One week later
Raven squeezes her casted arm through the small opening of the sleeve of the oversized sweater, trying to hide her massive cast around her arm. "Come on, you can do it," Raven encouraged herself as she breathed through the discomfort while pulling it over her head. "Raven," a breathy voice softly whispered her name as a breeze entered her room from the open balcony doors. Shivers spread down her back. She spun around only to find no one there, as if she expected to find someone there. She quickly walked to the balcony doors, scanning her surroundings, only to find nothing but the trees. Pulling the doors shut, she turned the lock into place, and a deep sigh left her as she rested her back against the doors. Her eyes traveled to the rose next to her music box on the nightstand in a small, elegant vase. The dark blue rose, it was contrasted against her room, so out of place. "Where are you from?" she pondered. It was strange. She hated cut flowers because once you cut the flower it would only last for a few days, but this rose was different. It was still alive. Cut flowers rarely last as long, but she had this rose for almost two weeks since she was on bed rest, and yet it was still here, still alive.
BUZZ
BUZZ
Her gaze drifted to her phone on her armchair; it was resting on the book she was busy reading. Pushing off the doors, she reached for her phone as the screen lit up with an unread message.
Text message received from Wren.
"See you in a few. @ diner!!!"
The corners of her lips puckered up; she knew it would take Wren a while to get to the diner. Wren was always fashionably late. Texting a quick reply.
"See you there [flower emoji],"
BUZZ BUZZ
[Coffee emoji]
She shook her head as she stared at the text. Somehow, it felt like the most normal thing she had done in a while. Wren was excited to hang out since they had gotten closer in the last week, visiting her a lot and bringing her new books to read or some new shows to watch. Heading out of her room, Raven trudged down the stairs, spotting her medication and a glass of water on the small table neatly displayed for her along with a note.
'Take me!' - Aunt Mel.
Grabbing the pills, she replaced them in her mouth before gulping the water, not wanting the pills to get stuck in her throat and have a bitter taste all over her mouth. Placing the glass in the sink, she grabbed her keys from the rack, heading out of the house through the back door and following along the trail, growing further away from the house.
The leaves cracked under her weight as she grew closer to the cabin. She had not been there since the incident; she had missed it a lot. Walking between the trees, the sound of the water rushing nearby indicated how close she was to the cabin, the small structure coming into view. It looked the same as the last time, except for the dead flowers circling it.
"I am sorry," she apologized to the dead flowers. They were no longer vibrant. Coming to a stop in front of the flowers, she knelt in front of them, balancing herself on her knees. With her eyes closed, she took a deep breath, focusing on each breath.
Breathe in
Breathe out
Breathe in
Breathe out
She stretched her hand out over the plants, focusing her magic on healing them.
'Did it work?' she wondered. Peeking through one eye, she moved her gaze lower to the flowers.
Nope
They were still dead.
It did not even work not even a little, not at all.
"You will have to be patient!" a familiar voice called out, nearly giving her a heart attack. Looking over her shoulder, a smile grew on her face as Ophelia stood a few feet away from her. Standing up straight as Ophelia walked to her.
"I went by the house and nobody was home, so I thought I might find you here," Ophelia said, grabbing her in a quick hug.
"How have you been?" Ophelia asked hesitantly.
"I am doing better each day," she told her, brushing her wavy hair over her shoulder, trying to keep it from blowing into her face. Ophelia flickered to Raven's neck, her eyes landing on the wound that had healed significantly, but the brushing had been taking a while, as had whatever venom had caused these marks. The marks were still not gone, spreading from the wound up her neck and down the side of her body. The doctors had warned her about the possibility that it would never go away and that it would be permanent.
"But my magic, I still don't feel it," she told Ophelia, hoping that she somehow had the answers she sought. Her gaze fell back on the flowers, bending down, picking up the dead flower, and holding it in her hand. Ophelia stared down at the flower in the girl's hand.
"You went through a traumatic near-death experience. You will need to heal first before you get back to who you were before; you will be okay, and you will be strong enough to use your magic again," she explained as Raven crumbled the flower in her hand.
"I have been healing. I have been taking my medicine. I talked about the accident. I have been trying really hard, but I don't know why I feel like I am missing something; there is a part of me that is gone," Raven whispered, her throat swelling with emotion as she met Ophelia's gaze.
"It is okay to feel like that," Ophelia said, her gaze going to something behind her. Turning to look at whatever had caught Ophelia's eyes, she stopped as Ophelia clasped her hands together, gaining her attention. "Why don't we begin from scratch, and by we, I mean you? I will be here for support," Ophelia said, smiling at her. "We can get the stuff you need later, and Wren can help if she wants to. I know you guys have been hanging out more." She continued.
"Okay," she whispered as the two began walking back. "How is Eden doing?" Raven questioned them as they walked across the fallen tree. At the time of the accident, Eden had given birth to a baby boy. She had yet to visit, but she had sent a congratulatory gift. "She is doing great. The pack is thrilled at the recent addition to the pack. Bodhi has been even more protective of her and baby Ash," Ophelia said as they followed along the trail, the house coming into view.
"I will be sure to stop by," she promised.
"They will be glad if you do. Now I have to head back to the pack, but I will see you later, okay?"
"Of course, be safe, Ophelia," she said, bidding goodbye to the woman. It was her turn to leave, having to meet Wren in a few minutes.
***
DING
The bell above the diner doors dinged as Raven entered the diner. It was packed with unfamiliar faces everywhere, occasionally a few regulars. They must be tourists. Loud chatter sounded around the diner as she headed for the counter. Her skin burned with the stares of people taking in her appearance; her appearance shocked them. Gripping the sleeve of her sweater, she tried to calm her anxiety from all the stares. Her body felt stiff. It was as if she could hear what they were thinking.
'Poor girl'
'She looks awful.'
'What happened to her?'
"RAVEN!" her aunt called to her from the counter. Her body instantly calmed down at the comfort her aunt brought her. A smile stretched across Raven's face as she headed to her, her gaze slipping from her aunt to the man next to her: Doctor Christian. A nervous look crossed his face as she neared.
"How are you feeling?" Aunt Mel questioned, walking from behind the counter and taking in her appearance. "I am fine, Aunt Mel. It was time to leave the house. I have been on bed rest for a long time, and being outside in nature cheers me up," she told her aunt, trying to assure her that it was the truth.
"You went to the cabin?" she questioned, giving her a knowing look.
"I was careful. But the plants looked to have suffered amid my absence."
"Good thing you have green hands!" her aunt exclaimed.
Yup, if only she knew her niece's green hands looked like they had taken a break.
Raven turned to Doctor Christian, who was busy watching them. "It is good to see you, Dr. Christian," she said, trying to calm the man down. He was nervous. "You as well. It is good to see that you are doing better," he whispered, his presence calming. Aunt Mel disappeared for a few seconds. Sitting down next to him, she whispered to him.
"Just treat her well, please."
He looked at her for a second before nodding his head.
"I will,"
It has not been a secret that her aunt was seeing someone. She was shocked at first when she saw her aunt with him at the hospital, but she was glad that her aunt was happy.
"I am taking it; you are waiting for Wren?" her aunt questioned her, placing a steaming cup of hot chocolate in front of her.
Offering her aunt a smile, she nods, grabbing the cup in her hand. "Yes, she will." Raven was cut off by her phone ringing in her pocket.
"Ooh, this must be here; please excuse me," she excused herself, exiting the bustling diner to the sidewalk, which was a bit quieter. Struggling with her phone in one hand, Raven's finger hovered over the accept button as a sharp pain shot through her head. She clutched her phone in her fingers as she pressed her hand to her head.
"I thought it stopped," she muttered to herself. Taking a deep breath, Raven's hand dropped down on her; her phone was no longer ringing, but she had one missed call.
"Raven,"
She spun around to find nobody behind her, scanning the crowd of people looking for someone who had whispered her name, but nobody stood out, only the people rushing down the sidewalk.
"My love," someone whispered once more, but there was no one there. Taking a deep breath, Raven closed her eyes for a second.
Something is wrong.
'But what, Raven? What is it you are missing?' she wondered, blinking her eyes open. Raven took a step back, her body colliding with someone.
"Look where you're going," the person spat, glaring over his shoulder as he continued walking.
"Sorry!" she called to the man, who did not spare her another glance. Letting out a sigh, Raven turned around, only for her body to collide once more with someone else. Her body tilted backward as she was about to fall, but an arm circled her waist, preventing her from hitting the ground.
"I am sorry," she began as she gained her balance. Straightening her clothes, she looked up into the stranger's eyes. His burgundy-grey eyes stared deep into her blue eyes. She had lost the ability to speak as she continued staring at the man in front of her.
"I am sorry for bumping into you," he apologized to her.
His eyes were not moving away from hers as he stood a few inches away from her. "I should be the one apologizing," she told him, flicking her eyes away from his soul-piercing ones.
"That looks like a nasty wound," he told her, his gaze going back to a mark. "It will heal. I had an accident in the woods, hence the broken arm," she told him, gesturing to her broken arm.
"How are you now? Are you okay? Are you in pain?" he questioned, a worried look on his face. Enchanted by his eyes, which began to look red at her, he shook his head.
"I am doing better," she breathed out as a breeze brushed up against her. A smile stretched across his face as he stared down at her. He began shrugging off his coat. Taking a step closer to her, he placed his coat around her shoulders, his scent and warmth instantly engulfing her. The weather had been unpredictable lately, and she was sure he would be cold, especially in his short-sleeved shirt.
"You don't have to," she told him, but he quickly cut her off. "No gentleman shall allow a lady to be cold," he told her. Sadness spread through her suddenly.
"Are you well?" he questioned, emotion clinging to the question.
"I am. It just feels like I'm forgetting something important."
"I am sure you will remember whatever you seem to have forgotten," he told her, holding his hand out to her. Raven took his hand in hers. Lifting her hand to his mouth, he placed a kiss on top of it.
"It was nice meeting you, Raven," he said. Raven dropped to the small raven tattoo on her hand.
"You too," she said as he let her hand go before he left her on the sidewalk, staring off after him. Burying herself in his coat, she watched in the direction he had left.
"Hey, I have been calling you," Wren's voice called out from behind her as she felt her car come to a stop next to her. "Who was that?" she questioned as he disappeared from sight. "I don't know," Raven breathed out, staring at the echo of his presence that seemed implanted where he had walked. "Well, it looks like you knew each other."
Shaking her head, Raven turned to Wren. "I have never met him before."
"Well, I am hungry, and I have been craving Aunt Mel's pies," Wren told her happily, grabbing her fine arm excitedly. "Let's go," Raven told her as they headed back into the diner, but Raven could not stop thinking about the stranger.
He knew her name.
She never told him her name.