Chapter Forty-one
Faelen’s POV
The sound of the clock bells from the estate watchtower echoed through the entire compound. Each struck made my heart pound harder in my chest.
I let out a shaky breath, feeling a mix of relief and nervousness all at once. “This is it.” I murmured.
The time had come, and there was no turning back now. Fear crept in as I thought about what I was doing… sneaking out in the dead of night to meet with a stranger, a spy no less.
The danger was obvious, but so was my determination. I needed to know what this girl’s presence meant, for me and for the mission.
This meeting was crucial, and I couldn’t afford to let fear stop me. That just wasn’t an option.
The bells stopped, dragging the estate back into the heavy silence of the night.
I slowly slid out of bed, my legs tense with both excitement and fear. My heart kept pounding hard in my chest.
My bare feet hit the cold floor, which sent a shiver up my spine, but that didn’t make me hesitate any bit.
Quietly, I crept to the door, pressing my ear against it, listening for any signs of movement.
Nothing.
Satisfied, I slowly turned the handle and slipped into the hallway, moving as quietly as I could.
Every creak of the floorboards felt too loud, as though the entire quarters would hear me. But no one stirred.
The night air hit me hard on my face when I finally stepped outside. The cold was biting, and I wrapped my arms around myself for warmth, making my way behind the servants’ quarters.
The sky above was a deep black, with only the crescent moon and distant stars illuminating my path.
My breath puffed out of my mouth in small clouds of steam as I walked, my footsteps soft against the ground.
When I reached the tree behind the building, I stopped and turned around. No one was there.
I looked around again, my pulse quickening, half expecting someone to jump out from the shadows.
But there was nothing… just the usual quiet of the night. My hands tightened around my arms, the cold seeping into my skin.
“Where the hell is she?” I whispered under my breath.
Minutes passed with me standing there cold and scared, and still, the girl didn’t appear.
Anxiety began to take over me, and questions spun in my mind. Had something gone wrong? Or was this all some trap?
I rubbed my palms together, trying to stay warm, though the cold seemed to pierce through me like knife through butter.
I knew I couldn’t stay out here much longer, without risking getting caught or freezing that is.
But the thought of leaving without answers kept me rooted to the spot.
“Maybe she’s just testing me. To see if I’d come.” I thought, trying to remain calm. “Or maybe she got caught herself.”
Every shadow seemed to grow darker, and every sound louder as I waited for her, the silence terrifying me.
Hugging myself tighter, I glanced around once more, my breath shaky as I tried to keep my nerves under control.
“Come on,” I thought out loud, desperate now. “Where the hell are you?”
Above, the moon had become barely visible, hiding behind thick clouds, and the silence was interrupted only by the occasional sounds of insects.
The minutes passed by, and still, there was no sign of her. Had she set me up? Was this all some kind of trap?
The thought sent a sense of panic through me, but I forced myself to stay calm.
After a while, I got really frustrated, and just as I was about to turn and leave, I heard a faint sound of footsteps behind some bushes.
I spun around quickly, my body tense, ready for whatever was coming. Then the girl suddenly emerged from the shadows.
Her expression was calm, unconcerned, as if she hadn’t just kept me waiting out here in the freezing cold.
“Finally,” I muttered, more to myself than to her. “What took you so long?”
The girl smirked, clearly enjoying the unease she had caused me. “Did I scare you?”
I didn’t answer but shot her a cold look.
She shrugged, her smile widening slightly. “Had to make sure we weren’t being watched,” she replied in a low voice.
I studied her, my nerves still on edge. Something about her felt off, but I couldn’t quite place it. Still, I knew I had no choice but to go through with this.
I pushed back the urge to snap at her, forcing myself to stay focused. “Let’s just get to it,” I said, trying to keep my voice low. “Tell me why you’re here? And start with your name.”
She crossed her arms, still smirking. “Raven. You can call me Raven.”
I nodded, weighing the name in my mind. “Alright, Raven. Now talk. Why are you here?”
She stepped closer, her expression becoming serious. “I told you… I’m like you. Here to get information back to the Alpha.”
“But why now?” I pressed. “Why after all this time I’ve been here?”
Her gaze shifted around, as if trying to make sure we were truly alone, then she leaned in closer. “Things are changing fast. We need to know what’s happening here. And I know you’ve been close to the Alpha.”
I swallowed hard, my thoughts instantly flashing to Hunter. “What does that have to do with anything?”
The girl’s eyes lit up. “Everything. What you know about Hunter could tip the scales in ways you can’t even imagine.”
I remained silent, my thoughts spinning with guilt, sensing something terrible was at works here which involves Hunter.
As much as I wanted to believe I had no choice, I hated to imagine him getting hurt.
Raven’s expression suddenly shifted slightly, her sarcastic edge fading away. “If you have to know, Alpha Zodd sent me to assist you with your mission.”
My heart skipped a beat, confusion and surprise rushing into me. Assist me? I had no idea anyone else was involved in this.
I had been under the impression that I was alone in this mission from the beginning, that I would have to figure it out on my own, no matter how dangerous it got.
The thought of having help normally should have excited me, but instead, it only made me more suspicious.
“But Alpha Zodd never mention anything about sending someone to help me,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her.
Raven let out a soft, mocking laugh, her lips curving into a sly smile. “How did you expect to get any important information out of Howle Wulf without being caught?”
I didn’t respond right away, the truth of her words sinking in deep. She was right, of course. Getting the information out had been nearly impossible.
I’d been here for months, and though I had gathered a lot of useful intel, every attempt to get it to Belladonna had failed.
The idea of help, and having someone else who could take some of the burden off my shoulders felt a little… tempting.
But there was still something that didn’t sit right with me. “Why didn’t Zodd tell me?” I asked, my voice low, almost to myself.
Raven shrugged, her smile never leaving her face. “Because you weren’t supposed to know. It was safer that way. Until now.”
I studied her carefully, my mind racing with questions and doubts. I wanted to believe her… and desperately.
But trust was something I couldn’t afford to give out easily, not with the nature of the mission I was on.
Still, I couldn’t deny that she looked familiar. I had seen her at Belladonna before, I was sure, which was the only thing keeping me from completely dismissing her story.
After a long pause, I finally nodded. “Alright. I’ll believe you… for now.”
Raven’s smile widened, a small hint of satisfaction or amusement in her eyes. “Good. Then we’re on the same page.” She replied regardless.
I wasn’t so sure about my decision to believe her, or letting her know I did, but I kept my thoughts to myself.
For now, I needed to see where this would go. If she really was here to help me, then maybe I had a chance to complete the mission.
Which was still to get information out of Howle Wulf without being caught. And maybe then, I could figure out what the hell I was doing with Hunter.
But as I stood there, staring at Raven, a knot tightened in my stomach. I just couldn’t help but feel like I was now stepping deeper into something far more dangerous than I’d even realized.
Something that I might not be able to walk away from so easily. I was left with the thought that every day, the thin line between my mission and my feelings for Hunter had to be clearer… and fast.
Whoever this Raven was, I hoped deep down in me that she was telling the truth, because from the point which she had me, she could have me killed.