Page 14 of Heart of the Raven
Daylight streamed in, so bright it made me blink. I shielded my eyes against it, unable to see Raven’s expression, only the hollow tone of his words. “The Goddess of Death and the Raven. There are tales about it. But the path of fate can be changed. If one tries hard enough.”
My throat went dry as the meaning of his words seeped in. He knew. Oh Goddess. He knew where his fate lay. Was that why he’d reformed? To change the course of his destiny?
* * *
I wassorry to leave the mushroom glade in the morning, but I took a small sack with me, relieved I had food, clothes, and water with me. Raven led the way past thick pine trees clustered so close together, it was impossible to see how many there were. The sound of rushing water filled the air, at first a faint hum and then a gentle melody as we drew near.
“You will meet the Queen of the Wildwood today,” Raven told me. “She is not at home, but each spring she comes to the waterfalls. You must go on alone, and I’ll wait for you below the falls.”
“She will not meet with you?” I asked.
Raven shrugged. “The first time we met, I bound her magic. She did not take kindly to it.” Raven pointed to a narrow trail, almost impossible to see. “Follow it until you find her,” he told me. “It’s likely she will sense your magic and come to you before you get too far.”
I nodded, glad I’d changed back into my red dress. It would not do to look like a lost, torn soul when I met the powerful Queen of the Wildwood. Mixed feelings twisted through me as I held my skirts and made my way up the path. It was easy to follow and no twigs and brambles reached out to trip or snarl me. The sound of the thunder grew louder, and soon I saw them, three tiers of waterfalls with pale blue water, shooting over a cliff to tumble far below. Droplets splashed up against smooth stones, creating a myriad of rainbows. I gasped, taking in the hidden cove of beauty.
The wildwood was not as it seemed. From the outside it appeared dark, enchanted, sure to lure one away to death. But inside, it had moments of beauty, like the mushroom forest, and now the waterfall cove. The warmth of sunlight tempted me and I kept going, taking in the yellow flowers that grew alongside the cliffs and white blossoms still in bud. It was early spring yet, but I imagined when the forest burst into bloom, it would be with a lovely grace unknown to those who never dared to traverse its twisted paths.
I saw her before she saw me. Near the second waterfall was a ledge, and she stood on it, overlooking the falls and, writing? She held a book in her hand and sat cross-legged, unaware of her long brown hair dancing in the breeze. A man stood by her side, speaking as she wrote. They looked peaceful, happy in the enchanted glade. Goosebumps rose on my arms. I was naught but an intruder, an unwanted presence.
Almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind, the woman turned her face toward me and rose. Placing a hand on the knight’s arm, she spoke to him and then turned, following the path that led up, away from the waterfalls, and toward the slope I stood on.
I froze in place, waiting as the Queen of the Wildwood strode toward me. My fingers trembled as I held onto the threads of my silk red dress, and then she stood before me. Her forest green cloak sweeping the ground. “Are you looking for me?” she asked in way of greeting. Her words were neither kind nor hostile.
The darkness behind her eyes made me shiver. She was much younger than I expected, closer to my age, which gave me hope that she might be reasonable. I squared my shoulders and addressed her. “I come on behalf of the Raven.”
“The Raven?” The queen’s eyes flashed. “Don’t make me laugh. He is banished.”
Refusing to be cowed by her distaste, I went on. “Let me re-frame my words. My cousin is Lord Cedric. You know him.”
“Aye. But I know him by another name. Blood does not give you any favors.”
“Should it? How do you know that what runs in his blood doesn’t run in mine?”
She studied me. “Tell me. Does it? Do you have his abilities?”
“No,” I admitted, sensing the quiet flutter of magic in my stomach. “But I have something else. A darkness rises in me, but I don’t want it. I want nothing to do with magic and power, especially magic I cannot control.”
Sorrow softened her face. “I understand how you feel. It is both a blessing and a curse, even when you learn how to control it, it will always be with you. Seeking a moment to escape your watchfulness.”
“Yes.” Relief filled me. She knew how I felt and hope made my pulse pound. “Exactly. Will you take it from me?”
She laughed, but it was neither dismissive nor merry. “No. I can lift a curse or banish a spell, but I fear if I drained you of your essence I would kill you. It is a burden you must live with.”
My brow furrowed as a protest rose on my lips. “But I know what you did for my cousin. You used the power of a healer.”
“I merely lifted a curse and in doing so gained a whisper of her power. I saved it for the right time. But the only way I know how to conduct a transfer of power includes taking a life. And I will not take yours. Now tell me, why do you trust the Raven. Don’t you know who he is?”
Twisting my fingers together, I rubbed my thumbs over my wrists. This meeting was about Raven, not about my magic. I took a breath to clear my mind and spoke. “I know that he used to serve the Dark Queen and carry out her evil deeds. I know he escaped your wrath and ruin, and he has proved by word and deed that he has changed. No longer is he an evil knight. He is on your side now and only wants to help you tame the wildwood.”
She frowned. “Does he? I cannot forget what he did to me.”
“No?” A faint anger rose within me and my words came out hard. “Even though he does not deserve your forgiveness, would it not be noble to give it to him anyway? To give him a chance to prove himself?”
“You care about this knight. Tell me, did he not abuse you? Take advantage of your beauty?”
I shook my head. “He has only helped me, and this is all he has asked in return. That I speak to you on his behalf. Nothing more. Nothing less. I see the desire in his eyes, but he has restrained himself.”
The queen stepped back and paced. “And your magic? Did he not bind it?”
