Following the ceremony, Willow departed to change. Wes took a seat in one of the chairs that were set up next to the aisle.The priest came to sit beside the prince before he spoke."I have never interfered, never bothered to warn the people who came before you because who was I to stop them from a hopeful journey that would perish in misery?"Wes looked at him, eyebrows raised. He said nothing and waited for him to continue."I pity the human you dragged into this. A human has no place in this world, let alone the path you are about to take her on."Wes looked back in the direction of the tent."She is tough. Besides, she is here by free will."The priest did not comment further and stood up to leave.Willow emerged from the tent wearing her usual attire. Wes noticed her and stood up, turning to face the mage who was standing on the right side of the aisle."We would like to return now.""Oh," Byron exclaimed, "I'm afraid that isn't possible, your highness. I had to notify the queen
She gave him a blank look before her face started to flush. She tried to maintain her composure as she retreated back into the couch to put some space between them. "Thank you for the generous and unchivalrous offer but I think I'll be better off somewhere else," saying that, she slipped from under his arms, got up from the couch, and ran past him and out of the room. In the hallway, Willow made her way to the balcony next to the stairwell. She tried to breathe in some fresh air while fanning her face with her hands. She stood with her arms resting on the ledge, looking over the enormous, olive-green trees that appeared black in the dark. She heard footsteps but didn't turn around to look because she was half expecting it to be Wes. "You shouldn't be out alone." Willow found the concierge from earlier standing beside her on the balcony. "Why not?" "A human, alone, in a place filled with vampires and witches? I don't think I need to explain any further. Your husband might not lik
The lodge's visitors had retired to their rooms late at night. The night was quiet except for the owls' hoots and the bats flying overhead. Esmeray sat behind the counter, bored and ready to fall asleep. She was covering a shift for her friend and made a mental note never to do it again. When self-pinching failed to keep her awake, she washed her face in cold water. She took a book on basic spells and began reading before getting back behind the counter. Although she was forbidden from using magic outside of her lessons, she needed to do something to keep herself from dozing off and no one was around to witness it. She took a piece of paper in her hand and focused on it while reading the spell from the book. A short while later, blue flames engulfed the paper. Just as she had started the fire, Esmeray extinguished it. She then used magic to light the fireplace, but she realized that anyone who happened to be nearby would be able to see the magical flames, so she extinguished it imme
Willow awoke on her old bed in her father's home, in the room she had slept in as a child. It had been a day since s She had returned from the "trip". She had once again passed out on the way home from Hieroland and believed Wes had carried her. She had to make up more lies when her father questioned her about her reappearance, such as how she had finished her project early and could spend the weekend at home.After her mid-day nap, she yawned and stretched before noticing the evening sun was low in the sky. On her nightstand was a note from Wes."I am going back to the city. Rest assured, you will see me again."She scoffed. Her mind had been racing with numerous thoughts for hours, and a headache had been developing now. She remained in bed until her father checked on her and was shocked to see that his daughter had a fever. He made soup for her and after making sure that she drank it in its entirety, he gave her the medicine. After that, she dozed off and awoke at midnight. She no
She heard the sound of the door opening. "Willow?" "Luke?" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" A perplexed Luke stood holding the door open before he stepped out. "What am I doing here? Ha ha... I live here. What are you doing here?" "I...I am looking for somebody." "Well, you clearly have the wrong house. Unless you were looking for me," he winked. "Sorry, but I'm taken." "Taken by delusion, no doubt," she scoffed and murmured under her breath. "Look around. There's no other house here. I'm sure this is the right place." "What's with all the noise?" Wes walked sluggishly to the door while pushing his hair back. "See, I was right!" She squealed. Willow sat on the sofa in the huge living room which was a contrast to what the house looked like from the outside. The house was surprisingly clean, and though it didn't look like something out of an inter
The next day, Willow was busy packing and moving. Luke had not been on board with the idea at first. When he heard about it he strongly opposed dramatically, but Wes explained to him why she had to be there, and when Willow promised to put in a good word for him to Felicity, he agreed to let her move in. Despite the fact that she didn't have much to pack, Luke was there to help her. She didn't have many possessions, and the furniture wasn't hers either. The gray dress from Vilaria, which had been neatly stored in her closet, was placed in a separate box. She talked to the landlord and tied up some loose ends before moving into the room that was next to Wes'. Everything was unpacked and organized in the way she had envisioned. After some time, she fell asleep because of how worn out she was. The next morning, Willow sat in the kitchen eating cereal and drinking milk. Luke had moved all the blood out of the refrigerator and replaced it with human food, which she was th
Wes fell asleep in the comfort of his bed. In his dream, he was back in the place where he was born and raised. He entered the palace garden, which was different from the way it looked now, and stopped when he saw a woman playing with what appeared to be a young child, no older than three years old. He could tell that it was his mother, and the child was a younger version of him. Around a large tree, the kid chased his mother as she ran and laughed. Wes grinned as he watched them with delight. It was only momentary, though, as the sound of laughter quickly vanished. The boy could no longer see the woman because she had gotten away from him. The kid frantically searched for his mother near the tree and in the garden before leaving the palace grounds and stepping into the forest, jumping over stones and streams of water. Wes followed the kid and saw him run before stopping at the woman's lifeless body. The boy sobbed. There was a man comforting the child, a hooded figu
The sun shone brightly in the clear sky the next morning. It was a nice day for exploring the campus, drinking iced coffee, or going on a date, but none of those things were on Willow's to-do list. Felicity addressed her team members who were gathered in a circle inside the booth that represented her club. "Increase our visibility, get emails or phone numbers for direct marketing, but remember to get as many new students to sign up as possible." After acknowledging her with a nod, everyone scattered to take their assigned positions. The clubs were organizing events today to obtain new members. Maxon's club occupied the booth next to Felicity's, and eight other clubs in the row were positioned next to or across from one another. Willow approached several students, informed them of the club, and persuaded a few to join. It was an hour of fake smiles and the test of her people-pleasing abilities. She didn't pause until Felicity approached her.