It felt wrong to be there. Raven stood at a distance. She watched the family pay their respects to the deceased. The sun bore down on everyone, reminiscent of her mother's funeral. She waited until they had left before making her presence known, aware that they would not want her there. Raven placed bouquets of peace lilies on the fresh graves, pausing in front of Maura's. "May you find peace beyond the grave," she whispered, laying the lilies on the grave.
"You knew them?" a voice inquired, startling her slightly. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a figure with his head bowed, his face obscured. He stepped forward and placed flowers in front of the graves alongside the others.
"I recently met them," she told him and now stood beside him. "Were they family?" she asked him. "Yeah, they were family," he told her. "I am sorry for your loss," she told him sincerely before she turned around, ready to leave. "My name is Milo," he said, making her face him as he stood facing her, his hand held out to her. "I am Raven," she told him, giving him a small smile as she reached her hand out to him.
"It is nice to meet you, Raven."
Returning the smile, she placed her hand on his and shook it until his grip tightened.
"I am sorry for this raven, but time is running out. You seem kind, but my family did not die in vain." He suddenly pricked her wrist, pressed his thumb over the wound, and whispered something. Raven ripped her arm from his grip. Staring down at her wrist as ink appeared on her arm, forming into a raven and a rose a few inches away from it. "You have until the raven reaches the rose to find a way to remove the hex I placed on you."
"What happens if I don't?" she questioned him.
"I have always opposed the killing of witches, so I will not kill you. But you must leave now, Raven; if you do not find a way to remove it, then you will find out what happens next. Oh, and Raven, you can thank Dorian," he said, turning away and walking off.
'What?' she stared as he left her behind. Raven wasted no more time as she reached for her phone to dial Oakley. "Come on, Ophelia, please answer," she pleaded.
BEEP BEEP
'The caller you have dialed is not available. Please try again later.'
Panic set in as she noticed the raven tattoo begin to move. She rushed to her car and drove toward the woods, but her car became stuck in the mud. Stumbling out, she glanced at the moving tattoo every few seconds, her heart pounding with each look. The raven was uncomfortably close. The entrance was obstructed by thick mud.
"This can't be happening," she exclaimed as she hurried along the trail.
RING RING
"Now is not the time to call me," she muttered as she reached into her pocket, grabbed the phone, and answered.
"Hello," she blurted out, feeling herself teeter backward, nearly slipping into the mud. "AAOO, that was close," she exclaimed, steadying herself by grasping a tree. "Hello," she tried again, only to be greeted by loud, breathy silence as she clambered over the fallen branches. PEEP PEEP! The call ended abruptly; the person on the other end had disconnected. She aimed her phone at her pocket but missed, and it plunged into the mud. "It'll have to wait," she muttered resignedly. The trees became a blur as she hastened, her heart racing at the sight of light filtering through the trees ahead. She was nearing her destination. Taking a moment to regain her composure, she leaned against a tree. "SNAP."
Straightening up, her body froze as she tried to detect any sign of life around her. After a moment's pause, she stepped forward and collided with a figure. "AAH!" she screamed, recoiling. Glaring at him, she recognized the face. "Dorian," she accused. "What's happening?" He surveyed her with concern. "I can't talk; I have to go," she insisted, sidestepping him. But as she moved, he grasped her hand, halting her escape. She struggled lightly within his grasp. "Dorian," she pleaded for his attention, but his eyes were fixed on her hand, thumb brushing over the tattoo. "You've been hexed?" he inquired, concern etching his features. "When did this happen?"
"I went to pay my respects to Maura and the others who had passed away when this guy just suddenly appeared, asking if I knew them. I said I did, and he revealed they were his family. As I was leaving, he introduced himself, and when I shook his hand, he pricked me with a needle. And then this happened," she explained hastily, struggling to free her hand from his grip as she gazed at the tattoo. "Who was he? What did he want?" he asked. "His name is Milo, and I don't know what he wants, but he said his family didn't die for nothing. He warned that I had until the raven reached the rose to remove the hex, or else I would find out what happens next," she said as the raven neared the rose. "Dorian," she cried out. His attention was fixed on the tattoo. Suddenly, arms enveloped her, and she was lifted into the air, her head resting on his neck, clinging to him tightly. The ground disappeared beneath her as he moved swiftly. They stopped abruptly, and her feet touched the ground. She peeked through one eye to see they were at the cabin. He let go of her, lifting his hand to stare at her hand. She followed his gaze. A raven held a rose in its mouth. But something was not right. The once-blooming rose was now dead, hanging limp in the raven's mouth. "We were too late," he breathed out, meeting her gaze. Stepping around him,
"It does not go away," she said, wiping at the mark.
"We will find a way."
"Are there any symptoms thus far?"
Raven's eyes grew big as she stood up from the bench. Stepping into the cabin, Raven fell onto the couch, darkness taking over. Dorian entered the cabin, his eyes landing on the small figure.
'Why are you so stubborn?' he said, shaking his head at the girl.
Springing up and staring at her surroundings, she was in the cabin. Dorian sat in the corner, watching her. "Has it started kicking in?"
"I am fine," she assured him. Footsteps approach just as Michael steps into the cabin with a red envelope in his hand. "You are being summoned," she breathed out, staring at Dorian. Staring down at Raven, Dorian nods his head. "I will leave shortly."
Raven watched as Dorian and Michael left.