House of Ravens (The Nightfall Chronicles Book 2) (15 page)

Corinne finishes her drink, her cheeks already pink, and she grins. "I think I'm falling in love with this place," she says.

The music stops as the band leader takes the microphone. "We've just been informed that Princess Corinne of the House of Ravens is in the house."

The crowd cheers, and Corinne looks up in surprise.

"We're also told she has a beautiful singing voice. Who wants the Princess to come sing for us?"

Again the crowd erupts in cheers, and they split down the middle to give Corinne access to the stage.

The lead singer, a tall man dressed like an elf, smiles and holds out a hand. "What do you say, Princess? Care to share your music with us?"

She shrugs and stands. "Sure."

More clapping as she walks to the stage and takes the microphone, whispering to the band.

We are served another round of drinks, and against my better judgment, I drink one more.

Kai chuckles. "I guess we found a new favorite to add to your short list?"

I nibble at the flower and smile. "Guess so." The warmth from the alcohol makes its way into my blood, and it feels good.

He leans back, his purple eyes amused. "I'm guessing you've never been drunk?"

I sit up straighter to compensate for what feels like weightlessness. "I have been! My parents actually got me drunk once and did a training exercise with me when I was sixteen. They wanted me to know what if felt like to think and work while under the influence."

"Your parents sound interesting."

"They were."

A new song starts and Corinne begins singing. She's amazing. Her shower humming has nothing on her live performance. She owns the crowd, the stage, everything, with a haunting melody in another language.

Kai grows still as he watches his sister. "I'm surprised she remembers that song."

"It's the one your mom sang?"

He looks at me in surprise. "Yes."

"Were you close to her, before she died?"

"I was, yes. Very."

I reach out on instinct and take his hand. "I'm sorry for your loss, too."

"Thanks."

"Can I ask, what happened with you and your father? Why aren't you the Crown Prince, being the oldest?"

Our hands are still touching, but I don't pull back.

"He's never liked me. I think it's because…"

His eyes look haunted as he pauses. "Because I killed my mother."

"What do you mean?"

He looks at me. "I was sick. Really sick. She nursed me back to health but she got sick, too. Only, she didn't recover like I did. It ate away at her until there was nothing left but her shell. She died in her sleep and my father has never forgiven me."

"Kai…"

He squeezes my hand. "You don’t have to say anything. I know you understand."

We are silent for a few moments, listening to Corinne sing the song from his painful past. Everyone has a story, it seems. Everyone has pain.

He grabs another glass and drinks it in one gulp, then slams it on the table. "As for the crown, I don’t care about that." He looks at Wytt, who's now dancing with Lana from our class. They look… close.

"Of the three of us," he says. "She's the best. Wytt and I both know it. She will make a great Queen and leader of our people. She's smart, brave, kind and honest."

"That's why you're at Castle V, isn't it? To look after them."

He glances at me. "Yes, actually. I don't care about being a Knight. But I care about them. When my mom died, she made me promise to protect them above all else. I will die before I break that vow."

Wytt interrupts as he comes over with Lana on his arm, and my hand slips back into my lap, still warm from Kai's.

"Ah, wonderful, more drinks!" Wytt says, taking one for himself and handing one to Lana.

She smiles, sips it, then looks around. "I need to use the bathroom. Be right back." She kisses Wytt on the cheek and scampers off.

Kai leans forward and frowns. "Be careful, brother. Everyone knows that girl is after a title. She's only using you for your royal blood."

Wytt's grin widens, and he holds up his drink. "Excellent, because I'm only after those lips."

***

We're all a bit tipsy as we leave the club and head to my apartment. I'd already looked up the directions so I wouldn't look like a fool when I took my friends there, but it's late, I'm tired, I've been drinking and New York is a big place.

So after turning the wrong corner and heading in the opposite direction, I stop, stumble into a Fairy Fruit Tree, and try to focus my brain.

Kai nudges my arm. "You do know where you live, right?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "Yes. But I'm still new here."

"Scarlett," Evie says into my ear. "Do you need help finding the apartment?"

"Yes!"

Kai looks at me. "Yes, what?"

"Nothing," I say, as my AI BFF rescues me from myself and talks me through the directions.

I'm getting more and more nervous as we near the building. It's an impressive-looking complex in the heart of TriBeCa, an artsy and very upscale neighborhood. Since I'm the only one here who grew up decidedly middle class, this probably impresses me a lot more than it does the royal and the rich, but even they look sufficiently pleased with the neighborhood.

"I love shopping around here," says Lana, as she hangs on Wytt's arm. "They have the best of everything."

I nod as if I know or care about 'the best of everything.'

As we approach the complex, a doorman in uniform opens the door for us. He's an older gentleman, with a tailored look and kind eyes. "Good evening, Miss Night. It's nice to see you again."

I cover the shock I feel with a smile. "Um, good evening. Thank you."

He casually taps his name badge, and I realize he must be in the employment of Zorin or Carter. "Jaspin, thank you," I say. "These are my friends."

We take the elevator to the penthouse apartment, which requires a special key, and we step directly into my apartment.

If having a doorman I've never seen recognize me was a shock, seeing my apartment is triply so. It's decorated exactly as I would have decorated if I'd had time and money to do so, with brightly colored accents and deep, overstuffed furniture. There are books on airplanes lying around and a few really beautiful framed photographs of aerial shots of Montana. There's even a portrait of me with my parents hanging on the wall. It stuns me to see them, in color, together with me. I choke back tears and stare too long.

Kai stands behind me and places a hand on my shoulder. "They look like good people. I'm sorry."

I turn to look at him, because I can't look at the picture anymore. "They are. Were. I miss them."

He nods. "I miss my mother even still. Time doesn't heal all wounds. But it does make them easier to bear."

A pillow hits the back of my head, and I turn and see Wytt grinning like a drunken fool. "Got any booze in this swanky place?"

I laugh and head to the kitchen. "I can't remember. Let me check. Thought it's not going to involve any fairy magic." I can still feel those drinks in me, and I'm convinced it's not just alcohol that's making the world so Monet-like.

Corinne tugs at my hand. "First show us around!"

"Oh, um, sure. Okay." We walk through the apartment, which doesn't take too long. The suite boats a large gourmet kitchen and spacious living room with a fireplace and a beautiful bedroom with just the right amount of lived-in mess. A few clothes in my size and style are tossed to the side of the bed, and a hairbrush with strands of what looks like my hair sits on the dresser. It's all kind of creepy and incredibly detailed. There's a spare room that's been converted into a study and two bathrooms, one in my room and one for guests.

We go back to the kitchen, and I find rum and soda and some glasses. With drinks in hand we walk onto my large balcony that overlooks the city and has comfortable lounge chairs.

I kind of love my apartment, as it turns out, and might have to find time to visit it for real.

We spend the rest of the evening talking about our lives growing up and comparing stories. I'm amazed at the differences in our childhood. They've led lives of expectation and privilege, but also with no privacy or freedom. For the first time, I'm glad my parents kept me from the Orders for as long as they did.

They gave me the one thing none of my new friends could ever have.

A normal, happy childhood.

***

It's not morning yet, but I'm pretty sure if we don't get back to our dorms soon we'll see the sun rise. And before that can happen, I have to do one more thing.

As we reach Castle V, I excuse myself. "I need to get some air before coming to bed."

Corinne nods and Wytt sings drunken songs about pirates and Princesses. Kai guides his brother back to their shared room.

I head around the castle to the water's edge. There's a full moon in the sky, full and glowing with a ring of haze around it. It's my favorite kind of moon.

I open my backpack and pull out a Chinese lantern I picked up in Chinatown today. I light the candle at its center and stare out into the water and night sky, my throat burning with emotion.

"Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad," I say to the night. To their souls. To whoever listens to the prayers of orphaned girls. "I miss you, and I wish you were here. I've been so angry at you for not telling the truth about our life, but tonight I realized something. You protected me. You gave me a safe, normal childhood, and still found a way to prepare me in case I had to enter this world without you. I get it now. And I'm glad. I wouldn't trade the life we had for anything, not even the truth."

"Aw, how sweet, the Zenith misses her mommy."

The voice startles my foggy, alcohol addled mind, and I turn in shock just as something metal slams into my skull and sends my brain bouncing around. I crash to the ground, unable to stop gravity. The lantern's light dies as it rolls away from my outstretched hand. Pain, delayed by disbelief for just a moment, shoots through my head and reverberates down my spine.

I try to stand, to raise my head, but they are there, three giant figures looming over me, kicking my ribs, punching me, beating me with sticks.

The blows land on me like electric shocks to my nerve endings, igniting a new stream of pain with each hit. I have no moment to breathe, to move, to stand, to try to fight back. Even if I was willing to unleash my Nephilim powers, to release my wings and fly, I'm not sure I can.

As the world grows smaller and darkness takes hold of my mind, something shifts around me. They stop punching and kicking. The pain sharpens, deepens, but the beating stops. Someone else is here.

Someone who is fighting all three of my attackers. The fight doesn't last long, and they shout, curse and eventually run away. I try to pull myself up, but arms encircle me. "Move slow, I've got you."

I look up into purple eyes full of worry. Kai.

He helps me sit up, and the pain of being vertical sends waves of dizziness through me. Kai sits beside me, holding me as those waves pass and breathing becomes easier.

"We need to get you to the Infirmary," he says.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I've seen you come out here before to think. Figured this is where you'd come tonight. I had to get Wytt tucked in, but then…"

"Then?"

"Then I wanted to see you."

I lay my head on his shoulder, mostly because it feels like it's going to fall off if I don't. "I'm glad you came. Thanks for… helping."

He chuckles, and the movement of his body hurts mine, but I still like the sound. "I'm sure you had it handled. I'm just backup."

"Yeah, I had Garin and his goons in their places for sure. You just caught the let-them-think-they're-winning-by-getting-beat-up phase of my plan."

"Of course. Sorry if I stole your thunder." He holds my hand, and I let him.

"It's okay. I don't mind sharing the thunder from time to time."

I lift my head with Herculean effort and look around me. "I had a lantern. I need it back before the sun comes up."

Shades of light form in the sky, and an urgency grips me. I need to finish the ritual before tomorrow arrives.

Kai moves a bit to reach for something and then settles back next to me. He holds a slightly squished lantern and tries to fix it. "There," he says, showing me. "I think it'll still float."

Tears burn my eyes. "Thank you." I take it from him and light the candle again, then set the lantern in the water. It floats slowly away, heading toward the emerging sunrise, and I say one last prayer for my parents. "I hope you're both at peace and together."

Now the tears fall as Kai holds my hand and stands watch with me until we can no longer see the lantern in the distance.

I look at him, my heart so vulnerable, so broken, I can't keep my walls up anymore. "I feel so… alone, without them. They've always been my lighthouse, guiding me to safety, and without them I feel adrift at sea. It's scary."