The Raven Queen

by Emma Jayne Mills

  Chapter Two

  Revelations bring with them torment and mistrust.

  A ripple in the underworld can tilt the balance in either favour.

  “The Morrigan is one of the most mysterious figures in Irish mythology,” Caspian read aloud, from the book that was laid open in front of him. “The name Morrigan means phantom queen, or great queen and describes a Goddess from old Ireland that was associated with war, destiny, fate, and death. The Morrigan is one of the triple Goddesses in Celtic mythology. She was a shapeshifter and looked over the rivers, fresh water, and lakes. She is often depicted as a triple goddess but this varies by source. At times, the Morrigan is featured as one of three sisters while other times she is a singular figure. She is also described as being the patroness of revenge, magic, priestesses, night, prophecy and witches.”

  “Well, that makes it all so much clearer,” Aurora huffed, and rested her cheeks on her fists, in resignation. “It’s just an old story.”

  “Why don’t we see if we can get the librarian to let us see the scrolls?” Caspian suggested, closing the book.

  “I doubt even you can work your charms on that one.” Aurora flicked her eyes to the female shifter behind the library desk.

  “Nah, looks like you might be more her type. Worth a try though.” Caspian winked and patted the pile of books on the table between them. “We’re not going to get anything about prophecies in these books.”

  Aurora pushed back her chair and got to her feet, stretching her arms over her head, and cracking her neck. The librarian had been watching them, with suspicious eyes, since they entered the building and headed straight for the mythology section. Aurora had always found it odd how librarians were so territorial over the books, yet desperate for more people to read.

  “Hi!” Aurora approached the main desk, muted her alpha power, and put her best manners on display. “Would it be possible to see the vaults? There’s a book in there I need.”

  The librarian, head to toe in beige, peered over the rims of the little round glasses that perched on the end of her nose. She eyed the denim clad young woman with obvious suspicion and sniffed haughtily. “The scroll chamber may be entered by elders only.”

  “It’s important,” the woman’s companion, a classically tall, dark, handsome man of a similar age, told her.

  “You’re not elders.” She looked down at her desk, avoiding the couple’s eyes and began shuffling through the pile of papers she had there.

  Aurora scented nervousness in the air around her, giving away the librarian’s status as a lower ranking pack member. Connell tended to give these kind of jobs to submissive wolves, to show them they were needed, an important contributor to the pack. Her haughty attitude was an act. Her wolf was submissive and she sensed the power in both Aurora and Caspian.

  “I’m an elder’s granddaughter!” Aurora snapped, harshly, allowing just a hint of alpha power to creep into her tone. She wouldn’t force the librarian to submit. She wasn’t some power-hungry nutcase. She would let her know she had authority over her though.

  “And yet, still not an elder.” The librarian didn’t look up, but the scent of her fear had increased.

  “I am the alpha’s daughter and future alpha of this pack!” Aurora was losing patience, even though she had to give the female credit in standing her ground.

  “I think you’re mistaken, dear, a female alpha hasn’t existed in centuries.” Her fear didn’t diminish, despite her condescending tone. Aurora warred with the urge to smack her in the mouth. The Shadow Pack knew damn well its next alpha would be female, the woman was lying through her teeth.

  “Well, I think you’re uptight and could do with an orgasm or two, but let’s not make this personal.” Aurora winked at her.

  The librarian’s mouth gaped and her voice became robotic when she repeated herself. “There is no access to the chamber for anyone but the elders.”

  Aurora wasn’t above intimidating the librarian into letting her in, but to be fair, she was only doing her job and didn’t deserve that kind of humiliation. Besides, the fewer people who knew she’d seen the scrolls, the better. Deciding she could get her hands on the prophecy another way, Aurora turned on her heel and grabbed Caspian’s arm, dragging him out of the library. He followed willingly, laughing as they went.

  Outside, she stopped and let go of his arm. He folded his arms across his chest, standing back to watch her with amusement. She flashed a glare at him, then turned to the left of the building, where she rounded the corner and leaned against the wall. Her hands balled themselves into fists at her side, nails cutting into her palms. She rested her head back against the wall and kicked a heel into the bare brick behind her, letting out a frustrated scream.

  “You know, you seem a little uptight and stressed yourself right now, gorgeous.” Caspian stepped around the corner.

  Moving towards her, he caged her in with his arms and lowered his head to tenderly caress her neck with his lips. She twisted her head to one side and allowed his body heat to engulf her, forcing her breathing to slow, and drawing on his closeness to calm her. If he were her true mate, the calming influence she was seeking would have been instantaneous. Mates without a bond had to work a little harder to achieve that.

  “Maybe later, handsome. Right now, I need you to charm your way back in there and open a bathroom window for me.” She rested both hands on his chest and tipped her chin to accept the kiss he wanted. He slid his tongue past her lips and she opened willingly, fisting his shirt with both hands, and yanking him closer, tasting the lust in his kiss. He was right, she was feeling stressed. Some one on one time with him would be the perfect way to work out her frustrations, but first, she had a break in to plan.

  “As you command, my queen.” He took the hint when she pushed gently on his chest. Brushing another quick kiss over her lips, he gave an exaggerated bow and turned to go back inside the library.

  Aurora lifted her booted foot and secured it in Caspian’s cupped hands. He hoisted her up to the unlocked window and she pushed it open. She knew it was unlocked because Caspian had gone back into the library earlier and unlocked it himself, so they could get in after it closed for the day. She hauled her body lithely through the window and dropped, landing with sure feet on the tiled the bathroom floor. Caspian followed closely behind and seconds later they were silently making their way through the stacks to the back of the library and the scrolls chamber.

  “Elder my arse,” Aurora mumbled, she was getting her hands on that prophecy if it was the last thing she did.

  “You know, I’ve always had a fantasy about doing you in the library. There’s something really naughty about getting it on surrounded by books.” Caspian ran a hand along the spines of the books on a shelf. “Do you reckon they have the karma sutra in here?”

  “Down, boy!” she laughed, when he grabbed her hips from behind, pulling her hard against his groin.

  “Come on, Rory. You know you want to,” he whispered beside her ear. He nuzzled her neck, in an attempt to talk her around.

  If he hadn’t called her Rory, she’d have been up for it. The sound of that name on his lips instantly transformed any fever she might have felt for him into a cold sweat. One person called her by that name and with it came the brutal reminder of a future that was no longer a possibility. She couldn’t stand to hear it uttered from anyone else’s lips.

  “Don’t call me that,” she snapped, twisting to shake his hold and move out of his reach.

  “Are you ever going to get over my fucking brother, Aurora?” Caspian’s tone was harsh and he reached out, pulling her back against him, chest to chest, he secured his arms around her tightly. His breath was heavy when he leaned into the side of her neck, roughly pushing his hips against hers.

  “I was never under your fucking brother, Caspian,” she snarled back, freeing her hands from underneath his arms, and pushing against his chest.

  She hoped her words and obvious anger would be enough to pacify him, but
he was in no mood for the rejection and tightened his grip on her hips. Pressing his hardness into her as they moved, he walked her backwards to trap her between his body and the shelves behind her. His scent became a blend of anger and arousal. Aurora switched tactics, lifting her chin, and smiling seductively at him. “I’ve only ever been under you.”

  “Yeah, that’s right, only me. How about gorgeous? I can call you that, can’t I?” He lifted a hand and pinched her cheek between his thumb and forefinger, looking down at her in the torch light.

  “Yeah, sure.” She turned her head, tapping a light kiss to his hand and slipped out of his hold.

  Caspian’s constant need for reassurance that she had chosen him over his brother was a continuous hurdle in their relationship. His insecurities and needy behaviour were an annoyance that could persist for hours if she wasn’t quick on the draw. Normally, she’d tell him to stop whining like a bitch, but she had other, more important, things on her mind and needed him to get over himself quickly.

  “Wanna get it on in the stacks, gorgeous?” He stayed on his single track and closed the distance, making thrusting movements into her back, as they moved through the walls of books.

  It wasn’t funny, but she laughed at his antics and shook her head.

  “The sooner you let go of me, the sooner we can get this done and get home. To bed.” She stressed her last two words, letting him know that she was happy to respond to his advances, once the task in hand was done.

  “Fine, but I still think it would be hot to do it in the library. Aren’t you women supposed to get turned on by books?” Aurora lifted a leg, thrust it backwards and kicked him in the shin, because he still hadn’t let go of her. “Ouch!”

  “Do I look like someone who reads? Stop being such a pussy and pick that fucking lock.” She shoved him towards the door to the scrolls chamber. He stumbled but laughed and quickly righted himself.

  “It’s hot when you’re dominant. All right, I’m on it, queenie. Don’t get your knickers in a knot!” He reached over, plucked the clip out of her hair that she used to pin her fringe back, then winked at her and bent to look at the lock. After a couple of seconds, he glanced up and nodded at the torch in her hand. “Light it up for me.”

  The inventory on the wall of the room boasted a total of five thousand, four hundred and ninety-eight items. More than five thousand frayed, leather-bound books and yellowed parchment scrolls were housed in the cave-like room at the back of the library. Of course, its alphabetically arranged titles didn’t detail the Morrigan prophecies, or anything remotely resembling them. So, five thousand, four hundred and ninety-eight wasn’t an accurate count. As someone who never even bothered to read the ingredients on her food packaging, Aurora was unimpressed at finding herself amid a librarian’s ultimate fantasy.

  A small window sat at one end of the room, forcing the would-be burglars to rely on their enhanced sight, rather than turning the lights on in the room and risking the possibility of alerting someone to their presence. Guards patrolled the territory around Shadow Fen twenty-four hours a day and would instantly smell a rat if they spotted a light in the library after dark. Aurora knew most of them, being the alpha’s daughter had its perks in that respect, but it didn’t mean they wouldn’t follow procedure and report her to her Father. They answered to him first.

  “The room is full of these things!” Aurora huffed, after what seemed like hours of searching. She looked around at the pile of stained parchments and heavy books. “We’ll never get through them all by morning.”

  “Why didn’t we bring coffee?” Caspian moaned, feeling tired and hungry. He was ready to go home and claim that promise she had given him earlier. “And food!”

  “Where the hell is it?” Aurora wondered aloud, running both hands through her hair.

  Nothing much ever bothered Aurora. She took whatever came at her and dealt with it, but Caspian could see she was unsettled by the idea of a prophecy about her future. He had trouble gaging her sometimes, she could be unpredictable and just as likely to send him packing as fuck his brains out if he caught her mood wrong. He was as desperate for the information they sought as she was, knowing it could finally put him on a level playing field with his brother. That being said, opportunities for affection were few and far between with Aurora, so he made the most of them whenever he could. He pulled her in for a hug and rested his chin on her head, breathing in her alluring musk.

  “We’ll find it, don’t worry. If we have to come back tomorrow night and the next night and every night after that, we’ll find it. We’ll bring food and coffee, but we’ll find it.” He almost closed his eyes when she laughed and relaxed into the hug, tucking her hands into the pockets on the back of his trousers, until something caught his eye. Reaching one arm across the table he pulled on the cover of a book. “What’s that?”

  “Where?” She spun out of his arms and watched him lift the brown, heavily worn, book.

  There was a picture of a raven on the cover and inside the words were written in an old italic script. Some of them were in Gaelic, but most were in English. Caspian opened the front cover and turned the book towards Aurora. She read the words aloud...

  “When three thousand years have passed

  A raven will be born at last

  Daughter of wolves

  As the Morrigan, she rules

  The paranormal races with be peaceful once more

  When the Raven Queen reigns, we will follow her lore”

  “What the fuck does that mean?” Caspian sighed and brushed a hand through his hair, his other hand resting on Aurora’s shoulders.

  “I think it’s pretty much what Gran said,” she murmured, focusing hard on the book.

  Her fingers traced the words on the page and a tingle, a bit like the feeling of pins and needles, numbed her arm, causing the hairs on her skin to stand on end. The book vibrated under her touch and she pulled her hand away sharply. Caspian, of course, didn’t notice.

  “Is there any more? Your Gran said the Morrigan prophecies, plural.” Caspian pulled the book towards him and she shivered at the loss of contact with it, flexing her fingers as the feeling flooded back into them. Caspian turned the pages, reading out the words as he went. “Daughter of wolves, daughter of night, daughter of magic, hear our plight...”

  Aurora continued, “Morrigan Queens, three times three. Hear our voices, we beg of thee. As the light overcomes the day, Morrigan, Morrigan light the way. Our faith and trust we place in thee, Morrigan, Morrigan set us free.”

  “There’s a page missing. The Raven Queen’s mate. Where’s the rest?” Caspian turned the pages frantically; he held the book up and shook it, hoping the page would fall out.

  “Stop!” She grabbed it from him, unexpectedly feeling fiercely protective of it. Something about that book set her nerves on edge. “You’ll damage it.”

  “But the missing page, Aurora. It’s about me,” he argued, with a furrowed brow.

  It wasn’t about him. It was about Jax. Her skin prickled with a new-found clarity, she knew exactly who had taken the page from the book and it could only be related to him leaving so suddenly. Knowing Jax would never have defaced the book without good reason, she concluded that whatever it said had spooked him enough to send him running. Leaving her to deal with the fallout alone. Did it predict that she would eat her mate on their wedding night, or something? She’d always believed Jax to be the bravest person she knew. He wasn’t brave at all. He was a coward who ran at the first sign of trouble.

  “Let’s just get out of here, okay? Maybe there’s something further in the book about it. We can look when we get it home,” she told Caspian. Everything she had seen so far was just riddles and she didn’t have the energy to start working through them with Caspian around.

  “Good thinking,” Caspian agreed.

  The rise and fall of Caspian’s steady breathing was like meditation to Aurora’s troubled mind. She lay with her head on his naked chest and allowed the rhythm to s
oothe her. She’d exhausted him, pouncing as soon as they’d walked through the door to his cabin. She’d mainly done it to get him to shut the hell up about the missing page, but she’d also had a burst of pent up energy to release. He’d fallen asleep shortly afterwards, sleepily vowing to find the missing page about her mate the next morning. That was the least of her worries.

  She’d flicked through the book briefly and found a lot of references to war and warriors. She had studied Irish mythology, at the insistence of her father, and the books from the library had earlier confirmed what she already knew from memory. The Morrigan was the Goddess of war. This troubled her. They weren’t exactly drinking buddies, but you couldn’t call current relations between the paranormal races a war. Sure, if a vampire and a shifter came face to face, they were likely to fight to the death first and ask questions later, but that was down to rivalry and mindless arrogance, it couldn’t be classed as war.

  Shifter history taught them of the great war that had wiped out the witches in great detail. There was never any mention of The Morrigan, or anything that mentioned a prophecy in those lessons. What she had read so far, if it were to be believed, made her think the prophecies could be predicting another war on the same scale. Were relations between them really so frayed that they could take such a huge step backwards?

  Shifters, vampires, and Fae generally kept their distance from each other. Particularly the Fae, who hadn’t interacted in the human world for centuries. She studied shifter history and pack management with her father daily, as well as martial arts and weapons training, but it had never occurred to her that he might be preparing her to do battle. She assumed these were things that all trackers and future alphas should know. If things were that bad, then he had been keeping it from her and clearly, it was something she needed to know about.