Rav'yen awoke feeling...sore. It was not the same type of soreness that came after a long day of training. It was the kind that left an ache every time she took a step, but in a pleasant way. This freaked her out.
It meant that whatever kind of dream she had last night in the bath had been more than just a dream. Dreams didn't leave love bites on her neck or leave bruises on her hips. It looked as though someone had tried to mark every part of her from the neck down.
She ran a hand down her face as she made her way towards Ja'ule's office. She had no time to even ponder what exactly this meant. Or even who the mysterious man had been. There were too many questions and the only person Ray'ven thought may have an answer was locked in the dungeon.
She had just passed one of the empty guest rooms when the sound of giggles made her pause. There was a light thump followed by a moan and Ray'ven's lips pulled into a frown. No one was supposed to be in those rooms. They were meant for guests only and as far as she knew, they had none.
She just went to turn the knob when the sound of a male grunting met her ears and Caldren's voice spoke.
"You were such a good girl telling me about Bynx and his little fling." He was saying and Ray'ven felt her insides freeze.
'No, Caldren hadn't? Had he?' Her thoughts were only confirmed by the woman speaking.
"I'd seen Miss Ray'ven cleanin up after them. Thought it was odd for her to do something like that. That's when I saw Ser Bynx and his litttle-" She cut off with a moan. "Little lady sneaking in the backyard." There was another thump and Caldren groaned.
Rage filled her to the point where her Magick flared dangerously, freezing the spot she was standing in, splinters of ice forming on the door as she pulled it open.
The woman inside screamed in fright at the sight of her, scrambling to cover herself. Caldren himself seemed frozen as his eyes met hers and Ray'ven took a deep inhale through her nose.
"Make yourself presentable Caldren. We are to meet master in his office at once." Her voice was as cold as the ice that crept towards the two entangled figures on the bed.
She turned on heel, ignoring Caldren's call of her name and made her way stiffly to Jalues office leaving behind icy footprints. Bynx was standing outside the door, waiting.
Bynx's gaze darted between Ray'ven and Caldren, then the woman who he was sleeping with. He didn't even say anything before launching himself forward, his fist smashing right into Caldren's nose. He pulled his knife out from his waist and jabbed him between the ribs. "You son of a bitch. And you," He went for the maid. "Just for a quick fuck. You little whore."
Caldren had been quick to chase after Ray'ven, slipping on the iced floor as he buckled his trousers. "Ray! Ray wait, I'm sorry." He called after her, but wasn't sure if she was listening. He cursed himself and the woman that was tagging along behind him. He had just caught up with Ray'ven outside of Ja'ule's office when he found himself pierced through the ribs with a dagger and Bynx's angry face snarling down at him as he hit the floor. Pain seared through his chest and he gasped as blood poured into a puddle underneath him.
Then Ray was there saying something he couldn't hear over the pounding of his heart in his ears. The pain slowly faded, replaced by the feeling of ice pumping through his veins and he shuddered at the feeling, eyes closing on their own accord.
Ray'ven frowned down at the now unconscious man before sighing as she stood, grabbing hold of Bynx before he could give the same fate to the maid. Ray'ven sneered at the woman as she stumbled backwards, slipping in the blood puddle that Caldren had made and falling to her rear with a shrill scream.
"Silence woman, lest I slit your throat to be rid of your horrid voice." She snapped. "Get a bucket and clean this mess."
Ja'ule's door slung open and out stepped the tall man in all of his princely glory. "Do I have to take heads from their shoulders or will you act civilized? Have some respect outside my door."
Bynx kept trying to break free from Ray'ven's hold. "He did this. He did this!" He barked out, sharp intakes of air rattling his chest. There were so many emotions that stirred in his eyes it made it clear that grief was swallowing him whole.
Ray'ven grimaced when Ja'ule stepped from the office, readjusting her grip on Bynx as he continued to struggle in her hold. The woman was still shrieking in fear. "Forgive the disturbance master. I will take care of it." She said. Raising her free hand, she clenched it into a fist and the woman's scream cut off with a shocked gasp, clutching at her chest before she fell over blood oozing past her lips. Ray'ven's magick consumed her body into nothing.
"Young master, please calm down." She sent calming waves of Magick through him, hoping to quiet him down. She did not want to earn Ja'ule's ire so early in the morning.
Ja'ule's entire hand covered Bynx's face as he pushed him out the way and out of Ray'ven's hands. "I need you to disburse this situation and then meet me in my office. I have something I need you to do. Then you can explain to me why you're all wishing an early grave upon yourselves." He gave them all a long and hard stern look, then re-entered his office. Surely, this was his one and only warning.
"Yes, Of course Master. I will handle it right away." She assured him. A wave of her hand saw caldren sinking into the floor and to the infirmary. Shane would be able to handle his injuries when he arrived.
With him gone, her attention moved to Bynx. "Bynx please, you must calm down. Master will not tolerate this much longer." She hoped using his name would snap him out of it a little.
"I won't forgive any of you. You deceived me and killed her, he told my father, and the maid did it for some cock that doesn't even care for her." His eyes watered but he swallowed the tears back and forced the cracking sound in his voice to even out. Bynx wouldn't cry so she could put on another mask and pretend she cared. But now she wanted to act like she did.
He walked off, leaving her alone.
She watched him go with a frown before she sighed once more, turning and making her way into Ja'ule's office. She bowed swiftly. "Master, I am here as you requested." She said. "What was it you needed of me?"
"Do you know of the Black Daggers?" He asked, plucking a grape off a porcelain plate in front of him and popping it into his mouth. His large hands folded atop the table afterwards as he cast those cavernous evergreens in her direction.
Ray'ven tilted her head at the question, brows drawing together. She had indeed heard of the black daggers, a gang in size just beneath their own. "Yes, I am aware of them. Have they been causing trouble?"
"I want a temporary alliance with the man known as Razmyr Krestov. He's currently cornered in one of his hideouts. Earlier this morning," The king paused for a second and slid the letter across the table. Although his expression was impassive, In the way he handed the folded paper over told anyone with sense he didn't like what was in it. He waited for her to open it.
Dear half king, useless prince of D'treroh, your father has cornered one of my hideouts from the base of the mountain I've built it within. My ships were set afire and a handful of my men dead. It may be a big surprise to you that a pirate, let alone a rat from the slums of Lorwell would be literate enough to write you this letter, nonetheless bold to send one to the very same blood of the man claiming my life. However, this isn't your problem, though I'll make it your problem.
I'm known for secrets and stealing information to turn a clan against one another. Whatever is left behind I take. In the process, I managed to get my hands on some of your plans and your main hideouts. The one you're in is near the town square where a young girl was recently hanged. As you read this letter, I do hope you choose your best decision.
Not only will you have your father kicking your doors down and showing you even more how powerless you are now that you left the castle, but I'll also send a death certificate to the young girl's brother who was awaiting her return at the end of this month. We all know how revenge works. After all, you did kill my parents and I still have a mark on your head.
The choice is yours; send help or pay the piper, best regards from the man that will forever be lesser than you but all the more successful since you've become a no one at the castle.
"I will need you to help fight off the people cornering him before my father appears. I'd do it, but I have to meet Eddy Vanguard. Also," He pulled out his father's favorite seven inch dagger, studded with red rubies similar to the ones which were on the crown he wore. He swore he'd impale his father in the chest or throat the next time he saw him. "Give Razmyr a gift for me. Don't kill him, but a warning for the disrespect will do. Carve a teardrop on him the same way I did his father. He'll understand the notion. Return this the way you received it. Not a scratch nor speck of blood."
Ray'ven's eyes skimmed the letter, narrowing at the words she read. Just who was this disrespectful fool who dared to demand anything from her master? She could feel her eyes twitch the more she read.
Sitting the letter back down, she looked up to meet Ja'ule's eyes, taking the jeweled dagger in hand. "What an impudent man. Are you sure I can not kill him, Master? Perhaps cut off the fingers that wrote this letter?" She asked as she secured the dagger in a safe spot. She knew how important it was to him.
"If he dies it'll be by my hand." Ja'ule gave her a look that could've shook the heavens above with all the gods that were left. "A stab, I'll do the torture when I get my hands on him. We can't afford for the information he has to be leaked right now."
A pout formed on Ray'ven's lips and she made her way towards the single window in the room, opening it. "I will send word once I am done there." She said over her shoulder. Then her body shifted, leaving in place a large black raven that leaped into the air, large wings lifting it up into the morning sky before it disappeared from view.