King Draven stared at Ravenna in silence.
The crackling of the fire was the only sound in the large guest room. His stormy gray eyes were wide with a mixture of shock and slowly building rage.
He had spent years consulting the finest doctors and wise men in the mortal lands. He had endured the bitter complaints of his lords and the endless scheming of his three wives.
He had blamed the gods for denying him a male heir. Now this beautiful witch was telling him it was all the work of dark magic.
"A curse," Draven finally whispered. His deep voice shook with raw anger. "Someone placed a curse on my family?"
"Yes," Ravenna answered softly. She walked closer to him and kept her disguised hazel eyes locked on his face. "It is very old and deeply rooted in the stone of Valerius. It feels like rotting blood and bitter hatred. This spell was designed specifically to suffocate your royal bloodline. It allows daughters to be born but it completely destroys any chance of a male heir. Someone wanted your legacy to slowly wither and die."
Draven turned away from her. He walked heavily toward the stone fireplace and rested his large hands on the mantle. He stared into the roaring orange flames. The heavy burden of his crown seemed to crush him all at once. For the first time since she met him the fierce and ruthless warlord looked entirely defeated. He dropped his royal guard completely in front of her.
"My father had many enemies," Draven said quietly to the fire. "He slaughtered entire villages and burned rival kingdoms to the ground. He took pleasure in making people suffer. I have spent my entire reign trying to fix the broken world he left behind. But his sins are still hunting me."
Ravenna watched the broad tension in his back. She had hated his father with every fiber of her being. The old king had killed her mother and forced her to grow up as an orphan in the wild woods. But looking at Draven right now she realized he was also a victim of that same cruel man. The old king had doomed them both in different ways.
"Your lords are growing impatient," Ravenna reminded him gently. "I saw the letters in your satchel. If you do not produce a son soon they will rebel against you."
Draven let out a bitter laugh and turned back to face her. The firelight cast deep shadows across his tired face.
"They are already rebelling," Draven confessed. His voice was heavy with pure exhaustion. "The powerful families of my three wives are constantly fighting for control. They whisper in the dark corridors. They try to bribe my royal guards. They are just waiting for a moment of true weakness to strike. If I die without a son the kingdom will instantly fall into a bloody civil war. The rebel lords will murder my five innocent daughters just to ensure my bloodline is erased from history."
Ravenna felt a sharp ache in her chest. She thought of the little girl who had run up to Draven in the Great Hall. She thought of the clumsy wooden horse toy he carried in his pocket. He was not fighting for glory or endless power. He was fighting to keep his children alive.
"You have to break the curse Ravenna," Draven pleaded taking a step toward her. His stormy eyes begged her for salvation. "You command the wild magic of the earth. You destroyed the shadow hounds with a single word. You can unravel this dark spell."
Ravenna looked down at her hands. She thought about the dark rotting energy she had felt in the walls. "It is not that simple Draven. This curse was woven with very dark and ancient blood magic. I can feel its presence but I don't know who cast it or where the anchor of the spell is hidden. I need time to investigate the castle. I need to observe your three queens and the lords of your court. Someone inside these walls knows the truth."
"Then you will have all the time you need," Draven promised stepping even closer to her. He was now standing only inches away. His massive presence was overwhelming but
Ravenna did not step back. "I will give you full access to the royal archives. You can go anywhere in the castle you desire under the guise of my personal healer. I will protect you from the queens."
"I can protect myself," Ravenna reminded him. A small confident smile touched her lips. "I am the Queen of the Obsidian Court."
"I have not forgotten your power," Draven said. He looked down at her hands remembering the bright purple magic that had shattered monsters into ash. "But this castle fights with poisoned whispers and hidden daggers. The women in my court smile at you while sliding a knife into your back. You must be careful Lady Elara."
"I have survived worse things than jealous mortal women," Ravenna assured him. She stepped away from the warmth of the fire. "But we must be very careful not to draw too much attention to ourselves. If they realize I am searching for the source of the curse the person who cast it will strike again. We have to pretend everything is completely normal. You must return to your duties and play the role of the fearless king."
Draven sighed heavily. He hated the endless political games of his court but he knew she was right. He had to maintain his fierce exterior.
He looked down into her warm hazel eyes. He reached out slowly and gently tucked a stray piece of chestnut hair behind her ear. His rough calloused fingers brushed warmly against her soft skin. Ravenna held her breath. The intense electric connection they shared in the woods rushed back in full force.
"I know exactly who you are," Draven whispered his voice dropping to a low rumble. "You are the only person in this entire world I can actually trust."
The raw vulnerability in his words hit her harder than any physical blow. The King of Valerius was putting his entire life and the lives of his children in the hands of a banished witch. The bitter hatred that once divided them was completely gone. In its place a dangerous and passionate bond was quickly taking root.
Ravenna knew she was playing a deadly game in a court full of vipers but looking up at the fierce king she knew she would do absolutely anything to help him win.