Chosen raven daughter 3, p.1
Chosen: Raven Daughter, #3, page 1
Copyright © 2021 by A.D. Trosper
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.
Published by Black Feather
An imprint of Eternal Ink Publishing
First Edition: April 2021
This book is a work of fiction. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
ISBN- 978-0-9993741-5-3
I have to take a moment and say thank you to my husband for all the cups of coffee he brought me and all the dinners he cooked so I could write, for always being completely supportive of my writing, and for not letting me quit. Thank you also to my children for being patient while I wrote, for reminding me that my writing was important too, and for always being ready to play a game when I needed to. A big thank you has to go out to my beta readers for taking time out of their days to read and point out where I’d errored. And to my mother for pushing me to continue and for always believing in me. Thanks also to Stacy, for listening to me go on about the book, for helping when I floundered in writers block, for listening to me whine, and for not letting me craft that damn tree when I was supposed to be writing. Also, thank you to my cat, Sorsha for…I’m not sure, making it difficult to write by falling asleep with your chin propped on my hand? Tromping across my keyboard? Bailing into my lap when I wasn’t expecting and clawing me? Maybe. Or maybe just for being there with your cat vibes.
And last, but most certainly not least, thank you to all of my readers. I apologize for making you wait so long. Sometimes life gets in the way no matter what we do. So, thank you to those who have waited, you are appreciated. To all of those who have found me most recently, I hope you found enjoyment in this story.
Books by A.D. Trosper
RAVEN DAUGHTER
Unveiled
Betrayed
Chosen
BOUND
Bound by Time
Bound by Legend
DRAGON’S CALL
Embers at Galdrilene
Tears of War
Ashes and Spirits
A New Beginning (short prequel)
Chapter 1
I clung to my sister. After everything I’d been through and everything I’d seen since setting foot on the path to the dagger, her familiarity was beyond comforting. The hug she returned seemed stiff and formal. I ignored that and breathed in the faint vanilla scent that always accompanied her as a tear tracked its way down my cheek.
“Jo?” Victoria pried me loose and held me at arm’s length. Her brow wrinkled. “Since when are you demonstrative? You’re a mess! And you’re crying?”
I dashed away the tears with my hands and laughed. “I’m just happy to see you.”
“But you never cry.” Her blue eyes searched mine.
“A lot has changed since I saw you last.” I glanced at Caius as he greeted the dark-haired man and wariness flowed through me. Though they seemed happy to see each other, their reunion was far more reserved than my exuberant one. It took me a moment to realize the wariness was Caius’s and not mine. I studied the man I recognized from Caius’s memories, but couldn’t remember who he was. There had been a lot of memories.
Victoria followed my gaze. “He’s an Archangel.”
And then it clicked. I knew exactly who the man was. Caius turned toward me. “Jo, I would like you to meet—”
“I know who he is.” I inclined my head briefly. “Samael.”
He took a smooth step forward and captured my hand, raising it so he could press his lips to the back. “It is a pleasure, Josephine.”
Though I hated my full name, I didn’t correct him as I tugged my hand away. “Likewise.”
At one time, it would have made me nervous to stand in front of an Archangel, but after being in the company of gods, I was only wondering where he stood on things. Reunions with fathers hadn’t gone over well for me and neither had my interactions with angels. I didn’t believe for a minute that the angels I’d tangled with represented the whole of the Heavens any more than the demonborn that had opposed me represented the whole of the Hells.
The only thing my experiences had taught me was to be careful of who I put my trust in. And right at that moment, I didn’t trust Samael as far as I could throw him. Considering he was as tall as Caius and just as built, that wasn’t very far.
Samael raised an eyebrow and glanced at Caius. “It would seem you have attached yourself to a cautious little bird.”
I bristled immediately. Little bird? My raven may not match Caius’s bird of prey in size, but I could pack a powerful punch when needed.
Caius sent me a warning look that I ignored as Nyx turned to Samael and said, “Her size is deceptive when compared to the power she is beginning to wield.”
Something in the goddess’s voice made me think she was worried there would be a power brawl in her main room. Victoria diverted my attention, a frown marring her perfect face, “It would seem there is much to tell.”
“It’s a really long story.” I wondered how much she knew. “How did you get here?”
“That too is a bit of a story.” A colder light entered Victoria’s eyes; her expression grew grim.
Unsettled by the uncharacteristic coolness in my sister, my elation at seeing her faltered and a thread of guarded doubt crawled through me. I had thought she would be happier to see me, but other than our initial hug, she’d kept a distance that was far greater than the arm’s length of space that separated where we stood. Where exactly did my sister stand in all of this? I hated that my thoughts jumped straight to the possibility she might be against me, but as much as I wanted to believe she would never turn on me, I had to be practical. This wasn’t a game; I couldn’t afford to take any more chances.
I folded my arms. “Perhaps it’s one you should share.”
She regarded me for a long moment. I remained silent, refusing to say anything more until I understood what was going on even as the thought of her standing against me gnawed at my insides.
Victoria pulled her pure white guardian robes closer about herself and said in a cool tone, “When we arrived, Nyx was kind enough to provide a room. I think it would be best if we talked there.”
Sensing my sudden wariness through the bond, Caius turned sharp eyes on my sister that she ignored. As Victoria turned and walked up the stairs, I gave a small shake of my head to let Caius know to let it be. I wasn’t worried about my physical safety around my sister. Whatever had happened in my absence, I doubted she’d had anywhere near the kind of training I’d had. Add to that my Morrigan blood where she only had angel, and I had no doubt I could easily subdue her if necessary. The thought of having to use my training against my own sister made nausea twist my stomach.
We’d nearly reached the top of the stairs when a loud, bug-like call echoed across the space. I turned as Amisi bounded across the main room and up the stairs in fluid, feline grace. She’d grown again in the few days since I’d seen her. I quickly scrambled to the top of the steps and braced myself for the inevitable impact. True to her nature, Amisi happily knocked me to the floor with another bug-like meow.
Laughing, I tried to push her away while she prowled around me, a purr loud in her throat as she shoved her face against my chest, rubbing her cheek across it and trampling over my legs. “Amisi, stop.”
She swatted at me with one of her big paws, the pads of her foot thumping hard against my shoulder. I got the distinct feeling she was reprimanding me for leaving her behind, even if it hadn’t been my choice. At least she hadn’t used her claws. Hopefully, that meant she’d forgiven me.
“Interesting.”
Amisi’s ears flattened at the sound of Victoria’s voice and I twisted to look at my sister. Shock was plain in her eyes, even as she schooled her expression. After giving the cat a good scratch behind the ears, I stood, bracing myself to take Amisi’s weight as she pressed against me, rubbing the entire side of her body against me only to turn around and do it again with the other side. “What’s interesting?”
“A Bastet cat imprinting on a person. I wasn’t aware that could even happen,” Victoria said.
The cool tone of her voice set me on edge and dimmed the pleasure I felt at reuniting with Amisi. How did she even know about a cat from the Between? I motioned toward the three halls that branched off from the massive landing. “Lead the way.”
Though there had been a hint of a question in her tone as well, I wasn’t revealing anything, not even how I’d come to have Amisi as a friend until I knew where she stood and how much she knew. I hated feeling so guarded with Victoria, but if I’d learned anything since all of this began, it was to be careful of whom to trust. Even when it came to family.
Without another word, Victoria turned and swept down one of the halls with almost as much grace as the cat that walked at my side. Worry filled me the moment we left the landing and my group was out of sight. Again, it took me a second to realize it wasn’t my worry, but instead it was Caius’s even though I had Amisi with me and could protect myself against Victoria if I had to. She led the way to a door midway down the hall. I followed her into the room beyond.
Like the guest room I’d seen last time, the furnishings were made of a mix between driftwood and sandstone and a secon
***
“Though Victoria was her sister, I couldn’t help the tense wariness that coiled low in my gut. I trusted Samael for the most part. I was almost certain he wouldn’t do anything that would bring Jo, and by extension me, any harm. However, Jo’s pregnancy and recent betrayals combined to make me less inclined to trust even Samael the way I once had.” ~Caius
Chapter 2
I summoned my own mix of powers and allowed them to pool inside me, ready to counter whatever she might throw at me. Victoria barely glanced at me, though. Instead, her power flowed out from her in a translucent bubble reminiscent of the shield I could create. Though it shimmered with the same light, something in the composition was different. It wasn’t quite like my shield, although it was close.
Victoria moved around the room, carefully spreading the power across the walls, the single window, both doors, and even the ceiling and floor. Once the entire room was effectively sealed by whatever it was, she turned to me.
The smile on her face confused me as much as the sudden hug she threw around me, squeezing until it almost hurt. I hugged her back cautiously. What was going on?
“Oh my gods, Jo, I wasn’t sure if I would ever get to see you again. What happened? How could you run off without telling me about what Alaric had done?” Victoria released me and stepped back, motioning to the walls, “I warded this room against any eavesdropping, so we can speak and act freely in here.”
The flood of questions surprised me, especially given her behavior up until that point. As did her mention of wards. Still wary, I said, “You first. How did you get here? And how did you learn to ward?”
“I figured the way I acted out there would put you on your guard. I’m sorry about that, but I had to do it. Only Samael knows exactly why I’m here.” Victoria eyed Amisi who took up most of the bed and settled in a chair. She watched me while I resolutely refused to give into the hope that my normally straight-laced, rule-following sister might actually be on my side.
With a sigh, she said, “And you still aren’t sure of me. So, I will go first. It didn’t take long for word of what was happening to sweep Midtween. I wanted to come to you right away, but no one would let me. They even set someone to following me on my routes, so I couldn’t slip away. Not that I would have known where to go even if I’d managed it.”
That made sense. Once we’d entered the Between, it would have been hard for her to track us. Even the Sentinels, who were trained for such things, had taken a while to catch up. It took Eisheth a while to send her minions after us as well and she was an Archdemon.
“Since they wouldn’t let me leave to find you, I had to find another way to help you. I started sneaking into the Midtween Library.”
I cut her off with a snort. “You don’t have to sneak into the Midtween Library. Anyone can go in there.”
“Not the back parts of it where the restricted scrolls are hidden away,” Victoria said, unfazed by my interruption. “I knew there had to be more to our angel power besides just staff-wielding and helping mortals live. I also knew there had to be more to what was going on besides just you letting Alaric convince you to create a partial bond with Caius. I started poking around, reading things that were off limits, and listening to conversations not meant for my ears. I knew that somehow, we would eventually find each other. I’m also well aware of the fact that I will never be a warrior of any kind or be able to do the things I’ve heard you can do. Being able to take a life just isn’t in my makeup.”
“It wasn’t in mine either and it still bothers me.” That she thought I was born with the constitution for taking lives troubled me more than a little.
Victoria gave me a comforting smile. “I have no doubt it bothers you. But you are made of sturdier stuff than me. I know that and it’s okay. But I didn’t want to be completely useless, either. You’re my sister and I wasn’t going to just stand idly by and be a good little girl while they jerked you around. I figured the best thing I can offer you is information. And the next best thing I could do is at least learn to protect myself in non-violent ways so I won’t be a weak link you are always having to worry about.”
“But…” I couldn’t help the shock that must be showing on my face. “You never break the rules.”
“And you weren’t born to end lives but sometimes we are pressed to do things we would never do if situations didn’t push us into them.” She straightened her white robes. “So, I’ve learned to break rules and not get caught doing it. Those in Midtween are still convinced I am the perfect, law and rule-abiding person I’ve always been. In fact, they believe I’m quite upset with you about everything.”
I sat on the bed next to Amisi and ran my hand over her thick, soft fur while regarding my sister. “Does Alaric know you are here? And what’s going on with the Lost? I haven’t had any news in forever.”
“The numbers of the Lost have, thankfully, dropped by almost half. They have stayed steady at that level for the past month.”
I felt a small amount of relief. Although even half the original number was still far too many, at the new rate, humans wouldn’t be extinct inside a hundred years. I wasn’t sure if the reduced numbers would prevent humans from going extinct, but it would definitely take longer. It gave us more time, which was good because we still had to figure out the clue that came with the second key.
My thoughts were drawn back to Victoria as she continued, “As far as Alaric, he knows. Since you haven’t returned to update him, he asked for help in finding you. Samael was sent to him to locate you. Alaric, believing that I would always follow every rule and that I’m not thrilled with your behavior, asked that I accompany him. Alaric feels that because we are sisters, you’re more likely to tell me everything that’s going on. He wants to know where you’re headed next. Which you will not tell me by the way. It’s easier to lie if it’s as close to the truth as possible.”
Dumbfounded, I stared at my sister. I wasn’t the only one who had grown and changed in the time since I’d left Midtween. I almost didn’t recognize the woman who sat before me. Gone was the sister that believed the best in everyone, who made excuses when it became clear someone wasn’t as nice as she hoped.
“And what does Samael think?”
“Samael is the one who put the bug in Alaric’s ear about you being more open to me.”
“Why would he do that? What is his role in all of this?” My mind turned to Caius and I suddenly hoped he was as cautious around his father as he was everyone else when it came to trust.
“He did it because he knew I was going crazy not being able to contact you or see you. As to what his role is, I’m not entirely certain,” Victoria said.
“But how did he know you were going crazy? You made it sound like he’d just showed up in Midtween and then brought you here.” What was she leaving out?
“As far Alaric knows, that’s exactly what happened.” She watched me pet Amisi for a long moment before continuing, “I can’t tell whether Alaric is deliberately lying or he truly doesn’t know what’s going on. Since that’s an unknown, I don’t trust him.”
“Where does Samael come into this?”
“About a month after you disappeared, Samael showed up,” she paused when I raised my eyebrows, then said, “I was surprised, too. Especially since he came to see me specifically and asked that I keep our meeting between us.”
“What did he want? Why did C…” I faltered and started again, “Why did he seek you out?” I wasn’t sure if Victoria was aware of the familial relationship between Caius and Samael. I would need to guard that secret closely until I knew more.
