Chapter 4
Losing Him
“ I don’t know about this, Seraphina. I’m already healing you twice as much in the last few months. I think it’s time you let things go. He’s hurting you,” Nori says as she eyes me warily.
“He’s not doing it on purpose. Something has changed. I’m losing him, sister.”
“I know he’s not doing it on purpose. As I’ve told you, you shouldn’t be coming to me for healing. You should let him know you’re no longer able to take him.”
“And then what? Allow some other fairy to take what’s mine? I need you to keep studying, keep looking for an answer for me.”
“Sera, it was one thing for me to look for a potion that would allow you to have sex with him without tearing you apart. It’s another to ask me to create a love potion. What are you thinking?”
“Bradan belongs to me. I will not allow anyone else to have him. He’s mine. There has to be a way. Give me your list and I will find whatever you need to make this happen,” I snap.
“But, sister, this will take so many forbidden ingredients. I?—”
“Leave all that to me. Bradan will make sure I can return to this realm with everything you need. He would never suspect me.
“Besides, I won’t retrieve it all in one trip. I’ll be returning to the fairy realm a lot. That will get me access to all we need.”
Nori groans. “I think this is a bad idea. Some of these things will draw unnecessary attention. Dagger and the kings have worked so hard to keep me safe. This could lead trouble right to me.”
I stand and move to cup my sister’s face. Allowing my gaze to bounce across her pretty features, I think over her words. I would never allow her to fall back into that monster’s hands.
“I will forever regret what happened to you. I will never allow it to happen again. Once I become Bradan’s queen, you will never have to worry again.”
“This will end badly, Seraphina.”
“This is what must be done. I’m losing him. Now what do I need for the potion?”
Nori sighs, but she grabs paper and pen and begins to write the list of what I need. A smile comes to my lips. Soon, I will be able to bed him once again without injury, and I will be able to get him to fall for me and make me his queen.
Thank the gods he didn’t want to bed me this evening. I blink back the tears as memories of the pain surface. I will endure what I must to seduce him into making me his queen.
Once Bradan is mine, I will have the power to make sure all fire fairies are treated like royalty and with respect. Then I will overthrow the fire fairy king and expose him and his son as the tyrants they are.
“Seraphina, for the love potion, you will have to go see her . She’s the only one who has the main ingredient,” Nori says nervously as she breaks into my thoughts.
I close my eyes and exhale. Our aunt is a powerful fairy who was raised by a coven of witches. She has also been exiled from the inner court of the fairy realm as she is feared.
She’s been forced to live outside the safety of the kingdom’s walls, where food is sparse, and dangers are plenty. They say her anger now fuels the forest she lives in. Going to see her will come with a price, but I’m willing to pay as long as Bradan is mine in the end.
“Let me worry about her. I will take care of everything, you’ll see.”
“Sister, you must be careful. They say she serves the one. She’s on the list of forbiddens. If Bradan finds out you’ve been in touch with her, we could lose everything. This will not be forgiven.”
“You worry too much. As long as I have the king’s favor. I can do no wrong. I have set my goal. No one will get in the way of my end results. I will have the power I seek. I will avenge our family and all that was stolen from you.”
“But I’m not asking you to do any of that. I like my life here. We have peace here. Even if you were to end things with Bradan, we would still have a good life.
“Think, Seraphina. Your actions could bring us so much pain. Dagger looks after me, but he’s loyal to the brotherhood.
“Don’t cause him to turn his ire on us both. We won’t survive. The fire fairy king and prince’s wrath would pale in comparison,” she pleads.
“You cannot find true love because a monster wears your heart around his neck. Becoming Bradan’s queen is how I plan to get that necklace with your heart back. I would do anything for you, including give my life.”
I vowed to myself I would seduce Bradan to gain his trust to one day free my sister. Somehow, along the way, I did fall in love with him, but retrieving Nori’s heart and gaining power to get my revenge is and will always be my main goal.
“Just be careful, Seraphina. You’re all I have. I would gladly live a heartless life as long as you are safe. Maybe there’s another way.”
“There isn’t,” I say with finality.