by J. L. Weil
But normal didn’t last long. I was a banshee. A day without a dose of weird was unheard of.
“Piper, your wrist,” Parker proclaim, his glasses slightly slipping on the bridge of his nose.
I glanced down and my heart dropped. The wings of the white raven marked on my inner wrist were flapping and glowing bright. Zane’s shadowy crow behind my raven looked as if it was in distress. A pitching sensation filled my stomach.
Zoe’s expression turned ominous, a mirror of her brother’s. “You’re being summoned.”
Huh? I thought I was the only one who did any summoning. “Summoned by who?”
“The council,” Zane deadpanned.
Chapter 13
My GPS was unable to give me directions to where I needed to go. It wasn’t on any map. As my Jeep bumped along the rocky road, the wind crackled with the promise of fall. The air was crisper. Summer was coming to close, and so was my freedom. Being a city girl, the island had a certain charm when I first arrived, hypnotized by the crystal blue waters and green shadows of hills, and the dancing of starlight. But now as I drove along the quaint roads, it felt like a straight path to hell. And I was taking Declan with me. Poor sod.
He shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat, eyes glued in front of him. Sunglasses shielding his golden eyes, I couldn’t tell if it was my driving that was making him nervous or where we were going.
Declan and I both would have preferred if Zane had accompanied me. I was comforted only by the fact Zane was never far away. Between my voice and his vow of protection, I shouldn’t have been as nervous as I was. But as much as I wished he were with me, the council would feel differently. They were very vocal in their disapproval of my feelings for Zane Hunter. And our soul symmetry.
I was going to walk into the lion’s den, uncertain as to why I was being summoned. Did they know a way to seal the veil? Did they have a plan to keep the hallows from taking more lives? Or were they going to make demands of me? Force me in a corner? Insist I must marry?
Heavy stuff.
“Turn here,” Declan announced.
I slammed on the breaks and blink. “Here?” I asked.
“Yes. Look again. Not with your human eyes, but your banshee ones.”
Okay, old wise one. But I did as he said, concentrating. At first all I saw was vast, thick trees, their green leaves canopying over the road. Brush and over grass covered the ground. Then, as I was about to tell Declan he needed his eyes examined, an vague path began to materialize. The way had been hidden by glamour and from human eyes. It wasn’t anything dazzling. A dirt path wound down a dark tower of trees that climbed up the trail and along the slopes. It was a good thing I drove a jeep with some awesome tire traction. We were going off-roading.
Hitting the gas, I gave the steering wheel a turn and entered the road to no return. What an awful thought. I regretted it immediately.
The Jeep’s headlights beamed down the path, illuminating the way. We’d traveled a mile or so until we came upon a clearing. The trees gave way, opening to a perfect circular haven. A large medallion was situated in the middle, ancient words and symbols inscribed. Magic and power trembled in the air, awakening the banshee inside me. I felt the change, and so did Declan. His eyes were glowing in the dark; a lion’s yellow, predatory.
“Have you ever been summoned?” I asked, shifting the car into park.
“Only once,” he answered, eyes fixed on the stone circle.
“What was your crime? Eating an apple after midnight?” I joked sarcastically.
Declan was a stickler for rules and order. He let an uncomfortable laugh. “Hardly. I killed another reaper without a command.”
Surprise flickered across my face. So much for his perfect, polished image.
The council was made up of the divine— a skeleton asshole in my book— the elders, and the overlords, the leader for each fraction. Roarke. Heath. And Maurice. And they were not my biggest fans. I was disobedient. Troublesome. And free-willed.
From where we were parked, I could just make out the shadowy forms of seven cloaked figures. I’d procrastinated long enough.
My hands were trembling as I stepped out of the car. I don’t know why I was so nervous. What was the worst they could say to me? Nothing would change my decision.
A bluish sphere of light glittered over the center of the open stone circle. The air was quiet here, eerily so. Nothing stirred. Not the rustling of leaves. Not the scampering of little critters. The only things living in the area were the trees.
My stomach tightened, and a gross sensation slithered through me. The divine stood a few feet away. He was dressed in long gray robes that made me wonder if he had feet. This guy always gave me the willies. I forced a quick smile on my lips, while gritting my teeth. “You wanted to see me?”
With a distain I didn’t fully understand, his beady spider eyes peered down at me. “The council has made a decision regarding the ensured raven lineage. As you know, it is your duty to assure your bloodline continues. Without a banshee, there is no balance.”
I snorted. We had a banshee and the balance was still out of whacked. I couldn’t believe they weren’t trying to impeach me or something.
“Against the council, Death has named his half-breed son as his heir.” If I thought the divine held me in contempt, his feelings for me were mild in comparison to Zane.
I expelled a breath of shock, my mind working in a hundred different directions. What did that mean? Hope bloomed inside me, spreading like tangled vines, weaving around my heart. I was expected to unify my bloodline with an overlord heir. Could it be so simple now that Zane would one day rule the Black Crows?
“The council will not recognize Zane Hunter as a legitimate heir.” The divine’s voice held an of air supremacy, and he tipped his chin up, knowing his words were a sword to the gut. “As of this hour, the Black Crows do not have a worthy successor.”
My fists clenched at my side, and I opened my mouth to tell the council to go suck a lemon, but the divine, anticipating my unruly mouth and inability to keep quiet, snapped his fingers and thumb together like a crocodile mouth. A shimmer of purple mist expelled, causing my jaw to lock.
My hands flew to my lips. Oh no, he didn’t; he did not just shush me. Shock turned to anger. I was going to go ape shit.
“You have the worst manners,” he said, exasperated. “We will continue these proceedings without any interruptions, until all has been said.”
Declan flinched beside me as he struggled with loyalties. Did he protect me as he was ordered and defy the council? Or did he stay silent as he was trained to do?
I made the choice for him, shaking my head, letting him know I didn’t want him to do anything but wait. I stood, knees locked, glaring daggers and my mouth clamped shut, all the while thinking about the different ways I was going to make them pay.
It was a good thing Zane wasn’t here. Mayhem would have ensued.
The other elders and overlords stayed silent in the back wing of the divine, not offering any words or objections. The divine was the almighty voice of the group.
“The bond you have with the half-breed is powerful. Use it wisely. Use it to your advantage. There is no denying he is strong. You will need his strength as well as your own to complete the task in front of you. It is without question, Raven, you come into your position in the middle of a battle we haven’t faced in centuries. Not even the elders present can remember days as dark as these. It is due to these perilous times you must pave your future, because without your banshee bloodline, we have no hope to seal the world from the dead.”
His words resonated inside me, the importance of what I must do. I tried to tell him such, but all that came out was mumble jumble, forgetting my speech impairment.
A twisted smile curved his pale lips. “A new contract has been drawn up between you and the heir to the Red Hawks.”
My eyes bulged. I was going to be sick. Knees weak, my heart fell out of my chest for the divine to stomp
all over it.
Crash. Crash? Crash!
Were they serious? Heath hated me. I was ninety-nine percent sure he was responsible for the whole destruction of the veil. His daughter had killed my grandmother and tried to give me the same deadly fate. All in the name of power. My power. And the council expected me to marry Crash.
They had another thing coming if they thought I would tie myself in holy matrimony to someone who may or may not slit my throat in the middle of the night, in my own bed, nonetheless.
Declan and Oliver were in the very small circle of people Zane trusted. I wasn’t the only one utterly outraged by the council’s choice for a suitable husband. Declan rarely showed emotion. Now was one of those rare occasions. His golden eyes darkened, red veins feathering down his cheeks. The combination reminded me of a sunset.
My eyes sought out the snake among the council. The sinister sneer on Heath’s lips sent me into a tizzy. I would be silenced no more.
The divine might have power, but it was nothing compared to mine. From the moment he had slapped the restraint on my mouth, I had known I could remove it with a twitch of my nose. I had let him think, let them all think he could control me.
Until now.
My veins flowed with a tingly, warm glow. Lifting my hand, I ripped away the purple mist keeping me from speaking my mind and tossed it to the ground like a wad of gum, and I let my voice find its power. “Did you forget that I am your supreme? I’m not one to be trifled with.” I took a step forward, forcing him to take one back. It was I now who stood in the center of the stone circle. “I will not sign the contract. Not today. Not ever.”
Disappointment flashed across the divine’s. “It is true, your power is paramount, but your fate is sealed. There is no amount of magic that can change your destiny.”
A cloud of whispers from the other council members darkened the divine, but they didn’t concern me. “I beg to differ. There is always one power that is greater than all others. Love.”
“You are nothing but a foolish girl,” the all too thin divine hissed. That was how the council saw me. Just a stupid girl. Their lack of concern of this one girl showed their flaw. Foolish pride.
I stood straighter, keeping my eyes locked on his black alien orbs. “If this is all you summoned me for, it was a waste of our time, which should have been spent on calculating how we’re going to mend the barrier between realms.” Each breath I spent trying to justify myself was a squander of air. I spun on my heels. Meeting adjourned.
Declan sauntered beside me, his critical eyes watching out for my safety. I bumped my shoulder lightly into his arm. “And to think, Declan, you were worried about me. How cute.”
He chuckled, a light dusting of scruff on his face. “I won’t make that mistake again, princess. You can be sure.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see the circular clearing had vanished and the council disbanded. “That was one for the memory book.”
Crash, huh? The elders had voted my enemy’s son to be my husband. It was evident Heath was behind the whole thing, pushing his son in a very high position of power.
Over my dead body.
If I hadn’t been rendered speechless, I might have call Heath out right then and there, accused him of disposing the veil.
We had almost reached my car when Declan stiffened. I stopped in my tracks and swore under my breath. Oh for frick’s sake. Can’t a girl get a break?
“I guess you got the news.” Crash was leaning against my Jeep, hands shoved in his pockets. His sandy hair was disheveled, and he wore a mischievous grin. “Looks like you and I are going to be hitched.”
I relaxed my shoulders. “Don’t hold your breath.”
He twirled an unlit cigarette between his fingers, rolling from thumb to pinky. “I was hoping you would say that.”
I angled my head. “Were you now? I assumed you would be happy with the arrangement. You get to marry the White Raven. Power is all your family cares about.”
The slim white stick snapped in half. “Happy isn’t an emotion I’m used to feeling.”
“I guess with a father like yours, happiness wasn’t part of your everyday life.”
“Ding. Ding. Ding. Give this girl a gold medal. Much like Zander and Zane, I too have a certain reputation to live up to.”
Shifting my weight to one side, I folded my arms. “So you had a shitty childhood. That doesn’t mean you need to be your father when you grow up. You’re capable of making your own choices. Do good, Crash. Help me stop the hallows from destroying everything.”
“For someone who is so smart, you can be pretty daft. What do you think I’ve been doing?” he queried.
If one more person insulted me today… “You can’t expect me to believe you have my best interests in mind. How many times have you threatened me? How many times have you broken into my room?”
He flicked both halves of the broken cigarette onto the ground. “At my father’s orders.”
Declan had heard enough. Muscles bunched under his shirt. “We need to go.”
I put my hand on Declan chest, stopping him from doing anything. “Go wait in the car,” I told him. Hopefully, I didn’t regret the action, but I was willing to hear Crash out.
Declan looked like he wanted to argue, but after a long stare at Crash, he opened the passenger door and slammed it shut.
Crash’s lips pulled back. “I’m not my father.”
“You’ll understand I can’t just take your word for it.”
Moonlight sliced through the trees, carving Crash’s serious face out with the light. “The way I see it, you don’t have much of a choice. I’m the only lead you’ve got. Am I right?”
He knew he was, but I’ll be damn if I say it out loud. “Trust must be earned. You bring me something substantial, that I can actually use, and then we’ll see where we stand.”
“Such a tough cookie. You’ve come a long way in three months. About our wedding—”
“There will be no wedding,” I vowed. “Mark my words.”
He rocked back on his heels. “Oh, luv, the feeling is mutual. I have no desire to be strapped down. A good tumble in the hay, hey, I’m game. Just say when and where. I’ll rock your world.” The come get me grin did absolutely nothing for me.
My face scrunched as if I’d sucked on a dozen limes. “Please. I wouldn’t let you touch me with a ten foot pole.”
He moved so fast, closing the space between us so he was in my air space. “Come on now,” murmured, running a finger along my jawline. “You know you’ve entertained the idea of us being together. How could you not? But until death do us part? No thanks. I’m not the marrying type.”
I could smell his breath, a mixture of smoke and sweet mint. It wasn’t as repulsive as I would have thought, but a cool and refreshing combination. Still, there was nothing but curiosity, nothing beyond that. No real feelings or ties. I jerked my chin away from his touch. “Don’t lay a finger on me.” My veins crackled in a white glow.
He took a step back, a smirk upon his lips. “There’s the spark. You’re going to need it to if you plan on rebuilding the veil.”
“What do you know of restoring the veil?” I challenged.
“I know who is responsible for deconstructing the only thing that stands between us and the dead.”
“Your father and Estelle,” I supplied.
He nodded. “Someone’s been doing their homework.”
I rolled my eyes. “As educational as this knowledge is, it doesn’t tell me what I need to know. If I don’t figure out how to fix what your family destroyed, we’re all majorly screwed.”
Crash leaned a hip on the car, still too close for comfort. “That’s why you need me. The inside guy.”
I resisted the urge to step back, not wanting him to know his closeness unnerved me. “How do I know I can trust you? That this isn’t a trap? That you don’t really want my power?” There was also the little fact that Zane would never go for it. Us working with Crash? He would go ball
istic.
“You don’t, doll. You’re just going to have to trust me. But I think we’d make an exceptional team.”
My arms dropped to my side. “What is it you want then?”
He leaned down, our lips a mere inch away. “Did it ever occur to you that I want the same things you do?”
Was he going to kiss me? OMG. He was going to kiss me. I was rendered shellshocked, smoky tendrils wrapped around me.
“Touch her and I will slap the dog shit out of you,” an ominous and fierce voice growl in the dark. It was deep with warning.
Zane.
Chapter 14
Crash shook his head, chuckling. “I should have known you’d show up uninvited.”
“Zane,” I whispered in relief. Then I was moving, closing the space between us. I threw my arms around his neck. “What are you doing here?” I asked, my face burying against his neck.
His body was stiff, but he ran a gentle hand through my hair. “My father told me what happened at the council. I came as soon as I heard, but I didn’t expect to find you nearly kissing the leech.” His eyes shot over my head, accusingly.
Crash kicked off my car. “Let the party begin.”
Zane’s frosty glare promised lots of trouble. Probably fatal trouble. Scratch that. Definitely fatal. “If they had picked anyone but you, I might have let them live, but not you. There’s no way I will let you, of all reapers, marry Piper. Over my dead body.” His tone ended on a rather grim note.
Declan stepped out of the car, flanking Crash’s other side. Nothing like being sandwiched between two overbearing, protective reapers. Declan might be a Red Hawk like Crash, but he literally had no love for his future overlord.