The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  Emrys came into the living room just as I slid our bedroom door shut. I turned and greeted him quietly with a quick hug and asked, “How’s Lindy? How are the babies? Is everyone okay? I wish I could go see them.”

  Holding a hand up, he said, “Everyone is fine. I explained why you were not there to welcome them home. Melinda was far too busy to comment, but Gavin was quite impressed with you and my mother.” He raised an eyebrow and added, “Birds of a feather, huh?”

  I chuckled. “Right. Well, you know what they say about two birds in the hand.”

  “Actually, it is ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ my wife.” Emrys grinned as he corrected me.

  “I know,” I chuckled, adding, “But in all truth, Veronica is lucky I made the decision to turn her. I was madder than a wet hen!”

  “I see, my little chickadee. But you are wise as an owl now, and you killed two birds with one stone!”

  “I’m sure we could go on for hours, Emrys,” I said, stifling my laughter and rolling my eyes.

  We moved away from the door so as not to disturb my Newling. She was probably right in the midst of dreaming about all my private, personal memories. An involuntary shudder shot through me.

  “One more, and then I promise to stop,” he said leaning close. “But before the night is over, I plan to get you naked as a jay-bird.”

  I couldn’t resist, and with a giggle, I said, “Oh, so you’re planning to do a little jaywalking?”

  He sighed, trying not to laugh, and said, “In all seriousness, under the circumstances, I do have to ask why you decided to turn her. I thought you disliked everything about Veronica.” Emrys sat on the sofa, gazing up at me.

  I stood before him, not knowing what to say. I shrugged, made a puzzled face at him, and finally said, “I guess since I still wasn’t sure how involved she really was with the Hunters, I couldn’t bring myself to just let her die. I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt. And besides, she’ll never have anything to do with the Venators again, will she?” I smiled. “She’s one of us now, and they’ll probably kill her if they find her.”

  I pulled her phone out of my pocket and tossed it to Emrys. “Here, take a gander at this and tell me what your take is on it. Once you’re finished, I may just throw the damn phone in the trash. I’ll never have to wonder who the bloody hell she’s talking to again.”

  Emrys opened the phone and scrolled through the messages and recent calls. “It is difficult to say one way or the other. But as you said, she shall be one of us, so it will not matter. Her past will be wiped clean and she will spend the rest of eternity steering clear of the Hunters.”

  He tossed the phone back to me, less interested than I imagined he’d be. “So where should we send her once she’s finished the transformation?”

  “You’re asking me? I thought you would decide that.” I was a little surprised.

  “You are her maker. It is up to you, my dear wife.”

  I folded my arms across my chest. “I haven’t a clue. Won’t you help me with this, Emrys?”

  “Of course. I suppose we could call Tansy. She would probably enjoy a visit with my mother and then she can take the poor waif with her when she leaves.”

  “You’re serious, aren’t you?” I said, fuming.

  “Why, whatever do you mean my darling wife?” Emrys’ grin was wide and his eyes flashed open, and he added, “I did not mean to ruffle your feathers!”

  Ignoring his attempt to distract me, I said, “You’re calling her a poor waif? What the flaming…”

  He jumped up and put a hand over my mouth. “Shh. You are getting too loud. You might hurt her ears, remember?” He pulled me down onto the couch with him, stifling a laugh. “All I meant was that she is basically a poor, homeless Newling. She would not have the slightest idea of how to go about feeding herself. I do not have an overabundance of sympathy for her, if that is what you were thinking.”

  “Whatever. It will be good to be rid of her. I’m tired of worrying about her, and tired of being the only one who ever mistrusted her. It would be nice to get a little credit, that’s all.”

  “Well, apparently my mother had the same feelings as you did. If not, she would not have attacked her in the first place,” he said thoughtfully. “Although, I suppose the fact that Veronica was aiming a gun at you may have persuaded Mother’s opinion farther in that direction.”

  “What do you mean, in THAT direction?” I asked.

  “I refer to the mistrust. The feeling that she was up to something. All of it,” he said.

  I nodded. “Yes, and perhaps you will agree, once and for all, that even if Veronica was coerced into helping the Hunters, she was still in the wrong.”

  “Meaning?”

  “She should have told someone so we could have dealt with it immediately. If she had told you about the Venators being here, just imagine how different things would be today. Our gatekeeper would be alive. Kelsey wouldn’t have been shot. The triplets wouldn’t have been kidnapped. And she wouldn’t be in our bed, dreaming about my private life!”

  “Most of that is correct. The fact of the matter is, when the time came to turn her, I planned on having you do it anyway.” He brushed some stray hairs out of my face, letting his fingers graze along the side of my neck. Instant goose bumps traveled down my spine. I shivered and gave a sigh, thinking about the whole evening.

  Suddenly wondering if Latimer was correct, I asked, “It was Matthew at the gate-house today, wasn’t it?”

  Emrys nodded, and looking reflective, he said, “He was a good man, one of the best.”

  I just stared into his eyes for a few quiet moments, not knowing what to say.

  If only Veronica had told someone…anyone…

  “I have to check on our little waif,” I said, getting up. “Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”

  I left him in the living room, and tended to my Newling. Her eyes were still closed and I warned her to keep them that way, unless she wanted to see what it felt like to gaze into the sun. She drank her second dose, quickly and quietly. Watching her like this - so meek and vulnerable, almost made me feel bad for her. I remembered the intense burning pain at the slightest touch, the crashing loudness at the slightest movement. But, supposedly this is what she came here for, I thought with a shrug.

  “Sleep now.” And still reeling from the horrible day, I said in most sarcastic way, “Enjoy my memories.” I set the glass down on the side table and started to leave.

  “Elizabeth?” Her whisper was barely audible.

  Turning back, I said, “Yes?”

  “Thank you.” A tear escaped from Veronica’s eye and trickled down slowly, but she didn’t move a muscle or say another word.

  I swallowed down my bitterness and said, “You’re welcome.”

  Emrys was smiling when I returned to him. “You are so sweet, my lovely wife. Even in your anger, you find it difficult to hold a grudge. No wonder I fell so madly in love with you.”

  I shrugged, somehow feeling dark and out of sorts, and without any forethought, blurted, “That was only because of the Signatus.”

  “Come now, my little raven, you know you do not really mean that,” he murmured, giving me one of his mesmerizing looks.

  “No, not really,” I said, melting.

  “Good. Because I fell in love with you the minute you walked into the pub.”

  “Didya now?” I teased coyly, joining him on the sofa.

  He pulled me into his arms and gave me another intense gaze. “I did. And my love for you has only grown since that moment.” His eyes burned into mine, chasing away any remaining dark shadows, and then he added in a hoarse voice, “I will love you for all eternity.”

  “I love you too, Emrys.” I stretched up to meet his lips. Sweet cherry kisses, as always.

  * * *

  In the next few hours, I went back to Veronica’s bedside two more times. Each time, she appeared stronger and more vibrant. Her complexion was even better th
an her normal tawny tan and her hair glimmered golden and shiny. Her first question to me was about Sage. She was cautious in her wording, but wanted to know where he was and how the fight had turned out. When I told her that he was dead, she looked relieved and smiled up at me as if I was her best friend. I wasn’t sure how to even respond. Her gentle manner surprised me, and her thankfulness was completely unexpected.

  “I will never be able to repay you, Elizabeth. But I will be indebted to you from now on. I know you will have to send me away for a while, I understand why and I don’t blame you. But I need you to know that I would never do anything to hurt you or any other Raven. I will spend the rest of eternity doing all I can to prove that to you.”

  “I appreciate you saying that, Veronica, but I’m not sure how you will manage this from afar.”

  “I plan to be the best Raven I can, I’ll abide by all the rules, and I hope that your family will feel comfortable welcoming me back one day so that you can see my changed heart. But if not, I will understand.” She sounded sincere and added, “I feel like I owe Melinda the hugest apology…but I was so scared of Sage. He was a horrible excuse for a human and I am glad he’s dead.”

  “I think Melinda would be pleased to hear your apology, Veronica. And she deserves it too. I’m just glad the babies are all okay. I can’t say what would have happened if they hadn’t found them.”

  Veronica closed her eyes for a moment, thinking. “I’m pretty sure I’d be dead.”

  “You’re probably right,” I said, cautiously.

  She opened her eyes again and smiled. “Thanks for giving me a second chance, Elizabeth. I know you really didn’t think that I deserved it. But I meant it when I told you I was sorry for flirting with Emrys. That will never happen again either. I’m hoping that one day I will be able to find a love as beautiful as yours and his.”

  A sudden surge of compassion overwhelmed me. She really meant it and I finally believed her. Touching her hand, I said, “If you succeed in all that you plan to do, I believe you will find that special love one day.”

  With a wistful smile, Veronica said, “Thank you for being so sweet, Elizabeth. I don’t even deserve your kindness, and yet you give it to me so freely. I really hope I can return to Ravenswynd and we can be friends one day.”

  Tentatively, I returned her smile, but wondered if such an unreal wish could ever materialize. Although, stranger things have happened around here and I was beginning to believe that anything was possible.

  * * *

  For the next few days I never let Veronica out of my sight, except for the few times I went to visit Melinda and the babies. During those short but sweet visits, Kelsey and Royal stayed with my Newling.

  Several days later Tansy arrived at Ravenswynd, and watching her reunite with everyone in her old society was heartwarming. When I told her how I had been lucky enough to glean Emrys’ memory of her very first look at the tall archway with the ever-watchful raven, she nearly started crying.

  “That was the best day of my life, Elizabeth. Prior to that, I was nothing but a lowly servant, indentured to horrible, mean slave masters. I had run away from those people, and my escape not only included meeting the wonderful Bertrands, but after my service to the family as a donor, they turned me from a nobody - into a Raven! It was quite a privilege to be the nursemaid to some of the greatest children ever.”

  I remembered from my enlightening, that she had helped to raise both Ambrose and then later, Emrys, and that she even helped with Amrita. It was great getting to know her, and talk about what Emrys was like as a child. And when it was time for her to leave, I felt a pang of sorrow. I knew that one day I’d see her again, and perhaps I’d even feel inclined to have her bring Veronica with her. But that day would have to be far off in the future. We still had little ones of our own to bring up.

  After tearful hugs and goodbyes, Tansy and Veronica drove off. A small part of me even felt a twinge of sadness for Veronica. I was her maker, after all, and felt somewhat responsible for her. But I knew that Tansy would take good care of her, and see to it that she learned the way of the Ravens.

  Once they were gone, I headed straight for Lindy’s suite to spend some time with her and her triplets. I had to make up for lost time. And I swore to myself that any time Lindy ever asked me to babysit, my answer would be yes.

  Always and forever, yes.

  CHAPTER 17

  KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS

  “Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the crock…” Allie began.

  “No, dummy, it’s a clock!” Ari shouted, chocolate dripping down his chin.

  “Auntie Lizzie, Ari called me a dummy!” Allie whined, half in tears.

  Remembering my promise - three years ago - to always say yes to babysitting, I rubbed my temples in exasperation.

  What was I thinking?

  My head was pounding, I was exhausted, and the triplets had only been with us for three days.

  How the flaming hell does Melinda do this day in and day out?

  I was positive of only one thing: Once these three monkeys were sleeping, I was headed for the hot tub. And I was grateful for Priscilla and her most excellent idea of macaroni and cheese and hot dogs for their supper. Not only did they love it, they ate every bite. I had noticed that whenever Melinda brought the triplets down for a meal with the whole family, more often than not, there were never-ending arguments regarding who hated which vegetables and who would not get dessert if they didn’t eat their broccoli without complaining. If anyone understood three year olds, it was Priscilla. And with Gavin and Lindy out of town, we were in charge, as usual, and this auntie refused to make them eat vegetables if they didn’t want them!

  “Stop calling your sister a dummy!” I said, raising my voice. “And finish up your ice cream you guys; it’s almost bed-time!” Pleasurable thoughts of silence filled my mind. There had been perpetual chattering and singing, alternating with bickering and whining ever since their parents left. The triplets had been up before dawn, even though we let them stay up late the previous night. Apparently, these kids were extremely over-tired; it wasn’t even 8 o’clock yet.

  After the three ring circus of washing up, teeth brushing, and pajamas, I finally got them settled down on the sofa bed, kissed them all good-night and slipped into our room. I left the sliding door half-open, so we could hear them. Emrys was busy going over some papers as I headed towards the bathroom, the only thing on my mind now – a long hot soak with no noise except for the sound of bubbling water. I raised an eyebrow at Emrys when he looked up and gave him a bleary-eyed frown. A second resounding thump followed the first one, accompanied by a flurry of giggles.

  “Okay, it’s definitely time to settle down, kids,” I called out wearily.

  Emrys turned from his papers and gave me an amused glance. “Kids are baby goats, are they not?” he asked. This brought more distant hilarity.

  “Oh sure, keep it up – you’re really a big help!” I shook my head with a rueful smile.

  “Well then, my love, perhaps the children will simply be too tired tomorrow to accompany us,” he observed, stifling a laugh. “What a shame for them to miss out on all the excitement,” he intoned loudly.

  This brought stifled shrieks and furious whispering. Then a plaintive, quavering voice announced, “But I can’t sleep, Auntie Lizzy, ‘cuz they’re DO-ING stuff!”

  At this point, not only was I unsure of which of the girls was now whining, though it sounded more like Addie; I didn’t even want to know what kind of stuff they were doing. I stomped my foot for the added effect and hollered, “Everyone had better get to sleep and quit doing stuff, or we will not be going to the zoo tomorrow!”

  After a second or two of silence, Addie whispered, “I told you! Now go to sleep.” It made sense that Addie would be the leader now - after all she was the oldest and it reminded me so much of Melinda when she used to mother me the same way. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing too loud, and turned back to the bathroo
m door.

  Fifteen minutes later, Emrys tiptoed into the room, quietly closing and locking the door behind him, and joined me in the swirling waters. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t be serious,” I whispered, noticing his state of arousal. “There’s no way that’s going to happen,” I added with a nod toward his lower region, “not with the three musketeers two rooms away from us!”

  “Why not? I will not take but a moment of your time, my love, and, I have even made sure the fireplace is covered.

  I glanced over and saw that he’d draped something over the glass doors on the bedroom side. “Smart move.” I said, already feeling excited as he moved in closer to me. “And what if they wake up?” I asked, sliding a hand on his wet thigh. He leaned down and kissed me, a soft and lingering cherry flavored kiss. I pulled back for a moment and asked, “Well?”

  “They are sound asleep,” he said, putting his arm around me with his next kiss.

  As I straddled him, I asked breathlessly, “Are you sure?”

  He put his hands on my hips, pulling me down, and started to say, “Quite…” but then he let out an excited moan and never finished his sentence.

  “Okay then,” I said, moving with him. “But no playing around, you better make it quick!”

  “Do…not…stop,” he grunted, tightening his grip, pulling me closer.

  I had no intentions of stopping, and his extreme excitement only heightened my own arousal.

  A few minutes later, he called out, “E-liz-a-beth!” gasping between each syllable. And then after a few more moans, he added, “I love you so much, my wife.”

  He was right about one thing; it only took him a few moments. But lucky for me, I was even quicker. Mere seconds later, there was a light knock at the door. I only hoped that the bubbling waters blocked out our recent vocals. Emrys escaped into the bedroom as I slipped into my robe and opened the door to the bathroom. I crouched down and said, “What’s wrong, Allie?”