Raven (3 page)

I blinked a few times, thinking I had seen something moving in the opening, not sure what it was. I brought one wet hand to my face to wipe the rain from my eyes, seeing now that there was something there, moving toward me in a frantic manner. I ducked down into the trees, the meadow disappearing and the faint smoke from my now dying fire rising from the trees. I landed on the forest floor, looking skyward as I heard a sharp cry cut through the wind and rain.

Remembering the noise, I smiled, letting out an excited hoot as I looked between the branches. “Henry!” I yelled, calling him to me. I heard another cry, followed by the sound of flapping coming from just over my shoulder. I quickly turned, just in time for him to land on my arm. He looked at me as he chattered, telling me how much he missed me. His claws dug into my shirt as he twisted about, unable to stand still. I ran my hand across his brow and down his back, rain trickling from his sleek feathers.

“
Henry, old boy, how are you?” I turned and walked toward the small cabin, still suspended by the trees—their branches strained. Henry looked at the cabin, inspecting the strange structure and continuing to chatter. There were no windows, but it didn’t matter. As I came close to the front, a door opened for me, the trees still working in my favor. I stepped in as they braided back together behind me, setting Henry on a branch that protruded from the wall.

I shut my eyes and focused on my wings as I once again felt them get sucked against my spine, and out of the way. Opening my eyes, I looked back on the space, finally feeling content with the idea of living in the woods. There was a small hole cut in the ceiling of the structure, where smoke from a fire pit, just below, could escape. In the corner, a few branches reached from the wall and down to the ground, creating a small table, or perhaps desk. Another branch reached from the earth, flattening out into a chair that did not necessarily look comfortable, but at least had its use. In the opposite corner, branches had created a frame in which vines had woven a hammock. I thought about how uncomfortable my back already was with the addition of the wings and cringed, figuring I’d grow used to it.

It was dark, so I walked over to the fire pit, placing my hands above it as I conjured a fire out of nothing but air. The trees had done me enough service already, so to burn their own kind would be cruel. A blue light lit my face and Henry’s, my stomach now growling from the hunt, but I knew I was unable to eat. It was a curse of the guardian angel that food lost its appeal, and our hunger was never satisfied. Henry let out a cry that pierced my ears, as though thinking exactly what I had, except for him, there was something he
could
do.

“
Do you want to go hunting?” I asked. There was no reason why I should still deny myself the pleasure of the hunt, even if it couldn’t be enjoyed.

Henry shifted his weight from one foot to the next, agreeing.

I nodded. “Well, then—let’s go. Darkness is coming, and now is the best time.” I walked toward him and put out my hand for him to climb on. “Like old times.”

THE PURPOSE

Edgar

It had been nearly a month now, and I was growing bored of the same routine. A rabbit hung in the smoke from the fire, cooking as it filled the small cabin with a delightful smell. I was spoiling Henry, and torturing myself. Soon I figured I’d grow out of my hunger, and get used to the feeling. Henry stood on his perch, leaving only to hunt but always returning. Since he’d been back, I saw that something was different with him. There was a look of guilt in his eyes, and I wondered why that was.

To my surprise, there was a knock on the side of the cabin, and it echoed in my head. I had become so accustomed to the silence of the woods that my hearing had heightened, looking for anything to entertain it.

“
How does this work?” I heard an annoyed, but familiar voice from outside.

I shook my head.

Sam snorted. “Hey, I know you’re in there, and I heard that.”

I let out a contented laugh. “Well, you’re right, I am in here. And you’re an idiot.”

There was a sharp pound against the wall as the branches tightened, refusing to allow such abuse, and rebelling against letting him in. The pounding stopped.

“
Fine. Have it your way.” Sam was talking to the trees now, and trying to convince them. After one last moment of resistance, they gave and the door formed, revealing my visitor.

“
Hello, Sam.” I sat at my desk in the corner, my watch in hand.

“
Sweet little set up you have here.” Sam waltzed in as the branches poked at him—still offended by what he’d done.

“
Thanks.” I rolled my eyes and turned away from him, looking back to the book that lay open on my desk. After I killed the hologram, I had gone down to the college to gather a few of my things to help pass the time.

Sam poked the rabbit, making it swing and spread smoke into the air.

“
Could you please,” I began.

Sam laughed. “What are you doing with this? Wishful thinking?”

I shot him a cold stare. Sam continued to poke at the rabbit, making Henry anxious as he began rocking from one foot to the next on his perch. “Sam—”

“
Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time.” Sam stepped back, sauntering over to the desk area and looking around for a chair. Finding none, he looked toward the ceiling. “
Please?
” He said it as though the word pained him, but the branches listened, and a chair formed. He plopped down, the chair pinching him in one last attempt to pick a fight, though it did little to affect Sam.

“
So what brings you to my humble part of the woods?” I looked up at him under my eyebrows, acting as though his visit was an inconvenience, and hoping he couldn’t read that inside, I was actually excited to have the company.

Sam chuckled to himself, revealing he’d known. He looked at Henry. “So that’s where you went.” Henry looked away, ashamed.

I laughed. “I knew he was hiding something. It was the fact that he had become your pet in my absence.” I paused, looking at Henry and tilting my head. “Good to know you’re a fair-weather pet, Henry.”

Henry let out a cry in his defense.

Sam waved him away. “
Anyway
, so I’m back.”

I nodded. “I can see that.”

Sam smiled and sat up straight, lacing his fingers in front of him. “How are things?”

I shook my head, my eyes fixed on the page in front of me. “How does it look?”

“
Okay, let’s cut through the formalities.” Sam gave up and got to the point. “Have you controlled yourself?”

I looked up at him. “You’re the one that can read minds. I’m sure you already know the answer.”

Sam nodded. “So you have. Good. And the hologram, that was brilliant. Well played.” He commended me.

I pursed my lips, knowing I’d slaughtered better.

“
So, I can expect you back soon, then?” Sam tried to be nonchalant.

My attention perked. “Oh, so I can come back now?” I tried to seem annoyed.

Sam nodded.

I looked him in the eyes, feeling as his thoughts massaged mine, looking for answers. “Why can’t I read your mind?”

Sam let out an arrogant sigh that angered me. “Because that was
my
power. Yours is something else.”

“
Strength?” I added.

Sam nodded, leaning back and testing the power of the branch.

I watched him, seeing he was trying to act tough, because he knew that now, I could beat him. His little act of strength when I had first come back was the last chance he’d have to flex his power over me, but now it was gone.

Sam rolled his eyes, admitting his weakness as he heard my thoughts. “There is much to do when you come back, much to plan for,” he tried to change the subject. “It’s on our doorstep.”

“
So you’ve noticed it too?” I leaned back as Sam had.

Sam licked his lips. “Yes, I’ve noticed the change. Elle’s seeing it too, but she hasn’t yet asked me about it. I don’t want to be the one to deliver her the news, either. I figured that was
your
job.”

A half smile lit across my face. “Too chicken?” I asked.

Sam defended himself. “I’m not
too chicken.
This just isn’t my war.”

“
It was once,” I chimed.

Sam’s expression became bitter.

I lifted one hand in apology. “I was joking, Sam. Didn’t you get that?”

“
Well, this is no joking matter. Things are dying, and the end has begun—thanks to your kind,” he stabbed.

It was annoying that he no longer saw himself as a human, though he once was. “It’s not their fault. They didn’t know. The humans are so manipulated by the gods, that they’ve never been trusted to take care of things on their own. If the gods know what’s good for them, they’ll let Elle fulfill her prophecy, and they’ll get out of our world. The humans could use to manage this world alone for a couple thousand years.”

“
You mean shut off the bridge between Heaven and Earth?” Sam looked shocked.

“
Yes, I mean a separation. That is, if we survive this thing. That’s up to Elle.” I looked down at my hands.

“
Why does she get to choose? And what is this power controlling our fate?”

I laughed. “
Fate
is controlling fate. You know that.”

Sam didn’t believe in Fate as a being because he’d never seen her first hand. “I thought the gods controlled everything about this world.”

“
Clearly, they don’t. Fate does.” It was like beating a dead horse. “The humans are the ones that have polluted it to the point that the delicate balance of nature is deteriorating. The gods didn’t have control of that, she did. And besides, who do you think gave the gods the world to begin with? Clearly it was given to them with the understanding that they would care for it, not allow their creations to kill it. This is their punishment. I think Fate wants this world back.” I shook my head. I was amazed that I had finally found clarity and reason for all that had happened, and it felt good to know. The gods were losing their world because they could no longer control it. Things had gotten out of hand.

“
So, only Elle can save it?” Sam reiterated.

“
Yes. She is the last, after all.”

Sam’s face grew jealous. “What about Margriete?”

I shrugged. “What about her? She’s dead, remember?”

Sam looked at me with a shocked expression. “
What?
What tree have you been living under?”

I narrowed my eyes, looking at the house that surrounded me. “Very funny.”

His face remained serious. “Oh true, you
were
under a tree.” He paused to laugh. “She isn’t dead, Edgar. You remember that white cat, don’t you?”

I thought back, remembering Elle’s ridiculous claims that there was a cat in the meadow. “Yeah, so? Did you finally take it the pound?”

Sam let out a low growl. “No.
Of course not!
Though at first that’s exactly what I wanted to do.” He shrugged.

I was silent for a moment as I tried to remember the cat. “That was real?” I saw that he wasn’t joking.

Sam’s face was smug. “Perhaps you should learn to trust people. That cat was Margriete. She was locked in that form by the gods as punishment for all that had happened with Matthew. They did it to spite her, and she could only be released if someone cared enough to recognize it was her and say her name.” He laughed. “Clearly, that
wasn’t
you.”

A feeling of guilt filled my black heart.

“
But Elle did see it. You should be ashamed. Margriete was part of the group that came to try to save you. Perhaps you should thank her.” Sam looked down his nose at me.

I looked at him closely, seeing there was something more behind all this. “You have a thing for Margriete, don’t you?”

I sharp breath blew from between his tight lips. “Whatever.” He looked away.

Laughter filled the room as I found myself unable to prevent it. In all my time knowing Sam, I had only seen him love one girl—that pathetic
Jill
. It was at least nice to see him branching out, but then what of Margriete? In love with a guardian angel? Come on. I never thought I’d see her stoop to that level.

Sam’s eyes burned a hole though mine. “
Shut up
.”

“
I wasn’t speaking.” I choked between laughs.

“
You know what I mean.” He pounded the table, but it did little to threaten me.

“
I’m sorry, it’s just—” I began to laugh again. “It’s just so
pathetic
.”

“
Anyway.” Sam continued to stare.

I calmed myself. “
Anyway
. I doubt Margriete would hold the power like Elle does.”

Sam nodded. “No, you’re right. Margriete has lost a lot of the healing power she once had. She’s lost the raven inside her.”