The Reaper's Wicked Obsession
Chapter 34: The Stray In The Court

Chapter 34: The Stray In The Court

"Welcome to The Raven Court, from here onward I’m your predator and you’re my prey"

His proclamation caused Isadora’s pulse to quicken. She couldn’t begin to apprehend what his words truly meant but she was confident that anything that came out of this male’s mouth was never good,

He was the very pinnacle of disaster dipped with derangement.

’I’m his prey’ she thought as dread plunged into her bones.

No one wishes to be hunted by someone like him, hasn’t he ruined her life enough? He had stolen her freedom and also had plans to ruin her more.

"If you won’t go bare for me, then you get in either way," he voiced, and her eyes widened.

But it was too late because he had already thrust her into the water.

He chuckled while leaving the bathhouse as Isadora struggled to surface, still taken by shock.

"Survive, little bunny, I’ll be disappointed if you don’t"

~♧~

"It’s good to see you Rav," Nyssa said slowly walking up to him with a smirk on her lips.

"It’s been winters and you haven’t changed a bit" Her blue eyes raked his entire form like she expected him to grow a third leg or something—although the little change was his outgrown ash-blond hair.

"What kind of changes were you expecting?" He asked with a shrug. "Or are you here to thwart me?"

She chuckled but it was humorless, nevertheless, she maintained her sweet smile. "Well for one I expected you to guide him like you’re meant to," she remarked in the most endearing tone. "That is the crucial thing"

Rav shifted uncomfortably, already knowing where the exchange was going.

"Five winters Rav, Five!" she snapped glaring at him, unable to contain her fury and disappointment. "And for what? He brought a stray back, why?!"

"I’m just as lost as you" he replied with clenched teeth.

Nyssa huffed at his reply because there was no way he was being serious right now. "He chose you when he went on his mysterious journey, how could he not tell you what it entails?"

"No word... nothing" She took a step closer and even though Rav’s height was intimidating by two inches she didn’t let that stop her.

Instead, she crossed her arms and glared right into his scarlet eyes. "You have to know something"

"I don’t" he replied, foiled not by her words but more of himself.

He wished he knew why Kraven had dragged him across the world only to bring back a mannfae with him. Thrusting a girl into a world more extreme than it was at that brothel.

He didn’t know which hassled him more—the winters of a blind journey or the thought of Isadora’s fate that Kraven had sickly planned out.

"Do not waste your time with Rav, Nyssa" a voice came through.

Nyssa and Rav raised their gaze and found someone, looming at the top of the rocks, crouching like he had been there a while.

He had dark hair styled in a mullet while the front strands hung low over his forehead. Sharp green eyes that glimmer from the dark.

"Rav has always been dense," he remarked.

"Logi" Rav breathed. "And what do you mean dense?" he added irritatedly.

"You’re back," Nyssa said.

She didn’t think she’d see him for a while because of his proneness to be gone without a word, however, having him here meant she had nothing to worry about, he would get to the bottom of this in no time.

"Of course, I hear whirrs" he placed his hand close to his pointed ear like he could hear the echoes of something when there was none. "It’s scuttling through the walls, a stray is in the court"

"She’s not a stray" Rav glared, getting fed up with them calling her that when they knew nothing of her.

"Why don’t we hear from him," Logi nudged his head to the door. "I believe we have much to catch on, yes? Especially why you let the seal get out of control. Do you have any idea how difficult it was to create that?"

"What?!" Nyssa wailed and glanced back to Rav hoping for an explanation.

"Yes, there is much to catch on and I’ll not be the center of it" he walked to the door and it fanned wide when he stepped closer.

Nyssa and Logi spared a look at each other briefly. Nyssa was the second to leave before Logi leaped from the rock and followed.

"Let us be done with this, I’m starving"

(Damane By Lorne Balfe)

The doors unlocked to reveal a meeting place, vast, with towering stone walls carved directly into the rocky mountainside, like it was forged by the earth itself.

The light of torch flames cast shadows across the polished stone floor. A rectangular stone table was embedded with chairs in the middle.

It also had stairs leading up to an imposing throne that was sculpted from the very rock, tall and jagged like the spine of a great beast.

Seated on this throne was Kraven, one leg up on the armrest, an elbow on the other, a dagger rotated between his fingers.

His shaded silver hair was in braids, thick and prominent—starting at the front hairline, reaching the scruff of his neck.

"Have you all come for answers?" he spoke with a wicked smirk on his lips, his silver eyes moving to the three of his companions. "I was waiting, what took you so long?"

Logi chuckled, the sound echoing in the room. Rav glared at him but he did not acknowledge it.

"I see you were expecting us already," Logi said walking to take a seat, relaxing on the stone seat with legs up the table "It’s good to have you back, you had us worried that you might never come back and I’d have to rule in your stead"

"Logi!" Rav snapped. He can’t believe how much he missed not having to deal with Logi’s venom tongue.

"Is that how much you missed me?" Kraven mused.