Arcane Crows Novels & Stories

I thought I could see someone stand on the bridge, but I wasn't sure. They had gone all out for the special occasion. The streets were incredibly clean, not to even mention the number of flowers they had decorating the shops and even the streetlights. It looked like we had straight-up walked into a magical fantasy land. "Welcome to Avian, girls." Gwen's voice sounded through our speakers. "As you can see, the streets are rather busy. It will take us some time to get to the castle." The streets only seemed to become more and more crowded as we got closer to the castle.

Armina's perspective: I stare into the sky in amazement as flames ignite, the air around us pushing it up into the sky like a tornado. As I watch I see them; hundreds of oversized crows; their bodies igniting as the sound they make is so high pitched all of us wolves are on the ground. The sound piercing our ears, I try to block it out, my intense hearing working against me as the sound feels so piercing I'm worried my ears are going to rupture.

But, as if a switch had been flicked, the scene burst into chaos as howls began to echo off the wall of trees and building behind them until an evocative chorus rose up, becoming louder and louder. If anyone ever asked Lucas to explain what he had witnessed that night, he would admit he had no words for it. Where once human bodies lay wrestling with the throws of their first shift, were now wolves with their thick coats gleaming in the ethereal light of the moon. And in the middle of it all stood Hecate, her blue and gold eyes never leaving Lucas even as her friends crowded her with excited nuzzling and licks of affection. What are you, Chloe? Lucas found himself asking for what felt like th

Randy inspected our outfits. Erica, on the other hand, seemed intrigued. "Pretty trendy. How did I miss this brand's new line?" Solomon and I wore limited-edition fall gear from a well-known brand. She recognized it as she circled us. "We're not high schoolers," I said. "We're in college." "Which one?" "Arcane Academy." Randy glanced at Debra. "You've got some juniors here." She graduated from Arcane too, but beyond that, I didn't know much.

Very gruesome but at least we’re allowed to shift. An Arcapy is a beast that dwells in caves just outside of our campus. It looks like a combination of different animals, with sharp claws and scales covering its body. It has horns, fangs, and a menacing, wild look. We have to hunt it, kill it and then bring back it’s head. It would be simple enough if they weren’t so fierce about protecting their territory. I’m excited for the hunt and I can’t wait to see how my little lucky charm handles this one.

I managed to ask, although the words came out so quietly that I wasn’t sure they’d heard me. The tallest man tilted his head, studying me for a moment before a small smile touched his mouth. There was something strange about the way he looked at me. It wasn’t the cold stare I’d expected from someone who had just walked into a warehouse and killed half the men inside it. His eyes seemed almost hungry, as though he’d been waiting to see me for a very long time. “The Ravens.” My stomach dropped. Ravens. I remembered the word immediately. The men who had kidnapped me had said it while they were filming me, but I hadn’t understood what they meant. I’d assumed it was the name of whoever they were

Night vision goggles covered her eyes, and a Bluetooth headset covered her ears. “How does it look from up there?” Warren asked. He and the remaining members of the Arcane Seekers trudged through the ankle-deep snow, spring may have come to Alberta, but Fort Vermillion didn't get the memo. Not that it matters with the town under siege by ravenous dog people called Adlets. Which brought the Scald Crow to a remote location. “We're clear. How are you doing?” air rushed against Therias microphone as she floated through the air. It didn't hide the worry in her voice.

Ralin was pretty sure the bird was one of Lamashtu’s minions. He glanced out the window, seeking any sign that the creature was not alone. Seeing no other crows anywhere in sight, he looked back at the bird on his windowsill, wondering why it had come here. The crow stared back at Ralin, its black eyes seeming to bore into his skull. Ralin could almost feel the hatred emanating from the bird’s stare. He was not bothered—he matched the intensity of the bird’s gaze. Suddenly, the crow’s eyes lit up with a fiery red glow. Ralin was momentarily startled, but not really surprised. The deformed feet had already marked the bird as a servant of the demon.

His eyes are wide and he looks at a loss for words, like he can't believe what just happened. The crow caws again, and I spin around, waiting for another attack. Todd steps in front of me. The crow studies us with a black, beady eye. He hops to the edge of the table, opens his beak, and caws shrilly again. Todd lobs the book across the room. The book clips the crow, and it takes to the air, flying back into the bathroom and out an open window, disappearing into the night.

Kai counters. “Enough, Kai. We can worry about diaper duty when the time comes. Now, let's enjoy our breakfast, and then it’s time for me to take you to get your marking, Ever.” Dad shuts down Kai’s whine fest. How could I have forgotten the marking? I can’t wait to have my mark of the coven on my back like the rest of the official members. It’s a crow sitting on top of a skull with shadows swirling around it. It’s totally badass, and I’ve been dreaming about the Moment I get mine.