Raven

Chapter 22

As I near the camp, I hear the crackle of fire and see a wall of flames right where the inner circle of knights should have been, preventing me from reaching my brave warriors as they cry out. It becomes harder to breathe as I approach because of all the smoke. I halt my mare and dismount her. I turn her around and smack her rump to send her galloping back to safety. I rip the cloak off of me as Malcolm and his horse come through the trees. 'Don't try stopping me!' I call over the roar of the fire. I spread my wings and begin to flap them, pushing myself up into the sky. He shouts something back but I don't hear what he says as I fly myself over the wall of flames, drawing my swords as I land in the midst of battle. I take in the sight around me, most of my knights lie dead on the ground, bleeding from numerous wounds with their skin burnt in places, just like William's was. William... I look around for his murderer, blocking the swords of my enemies as they come at me, trying to kill me.

In between trying to save my own life, I realise that I have seen this wall of fire before. It was in a dream, one in which I watched my family burn and die, one in which Bronwen told me that there was no hope. I hadn't recognised it before as the three trees weren't here. They didn't exist but they'd been in my dream to symbolise the coming deaths of William and my parents. I block an oncoming blow from a man covered from head to toe in dark armour.

'Stop!' A woman calls and they obey, retreating back towards their Queen. My few surviving knights gather behind me.

I look up to see her, Queen Bronwen. She said is watching me with those amber eyes of hers while her dark auburn hair looks alive in the fire. Against her black gown, her creamy skin looks almost orange in the light provided by the flames from her wall of fire. I swallow down my nerves and stride towards her, swords ready. Before I can reach her, her men block my path, shooting me threatening looks. With a wave of her hand, Bronwen makes them all vanish, including my own knights.

'That's much better, I rather dislike my army. It's good to finally meet you, dear little Raven,' she tells me. 'From one Queen to another, you really can't hurt me with those.' Another wave of her hand and the swords in my hands disappear. She smiles, stepping closer to me. 'I'm glad you came, even though my spy was a little unconvinced that you would.'

Spy? I blink. Of course there was a spy of hers in my castle, Bronwen had eyes everywhere. But who could have known I was coming? I had only told people I trusted and ones who would never betray me. Someone else must have heard me speaking to one of them.

'Now, there's someone I'd like you to meet,' she tells me. 'I believe you've met already but you were probably given a false name. Come out, dear.' A man steps through the wall of flames. 'Raven, this is Thorn,' she introduces him as he lifts his head, causing me to gasp. 'My son.'

I shake my head, this can't be. The man she calls her son is Malcolm, no, his name is really Thorn. I stare at him but he refuses to meet my eyes. I look back to Bronwen. 'Why?'

'Why what, Raven? You'll have to be more specific,' she says. 'I've done many things and I can't remember them all or tell which one you're going on about.'

'Why all of this?' I ask. 'Why come after me? Why kill Will? What did I ever do to you?'

A smile spread across her face, an evil one. 'You haven't done a thing, dear little Raven,' she tells me. 'It's what you will do that has me after you. You're special, we both know it. So why don't you show us exactly what it is that you can do.'

Magic, my magic, is what she's after. I shake my head, I refuse to show her my magic. I don't even know how to properly control it myself but that's not the reason why I won't. I'm saving my magic for when I try killing her, which I have a feeling will be soon. I may be trapped inside a ring of fire with Bronwen and her lying, trickster of a son but she has her guard down. She doesn't expect me to attack.

She frowns and looks a little disappointed. 'Such a shame, I'd love to see what you could do, little Raven,' she pauses. 'But perhaps you'll show me something once I provide a little... Motivation.' She spreads her hands, causing flames to spark to life at my feet. I look down and cough as the smoke rises up, straight into my lungs. The heat from it is beginning to make my eyes water and my body sweat. I look back up at Bronwen and Thorn, my eyes pleading for help.

Bronwen cackles like a mad old woman and I suppose she is one. 'You have to at least try to save yourself!' She calls over the roar of her raging fire. 'I want to see what you can do!'

I cough harder and know that I have to save myself. But I don't need magic to do it. I open my wings and begin to take off when a force drags me back down, rooting my feet to the ground. I can't fly away, I can't be free unless I give in and use my magic. Looking down at the flames dancing around my feet, ready to eat me alive if given the chance. So I don't let them. I spread my hands palm-down over the small yet deadly fire. With whatever magic I can muster, I vanquish the flames before they can burn me. I let my hands drop to my sides once I've completed my task and look up at Bronwen, feeling defeated. I tell myself I had to, so that I could live on to destroy her now, while I have the chance. Speaking of that chance... I take it, sending as much force as I can towards Bronwen, trying to send her into the flames. All that I manage to do is send her back a step. Even if it had worked, no damage would have been done. She is a wielder of fire magic, she can't be burned for the fire is a part of her.

'Oh Raven,' she says, 'you'll have to do much, much better than that if you want to defeat me. I'm far too strong for you.' She sends her own force my way, sending my flying to the ground just centimetres away from her burning wall of destruction even though she had me rooted to the ground. I scramble away from the flames and get to my feet, turning back to face her and her wicked son once more. I'm angry now. She is the reason my mother and father are dead. She killed William and now she's almost killed me. Twice. My anger triggers my magic, causing a huge gust of wind to come, reducing the wall of fire to nothing more than a ring of smouldering ashes. I see a look of surprise on Bronwen's face. It only holds for less than a second but it's there long enough for me to see that I've done the unexpected. My pleasure at having completed such a feat is short-lived for she smiles too. As soon as I see it, I know that something bad is coming my way. I take a step back, ready to turn and run but remember I can't retreat. I have to finish what I've started. Before I can, I am immobilised.

'Dear little Raven, there is no escape for you,' Bronwen says, walking towards me. I'm done for.

Malcolm was a spy! 😱😱😱 You've properly met Queen Bronwen now, what do you think of her? Don't forget to vote and comment :)