The Whisper of the Nightingale

Chapter 46: Memories

For a moment Raven sat, frozen stiff, on the floor in front Javelin. Her mind was blank as she tried to decide what to do.

"Raven?" Hoatzin's voice came to her once more, this time with even more urgency.

This distressed voice was like a bucket of cold water over Raven's head; her entire body jolted and instantly she was on her feet, backing away from the still agitated Javelin.

"Javelin, I'm sorry," she said while pulling on her robes, "I shouldn't have pried. . . ."

Javelin looked up at Raven. "You didn't, I just . . ." Raven held up a hand to stop him from saying anything more. "It's okay, I understand. I'll give you some space," she said and left their room before Javelin had a chance to object. With the door safely closed behind her, Raven leaned her back against it for a moment as she pulled her hand over her tightly fastened hair and sighed.

'What was I thinking?' she chided herself. 'Telling a ten-year-old a secret like mine just because he's sad over losing his first crush? This is even worse than with Eric . . . " She closed her eyes and involuntarily thought back on her second to last mission in her past life; it had not ended like Raven wanted it to.

She shook her head. 'Get a grip, Raven!' she commanded her self before she finally hurried off down the hall. Her red eyes, once again, emotionless and cold.

Inside the room Javelin stood with one hand resting on the door leading to the hallway, his head lowered as he stared at the floor in a daze. He wasn't really sure what just happened; Raven had decided their conversation was over and then left all of a sudden. Javelin felt a sudden sense of déjà vu as he watched the lean boy's swift departure from the room.

Frowning, he shrugged it off as his mind playing tricks on him; Javelin might have had a demanding upbringing but he'd never been left behind. Sighing heavily, he sank back down on his bed, looking out at the dimming sky outside the window.

'Why do I feel so ashamed telling him about her?' wondered Javelin. He had felt oddly obligated to explain to his roommate about his past love, the young lady Nightingale. He felt desperate to let Raven know that . . . he frowned.

'Know what? That I'm still in love with a ghost? That I'm unavailable?' Javelin snorted and grumbled, "he's a boy, for crying out loud! Besides, even three years ago my fiancé was already . . ." Javelin's eyes widened.

He shot off his bed and rushed out of the room. 'How did he know?' thought Javelin as he headed off along the path Raven most likely took, 'I never said when she died! Could Night know something about what happened?'

This slim possibility made his heart beat with excitement. He had always thought that the death of the Nightingale main family was a bit odd. How could such a prestigious clan make such a novice mistake, and overestimate their abilities while handling a spirit beast? It made no sense! Apparently a Records Orb had been found in the rubble, but such orbs were the specialty of the Sea Empire and Javelin knew that they weren't infallible; a skilled spiritualist might alter the stored information.

'If Night knows something, I must learn what it is!'

Strangely enough, no matter how hard he ran, Javelin couldn't seem to catch up with his roommate, who seemed nowhere to be found. Javelin ran all the way from the Southern Dorms to the grand academy garden in a flash but no sign of Raven. Just as he stepped outside the southern gate and stopped to consider where he should search next, two familiar voices called out to him in unison.