Page 19 of Lyric of Wind
“Want to know something else cool about Alicorns?”
“Naturally.”
“They can communicate with you by putting images in your head.”
“Really?” The last notes of the word went up higher, and Raven turned to him, giving him her first unrestrained grin. It almost toppled him over, the smile pushing away the lines of anger, and he realized he wanted to see more of her like this, with her walls down.
“Correct. Ask him something. With your mind, if you want.”
“Okay, um, okay…” Raven danced back and forth, as excited as a kid about to open a present, and he wondered if she’d ever gotten gifts before. “Got it.”
“Go ahead.”
Raven closed her eyes and scrunched up her face like she was thinking really hard, and Kellen’s heart seemed to sigh. What was he going to do with this impossibly contradictory woman? In some respects, she was as tough as his most hardened warrior and in others she was almost childlike in her innocence. The contrast was entrancing.
“Oh. Oh. Really?” Raven spoke to Riker, though she cast glances at Kellen, and he realized she must have asked the Alicorn a question about him.
“Pleased?”
“He says your dad is a butthole.”
Kellen threw his head back and laughed, surprised that he could do so when so much weighed on his shoulders.
“I highly doubt that’s what he said.”
“Maybe I’m paraphrasing.” Raven shrugged, her lips quirking. She stroked Riker’s mane, and a worried look crossed her face.
“Will they get hurt? If there’s danger?”
“They have magickal shields we’ve crafted to protect them. As well as their own magick. But I can’t promise they won’t. Which is another thing that weighs heavily on me.” Kellen shifted, uncomfortable with speaking about his concerns to this slip of a woman.
“So, what’s the plan then?” Raven asked. “You’re going to go after the bad guys? Right?”
“Is that what you suggest that I do? People are relying on me for protection. As are the Alicorns. Do you think launching an attack is the correct choice?” Kellen had no idea why he was annoyed with her, yet he was. Or maybe he was just annoyed, in general, that he had to make this choice.
“Well, yeah.” Raven shrugged and turned back to stroke Riker. “In my experience, bullies don’t stop, Kellen.”
Bullies don’t stop. He’d hardly call Domnu a simple bully.But she was, wasn’t she.A bully was someone who hated to lose and fed off the weaknesses of others. Raven was absolutely right. The time had come for the Fae to be proactive. Thus far, they’d all been reacting to Domnu’s moves and she continued to be one step ahead of them. It was time for them to see what they could do to put her on the defense.
“Then we have some plans to make. Let’s go.”
“Wait, me? Why am I involved?” Raven squeaked as Kellen stopped short of grabbing her hand and dragging her along before he remembered she didn’t like being touched.
“Because the Domnua want you for some reason. You’re probably an asset to us and we don’t even realize it. We need to figure out how to use you to our advantage.”
“That’s cold, Kellen.” Raven’s eyes brightened. “But I like it. Exactly what I would do as well. Okay, let’s use me as bait.”
“Or let’s not.” Kellen wasnotgoing to use Raven as bait. But either way, he’d made his decision. He only hoped it wouldn’t be one that he would come to regret.
10
raven
“Oh look,”Raven exclaimed when they left the stables. Instead of following Kellen toward the city, she detoured toward the pasture where two baby Alicorns raced at each other in a mock battle. “Babies! Oh my god, would you just look at that? I don’t know when I’ve ever seen anything so cute before.”
The two Alicorns locked horns, rising off the ground as their little wings fluttered, and the group of adult Alicorns surrounding them seemed to indulge their play. Raven jumped when a hand hooked her elbow.
“Careful. Not too close.” Kellen pulled her back so they could watch from afar. “Though the Alicorns are our friends, they are very protective of the young ones. It’s best to give them space.”