Maili giggled as she bent over and took her necklace from Linnea's outstretched hand. Then she wrapped her arm around Jason's shoulder. She gave him a long, drawn out kiss. Tremain eyed the two of them as he stepped between them and Linnea. Something is fishy about this whole scenario.
"You planned all of this, didn't you?” he asked Maili.
"Of course I did."
"Why?"
"Power, my dearest, Tremain. Something I don't have and desperately want. I'm tired of my mother ruling from behind reflections and all I get is this world."
"How did you avoid the assassins?” Tremain asked Jason.
"That was easy. They listen to Maili as well as her mother."
Maili opened her mouth, but Tremain held his sword to her throat. “Tell me the truth, Maili, what is this all about?"
"Silly, Raven Warrior. Why it was to get Linnea's magick. The assassins were supposed to take care of her. Once she was dead, I was going to steal her power. The assassins were going to bring me her soul. However, you interrupted them. I never thought you would have figured it out. I was hoping my little distraction would have taken care of you, but you surprised me. Those enchanted silver daggers are very hard to come by in our world."
"Why put your mother through all of this? She thought you were in danger. She loves you. And Linnea is your friend. She thought of you like a sister."
"Now, Tremain. Is that concern for the human I hear in your voice? Is that love? What happened to the heartless Warrior who told me love was nothing more than a petty emotion?"
The Warrior gritted his teeth. “I changed my mind."
Maili smiled. He saw her twitch her hand, and out of the shadows more Jenny Greenteeth appeared, all making slurping sounds. He changed his stance and trailed his sword around the green hag women who were now out to get him. Suddenly a piercing shriek split the air. He watched as Jason's face formed a perfect “O” as his brain liquefied and came out of his nose while his ear drums shattered. It didn't affect Tremain because he was no longer completely human, and neither was Linnea. Since her power had awakened, it must have roused her heritage as well. The screams of the banshee were only meant to kill humans. The Jenny Greenteeth shrunk back, but he knew the sound had summoned Betha and the rest of his brethren. He closed his eyes, knowing he was screwed.
Maili had set him and Linnea up. The apple of her mother's eye was a coldhearted bitch. The shadows coalesced and formed into Betha and four others of his brothers. They all saw the dark fairies and reacted quickly. Caleb sliced through two of the fairies with one arc. Jet took the other one. Darius went to Maili's side to make sure she was all right and guard her. Betha was not worried. She saw one of the fairies come after her, and with a flick of her fingers, the fairy burst into dark green flames. Tremain watched as the bodies all burst into green flames, and he was able to look on his other brothers.
Caleb stood over him and the witch. “Tremain, what is the meaning of this?"
"He did it!” Maili screamed and ran into the arms of her consoling mother. Betha stared at him with dark eyes. “He controlled the fairies. He staged being stabbed so he could get at the witch. He was the one who imprisoned me, Mother. Thank God, you're here. He's been the one who's been defying you all the time. He has taken everything you've given him and turned it all against you and to the darkness. He wanted to use me and the witch for his own evil purposes. Mother, please you have to punish him. Send his soul to hell."
Betha turned slowly around and stared at Tremain. The Druid gazed at his fellow brothers in feathers and then back at the queen who had such a hateful look on her face. He had seen that look only once before. It was when he had looked at Genève, Beatrice's mother. He had seen the hate and loathing in her eyes so strong it had burned into his soul. He was not going to let the same thing happen to him as had happened in the past. He threw down his sword and heard it clatter on the floor. He was not going to give up his life and his new found love for Linnea. He scooped her up in his arms and held her close. His dark eyes implored Caleb to understand. Darius had a sneer on his face. He had never liked him in the first place. Jet had his eyes cast down as he took on the carnage around him. He was never one for violence.
"I knew you were a fraud. I told you I would give you leniency and forgive all of your sins. I was going to let you pass and have the witch if you wanted her. If you could have her. I should have known."
Tremain shook his head and hugged Linnea close. As he did, he saw she was sweating and her breathing was ragged. He looked down at her body and saw the wound was festering. It was as he feared. Linnea had been bitten and she was dying. He was not going to lose her again. “Betha, she lies. I did not do this! Caleb, please. I swear it."
"Tremain, it is out of my hands. You know this. You broke all of our laws. All of our edicts. You have to pay. You never truly loved the witch. You used her to get what you wanted. She is your heartmate. Even I can feel the connection between you and you used her. I'm sorry, Tremain. Morrigain will reign down justice for you."
Betha hugged a crying Maili close. Tremain smoothed Linnea's hair. He could feel her slipping away even while they spoke. She was getting closer to leaving him, closer to flying away on her own dark feathers. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen. He kissed the top of her head. “I swear I'll save you. I swear it.” He laid her down gently and stared at Caleb.
"Whatever happens to me, make sure she is cured. She was bitten by one of those blasted things. Please!” he implored.
He saw his leader nod. He knew Caleb well enough to know he would take care of whatever promise he made. He then turned to face the queen. His jaw hardened, and he felt his old persona return. His heart turned to ice and nothing was going to faze him. “Highness, I have been set up. I did not kidnap your daughter. She is the one who wishes to take your throne. She called off your assassins on her boyfriend. You were right about him. He was helping her. She befriended Linnea only to gain her power once she was dead."
"My daughter would never want to gather power. She knows when the time is right she is to come and rule by my side. For now, her voice is best used in the mortal realm and not raised to cull banshee halls. Tremain, I have seen some dastardly things done in my time. I've even down a few of them, but this is the worst. Accusing one of royal blood of such a low thing. How could you?"
"Highness, please."
"Enough, Tremain. By my right as queen, I call upon the shadows and the darkness. I bend them to my will. I am the Goddess, and it is my right to pass judgment. As the full moon rises, you will bear feathers for the end of time."
He extended his hand, but it was already too late. He felt the same searing pain as he had the day he was first cursed. His cry was in vein. His body morphed and changed. He was shrinking. He tried to say something, but what came out of his mouth was the eternal caw of a raven. Caleb came and picked him up and hugged him close under his arm. He tried pecking at his leader's side, but he squeezed him hard.
"Hush. I will take care of your witch as I promised. I hope your travels fare you well. You are free of your service to me."
Tremain felt himself being thrown in the air, and suddenly he was outside flying. He tried to will his power to bend the shadows, but nothing came to him. Part of him was empty, like he was missing a piece of himself. He cawed and perched on the side of the theater. None came out. He knew Caleb would take care of Linnea as he promised, but he had to be sure. He was not going to leave her. He had no way of proving Maili was lying and that scared him. He had to warn the queen she was in danger. If not, her daughter would try and kill her and take over her realm. He did not know how he would do it, but for now he knew he had to get to the witches. They would be able to help him.
Chapter Nineteen
Tremain flew back to Linnea's, hoping the witches would still be there. He perched on the sill of the attic window. He pecked in the window praying they would hear him and hoping the spirit inside of Henrietta would resurrect i
tself and sense him. After almost half an hour of him pecking, they noticed he was out there.
"Shoo. Go on, shoo.” Coralline tried to push him off the ledge, but he cawed and cawed and then pushed past the woman and moved into the attic. Henrietta was still perched in the chair and Charlotte was looking at the altar. When he entered, all hell broke loose as they tried to figure out a way to get him back outside. He landed in the middle of the pentagram. All the women were out of breath and staring at him. They had not thought they would be chasing around a bird in a room at their age. He would have laughed if he had been in human form, but all that came out was a cackle. He looked around the room and noticed a piece of chalk on the floor next to the altar. He hopped over to it and gripped it in his foot.
"Well, I'll be. The bird thinks it's human.” Coralline laughed.
"Girls, how many crows do you see that are that huge?” Henrietta asked.
"Come now, Henrietta. If it is Tremain, he would be back by now in human form with Linnea."
"Not if something happened to him,” the older witch said.
Tremain took the chalk in his beak and gripped it as best he could. It was awkward and very hard, but he began to write. It was painstaking because the chalk kept breaking. So then he transferred it to his claw and hopped on one foot. It was degrading, but he didn't care. He only wanted to be sure Linnea was safe. Finally, he was able to write what he wanted.
Linnea hurt. Need to summon Caleb.
Henrietta stared at him and held out her arm. He did his best to be gentle and landed on it, not gripping her tightly with his claws so he would not hurt her. “Linnea is hurt. How can we get to her? I don't know how to get to Caleb. Is he your leader?"
Tremain rubbed his head against the curve of her neck. He flew down and took up the chalk again. It was slow, but he got his message through.
Caleb, leader. Summon in shadow. In darkness. In moonlight. Call upon warrior to right a wrong. He will come. Bound by law if summoned by witch.
He flew over to the altar and pulled out one of his tail feathers. He dropped it on the floor so it landed by Charlotte's feet. The witch bent over and picked it up. “This will help us summon Caleb?"
Tremain squeaked a yes and then watched as the three witches formed a circle along the inner ring of the attic. He could already feel the power rising, but it seemed there was something missing. He knew it was Linnea. She was the key to their power and completed circle. He just had to get her back. He had to. He watched as the witches joined hands and raised them. A silver light shot straight up from the feather and into the sky, a beacon to the other world. Henrietta's voice rose above them all.
"Goddess Morrigain, hear our call. We summon one of your great Raven Warriors. Caleb, their leader. By darkness and shadow. By moonlight and starlight. Heed our call. We do this to right a wrong. Send him here on your hard wings."
Suddenly the silver light went up and out of the room. The power was so immense he knew the pulse of it would be felt in the other realm. There was no way it could be denied. He would be heard, and his case would be righted. As soon as the women put down their hands, he saw the shadows bend and take form. He looked outside. The moon was going to be setting soon. The women took in breath through their teeth and watched as the shadow took on substance. Before them was Caleb in all his glory. His leader would not be happy with him.
The Raven Warrior looked at the old women and then around the attic. Caleb's gaze settled on Tremain and his eyes narrowed. "Tremain, what are you doing? Did you use these poor women in hopes to getting back your original form? I told you I would take care of the witch for you and I have. She is under Jet's care. Betha has banished you from the realm. There is nothing you can do to change it."
"You're Caleb?"
"I am, great ladies. And I am sorry for you being dragged into the middle of this little dispute. My fallen brother appears to have convinced you he is innocent of a great crime. He was been found guilty and condemned to roam the skies forever as a raven. Now, if you will excuse me, I will return Linnea to you shortly. She is under the great care of one of our healers."
"Wait. If you are his leader, then you have heard his side of the story, have you not? Did you just condemn him to the night without judge and jury? Just like before when my mother, I mean the priestess and the Druids left him without a trial."
Tremain watched the exchange between the two of them and only cawed. He was touched Henrietta stood up to him. “How do you know about his past?"
"I know because I was his past. Or part of me was. I know all about him. I might be old and withered on the outside, but I remember the times my soul spent with him in another incarnation. He would never have hurt a fly. I know he didn't do whatever you punished him for. Please rethink his curse. Tremain does not deserve it."
Caleb stepped forward and shook his head. “I'm sorry, Beatrice. I know you once loved him as your husband. But the queen's curse is out of my hands and can only be broken by his heartmate. Linnea is gravely ill. We are trying to save her, but she is filled with poison from a bite. We will do our best. Her fate lies in the hands of the Goddess. I will investigate his claims and see what comes of it. I owe him that."
Tremain cawed. Awed his fearless leader would do something for him when he was a stickler for rules and would never go against anything Betha said, especially when it came to Maili.
"You're welcome. I can't promise anything, but we will see what happens."
Tremain cawed again and watched as the shadows swallowed Caleb whole, and he was left staring at three old women who were his only hope.
Chapter Twenty
"Linnea, sweetie. You have to wake up, dear. Can you hear me?"
The witch struggled to open her eyes and saw her grandmother sitting next to her. Everything about her hurt. She didn't want to move, but Linnea tried to sit up and was unable to. She felt like she was far off, but hovering. If her grandmother was here, then something must be terribly wrong with her. “Grammie, where am I? Am I dead? I remember seeing Maili and then it gets fuzzy. Where's Tremain! Is he okay? He's not hurt is he?"
"Hush. He's fine for now. You have to worry about you right now. You're not supposed to be here. It's not your time."
Linnea heard what her grandmother said, but also followed her eyes and saw a beautiful figure of a man standing in the corner of her white room. He was dressed all in black. In a black suit, black trench coat. His hair was dark and such a contrast against the white. He gave her a little nod, and she noticed his eyes were as dark as a raven's wings. In them she saw stars. Some so distant she wanted to go to them and seek her rest, but something was wrong. She felt she had other things to do. The longer she stared at him the more she realized the man was the Angel of Death, Azrael.
"You're here for me, aren't you?” she asked the angel.
He stepped forward until he was at her bedside. “I am here in case you need me. And yet, I am also here to tell you love can overcome anything. Trust me on that one."
She laughed. “Thanks for the advice."
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. A cold zing went through her. It calmed the burning fire inside of her soul, and she knew it was time for her to go back. “Thanks."
"I'll always be with you, Linnea. Use your power well, my dear. Don't fear it. Embrace it and it will be yours. Know what you want. That is the key.” She felt the warm lips of her grandmother on her forehead and then she was forced to take a large breath. When she opened her eyes again, she was looking into the dark eyes of a man she recognized. His smile was soft and filled with relief.
"You are well. That is good."
"You're Jet. Right?"
The man bowed. “I am at your service."
Linnea tried to get up, but her head went all dizzy, and she was forced to lay bad down. “Where's Tremain? Please, I need to talk to him. It's Maili. She was behind everything. Please can you get him for me?"
The Warrior let out a long breath. He closed his eyes, and Linnea wa
tched as his fingers traced the beads on his wrist. It seemed to help him, and when he opened his eyes again his gaze was full of concern. “I am sorry. I cannot do as you ask. I will get Caleb."
Before she could say anything, he was gone in a snap. Why was he not able to get Tremain? What happened? Linnea feared the worst, but was not able to say anything until she heard the door open and the leader of the Raven Warriors stepped in. She tried sitting up again, but still had no luck. What happened to her?
"Where's Tremain? Please tell me he's okay.” Caleb held up his hand silencing her. He dragged a chair over and sat down. He triangled his fingers together as if praying and brought them to rest under his chin as he was thinking. His silver eyes stared into hers trying to read her thoughts. She was not going to fight him this time. She was too tired, and her head was still messed up.
"Linnea, what do you truly know of the man who you saved? Do you love him? Or do you just think you love him? You knew nothing about him until you literally walked in on him holding the head of a fairy."
She stuck her chin out defiantly. She didn't like the vibes she got off the leader of the Raven Warriors. Why did he doubt Tremain? What happened while she was out? She knew exactly how she felt about the man. Granted, she didn't know him very well, but in her heart, she knew his soul. She had sensed it and felt it. Even the Angel of Death had told her love was a gift. The way he had said it made her wonder exactly what it was he had been through. Weird. I never assumed the Angel of Death would even be able to love. Guess I was wrong. “What does it matter how much I know about him? I love him. I don't know how to explain it. Trust me, I was never one to believe in love at first sight or soul mates, but something inside of me tells me he is the one for me. He might have been an arrogant asshole when I first met him, but there is something inside of him that has changed. He was wrongly accused to be made into whatever it is you really are. Please, tell me where he is?"
A Conspiracy of Ravens: A Raven Saga Book 1 Page 18