My mother maintains a gentle smile as she brings up the topic again. 'So, sweetheart, you didn't respond to my queries. This vampire king, tell us about him,' she prompts, curiosity glinting in her eyes.
I return her smile and offer reassurance. 'He is quite sweet and gentle, Mother. He is as equally attractive as Magnus is, and he has been very kind to me,' I respond, attempting to convey Alec's positive qualities to ease any concerns.
Ryker interjects with a reassuring perspective. 'Don’t worry about Magnus. He will come around. I forget with fewer packs now. It has become more uncommon over time to see anyone with two mates. He wouldn’t be taking it so hard if he had known earlier how common and natural it was back when we were young,' Ryker explains with a sense of understanding and empathy for Magnus's struggles.
Seeking insight from the family, I ask, 'Do you all really think Alec and Magnus would eventually become mutual?' The room is filled with affirmative smiles and nods.
'But Magnus is opposed to releasing Alec from the dungeon, which means that it is unlikely to happen for a long time,' I convey.
Magnus reappears at the table and silently resumes his meal.
I can't help but tease him with a playful smile. 'Back so soon?' I quip, aiming to inject a bit of lightness into the atmosphere.
His response carries a hint of annoyance. 'Well, I didn’t have much of a choice. Reaper kept trying to swoop me,' he grumbles in discontent.
I burst into laughter at the image of Magnus fending off the persistent antics of Reaper. Leaning over, I wrap my arms around his waist, attempting to infuse a sense of warmth and comfort into the moment.
In return, Magnus smiles endearingly at me.
After the last bites are taken and the plates are cleared, we rise from the table. I guide our parents toward the exit through the halls of the packhouse.
At the door, our parents exchange pleasantries, expressing gratitude for the meal and the hospitality. I offer warm smiles, grateful for their input on the current situation. Magnus, though reserved, manages a polite nod, acknowledging their departure.
I turn to Magnus, and my fingers gently trace the contours of his cheek. 'I'm going to have a little chat with Reaper about his swooping habit,' I assure Magnus with a warm smile.
His response is a soft kiss on my forehead. 'I'll meet you upstairs for bed,' he says, leaving a trail of warmth in his wake as he departs.
Approaching the moon tree, I call out to Reaper, and with a graceful descent, he lands on my shoulder. 'Reaper, why were you swooping Magnus?' I ask him with a raised brow.
'Because I could sense he was upsetting you during dinner,' Reaper explains in a protective stance on my shoulder.
'I appreciate your concern, but I can handle my own battles, Reaper. Please refrain from swooping him again, alright?' I request.
'I'm your familiar, Luna, and we work as a team. It's my responsibility to watch out for you,' he asserts with a caw. 'However, I'll make an effort not to swoop him the next time he offends you.'
I nod in appreciation, but then my thoughts ponder another topic. 'You know, Reaper, you never ended up telling me how you and Alec know each other?' I prompt, curious to learn the history between my familiar and the vampire king.
Reaper's feathers rustle as he begins to recount the tale. 'I haven't lived my entire life in Silverfay Forest. I enjoy venturing out into the world to explore what has changed since I was last there,' he begins with a sense of wanderlust in his storytelling.
Reaper describes a serene night in the woods, with the air filled with the scent of nature. The tranquil night is shattered when Alec, an unexpected visitor to the forest, sprints past, a blur of movement in the moonlit darkness. A deer becomes his prey, and with swift efficiency, Alec brings it down, sinking his teeth into its neck. 'I watched as he drank the blood till he finally fell to his knees, looking relieved,' Reaper continues, the scene vivid in my mind.
Reaper's voice takes on a hushed tone as he describes Alec's realization that he's not alone. 'He looked around, sensing something was wrong, and realized he was being watched. Alec stood up, turned around, and looked right at me through the darkness, perched on a branch. If you can cast me the vision spell, I will show you the rest,' Reaper offers.
I raise my wand, invoking the magic. 'Visionous Memorias,' I declare with a confident yet gentle tone. A surge of energy courses through my wand, manifesting a large, clear circle of magic and revealing the moonlit encounter between Alec and Reaper.
‘You aren’t an ordinary raven,’ Alec says through a mind-link.
Reaper, his feathers shimmering with a mystical darkness, responds, 'No, I'm not.'
‘What is a familiar doing roaming the world? Shouldn’t you be in Shadowfay forest with the rest of your kind?’ Alec asks with curiosity.
‘I’m not like the other familiars. I’m the only Shadow Raven to exist. I’m more powerful than any other familiar, and I was bored,’ Reaper says.
Alec chuckled incredulously, 'The mightiest familiar, bored?'
'Watching pixies prance around, tossing magic dust all over the place, day in and day out,' Reaper admitted, his mental tone conveying a hint of weariness, 'can be a little tedious.'
Alec's laughter echoes in their shared mindscape, 'I suppose it would be. What's your name, bird?'
'Reaper, and yours?'
'Alec, Vampire King,' he proclaimed with regal pride.
With mimicked curiosity, Reaper asks, 'What is a vampire king doing in these desolate woods?'
Alec smiles, revealing his fangs. 'I was on the verge of madness, in dire need of nourishment, before losing my senses. These woodlands are lifeless and devoid of any form of life. With the exception of you, this deer is the first living creature I have seen in several days,' Alec explains.
Reaper descends from the tree, a dark cloud of mist enveloping him as he falls on Alec's shoulder.
'That was a brave move, my little friend. Are you not afraid I will sink my teeth into you and take your life?’ Alec asks with a hint of amusement.
Reaper caws and stretches his wings. ‘No, you just drained the blood from an entire deer. I’m confident you are quite full,’ he says with confidence. ‘So, Alec, vampire king. Now that you have your senses back, where are we off to?’ Reaper questions with curiosity and a sense of adventure.
Alec's eyes glint with a spark as he responds, 'My home, the Realm of Shadows.'
Their forms suddenly blur as they flash through the woods, leaving a trail of shadows and whispers in their wake.