"Here's how this is going to work," said the calm, ginger-haired man, his breath right against her throat. "I'm going to kill you. And then it will all be better."

A chill settled in her stomach. In truth, it had been there for a while now, but Indrani had refused to acknowledge its presence. She wouldn't be afraid. Or, at least, show that she was.

For Indrani was very afraid. She accepted that. She was terrified. But her family deserved better than to know that.

"Will it..." There was no good way to phrase her question. "Will it hurt?"

The ginger-haired man swept around from behind her chair and kneeled before her. He looked so completely human, with a square jaw and kind blue eyes. No trace of the creature within. He pulled a beautiful, silver dagger from a sheath that seemed cast from pure starlight. "Yes," he answered. "But not for long. And you will find it is an... enlightening sort of pain."

Indrani tore her gaze from the smiling man. Her family stood with her in the room that had minutes ago been a place of celebration. A tear ran down her mother's bronze cheek. Her father seemed lost in the black granite that was the floor. Her little brother Rhys hadn't moved since the moment the man had arrived. Alaban stood by the window, staring out into the swirling blue mists that surrounded the house.

Caz was the only one who looked at her. The raggedy orphan boy in his night clothes and an oversized coat, the newest of her family. Pleading with his deep brown eyes. Begging her.

Not that Indrani had a choice in the matter.

No. Her only choice was how willingly she went.

"Make this easier for everyone, Indrani," said the nameless man. "Accept your Silencing with grace."

She gave a glance to her parents. To Rhys. To Alaban. To Caz.

Then nodded at the man. "Is it... Now?"

"It can be as soon as you are ready," answered the Silence, pulling out his knife. "I won't do it till you say so."

Indrani felt her head spin, a tear escaping her. "May I... May I please write a note first?"

The Silence man nodded. "Of course."

Her feet shaky, Indrani rose from her seat. One step at a time, she found her way to her writing desk. It was scattered with stray scraps of her writing-- A few lines of poetry here and there. Rarely anything completed. Perhaps that would be her greatest regret. Never finishing any of her poems.

One. I'll finish one.

Picking up her quill, she bent over her desk and scribbled down the words she felt. Whenever she was overwhelmed, sometimes just writing down the words as she experienced them helped melow their blow.

Cold.

That was the first word. The brisk wind that brushed past her bare arms. She knew that cold always came with the Silence. Yet experiencing it... It wasn't simply cold. It was the cold of having been left at the bottom of a cave for a hundred years. The cold that came without hope of warmth. The cold that you gave into and never resisted.

Quiet.

From the moment the Silence had entered her house, only her parents, Rhys, and the nameless man had spoken. Yet everywhere else, there was quiet. She couldn't hear her breath, the crickets that had once been outside, anything.

Hollow.

Perhaps that was the worst feeling of all. Bran stood on her shoulder, ebony feathers shining. Usually, she and her raven shared a connection. A bond. His voice could fill her mind, all witty banter and sly jokes. Or even when her Spirit wasn't feeling talkative, he was there for her. A subtle presence, a touch of comfort. Yet now his dark eyes watched her, and she didn't know what he was trying to tell her. Her connection was gone. She wanted to collapse with the sheer emptiness of it.

More words came. And she linked them all into a simple string. Four lines. Her last note to the family she would be leaving behind.

Then she turned and faced the Silence. "I'm ready," said she.

The nameless man smiled, and gestured for her to sit back in her stone chair.

"No-" her mother protested. "Let me go first. If you have to take all of us. Let my children live longest."

The Silence turned to her, and only offered a comforting grin. "We talked about this. It will be easier for them not to see it first." His grin slipped just a slight. "And let me be clear. This is not death. This is ascension. You are the lucky ones. The House of the Raven has been chosen. Think of this as a gift."

"It's okay Mother," Indrani interjected. "I can do this." She looked at little Rhys, long black hair loosely tied back. Ten years old, two years beneath her. She wanted to be a good example for him. Make this easier for him.

She brought herself to the chair and sat. The motion felt as if she had passed control of her body off to a spectre and was being moved by phantom stings.

The man rested a hand on her shoulder, and gently ran a finger across her throat. She shuddered at the feeling. "Shhhhh..." said the nameless man. "Relax. Relax..."

A shing sounded behind her as the knife was slid from its sheath.

She couldn't stop herself. More tears fell.

"It's okay... Embrace the cold... The steel will bring you peace... Now breath... Breath..."

She did her best to obey. To take a slow breath in, and let it out again.

"There... Good... Now, are you ready?"

Indrani gave herself another breath. "Yes."

When cold pressed against her throat, she swore her heart would burst from her chest.

The nameless man was right. It did hurt. Yet it also brought her peace.

And it was beautiful.