A brilliant blush creeps across Hemlocke’s cheeks, the color stark against his usually composed features. He backs up a few steps and shifts, his form blurring and expanding.
My eyes dance over his magnificent unicorn form as the transformation completes—his armored hide gleaming like polished obsidian, muscles rippling beneath the protective plating. His spiraled horn catches the light like a deadly work of art, and his eyes burn with that otherworldly fire I’m beginning to love.
I can’t help but smile as wonder fills my chest like sunlight. Today, one of my oldest dreams comes true, and it’s more beautiful than I ever imagined.
Chapter 18
Corvis
The Winter Formal…
Two weeks from today, my mate will know what I am to her. The thought makes my heart race with anticipation so fierce it threatens to overwhelm me. My silver scales along my neck tingle with the constant awareness of her proximity, and every breath I take carries her scent—sea salt and night air mixed with something uniquely Raven.
Apparently, Hemlocke made himself known to Thauglor, that he senses Raven is also his mate. The revelation hit like a physical blow to my chest, jealousy, and understanding warring within me. Thauglor and Mina sat us both down and talked with us, their voices carrying the weight of ancient wisdom and parental concern. They said that whomever Raven chooses to bond with first is her choice. The words should be comforting, but they taste like uncertainty on my tongue.
Mina has plans to talk to her daughters this week about choosing who to bond with first when there are multiple mates involved. The practical nature of the conversation doesn’t diminish its emotional weight.We’re discussing the most important decision of Raven’s life, and I might not be the one she chooses.
I mount my warhorse, feeling the familiar creak of leather and the warmth of the animal beneath me. The mare’s sides expand and contract with each breath, and I can smell the mixture of horse sweat and well-oiled tack. I ride to where Abraxis and Lily are positioned and line up behind him, the formation as precise as a military drill.
“Where’s Raven?” Abraxis looks over his shoulder at me, his scarred face showing mild concern.
“She said she has a surprise and she’ll be up shortly.” I shrug my shoulders, trying to appear casual despite the knot of anticipation in my stomach. I focus on straightening my horse’s mane and adjusting the tack, the repetitive motion helping to calm my nerves.
The loud clopping of hooves on cobblestone makes me turn to look behind me, and my breath catches in my throat. There’s Raven, sitting gracefully on the back of the largest black unicorn I’ve ever seen. The creature is magnificent and terrifying—its magenta eyes blaze with otherworldly fire as they survey the assembly. Shadows seem to dance around its hooves, mane, and tail like living things, creating an aura of dark magic that makes my skin prickle with awareness.
She’s riding an abyssal creature like it’s a show pony, and the sight is both beautiful and unsettling. The contrast between her delicate human form and the massive, armored beast beneath her is striking.
Raven lines up next to me on the side where she’ll be able to access the royal box, and I catch her familiar scent mixed with something new—the wild, dangerous smell of the unicorn. “Ta-da!” she says, spreading her wings wide with a smile that rivals the sun in its brilliance. The joy radiating from her is infectious, making something warm unfurl in my chest despite my concerns.
“Is that...?” I point at the black unicorn, my voice trailing off as I take in the creature’s imposing presence.
“Yes, it’s Hemlocke.” She smiles and squeals with delight, the sound pure and musical. “I’m riding a unicorn!” Her happiness is so intense I worry she might actually explode from the sheer force of it.
“You’re riding Hemlocke...” I gently remind her, my voice carrying undertones of complexity she doesn’t yet understand.
“Yes, and he’s a unicorn.” She raises her chin at me defiantly, still smiling with that radiant joy that makes my heart ache with love and longing.
Lily turns to look at Abraxis with obvious envy. “Why can’t I ride a unicorn?”
Abraxis looks at Hemlocke, and the creature shakes its magnificent head in a clear negative response. I can see Abraxis struggling with what to say, knowing he can’t reveal that Hemlocke is Raven’s mate. “Because he’s her close friend, and he’s helping her out. Her horse was injured and is retired now.”
“Because of your horse...” Raven snaps, her voice carrying the edge of protective anger. I hear her mutter under her breath about wanting to eat Abraxis’s stallion, and the predatory undertone makes my dragon stir with approval.
Leander walks up in front of us, his boots clicking against the stone as the rest of the family lines up behind us. The sound echoes off the courtyard walls, creating a rhythmic percussion that speaks of ceremony and significance. “Okay, here’s how it’s going to go. Ride out past everyone.” He moves closer to Raven, his voice taking on the formal tone of instruction. “Raven and Hemlocke will approach the royal box, and he’ll rear up. Raven will accept flowers from her mother before returning to the lineup. Then you ride to the end and dismount.”
Leander smiles as he looks up at Raven, paternal pride evident in his expression. “At that time, Corvis and...” He stares at Hemlocke for a moment, clearly processing the unusual circumstances. “Hemlockewill escort you to the thrones, where you will be crowned heir apparent. After that, you need to leap off the tower and shift mid-fall, like it’s been done in the past.”
His eyes move between me and Hemlocke, then to the others, and I can see the weight of tradition and expectation in his gaze. “Sometimes the ancient rite will trigger a female to sense her mate before her birthday. Sometimes it may make her feel more drawn to her mate without knowing it’s him.”
Leander spells it out for us, his words hanging in the air like incense. The possibility that she might sense our bond tonight makes my silver scales flush warm with hope and terror.
He looks back toward the doors where a guard stands at attention. The man gives him a curt nod—it’s time.
“Remember, sit up tall in the saddle. Do not kick or use the reins roughly on the horses.” Leander’s voice carries the authority of years of training as he looks around at each of us.
His gaze settles on Raven as she looks around the courtyard. “You know he doesn’t need reins, you silly goose.”
“I know that, and it would be weird.” She arches a brow when Hemlocke makes a series of vocalizations—deep, musical sounds that seem to carry meaning. “Oh, stop. I didn’t use reins with Titan, and I wouldn’t use them with you either. It’s degrading.”
