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

“Scrios was a fool.” Rage immediately ripped through her and her aqua blue electricity began flowing from her fingertips cracking and snapping. He began to laugh, “Anger easily are we, you must be her pupil.” She turned to the side and walk a few feet and stopped again facing the mammoth of a man, “What do I call you Warrior?” At this he straitened his spin and took a breath in puffing out his chest. She laughed inwardly. Scrios told her many years ago that men will do almost anything for woman, you just have to ask correctly. She knew that the prisoners that lingered just behind the forcefield built by the King wanted to be seen as Warriors and not what they truly were. Although in all reality they were rapists, thieves and serial killers she would address them as Warriors just for the simple fact that she needed their lives to complete her mission. She would say whatever they wanted to hear, she needed their strength and swords and that was all.

He cleared his throat, “I am Merikh.” She turned to him and smiled. “You are the one that was second to Ahimoth.” His face turned grim and rage poured off of him in waves. Raven felt the vibrations of his hatred and she reveled in the feel. He gritted his teeth.”Yes. I was. I helped lead the rebellion to the crown all those years ago.” She turned her back to him, “Do you know what he does now?” Most of the criminals that were captured and sentenced to banishment never knew what became of their beloved Ahimoth. They worshiped the ground me walked upon. Merikh turned away from Raven, “He was murdered by the King once we were captured.” She felt the sorrow that Merikh felt for the lose of Ahimoth and it would bring her much joy to shatter this lie they all had been fed and bring the truth to the light. She knew that once she told Meikh the truth he would be at her beckon call.

She began laughing sardonically and Merikh turned to her with balled fists and raged, “You laugh at the passing of our great leader!” She stopped laughing and yelled at him her voice making the leaves shiver, “I laugh at your ignorance!”

“Explain yourself girl.” Merikh bit out behind clenched teeth. She looked down the border of the forest and yelled, “Can you all hear me because I will not repeat myself.” The forest stayed silent. She looked to Merikh and waited, he roared into the air and one by one hundreds of men and women began to show themselves at the border. She continued yelling at them with power behind her words, “Do you know Ares? Khan’s War dog?” A synchronized yes echoed. She turned to Merikh and her eyes went cold and a twisted smile rose her lips. Realization hit Merikh without her even having to explain but she decided to do so anyway. She turned side to side and addressed them all, “Ares is your beloved Ahimoth! Renamed by Khan after Ahimoth surrendered his life to him and sent you all to banishment”

Broken cries of rage broke out many the ground shake. Merikh and Raven held each other's gaze as the forest went wild with anger she smiled and him and he slowly bowed to her. The criminals all saw his gesture and were aware of the power shift. She knew that this moment that Merikh and his band of murders were in her pocket forever and would do what she commanded until their last dying breath. She smiled as a wave of delight washed over her and she raised her hand and all feel silent. She wanted to clap with giddy joy but she knew that this was not the time. She would share her news with Scrios the moment she could and they would revel in the completion of the first step in their plan. She turned away from the roaring beating her back from the forest and laughed into the air. Everything is moving so smoothly and soon they would eliminate their first threat...the Shadows of Night, but first she must find the lost Queen. She turned back to Merikh, “You are my second, now tell me where is the Queen.” He looked back at her puzzled by her request.

“Who?” She rolled her eyes and huffed her annoyance.

“The Reapers Mate the Queen. She was banished hear all those years ago and unless you have killed her she should still be living. She may be old, but she is here.” He looked around and called out, “Jeremy!” A scurry of leaves came from behind him and a small old man stepped into the light. “Yes sir” He bowed to Merikh and you could almost hear his bone cracking. “Do you know who Raven speaks of.” He looks to Raven and squints his eyes at her. She looks back at him surprised at his boldness. She liked him already, “Yes sir I do but she is not known by Queen here. She is known as Sabri.” He ripped his head up to Raven, “She will not help you.” She strides towards to the border and crosses her arms, “Bring her to me Merikh.” He bowed his head turned slowly and rushed off into the forest.

After a few moments Merikh returned with a red wolf in his arms thrashing about. Her teeth gleaming white, her growls feral and vicious. Raven called to her, “Sabri!” The wolf stopped thrashing and look to Raven with her teeth bared ready for a fight. Raven knew exactly how to bring her back to her human form. She looked to Jeremy as she cowered in Merikh shadow. “How long has she been in wolf form?” Jeremy looked up to her sheepishly, “Since she arrived.” She gazed at the wolf and walked closer until they were face to snout with the force field separating. Raven whispered to her, “Sabri, do you want the Reaper?”

    As soon as the words left her lips Sabri’s ear fell back and her eyes filled with sorrow. She left her head fall and she went motionless. “Set her down” Raven commanded Merikh. He released her and she fell to the ground with a loud thud and released a small whimper. Raven snapped her attention to Merikh, “I know you look to be a complete brut but you cannot be so dense as to not see that this wolf is your ticket out of the Forbidden Forest. If you want to be free, I trust you will treat her with more respect.” She stared at him and he tilted his head in a bow, “Yes Raven.”

    Raven kneeled down to the wolf that lie motionless on the forest floor surrounded by dead leaves and weeds breaking through the dense forest floor. Raven whispered to her “Sabri, I can bring back the Reaper, but you must aid me.” Her ears perk up and she raised her head meeting Raven’s gaze. “You must come back to your Human form.” The wolf lowered her head and and stayed motionless for a moment. Raven began to grow impatient but she knew better than to command anything from Sabri. She needed her more than anyone else to complete the prophecy and must be extremely delicate with the situation. Raven hated the dependency that woman placed on their mates. She saw it as a weakness and that is something that Raven has no time for in her life. To her, it was pathetic to depend on anyone but yourself and yet here she is depending on a crying wolf who is probably to broken to continue. How she survived this long she has no idea but she was grateful for it. She cooed at her again, “Sabri, change back so we may discuss.”

The wolf’s chest rose and fell with a deep breath and within an instant sat a beautiful red haired woman with her legs curled under her and her arms braced forward on the forest floor completely nude. Nudity is not something that anyone in the Realm bats an eye at. Its very common to see it. She raises her head and Raven meets her eyes. Her eyes are the brightest blue she had ever seen and the pierced straight into her own, “Why do you want to release the Reaper.” Her voice was meek and beaten. Raven could feel the darkness that had taken her soul over. Since the Reaper is still alive their bond is not broken but it is extremely painful physically to live without them. Having a Mage bond with a Wolf is rare but that makes it all the more powerful. Raven sits down the the ground before her, “Do you not want him back, to hold him once again?”

“I know what will happen to the Realm if he is released.” Raven sits up a little straighter, “And what is that?” Sabri raised from the ground and Raven followed her. Raven look to Merikh, “Clothes, now.” He turned away and ripped the cloak of one of the smaller mens backs placing atop of Sabri’s shoulders. She looked back to him, “Thank you, Merikh” He blushed at her words and Raven rolled her eyes. “If you release Reaper he will end this world and I am assuming at your aid.” Raven was stunned by her bluntness and smiled, “Do you not want to seek revenge on the ones that banished you here and sent your beloved Reaper to the Underworld.” Sabri smiled, “Who would I be getting revenge on? The King that no longer rules or all the innocent that had nothing to with my banishment?” Raven thought about her answer carefully and before she could answer Sabri continued, “I am not going to allow you to destroy the Realm. I may have been banished here for all eternity but I will not damn our race. I was once Queen and I love my people. If I must suffer so others may live so be it.” With that she turned and walked back into the darkness. Raven called after her, “You know that you are the key to the freedom of all these men and women's freedom! They will kill you if you refuse!” She turned back smiling, “If I am the key to their freedom then I doubt they will lie a finger on me.” In an instant she shifted back into her wolf and rushed into the forest.

Raven’s electricity was pulsing around her body her anger beyond containment. She looked to Merikh and he shook his head. Jeremy muttered something under his breath but the words caught the Ravens ear. “What was that Jeremy? Lets share it with everyone.” She swallowed loudly and his voice cracked, “I told you she would not help. She is a good woman who loves her people.” Raven looked down to Jeremy and spoke loud enough so all could hear, “If she loves her people so much why does she keep you caged.” She stood up and addressed them all yelling out her words, “We will have our revenge and the Reaper will be free. I will return in 2 weeks time.” The crowd was silent and a pit of doubt settled in her stomach. This was not something that she anticipated. She thought that Sabri would jump at the chance to have revenge. With so many years in the Forbidden Forest her morals would have cracked and the pain of being separated from Reaper would be too much. But she was wrong, Scrios will not be pleased.