Raven The Fire Blood Amulet

Chapter 10

They all sat at the table mounted against one of the walls, Markus had a map open and he was frowning. His quick talk with Gizelle had not eased his mind at all about the direction they were going, since she could not really tell him anything beyond what she had heard.

“Pilgrim’s Reef is about a two week walk from Wintersvale, with the train we should be there in four to five days. I cannot really say since I have never been on a train…and I am just guessing.”

The train was moving at a comfortable speed and Markus had compared it to a relaxed horse run. But all in all it was faster than walking and safer. The only thing he did not like was being in constant darkness and not knowing what was waiting at the end of the tunnel and railway.

“Pilgrim’s Reef borders on the ocean and it has been abandoned for years or at least that is what I had heard,” Gizelle murmurs, her finger tracing a circle absentmindedly around the huge dot that symbolized the town. Pilgrim’s Reef used to be a large fishing industry town, exporting fish to the inland cities, but when a mysterious disease killed all the fish, the town’s people left afraid the disease might kill them too. At least that was the official story.

“You say this is not my fault, but it is. This happened because I was at White Oaks. I just don’t understand why,” Raven’s voice trembled, the confusion on her face compelling Gizelle to hug her since they were sitting next to each other with Markus and Junaid on the opposite side.

“I have been thinking, I don’t really think they were after you as much as they were after this,” Markus reaches into the pocket of his breeches and pulls out the amulet, placing it carefully in the center of the table on top of the map. 

The red opal amulet gleamed in the soft light of the train. Raven was inexplicably drawn to it, her eyes widening as she reached out with hand.

“I don’t think that is a good idea,” Markus warns, grabbing her hand before she could touch it. Raven pulls back her hand, ashamed.

“This is a Fae Amulet and although we suspect it does belong to you, we are not certain and until you can control and harness your powers, it would be safer to touch it…we don’t know what it will do or how you will react,” Markus explains, he did not miss the small spark the opal had ignited as Raven’s hand had almost touched it. Undoubtedly the amulet was hers. And being a fire opal, Raven’s was most certainly a Fire Element Fae, which in a closed environment like the train could be disastrous. Markus carefully picks up the amulet again and tucks it back into his pocket. 

“Janelle had only noticed the amulet, she did not know about you until Ducreux arrived with you. And when her suspicion about the amulet had been confirmed she made the connection to you. So the possibility that no one else knows about you is high, and the longer we can keep you a secret the better. Janelle knew this, and I am guessing that is why our escape route was planned in advance.”

“But there was a creature in the cellar…” Junaid says quietly.

“There was but I don’t think it was after me,” Raven says honestly. Raven knew for certain that the creature had smelled her, but it never attacked, just observed even though she could not see it. And when Junaid had fled the cellar with her, the creature never pursued them. 

“The day Ducreux placed that amulet around his mistress' neck, he inadvertently set an event in motion, an event we are all now caught up in. The best we can do is do what Janelle said we should and go to Saint Christopher’s Hamlet. And in the meantime, let’s just…” Markus shakes his head and shrugs, “enjoy the ride.”

Gizelle snorts, five days is a long time to be cooped up in close quarters with a man you were attracted to and she was not just thinking about herself. She looks at Raven, the girl was trying hard not to look at Junaid. And he was seemingly very deep in thought, tugging on the small leather bracelet he wore around the wrist of the now bare forearm. 

Junaid was now a wolf without a pack. A rogue. Gizelle frowns, a situation that might fuel the already shaky tension between him and Raven. A wolf and a Fae, a dangerous combination. Her eyes glanced over to Markus who she found was staring at her intently. She blushes and looks away.

“I am hungry! Let’s eat,” Gizelle announces jumping up and making her way to the small counter with the heating elements. She rummages for several seconds in the cabinets and crates before finding everything she needs and she starts making food. Markus could not help the smile tugging at his lips. He watches her swinging her lower body to the song she was humming, her jeans stretching tightly over her legs and behind. He quickly averts his eyes as his groin causes him to shift uncomfortably in his seat.

He clears his throat, “I think I am going to get cleaned up.” He nods to Junaid and Raven before hastily retreating from the compartment.

Raven timidly covers the hand that was tugging on the bracelet and Junaid looks at her. He could smell her arousal, it was filling his nostrils, every fiber of her skin was screaming that she wanted him. His eyes darken as he lifted her hand to entwine his fingers with hers, his wolf was growling silently and the bulge in his leggings was stretching against the leather. But he would be lying if he denied that he was conflicted about what he was feeling. As a rogue nothing was preventing him from taking Raven, to claim her and that he found Raven attractive and that she was the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, was not the issue, but whether he wanted her on his own or because of the imprint. 

Junaid releases her hand standing up abruptly to leave the compartment. It would be better to keep the distance between them. Acting on some foolish desire and wanton will only cause Raven to be more confused. She needs to learn how to be a fae first and embrace who she is. The last thing she needs is to complicate everything and get involved with him. His assignment is to protect her, ordered so by his Queen, and by Raven imprinting on him. And that is what he will do, protect her until death. Anything that she is feeling or experiencing is coming from her misplaced affection for him that has resulted from them spending so much time together. It will fade with time. 

Raven leans back into her seat, hugging her arms around her.

“Gizelle?”

“Yes?” Gizelle turns around, a spoon in her hand.

“Is there a way to remove the imprint?”

Gizelle drops the spoon and quickly bends to pick it up, “I…don’t know. I only know what I have read in the archive books.”

“Which is?”

Gizelle pulls a face, it was not going to be what Raven wants to hear.

“All I know is that Faerie Folk, like you, can imprint on any animal as a companion or sometimes as a protector, especially with larger animals…like a wolf. But once an imprinting has occurred…it can only be broken by death.”