ONE DARK QUEEN ❖ (A Three Dark Crowns Tale)

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE: UMBRA

"Assuming I'll survive the year," Arwen replies.

"Don't be such a pessimist," Klaude lectures wagging his finger at her, "you're incredibly strong and beautiful, not to mention how people already believe you're on omen from the Goddess."

The Goddess. Omens. Arwen has heard those words so many times. So much is expected of her. She remembers being in the town with Ebony and later the Valkovas, the raven symbols everywhere. Her symbol. One that the people chose for her. Strangers that are supposed to be her subjects.

"I can't speak for the rest of the island but in Umbra they certainly have got even more pious lately, have you been into the town recently?" Arwen asks and Klaude shakes his head, "there are raven symbols everywhere, flags, paintings, even clothing, Carmen says that apparently the shadows have decided that the symbol represents me."

"Carmen?" Klaude inquires, "is she the one you said was from a powerful shadow family?" Arwen nods, "and why have people chosen the raven as a symbol, it's not very queenly."

Arwen chuckles at that, "the raven is a sacred animal to us shadows, it is a symbol of luck, another form of the Goddess meant to watch over us, or so the Umbra priestesses say."

As Arwen had just finished her words, the dark mahogany bedroom door swings upon and Cierra steps in.

Arwen instantly gets up from the bed, instantly on edge. Even though Klaude and her weren't doing anything that inappropriate she still feels uneasy. Anytime Arwen has something good in her life Cierra has a tendency to ruin it.

"Well this is cosy," Cierra sneers watching as Klaude always rises up and then her eyes narrow as she turns her attentions solely on Arwen, "I've been trying to find you all day and here you are."

Arwen simply bows her head, "I'm sorry."

"Not good enough Arwen," Cierra says, with more bite in her tone than usual which makes Arwen even more nervous, "when were you going to tell me about my sister and Odessa Valkova's little secret meeting."

Arwen just shakes her head, "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't act like a fool Arwen, I know it comes naturally to you but I know you were with them yesterday, I have spies everywhere," Cierra says, her voice dripping with accusations.

"I was with Carmen Valkova, I have no idea what Ebony and Odessa were doing," Arwen explains which just seems to increase Cierra's ire.

That much is true. And Carmen certainly didn't say anything about Odessa and Ebony's dealings. Who knows what plans Ebony has concocted. Though she is kind to Arwen, Ebony can still be as scheming as Cierra in her nature.

"You've always been such a lying ungrateful brat," Cierra snarls, striking Arwen across the face which makes her face crumple.

"That's quite enough of that," Klaude snarls, quickly getting up from the bed and cutting in between them, pushing Arwen behind him away from Cierra as he squares up to Cierra with rage in his eyes, "if you lay one more fucking hand on her I swear to the goddess I will kill you Cierra."

The shadow only looks amused as she slowly looks him in the eye, tilting up an eyebrow, "what do you think a mere giftless boy like yourself can do to me?" She scoffs, laughing coldly, "I am a Raduron, strength and goddess given power flows throw my very blood."