Into The Shadows

Let's Make A Deal

I closed the book and placed it upon the shelf, weighted with a great sadness before turning back to Corvus on his perch and walking to stand in front of him.

"Are you sure about this?" He nodded, excitement gleamed in his eyes.

Over thirty years old, he was far beyond the average raven life span since I had cast a spell of non aging upon him when he was dying of old age, he had not wished to leave the world at the time and I gave him everything he wanted. High intellect, immortality, and even the same powers as I, and all when I was only twelve years old.

I sighed and tapped my shoulder before leaving towards the living room.

We entered to the sight of Cole on the couch with his back on the seat cushion and his feet on the wall. "What are you doing?"

His eyes shot towards me, startled and he rolled off of the couch and onto the floor with a resounding thud. His blush was so bright that I could see it from here as he shot back up and straightened his clothes, brushing them off like nothing had happened.

He cleared his throat. "Um, nothing, how about you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "We made a decision."

His face fell as he seemed to remember. "Oh, right. What are you going to do?"

"We are going to make a proposal, you want to hear it?" I asked.

"What happens if I don't?" He questioned back.

"I make you my eternal slave to serve me for, well, eternity," I replied with a smile.

His face paled at that. "Do you not age?"

"Not since I was sixteen," I informed, unaffected.

"How old are you now?"

"Nineteen," I answered, growing annoyed.

"How do you know if you are only nineteen, I mean that is not really a long span of-"

"Enough! If I say I know, then I know!" I snapped, tired of the endless questions. His mouth closed and he stared at me with wide eyes. "Thank you," I sighed while pinching my nose.

"What we propose is that you become my new familiar and in exchange I give you a mostly free life."

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean? What is a familiar?"

"One: you ask way too many questions. Two: a familiar is who makes my powers stronger and help me with anything I will need," I explained.

"Then isnt your crow-"

"Raven," I corrected.

"Raven," he amended. "-your familiar?"

"Yes he is, but he wants to be able to leave this life and meet his friends in the afterlife. Corvus wants to give you his knowledge and power so that you can assist me."

"What is this knowledge and power?" He asked.

"The ability to shadow travel, immortality, knowing all the spells to ever exist, and the ability to turn into a raven and back into a human. He does not have that power but I will give it to you," I answered.

"What is the catch?" He questioned, suspicion suddenly taking over. His eyebrows scrunched together.

"You would have to come when called, regardless of the situation and help me regardless of what I ask," I told him firmly.

He plopped down on the couch with a sigh rubbing the back of his neck while looking towards the ground.

He sighed. "I'll do it."

I stared at him in surprise. "You know I really wouldn't have made you my slave, right?"

He smiled. "I figured, but you only live once, why not give it a shot? Plus it seems like Corvus there is the angel upon your literal shoulder. Maybe I can help you with that too, or maybe even do better at it."

The raven cawed in happiness at that. He never really agreed with all the decisions I have made, but he has always backed my reasoning.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, good luck with that. It's time to go meet your parents anyways, they have to be there for the spell and since you still live with them they need to know."

Cole groaned. "Can't we just keep this a secret?"

I raised an eyebrow. "This isn't some cliche superhero movie, and even if it was we wouldn't be the heroes. I would be the villain. And you... well you would be my henchman."