Shift

Chapter 23

23

Drake was waiting for her.

Things had changed so much since their last meeting; Vera was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that Raven was the sixth Princess. Drake didn’t know any of this though, and there was a lot of catching up to do. Vera had decided Raven should see her brother, she trusted the girl not to run away now, but Raven still didn’t know everything about Drake’s cooperation with her, so Vera had told her to come to the wall an hour after moonrise.

“Vera, is everything alright?” Drake asked his voice low and velvety in the night air.

“Yes, what has Valdor been plotting?” Vera asked, getting straight to business.

“He’s unusually quiet. It disturbs me actually. I know he’s got something in mind, but he’s perfect at keeping his thoughts hidden.” Drake told her. Vera nodded and remained silent. “He’s not the only one who isn’t being forthcoming.” Drake added. When she still didn’t answer he stepped in front of her and tilted her face up to look at him. “What’s going on?” he demanded gently.

“Raven’s coming to see you tonight.” Vera whispered.

“Why would you let her do that?” Drake gasped in horror.

“Because she isn’t going leave,”

“How can you be so sure?” He hissed.

“Because she’s one of us now, she can’t leave.” Drake let her go and took a step back.

“What do you mean? How is she one of you?” He asked, his expression shifting from confusion to shock.

“Drake?” A small voice whispered. Drake spun to see Raven emerge from the shadows.

“She’s right, I won’t leave, I won’t even beg you to take me with you.” Raven confirmed. Drake looked between them with worry.

“Drake, she’s a shifter, the Princess of the Avian.” Vera said gently, stepping towards Drake.

“How is that possible?” Drake whispered.

“I don’t know, but it’s true, I can feel it.” Raven looking pleadingly to her brother. Vera wrapped her hand around his arm and he jumped at the contact.

“That’s why I’ve got to stay here. I’m going to help destroy Valdor.” Raven explained. Vera’s grip tightened when Drake lunged towards Raven.

“What? You can’t fight him! You’re not going anywhere near him!” He yelled at Raven. She lifted her chin defiantly and met his burning stare.

“You brought me here and you won’t let me leave. You can’t stop me. I can help; I will help to destroy him for good!” Raven repeated. Vera signalled to Raven from behind Drake and she nodded in understanding.

“I will be careful, but I’m going to do this.” She kissed Drake’s forehead and hugged him briefly before disappearing into the night. Alone with her; Drake turned on Vera.

“I didn’t bring her to you so you could send her out with the rest of your troops!” He shouted.

“She’s not going to be fighting. She’s too valuable. We have something Valdor doesn’t know about, we’re not going to let her anywhere near him.” Vera reasoned.

“What do you mean ‘we’?”

“The other heirs know about her, only the heirs.”

“You told others about her too? Why did I give her to you if she’s going to be locked up-or worse- in danger?”

“Because you knew I would keep her safe, and I will. I haven’t broken my word. The others knowing about her is better for her safety, they can protect her better than I can at the moment…” Vera trailed off as she remembered Bane barging in. Drake studied her expression.

“Is someone watching you?”

“Huh? No, not exactly. I dealt with it; nothing more than suspicions.” Vera replied.

“Are you in trouble?” He rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

“No, it’s fine, Raven’s safe.”

“Are you?” She was caught off guard by his question. He wasn’t just worried about his sister, he was worried about her. Letting a small smile cross her lips she placed her palm on his chest.

“I have nine lives, remember? I’ll get through.” She assured him softly.

Some part of her seized control in the moment, a part she hadn’t even been paying attention to, and she kissed his cheek. Quickly putting space between them, she backed off and tilted her head in farewell.

Drake stood in the shadow of the inner ward. Vera disappeared between the trees as his eyes followed her. It was like trying to catch smoke, pinning Vera. He hoped she’d be equally elusive if she came face-to-face with Valdor. Now that he was by himself he could fully absorb her words. Raven was one of them, if they defeated Valdor, when they defeated him, she’d have a place among them. She’d be truly safe; she’d have a life of freedom. She’d belong with them. Why did that make him so jealous? He was just a traitorous forsaken assassin.

He touched his fingers to the skin Vera had kissed. He’d somehow started caring about her in all of this. No, that wasn’t true, he’d cared for her from the start, when he’d jumped out of that tree after her. And she returned it, she healed him, she promised to protect his sister, she’d given him a chance to break away from Valdor.

Valdor, the reason for all of this, the being his sister was determined to destroy. Valdor, the creature that would tear away everything he’d come to care for and leave him broken; Valdor, the thing that had to be vanquished before he could hope for any sort of happy ending.

He’d just have to make sure he was the one standing over a corpse at the end.