The Raven Society

Chapter VII

Not a single thought ran through Raven's head as she walked across the square and back into the crowded streets of Craigshire. Her whole body felt numb to any emotion. Her limbs seemed to move of their own accord. She didn't even know where she was going. 

The sun had just set and darkness began to sweep over the city. People around her casually went about their night, going to fights, to gamble, or other dealings, oblivious to what had taken place mere blocks away. Raven's heart thudded in her chest, and she counted the beats as she walked.

Someone unknowingly bumped into her, and for a moment her face was unveiled. She quickly recovered the scar with her hood.

Raven was suddenly extremely angry. She was tired of this discrimination.
What if she had powers? It had been three years, wouldn't she have known by now? The boy in the square seemed shocked, scared. The mother even more so. Was that the first time he had used his power? What if The Raven Society was right?

Raven looked up. She stood in front of Goulrich Castle. Just inside was the asshole of a king, unaware of what had just taken place in the square. Guards lined the walls and entrances. She wanted to kill every single one of them, and murder the king for what he did to her, how he disgraced her father. He couldn't control how the people thought about mercatos, but he could have helped her, taken in her in, nursed her to health after she survived the disease. But instead he paid the daughter to his former captain-of-the guard no heed. 

A couple guards near the main entrance eyed her suspiciously, taking note of the swords on her back. Raven turned around and left angrily. Staying any longer would result in her probably doing something stupid and getting executed. 

Before long Raven found herself in front of Adriana's brothel. She stormed through the doors and almost blew right past Adriana on her path to the backroom.

"Raven," she called. Her voice sent a chill down her spine.
She turned. "Adriana," she breathed. "It's good to see you." 

Adriana looked Raven up and down, peering over her enormous cleavage. She took in her distressed state. Her eyes were calculating as they roved. Raven shifted her feet absently as she waited for her to say something. 

She turned slowly and Adriana pulled aside a curtain of dangling beads with a flourish of her arm and motioned for her to enter.
Hesitantly, Raven went into the side room and Adriana came soon after. 

"I hear that a woman slit a guard's throat today in the square," she began. "A mercato woman, in a black cloak and twin blades on her back." 

Raven shifted uncomfortably where she stood. News really did travel fast. "Your point?" she asked. 

"They say," continued Adriana, ignoring Raven's question, "That the guard was frozen in mid air by a small mercato boy. But that's not possible, is it?" she purred.

Raven looked Adriana in the eye. "I don't know what your talking about," she said. "It's true, I killed the guard. But he was terrorizing the boy and his mother. All they had stolen was an apple!" Raven's voice was beginning to rise, edged in a panicked tone. 

"Shush!" Adriana cut her short. "You know what this means, don't you? The odds are already stacked against everyone who bears that cursed scar, powers or no powers, don't give the king or his guards any reason to take more lethal action." 

Raven nodded. She knew that Adriana was right, of course. But the angry feeling that she had stirring in her gut refused to leave. 

Raven took a gulp of air. "Thank you, Adriana," she said hoarsely, and she slipped from the room, the bead curtain rattling as she left.