Page 29 of Lyric of Wind

“Ah, well, it wasn’t until recently that I had my own place. And even then, electric is pricey. Nothing a good pair of wool socks and a proper jumper can’t help with, right?” Raven asked.

“Oh, Raven. Did you not have a place to go to?” Lily looked at her with sympathy in her eyes, and Raven sighed. It was easy to put Bianca off, but Lily was too damn sweet to be tough with.

“I grew up on the streets. Took me a while, but I found my way. Singing saved me. I’ve got a good enough reputation now. Make some good money singing for my supper. Nothing to be ashamed of. Busking is a time-honored tradition, you know.” Raven shrugged.

“You’re a busker? Oh, they’re my favorite.” Lily clapped her hands together like it was Christmas morning. “Seriously, I stop and listen to every singer. It takes so much courage to just…sing. In front of everyone! I applaud you. You’re really brave.”

“I’m not sure it was brave so much as a necessity.” Raven brushed the compliment away.

“It can be both,” Bianca said, reaching over to squeeze her arm quickly. “One doesn’t detract from the other.”

“She’s right. Will you sing for us?” Lily asked.

“Right now?” Raven laughed. “My guitar is in my room. I’d much prefer to have it.”

“Then later? Or perhaps…what about a song before we leave for the battle? Something to empower the troops and all that?” Lily asked, hope on her lovely face.

“Sure, and I can do that. I do have experience in getting a crowd going,” Raven agreed, blowing out a breath, relieved she wouldn’t have to perform right at this moment. She’d already had a lot of firsts for today, and her feelings were a bit frayed at the edges.

“It’s a deal then. One rousing battle song.” Lily beamed, and Raven understood why Callum was so taken with her. When she smiled, it was like a sunflower turning to the sky.

“What kind of things am I looking for?” Raven asked as Bianca slid her a notebook.

“Rituals. Anything that mentions immortality. Or anything to do with the goddess origin story. That kind of thing,” Bianca muttered. She bit on the end of a pencil and had another tucked behind her ear.

“Got it.” Raven picked up the translation key, and her heart stuttered in her chest.

This was the same lettering as the inscription on her necklace.

The necklace that had never seemed to leave her.

No matter how hard she’d tried to rid herself of it.

The inscription was burned into her brain. She’d spent countless hours staring at it, tracing her fingers across the deep engraving in the pendant, and now the words came back to her as she stared in shock at the translation key. Sweat beaded her brow, and the room suddenly felt like it was closing in on her, and she needed to get up, to move, to run…something.

“Did you find something?” Lily asked, and Raven glanced up to see concern furrowed on her brow.

“No, I just…I didn’t eat today. I got lightheaded for a moment.”

“There’s snacks over there. No food or drink near the manuscripts though.” Bianca nodded to a sideboard that held an array of food.

“Perfect, thanks.” Raven wasn’t hungry, not in the slightest, but at the very least it would give her a moment to collect herself. She stood and crossed the room, steadying her breathing, and poured herself a glass of water from a gold pitcher. Fancy, these Fae were. She took a moment to be amused at the fact that someone like her, who danced on the fringes of society, was now drinking from a gold cup. Once she’d finished her water, halfheartedly nibbled on a cookie, and collected herself, Raven returned to the table. This was it. The moment she’d been waiting for all her life.

Finally, a clue to her past.

The other women were silent, their pencils hurrying across their notebooks, and Raven bent her head, pulling a manuscript to her along with a fresh sheet of paper. Under the ruse of translating a script, she began to write out the inscription on her necklace, the letters blurring until they came into focus when she finished.

Bloodsong.

That was it? Raven checked her work, making sure her translation was correct, and then quickly flipped a page, surprised to find that she was near tears. Once more she pushed away from the table and crossed to the food, pouring another glass of water while she calmed her emotions. Fury and sadness whirled in her core as she tried to make sense of the inscription. Was that her last name then? Raven Bloodsong? Albeit, while a cool name, it didn’t quite ring true to her. That being said, Raven had learned to not dismiss anything, so once she had a chance to get to a computer, she was going to research the name Bloodsong. It wasn’t likely that the Fae had internet. While their magick was highly advanced in many areas, some basic technologies might be outdated, or even non-existent.

Bloodsong. Raven Bloodsong. It certainly had a ring to it. Maybe it was right, and that was why she was a singer. That, at least, made some sort of weird sense.

“Oh, I found something,” Lily said, drawing Raven back to the table. “Look, I think they were right. This says that we could substitute something of equal magick to the amulet. See? But it has to be of equal, or even more importance, actually. What would be more important than the ruling amulet?”

“A keepsake,” Raven said automatically, and Bianca glanced at her, approval in her eyes.

“She’s right. Strong magick is passed down among bloodlines. Let’s find Kellen and see if we can get something of meaning worthy of sacrifice.”

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