[wattys 2018 shortlisted]
Humans see her as a dangerous threat -a witch that must be executed. With the uncontrollable ability to form ice at her fingertips, Ravenna is forced into hiding amongst the humans, stealing to survive. That is, until she h...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE MOON CRAWLED lazily across the night sky toward the horizon, and it bored Ravenna. The moment that Eoin bid her a goodnight, Alyss had jumped into action —preparing Ravenna for bed. Her hair cascaded down her back in curls, aftermath from the beautiful updo that Alyss had styled her hair in for dinner. The nightgown that Alyss had forced her into was ridiculously flowy and made of ivory silk. It made Ravenna look like the dead.
She sat on the edge of her newfound bed, her gaze focused on the window across from her. Her stomach twisted into knots, her nerves electrified. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep even if she tried to. So much had happened so quickly, and she finally had time to process it.
Standing, she began to pace the length of the room, her arms crossed behind her back. It was the second time she'd paced that night; however, it was imperative that she plot out the details for her plan.
It wouldn't be easy to murder the king.
But she didn't think that it was impossible. History overflowed with blood and murder. She just needed to do her research. She needed to figure out the best method –something that she could easily get away with. Nothing could be tied to her. She could leave no evidence. Poison seemed the most obvious choice, but with modern magical advancements, even that could be traced.
She paused. Her foot hovered over the stones beneath her for a second. Footsteps sounded down the hall. She listened, holding her breath, as they grew closer and closer...
And then passed right by, disappearing down the hall. It was just another Imperial guard making their rounds for the night. One came around every hour or so, checking the halls for intruders.
She shook her head and continued her anxious pacing. That was the reason she couldn't leave behind evidence. One mistake and her head would be mounted to a spike and displayed before the kingdom. All before she could blink an eye.
"I need to do research," she muttered under her breath.
There was always more research to be done –at least, that was what she'd learned from her lessons with Caelan.
Gathering the silky skirt of her nightgown, she made her way toward the door as quietly as she possibly could. No one had warned her against exploring the castle at night. However, she wasn't quite sure how to explain herself if she got caught. Cracking the door open, she glanced down the hallway.
It was barren and eerily silent.
She stepped outside and took care to close the door quietly behind her. Each step that she made down the hall was quiet, her skin freezing against the diamond-marble floor. She hurried toward the grand entrance, where all the common rooms seemed to connect, unsure how else to locate the library.
Eoin had mentioned it to her before in passing, during one of his many sweet stories about his mother. He didn't describe it in detail to her –but he also didn't have to. It was one of the few rooms of the castle that Ravenna had heard about before she met him. It was completely open to the public, and one of the only places in the castle that locals could explore. Someone in her village had made the pilgrimage to visit the grand library, bringing back fantastical stories and valuable knowledge.
The grand library housed the complete history of the kingdom of Kahl. Every spell that had been cast, every legend that had been told, and every legal decree that had been made –all could be found within the ancient shelves of the library.
She hesitated at the top of the stairs and peered down into the grand foyer. There was no movement. It was hard to tell in the darkness, but the only humanoid shadows appeared to belong to a row of old armor that lined one of the walls. Her lips wrinkled together. She had vague memories of seeing the armor beforehand, in daylight, when Eoin had escorted her through the main entrance of the castle. She was fairly certain that they were empty.
Her fingers curled around the ice-cold banister as she took an uncertain step downward. Slowly, as quietly as she could, she made her way down toward the first level. When she reached the base of the staircase, she looked around carefully again.
She found it a little odd that there were no guards posted in the foyer. Inhaling deeply, she pressed onward, toward one of the massive corridors connected to the foyer.
It wasn't hard to narrow down which hallway housed the library. Only two seemed to stretch in the direction of the market. The dining hall was at the other end of one --that much she knew. But it was hard to be certain in the dark. Shadows blended across the walls, twisting into gnarly shapes and unknown creatures.
Ravenna hesitated in front of the entrance to both corridors. She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. It was impossible to see down either without a torch.
A small tug in her chest pulled her to the right.
Without thinking, she started down the rightmost corridor, its darkness enveloping her. Her footsteps were hasty and her eyes didn't adjust. She didn't care if she made sound now. The feeling in her stomach pulled harder and harder, churning her innards into a spider's web.
Then she came to an abrupt stop, her nose mere inches from a door. Her fingers curled around a doorknob and pushed. There was a soft click and, suddenly, she was bathed in light.
Her sigh of relief was audible.
Shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls stretched out in front of her with no end in sight. She took a small step inside, allowing the door to shut behind her. Her gaze flickered around the room, only to land on Mylo, who was watching her from his seat at a small table, his eyes glowing with interest.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
hello sweet friends!
I apologize for the delay in this chapter. My laptop finally died. I know that things are a little scary in the world right now. I seriously hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy!! ❤
I know that self-isolating can be a bit boring, so my goal is to try to update more this week. There isn't much that I can do, but hopefully new content will bring some happiness! I am praying so hard for everyone in the world right now. Please know that I am always here for you if you need someone to talk to! I will always do my best to respond! ❤
Thank you for taking the time to read this book! I appreciate and love you all so much!!
