The Raven by Jenny Garcia (thriller book recommendations .txt) 📕

“Mages are taught from a young age that draining life from a living creature is to be used only in the most extreme circumstances. Raven believed that she was born into the Realm as a death dealer.” Travis scoffed, “What made her believe that was her purpose.” She sounds sarcastic and anger fell over Asclepius and she sprang to her feet stopping over to travis. The movement surprised the King and he took a few steps back. This behavior is far out of her character, if anything she was quiet and loyal. She pointed her finger into his chest face red with rage, “Do not underestimate the Raven, she is loyal to no one but Reaper.”  Asclepius looked to Niki and then remembered her herself she dropped her hand from the King’s chest and fell to her knees bowing her head to the floor, “Please forgive me my King.” Travis kneeled to her placing both hands on either side of her forearms, “ Asclepius please, you don’t need to kneel at at time like this.” She rose to her feet and nodded gratefully at the King. Niki walked towards the bed and patted the seat next to her.  Asclepius joined her on the bed. “ Asclepius I need you to tell me who the Reaper is.”  Asclepius took a shaking breath and her hands began to tremble. Niki knew that this is a person that she prefers not to discuss but she must know the whole story is she is going to make a decision on what to do about the Raven.  Asclepius lets out her ragged breath and tells the Queen the story of the Reaper.

“The Reaper is the ruler of the underworld. He was cast down hundreds of years ago by a jealous King when his wife fell in love with him. The King and Queen were not a mated pair and when she meet the Reaper their bond solidified and their love kept secret. When the King learned of this he couldn't contain his rage and refused to let the Queen leave him for another. He was more concerned of his image and how the Realm would view him after this revelation then the farewell of the Queen.”

Niki’s head spun. She looked to Travis who seemed to know the story. He stood with his arms crossed and paced back and forth across the slate floors. The air in their chambers was stale and still. She stayed silent and focused on Asclepius as she continued with the tale.

“The Reaper stole the life from others to power his Mage abilities as Raven does. Reaper was the most powerful Mage of his time and only stole from those who were sentenced to death by the King, as that was his given duty. He served in the dungeons for most of his life, draining the light from others. It is a unquenchable thirst once the addiction is solidified.” She takes a breath and wipes her hands down her white pajamas. “When the King cast him down to the Underworld, Reaper promised that one day he would return and take the Realm for his own leaving it in darkness until the end of time. The King scoffed at him and refused to believe the threats. He believed that since only a noble can release him from his sentence he would never be able to return.” Niki was slightly relieved at this and let out a breath. At least she doesn't have to worry about the Reaper escaping back to the Realm she would never release him from his bonds. Although she doesn't agree with the reason he was sentenced, it has been too many years for her to rectify the sentence. He's been stewing in his anger and hatred for hundreds of years and there was no way she would have mercy on someone who clearly would have lost his mind.  Asclepius tone turned cold, “Do not be so relieved my Queen. The Reaper is the strongest Mage of all time. The only benefit of the Reaper ruling the underworld is the lack of light and life. He rules over the dead so he cannot steal light from others and the sun isn't present in the Underworld...only darkness. The King banished him there for that exact reason.”

Travis breaks his silence, “This is why the Forgotten Forest was created. Those sentenced to banishment or death were sent there. The King never again trusted anyone to serve in the Dungeons as the Reaper did, so he made a place for criminals to rot away for all eternity, which is where he left his Queen and where she remains to this very day and where Renee and Khan sent those to surrendered during the war. This Forest is filled with hatred, greed, pain and rage. From what you have explained from your vision it seems that they have found a way to escape and that also explains the desolation of the Shadows of Night. Only the ruthless murders from that forest could take out the Shadows of Night.” Asclepius stood and walked to the window and ripped back the curtains letting the burn away the darkness. She turns back slowly and stared at Niki, “There is a war coming...we must be prepared.”

The Raven

Before desolation of the Shadows of Night

    As Raven stood at the edge of the Forgotten Forest  she stared into the darkness her excitement growing with every beat of her black heart. Her black cloak of crow feathers draped down her back and swayed side to side as the wide caught it. Her corset cinched tight round her waist, hair black as night flowing in long silken waves down her back. She took a step towards the forest and called into the darkness her thick english accent breaking the silence, “I know you are there and I know what you crave.” For a moment she was greated was silence. Anger pulsed inside her, she hated being forced to wait but if she truly wished the prophecy be fulfilled she needed the dark souls locked in the Forgotten Forest to trust and obey her every word. For years and years she has waited for this moment when she would finally free the Reaper from his bonds. Weakened by the lack of light she knew that Reaper would need time to feed and become the all powerful Mage she has worshiped her whole life. Her family never understood her vision for the world. They thought her twisted and damned.

She was banished from their home at the tender age of thirteen and the only one who shed a tear was her sister. Raven hated her most of all. The golden child, the twinkle in her parents eyes and for that she hated her. As a child all Raven wanted was to be accepted for who she was and what she wanted. The dark thoughts and actions Raven carried out never registered as evil, but necessary. Born with a black soul she was unable to see the error of her actions.

Once she was on her own she had no one to teach her how to control her magic no one to guide her and for the first time she felt the bitter stab of loneliness. While she was traveling across the Realm with no money or idea of what she was going to do with the rest of her life she came into contact with Scrios. A woman, a Shifter, that had the ability to teleport. Scrios looked to be in her early twenties when Raven was just a child and she took her in. Once Scrios learned of the darkness that loomed inside of Raven she revealed the story of the Reaper. She explained to her that one day the Reaper would return and destroy the Realm bringing darkness over the land as the past King had done to him. Scrios knew exactly what would happen should she reveal this prophecy to Raven. Scrios had searched for years to find someone to raise and instil her ghastly plan to free the Reaper. He had many followers but none contained the awesome power that Raven did. She knew that Raven has no idea what darkness truly lied within her and she was determined to bring it out and use it to her advantage.

She began grooming Raven and teaching her how to control her lust for the light of others and her Mage abilities. With every passing day she grew stronger and stronger. The day that she surpassed her teacher, Scrios knew that the time to release the Reaper was near and it was time to act on her plan.

Raven waited for what seemed like hours waiting for the evil ones to acknowledge her presence. Scrios always told her that a lack of patience would be her undoing and she kept this in her mind as she waited and waited. The sharp sound of a twig breaking to her right sent her heart into a flutter. “Have you decided to show yourself?” She turned towards the noise and began to walk towards it. A deep booming male voice finally responded, “Who are you woman?” His tone was clipped and annoyed as if she was interrupting his day. Raven still when she saw in the darkness two glowing green eyes staring back at her. “I am The Raven, and I have come to release you.” Mincing laughter broke out and it grew louder with every moment. She closed her eyes and listened and estimated that around 50 men and woman somewhere in the forest were also listening and watching her. She wondered how long they gaped at her standing and waiting for a response. The voice returned and the laughs ceased immediately, “Tell me girl, are you Royalty?” She folded her hands in front of her waist and responded coolly knowing exactly what his next works would be, “No, I am much more.” Her words were promising and dripping with the evil that enveloped her soul. The deep voiced bellowed, “What do you want girl!?” She walked closer to the edge of the forest and the green eyes inched closer she began to see his figure. He was at least six feet tall with wide shoulders. He stepped into the only light that broke through the dense woods and his face was illuminated. She had never seen such a face. Uglier than she had ever seen before with scars covering almost every inch. His hair was a tangled, greasy brown mess falling below his ears. She kept eye contact with him as she spoke, “I am the Raven student of Scrios and it is time my brothers and sister to break free from this prison and release the Reaper onto the Realm.” Hushed whispers broke out through the forest and it seemed to be getting louder and louder. The large man raised his hand the the whispering stopped in an instant. She could clearly see that if she was to get anyone to follow her it was this man. He crossed his large dirt spattered arms over his ripped brown tunic. The leather