The Songbird and The Raven [C]

with dark brows furrowed and pale lips curved into a frown, syeira crept through the oppressive darkness of the shadows. people feared the expansive land that existed beyond their walled domain, and the raven haired courtesan lacked the capacity to understand their fear. he pitied them for their sheltered existences. the citizens of raduga lacked the courage to escape from their protected sphere of the continent, preferring to seek assistance from the clansmen and the mercenaries that prowled the streets of piros. no one wanted to subject themselves to the unpredictability of the wilderness without the reassuring, comforting presence of their heralded guardians. everyone believed that stepping outside of the cities warranted their early demise due to the carnivorous nature of the lurkers, but the purple clansman found solace in escaping from the constant hustle and bustle of lilla by stepping into the shadows.

a sigh slipped past parted lips as his silver hued gaze shifted from the scenery to his map, which crinkled warningly as his grip tightened on the fragile piece of parchment. his sisters dared to order him to find the elusive woman that they deemed his perfect match. they supported a nonexistent relationship because they foolishly believed that rayne hermes would be his future, and while he adored his sisters, their stubborn tenacity regarding the subject left him in near constant bemusement. he could not understand their insistence upon him seeking out the younger woman and spending time with her. rayne—obviously—refused to see him or deal with him due to her unfortunate experience with his collection of crazed fans.

can’t blame her, he breathed to himself as he ceased his forward progression. the furrow between his brows deepened as he began earnestly studying the map. his siblings managed to pry rayne’s location from liyana, the fortune teller that resided in lilla and lived with the enigmatic woman. his frown gained definition as he released a sigh of frustration. syeira loathed the idea of appearing before the minstrel, who tossed him aside and avoided him without granting him an opportunity to apologize for their disastrous date. no, he did not want to apologize; however, his sisters threatened to skin him alive if he continued to maintain a frigid aura around the younger blackette. where the hell are you? the words echoed in his mind in an endless mantra as he tore his gaze away from the map, fingers clutching at the fragile parchment and distorting the image drawn onto the otherwise unblemished paper.

before he could resume his pointless trek through the shadows, the thunderous sound of stampeding lurkers reached his ears, resounding in his mind and causing his body to tense in preparation for a speedy flight. with cautious movements, syeira crept forward, listening intently as the noise increased in volume. the trees shook around him, sending birds vaulting in the air as they attempted to escape the approaching devastation. panic surfaced upon his features as he noticed the bushes before him shaking. his eyes narrowed as his target burst forth from the foliage and barreled toward him. in her wake, a pack of monstrous strains appeared, obviously seeking the young woman’s demise.

fuck, syeira breathed while pivoting and preparing himself for flight. he waited until he sensed the woman at his side and then aimed to match her speed. what the hell did you do? the words escaped him in a rushed shout as he tried to raise his volume to triumph over the cacophony of sound created by the stampeding lurkers. yes, today would be miserable and endless. he could not wait to return to his apartment and collapse in his bed.