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“What realm are you from?” Ari asks, his tone a little less snappy now, and I’m hoping to take that as a good sign.

“We are from Torin Realm.” Torin Realm? Where the fuck is that? As if hearing my thoughts or from reading all of our facial expressions, he explains further. “Our home is beneath Basilica Realm, but none of that matters right now. What matters is setting us free from here so you can work on joining the realms and aligning us all as one.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “I don’t even know of most realms, nevermind hold the capability to align them all.”

“I know you will,” he states, like his words are enough.

“How is that?” Brax grunts, clearly thinking the same as me, and the Drake grins, his long black hair draping around his face.

“Because they saw it so.”

They saw it so?

“Who?”

“So many questions, Raven, when your destiny is filled with actions.”

He looks at me knowingly, as if he’s seen this all unravel before, and there’s something about it that fills me with strength beyond words, beyond my own thoughts. “What will it be, Raven?”

The Drake holds out his hand to me.

Everyone’s eyes are aimed my way, warming me from head to toe as I mull over the answer. I already know it, and a peek at Brax confirms he does too. When he doesn’t instantly object, I know he believes in me and my decision, so I exhale, and take the proffered palm in mine.

Light rises from every Drake present, drifting into the sky like a shimmering golden curtain before swirling around us in a vortex of power and settling between our joined hands with a gentle flash, cementing their oath and binding their magic to my own.

Taking my time, I turn back to the barrier and let my magic do the work. Professor Figgins moves to stand beside me, understanding without a word, her fingers grazing the ward with me.

Wetting my lips, I turn to Ari before settling my gaze on the Brotherhood of the Drakes, my new-found followers, and with all that I am, I tug at the ward.

TWELVE

RAVEN

Waves lap against the rocky cliffs, the sound floating around us effortlessly as we stare off into the distance. Ari lies next to me with my face mushed into his feathers as I lean against him, completely in awe of today’s turn of events.

I know without looking that Brax is watching us from inside the house. He offered us some time and space the moment we landed. I’m not sure if it was the surprise flight from Ari that had him silenced or because he was trying to be understanding of me reuniting with my familiar.

Either way, I appreciate him now more than ever. His efforts to not be a constant grumpy asshole haven’t gone unnoticed.

Figgins is safely back in her office, or that’s where she was heading when I last saw her, while Gia and the other griffins were searching for somewhere for them to lay low for a few days. The repeated thank yous and words of appreciation have become too much from all of the magical creatures no longer held captive, but those from the Brotherhood of Drakes still weigh heavy on me.

More people pledging oaths my way. What are they now? My followers, my flock, my… what? I don’t fucking know. I feel like a name is required to collectively think of every crazy person who has pledged themselves to me, but it sounds way too obnoxious to commit to one.

“Your greatness knows no bounds, Raven. You should be proud of yourself today,” Ari murmurs, his voice gravelly yet content.

“Don’t say shit like that,” I grumble, sitting forward so I’m not leaning against him. Irritation courses through me at his words.

“How are you going to harness the power to do what everyone believes you can do when you can’t even take a compliment?”

I glare at him, but his pointed stare doesn’t falter. “It’s not the same thing and you know it. Besides, I'm rocking the whole fake it till you make it, so if I have to wing the hell out of all of… this, then I will,” I state, cocking a brow at him in challenge. He can push me all he likes, make me feel awkward, and everything else in between, but I sure as hell will push right back.

Silence descends over us for a moment and I’m thankful that he leaves it there, but now the topic is on the tip of my tongue; I need to air the stress building in my chest.

“I don’t know why the mess I’m dealing with continues to grow. Whenever I think I’ve overcome an obstacle, a bigger one stands in my way.”

“What do you mean?”

I think he knows exactly what I mean and he just wants to hear me break it all down. I’m getting wiser to his ways now.