Chapter 18: Off To Boarding School
RAFEL STOOD PAINED in his bedroom. He desperately searched for something to say. Anything. What was wrong with this girl? Matter of fact, what was wrong with him? On any other night in Hel, with any other girl who dared pulled some groupie shit like Ravenna just did, he would be aggressively shoving his cock down her throat, making her beg for more.
. .not feeling as though he just propositioned his Uncle, Lord Morningstar's favorite, Vashti. The urge to rip at something whitened his knuckles.
Rafel turned with simmering rage to address the young lady.
"Get out!"
Ravenna blinked. She stood at the side of his looming bed, her fingers twined, rocking on her feet. "Excuse me?"
"I said get out." Rafel dared to meet her jaded irises.
The passion he saw in their depths nearly made him drag her back down on her knees to give her exactly what she wanted. But for some stupid unknown reason, he seemed to have cultivated some sort of moral compass overnight. Why else would a person with his kind of sadistic mind think twice about getting some good head from a woman whose green eyes could conjure a forest?
Fuck these mortal energies rubbing off on him!
Rafel treated his sudden attention to morality as some kind of problem he needed to be rid of. He resolved to ask himself when he'd suddenly cultivated the ability [Moral Compass], a cuck kind of power in his mind.
Ravenna still hadn't left the room. He watched her take some steps closer until she was right in his face. Her cute button nose flared and her green eyes glowed. She began speaking as a woman shaken with a mix of lust and anger. A devastatingly rich combo to Rafel.
"You'll let Aya Naamah suck your cock. You'll even let Corazón, who I'm pretty sure is gay. But me? No. You think your dick is some kind of divine phallus, don't you?"
Rafel squinted in the mild candlelight. "It kind of is. I can bestow gifts on the magical creatures I sleep with—"
"That's not what I mean, and you know that, asshole." Ravenna balled her tiny fists at her side, a movement almost laughable to Rafel. "What's wrong, Your Grace? Am I too young all of a sudden? A child! From what I hear, Jailbaits are your kind of attraction. You love you some young pussy, don't you?
That's why you call me your Little Raven, ain't it? Tell me, LORD MASTER! You can't deny it. Your cock was the girth of my wrist. Everyone wants to fuck the sixteen year old. Everyone!"
Ravenna's taunting struck a nerve. He'd laugh if anyone else spewed such words, but coming from her lips, Rafel felt anything but humor. Something deep inside him twisted at the thought of ever defiling this girl. Just who the fuck was Ravenna de Vries? She must be some [A Rank] Sorceress to hide herself successfully from his [Cyclops Hell Eye] and enrapture him thus.
He belonged to no woman. No woman.
[Dragon girls], [Cat girls], Horned Succubi, Tattooed Sprites, and a smashing MILF underworld Goddess all fought for his attention. No mortal female would claim his heart. Never!
Rafel thought hard. He needed time. Time away without the alluring sight of her eyes to corrupt him. How to get it though? A sudden idea sparked in his brain, and the friction in his briefs rescinded a little. But he wasn't going to take lip from the sassy human girl.
"GET OUT!" Rafel roared.
Ravenna shivered under his frightening amber gaze, but held still. Rafel was a second away from bending her over the edge of his bed and spanking her so hard she'd see stars, when his mansion helped him out. Using [Haunting] ability, the Manor creaked, rearranging its floors in Rafel's suite.
The tiles abruptly moved around, the ones under Ravenna's feet lifting and carrying her, sweeping her away until she was by the door which opened of its own accord. The sentient house tossed her out of Rafel's room.
He heard her murmur through his door. "What the fuck? Stupid haunted house! If you won't fuck me, Your Grace. I'll find someone who will."
Her last words cut Rafel sharper than a Bonereaver's axe to his heart would.
Alone in his grand chambers, Rafel yelled, "System! Updates!"
[Ding!] A lulling chirp followed through. And Rafel found himself staring at a glinting screen no other person could see but he.
[Only One Update at this time!]
[Blessing a Rank B Dark Witch with Hell Blood, by the name of; Corazón Mortimer, has deemed a worthy ascension to the rank of Hell Anointer.
Therefore, new Upgrades are as follows!]
[Rank: Earl (Hell Anointer).
Class: BLESSED.
Abilities: Able to gift other underling magical creatures with weapons, runes, and devices from your own pocket dimension. Also, able to read the PROWESS of whatever creature, its magical faction or species.
Other System Rankings remain the same at this time.]
[Update finished!]
The holographic crimson image customized to his Luciferan bloodline dimmed out, and Rafel dropped heavily to the bed. He was yawning wide when the tall slenderness of Cora appeared at his bedside. Rafel looked her over but didn't sit up. He hadn't heard her come in.
Corazón had never seen Rafel so unbothered to do a thing, and quickly began to speak her mind about it.
"Your Grace, is anything the matter? I saw the de Vries' girl pounding to her room as I climbed up the stairs. Was she disrespectful again? I could make her fall asleep for several days if it would curb her smartmouth. I hate to see you like this, my Lord. Something disturbs you."
Cora tried lowering her hand to the impressive arc of his crotch but Rafel caught her fingers, shaking his head. Cora let her hand fall away.
"If you won't speak to me, Your Grace, perhaps, I should get Mistress Naamah? Aya is a Hellion like you and might understand some things which I don't."
"No," Rafel finally said. "It's nothing, Corazón. Nothing I can't handle." He sat up on the bed, patting the side of it which was promptly filled by Cora. Turning to face her in their simple nighttime clothes, Rafel met the reassuring strength of her ocean eyes before he began to speak again.
"We might have a problem with our Little Raven."
Cora took his hand, kissing his wrist palm-up. "What problem, Your Grace?"
"She's horny." Rafel said simply. "—and as you know that won't do in a house full of. . .people like us."
"A Succubus, a Witch, and a Hell Lord? I completely comprehend you, Your Grace. I mean, the girl is only sixteen. Turns seventeen by the month's end. I get it. What does His Grace have in mind?" Cora smiled warmly.
Rafel squeezed Cora's soft hand in his, turning out to look into the goth decor of his spacious bedchamber. His eyes glowed bright yellow as he spoke commanding words into the silent night. "I have a plan. Aye, Corazón! I do. It involves a ship, and a school."
Rafel and Cora exchanged dark grins in the bedchamber.
[🎶 Let Her Go – Passenger.]
Early at sunrise the next morning, Ravenna de Vries awoke to find herself sailing. Yep! She was sailing, alright. Her petite self, her bed, and everything had been bundled onto what appeared to be a moving ship. She rose on wobbly feet, flip-flops slapping to peer out the small cabin's window.
Seagulls swarmed the wide waters. Dolphins heralded their passing. Her room rocked from time to time.
"What the shit?!" Ravenna put a hand to her mouth, rushing for the loo.
She retched into a toilet bowl that opened straight to the sea. Sailing and Ships had never been her forte. Just what the fresh hell was the Earl and his band of mystery concubines up to now, she wondered. Besides, how the hell had they managed to maneuver her onto a ship without her opening an eye?
Cora! The name sang into her heart.
Realization dawned. That bitch!
"She must've drugged me. Although, a Sleeping Spell sounds more like her." Ravenna spoke into the small mirror in the cabin's bathroom, speedily brushing her teeth and cleaning herself up. Bundling her tresses of midnight into a long ponytail that teased her spine, she hurried out the bathroom, exchanging her pajamas for a large black cardigan and black jean shorts.
She kept the flip-flops.
Ravenna hurried along, her body and brain of one mind to yell at the high-and-mighty Sir Rafel BlüdThïrste, for literally kidnapping her to the sea. As she pushed opened the cabin's wooden door and ascended the steps for the deck, she was thinking maybe she shouldn't have been so sassy to his face last night.
But oh well, it was already done.
Ravenna forgot all about yelling when she found Rafel.
He stood by the metal railing across the forehelm of the large ship. His glorious red hair breezed in the wind like the white sails above him. His hands were folded behind like a Priest. A very hot Priest. He stared out into the ocean, and Ravenna followed his charming gaze into the endless blue waters, desperate to see and also admire that which he did. All she saw was birds shitting from above.
Ravenna didn't even notice Cora who stood at Rafel's side in her worship of him, until the dark sorceress spoke.
"Oh! You're awake. Good."
Ravenna's fury returned, enveloping her daydreaming and she rushed to the railing to meet both of them. Her green eyes were fair and undiminished against the smooth rising waves.
"What did you do to me last night? And where are you taking me?" She stood up on her toes to match Cora's height.
The blue-eyed kickboxer only smiled, amused.
"Easy there, firebird. Contrary to what you think, I didn't cast a spell on you. You slept all through the carriage ride to the ship this morning. I guess you are not as opposed as you'd like to Lord Rafel's touch, as he himself carried you up the docks to the cabin in which you awoke.
As for where we are going, it's called the Isle of Corynthia. One of the few flagging the north marina territory of Eldoria. And it is to be your new school."
Ravenna paled. "Wait! My what?"
"Ah, look! There it is. Such a wonder, innit?" Cora continued like she hadn't heard her.
She pointed across the chilly waves to a tiny island and Ravenna followed the path of Cora's blue nails to the high towers of a monstrous stone menace in the horizon of the isle, which screamed dark wizardry at all of her insides.
She turned her green eyes to Rafel, who hadn't said a single word since the sailing began. The look on his handsome face was conflicted. He wanted her out of his hair, and then he didn't. Rafel would be first to admit he'd miss a certain fiery beauty stomping to his wing every now and then. He was comforted a little by the thought that she'd be back by winter.
Winter, was three months away.
And she'd be seventeen by then.
It made Rafel darkly happy.
"But wait? School?" Ravenna was speaking fast. "I'm guessing this is the kind of private, elusive, slightly haunted kind of boarding school that rich kids go to. What of the fees? Expenses must be astronomical if it has an entire island to itself. I can't hope to pay you back, Lord BlüdThïrste.
What about my clothes? Uniforms? Anyone?
Shit. Are you guys hearing a word I'm saying?"
Ravenna frowned when Cora and Rafel both had the guts to look amused at her flailing. As they neared the sandy beach of the island, Cora finally replied.
"All expenses you may consider have been taken care of. You will be crème de la crème here. You are the Ward of the Earl of Emberfall, grand benefactor of this school. And as for your clothes, you will find a fresh wardrobe in the room allocated to you in your dorm."
Cora turned with angelic blue eyes to Ravenna as the ship pulled to a flagrant harbor on the island. "If there's nothing else, Little Raven. Welcome to the Isle of Corynthia!"
A delightful trip by a triad of winged horses, all sparkling white, led them through a mild cultured forest to the high silver gates spelling the acronym, [C. A. W], along with the embossing of a gold swan with a crooked wand in its beak.
The symbol of the school, Ravenna guessed.
They climbed off the horses by a grand circular fountain showcasing a mermaid holding a goblet which spewed the crystal water, and as Ravenna watched the magical beasts gallop and leap into the air, she turned her eyes from their graceful takeoff to the administrative quarters of the school which loomed just beyond.
It was immense. Stories and stories, and windows and windows of history. Magical history. It was it's spires she had seen from the ship's deck earlier at sea.
"WOW!" Her lips fell open.
The black towers stretched for the gray skies rolling by. The weather was like that of Emberfall. Gloomy. Eerie. Communicating the paranormal and supernatural. It had more massive stone buildings which looked centuries old to the east.
A long bell tower. A great Cathedral. The same acronym, [C. A. W], Ravenna found emblazoned in mighty engraving as they docked into the Blackstone archways that led into the building.
It was pure goth beauty.
Loads and loads of money had been, and was being spent on the school.
Shit! Ravenna thought.
She had a dream like this once. But she'd never thought she would get to live it.
An overwhelming sense of loyalty to Rafel took over her as she continued gulping in the silent gray hallway they trode. She could not imagine the purses of gold plus connection it took to get her here. And the man had managed it overnight?
The corridors were expansive, with amber magic lamps as illumination. Wide enough to drive four carriages through side by side, and extending forward to infinity. The floors were tiled an evergreen mosaic, complementing the high domed celestial ceilings, and shined, and the sound of their boots echoed deeply into the silence of mountain stone.
Sheesh! Ravenna mused. The school was everything she predicted. Rich as fuck. Weird. And beautiful.
The halls loomed like a Reaper could just appear and snatch you out of thin air. And no one would even know.
A great many laurels hung across a high wall dedicated to trophies alone, and shielded by a glass that sparkled like water running through a creek. Gold trophies. A few silver. But no brass.
Ravenna found herself staring at the same acronym, [C. A. W], for the third time.
Sensing her need for explanation, Cora stopped with Ravenna at the magnificent 40ft glass display to explain.
"This is [C. A. W], dearest! The Corynthian Academy for Witches. A most notable and noble institution for all magical factions. Faefolk.
Mermaid. Demon. Beastlings, werewolves and their like. Witches, like us. Only the pick of the crop in Eldorian nobility go here.
Alumni include the current Queen of the realm, Giselle Van Imperia, and seventy percent of her entire court. The next generation of power and wealth are being groomed within these hallowed walls. The children of Dukes, Admirals, and Counts, who'd otherwise be wanking off in their bedrooms are sent here to become something.
The Corynthian Academy for Witches is Legacy. Dynasty. And Prosperity."
"Woah!" Ravenna's green eyes were large on the laurels.
Rafel grinned from the side. It was working. His plan. His Little Raven would be so occupied in school work he'd be free to conduct his business with a sound mind. Level up, and such. And he didn't need to bother about Mephistopheles reaching her here.
[C. A. W] was a Ninth Level Magical Institute blessed with Wards that came straight from the Archangels themselves. It would take a trinity of [S Rank] Principalities to break though. Meph had no chance.
The sound of clicking heels on the resplendent floors reached their ears, and Ravenna swiveled around to find a striking mature woman in a flashy skirt suit sauntering in. Her heels were six inch and fire. She was tall, bespectacled, and walked with the sort of confidence that came with over eight figures in the Eldorian Treasury.
Ravenna knew such gait. Rafel had it. It was the walk of money.
The approaching woman was Headmistress of the [C. A. W], Dr. Nicara Shetty.
"You didn't bring me here out of the good graces of your heart, did you?" Ravenna asked of Rafel, earning a scoff from Cora.
Rafel tried to smile polite. But it came out wrong. His amber eyes leveled on the approaching woman doctor, and held, even as he replied Ravenna.
"Good graces, my dear, I do not have. You should know that by now. You said your father was one of the greatest potionmasters. Well, this is your chance to regain your family's legacy and name. You are hope, Ravenna de Vries. Do not make me regret this."