Moon Cursed (Book 2 in The Star and Her Moon Series)

Vivian

Raff

 Raff, please be okay.

Cold water splashed across his face, drawing Raff into consciousness. The sound of Meribella's sweet voice faded to nothing, leaving him feeling empty. And lost. 

Not even his wolf stirred inside of him, no doubt magically subdued.

"I must've hit you harder than I thought."

Blinking the water away, Raff jerked his head to move hair out of his eyes. He wanted Vivian to see the rage in them, to fear for her safety every time his arctic blues swept across her. The witch merely studied him, her worn face unreadable as she set a bucket down.

"Where's Lincoln? Thorne?" His tongue was swollen, flopping awkwardly around his words.

"Safe. Back at the boathouse like they were told. You chose to be difficult."

"Why?" Raff hadn't meant to ask. Told himself he didn't care, but he did. Oh, gods, he did.

"Does it matter?"

"I wouldn't have asked."

Vivian snapped and a stool slid across the room. She sat on it, leaning forward with her palms flat over her knees. Indecision burned his nose, the scent spicy and harsh, but then it hardened, like stone. 

Conviction.

Hands pressed together, she lifted them above her head, splitting them apart and making a circle around her face. Raff couldn't see the magic, but he felt something ripple across his skin. Vivian reached up and pulled an earring out of her ear. One minute, the woman he grew up with was sitting before him, the next a stranger.

"What the hell?"

Gone was the heavy, black kohl, the deep wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. Hair, the color of sunshine through autumn leaves, fell down her back in waves of silk. Eyes of indigo and violet locked onto him, their depths filled with ancient knowledge and sadness. But through all the changes, he saw her.

"Vivian?"

"That is one name I'm known by. Some have called me Nineve, Nimue, Niniane...the one you might know best is Lady of the Lake."

"Fucking arthurian shit," Raff shouted, pulling on his bindings. "What concern are werewolves to you? Shouldn't you be bothering the Guardians?"

"If my lady wishes for me to do so, then yes. But for now, she wants the werewolves to submit to her rule."

"Morgan? But you're a witch. Witches detest the Fae Queen."

Vivian ran her hands along her arms, her full red lips turning down as she considered her next words. "I do detest her. With every fiber of my being- I hate that woman."

"Then let me go."

"I wish I could, but Morgan le Fay owns me. Once, long ago, she bound me to the lake. To stray too far from its shore was to die. One day, she came to me and made an offer- learn all of Merlin's secrets in exchange for my freedom. But it didn't end there. If I don't do as she asks, I'll be sent back to the lake."

"Poor you," Raff spit out. He pitied Vivian. Morgan was a powerful foe, and the witch likely had no way to free herself. But her freedom meant more to her than doing what was right. What was good. He couldn't forgive that type of selfishness.

Vivian stood up and slapped Raff. Magic bolstered the hit, and he felt a tooth crack.  She shouted, "you don't know what it's like. To be kept in darkness for years. Alone. Forgotten."