Raven Saga 01 - Raven

long time before I woke up but when I did, I knew that they had been trying to show me something. Well, not something, but someone,” I whispered.
    I could tell my family were all biting their tongues, except Jo who was clearly excited and desperate to know the full story.
    I held up the photo of Sammy and Neleh and said, “Last night I met Sammy Morton.”
    Gabriel stood up so abruptly that he knocked his cup of tea to the floor.
    “Lillian Tulugaq. What were you thinking? You could have got yourself killed. And then what? Then what?” he yelled and stormed out of the room.
    That was exactly the kind of reaction I had dreaded, which was one of the reasons I had wanted the others to be there with me for support.
    As I'd imagined, Wyatt stood and followed him, as did Meredith who returned a moment later with a sponge and began mopping up the tea. She was soon followed by the others. Gabriel was obviously forced to bite his tongue, again.
    I said nothing until everyone was sitting quietly.
    “Sammy is not what you think he is. Sammy is not a killer.”
    I could hear Gabriel huffing and trying so hard not to speak so I continued quickly.
    “Sammy was a witness to my sister's death. Vivian is the true murderer.”
    Although there were gasps, I could tell the information was being mulled over by them all.
    “And he told you this, did he? And you n
aïvely
believed him? Oh Lilly,” said Gabriel softly.
    “There's more to it, Gabriel,” I said, “Sammy has been in hiding all these years. Not because he was involved in the death, but because she cursed him. She prevented him from being able to return home. She cursed him with wings. Two beautiful big black wings.”
    Everybody suddenly began to speak at once and I waited a moment before hushing them so I could continue, “Sammy was the one who saved my life. He rescued me and you still have that feather to prove it... don't you, Gabriel?”
    He stood then, his face white as a sheet and he walked into another room, returning with the feather that proved what I had been telling them was the truth.
    “Goodness. All these years,” began Rose, “all these years he has been persecuted in so many ways. He was never even given the benefit of the doubt.”
    “That's not all,” I said, “Sammy and Neleh saw Vivian putting some kind of spell on Serena. He believes that he was putting a spell on her to get rid of her. That's how Neleh was killed. She confronted Vivian and she was murdered, but not before...” I took a breath.
    “Not before what Lilly?” asked Jo eagerly.
    “Not before Neleh changed into a cat.”
    Rose smiled then, “So she did carry the gene. And I thought I would never know the truth.”
    “The scar that Vivian had on her face in this photograph was put there by Neleh. She managed to swipe at her with her claws seconds before she died.”
    We all sat in silence for a few moments, letting the news sink in.
    “So where is Sammy now?” asked Gabriel at last.
    I explained that he'd created some kind of a home within a cave in the forest, far from the town. He couldn't risk being seen by anybody. “He knew that if anyone saw him, he would be taken away like some kind of freak. He is such a gentle man. Even now, after all that has happened to him. Even after being so alone for all these years, he is still a truly wonderful, gentle man. He should be a part of this family. The way he was meant to be,” I said sadly.
    Gabriel finally conceded and nodded, “I feel absolutely terrible. How could I not have known this?”
    “He hid from the world. He didn't want anybody to know,” I replied.
    “But the Elders. This is something the Elders should have known. We must go and see him,” he said.
    Again, I explained that it would be very difficult to find his hiding place but told them that he had said he would return not far from the house that evening.
    “He wants to meet with you all too,” I whispered, as a tear rolled down my cheek, knowing that he would finally be welcomed into our home with open arms. Fourteen years later than he should have been.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

    That day had turned out to be one of the most surreal days I had spent in Canada so far. For me it hadn't been so hard to understand what had really happened all those years ago, because I had only learned the truth about myself a few short months before. I knew it was tougher for the rest of the family though as they had old beliefs that had to be undone.
    Of course they