Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Raven

A loud crash jolted her awake. Her heart pounded as she scanned the room, but found nothing. Dhol was gone, and the bedroom door was slightly open.

Raven slipped out of bed and into some clothes. She followed the noise, which surprisingly led her to her own room.

Peering in, she saw the maid rummaging through her belongings, shaking items, and slicing open her bag to inspect the seams.

“Hey, what on earth are you doing?” Raven demanded, grabbing her arm.

The maid jerked away. “Don’t touch me.”

Her usually sweet voice was gone, replaced by a deeper tone. Raven had known from day one that the maid was different.

The maid’s physique was more like a man’s; even the dresses couldn’t conceal that.

“Then keep your hands off my stuff,” Raven retorted, snatching her stuffed animal away.

“I’m just following orders. If you have a problem with it, take it up with Master Dhol,” the maid replied.

“He wouldn’t order you to do this,” Raven protested.

Her voice trembled as she spoke. Were they onto her? The truth was, Dhol would do this if it involved his work. She hadn’t expected to be suspected so soon. So much for trust.

The man continued to wreck her belongings, and Raven grabbed him again. This time, he didn’t pull away, and his unpleasant odor wafted over her.

Raven was hit with his scent, and then some, as she let her own fill the room.

“Raven,” Dhol called from the doorway. “Let him finish his job. If you’ve been behaving, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Why are you doing this?” Raven asked.

“Some items have gone missing, and you have a history of taking things that aren’t yours. This time, you’ve taken some important items that could bring the king’s wrath down on us,” Dhol explained. “You better hope this search turns up nothing, or you’ll have a lot to answer for.”

She had to deflect and turn it back on him, make him question his judgment, but she had to be quick before he found the cards she was hiding.

“You’re tearing up all my stuff based on a hunch? You didn’t even ask me if I did it,” Raven argued. “You all want me to trust you—I guess it’s a one-way street.”

“My intuition is never wrong,” Dhol said, tilting his head to the side. “Trust? You never trusted us. I still don’t know anything about you. Your past. Your dreams. Fears.”

“Well, let me help you out then.” Raven began to strip off her clothes and tear them. “That magic item could be in here. We gotta be sure. Oh, look, nothing.”

To top it off, she let her emotions overflow. Raven truly felt hurt by his mistrust, so it was easy to let the tears flow.

“Are you done with your tantrum?” Dhol asked.

“I should’ve done it. I should’ve been trying to escape. Instead, I’m here trying to play house or become some kind of pet. I can’t believe I actually considered staying,” Raven said, closing the distance between them.

“But thank you for this reminder that I will never belong here.” Raven took the stuffed animal and smacked his stomach with it. “This is one of my fears. Isolation, mistrust, and abandonment. You’re an asshole.”

Dhol’s expression changed, but only for a moment. If she wasn’t mistaken, she thought she saw a hint of sadness. Raven left the room and headed down the stairs. She sat on the last step, waiting for Arenk to pick her up.

The cold step wasn’t too bad, with her underwear providing some insulation.

Raven meant what she said, and it worked. She got the items out without raising his suspicions. If he was on high alert, then Arenk and Laro were too.

Her plan was in ruins, and it hadn’t even started yet. Dhol mentioned the king’s wrath. Did others know about the missing cards?

She had to assume they were flagged. If she used them, it could only be once, and it had to be quick. Raven still needed a ship and prayed she could fly out of there.

She needed more information but doubted she had time to find it. The guard at the door swung it open. Arenk’s gaze fell on her. He removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

“Why are you naked on the stairs?” Arenk asked. “Where’s General Dhol?”

“She’s throwing a fit. We need to talk. Step into my office,” Dhol said, passing her on the stairs without a second glance.

He was as cold as ice. Maybe he didn’t care. Maybe he saw through her. They were in there for a while, and their raised voices were muffled by the door. Soon, the door swung open, and footsteps approached quickly.

Arenk crouched down to her level and looked into her eyes.

“At Laro’s party, did you steal the keycards? Answer truthfully. This is very important,” Arenk asked.

“No.” Her heart twisted in her chest.

“You traumatized her for no reason,” Arenk said, glaring at Dhol.

“I’m doing my due diligence, as you all should. I won’t let anything get—”

Raven stood. “I don’t want to see you for a while.”

A scent that was clean, like chlorine, but burnt came through. It reminded her of the smell after a lightning strike.

The house was already quiet, except for the staff moving around, but it went eerily silent. It was as if time itself had stopped.

Dhol chuckled, but it wasn’t full of joy; it was sinister. Goosebumps covered her body. “Lieutenant General, why don’t you start the vehicle, and I’ll walk her out.”

Arenk hesitated but left.

“Clear out,” Dhol ordered, making the guards scatter.

Once they were finally alone, his deliberate, weighty footsteps came to a halt behind her. “Turn around.”

Raven mustered up her bravery and met his fiery, furious gaze. She defiantly tilted her chin upward.

“We had a good time, didn’t we?” Dhol asked.

“Until now. You made it crystal clear. Your job takes precedence over everything else. There’s no trust between us. We’re practically strangers, so why should we keep this up? You got what you wanted last night, didn’t you?” Raven retorted.

“No, I’m after something more, but it won’t happen if you don’t come back. I expect to see you next week as usual,” Dhol responded.

“You won’t,” Raven declared.

The sharp, electric scent filled the air again, overwhelming her senses. He clenched his jaw so tightly that she could hear it from where she stood. Dhol took a deep breath and smirked.

“I will, next week and every week after that,” Dhol asserted.

Raven clutched her stomach. “Ouch, it hurts. I think I ate something off.” She coughed. “Do I feel hot to you?” She grinned. “I once broke my arm just to get time off for a concert. It’s not difficult.”

“You know what’s not difficult? Me making you mine for good. Reject me if you dare. I can’t promise I’ll react kindly,” Dhol warned.

His response took her by surprise. Raven just needed a break from him until things settled down. She hated to admit it, but she was drawn to his wild behavior.

Dhol was typically composed, but now, his emotions were running wild.

“You’re bluffing,” Raven challenged.

He shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out next week then.”