest. I notice a mirror and walk towards it. It¡¯s been a while since I saw myself through such a clear surface. I do not recognise myself. I look clean yet unkempt. My clothes are worn out. My hair seems overgrown. It is the only healthy-looking part of my appearance. I am unnaturally skinny, something which I had not noticed before. I know what you are It does not take much to undress; I only have three items of clothing on. I run the bath. Lukewarm. I cautiously get in; the water starts to steam up. I notice the heat incantation that has been written on the bathtub. I reach for the soap and immerse myself in foam. I can feel my heavy eyes drifting. Distorted memories of my mother singing a lullaby run through my unstable mind. ¡°Hush now, V,¡± the memory of my mother says as I imagine her running her warm hands through my hair. I fall into a deep dream. I often have these dreams that remind me of what I am running from, why I am still alive, and why I need to keep going. The sound of my mother rushes around my mind. ¡°V, be brave for yourself because no one else will.¡± She starts to hum a lullaby that I know all too well. It is a violent lullaby that entangles my mind whenever I notice the unending darkness. ¡°Ave,¡± a deep, soothing voice says, ¡°wake up, Ave.¡± Oh, it is not part of my dream. I start to slip back into reality. ¡°Ave,¡± the voice insists. I open my eyes to see Draven standing there but strangely with his eyes closed. ¡°Draven,¡± I say in a husky voice, ¡°what are you doing here?¡± I think I am still dreaming. ¡°Why are your eyes closed?¡± He turns around as I ask this question. I sit up in a panic, realising that I am no longer dreaming. ¡°How much did you see?¡± I ask, too embarrassed to even look his way. ¡°I came in when Lysander said you wouldn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t see anything; you¡¯re drenched in foam,¡± he says, sounding half shy. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± he adds. I slowly stand from the tub and grab the robe that was hung on a railing to the left of the shower. I put it on and walk towards him. ¡°You¡¯re still bleeding,¡± I whisper. ¡°Let me clean the bandages.¡± He slowly turns to me and gazes into my eyes, moving the hair from my eyes and placing it behind my shoulders. ¡°Get dressed, and I¡¯ll grab the bandages,¡± he says, arching over me. I nod, and he turns away. Within a few strides, he is at the door. He leaves, and I sink to the floor, embarrassed at myself. The most I had seen of him was his chest as I healed him. What a firm chest he has. I snap out of my thoughts. I quickly put on the purple satin dress that was prepared for me. Yet another strange occurrence, it felt as if Lysander knew we were coming. With all that I had seen so far, them using a mind incantation to communicate would not be shocking. It is a difficult type of spirit force, and the slightest wrong intonation could be fatal, yet still, I would not be surprised. I am convinced that nothing could surprise me about Draven anymore. I have enough questions about him to fill a small but pristine room. That is reason enough. After a while, Lysander knocks on the door. I open the door and step out, only this time not into the same dismal hall but a dining room. Draven is sat at one end of a surprisingly small table for the grandeur of the room. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Take a seat, Ave,¡± Draven says as Lysander pulls out the chair. I take a seat. Lysander serves me food. It is a dish that I have never seen before. I do not react so as not to embarrass myself again. Draven starts to eat, and so do I. After a meal and dessert later, we are still in silence. What of my burning questions? He said he would answer every one that I had. After a while of silence and glancing back and forth at him, he finally speaks. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, Ave. How about I show you the answers later?¡± Before I get the chance to respond, Draven has glided to the door and left. Lysander looks at me with a friendly grin. ¡°Let¡¯s take you back, shall we?¡± he says, walking to the door at a similar pace to Draven. Four days. Four days is how long I waited, eating meals alone, waiting for Draven. Four days is how long I stayed without a single question answered or even knowing where he was. Four long days. ¡°Lysander!¡± I yell silently. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± I start walking in the direction that I thought was the door from the dining room. ¡°Wait, my lady,¡± Lysander says, walking cautiously behind me. ¡°Wait for what? I¡¯ve been here for five days now, and I haven¡¯t seen him since the first night here,¡± I say, beyond angry. Lysander stops chasing me. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± he says with a sigh. ¡°Follow me,¡± he adds, turning back to where I assumed we came from. Lysander knocks three times, and a shallow voice growls back. ¡°Master,¡± he says, ¡°I know you asked to be left alone, but please, Lady Ave is trying to leave,¡± Lysander says with a look on his face that I had not seen since I first met him. I was surprised that he had more than two emotions. Draven groans, and Lysander opens the door. He gestures for me to enter but does not follow. I look at him and take another step into the room. The air reeks of blood, and the room is pitch black. Lysander closes the door, and I feel a chill take over my senses. ¡°Wait,¡± Draven groans. I remain where I am. I see a shadow walk towards me, and I quiver. He walks past me and bangs on the wall. The lights come on. Draven is by the light, holding on to where his wound was, the bandages covered in blood. I instinctively bolt towards him. ¡°What is this?¡± I question, afraid. When did I grow to care about him? As I get closer, I see that his veins are protruding, black and pulsing. His face is grimly pale. This sight is oddly familiar. I had read about it in a book. ¡°You¡¯re a night walker,¡± I say without thinking. ¡°How do you know?¡± he asks in a defeated voice. ¡°I read about this once, the walkers'' curse.¡± I go to touch his stomach. ¡°You can¡¯t heal yourself right now, can you?¡± He avoids my hand. ¡°Sorry, Ave, please don¡¯t come too close.¡± Draven looks to the ground and wobbles back to the blood-soaked bed. I go after him and watch as he painfully lays down. I walk towards him and stop short of the bed. Draven closes his eyes, and by his breathing, I see that he has fallen asleep. A sense of desperation envelops my mind. He is near death. I have an unnatural sense for death. I had never cared before, but I feel a sense of deepening dread thinking that Draven would die. I start uttering a healing incantation. As I see the symbol of healing appearing in mid-air, I bite my lip. I climb onto the bed and hover over Draven, stealing a kiss. He kisses me back and drinks the few drops of my blood that are dripping. I finish the healing circle as he continues to kiss and suck my lips. I feel his healing take effect as I lose energy and his colour starts to restore back to normal. I try to pull away, sure that he is now fully healed, but he does not let go. He grips me tighter. He stops sucking and kisses me more intensively. I start to run out of breath and beat on his chest. Draven lets go, a blush on his face followed by a look of pure shock. I get off the bed, feeling how weak I have become, and stumble out of the room in a rush. Lysander does not stop me. A Storm of Confusion I look up and find myself in a garden. It is clear that no one has entered it in years. Everything is either dead or overgrown. What was that? I think to myself. I was trying to save his life. That was my first kiss. My first kiss was with a beast. I blush, still thinking about his warm, reddish lips that devoured mine. I convince myself that it was a mistake on his part. He was not conscious enough. He must have thought I was someone else. That had to be it. I find a low stone wall and pull myself up to sit on it. Breathing slowly, I focus my unsteady mind on seeing how much spirit energy I have remaining. I had given him a large portion in my panic, and he took even more when he sucked more blood than I thought he would. I gaze at the clear night sky. For a moment, I had forgotten the danger we were running from. My spirit energy is still lingering in the forest, and so I can feel its pain as whatever demonic force rips through it. I can hear the devastation left behind. This sensation widens my despair. The only way to disconnect from the forest is to kill the part of me that I left behind. Tears find their way to my cheeks. The wind shifts, and I smell a familiar sweet scent of flowers. I look up to see Draven standing a distance from me. ¡°How long have you been standing there?¡± I question him in a shallow tone. ¡°Not too long,¡± he says, closing the gap between us. The tears keep streaming more violently, but I make no sound. I cannot bring myself to wallow. ¡°Is your name even Draven?¡± I angrily ask. ¡°Draven Artemis Rain, that¡¯s my name.¡± He places his palm on my face and wipes away the tears; his hand is seemingly larger than my face. I grab his hand; it¡¯s warm. He takes it away, looking apologetic. ¡°This place is my mother¡¯s, was my mother¡¯s mansion,¡± he says, perching himself on the wall next to me, keeping a clear distance. ¡°The things we were running from,¡± he starts to say grimly but stops to glance at the clouds with a sad smile on his lips, ¡°did not kill the animals in the forest. I did. I needed to feed. Sorry about what I did. I have never tasted human blood before.¡± ¡°What are we running from?¡± I question, angrier than before at the thought that he might be avoiding telling me. He takes a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s a creature summoned by the Umbra. I managed to kill it, but through death, it took a large portion of the forest with it. After I used up most of my spirit energy, I was attacked by the members. I was feeding when you discovered me.¡± He holds back his hair in his left hand and pushes it to the side, seeming angry with himself. ¡°You didn¡¯t know killing it would kill so much more, did you?¡± I ask, already knowing the answer. He shakes his head. I look at his glowing eyes. ¡°How can a night crawler have spirit energy?¡± I question, knowing that his kind are timeless beings forsaken by the higher power. He turns to look at me more intently. I turn to look at the stars again. He mumbles under his breath, and, knowing that I cannot hear him, he repeats, ¡°I am a half-blood.¡± He says, pushing himself off the wall. He begins to walk slowly and swings around to face me. ¡°I am sorry for what I did to you, but no more questions tonight, please. It¡¯s not every month that one escapes death twice in a week.¡± He puts his hands into his pockets, and I jump down to follow behind him. ¡°Were you poisoned? Is that why your bloodlust was slowly killing you?¡± I ask out of curiosity, lacking thought about his feelings. He grins. ¡°You know a lot, it seems,¡± he says, shaking his head and displacing his hair again. ¡°It¡¯s both,¡± he finally answers. ¡°I couldn¡¯t heal because I was poisoned, but animal blood could not heal me.¡± Draven looks content to leave the conversation behind as he picks up his pace, his long muscular legs flexing through his trousers. ¡°You would rather die than feed? You strange man.¡± Draven stops in his tracks. He takes me in his arms and bends his shoulder and head down to meet my face. Looking at my swollen lips, he runs his finger past them. ¡°If I ask to feed on you, Ave, would you let me?¡± he says, forcing me to meet his eyes. I try to turn away from his gaze, but he pulls my head back. ¡°Would you?¡± he repeats. What was going through his mind? He had a look of sadness and confusion in his eyes. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! *** Watching her question me in this way made me want to tease her. I did not want to explain myself to a stranger I had just met, but it was clear from the day I woke up with her in my arms that our destinies were entangled forever. Her blood was sweet, her lips even sweeter. The question had left my mouth before I could even think. She turns away from me yet again, and I bring her eyes back to mine. ¡°If you need it,¡± she shyly replies. I cannot hide my shock as I quickly release her from my grip and take a step back. I look to the ground, half shy, half expectant, as I continue to walk in silence. I can feel her gaze on my back as we continue towards the mansion. This graveyard of a garden had never felt so ominous. I will answer her questions when the time comes. She is clearly stronger than she lets on. The colour of her core suggests that she is a dual spirit user. So she must be a product of one of the ancient houses. Does she know this, or is she really just a talented spirit user who lived in isolation in a dying forest? These thoughts persist in my mind until we reach the mansion. I turn to see that she is a few steps behind me. I had forgotten that she is much smaller than I am. Every step is clearly her third. I hold the door open for her; she makes no effort to quicken her strides, and I snicker at her resolve. I find myself displaying more emotions with her around than I have in my whole twenty-five years of living. Lysander approaches. ¡°Dinner is ready, sir,¡± he says in his usual cold disposition. Ave smiles brightly at Lysander. My heart sinks. ¡°Sander,¡± she says, walking towards him with a different smile than I have ever seen on her. Did they get close while I was gone these past four days? ¡°Sander, what¡¯s for dinner, please? I am famished,¡± she adds. Lysander gives her a genuine smile. ¡°Gammon,¡± he says, offering her his hand. She takes it and asks what is for dessert. Lysander leads her to the dining room and pulls a chair for her. Now seated, Lysander brings out the food and serves us. Ave looks grateful, and Lysander serves her, meticulously making sure that she has even portions of everything. ¡°Thank you, Sander,¡± she says as she digs in. Her shyness has left her as she continues to eat. I had not noticed during our first meal together, but she has impeccable table manners. Better than any noble I have ever met. The questions I have about her origins grow. Does she care to have as many questions about me as I do about her? Probably not; she seems to have forgotten that I am here as she indulges in her meal. ¡°When did you and Sander get so close?¡± I say, sarcastically emphasising ¡°Sander.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± Ave says, not even looking up at me. ¡°You left me here for four days.¡± She seems angry as she mutters to herself. ¡°I just started calling him that because he said I could when I asked him where he got his name from,¡± she adds. ¡°His mother,¡± I cut her mid-sentence. She puts her fork down. ¡°Very funny,¡± she says, standing, taking the bowl of cakes, and turning to leave. I remain silent as I watch her back disappear into the darkness of the hall. She learnt how to use the manipulation magic on this house surprisingly fast. Her every action seems to intrigue me. Lysander stays behind, allowing her to leave. ¡°Must you be so mean?¡± Lysander questions as he clears her plates. ¡°She seems to have been lacking human contact,¡± he affirms. ¡°You seem to really like her,¡± I remark. ¡°No, master, I just know how to be kind,¡± Lysander utters with an even colder voice than ever. I smirk at the very idea that the man knows what kindness is. ¡°So she¡¯s a spirit user?¡± Lysander laments. ¡°Looks like it.¡± ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°For now, nothing. I need to keep her safe.¡± ¡°Why ever so, sir?¡± Lysander quips. Of course, he already knew the answer to that question; he has known me long enough to know that my scent has changed. ¡°What, the lycanthrope doesn¡¯t know?¡± I groan back. ¡°You really did bond with her.¡± He has a look of shock on his face. I pull my sleeves to show him my mate mark. ¡°Does she have one?¡± ¡°How would I know? She clearly does not feel the same about me, or she would. After all, that¡¯s the curse of love,¡± I add. Centuries ago, a curse was placed on all night crawlers that meant we needed to find our true mates to survive the crushing strength of our power. A mate with a core that could safely absorb your spirit energy. ¡°Is it possible to form a mark with someone who is not a lycan or crawler, Lysander?¡± Lysander shrugs. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t have a mark or feel the burn, does that make you her slave?¡± My eyes widen as he asks such an obvious question that I had never thought about. The rules were that you either bond as lovers or as master and servant. I bonded with her fully when I received her blood and that kiss; if I was her destined mate, she would not have refused my kiss so easily. ¡°Being a servant is better than being dead, Lysander,¡± I say, standing up, now lost in a storm of confusion. The idea of being owned by her does not scare me; that much worries me. How much of me actually belongs to her? I question myself as I walk towards her room instinctively. I stop short of her door, coming back to reality. What was I about to do? Get a grip, Raven. I walk away to my room. Lysander has already changed my covers. Sleep will definitely not find me tonight. I take to exercising. I start an incantation to check my spirit core. It glows black, and then a purple hue mixes in. Is that her core? I think to myself. We really are bonded. Does she know? Will she know? *** Raven I hear Draven¡¯s voice outside the door. I hesitate to open it, and before I can, he walks away. His words about the Umbra linger in my thoughts. Putting a name to the impending doom shook my core. I couldn''t shake the feeling of dread that settled in the pit of my stomach. The thought of the Umbra and what it could mean for our world weighed heavily on me. I knew I had to find out more about it, despite the fear it brought. I made a silent vow to uncover the truth and prepare for whatever was to come. I could feel myself burning up; I had used up my reserve of spirit energy. I make my way to the bath. I climb in as it fills around me. I feel my eyes getting heavy. I struggle to keep them open, dreading that Draven might break in again. I touch my lips as I am reminded of the passionate kiss. Deep down inside, I hoped it would not be the last. I shriek at my thoughts and dive down into the tub. I emerge and lay my head on the towel that I had left on the edge of the tub. I hum the lullaby that my grandmother used to sing to me. Grandma, Mother, I miss you both. I drift into a deep sleep. When I open my aching eyes, I see that the moon is high in the sky through the window. How long had I been asleep? I felt no sense of rest as the memory of Draven littered my thoughts and now my dreams. I leave the tub, dry off, and go to bed. I sink in. I feel a harsh light on my face. I open my eyes to see that it is morning. I get out of bed and get ready. Lysander knocks on the door. "I left a box for you outside the door, Lady Ave," he states in his usual cold voice. I open the door to see a wooden box. I bring it into the room and open it by the dresser. Inside is a long black dress with a note from Draven. "Please wear this and come get more answers. Raven," it reads. I put the dress on. It''s an elegant dress, clearly expensive. It has runes on the side zip. As I close the dress, it adjusts to my size, and my long hair starts to shape itself into a style. I look in the mirror, and it¡¯s in one large braid, my makeup naturally done. What an interesting rune, I think to myself. I wonder where he is taking me. I walk to the main hall where I assume he would be since Lysander did not come to get me for breakfast. As I approach the entrance of the hall, I spot Draven in a black suit, his hair neatly styled back to its original form and length. His skin is glowing. He looks angelic, nothing like the beast who appeared in the forest dripping in blood. I can''t help but feel a flutter of excitement mixed with a hint of apprehension as I make my way towards him. His gaze meets mine, and I see a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. I wonder what he has planned for us today. What new mystery will I be left questioning? Despite the lingering doubts and questions in my mind, I can''t deny the pull I feel towards him. With a deep breath, I step closer to Draven. He offers me his hand. I take it. "Where are we going, Draven?" "The royal palace, Ave. The king needs to know about what I discovered. If I tell them, they won¡¯t believe me or take me seriously as some dirty half-blood. But if I have a witness, they are bound to listen," he utters. I see a look of anger on his face from the corner of my eye. The palace is a place I never wanted to set foot in, for fear of being discovered, but I was not willing to allow my selfishness to be the end of the Fates Forest and the known continents. I follow Draven, who pulls out his sword from its sheath and cuts a portal into the air before us. He takes my hand again and walks me through. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. We end up in a small unfamiliar forest, with horses in the distance. "Ave," Draven says, letting go of my hand. "Yes," I answer shallowly. "Ave," he continues, "please, whatever you do, do not tell them about my secret or my powers." "I was never going to," I reply quickly. I had no intentions of sharing anything that did not need to be shared. Especially not with the royal family. Draven nods in approval, a look of relief washing over his face. He then turns to me, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you," he says softly, before disappearing into the dense forest. I stand there for a moment, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings and the weight of Draven''s secret. I follow behind him. "Draven," I utter, "they know that you are a half-blood because of your silver hair, right?" He nods. "Then what do they think you are mixed with?" I ask curiously. "They don¡¯t know," he starts to reply but stops to clearly contemplate his words. "Silver hair is common with wolves, foxes, vampires, and faeries. My mother was a vampire, Ave, but she had black hair using the same incantation you are using to hide your purple hair and eyes. Everyone thinks she had an affair with someone while my father lost his life on the battlefield." We get closer to the horses, and he speeds up, still telling me his story. "The king thinks that I am a year older than what I actually am," he continues. "I am my father''s child, born and hidden during the time of the Great Purge." He suddenly turns pale, and I can see the pain on his face. I interrupt him, "I was born during the Second Great Purge, that''s why I was in the forest," I say, having never told anyone that before for fear of losing my life. A part of me needed, no, wanted Draven to trust me. He helps me mount the smaller white horse, and he himself the larger brown one. "Another thing, Ave, I am Duke Rain," he confesses. I had already decided that nothing more would shock me about Draven, so I simply sigh. "How do you know that I can ride a horse, Draven?" "I assumed. Was I wrong, Ave?" I shake my head. "No." We start to move slowly. "Ave, call me Raven, please," he says, not making eye contact anymore. I giggle, thinking that he is joking. "I''m serious," he says in a stern voice, "you call Lysander, ''Sander,'' so why not I ''Raven''?" "Okay, fine, I will call you Raven, but at the palace, call me Scarlet, please. It¡¯s time that I stopped hiding behind berry bushes and snow." Raven looks at me, shocked. "Of course," he mutters. "The purple eyes and hair, the spirit energy, you''re a Dawn?" "How did you know that I was a Dawn and not another family?" I question, almost annoyed. "Simply put," he smirks, "the Dawns are the only family rumoured to have a daughter. The ancient families do not have daughters; it¡¯s another curse, hence the Great Purge to kill all firstborn sons by the kings." "That stupid prophecy killed my cousin," I add, feeling my cheeks warm up. I wipe my face of the tear that was trailing down it. "Sorry," Raven says remorsefully. When did I become a crier? A Den of Lies I suppress my emotions and move away. The horse speeds up, following Raven, who had started off faster on his own. I decide now is not the time to use my power, so I continue after him, the horses galloping loudly. The wind whips through my hair as I urge my horse to catch up with Raven. The sound of hooves pounding against the ground fills my ears, drowning out any other noise. Despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins, I know I must remain focused and keep up with Raven if we are to reach our destination in time. As we ride side by side, a sense of determination washes over me. My chest tightens the more I think about the Royal Palace. We are not far away when Raven suddenly halts at the edge of an unstable bridge. I feel a sense of dread but continue, seeing how Raven had crossed without a second thought. If a man of his size and stature can make it across safely, then I can too. We keep going in what seems like a relatively straight line until Raven suddenly stops again. I follow behind, the smells from his horse mixing with the fresh air. He holds out his hand, and I assume he wants me to take it, so I do. He helps me off my horse. ¡°We¡¯re going to take a carriage the rest of the way to the palace, but first we must go into the small village,¡± Raven says, still helping me down. ¡°I know this is all very sudden, but I didn¡¯t wish for this to happen.¡± I look at him, confused, wondering what he is talking about. I am not sure what he is apologising for, as he has done nothing wrong. We are all in danger, and this has to be resolved as soon as possible. Going to the palace is the smartest thing to do; they can connect us with all the resources we need. Even if they do not want us involved in solving all of this, they will solve it themselves. The palace has all the wizards, sorcerers, maidens, warriors, and healers. Perhaps Raven had more influence than me, but I knew I had nothing. I could not stop this danger on my own. I needed him more than he needed me, and we needed the palace more than they perhaps needed us. The fate of the continent seemed unusually in our hands. I have not been responsible for much before, and this added to my already growing sense of doom. After what seems like a five-minute walk, we end up in a very small, unique village. I look around, and life seems absent. I have no time to wonder where all the villagers have gone because a carriage suddenly pulls up in front of us out of thin air, and Raven gestures for us to get in. He helps me in and then gets in himself. He sits down; the carriage door closes and takes to the air. ¡°We will be at the palace soon,¡± Raven says again. ¡°Once we¡¯re there, Ave, you¡¯re going to realise that I am not very liked in the palace, and I apologise for that now. It might make pleading our case slightly harder, but I¡¯ll try my best to get the help we need to save the Fate Forest and perhaps the rest of the continent. The mark of evil has already taken hold of the Royal Palace. We might need them, but do not trust them,¡± Raven adds. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. How unusual to meet someone else who was not indoctrinated by the preaching of the Royal Palace. Speaking badly about the Royal Palace is a grave crime, and to insult the Royal Family is an even bigger crime. Yet here the Duke is, confidently and plainly expressing his negative emotions about this place. Somehow, I feel safe going to the palace with Raven by my side. I know I can protect myself, but having him there to protect me as well is comforting. Before I have time to process my thoughts, we arrive at the palace. The carriage lands, and Raven helps me out. There is a team of soldiers waiting. None of them speak a single word as we walk past. We stop short of the palace gates where we are asked if we have any weapons. Strange that they would ask a duke this. Raven presents his sword and lays it down on the metallic table. He proceeds to explain to them that we are here to greet the king and that neither of us came to harm anyone. ¡°My lady here has no weapons,¡± Raven says, coming to my defense as a soldier approaches. Raven presents one of the soldiers with a ring he had been wearing, and soon enough, they let us go. I turn around to see looks of disgust and pure hatred upon their faces. There and then, it becomes clear that Raven was not exaggerating when he said he had no friends and no one liked him in the palace. They look down on him. My thoughts wonder off to my family who had once served in this den of lies¡ªthe family that fought so hard to protect this empire, the empire that abandoned us in the end. A soldier leads us in, and it looks like a servant or butler awaits us. The man approaches us and greets us. ¡°Welcome, Duke,¡± the man says, stealing a glance towards me. Raven takes a step forward, hiding me behind him. ¡°This lady here,¡± Raven announces, ¡°is with me.¡± ¡°Very well. I am the butler of the main palace. It is a pleasure to serve you,¡± he says, leading us into a different room. ¡°Your meal and meeting with the king will be in the next half hour. Please make yourselves at home,¡± he says, heading towards the door. Raven and I are left alone in a large, grand, and clean room. Everything about it seems expensive, from the floor to the walls to the windows to the chairs. I go to take a seat. Raven sits right beside me, and I find it strange but do not comment. He proceeds to take off the cloak he was wearing and lay it beside him. ¡°Ave,¡± Raven says in a deep, alluring voice. I look over to him, and he has his head in his hands, clearly looking frustrated about something. ¡°Ave,¡± he continues, ¡°today is going to be a very interesting day. They¡¯re going to do everything to try to test you, and I¡¯m sorry if at some point it seems like I have abandoned you. I need you to trust me, and I¡¯m going to trust you for this to work. They need to see that you are, in fact, my comrade and not a weakness. They need to see us as equals so that they do not try to use you against me.¡± I am very confused at Raven¡¯s words. Why would I be his weakness? We hardly know each other. No one knows who I am either.