Morning arrived quickly at the Obsidian Court.
Draven woke up when the heavy iron doors of his room swung open with a loud groan. Two of Ravenna’s silent guards stepped inside. They carried his polished silver armor and his massive broadsword.
Draven did not speak to them. He stood up and dressed himself in the dim light of the glowing purple orbs. The familiar heavy weight of the steel plates made him feel like a king again. He strapped the broadsword to his hip. The cold weapon was a comforting anchor in a world ruled by wild and unpredictable magic.
He walked out into the long stone corridor. Ravenna was waiting for him near the main entrance of the palace. She wore a dark riding cloak over a simple black dress. Her wild hair was tied back away from her face. She looked ready for a very long journey.
"We have a lot of ground to cover today," Ravenna said. Her voice was sharp and clear echoing off the ancient walls. "Your men and your horses are waiting at the edge of the illusion barrier. We will walk until we reach them."
Draven gave a single nod. He followed her out of the massive stone palace and into the dense woods. The forest looked very different in the morning daylight. The strange purple shadows of the previous night were gone. They were replaced by vibrant green moss and towering ancient trees. The air felt fresh and cool against his skin.
They walked side by side in a comfortable silence for the first few hours. Draven used the quiet time to watch the way Ravenna moved. She glided through the rough terrain without stumbling once. The thick vines and thorny bushes seemed to pull back just to make a clear path for her. He watched in awe as the forest literally bowed to its queen. She commanded the earth without speaking a single word.
"Your magic is bound to the very roots of this place," Draven noted aloud. He kept his eyes on the dirt path ahead.
Ravenna glanced at him. "My magic is the lifeblood of the Obsidian Court. The trees know me. They protect my people. But the outer edges of the woods are much wilder. We must stay alert as we get closer to the mortal border."
Draven thought about the treaty they had made. He thought about his five young daughters waiting for him behind the high stone walls of Valerius. He needed to get back to them to keep them safe. He needed to secure his throne from the greedy lords who wanted to steal his crown.
He also thought about his three wives. Queen Isolde, Queen Lysandra, and Queen Genevieve offered him no comfort. Their marriages were built on political power and cold alliances. Walking beside the beautiful witch queen felt different. She was dangerous but she was honest. Yet as they grew closer to his mortal home he felt a strange reluctance to leave her realm behind.
The quiet peace of the morning did not last much longer.
A low and terrifying growl echoed from the dark trees on their left side. Draven stopped walking instantly. His warrior instincts flared to life. He drew his broadsword in one swift motion.
The heavy steel rang loudly in the quiet woods.
Three massive creatures stepped out from the deep shadows. They looked like wolves but they were the size of heavy war horses. Their fur was thick and pitch black. Their eyes burned with a toxic yellow light. Thick saliva dripped from their huge exposed fangs. The smell of rotting meat filled the fresh forest air.
"Shadow hounds," Ravenna warned him softly. She did not back away. "They hunt for the pure thrill of the kill. Stay back Draven."
Draven ignored her command. He was a protector by nature. He refused to stand behind a woman when danger approached. He stepped firmly in front of Ravenna and raised his sword high.
The largest hound lunged at him with incredible speed. Draven swung his heavy blade with all the strength in his broad shoulders.
The steel struck the thick neck of the beast. To his deep shock the sharp blade just bounced right off the dense black fur. The beast did not bleed. It did not even flinch. The hound snapped its massive jaws at his face. Draven was forced to dive hard into the dirt to avoid the lethal bite.
He rolled across the rough ground and scrambled back onto his feet. His silver armor slowed him down but it kept his bones from breaking. The beast prepared for another deadly attack. Draven gripped his sword with both hands preparing for a massive impact he knew he could not block.
Before the hound could leap again
Ravenna stepped forward.
She did not look afraid at all. She raised both of her hands toward the beasts. Dark purple magic gathered thick and bright in her open palms.
She whispered a single ancient word that made the ground shake beneath their boots. A blast of pure violent energy shot from her hands. It hit the leading hound right in the center of its massive chest.
The beast let out a terrible yelp. It shattered instantly into a giant cloud of black dust. The dark ashes fell
gently over the green moss.
The other two hounds hesitated. They saw the raw power of the witch queen and tried to retreat into the shadows. Ravenna did not give them a chance to run away. She moved fluidly tossing two more bursts of bright magic into the trees. The powerful spells struck the remaining creatures down in mere seconds. The dangerous hounds were gone leaving only silence behind.
Draven lowered his useless sword. He stared at the black ash settling on the forest floor. He then turned his head to look at Ravenna. She was breathing heavily but she stood tall and victorious in the sunlight.
He had seen many strong warriors in his life. He had trained the most lethal fighters in Valerius to kill without mercy. But watching Ravenna command the wild magic of the earth was different. It was terrifying and beautiful at the exact same time. The deep respect he felt for her began to outweigh his royal pride.
"I told you to stay back," Ravenna said. She turned to face him and brushed a stray piece of dark hair out of her eyes.
"I am not used to standing behind anyone in a fight," Draven replied honestly. He slid his broadsword back into its leather scabbard. "But I have never fought beasts made of shadows before. My steel is useless here. I owe you my life Queen Ravenna."
Ravenna looked surprised by his words. The fierce King of Valerius had just bowed his pride to thank her. She looked away quickly to hide the sudden warmth rushing into her cheeks.
"Let's keep moving," she said softly. "The border is still a long way off."
As they continued their journey through the woods the distance between them felt much smaller. Draven found himself watching her every move. He noticed the delicate curve of her neck and the fierce fire in her dark eyes. The bitter hatred they shared the day before was gone. A dangerous burning attraction was quickly taking its place.