Elsewhere: Aesir

Sight

Jess's POV.

Once we came back to the castle, we soon parted ways, to our own separate bedrooms. I'm too amped to sleep, though, the adrenaline of today still buzzing through me. After I shut and lock my door, I move to my window, climbing onto the ledge. There is a small space of stone that, if you're careful enough, can lead to a part of the roof of the castle that's my favorite place to think. Or it can lead to your death.

I press myself against the stone, shimmying slowly, as if my life depends on it, and it does, until I'm safely on the slanted roof. I sit down, pulling my knees to my chest and letting out a deep sigh as my eyes trail over Aesir. The sky is clouded tonight, so I will have to make due with the vision of my future kingdom instead of the stars. I sigh again.

As I process today's events, the fight, the big reveal, the conversation he and I had, I tap my fingers against my shin. Before long, I hear a squawk not too far from me. My head turns slowly, until I find who's made the noise that's pulled me from my thoughts.

A small raven is perched a few feet away, tilting its head back and forth as it stares at me. I smile, but begin to feel bad that I don't have anything for him. He doesn't seem to care, because he just stares at me, watching me closely.

"It must be wonderful, to be a raven." I say to it.

It hops once towards me.

"Until people start running you off for eating their scraps." I continue speaking to him, turning back to look at Aesir.

"Do you think, if I tried hard enough, I could grow wings and fly as well?" I ask him, trying not to smile.

Eerily enough, the raven let's out a squawk that sounds close to 'yes'. I frown at this, refusing to look at him. Before long, I hear the flutter of his wings, and my body relaxes slightly, releasing tension I didn't know I was holding.

Carefully, I scoot to the edge of the roof, staring down at the distance between myself and the ground. It's long, entirely too far to even consider doing what I'm about to do. If a raven comes to you and tells you to fly, why wouldn't you listen to it?

My legs dangle over the edge, and I hesitate. I'll surely die if I do this, right? So why do I have such a strong urge to jump?

I feel my eyes widen as I come to a realization. The raven is a symbol of new beginnings. It's not a coincidence it's come to me just after the conversation I had with my hybrid in the forest. No. It's a sign.

I scramble backwards, and almost lose my footing, but I catch myself. Even more carefully now, I make my way off the roof, and onto the ledge of the castle, shuffling my feet with more care than usual, until I slip back through my window, and jumping straight into my bed.