Chapter 31
The Taunting Wolf
My father told me that kisses and fairytales are nothing but a stupid way to trick humans. He is not very nice. Today was my 10th birthday, and he left me behind. If he hated humans so much, why keep playing with them? I don’t wish to be a prince; I just want to have fun. I do not hate humans, but I do not care about them at all.
Retrieved from Evren Wraithwood’s journal.
Five Days Before the Incident
Evren Wraithwood
The first thing he saw was Seraphine sprawled on the floor, passed out and pale. Right beside her was Shadoweater, who seemed to have an odd wound on his leg, but Raggart was already bandaging it.
Evren slowly took Seraphine in his arms. Her breathing was shallow. His fingers lingered a moment on her cheek, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face.
“What happened?”
he asked Raggart and Shadoweater, his voice tense with worry.
Raggart looked at the cat sith, which moved closer to Evren. Though Shadoweater couldn’t speak, as his familiar, he sent small images or captures of memories.
Then, Evren saw it.
He bit his tongue. Evren knew Maxwell seemed familiar the moment they met. He had been too focused on his plan and on Seraphine to realize that Maxwell was actually a monster, just like him. Countless questions surfaced. If Maxwell was aware of everything, why pretend he was engaged and follow my commands? He needed to wait for Seraphine to wake up and explain.
With care, Evren took her to their chambers. She seemed unharmed, but he made sure to check every inch of her for any sign of something out of the ordinary. Then, he slowly took off the white cloak and laid her down on his bed, covering her with a quilt.
He sat nearby and watched her, his turmoil intensified with every moment she was asleep.
How had Maxwell been able to trick me so easily? As far as Evren knew, Maxwell was a childhood friend of hers. However, whenever Evren followed Seraphine, she was mostly alone, even as a child.
He met Maxwell a couple of years ago, and that was the first time he saw them together. They seemed close friends, but there had certainly been more at play there.
“Hey,”
Seraphine crooned, her eyes fluttering open. They met his with a soft, lingering gaze. Evren moved to her so quickly that he almost fell to the floor. She laughed a bit, which relieved Evren.
“Careful there, prince. You almost kissed the floor,”
she teased.
He smirked, hiding his concern. “Since I promised to behave, I guess the floor is my consolation prize.”
Seraphine laughed more, and Evren thanked the Ancients.
“Would you like to talk about what happened?”
“No,”
she said firmly, then her eyes softened. “Not now. Maybe later. I promise I’ll tell you everything.”
Evren moved closer and caressed her cheek, his thumb gently tracing her skin. “Is that a deal?”
She smiled. “It is.”
“We’ve made so many deals recently that we might end up tangled for life fulfilling them,” he joked.
Her eyes seemed warmer and lighter. Seraphine closed the distance and whispered, “That sounds like a good plan.”
His heart stopped for a moment. Evren must have had a surprised expression because she laughed even more.
“Speechless? Well, that is definitely a shocking event coming from you, Evren.”
Then, they both laughed shyly and somehow expectant to know more about her change of heart. However, for Evren, she had always been the priority, so he helped her stand for a bath. Warm water might help, considering the stiffness in her movement.
Seraphine took her time, and when she reappeared, she went directly to his bed and sat in the corner of it, watching him. She was wearing an excuse of a camisole that he was not sure if he should hide or fill her closet with. As usual, she was wearing thin gloves, hiding those beautiful, delicate fingers of hers. She moved her hand a little and brushed it across her hair nervously. “Can I ask you a favor, prince?”
“For you, Crimson Eyes? Anything.”
She looked at his bed. “Can you sleep with me? Just sleep. I-I know my bed is just right there, but I don’t—”
He understood and lay down, opening his arms to her. Just like that, she settled in his arms, almost throwing herself at him, which filled his heart with warmth. While they stayed together, Evren told her more stories about his trips, his brothers, oddities about all kinds of creatures, and amazing lands in the Otherworld that he wanted her to see. Evren caressed her hair until she fell asleep. A few minutes later, he did too, a smile on his lips, wondering if the world was giving him a chance back for happiness.
And how long it would last this time.
Evren opened his eyes. Usually, he would see the light from the massive window in the chamber, but this time, he found himself looking directly into a crimson storm of starlight looking right back at him. Seraphine was somehow half on top of him, her warm breath brushing against his skin, her face inches from his. Her eyes widened, as if caught doing something she shouldn’t have. He smiled knowingly.
She smiled back and rested her chin on his chest. “You snore. A lot,”
she spoke, her long lashes flickering seductively.
“I do not,”
Evren said, still sleepy, but her touch sent shivers down his spine.
Seraphine giggled, the sound like music to his ears, and he wrapped an arm around her, feeling the softness of her body against his. They stayed there in a comfortable, intimate silence, the air thick with unspoken words.
“So, about yesterday,”
Seraphine said, not making any attempt to move from her current position. Her fingers traced lazy circles on his chest, each touch igniting a fire within him.
He lowered his head a bit and looked at her. “If you want to talk about it, Crimson Eyes, I am all ears. If not, I will understand.”
She nodded and asked, “How is Shadoweater?”
“He is fine, just a scratch. He is with Raggart now, but as soon as he is fully healed, he will return to my skin.”
“That is so very weird… to have such a bond. I am glad he is fine. He took good care of me.”
Then, she cleared her throat. “When I was about to leave the human realm, Max appeared out of nowhere. He seemed strange, and at first, I thought he was just feeling guilty. You did mention that you used him a little once, so I thought nothing of it.”
“But then, he changed, Evren. His eyes looked just like mine, and he told me something—something I had heard in a dream. But I am starting to believe there is more than we know about all of this.”
Indeed, it was like everything was becoming more twisted with every step they took.
“What did he say?”
Evren asked her carefully.
She shifted, her body pressing against his in a way that made his heart race. I really need to get a hold of myself.
“He said that my mother wanted me to go home. I had this dream of a woman saying those same words to me. Isn’t that strange?”
she said, her hair falling on his chest and the side of his face, caressing him like a silken curtain.
This time, he could not suppress a sigh. She giggled again, the sound vibrating through him, and he softly pinched her side, just like she liked to do to him. She giggled even more.
“It is indeed very strange, especially with the timing of everything happening. Seraphine, I am sorry you had to—”
She cut him off, covering his mouth with both hands, looking at him with a softness that made his heart ache. “No, this is not your fault. We will figure it out, Evren. Right now, I wish to focus on the quest and—”
“And?”
She smiled wickedly at him, closing the distance, not a single inch separating their bodies, her mouth on top of his. Like magic, he closed his eyes, feeling her warmth seeping into him.
“And...”
He could feel her soft breath on his lips, her scent enveloping him. “I am dying for...”
As if he were enchanted, he repeated, “Dying for what?”
He was already lost in her closeness, her cheerfulness, and those small giggles.
She hummed, and then, quick as a storm, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Dying for one of those berry roses.”
Then, she stood up, laughing, leaving him there, the scent of her fresh on him.
Sweet, cunning fox.
Days later, they traveled again to the forbidden section of the Mystweave Library. Evren leaned back on the couch, watching Seraphine furiously flip through yet another ancient tome. The journey to the forbidden library had yielded nothing but dead ends and frustrations, wearing on her. Her eyes, usually so bright, now glimmered with impatience.
Nearby lay the odd book with the spike, still as mysterious as when they first found it. Seraphine’s gaze kept drifting to it, her frustration mounting. She had asked this morning if she could take it to Dorah, but Evren felt like it might endanger all of them, leading Seraphine to be mad at him for about two hours.
She closed the book in her hand with a sharp snap and exhaled loudly.
“We’re not finding anything useful. I see nothing more than gibberish about the history of the Underworld. I’d rather eat deadly thorns than keep reading these useless texts,” she said.
Evren smiled. “Well, that can be arranged—the food part. I do not have thorns, but there is a certain berry rose that I know you’ll delight in,”
he said playfully.
That sparked her interest. “You have them here? Where are they?”
she said, a little too excited.
Evren winked at her. “Of course, I have some here, and they are all yours...”
He couldn’t keep teasing her. “But only if you give me a kiss. Deal?”
She narrowed her eyes at him, a spark of amusement breaking through her frustration. “A kiss, huh? Is that all it takes to get some food around here? Seems kind of cheap coming from a prince.”
She purred and moved her hair away from her neck. Today, she was wearing a dark blue dress that was a little too tight on the chest—a distracting view indeed.
He shrugged, still smiling. “That’s the deal. A kiss for a meal.”
To his surprise, and before he could explain it was a joke, Seraphine slowly straddled him, her knees pressing into the cushions on either side of his legs. Her dress parted in such a way that it was hard for Evren to keep his eyes up front. She leaned in, her breath warm against his lips, and Evren’s body locked up, feeling more like prey than ever.
“All right, prince. A kiss it is.”
Before he could muster a word, her lips met his, soft and sweet at first. Evren’s hand found her waist, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened, feeling the nice curves of her waist and hips and breathing in her scent. The world outside the couch melted away, leaving the two of them lost in the moment.
Evren reveled in the sensation, the softness of her lips, the heat of her body pressed against his. Her kiss became more insistent, her tongue gently parting his lips, exploring, tasting. It was intoxicating, and he didn’t want it to end—not now, not ever. He could spend a lifetime in her arms.
“You know,”
he murmured between kisses. “Your crimson eyes are the most beautiful gems I’ve ever seen. Not even the prettiest roses, riches, nor rubies can compare.”
She laughed softly, her breath mingling with his. “Flattery will get you nowhere, prince.”
However, she kissed him again, gripping his shirt and pulling him close.
Evren moved her slightly, but Seraphine had other ideas. She pulled him down, guiding him to lie on the sofa with her. His hand roamed her back, feeling the delicate curve of her spine and the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric. Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging him closer and brushing his cheeks with her delicate, gloved hand. Her touch was electrifying, sending waves of desire coursing through him.
Their kisses grew more passionate, more urgent. Evren’s hand slid under her dress, feeling the smoothness of her skin. He ventured higher, fingertips grazing the soft swell of her breasts. Her breath hitched, and Seraphine arched into him. Her touch roamed over his chest, tracing the lines of his body as if memorizing him.
“Maybe we should make this a regular thing, prince,”
she said, her voice breathy as she kissed a trail down his throat.
Evren sighed. “Considering breaking our little deal?”
he said, pulling her hair softly so his lips were now trailing down her neck. “I’d like that very much, Crimson Eyes.”
Evren’s hand moved around her long legs, gliding up while caressing with soft circle movements, each one venturing higher. He couldn’t help but memorize all the little sounds from her. As he was about to suggest they move to a more comfortable position, she winced, pulling back sharply.
“Ow!”
she muttered, sucking on her finger to ease the pain. Somewhere between her playfulness, Seraphine had placed her hand on the mystery book with the spike, and now blood welled up on her fingertip.
Evren’s eyes widened. He started to rise, using the edge of his shirt to wipe the blood. He was about to tear the tome to pieces, but then he noticed it was beginning to change. The spike, now smeared with Seraphine’s blood, seemed to pulse with a strange light. Roses, blood-red and vibrant, began to bloom around the book, their petals shimmering with an eerie glow.
Seraphine followed his gaze, and they both watched, entranced, as the roses spread across its surface, forming intricate patterns. Trembling, she took the book in her hands. The once black and empty pages began to fill with text and illustrations, the title emerging in ornate lettering: Aurum’s Journal.