Page 5

CHAPTER 5

Korven

Seraphine was a natural. In her ethereal form, she lifted to the sky, rising above the tops of the temple towers. Though her body was light like gossamer silk, she still wore that ridiculous dress. It floated around her as she beamed up at the stars, arms outstretched, reaching for the few wafts of clouds in the night sky.

I shifted, donning my raven form and flying across the tops of the trees with her.

Her laughter was beautiful.

Considering she’d been dead minutes ago, the sound that drifted in the night was carefree and wild.

I’d heard it before, but that was a long time ago. We were different now, no longer children playing underneath an old tree.

“This is incredible!” she called to no one in particular.

I cawed in reply, flying through the bottom of her dress just to experience what it felt like. She shrieked and began to fall. I dove underneath her form, guiding her back up to the sky. I doubted she could actually be hurt, but she’d been through enough, and I needed her sane so we could end this Goddessdamned curse and move on with our lives.

She floated above the trees outside of the temple, her ghostly hand over her chest. “So,” she began, “You and I will…that is, both of us need to?—”

I flapped my wings, cawing once more before soaring towards town. I circled back, asking her to follow.

As we neared the main streets, our destination loomed tall in the thin moonlight. The Rose and Briar was a seedy place. The few rooms of the inn above the tavern were small, worn, and easy to slip in and out of—perfect for a Ravenfae Prince waiting for a lost princess to show up for her wedding. The smoke rising from the chimney stack smelled of roasted mutton and freshly baked bread, reminding me that I had meant to deliver the curse and leave in time to eat dinner—perhaps even pick up a companion downstairs for the night.

I’d picked one up all right. Only she was a cursed princess, visible only to faekind, fly-through, and see-through.

I circled the building and landed on the window ledge of the top floor room. I had left it open for myself in case I needed a quick escape back. I pecked the window open a little more and flew inside, shifting immediately and pulling at the window frame to allow Seraphine through, even though she didn’t need me to.

She floated into the room in an easy step down from the ledge as if she’d done it a hundred times.

“That’s better,” I said, closing the window and lighting the lanterns. “Now, let’s discuss our strategy for finding the one who loves you most. This is my room at the top of the Rose and Briar Inn. We are in the town of Thornhill in the Kingdom of Havenshire.”

“How did you know I was about to ask?”

I shrugged, folding my arms across my chest. “It’d be the first thing I’d want to know if I were you.”

She fiddled with her hands, awkwardly trying to fold them before her, instead swiping them through her own body. Sighing, she glanced around the room. “Look, I know this is strange?—”

“We’re past strange, Phinie. This is fate.”

Her face fell. “You remember, then? The name you used to call me?”

My black wings flared slightly behind me, always revealing my inner thoughts. “It was a long time ago.”

Nodding, she began to pace in soundless footfalls. “Right. We don’t have to talk about the stupid games we played as children. I’m sorry you’re now bound to my fate, but you kind of deserved it crashing in on my wedding and cursing me to death.”

“I was only doing the task given to me by a Goddess.”

“But on the night of my wedding, Korven?”

“Don’t tell me you were looking forward to its completion.”

“I wasn’t! But I didn’t want—” She stopped, turning to me in frustration. “I never wanted to marry Urik, but I didn’t want to die, either.”

“Glad that’s out of the way.”

“What I’m trying to say is, thank you for interrupting, but fuck you for killing me.”

My chest shook in laughter. “You’re welcome. Now, you gather your thoughts and questions. I’m going to get something to eat downstairs. I’ll be back in an hour.”

I pushed off the window, headed for the door.

“You’re leaving me here alone?” she squeaked, reaching out a hand to grab my arm. She couldn’t.

I raised a brow. “Are you frightened to be alone?”

A visible gulp raced down her throat. I tracked the movement.

“Not usually.”

Opening the door, I gestured for her to leave first. “Faekind don’t often visit the town of Thornhill. It’s unlikely anyone will be able to see or interact with you. Except me.”

“Sounds like a better night than I expected,” she laughed nervously.

I chuckled. “Agreed.”