Safine Dragon Academy and The Raven Queen (Book Two)

Chapter One

PART ONE: THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Cora's POV

All I feel is cold and all I see is darkness.
I think I understand how Scarlett felt now. The constant need to escape the clutches of this world. I wonder what it's like where she's fighting for freedom.

Here's just a place where you are consumed by your own thoughts and worries. Constantly hoping that everything is okay out there. But on occasion, I get an unwanted visitor. Myself.

Although I really couldn't call this creature Cora August anymore. Her blue eyes are now black and the way she holds her self is like the planet is her target.

This time, I don't stay silent. I have to ask.

"Why?" I inquired, sitting up from my lying position on the 'floor'. "Why destroy us?"

The shell of myself laughed and crossed her arms. "Who said anything about destroying Northsage?" She paused briefly, "Although. I could go for the blood of that little ice brat..." She said, she sounded flat but I could tell that there was some meaning there.

"I came here to set things right," She said through my voice. I wondered how it feels to have control of others. Not just commanding, forcing people to do your bidding as you're forced to watch. It's sick.

"I no longer have a body of my own. So I like the variety of Trainers around." The voice never had any sign of emotion. I don't dare look at her, at me.

"Why are you talking to me? Don't you have a kingdom to conquer?" I asked, sitting crossed legged, looking down at my hands.

"It's not that simple Lady Cora," She crouched down on her hutches next to my head, the dress I was wearing earlier skimming the floor. "You're from the House of August, correct?" The words forced me to look at her in fear that I didn't want to show. I said nothing, beads of sweat forming on my forehead.

"One of the 12 Seasonal Houses?" She didn't seem to care what I had to say and kept talking down at me. "But here's the thing, aren't The Augusts supposed to attend Rejina? Oh, that's right, you're different," She laughed with a hint of maniacal. "I'm not done with you yet, Lady August." And she was gone.

The House of August, next in line to be the Council (which is currently The House of July). Why'd I leave? In the last two years, I've asked myself that question countless times. But here's what I came up with: I didn't want to be Royalty, I didn't want to live the life my ancestors intended for me. I wanted to create my own destiny.

But apparently, that's in possible in The Noble Seasonal Houses of Northsage. God, I was so sick of living under my father's boot.

That night I ran away, the skies were clear and filled with twinkling stars. Of course, I had no where to go. So I sat at the harbour, lying on a dock, looking at the stars.

I was in a state of peace, considering what would happen next. What would be come of my destiny now that I forged it on my own—

"Nice night, isn't it?" I startled and propped myself on my elbows and looked at the stranger behind me.

Although I couldn't really see their face, the voice and figure was female. She wore a long cloak that dusted the wood of the docks and burgundy lace up boots that were just visible beneath the fabric. The cloak started out midnight black at the hood that shadowed her face and then melted down the material into greys and then a white at the bottom.

"Yes," I said quietly but not weakly. "I suppose to some." There was a viable shift in the woman's cloak as she tilted her head. Although I really couldn't call her a woman, she didn't seem much older than myself at 14.

Her red lips formed into a smirk. "I'm guessing you've got some life problems going on that I couldn't even to begin to comprehend," She took a step closer to me. "But I've got something to tell you, Cora." I gaped at the sound of my name form her lips.

"It's going to get better."