"Oh, for shit's sake. I'm not getting in that. The bus is for 'tards." Aphrodite said with a snort and she tossed her hair.
"What's wrong with riding in a short bus?" I asked. Skye peered at the bus. She studied it like she was waiting for it to do something. I think she was waiting for it to come and eat her. "And could you please not cuss in front of Skye. She is just a baby."
Aphrodite looked at me like I had lost my mind.
"We're not that big of a group so it's more environmental friendly for us to ride in a short bus." I said. "Rather than those gas guzzling monsters and I don't' want Skye to pick up any bad words right now." God, how bad would that be if the first word she telepathed to me was damn, hell, shit, ass, or (heaven forbid) fuck.
Aphrodite rolled her eyes.
"If you start spouting out a bunch of bull shit about how we're irreparably damaging the planet I'm going to kick your ass."
"I don't believe a lot about what some of those extremists say, but I do think we need to think about what we're doing and how it is going to affect the planet." I said. "And you just used two cuss words."
Aphrodite just looked irritated.
Skye warbled and rested her chin on the curve of my neck. I scratched her wing base.
"Y'all, it's not that bad. I mean, obviously it's a new bus. Check out the fresh black House of Night lettering." Stevie Rae said. Was she always this optimistic?
"It might as well say Social Suicide." Aphrodite said.
"It could honestly be worse." I said. "It could say 'Air-head-blonde-Prophetess Express.'"
Aphrodite glared at me. I gave her a cheezy grin.
"You are just asking for me to kill you in your sleep."
"Have fun taking care of Skye then." I showed her my hand which was still a bit red. "She gets a little grumpy when she's hungry."
"Y'all be nice." Stevie Rae said. She went up to the bus. She grinned through the doors at the driver. The driver opened the doors, but he didn't smile back at her which I thought was kinda of rude.
"Priestess." He said in a really serious tone. "Zoey, I'm to notify you and Stevie Rae that there will be a school Council Meeting, which will convene in thirty minutes. You are both to attend."
"Okay. I was just like to add that the Mediator has something to she need to inform the council on."
"I do?" I asked.
"Yeah dipshit." Aphrodite told me. "What part of 'some Immortals cornered me early this morning and told me the fucking veil is collapsing.'"
"You guys can't tell them that?" I asked. "I really don't want to go to school." I frowned. "And you just dropped the f-bomb. "
"Raven." Darius started. "I'm sure no one feels comfortable leaving you alone here."
Rephaim squeezed my shoulder. "I will stay with Raven."
I sighed. "Don't worry. I'll go. You'll just be worrying about that dork anyway." I pointed at Stevie Rae who was peering at us from over a bus seat. "I guess I better go find a bag so I can hide Skye if I need to."
I flared my wings and took off to my room. I think I was going to have to keep my window open indefinitely because it was a lot easier to fly up here than to walk up the stairs. I put Skye on my bed and began rummaging through a plastic crate in my wardrobe where they shoved my purses into when creating my bedroom. I finally found my huge canvas bag that my mom and I decorated together. My mom and I really liked doing crafts together even when I got older.
A sharp pain stabbed my chest area. I actually rubbed my breast bone because it hurt so much. I'm still waiting for my heart to just give out because I'm letting too many people to worm their way in and then get ripped out, leaving a huge hole that probably would never heal and just be a humongous infection forever.
I need to quit being so negative. I need a healthy injection of something remarkably happy and hopeful to stab into my arm before I become irreparably depressed.
"Come on Skye, we're going to school."
She tilted her head at me and looked really funny and cute at the same time. Gods, I heart this dragon.
"School. It's where we Upwalkers go to learn about the world and all the sh-stuff we're supposed to know." I said.
She put an image of the big gold and red dragon into my head.
"Our parents teach us some of the stuff we need to know, but we learn more stuff at school than at home." I explained.
She frowned and put the image of her mother again. In this image the mother was curled around the babies and was telling them stories of the realm.
"Well, some people in this realm are sucky parents and don't take their responsibilities as parental units seriously." I said.
She just looked confused.
"It's a big gathering of people. It's fun." I said picking her up. She grumbled and perched her front paws on my shoulders. I stuffed my phone into one of the pockets and my license, even though I'm sure I'm never going to drive again. I mean, how in the world am I going to squeeze my wings into the driver's seat? I did pocket my keys as well. I figured one of the fledglings or one of the nerd herd could drive my car here so they had an extra motorized vehicle around.
I clutched Skye to my chest and dove out of the window. I slid Skye into the bag once I landed. She peeked her head out of the bag and chittered at me.
"Sorry. People may freak out if they see an angel looking girl with a pet dragon." I told her.
"Yes!"
Okay, I'll admit it I jumped when they all yelled that word. I had no idea why they shouted yes, but it freaked me out. As far as I know they just decided to a sacrifice a virgin, which I think I was the only one among us who qualified.
"Come on Ray." Stevie Rae said hooking her arm through mine and the other through Rephaim's. She marched us onto the bus.
Skye warbled and stuck her head into the bag.
"You're all right, Skye." I said sitting down in the seat over the wheel well. Snap hoped into the seat next to me.
"You can't come." I said.
"Again, you are extremely reckless." She said. "I can't expect these children to keep a proper eye on you."
I sighed, but I honestly was use to her degrading everyone save for her own species.
The bus roared to life and Skye borrowed deeper into the bag.
"It's all right." I told her. I reached into her bag and stroked her smooth scales. She clasped a paw around two of my fingers.
A warm motherly feeling enveloped me again. Well at least I didn't give birth to her. I bet she would have kicked, a lot. Sure the whole raising a baby dragon got thrusted upon me on top of all the other crap I have to do right now, but I wasn't going to abandon her. Even I fail with the whole Damascus/veil/Key of Portals things I'm going to raise and protect Skye. Period.
Of course I had no idea how I was to explain the whole situation probably. I doubt Neferet is going to be civil about me being at the Council meeting and telling everyone the veil is collapsing because of the chaos she is causing. Hope this what you wanted bitch!
Skye nosed her way out of the bag and peered out the window. She chittered at me.
"I told it would be fine." I told her. I scratched around her horns.
She warbled and licked my hand. I stared out the window and tried not to think too much.
We started going through the iron gate of the House of Night and I suppressed a groan. Skye climbed up onto the edge of the seat in front of us and began sniffing Kramisha's hair.
"She ain't goin to bite is she?" Kramisha asked.
"She's not hungry so I doubt it." I said.
Kramisha offered her fingers for Skye to sniff. The little dragon sniffed them and gave them a soft lick.
"She cute." She said scratching behind Skye's horn like she saw me do.
The bus driver vampyre person parked with a jerk. "School Council Meeting begins at seven thirty. Classes begin at eight o'clock sharp, just like they should."
Bossy.
"Thank you." Zoey said. She stood up and looked at us. "Okay. Just go to your old homeroom and wait there for what to do next . Stevie Rae, Stark, Raven, and I are going to the Council Meeting and, as they'd say on the Isle of Skye, get Rephaim's and your permanent schedules sorted."
I poked Snap. "You're not on that list."
She glared at me and thumped her tail.
"How 'bout me? Ain't I comin' to the Meeting?" Kramisha asked. "It's usually borin', but I bet today it'll be better than usual." She looked at me.
"What?"
"The last time we were here you slapped Dragon." Johnny B said.
"As long as he acts like an adult I won't slap him." I said. I put Skye into the bag. She grumbled. "I don't want someone to freak out about you." I reminded her. She grumbled some more, but curled up into the rested her chin on the curve of my neck. I scartched
"Just try not to kill someone." Stark said.
"Like Neferet?" I asked. "I make no promises on that. I make no promises period because you never know what's going to happen between now and whenever the need to kill someone pops up."
Everyone looked at me rather weird.
"What?" I asked.
They just shook their heads before filing off the bus. Snap hopped onto my shoulders. I scratched her head and took a deep breath.
I waved bye to the others who went off to go learn (sucks to be them) while we who were doomed to go to talk with adults stick around.
"Ready to enter the lion's den?" Zoey asked.
"If it was lion's den I would be more than ready." I said. "Lions are actually really nice."
Zoey and Stevie Rae laughed.
"Well let's cowboy up and get this done." Stevie Rae said.
I stuck out my tongue. "Fine." Skye stirred in the bag. "Let's go let the dragon out of the bag."
XOXOXOXXOXOX
It was sort of painful watching Zoey trying to set up Skype so we could talk with the head of the entire vampyre race, Duantia. I mean, I suck at technology most of the time. Hell, I don't even have one of those stupid touch screen phones with internet. Texting is more than enough. But even I know how to use Skype!
I twiddled my thumbs and tried to slow my heart rate. I was more than a little nervous about talking to not only Tulsa's Council, but the most High Council of the vampyre world. Shouldn't the Fae/Nature picked a mediator with better public speaking skills? Skye stirred in the bag. Soft snores emitted from it, but everyone was far too interest in what Zoey was doing to pay attention to my squirming bag.
"We're going to be here until we grow silver hairs." Snap said.
I shoved her. She gave me a quick hiss and then thumped me with her tail.
"What is exactly the point behind-" Dragon started, but then Neferet whisked in on her black cloud of nastiness. Lucky for us (Stevie Rae, Zoey, Kramisha, and myself) Duantia's voice came from the computer.
"Merry meet, Zoey Redbird." She said pleasantly. "I am pleased to speak with you again."
Zoey bowed. "Merry, meet Duantia. Thank you for making time for this call."
"Merry meet, Duantia." Slutty slime ball said. "I must apologize. I knew nothing about this call. I was only expecting a simple school Council Meeting." She gave Zoey a steely look. "Are you responsible for this, Zoey?"
"Yeah, definitely. I would have told you earlier, but you just now got here." She gave Neferet a cheery grin before turning back to Duantia. "I wanted to make sure the High Council heard all the details about Nyx's amazing appearance at the school yesterday and I knew Neferet would be eager to share with you as well."
Damn. Zoey could be such a sneaky bitch sometimes.
"Actually, we know very little, which is one of the reasons I was looking forward to this call." She turned to Neferet. "I tried to contact you during the day, after I instructed Dragon to allow the red fledglings and Zoey's group to begin attending classes today, but I could not reach you, High Priestess."
"I was secluded in deep prayer." Neferet said.
Yeah, praying to a face of the devil.
"All the more reason for this call." Duantia said.
Stevie Rae and Zoey began telling Duantia what happened. I wasn't paying too much attention. I was worrying about talking to Duantia and I was trying to keep myself in my seat and leap across the room and shove all my light might down Neferet's throat!
Deep soothing breaths. Deep soothing, peaceful…
"Well, Raven, the mediator, has something very important to tell us." Zoey said.
Shit.
"Mediator?" Duantia said.
"Sadly." I said. I showed her the tattoos on my arms. "The Fae on the Isle of Skye marked me as their voice and gave their allegiance and protection to me as well."
"I have also heard that the Fae and the goddess Artemis made an appearance as well as our beloved Goddess." She said giving me a nice smile.
I nodded. I still had no idea what to say. "I asked the Fae to help honor my friend, Jack. Artemis also had some advice to give me." I shrugged. Yep, I suck at speeches.
"From what I understand, you are the speaker for the Fae as well as the mortal beasts."
"From what I understand I'm the sort of the peacemaker between species." I said. "I'm not a hundred percent sure on the details of my job. No one has really sat down with me and completely explained my job to me."
"I've told you-"
I shoved Snap. She hissed at me. I smiled at Duantia who was giving me a bit of a strange look.
"Sorry." I said.
"I'm curious about your ability to communicate with beasts. Do you read their thoughts?"
"It's more like we talk with one another via thoughts, but I don't think I actually read their minds. I can sense them and pick up emotions and images from them, but I really don't think I mind snoop." I ranted. I scratched Snap's ears.
"We have also heard rumors that you control Darkness and Light." She said.
"Yes. I have manifested the ability to control the elements of light and darkness." I said. "Darkness came first, but when I realized that darkness and light where just elements I guess that's when I figured out how to harness light as well." That and a fucking harpy was trying to possess my body. I think that helped out a bit.
"Very interesting." She said.
I hoped she meant interesting as in interesting and not interesting as in 'we're going to keep a big eye on you' interesting.
"What is that you wish to share with us?" She asked.
I chewed my lip. "I went out flying early this morning and two immortals cornered me."
"Immortals?" Lenobia asked. She looked really concerned which is understandable since the last immortal she came in contact with screwed with her school.
I nodded. "They told me that the veil between our realm and their realm is collapsing."
"A veil." Duantia repeated.
"Evidently a long time ago Immortals came to our realm, but something happened and a group of humans and vampyres banished them back to their realm and created the veil to prevent them from coming back, but because it's collapsing immortal beasts are stumbling into our realm." I said.
Neferet gave a soft snort. I looked at her. "Do you have something you wish to say?"
She shook her head like I was a child. She looked at Duantia. "Raven is the daughter of the immortal being Kalona. She has no proof of this, so how can we be sure that what she says is true and not some elaborate way to spy for her father?"
I took a deep breath. I was really tempted to blast her right onto her ass and gag her.
"One, Kalona does not recognize me as his daughter. Two, I'm his reincarnated child and in my first life I didn't survive my first night. Three," I reached into my bag and plopped Skye onto the table. "this is Silverdream, but I've nicknamed her Skye."
Everyone's mouths dropped, even Neferet's, and they were blinking slowly like they couldn't believe their eyes. I couldn't say I was surprised by their reaction because it was a baby dragon.
Skye yawned and blinked slowly. She looked at me and warbled. I scratched behind her horns and she did her dragon purr.
"My Goddess." Duantia said.
Skye turned towards the sound and peered at the computer. She stood up on her feet and cocked her head as she studied the machine. She walked slowly over and sniffed it.
"A dragon."
Skye went berserk when Duantia spoke. She screeched and flared her wings. She then growled and pounced onto the computer.
"Skye." I picked her up. She chittered and scrambled up onto my shoulders hissing and spitting at the machine.
She put the images of the cars, monsters, and strangely an image of thick tar. I wasn't a hundred percent on what the last image was.
"It's more electricity. " I told her. "More modern magic."
She looked at me with disbelief and hissed at the computer again. I sighed and stroked her neck.
"When I left I sorta didn't believe what they were saying was true either, but then I came across Skye and well…" I trailed off.
"And she stumbled through a hole in the veil?" Duantia asked. She didn't seem to have been startled by Skye's attack and the computer wasn't damaged either.
Skye hissed. I nodded. "Skye's a bit different than other beasts I've come across. I'm not sure if it's because she's immortal or because of her age, but she communicates only through pictures. I did see her memories of when she came here and I'm pretty sure that's what happened."
"Pretty sure." Neferet said.
"Yes" I snapped. "She hasn't used any words. She even 'calls' me Raven, by showing a picture of a raven."
Skye climbed slowly down and stood in front of the computer unsure.
"Why did these Immortals seek you out?" Duantia asked.
"Because I'm the mediator." I said sadly. "They thought I could help them find an object that's very important to them." I didn't want to give her too much information with Neferet right there. Like the Key of Portals needs to get into her uber control freak hands.
"I see." Duantia said.
Skye spread her wings and warbled at the computer. She fanned them before walking over to me and straddling my stretched out arm and laying her head into my palm. I could already feel the pins and needles starting in my arm.
Duantia smiled. "She seems quite attached to you."
I smiled. "I supposed that's a good thing for the both of us." I rubbed her chin with my finger.
She sighed. "So, what do you suggest we do to solve this issue?"
Why are you asking me? You're the leader of the fucking vampyre world! I'm just the mediator! And my job isn't that well explained either!
"I would really appreciate it if you could look into your libraries and see if you could find anything on the Immortals, mediators, and anything on the veil and the key." I said. "I mean, I don't know where the key is and neither do the two Immortals."
"I would be more than happy to help you." She said.
"Thank you very much." I said. I was going to snoop in this House of Night's library, but the Head Vampyre Library probably has a shitload of books.
"If that is all, then I would like to bid you all a blessed be."
"Blessed be." We answered.
The Skype made its chirp noise and Duantia disappeared.
"Well, that was interesting." Lenobia said. She reached out and scratched Skye's horn. She rolled over onto her back. I scratched her stomach and she purred.
"Yes, interesting is one word to describe what that was." Neferet said. Was I the only one who took that a little more than creepy?
"Congratulations, High Priestess." Zoey told Stevie Rae.
"Yeah, congrats." Erik said.
"You was already our High Priestess, but it's nice they made it official." Kramisha said with a nice smile.
"I don't want him in my class." Dragon cut in. Ass.
"I think you're right." Stevie Rae said. It kinda threw me off guard that she was agreeing with this asshole. "I know this is hard for you, Dragon. How 'bout I ask Darius and Stark to teach some extra classes on knife stuff and whatnot? Rephaim can take those classes."
"That is actually a good idea." Lenobia said. "As every fledgling must take some sort of self-defense class, with the unexpected addition of the red fledglings your classes will be overfilled."
"Yeah, we was supposed to be dead. Bein' undead will screw up class size for sure." Kramisha said.
Neferet sighed heavily. "Every fledgling must take a self-defense class because of the attack of the Raven Mockers. Am I the only one who sees the terrible irony in what all of you are saying?"
"I see it-and more." Dragon added.
"There are other dangers besides the Raven Mockers." I butted in. "Hell, I don't think we need to worry as much about the Raven Mockers when the veil is collapsing. There are other and possibly worse dangers than a few half-breeds."
Skye chirped and licked my fingertips. I tickled under her chin.
Neferet just stood there and studied me. I glared at her.
"Duantia decided Rephaim and the rest of us can stay." Zoey said. "I think what we need to do is to figure out a way we can do that without causing a bunch of stress and trouble."
Skye gently bite my fingers and warbled at me. She put an image of a bush in my head.
I frowned. "What?"
She warbled and sorta of danced around.
Wait, bush + potty dance = pee break.
"Um, Skye and I need to go take care of some business." I said. "Really sorry, but we really need to go." I picked up Skye and gave a bow to everyone before I ran out of the room. Snap yowled at me and tore after me.
"Next time, we need to take care of this business before council meetings." I muttered at her. She was squirming in my hands and she warbled at me.
I walked over to the outer wall and sorta of tossed Skye into some bushes. She scurried deep into the bushes.
I blew my bangs out of my face. I rubbed the back of my neck as I began pacing.
"You worry too much." Snap said.
"I worry too much?" I asked. "The world is falling apart and I worry too much?"
"The world has fallen apart many times before and the creatures of this world have managed to pull through." Snap said washing her ear.
I blew out my cheeks. Was it a cat thing or was my cat just so cynical?
Warriors suddenly burst past me. I frowned at them and grabbed one of them by the arm.
"What's going on?" I asked.
He looked at me a bit startled and he blurted out: "Dragon's called us. There's danger."
I didn't waste any time charging after him. My bet it was probably Raven Mockers, which I means I need to get my ass there fast before Dragon's slaughters them, but I should probably also get my ass there just in case it's an immortal beast running rampant.
My first guess was the right one. Three Raven Mockers were fighting with the Sons of Erebus while Rephaim was yelling at everyone to calm down. I began calling up my powers when that damn bitch's voice cut through the air like a knife.
"Aurox! Protect! Destory!"
A guy-ish blur shot out from the wall and right into the thick of the battle. He came up behind one of the Raven Mockers and tore its wings off!
My stomach clenched and my heart began pounding as a sick feeling made its way up my throat. People began pausing to gawk as the guy shifted and began changing to a minotaur.
It roared and began to descend on the writhing Raven Mocker.
` "NO!" I screamed still charging at it. The cry came out a little bestial and I felt the sensation of pins and needles rushing through my body.
In mid-stride the panther burst forth. The creature whipped around to face me as my paws crashed into its chest.
He began to fall and I dug my teeth and claws into his skin as we rolled across the ground me spitting and snarling all the way.
He roared again and got a good blow to my ribs that knocked me off of him. I landed neatly on four paws and crouched down. I snarled baring my teeth. My eyes were trained on his horns and hooves, which were the most dangerous parts of this minotaur thing.
"Back off!" I warned.
It stared at me and I hissed again. My tail lashed back and forth as I waited for it to charge. My entire focus was on this creature (save for the small part that was yelling at me: 'we just got unstuck and you've changed back?') but I still heard Rephaim's startled gasp: "Raven."
Yep, sorry bro, your baby sister just went from slightly pissed off half-breed to fucking pissed off panther.
It charged at me. I nimbly shot to the side when it got close enough and then leaped up to dig my fangs into its shoulder. It swiped at me with curled talons. I leaped off only to leap onto its back and tear its skin to shreds.
It roared and dropped to the ground. I wasn't fast enough and he rolled over on top of me, crushing the breath right out of me, which only pissed me off more.
He grabbed me by my scruff and threw me away. I twisted in the air and righted myself, but when I landed he was already charging at me again and this time I didn't think I would have enough time to get out of its way.
Something huge and black came out from nowhere and rammed into it with her huge body. She gave a vicious battle cry and hit him hard with her hooves. It roared at her and swiped at her with its talons. She backed off with a bite in his direction. Her ears were back and the whites of her eyes were showing.
I began stalking it. Its head swiveled between me and Hecate. I saw a small silver blur shoot out from the crowd and latched onto its thigh.
It snarled at her and then tossed her hard onto the ground.
I didn't think, other than the thought that this mother f-er needed to fucking die! As soon as he touched her I shed the panther. My elements throbbed around me feeding off my fury that he had the gall to not only attack and harm my brothers, but also harm my hatchling! I was past fucking pissed off. I have no idea what the next stage is, but I was there!
I held out both my hands and a beam of light and darkness shot out from me with such force I skidded backwards a bit. The two beams twisted around one another before finally plowing that god damn bastard right through the wall.
I eased off the laser shooting and saw that the bricks were covered in what looked like soot and glitter. My arms and chest were smoking, although I'm sure how because neither darkness or light actually burns, and sparks of darkness and light were making popping sounds around me.
It got up and stared stupidly at me.
"Don't you dare harm anyone under my protection again!" I shouted. I could feel my teeth lengthen as I bared them at him. My wings were spread and I was crouched down ready to spring at him if he moved again.
Snap and Skye stood on either side of me and Hecate was right behind me. So I guess the plan was Snap and Skye go for the legs, Hecate the chest, and I would fly up and kick his face in.
We didn't need to do anything because the tree nearby brought a huge branch down and trapped the thing with a hand shaped branch.
The trunk of the tree twisted and a face appeared.
"You shall not harm the mediator." He said.
His trunk kept twisting so that he looked like…dammit what were those tree things from Lord of the Rings called? Gah! It's going to bug me all day now until I remember.
"Enough of this!" Neferet said. "Aurox is not the enemy here. Release him immediately."
Of course now she's being all High Priestess since her creature was in timeout.
The tree turned to look at Neferet with glowing green eyes. "I do not listen to a-" Then he called some name in some strange language that sorta sounded like a song. "This half-breed has been marked by the Fae and she is under our protection."
An Ent! That's what they were called!
Skye warbled at me. I picked her up and the golden glow appeared to make sure she was okay. She chirped and climbed onto my shoulders to press her head against under my chin. She did her happy dragon noise.
I marched over to the Raven Mockers to help heal the one whose wings got ripped off. I didn't know if I could give him back his wings, but I could at least stop the bleeding.
I put my arms around his and helped him up. My golden healing flames curled around him and he sighed as his pain was eased.
"Raven." Neferet said.
I glared at her. "What? He's hurt and I can help heal him."
"I forbid-"
"You don't tell me what to do." I said. Every muscle in my body tensed I was more than prepared to spring out at her. "You are not Divine. I do not and will not ever obey you!"
My power did something really weird. I mean it was doing the aura thing and spark thing, but there was also the fact I now had black and glowing white veins. Really weird, I know.
I put my hand on his back and the golden fire curled down the wing scars. I turned to the ripped off wings. I held my palm out. White, black, green, blue, and gold tendrils curled out and somehow dissolved the wings into small particles. I took my hand away and the wing particles condescend to give him back his wings.
"Well, that's new." I said. My body felt a little weird, like faint-ish weird. I probably pushed myself too far.
Whoops.
"You guys should probably get out of here. It's not half-breed friendly here." I told them. They sorta were staring at me weird. "Go home."
"They should be killed." Dragon spat.
"Why? Are they attacking you?" I had my wings partially unfurled and the aura grew.
The other Warriors took a cautionary step back, but Dragon didn't care.
"They're abominations of nature." Neferet said.
My tattoos throbbed and their magic's color joined the dark and light until I was a sparkling rainbow person with my hair curling around me with tendrils trailing off the strands making my hair ten times longer. The Raven Mockers hissed in fear.
"Do not speak to us about abominations of Nature-." My voice was magnified and it was multiplied by other voices, but it was so mixed up I wasn't sure if they were all female or male and I also said whatever name the tree had called her. I would have to ask him later what it meant, although I had a feeling it wasn't a compliment.
I turned to the Raven Mockers. "Go now." I was still speaking in my Super Raven voice.
Two of them took off quickly, but the one I healed hesitated before taking off with his brothers.
I felt my power draw itself back into my core.
"Shit Raven." Aphrodite said. "Go fucking Nature on their asses why don't you?"
Surprisingly my strength returned. It was like whoever those voices were had given me some of their strength.
"Well, that was weird." I said. I looked at my hand and the veins were gone.
"Raven," Neferet said. "Release Aurox."
"I'm not the one who felt the need to restrain him." I pointed to the tree. "Ask him."
"Only if he swears to attack no more." The tree said.
"Aurox, the battle is over. There is no need to protect or attack." She turned to me and continued to ignore the Fae. "Release him."
I turned to the creature trapped in the branches. "I want you to tell me you won't attack again."
"I will not attack." It answered.
The tree lifted his hand and instead of a minotaur stood a guy. The problem was he was too perfect looking. I mean, he looked like an immortal. No blemishes, freckles. He was far too prefect looking to be mortal.
Skye growled. I scratched her horns.
"He's not human." I mumbled.
"He's Old Magick." Zoey said.
"This time you are correct, Zoey." Neferet said. She stood beside the guy and then turned the House of Night. "House of Night, this is Aurox-the gift Nyx gave e proving her forgiveness."
How can she continue to get away with her crap? How come no one, but us dorks see past her shit?
Aurox stepped forward and bowed to us. My skin prickled. There was something…weird about him and I'm not talking about the perfectness he possesses. There something really bad about him, but something good hidden deep inside all the badness was there too.
"Where did he really come from?" Zoey asked Neferet.
"I already told you where he came from. And, Zoey, I must this is exactly why you need to be back in school, attending class, and refocusing on studying. I do believe you have lost the ability to listen." Neferet said.
I want to kill her. Just…gah! I hadn't stupid, controlling, manipulative, cruel bitches! Just curl up in a hole and shrivel up and die.
"You said he's old magick. The only old magick I know of is on the Island of Skye." Zoey said. "Are you telling me he came from the Isle of Skye?"
"Silly child, old magick isn't restricted to an island. You know, you might think twice about believing everything you hear, especially when it's coming from a vampyre who calls herself Queen and hasn't left an island in centuries."
"And you still haven't answered my question. Where did he come from?"
"What magick could be older than that which from the Goddess herself? Aurox is my gift from Nyx!"
The tree's leaves rustled. "I do not believe you are fooling anyone by passing this creature off as Divine given."
She ignored the Fae.
"Aurox is the Guardian of the House of Night." She sneered at Zoey. "You didn't think you were the only one worthy of a Guardian, did you?" She spread out her arms. "We all are! Come, greet him, and then let us get back to class and to that on which the House of Night was founded, the business of learning."
I needed a wall to pound my head into. Or maybe hers. It was like talking to a wall. She never really listened except to anything that might be easy for her to manipulate.
The fleglings eagerly fled up to him. The Fae moved away closer to us.
"Do not fret young ones." He said. "Nature can see through her guise as well as the young mediator. You will see, with patience you will have victory against this evil and will restore balance to this world."
"I swear to God, sometimes you guys make me feel like Jesus." I said.
"The Savior of Man restored the balance of this world." The tree sighed. "The ones who restore balance have always had many names and each culture interprets them differently."
I blew my bangs out of my face. Well, at least I know that someone who has been in my position has managed to not completely screw over the world. I guess that has some comfort in it.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Sorry that I'm not creative enough to make up my own Fae language. I do apologize if there's a ton of mistakes. My space bar was acting and Word kept crashing again. XP I think I got Word fixed, but the beginning and middle-ish part of the chapter might still have some mistakes I didn't catch, which I do apologize for.