My chest tightened as I remembered the debate of whether I should have moved on or kept waiting for him in our secret place. It warred within me all over again. Instantly I was fifteen and scared out of my damn mind once more.
“I left you. I should have gone back. I should’ve stayed instead of listening to you and running.” I blinked back tears and lifted my gaze to lock with his again. “I know that now.”
Thane crouched down beside my rock, his warm brown eyes locked on mine. There were so many emotions swirling through them.
“I’m glad you listened, Lena. I’m glad you ran. I didn’t come to you that day because I couldn’t. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. When I noticed you weakened the Sister, I knew I’d never have another chance to finish her. I knew it was then or never. I made the dumb decision to stay behind. I should’ve run with you. We could’ve escaped them together. Instead, I tried to finish what you’d started and ended up getting myself caught.” He moved to sit on my rock beside me. I scooted over, giving him more space. “After you left, I attacked. No sooner had I ended her life than the other two Sisters appeared in front of me.”
“I don’t understand. You keep saying I did something to weaken her but I have no clue what you’re talking about. I didn’t do anything.”
“You did though. You projected some sort of purple shield from your palms. It deflected her scream and stunned her. It was just enough for me to step in and finish her,” he insisted. “When the other two Sisters appeared seconds later, one of them wanted to kill me but the other wanted to know what happened. I told them you were stronger than they ever gave you credit for. I wish I hadn’t, but I couldn’t help gloating a little. I was so damn proud of you. It was me gloating about what you’d done that got them wanting to know where you were and what you’d done. When I refused to tell them they forced me into the compass with the intentions of seeking you out.”
My breath hitched in my throat. None of what he said could be true, yet I knew he was dead serious. I didn’t have a shield though. That wasn’t in my forte of powers. And even if it was, I wasn’t sure how it would help with anything. Banshees had no weaknesses. At least not these particular ones. They weren’t typical banshees. They were ancient and powerful. Some of the originals.
“I don’t know how the compass was able to find you, especially in a town like this, but it did. I’m here now and that means they’re not far behind.”
He reached for me but I flinched away. My eyes narrowed at him. I wasn’t sure he could be trusted yet.
“You don’t believe me. Damn it, Lena, I need you to believe me. The Sisters will be coming for you. You need to be prepared. You need to figure out whatever it was I saw you do that day and replicate it. We can fight against them together this time, side by side, and win. I know we can.”
“How?” I asked. He sounded so certain. “How do you know?”
“Because, we have no other choice,” he said. “We either fight them or we die. There will be no in-between. You know that as well as I do.”
I licked my lips and glanced out at the rolling waves of the ocean. Its churning waters seemed more stable than the idea we could take on the Sisters.
“I saw you do it that day. I saw you put up some sort of shield. You can replicate what you did, you just need to figure out how,” Thane insisted.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I told you I don’t have a shield. I have a raven. Remember?”
“I do remember, and I think the shield is part of her. Part of you.”
My teeth sank into my bottom lip. “No. You’re wrong. All I did was run when you told me to. Something happened that caused the Sister to stop screaming. That’s all.”
“Think harder. I know you remember this. You have to.” His voice was persuasive but not harsh. “Think about it. We weren’t supposed to be around each other, Lena. They never wanted us together. Even when we were little they’d punish us for playing together. I didn’t understand why then but I do now. It’s because of your power. It’s because of what you could do to them.”
I stared at him, watching as a vein I’d never noticed before throbbed in his forehead when he spoke. He was different. I was different.
That much was clear.
“And what does that have to do with you?” I asked. “The Sisters were just evil. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
“It had to be because of the way our powers might interact.” His brows pulled together as he thought things through. “Shit. Do you remember why the Sisters wanted me, what they used me for?” His eyes narrowed. They penetrated me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. He looked nothing like the seventeen-year-old boy I remembered and everything like a man.
A stranger.
I nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
“Why?” he insisted, wanting me to tell him.
Was this a test?
“You helped them see what was hidden about people and things. You said they always told you that you helped to guide them through the veil of deception and illusion to uncover people’s hidden potential and abilities. It helped them find the right souls to feed on. They had me do something similar for them.”
The memory of what I was forced to do daily for the Sisters soured my stomach. I could feel my raven growing uneasy as well.
“Yes! I helped them look beyond someone’s appearance into the true reality of who they were.” His eyes never wavered from mine. “And I think I may have unintentionally revealed a power you didn’t even know you harbored. One no one did. One that helped us take down the Sister that day. We can free ourselves from them now. We can take them down for good, Lena.”
I heard his words, but they didn’t fully resonate. I couldn’t get beyond what they might entail, what we might have to endure in order to take down the Sisters for good.
“In order to do this,” Thane whispered. “You’re going to have to trust me.”
Red flags shot up in my mind.
“Why should I?” I glared at him. “How do I know you’re not lying about all of this so you can take me back to them? How do I know you haven’t tipped them off as to where I am already? They could be on their way right now.”
My heart pounded as the reality of my words settled in. My raven pushed for me to flee. She wanted us to pack a bag and hightail it out of town. Why was there such a large part of me resisting her though?
The anchor that had always tethered me to Thane kept me rooted in place. I knew this with every part of my being.
“I wouldn’t do that to you. You know that. I’m not taking you back to them, and I haven’t tipped them off. Not intentionally anyway. I’m not sure how the compass I was trapped in works. It might act like a beacon.”
Shit. He was probably right. A compass helped you find things, like your way home. In this case, it could easily be used to help the Sisters find me.
“Use your raven’s sight on me,” Thane insisted. He held a hand out to me.
“It doesn’t work that way.”
“Still? I figured you’d get premonitions or something.”
I shook my head no but didn’t speak.
“Okay, but you’ve got other powers you’ve surely learned to control by now, right? Use something on me to see if I’m lying, anything.”
“I can’t.” The words tasted bitter on my tongue. “I don’t have powers like that.”
I hated admitting it to him, but it was the truth. If I had something that would allow me to become a human lie detector right now I’d use it, but I didn’t.
“Then I guess you’re just going to have to trust me.”
I wanted to. Really, I did. I just couldn’t bring myself to. Neither could my raven.
“And if you can’t, then take me to one of your friends who can perform a spell or something to see if I’m lying.”
“I don’t have any friends.”
Skepticism pooled through his eyes. “Really?”
“Sorry to disappoint,” I spat.
; “You didn’t. It’s just this is a supernatural town so I figured it would be easy to make friends since you all have something in common.”
“It’s not just supernaturals who live here. There are humans too. Granted, the human to supernatural ratio isn’t equal, but there are still some living among us. Willow Harbor is a safe haven. Meaning it’s a place I don’t have to use my abilities to stay alive. Hence the reason I’ve never had to fully tap into all of my raven powers.”
“What have you been able to master? It would help to know for training and such.”
My nose wrinkled. Training? How was he going to train me in anything?
“I don’t know. I mean, I’ve gotten good at shifting I guess,” I said.
“Anything else?” He asked not seeming impressed even though he knew how big of an accomplishment it was for me. He’d seen how difficult of a time I had with it when I was younger.
I hated I wasn’t who he wanted me to be. It had my jaw clamping shut tight. Thane was looking at me as though I was still the fifteen-year-old girl he once knew. He’d clearly expected more from me than I could give and was disappointed in who I had become.
“Looks like we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. Is there a place in town you know of where we might be able to test your abilities and learn about their full capacity?” He glanced at the buildings in the distance. “I mean, does this place even have internet?”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The look on his face was so serious.
“Of course,” I said. “We also have a magical place filled with so many books you wouldn’t believe it. We call it a library.”
He rolled his eyes. It reminded me so much of the old him my breath hitched. Maybe the Thane I knew was still in there after all.
“Is that so, Miss Smartypants?” He grinned. “Doubt they’d have a book on raven shifters, but it might be worth a shot to head there anyway. Especially if they have internet.”
“You’d be surprised by the type of books they have there.”
I stood and wiped the butt of my jeans off before climbing down from my rock and starting back to town. Thane was in for a real treat when he saw the secret room inside the Willow Harbor Public Library, and I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face.
Nine
Thane
The library here was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It seemed to be the largest building in town. Then again it could have been the cathedral top and large pillars on the front stoop that made it seem massive. It was made entirely of gray stone, and I got the vibe when I started up the front steps that it might be the oldest building in town. Hay stalks and pumpkins decorated the front reminding me Halloween was only days away.
A strange sense of dizziness crept through me. It was similar to the sensation I’d felt before in front of the bookstore but thankfully not as strong. I didn’t have to grab hold of anything to steady myself. Still, I knew I needed to figure out its significance at some point.
“And this is the library,” Lena said. She splayed her arms above her head and shifted to face me with a wide smile. The dizziness I felt dissipated when I looked at her. “Let’s head inside.” She started toward the large wooden doors.
When we stepped inside, a sly smile worked its way onto Lena’s face. Was she amused by my lack of knowledge of this place? Why? It was a library after all. What was so special about that? It wasn’t as though I’d never stepped foot in one before.
Then again, this was a library in a town filled with supernatural residents. I glanced at her again. Her smile had grown. The sight of it had me doubting anything about this place would be typical. However, when I entered the place there wasn’t anything about it that screamed supernatural to me. It looked like any other library with rows upon rows of books.
I followed Lena toward a long desk where an old man sat snoring. His head was tipped back and his mouth was wide open signaling he’d been knocked out for quite some time. His loud breathing echoed through the silent building. It had me struggling not to laugh.
“That’s Mr. G,” Lena whispered. “Let’s see if we can find someone else to help us.”
“Might be a good idea,” I said. “Sounds like he’s a heavy sleeper.”
She walked through the library with purpose and I followed. Lena seemed calm here. At ease. I knew she’d always loved to read but seeing her here had me wondering how many times she’d stepped through those double doors in search of her next escape. Did she need an escape from life still or was reading purely a hobby for her now?
My gaze drifted to the ceiling as we walked. Dark wood beams caught my eye. They accentuated the cathedral ceiling so well. This building was stunning. If I lived in Willow Harbor, the library would be where I’d spend the majority of my time as well. Knowledge and record-keeping we’re passions of mine.
It was an owl thing.
Two female voices made their way to my ears as we passed another row of books. They were talking softly which made it difficult to hear what they were saying. When we rounded a bookshelf and they came into view, I noticed right away one of them wasn’t human. My gaze zeroed in on her because I had no clue what she was. Her creature didn’t seem to be one I’d encountered before. She had long blond hair with pink streaks and slender, delicate features. I got the impression whatever she was it was somehow tied to the ocean. However, the longer I stared at her the more I realized she was also something else.
What?
The other girl had brown hair and was just as petite as the blond but seemed entirely human. She sipped coffee from an Urban Grind cup and nibbled on a bagel oblivious to our presence. She chuckled at something the blond said and then she spotted us.
“Lena, hey,” the brunette said. “How are you?” Her eyes drifted to me as though she wasn’t sure if I should be considered friend or foe.
Why was everyone in this town so skeptical of new people? It was unnerving.
“Hey. I’m good,” Lena said. She tucked stray hairs behind her ear. It was a nervous habit I remembered her having. What was she nervous about? Did she not like this woman or was she still socially awkward? “This is my friend, Thane. Thane this is Mattie and Delpha.”
I hated the way she’d introduced me and fought the frown that wanted to twist at my lips. I was more than a friend.
At least I used to be.
“Hey.” I nodded to them.
“We’re here for some help,” Lena said.
“Okay.” Mattie wiped crumbs from her bagel off her lap and onto the floor. “What can I help you with?”
Her eyes shifted between Lena and me when she spoke, but the other girl just stared at me as though she was struggling to figure out what I was.
“Could we look at your books on shifters?” Lena asked.
“Any particular shifter you have in mind?” Delpha asked. Her eyes flickered to Lena for a split second before finding their way back to me. “Birds perhaps?”
I arched a brow. This chick was good. I focused on her harder, looking beyond the sea creature characteristics I’d spotted to pinpoint what else she was. There was something witchy in her. Was she part sorceress too?
“Uh, yeah. Birds.” Lena insisted. She shifted on her feet.
“Absolutely.” Mattie flashed us a warm smile. “Follow me.”
We followed her through the library until she paused in front of a metal door I wouldn’t have ever noticed if she hadn’t led us to it. I watched as she retrieved a silver key from around her neck and inserted it into the knob.
Mattie glanced at us from over her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ve been in here before, Lena, but I have to explain again anyway. Rules.” She rolled her eyes. “No material can be taken out of here. Please refrain from taking any pictures or video footage of the books. And I must remain in the room with you at all times.”
“Understood,” Lena said.
Mattie’s eyes fell to me.
I nodded my agreement. “Yeah, understood.”
Wow, they re
ally took the contents of this room seriously.
“Great. Step inside then and I’ll show you to the section you need.” Mattie swung the door open and motioned for us to enter the room.
It was larger than I thought should be possible and dimly lit by low hung pendant lights. When the metal door closed behind us silence engulfed the space. My gaze skimmed the shelves that ran floor-to-ceiling along the length of the entire room. They varied in color and size. Three wooden tables rested in the center. Each of them crafted from the same wood as the interior archways in the main part of the library.
“Okay,” Mattie said. She tapped her bottom lip with her index finger. “The books you’re looking for should be right over here.” She pointed to a section behind the first table closest to us.
“Is there a particular shelf or just that general area?” I asked. I’d hoped she would narrow things down a little more. The section she’d pointed to was eight shelves tall and seemed to span a few feet long.
We’d damn sure be here for hours and time was an issue. Who knew how much we had before the Sisters tracked us down?
“Sorry, I can’t narrow it down any more than that.” Mattie glanced at the shelves. “However, it does look like it’s split up the books by species if that helps you at all.”
I glanced at the spines of the books nearest me. Each was in reference to the same type of bird shifter. There was an entire shelf dedicated to eagles. Maybe we’d get lucky and be able to find one on ravens as well.
“Thanks,” Lena insisted. She started to the shelf nearest us and began glancing through the spines. “Guess we’d better get started looking, huh? If not we could be here all night.”
“Looks like we’re going to be here all night as it is. This place is loaded to the brim,” I said.
[Willow Harbor 08.0] Raven's Sight Page 6