9
Raven
Iris was truly gifted at quick party planning. Either that, or she’d been planning the party all along, under the assumption that I’d succeed in drinking from the Grail. It was probably the latter, given how incredible the ballroom looked.
Long, wooden banquet tables lined the sides of the room. They were covered with red tablecloths, and lit up candelabras stuffed with azaleas floated magically above. With the tables on the sides, there was space for a dance floor in the center of the ballroom. But the best part was the DJ booth heading up the dance floor. Now that Thomas had used his gift to make technology work on Avalon, the island was no longer stuck in the Dark Ages. Which meant we had access to regular things from Earth, like modern music and a speaker system.
We’d just finished a feast of mana, Holy Water, and wine, and everyone was quick to jump onto the dance floor to continue the party. Bella was owning the DJ booth, playing music and expertly switching from song to song like she was a professional DJ in Miami. Since it was a night for celebration, nearly everyone had indulged in more wine than normal. It was nice to see so many people letting loose and enjoying themselves, since it was usually pretty uptight around here.
But despite joining in and trying to have fun—the celebration was for me, after all—it was too soon. I still had to complete the final Trial to activate my Nephilim powers. My mom and Sage’s lives were still at risk. I understood why everyone on Avalon wanted to celebrate, since I was the first human who’d successfully drank from the Grail. I was a symbol of hope to them.
But that didn’t change the fact that the celebration felt premature to me. Plus, everyone wanted to talk to me and ask me questions. After the day I’d had, it was too much.
So despite all the effort that had gone into planning this party, I already wanted to leave.
“Hey.” Noah came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, his soft lips brushing against my ear. “Want to get out of here for a bit?”
“And go where?” I turned to look up at him, smiling mischievously. It might be too risky to mate before I became a Nephilim, but there were still plenty of other things we could do together alone. And if we only disappeared for a “bit,” maybe it wouldn’t be too noticeable to the others. They’d all had too much wine to be paying attention to anything for long, anyway.
“A walk,” he said. “I thought we could explore the gardens in the courtyard.”
I raised an eyebrow. Noah wanted to explore the gardens? Something felt off. He was more of a “run through the wild forest” type of guy. Manicured gardens weren’t his thing.
I tried to fish through the imprint bond to feel what was going on, but I got nothing. Whatever was going on, he was purposefully hiding it from me.
Which only made me more curious about what that something was.
“Sure,” I said, leading the way off the busy dance floor. “Let’s go.”
We sneaked out of the ballroom with minimal people noticing. Thomas did, but that was because he wasn’t partying. He was sitting in the DJ booth with Bella, a glass of red wine in his hand as he stared blankly out at the blissful crowd.
I didn’t blame him. How could he possibly have fun with Sage still living in the Montgomery compound, bound to Azazel?
At least we knew she was alive. If she wasn’t, Thomas would have felt the imprint bond break. But I prayed she was doing okay.
Once Noah and I were in the courtyard gardens, I inhaled the flowery air. Now that I was out of the ballroom, I finally felt able to breathe again. We walked along a stone path, arched trees forming an enchanted canopy above our heads. Azaleas in bright colors lined the path, and there were occasional benches and fountains for people to sit and relax. There were lights along the path as well, creating a perfect ambient glow.
A handful of others were walking the gardens as well—mainly couples. Like them, Noah and I walked hand in hand, enjoying the brisk night air and nodding politely at those we passed. Luckily, no one tried to stop and chat. They were also the quieter types, and they seemed to understand that I needed space.
Finally, we reached a circular area with a fountain in the center. Water flowed through the five tiers of the fountain, and each tier was overflowing with flowers, pinecones, vines, and lights. No other people were in sight. It was almost like a spell had been cast around the area for privacy.
“Wow.” I gazed upon the fountain, brushing the vines with my fingers. “This is gorgeous.”
“I thought you would like it,” Noah said.
“You knew this was here?”
“We’ve been living on Avalon for weeks,” he said. “Of course I knew this was here.”
“Oh,” I said absently. “I guess I’ve been so busy with training that I haven’t had much time to explore.”
“You like this spot?” There was something different about the way he was looking at me. He was normally confident and intense, but right now he looked… unsure. Nervous. I wasn’t used to seeing him like this.
Hopefully something wasn’t wrong.
“I do,” I said, and he beamed, his smile making my heart flutter. “It looks like something out of a fairytale.”
“Good,” he said, and then he did the last thing I expected.
He got down on one knee, reached into his pocket, and removed a black box with a stunning diamond ring inside. The ring was dainty and gorgeous. The diamond was rotated to the side, with bursts of other, smaller diamonds around it, like stars.
My hand went to my lips in shock. Was he proposing? I didn’t think that was a thing shifters did.
“Raven Danvers.” He cleared his throat, staring up at me with those intense brown eyes I loved so much. “Ever since our first kiss, I’ve known I wanted to be with you forever. I know I was a bit obtuse in the beginning of our relationship—okay, a lot obtuse—but it was all because I love you. You’re the strongest, most stubborn, bravest woman I’ve ever met. You’ll risk anything for the people you love, and I’ll risk anything for you. I can’t wait for the two of us to mate. But mating is part of shifter culture—not human culture. It’s important for us to embrace both of our backgrounds in our union. And so, I’d be honored if you accept my proposal, and agree to become my wife. Once our loved ones are safe and with us on this island, of course.”
Sometime during the time he’d been talking, tears had made their way down my cheeks. None of this felt real.
I lowered myself onto the ground to kneel next to him, took his face in my hands, and kissed him. His skin was warm under my touch, and he tasted like earthy cinnamon mixed with a touch of red wine. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to get enough of him.
“So.” He ended the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” I smiled, blinking away tears. “You already know I want to mate with you. Of course I want to marry you.”
He lifted the ring out of the box and slid it gently onto my finger.
“It’s perfect.” I touched the delicate rose gold band of the ring, smiling down at it. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to stop smiling after tonight. “How’d you know what style I liked?”
“I have my ways.” He raised an eyebrow mysteriously. “Also, Thomas offered to hack into something he called your ‘Pinterest account.’ That helped a lot.”
My cheeks flushed. That was so embarrassing. I kept my “dream wedding” Pinterest board secret for a reason, but of course Thomas could hack through that. Oh well. It had resulted in Noah knowing exactly what type of ring I loved, so I couldn’t be too angry.
Tonight I’d gone from feeling out of place to feeling happier than ever, and it was all thanks to Noah. Now, I never wanted the night to end.
“Let’s stay out here for a while?” I took his hand and led him to the bench that viewed the fairytale fountain.
He sat down next to me. The next thing I knew, his lips were on mine again, and he was kissing me with all of the passion in the world. I co
uld stay here like this with him forever, in this magical garden under the stars.
We’d have to go back inside eventually. But I pushed the thought from my mind.
Because for now, I lost myself in the arms of Noah—the love of my life, my future mate, and as of the past few minutes, my fiancé.
10
Raven
My training with Darra resumed for the next few days, as the witches of Avalon prepared the satellite island for my final Trial. Whatever supernatural they chose for me to kill to ignite my powers couldn’t get to the actual island of Avalon, since he or she couldn’t pass King Arthur’s simulation. So the final Trial would happen on a nearby island that was equally as hidden as Avalon.
Until the island was ready, Darra helped me practice using Excalibur. She’d always told me I was a natural with a blade. But now that I had Excalibur, it was like the Holy Sword and I shared a soul. It was like the blade communicated with me, guiding me through each motion. I could finally hold my own in a practice session with Darra. And that was saying a lot, since she was a vampire princess and I was a Nephilim with dormant supernatural abilities.
“Give it all you’ve got,” I challenged as we circled each other like hawks.
“Are you sure about that?” She smirked and raised an eyebrow, holding her own sword up in preparation.
“I’m sure.”
She nodded, and then was moving faster than humanly possible. Excalibur helped me defend against her blade for a minute or so. But after that, I couldn’t keep up with her supernatural speed and strength. Even with the help of the Holy Sword, I soon found myself weaponless, with her blade pressed up against my neck.
“Impressive,” she said, lowering her weapon. “I didn’t expect you to hold your own for even half that long.”
“Yes,” someone said from the doorway. “Very impressive.”
I turned to see who was there. Camelia. The witch wore a long black maternity gown that covered her pregnant stomach. Her baby bump had grown considerably these past few months. It was now obvious she was pregnant, instead of it looking like she’d possibly eaten too much at dinner. Especially because the rest of her remained perfectly thin.
I supposed that was what happened when a pregnant woman was living on mana and Holy Water. The mana was able to satisfy her every pregnancy craving, while still giving her body the perfect balance of nutrients it needed. So she hadn’t gained weight anywhere except the baby bump on her stomach. It was like those Barbie dolls where you popped the bump on their stomach, and that was it.
“What’re you doing here?” I asked, although I had my suspicions. The witches didn’t venture to the academy grounds unless there was a reason. And there was only one reason Camelia would be seeking me out right now.
“The satellite island is ready,” she said. “It’s time for you to come with me and learn which supernatural has been selected for you to kill for your final Trial.”
11
Raven
Camelia walked me to her private quarters in the castle. She had a full suite with a living room, bedroom, and bathroom. The plush medieval decoration inside was fit for a queen.
“Have a seat.” She motioned to the table in the living room. There was a tea party waiting for us, with a three tiered stand holding pieces of white mana and a porcelain teapot sitting on the table.
I took my seat, and she poured each of us a cup of tea. After living on Avalon for three months, I knew the tea had been brewed with Holy Water. I added a bit of creamer and two cubes of sugar, so the tea was exactly how I liked it.
Camelia kept her tea black.
“The supernatural you’ve been selected to kill is someone you’ve already met before,” she started, jumping straight to the point. “A male witch named Dr. Foster.”
I nearly choked on my tea when she said his name. But I caught myself at the last second and placed the teacup down on the saucer, dabbing the sides of my lips with my napkin. “I thought Dr. Foster was being kept in the prison at the Vale?” I asked.
“He was interrogated at the Vale.” Camelia smiled smugly. “There, he confessed to working with the demons to strengthen up gifted humans.”
“I know that,” I said. “That’s what he was doing with us at the bunker.”
“Don’t you want to know why you were being strengthened up?” She leaned forward, like she was taunting me with a secret. No—that was exactly what she was doing, and she knew it.
Camelia was enjoying taunting me.
“Judging from what happened to Jessica, it looks like the demons wanted to turn us into vampires,” I said, unwilling to give into whatever game Camelia was trying to play.
“That was what we initially thought, too,” she said. “But we leaned more from Dr. Foster. Once the gifted humans are turned into vampires, the demons are having them killed and drained of their blood. Therefore, Dr. Foster is a willing accomplice in countless murders. He’s been sentenced to death by the rulers of the Vale.”
“Hold on.” I raised a hand to stop her from saying any more, replaying what she’d told me about what Dr. Foster was doing. “Are you saying that all the gifted humans who were taken from the bunker were turned into vampires and murdered?”
The implication of what that meant for my mom chilled me to the bone. Rosella had promised my mom was alive.
But what if Rosella had been wrong?
“According to Dr. Foster, they were all turned into vampires,” she said. “Then, all but two of them were killed.”
“Which two?” I leaned forward, praying for the best.
”Your mom and Jessica.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief. My mom was alive. She was a vampire… but she was alive.
If it were true that she was a vampire, I was glad of it. She’d be able to hold her own against the demons much better as a vampire than as a gifted human.
“Dr. Foster was under truth potion when he was interrogated,” Camelia continued. “He confessed that your mom was kept alive because her heightened vampire ability was more useful to the demons than her slaughtered vampire blood.”
Whatever her heightened ability was, I thanked the stars that it had kept her alive. I couldn’t wait to see her again so we could catch each other up on everything we’d been through since the night of my birthday. We were so close to reuniting that I could practically taste it.
“What do the demons want with slaughtered vampire blood?” I asked, able to focus more on what Camelia was telling me now that I had confirmation my mom was alive.
“We don’t know,” she said. “Dr. Foster made a blood oath that he wouldn’t tell, so not even our best truth potion can get that information from him. He’s told us all he can. Now, it’s time for him to face his fate in your final Trial.”
12
Raven
I twisted my hands in my lap, uncomfortable with this entire thing. “I met Dr. Foster at the bunker,” I said, recalling the scared old man who had examined me and put me through a few days of training. He didn’t seem like he could hurt a fly. In fact, he’d seemed as helpless against the demons as the rest of us. “I know he was helping the demons. But is it fair for him to be sentenced to death, when he never actually killed anyone himself?”
Camelia took a delicate sip of her tea, and then placed the cup down on the saucer. Her hard eyes didn’t leave mine the entire time. The silence between us was tense and uncomfortable.
I didn’t move as I waited for her to answer.
“The Kingdom of the Vale has approved Dr. Foster’s sentence,” she said. “The kingdoms uphold the law for the entire supernatural society. It’s not up to anyone—especially a Nephilim who has yet to come into her powers—to question their decisions.”
“I’ll question anything I want to question.” I held my chin up, refusing to let her intimidate me.
She continued to hold my gaze, not saying anything as she waited for me to back down.
I held my ground.
“Dr. Fos
ter is going to die one way or another,” she finally said. “It might as well be by your blade. Especially since male witches are the weakest supernaturals. It practically guarantees your success. And isn’t that what you want? To complete the Angel Trials so you can rescue your mom and your shifter friend?”
“Yes, it’s what I want,” I said. “But can’t you give me someone else to kill for my final Trial? A lower level demon, or someone evil, who deserves it?”
Camelia’s lower lip curled in disgust. “The Foster witches are an ancient, dark magic circle,” she said. “They’ve aligned themselves with the demons. All Foster witches deserve what’s coming to them. This is war, and if you want to prove you’re worthy of Nephilim powers, you have to first prove yourself capable of taking a supernatural life.”
“I’m capable,” I said. “You don’t have to give me a male witch because they’re the easiest to kill. I’ve trained for this. I’m ready.”
“Get off your high horse,” Camelia shot back at me. “You’re killing Dr. Foster. Remember, your precious Dr. Foster had no idea Azazel was going to keep your mom alive. He had her turned into a vampire, assuming he was sending her to her death. Is that really the type of person you want to save?”
“I don’t want to save him.” I clenched my fingers into fists, digging my nails into my palms. “But I don’t want to kill him, either. I think he should live out the rest of his miserable existence rotting away in a jail cell.”
“What you think doesn’t matter.” She rolled her eyes, like I was an insolent child. “Killing Dr. Foster isn’t a choice. It’s a command. And not even your gift of stubbornness is strong enough to change the mind of the king of the Vale.”
The Angel Trials- The Complete Series Page 96
