To Claim A Crown Book Three: The Host Of Death

Chapter Eight: Cloaks

The buzzing of Naomi's phone buzzes right through her and she groans, prying her eyes open, against the brightness of the day around her. She sits up slowly, disorientated. She rubs her eyes and looks around her with a frown. She is in Jackson's truck. The engine is running and warm air is blowing furiously, thickening the air around her. Naomi reaches forward in between the driver and passenger seat and she turns the car off. She sits back down.

Naomi looks around her and she is alone in the car, in the parking lot at the hospital. Her phone begins buzzing again and she pulls it out of her pocket, answering it and pressing it against her ear. "Yes?"

"Naomi," Soraya mutters breathlessly, "you need to get home right now! I've tried calling everyone. No one is picking up! Please there's these people in the yard dressed in cloaks. I don't know where they came from. I don't know how they ended up here but they're just standing, motionless in the driveway. Please, I'm really freaking out."

Naomi swings the door open, hopping out of the truck and bracing against the cold around her. "Where is Stellan? Where is Delilah? Horatio?"

"Stellan is with my uncle, Delilah and Horatio are in the kitchen arguing about what to do. Please just come home."

The call ends and Naomi looks at her phone, frowning, her heart pounding in her chest. She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment. The memories of the conversation before Sarah put her to sleep floats into her mind. Naomi's cheeks flush warm. She sighs, rolling her shoulders up and back a few times. She tucks her hair behind her ears then walks briskly towards the hospital calling out "Raur!"

Naomi comes to a stop as the back door is swung open and Raurlin is jogging towards her, worry tugging at his eyebrows and lips. He pulls her into a tight hug and Naomi allows herself to be held by him, by her aeturnum. His embrace is warm and Naomi inhales deeply, his scent filling her up completely. She pulls back after a few seconds, stepping back but holding onto his hands.

"I've just got off the phone with Raya. She says she's been calling everyone and no one is picking up. There are strange people at the house, wearing cloaks. She doesn't know how they got onto the property but she says they're just standing outside. Horatio and Delilah are arguing about what needs to be done. She's scared, Raur, we need to go. Now."

Raurlin bites down on his teeth and Jackson walks out behind him asking, "did I hear strange people wearing cloaks?"

Naomi looks past at Jackson nodding her head. Sarah walks out after Jackson, shutting the back door. Jackson walks forward, stopping beside Raurlin and looking at him with a cryptic look.

"How are you feeling?" Jackson directs at Naomi.

"I feel fine, somewhat refreshed. What happened?"

"You don't remember anything?" Sarah asks her walking forward too.

Naomi shakes her head. Sarah nods once, explaining "you were exhausted, I did a little magick to put you into a deep sleep. Figured you needed the rest."

Naomi forces a smile, "thank you, Sarah. Really we need to get going." Naomi lets go of Raurlin's hands and she begins walking to the truck with Sarah falling into step beside her.

Once inside the car, with Jackson in the driver's seat, Naomi pipes up from the back seat "Raur, Jax, you know who those people are?"

Raurlin nods grimly. "I have an idea. Someone would have had to invite them. I would like to know who."

Naomi glances at Sarah and raises an eyebrow. Sarah meets her gaze momentarily then looks back at her window, staring outside at the falling snow. Naomi mimics her, turning her attention to the tug of the tired, the sound of the engine rumbling. The car ride home is in silence. The events leading to Naomi's impromptu sleep play on her mind, her words, the aggression at which she said them all felt foreign. Feels foreign still. Naomi clasps her hands together in her lap. She looks forward and Raurlin is watching her in the side mirror. He doesn't look away as Naomi fixes her gaze on him.