Marrying for love seemed honorable. You could live a happy life even if you had nothing else, but each other. What I had done had been honorable too, but there would be no happy endings, no full life in spite of other shortcomings. The future I wanted so badly was fading away a little more each day.
A loud knock on the door interrupted my melancholy thoughts, but at that point, I didn’t think there was anything that could lift my spirits and help me enjoy it. Maybe that was what hell was supposed to be like, everything good in you slowly being drained away until only a bitter husk of the person you once were remained.
“Maya?” Henrietta asked, poking her head inside the door when I hadn’t answered. “Are you okay?”
Honestly, I didn’t think that I would ever truly be okay again, but I didn’t let on that there was a problem.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
I stood from the bed and twisted my fists into the slip by my thighs to stop myself from rubbing at my tear-filled eyes. It wasn’t the time to show anyone signs of weakness, because one day, I would be leading these people and I refused to let anyone have leverage over me again. It took some effort, but I managed to tamp down my self pity. I was better than to let my circumstances define me. I had come from a long line of strong women who had paved the way for me to be where I was and I couldn’t let them down. People were still counting on my success. I wasn’t happy, but I was Maya Thibodeau, granddaughter of Marie Laveau, and I refused to be broken.
“If you say so.” Her tone told me that she didn’t believe me, but she also respected my boundaries and didn’t pry.
I was thankful for that. An inquisition would have done me in, leaving me a blubbering mess and no dresses would be tried on at all if that happened. I steeled myself and tried to harness my emotions before facing the others.
I followed Henrietta out, wrapping my arms around myself over my breasts. It was my feeble attempts at trying not to feel so naked in front of those strangers.
No one spoke to me, except Henrietta, who would ask me to turn or lift my arms while my measurements were taken and jotted down.
The whole process felt so detached and impersonal, like I was an object and not a person. Did models feel like this before they took the runway? It did nothing to lift my spirits. That didn’t much surprise me, but I had hoped it would help take my mind off things a bit and not give me more time to pine over Rhys. By then, I should have known my luck just wasn’t that good.
“Now, we’re ready. Can you bring the gowns in, please?” Henrietta hollered towards the door.
The girl at my feet removed her tape from where it had been resting too close to my nether regions and I relaxed a bit.
The door swung open and a trolley rolled in with bags of dresses hanging from its rack. My mouth dropped open. None of the dresses were white, but they came in every different design and cut imaginable. I had to remember that this was not the world I was used to and I still had so much to learn.
Henrietta didn’t ask if there was anything specific that I liked. She was determined to make me try them all on. Mermaid styled dresses that hugged my curves, to frilly ball gowns that were difficult to move in, they were all there. The hours trudged on like that, slow and daunting.
After three hours of a rough battle of wills, I settled on my dress. It was a black and burgundy A-line gown. Fragile lace covered the bodice that was a fitted corset. The dress was a masterpiece, but I couldn’t bring myself to care much. I peaked at the mirror and barely recognized the glassy eyed zombie woman looking back at me as myself. The bruises were starting to fade, but dark circles rimmed my haunted eyes.
“Let’s get down to the nitty gritty details, shall we?”
I couldn’t take any more of this today. I had enough of all of it.
I shook my head. “No, I just can’t do anymore wedding planning today. I’m sorry.” My voice trembled slightly. My emotions were still off kilter and all over the place, leaving me exhausted from trying to keep up with my racing feelings.
Thankfully, Henrietta seemed to sympathize a bit, because she gave me a small smile and a gentle squeeze on my shoulder before collecting her things and leaving me to my own devices.
I needed a moment to myself.
Meandering through my collection of rooms, I wondered how everyone was doing back at home. Was Angie okay? And Rhys? I even missed the kooky little Mama Yansa. She might have been a Loa, which still blew my mind to think about, but she was very set in her ways and wanted to stay where she was. After my time there, I understood why she lived in the middle of the swamp, refusing to be bothered by other people and the rest of the divine society. My short stay had shown me that I felt much the same way already.
The Spotted Cat where I had first met Rhys, and then misguidedly thought he had betrayed me, came to the forefront of my mind. Could I project myself like the Baron had done to check in on them? Was it even possible to do that across the veil that stood between the two worlds? The burn of excitement mixed with my magic leapt within me, a knee jerk reaction to the thought of seeing my loved ones again. Something that complex and complicated would have to be built up. I couldn’t just go all out right at the starting gate. Like a muscle, I would have to work at it and strengthen it with smaller things before taking on something so large.
With the barest of thoughts, a bright orb flamed to life in the palm of my upturned hand. My skin tingled with power before it surged into the orb, growing it larger and brighter, and forcing me to cup it between both hands.
I was beaming. My magic had become such an integral part of me since discovering it, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed using it.
Giving it a little nudge, it spun and began to change. It morphed into a glowing snow white raven that took flight. Wings flapping, it squawked and found a perch on top of the large armoire within my bedroom. Small, beady, black eyes roved over the room and took in its surroundings.
It was beautiful. The bird spread its wings and flew out the door towards the sitting room. It circled a few times, always staying close to the ceiling. I ran after it and almost tripped over my own feet trying to catch up. The bird seemed to have a mind of its own.
“What are you looking for?” I asked.
My bird bobbed its head from side to side in response before darting towards the exit that led to the hallway. It landed on the handle and began to anxiously peck at the frame. The creature flapped and shimmied around on the lever to stay upright and retain its precarious balance.
I walked towards the door and bit my lip, not sure whether to open it. My gut was telling me to open the door and see what was out there, to take the chance, but my head was firmly set against it. Reaching out towards it, the bird hopped onto my outstretched arm and unleashed a savage shriek. I jumped a bit from the shock of the raven’s cry. The weight of the animal surprised me. I hadn’t been expecting a mass of light to weigh anything, but this felt as if I were holding the real thing. Its silken feathers brushed my arm and I could feel the sharpness of its talons along my skin. Those could be deadly if they wanted to be.
My decision was made. I had nothing left to lose, so I grabbed ahold of the handle and swung it down. Stepping through, I saw the hall was deserted. Was it getting late? It was so hard to tell without clocks or any natural daily benchmarks. I crept down the hall, opposite of the direction from which I had found the underground tunnels that led me to the Baron. A thick carpet laid down the center of the hallway, padding my foot falls. I had been down that part of the hallway exactly once before when I had first arrived.
“Where are we going?” I leaned towards the raven, trying to keep my voice low.
It clacked its beak together twice before pushing off my arm and lifting into the air. The bird circled overhead before soaring down the hallway and disappearing around the left corner.
“Come back here,” I hissed, my voice sounding gravelly and harsh against the silent background.
Forcing myself forward, I ran after the bird
on my toes. I probably looked ridiculous, but I wasn’t used to sneaking around and there was no one around to see me anyway. The corridor was growing darker. The wall sconces became fewer and farther in between. Holding my hand out in front of me, I conjured another glowing orb to light the way as I rounded the corner.
The bird was sitting on top of an unlit torch, waiting for me. None of the torches or sconces were lit down that way. I peeked back to the empty corridor, wondering if I should just go back to my room and if I’d made a mistake following the damned raven.
As if it knew that I was thinking, the bird squawked and took off down the hall again. The carpet ended and left me without any other silencer for my journey. My slippers scuffed against the stone floor, making much more noise than I was comfortable with, and I froze to check for other noises. But there were still no signs of other life in the palace.
Ditching the slippers to the side of the hall, I made my way after the bird of light silently. Following the raven to wherever it was going felt important, like it wanted to show me something very crucial.
“Follow…me…” A breathy voice interrupted the silence of the palace and stopped me in my tracks.
“Who’s there?” I whispered.
I squinted into the darkness, trying to make out anyone who might have been there, but couldn’t see anything out of the usual. I took a tentative step towards the bird and tried to sense anything supernatural.
Nothing.
I sent out my magic and let it feel its way around the corridor. The raven’s light beamed bright like a lighthouse. It was my guiding beacon. I couldn’t look directly at it. The only essence I could discern was that of the raven and it was so much more than just magic.
It wasn’t something I had ever encountered before.
I opened my eyes, content with my momentary safety, and made my way towards the bird. The chilled blocks beneath my bare feet were pushing me onward toward my unknown destination. Once I stood next to it, the avian took flight again and disappeared around the corner. It flew into the first door on the left, passed right through it like it wasn’t even there.
I halted my progress, unsure whether to proceed forward or not. It wanted me to follow it, that much was clear. The curious part of me was at war with my logical part, which was telling me I shouldn’t be wandering about and prying into someone else’s private things.
This is my home now, too, I thought to myself.
Curiosity won out. The next thing I knew, I was pushing my way past the entryway.
Stepping through the entrance, I was enveloped in the overwhelming scent of dust and aged books. The aroma of worn pages distinctly permeated the very fabric of the space itself. It was a library. The cavernous room was brimming with dozens of floor to ceiling bookshelves lining each wall. The doors shut behind me, ushering me deeper into the heart of the cavernous room.
“Hello?” I broke the silence of the space and waited for a response.
Nothing.
The raven was nowhere in sight. It had disappeared altogether.
A large bay of windows sat at the other end of the room. After taking a few hesitant steps towards the glass façade, I stopped when I heard the creak of wooden floorboards. It wasn’t my movements causing them. I swiveled around, searching for the source of the noise, but saw nothing there.
I started again, but only made it several steps before the creaking sounded again. I pivoted around, ready for whatever was stalking me.
“Who’s there?” I demanded. “I know someone is. Come out. Now!”
The sound of shuffling grabbed my attention off to my right and a gaunt old man dragged himself into view. He wore a dark worn robe and appeared much like an ancient Franciscan monk.
“I’ve been waiting to finally meet you, milady. I hope your stay so far has been enjoyable.” His voice was rough and tired. He scuffed his feet as he hobbled towards me.
“My name’s Maya. Do I know you?”
I couldn’t trust anyone there.
“No, miss. You don’t know me, but I know you. I am Mateo, the keeper of prophecies. We have waited for you for a long time.”
“Prophecy keeper? We?”
Was this who the raven had wanted me to see? Something about the man felt important, vital even, to whatever was to come.
“Yes ma’am. We, as in your subjects, have been charged with the task of keeping safe the visions of the future.”
I had another question that scratched at my mind. “Have you seen the raven? It was glowing and it flew in here, but I haven’t seen it since.”
A thin, knowing smile stretched the lines of the old man’s face. He lifted a hand gestured me to sit in the winged back chair while he limped towards the seat next to it. I obliged and sat down, waiting patiently for him to answer me. Mama Yansa had taught me the value of patience. I banished that line of thought immediately before the agony of my situation set in.
“You understand that your raven wasn’t just a bit of magic, don’t you?”
I nodded. That much I had already figured out on my own, yet I wasn’t sure exactly what it was though. “I could feel that it was something different.”
“Very good. May I call you Maya?”
Nodding again, I urged him on.
“Have you sorted out what it was yet?”
“No, it was hard to get a read on.”
Mateo clapped his hands together as though that pleased him. The white, bony knuckles of his hands were gnarled with age.
“She’s gone now. You won’t find her in here.” Mateo settled deeper into his seat, getting comfortable.
“She?” I inquired. My eyes roamed over the rows of bookshelves.
“Oh yes. Have you gathered what you think she is yet?” Mateo’s eyes glimmered as he asked. The whole thing felt like it was a test.
I put some thought into it, yet the only logical answer I could come up with was that the raven had been a person. At one point, anyway.
“A spirit?”
Mateo belted out hysterical laughter and I was sure the man had gone mad. He wasn’t making any sense. Perhaps, he’d spent too much time in the library alone with only books as companions. That could drive a person insane eventually, right? I sat there, uncomfortable and trying to figure out a polite way to excuse myself and get the hell out of there.
“You’re good, girl. You’re good. Smart, too. You’ll lead well.” He chuckled the last bit out. “Yes, she’s a spirit. Your guide in particular. You’ve met her before and I should’ve known it wouldn’t be long before she sought you out. You two need each other. Marie, she’s not very subtle about things when she wants something.”
“Marie? That was Marie Laveau?” I choked out as my mouth dried up. The shock of the revelation made me glad that I was already sitting down.
“Oh yes. That was her. Old girl’s been waiting around for you for a long time. She’ll help you come time of the great battle.”
His words weren’t registering with my confused fogged brain. The battle was over. Didn’t he know that? Drake was dead.
“The battle’s over. The Baron Samedi killed Drake.”
Mateo scooted forward in his seat and leaned over towards me with his elbows planted on his knees. A serious expression carved across his face as he brought himself to within an inch of my ear.
“The great battle has yet to begin.”
Chapter Three
The Darkness Is Not Always Safe
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The battle hadn’t happened yet? Then what the hell was that back in New Orleans?
I slumped back in my chair, slack jawed in disbelief.
After several glances between Mateo and the wood grain on the floorboards, I still had a hard time grasping it. As if all the carnage and bloodshed hadn’t been enough, there was more to come.
Mateo spoke up finally. “War is coming and you’re the one who will decide its outcome. You must be prepared.”
Words began to fall out of my mouth ai
mlessly after that. “Just…what the fuck? The war hasn’t happened yet? What are you even talking about? Just calm down and explain things real slow.”
I rubbed my eyes as I tried to make sense of it all and ward off the information overload migraine that was beginning to take hold.
“There’s a war coming and it will suck every Loa into it. No one will escape its wrath unscathed. Once the dust settles, the winner will be whomever you fought for. You shall decide. The future is certain only so far as it is determined by the current course you are set on. If things abruptly change, so does the course and outcome,” he finished sagely.
All of it was so overwhelming and I felt like I could barely breathe. I remembered everything that Mama and Rhys had told me. I was special with almost unlimited potential. Marie’s blood ran through my veins and still none of it was fair. I couldn’t stop the why me thoughts from running rampant.
“What do I have to do?”
I had to accept that this was my life now. All those people I had worked to keep safe were still in jeopardy. If I didn’t step up and do something, then who would?
Mateo looked like the wheels were turning within his mind, thinking about everything before giving me any direction.
“You must go to Guinee and seek out Saint Claire. He will tell you what you must know,” Mateo whispered to me and reached for my hand.
His withered hand slid a scrap of paper into mine as his eyes plead with me to not say a word about it.
A second later, I understood why.
Sure-footed steps clapped against the floor of the library and I didn’t even have to turn to know exactly who it was. The man had been on me like flies to crap since I’d arrived.
The Baron walked up behind me and lay a deceptively tender hand on my shoulder. He pulled me to his side and kept me there, staking his claim as he acknowledged Mateo.
“Your Highness, what a pleasure it is to have you pay us a visit!” Mateo bowed low and was surprisingly limber compared to the stiff, old man that I’d seen moving about earlier.
A Soul's Surrender (The Voodoo Revival Series Book 2) Page 3
