Tears of Raven

25

Raven shivered hard. Her breath puffed into a small cloud of condense as the King of Twistal lean back, his clear eyes enflamed for a moment by a powerful blue spark that died the second he recognized Rave was still there.

Alive.

Breathing.

His gaze danced on her features, looking at the melting ice spikes on her body as they pool at her feet in raindrops.

He had meant to frost her so she would never break the prophecy and the fact that she was still warm didn't seem to bother him.

"My, my. That's an interesting turn of events."

Raven felt her arm squeak as the ice break and she almost fell on the king but managed to gain her foot. "Why? Because I'm still alive?" she growled baring her teeth.

He was awfully calm for someone whose whole plan had gone sideways and was now in the middle of enemy territory surrounded by armed guards.

But what was getting on Raven's nerves was that yet another man felt the right to use her. yet another one of them felt like she was a mean to get what they wanted and she wasn't ready to let this slide. He wasn't protected by Araxys. She could take her fury on him. she could defend herself this time.

He didn't know about her love for her two sweet maids.

The clutter of the royal guard moving to encircle the king distracted the man that didn't see Raven pushing him. but it was like he already knew. Because while he rose a wall of frost around his enemies, his other hand clasped both of Raven's wrist and blocked her. He turned her over and stopped her against his chest.

She might be mistaken but his hold, was not very tight. It seems he was careful not to scratch her or hurt her. Raven wondered why.

"Let her go." The prince screamed using his shadow to crave a tunnel into the ice.

"Oh, I will. But first, I must talk to the princess alone."

The prince's shadows slithered fast on the pavement and lunched to the King only managing to grab hold of his mask before he was gone in a blizzard of snow taking Raven with him.

Raven was carefully placed on the grass dusted I snow as the prince towered over her.

"Hatchling?" the alarm in Araxys tone made Raven immediately reach for him but something snatch his presence out of her mind.

"Not so fast, princess. I need a moment alone with you."

Her dragon was swept off of her heart and for the first time, Raven felt alone. Truly. She didn't even manage to show him where she was. She didn't even have the time to understand it. And it was petrifying. It was like someone had reached inside her heart and carve it out of her chest with their bare hands. If this was how it would be to lose Araxys, she hoped to never have to live like this again.

"Give him back to me." Raven stumbled on her feet. Her dress was in her way but she couldn't do much about it.

Raven turned around, trying to find anything she could use against him but they were in a plain and the only thing in site was grass. Raven recognized it with a little effort. It was the same place Araxys had taken her when she needed a little break from the palace. Twistal stood gloomy in the background and the body of water that separated the two nations was now rippling like it was purring in the king's direction.

"He will be back the second I'm out of your sight, princess. Now sit."

With an elegant twirl of his hand, a crystal bench materialized in front of Raven. Raven lifted her red dress and instead marched toward him but stopped only few steps from him because she had missed a very important detail.