Love of a Raven

Chapter 16: Newly Family Members

I would do anything to protect my siblings. The vow I made to Luka applies to all of my siblings. Even if some aren't fond of me, they're still my family and I'll protect them from harm. Every last one of them.

"Rick. . . Gar. . . Garrick!" A voice shouts, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"Hm? What is it?" I mumble tiredly as I lift my head up to face whoever it was that woke me from my slumber. How long was I asleep? When did I even fell asleep?

"Were you sleeping this entire time?" Luka's familiar voice asks while I rub the sleep out of my eyes.

My eyes quickly took in my surroundings and find myself inside a small room with Luka in front of me. His tall figure towers over me, quite possibly from laying on the sofa, because I know for certain I'm a tad taller than him. Sitting up properly, my eyes stare directly into his dark brown ones. Out of all of us, I remain the only one with two different set of eye color.

"I suppose so. . . But, that wasn't my intention. I honestly wanted to rest my eyes for a bit, though I must've fallen asleep instead." I confess sheepishly. I really didn't mean to sleep, but it can't be helped. I haven't slept for a month from my late night investigations of searching for Alexandru.

"Garrick, I keep telling you that you have to sleep for at least an hour every month. Otherwise, you'll faint from exhaustion." Luka scolds and crosses his arms.

"I know, but I keep forgetting. I'm sorry, I'll try to nap every so often," I apologize as I rise from the sofa I slept on.

Once I'm standing, I heard the door open and another voice shouting, "Did you find him yet?!"

Jasmine. I know that angry tone anywhere. She's exactly like my mother when things don't go her way. Right now, things aren't going according to plan. I'm not supposed to be sleeping here. Rather, I have to attend an event that my mother will literally trap me inside a salt circle if I don't start walking.

"He's in here. Tell mother to call off the search." Luka orders, receiving a snarl from our darling sister.

"Tell her yourself! Garrick, are you all set?! I won't go to Mother if you're still not dressed, she'll have our heads!" Jasmine hisses while her hazel green eyes glare daggers at me.

"I'm set. All that's left is for me to fix my hair a little. You can wait five minutes for me to be presentable?" I reply calmly, not wanting to anger her any further. I rather not have her try to freeze me in some ice block.

"Five minutes." Jasmine states firmly and swiftly leaves the room, her sleek black hair hitting Luka's face along the way.

"You know she'll be counting?" Luka chimes in as I look at myself in the mirror. The back of my hair has gone up into a cowlick. Hopefully, I can brush it down.

"I know, but she won't do anything. Except, maybe drag me by the ear to the parlour room." I respond, grabbing the hairbrush and brush the bed hair quickly.

". . . Are you nervous?" Luka questions quietly, instantly alerting me the concern in his tone.

Why wouldn't he be worried? I'm about to take part in a ceremony that will determine whether or not I'm capable of performing the ultimate level of magic in my hybrid condition. Normally, a demon can perform dark magic to an extent. But, there are few who could do more than the regular demons could. My mother is one of those rare demons since she created me and my siblings.

After Lily's birth, she suggested that I try my hand at magic while I wait for Lily to be older before I could teach her how to defend for herself. It wasn't a bad idea; I figured that with having a bit of magic, I could finally locate Alexandru after all these years. Not once have I given up hope in finding Alexandru, even going as far as enlisting Luka for assistance since he is currently serving an officer as his contractor.