Raven Read Online Free PDF

Outside, the sun still filtered through the trees, giving the Earth one last burst of energy and life. I looked back at the cabin and then the trees.
    “ Thank you. You can let go now.” It was as though the trees that had formed my cabin let out a tremendous sigh of relief, and the crackling of branches began. I watched as the shape of the cabin dissipated, and the trees reached back toward the sky and the sun. They shook their branches one last time before falling silent, the magic inside them retreating back into the roots.
    Where the cabin had been, there was now a bare spot, but it was quickly covered by some anxious vines, all looking for a spot to take root and wait out what was to come. Looking around, I noticed that there were no bugs. I missed their busy presence flying about the woods. They had always reminded me of the life that was now beginning to fade. The rays of sun were nothing but void light, lacking the nourishment they need to survive. I breathed in one last time, already smelling the tinge of death in the air. I nodded to myself, turning and heading toward home.
    As I reached the clearing of the meadow, I hung back, seeing the crowd of people through the trees. What were they doing? I looked toward where the invisible house was and saw Sam standing there in a suit, a white cat at his heels. Confused and mildly put-off, I scanned the rest of the crowd. A girl in a white dress caught my immediate attention. At first I did not recognize her, but as my memory caught up to me I remembered.
    “ Sarah? ” I murmured out loud. She seemed to turn and look in my general direction, as though she had heard me say her name. I ducked behind a nearby huckleberry bush, afraid to let everyone see me.
    The anger in me grew. Why had Sam done this to me? Why couldn’t he have told me to come back any other day? It was then that I remembered that he had in fact mentioned a wedding, but the word itself was so sentimental to my own history, that I must have drowned it out, remembering my own wedding instead. I looked back to where Sam had been, seeing him now looking over his shoulder at the spot where I was standing, a delighted smirk on his face.
    “ I hate you, Sam ,” I muttered. He knew I hated weddings, or crowds for that matter.
    I saw him shrug, though he was so far away, it could have been a laugh as well.
    It was then that she appeared out of nowhere, and my anger faded almost immediately. While the guests were turned, looking at Sarah, Elle had exited the house. My heart stopped, remembering her youth and beauty. It calmed my fleeting emotions. I forgot all about the wedding, and the crowd, now only seeing her.
    “ Estella, ” I whispered, and I saw her stop dead in her tracks, looking around. She was powerful again, able to hear every sound as she once had. She continued forward, shrugging it off and blaming it on her creative mind.
    Everyone began to group together, taking their seats as I began to feel nervous. I was likely more nervous than the groom himself, my palms wanting to sweat though they were cold as death. I swallowed hard, conjuring a spirit I had nearly forgotten—that of the raven. As my body struggled to change, I began to wonder how the angel wings would play into this, but as I finally got in the air, I still felt them tucked to my spine like a spare pair.
    I flew in circles upward, erupting from the canopy and flying overhead. No one’s attention faltered from the bride, and as Elle came into view, I saw her eyes were closed, dreaming. There was an unmistakable smile on her face, and I knew now that she could feel me.
    She still loved me.
    As carefully as I could, I circled in behind her, fluttering down onto the seat beside her.
    She drew in a sharp breath, and it made my body shudder. I tucked my wings behind me, feeling my heart race in a way it hadn’t since that day she appeared in my class, like a ghost. I watched her exhale slowly, wanting to look, but her mind trying to