The Raven and the Wraith Book 2 (Completed!)

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 23

The Raven and the Wraith 2 Chapter 23

I stood still, utterly bewildered. Nothing in my life had prepared me for seeing hundreds of strange creatures silently bowing down towards me. Long moments passed in silence, until I started to get irritated.

"Ok, feel free to stand back up, already! What are you waiting for, some kind of kingly proclamation??"

The Cha'el all stood back up, and then it all got even more weird and awkward. They were all staring silently at me, their purple eyes shining with happiness.

"I don't care who bows to you, I'm not going to bow to you."

I grinned at Kiera. I could always trust her to speak simply and plainly.

"Good. This is my first time having people bow to me and I already hate it."

"Well, everyone seems to be waiting for something, so maybe you should seize the moment and just out with some kind of Rahvin-style proclamation."

I was about to ask her what, exactly, was a "Rahvin-style proclamation", but then I saw the entire crowd turn, moving in disturbingly perfect unison, to look up the street, towards the city center.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what the thing was that I could see way down the street. After a moment I realized it was racing towards me, right down the center of the road, getting clearer every second.

It was a lone Kahlraugh, with a single Cha'el rider. I could see this Kahlraugh was far bigger than the ones here, and I could see the long, brilliant silver hair streaming behind the Cha'el rider.

On a whim, against myself natural survival instincts, I decided to stand my ground in the center of the street. This Kahlraugh was huge, more than twice the size of the ones near me, and it's demonic eyes were locked on me like a hunter locked on its prey.

"Uh, Rahvin..." Kiera had scurried to the side, and I could hear the fear for me in her voice. It still seemed strange to me, to have someone truly care what happened to me. Strange and wonderful.

The Kahlraugh slid to a dramatic, graceful stop in front of me, and I found myself staring up at the most imposing creature I had ever seen. The Cha'el rider, making her Kahlraugh seem domesticated and gentle in comparison to the sheer fire of her life force.

She was staring at me, her eyes wide, shocked, and I could see her hands clenched white on the reins to the Kahlraugh.

"Kavik...?" Her words were nothing more than a choked whisper, and I could see unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

"Who? My name is Rahvin."

She lightly leapt down, then approached me as slowly and tentatively as one might approach a ghost.

"What...how? Who are you?"

Her voice seemed a bit stronger now, and I could see the sharp intelligence in her as she looked me up and down, like she was trying to understand exactly who and what I was. The force of her presence made me instinctively settle into a balanced crouch as she stepped closer.

She saw it and a mixture of anger, amusement and sorrow flashed across her face. For some inexplicable reason I felt like I knew this lady.

"My name is Rahvin. This is Kiera. We're from another...world." I grimaced at how my voice came out like I was struggling with a mouthful of marbles and glue. I didn't know if I should be getting ready to fight or flee, and it was making it hard to think clearly.

She blinked at me. The sheer confusion and wonder in her was nearly palpable.

"What other world? How did you get here? Who are your parents?"

She sounded a bit more calm now, but it seemed her curiosity had only spiked even higher.

Kiera stepped close to my side, her hand reaching out to mine. That sent a bolt of warmth and strength through me, helping me feel a bit more stable.

She saw it, her eyes narrowing, her mouth tightening.

"You have claimed a mate without my approval?"

Kiera was not impressed. "What! We don't need your approval!"

The Cha'el lady turned her piercing gaze on Kiera. I could feel her shrink back under that power.

"Silence, child!"

A frigid command, an order that would not be disobeyed.

I heard Kiera gulp and her hand clenched mine much tighter.

"You. Scout. Where did you find these two?" She turned to Chan, jabbing one, long finger
at us.

Chan bowed to her, his eyes down. Then he looked over at Kiera and I, a clear warning on his expression. I knew he was telling me to be extremely respectful and careful.

"Their trail appeared in our Southern range, just outside the outer reach of the Great Ward. My team and I tracked them for a few days, and when we saw they were using fire every night for light and warmth, and for cooking food, we decided to approach them. We-"

"They created fire every night?"

Chan nodded. "Yes, my Queen. As naturally as one might prepare food."

"You brought them to my sister?"

Chan nodded. "Yes. And she appeared to us as a young girl. She sent them on their Path, sending me along as a guide."

The Cha'el lady, the queen of this city, I now knew, turned back to me.

"I'm sorry. This is not how I would normally greet visitors. Your...appearance has shaken me a bit more than I can ever remember. You look and move so much like my dead son, Kavik, that I seriously considered that I may be dreaming."

I thought about everyone up and down the street bowing to me. Cheering me, when I stared down the Kahlraugh. I thought about what I had seen in Melikahs Power.

"Your son...how long ago did he die? How did he die?"

"He died four years ago, when he was twelve years old. He died in the fangs of the Fenray."