Read Watcher: A raven paranormal romance (Crookshollow ravens Book 1) for Free Online Page A

the other.
    I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do with the raven, but I figured I’d get him back to my place first, and then figure out my next step. I should call the vet. Y es, that’s a good idea. Vets know about all sorts of animals, including parrots and chickens. A raven should be similar to a chicken, right?
    People gave me strange looks as I weaved through the streets with a large, croaking raven in a bread box. While I waited for the traffic light on Oxford Street to turn red so I could cross, I fumbled one-handed in my bag for my phone, and dialled the local vet.
    He picked up on the second ring. I took a deep breath, not certain how I was going to explain. “Hi Barry, it’s Belinda Wu.”
    “Oh, Belinda, hello! I haven’t seen you or Chairman Meow at the clinic for ages. I was meaning to tell you, those cat cupcakes you made for the RSPCA luncheon went down a treat. We’re sponsoring a dog show in a few weeks and I’d love to chat to you about—”
    “Yes, yes, thank you. I can definitely work something out if you get Carol to call me with the details. Listen Barry, I’ve got a bit of an emergency, and it’s not the Chairman this time. I’m actually holding a raven.”
    “A … raven?”
    “Yeah, I’m on Oxford Street, and I’ve got a raven in a box.” My little black friend was becoming quite distressed with all the cars zooming past. His head whipped back and forth, and he started squawking loudly. A mother pushing a wailing baby in a pram glanced up at me with an odd look on her face. I gave her a shrug, as if we shared some kind of similar affliction, her with her baby and me with my corvid. The light turned red and I started walking slowly across the road, the phone pressed awkwardly between my ear and shoulder while I used both hands to steady the box. “I found him in Fauntelroy Park. Or her. I guess I don’t really know much about raven genders. His leg is quite badly damaged. Can I bring him in?”
    “Sure.” Barry paused. “It’s after hours, so—”
    My heart fell. I could barely afford a vet visit, let alone an after-hours visit. “Um, right. Well, could you maybe help me out just this once? This isn’t exactly my pet raven, you see—”
    “Sorry, kid. I’m at home now, and Janice is pretty strict with the books these days, after everything that happened.” Barry used to be a client of AE Accountancy, the firm owned by Ethan’s friend Clive. So Barry had his own financial problems. “But I’ll tell you what, if you keep that bird alive until morning, I’ll come in twenty minutes early and see you first thing, and I won’t charge you for the full visit. How would that work?”
    “That would be great, except I don’t know anything about nursing ravens.”
    “Just clean up the wound and make the bird comfortable. And keep him away from Chairman Meow. Do you have any antiseptic—”
    A car honked loudly. I jumped. The raven squawked in terror, and managed to free its second wing from the edge of the box. With a flap, it toppled over the side and landed on the road.
    “That’s great, thanks Barry!” I yelped, and hung up. Heart pounding, I raced back across the road after the bird, dodging around the bonnet of a Fiat. I dived for the raven, but even with only one functioning wing, it was fast. Its silky feathers slipped through my fingers, and it hobbled back toward the park, heedless to the traffic trying to come around the corner.
    Please don’t let him get run over, I prayed to whatever god was listening as I dashed back through the moving traffic. I think Odin has something to do with ravens. Odin, please help us both get out of this alive.
    Now all the cars behind me were honking. The raven hopped back toward the curb, squawking at the top of its lungs. A cyclist raced around the corner, and the bird barely managed to jump out of the way in time.
    Squawk! The raven cried defiantly, raising a wing in the air and shaking it, almost as if it were