《Magical Entrapment》


 The Cottage in the Woods

    Pain.


    That was all that Calla could feel as she rushed through the heavy forest. Her legs were on fire, her body covered in bruises and cuts as she ran, occasionally looking behind her with terror in her eyes, searching the warm glow of the forest behind her quickly before continuing to flee from the unknown danger.


    It had been during one of these moments she glanced back that her footing slipped. With a scream, the girl slid down the embankment, hitting rocks and trees before finally coming to a stop. For a while she just lied there, sobbing. Her body felt broken, pain rippling through her as she lied still, looking up at the place she had just been. She couldn¡¯t move, but she knew she had to, especially as she could hear yelling in the distance.


    Letting out a painful cry, she dragged herself up, crying out again at the pain from her broken leg. Using the trees, she forced herself forward, doing everything in her power to keep off her broken leg as she dragged herself along. Her vision was blinded by tears. Where could she go anyway? In her state, she thought about just giving up. Let her die and the pain ends.


    It could have been the shadows of the night or the blinding of her tears, but it wasn¡¯t long before a new sight would catch her attention. A cottage. It was tucked into the back of this dense forest. She only happened to spot it due to the flickering light from inside the place. Maybe, just maybe she could get inside, get some help, anything.


    She grunted, crying as she dragged her body to the door to the cottage, crashing into it with a whimper before weakly pounding on the door. There was no answer.


    Hearing the sounds in the distance again, she tried the door. Unlocked! Her eyes widened in surprise as the weight of her body pushed the door open. She whimpered, not bothering to look around as she moved into the cottage, turning to use the weight of her small body to close the door again. Once it was closed, she frantically looked around. She needs to put out that light, hoping that by doing so, the cottage would be nearly invisible in the dark forest.


    It didn¡¯t take her long before her eyes rested on the light she had seen. It was a candle, but what was around the candle made her wonder if hiding here was a mistake.


    The candle was seated on a table by the window, below it rested an open book and a cauldron. The small light danced around jars of items that made her sick. Jars of eyes, frogs, and another manner of things.


    ¡°W...Witches?¡± her weak voice called out in panic. No, there was no such thing, right? Still, she had other things to worry about as she moved over to put out the candle. She was bleeding, she didn¡¯t know if there was any way she could survive with her injuries, but one thing was for sure, she needed to stop the bleeding.


    Painfully forcing herself to move, using items she reached out to grab to move her around, she searched for anything she could use. She needed to hurry, already feeling her weakened state was making it difficult to stay alert.


    Somehow, she managed to get herself into one of the side rooms which appeared to be a bedroom of some kind. All she cared about was what appeared to be cloth resting on a table in the room, long enough that they could make for makeshift bandage wrap. She was in far too poor a state to care that taking items from here was stealing as she moved over to collect the cloth.


    There was at least some light from the moon that broke through the darkened cottage, just enough for her to use. Giving a grunt in pain, and keeping herself awake, she stumbled into the first room again, vision blurry as she moved to a chair, wanting to sit down.


    Her blood ran cold, however, fear stopped her in her place when she heard voices from just outside the door. She couldn¡¯t make out what was being said but they were coming closer. Calla panicked, looking for a place to hide before her eyes fell on a closed door. She quickly pulled herself over to it, doing everything she could to not make any noise. She opened the door, which appeared to be to some kind of pantry or storage room before moving inside and closing the door. She sank to the back, just able to peer out from cracks in the door as the front door opened.


    As the front door swung open, the room suddenly was lit up with candles and oil lamps, illuminating every area of the main room. What walked into the cottage were four men in a variety of height, look, and dress.


    ¡°This place smells of blood. Did you leave one of the jars open, Marick?¡± a grumpy sounding voice rang out as a young man standing about 5¡¯6¡¯¡¯ walked in, glancing back to a taller man who entered behind him.


    The man he glanced at looked blankly at him, almost with slight annoyance at the accusation. ¡°I am not one to leave things to spoil,¡± he said back, his calm voice dripping with a harsh sting.


    That caused the two who followed inside to laugh, one moving over to shut the windows while the other walked over to the first male and patted his head. ¡°That would be more on your level of competence¡± the taller man with hair as dark as night said to the other. The shorter man slapped his hand away, growling at the other.


    ¡°Oh fuck off!¡± he spat before there was a hum.


    ¡°To be fair, the smell could be from that hunting party in the distance. It does seem that the non-magical people from the nearby village are busy tonight.¡± a fourth voice said, most likely from the man who had walked out of view. Calla covered her mouth to prevent any sound from escaping. She was sure her blood had dripped around the place, however, now with the room lit, she could see the floor was covered in dark rugs. She hoped they were dark enough to cover any trail she would have made.


    ¡°Yes, though one could wonder what could be so important for them to be out in these woods at such a late hour. It must be something interesting if they risk the witching hour.¡± The black-haired man replied, looking deep in thought.


    The man who had answered to the name Marick with long silver hair simply removed his cloak and moved to the table on which the book sat next to the cauldron. ¡°As long as they remain away from here, I could care less what they are doing,¡± he muttered, setting new jars and vials down on the table.


    There was a sigh and the man who had walked out of sight reappeared into the line of vision. This man was beautiful, well, they were all attractive, but he stood out even more than the others. His hair was crimson red, long, and back into a loose updo with what appeared to be a few braids on the side. He was smiling but looked disappointed. ¡°Typical Marick, you should be careful with those harsh words of yours. People might begin to think you''re cold-hearted.¡± he teased playfully, ignoring the glare Marick shot him with a chuckle. ¡°At any rate, I will be in the kitchen. Not sure about the rest of you, but I am famished.¡±


    With that, the red-haired man walked out of sight again followed by the man with black hair. ¡°That does sound like the beginnings of a good idea. Blaise might even be kind enough to help us out.¡± the black-haired man added as he did.


    Blaise, the shorter of the four men who had lighter red curly hair grumbled at that. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them,¡± he muttered to no one in particular only to get a reply either way.


    ¡°That would require you to gain more control over your powers,¡± Marick replied with the same harsh tone. It looked as if Blaise wanted to say something but decided against it before grumbling and walking off.


    Calla watched the silver-haired man who was facing away from her, seemingly engrossed in the book on the table and muttering to himself. She glanced at the door, her eyes hazy as she was trying to focus. She needed to get out of here. Looking back in the direction of the man, she suppressed a gasp, no longer seeing him. Had he moved out of sight? Her heart raced, which wasn¡¯t helping the state of health she was in.


    She waited a moment before knowing if she waited any longer, she wouldn¡¯t make it. Silently, she opened the door, looking around. The room was empty from what she could see. Biting her lip, she slowly moved from the storage room she was in, doing everything in her power not to make a sound. Grabbing a nearby chair, she began to drag herself towards the door. She was about halfway when she heard a sigh, making her freeze in terror.


    ¡°Love, did you honestly think we didn¡¯t know you were there?¡± a voice called. She slowly glanced over her shoulder to see the handsome red-haired man leaning against the wall the door of the storage room was. Had he been there the whole time? Whimpering, she forced herself to move to the door as quickly as she could only for it to open to the annoyed-looking man with silver hair standing just outside. He walked in calmly, making Calla let out a cry in fright as she tumbled backward into the arms of someone behind her.


    ¡°Well, I guess we know what that hunting party was after.¡± the black-haired man said calmly, his sturdy arms keeping her standing, as she looked up at him. ¡°Unless there is another reason an injured girl has snuck into our cottage and is trying to leave with something.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? It¡¯s not our business. Just toss her outside and let the hunting party have her.¡± the irritated voice of Blaise said as he emerged from a doorway.


    Calla was terrified. What could she do? Her body hurt so badly and her sight kept fading in and out. ¡°P-Please,¡± she begged in a hoarse voice, her eyes looking at each person. ¡°I-I just¡­ I just¡­¡± Her body was becoming heavy, her thoughts fading. How much blood had she lost?


    ¡°..H...Hey¡­! Shit!¡± she heard one of them exclaim. The last thing she saw was a flash of concern on the face of the man with silver hair as shadows of people rushed over before everything went dark.


    The gentle light of morning caused Calla to give a small groan as she opened her eyes. Her sight was hazy still but soon cleared enough for her to see the sight of the unfamiliar ceiling above her. Where was she? What had happened? Her mind was still dizzy. The sounds of something bubbling nearby made her move her eyes in the direction of the sound. That was when the room became more familiar. Just by wherever she was, facing away from her was the tall lean man in a long blue robe and silver hair. He stood at a cauldron that had a fire below it. From where she was she could see that there were books open around him, including the open one on a stand on the table with jars around. He seemed pretty focused, occasionally running his finger over some words before grabbing something from the table, adding it to the bubbling cauldron before turning the handle of a long wooden ladle.


    ¡°...Where¡­?¡± she tried to say though her voice was hoarse, her eyes moving around the room. She heard a light chuckle as just to the left of the man at the cauldron, sat at a chair was the man with the black as night hair. He had a kind smile on his face, resting his head on his fist that he had propped up on a table nearby.


    ¡°Well there, welcome back to the land of the living,¡± he said, his voice oddly comforting as he turned in his chair to face her. Calla tried to sit up, wincing a little as she did.


    ¡°You gave us a bit of a scare there, dear. I would advise you not to do that in the future. Scaring warlocks tends to lead to issues.¡± he added as he seemed to watch her move. He didn¡¯t seem too happy about her getting up but wasn¡¯t saying anything about it. ¡°You¡¯ve been out for a few days.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, moving to touch a sore spot on her chest before wincing again in pain before looking off. ¡°I¡­.I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­. I-I''ll leave so-!¡± she said, slowly moving to get out of the bed.


    ¡°If you get out of that bed, I will cut off your legs.¡± the voice of the silver-haired man said darkly, turning Calla¡¯s attention at him only for her to feel that terror again. His purple eyes stared daggers into her very soul, she had a feeling he was being serious but thought his threat was a bit much. He wouldn¡¯t do something like that, would he?


    She frowned. ¡°You¡­ You shouldn¡¯t make jokes like that..¡± she said, again moving to get out. As she did, a large knife hit the wooden floor just inches from her bed, sticking into the ground. She jolted at the sight, moving back into the bed and looking at the silver-haired man who had thrown the knife as if he were insane.


    ¡°I don¡¯t make jokes. Stay in that bed,¡± he ordered, turning away from them again. Calla¡¯s frightened eyes looked to the black-haired man next to her. He just shrugged at the display before him.


    ¡°He did warn you,¡± he noted before he got to his feet, retrieving the knife from the floor and thumbing over the sharp edge before looking back to Calla. His eyes were cold. ¡°It would be in your best interest to obey. Firstly, your body is covered in wounds that need time to heal. Secondly, you will not get far with one broken leg and three cracked ribs. Plus, the gash on your face took about 10 stitches.¡±


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    As he listed off her wounds, Calla looked away from him, lightly touching the areas he said. A part of her wondered how much of her injuries had been from her fall or from those who had been chasing her. She was in bad shape.


    ¡°That¡¯s not adding the near gallons of blood you managed to get everywhere.¡± another voice huffed. She glanced up to see the curly-haired man scowling at her from the end of the bed. Now that she thought about it, had the bed always been in this first room? It seemed to be an odd place for one.


    The curly-haired man seemed to eye her a little. His bright green eyes looked rather intense but mostly irritated. He folded his arms and leaned against the bed frame. ¡°Do you have any idea how long it took to get the smell of blood out of here? Between the sheets and the rugs¡­ you took up a lot of my time,¡± he said bitterly, making Calla look down again. She felt small around these people, it seemed no matter where she was she became a burden.


    Her attention was stolen when the man at the end of the bed yelped in pain before growling. She looked up to see the beautiful man had entered the room and it looked as if he had hit the other. The beautiful man frowned, sighing before moving about the room that was becoming quite crowded at this point.


    ¡°Now, now, you three have no manners. The poor thing has already been through a lot and you are already treating her so rudely,¡± he said as he moved to sit on the bed, wrapping his arm around Calla in a possessive hug before using his free hand to lightly touch her face, making her look up at him. Being so close, Calla could see that this one had gray eyes, just like the man with black hair. His touch was also strange to her. It was warm and made her heart pound, but perhaps that was just because an attractive man was holding her. ¡°Would you like for me to steal you away, love? I assure you my bed is much more comfortable. However, I doubt you will have time to do any kind of recovery. You would enjoy my company though, I pride myself at being able to make a woman feel good~.¡±


    She pushed away from him, moving to the side of the bed that was right against the wall. That only seemed to entertain him as he let out a loud laugh.


    ¡°And you told us to leave her alone. Damn creep.¡± The curly-haired man spat, looking more irritated than normal. All the while, the silver-haired man seemed to be ignoring the rest of the room.


    The black-haired man sighed, moving to sit at the end of the bed. ¡°Gwy, she just woke up. At least give it some time before you talk about deflowering her,¡± he said, playing it off as if it were nothing. However, he soon returned the wicked look, his eyes daring the other male. ¡°Besides, while you take that time talking about it, I will have already stolen it.¡±


    ¡°E-Excuse me!¡± Calla exclaimed, shocked and slightly disturbed by the topic. They seemed to ignore that as soon enough the topic was changed with a simple roll of the eyes from the man next to her and the man with black hair waving it off and turning to her again.


    ¡°What is your name, dear?¡± he asked casually. Calla frowned, looking off and trying to make herself as small as possible.


    There was a sigh before she was pulled back into the arms of the red-haired man who took hold of her chin to force her to look up at him again. ¡°Love, don¡¯t make me use a spell to loosen that tongue of yours,¡± he told her calmly.


    ¡°Maybe if you two hadn¡¯t been so creepy towards her she would listen to you.¡± the man with the curly hair muttered, turning to face away from them.


    The man with black hair sighed at that before catching Calla¡¯s attention with a smile. ¡°Here¡­ to show you we mean no harm,¡± he said, pointing to the man with curly hair. ¡°That is Blaise. He¡¯s the newest to our coven. He comes off a bit pissy but I assure you to not take it too seriously, he just likes being grumpy.¡± That caused Blaise to glare at him before the man pointed to himself. ¡°My name is Raven. I am the second oldest in the group and I help run the coven.¡± He pointed to the man next to her. ¡°That is my younger brother Gwydion.¡± Calla looked to Gwydion when he was introduced only for the man to give her a playful wink back.


    ¡°And finally, the guy busy making potions is the oldest of the group, Marick. We just kind of found him.¡± Raven said with a smirk, finding even more amusement as the man with silver hair shot him a glare. Raven chuckled. ¡°He comes off a bit cold but don¡¯t take it too personally. Now, what are we to call you?¡±


    Calla frowned, her eyes moving to each person before back to Raven. She sighed, looking down. ¡°...Calla¡­¡± she finally said. The idea of her being able to get away from these people was becoming more of a fantasy than being in a room of warlocks.


    ¡°What a lovely name¡± Gwydion replied, patting the girl on the head. Raven gave a light chuckle at that.


    ¡°Quite literally, I do believe your name means beautiful. It¡¯s rather fitting.¡± Raven started with a smile. Calla just sighed again, moving to lay down facing away from them. She felt the bed move, making her head turn to look up to see Blaise was leaning on the bed frame again, eyes staring intently at her.


    ¡°Mind telling us why a village of non-magicals decided to hunt you down in our woods?¡± he asked sharply. However, Calla just looked away. Painful memories filled her head. So much had happened, so much pain. The room was silent for a while before there was a sigh from Gwydion.


    ¡°The poor dear has a lot to take in, we should let her rest,¡± he said, gently rubbing her arm, his hand warm and soothing. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you something to eat later.¡±


    ¡°Rest? She just woke up!¡± Blaise stated, agitated with a huff.


    Raven rolled his eyes, getting up from the bed. ¡°She also has a lot of healing to do. Plus, it¡¯s not as if there is much else she could do at this moment.¡± he pointed out, his eyes slowly taking in her form in the bed. He hummed, looking as if he wanted to add something but changed his mind before calmly leaving the room.


    Blaise grumbled but soon moved to head out the door, allowing for the sunlight and air of the outside world to fill the room as he did so before its fleeting freedom was once again gone. Gwydion sighed, watching the other before turning to Calla who was still facing away from him. He gave her an unseen warm smile before he got off the bed.


    ¡°Behave yourself around the young lady, Marick. Just because she is in your bed, doesn¡¯t mean you get to have all the fun with her.¡± Gwydion sang playfully to which Marick shot him a look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t compare me to something you would do, Gwy. I have been nothing but appropriate with her, unlike the rest of you.¡± he shot before returning to what he was doing. Calla didn¡¯t know when Gwydion left, she had somehow managed to drift off again, her body weak and throbbing with pain once in a while. She expected to be in much worse pain than this with all the injuries she had. Then again, she was among warlocks, they probably had something to do with it.


    She had no idea how long it had been since she last awoke, groaning as her pain caused her eyes to open. It had been increasing slowly as she rested, only making it clear it had been dulled by something before. Her groan must have caught Marick¡¯s attention as he was still working at his station, however, his attention turned to her. He was silent but soon waved his hand, causing the ladle of the cauldron to work on its own as he grabbed something from the table and moved over to the bed, sitting on the chair nearby.


    ¡°It¡¯s a real difference in pain level when the potion I gave you fades, isn¡¯t it,¡± he muttered, motioning for her to sit up. It took her longer to do so, her chest hurting a lot more than it had before, making her close her eyes tightly as she forced her body to sit up. Her eyes opened to see Marick holding a small vial of a clear liquid before her.


    She couldn¡¯t help but look curiously at it. The liquid looked like water but shimmered with all kinds of colors when the sun hit it. ¡°What.. what is it?¡± she asked, her eyes moving to the bored expression of the man looking back at her. He raised a brow at the question, tilting his head which allowed strands of his long silver hair to fall around him.


    ¡°Does it matter what it is?¡± he countered, moving it closer to her. ¡°All that you should care about is that it is what has been keeping your pain at tolerable levels. Just drink it.¡±


    Calla hesitated at that but carefully reached out to take the vial from him. She had no reason to doubt what he said but the whole situation was still very strange to her. Still, her body throbbed in nearly unbearable pain by this point, begging for her to just drink it already. She put the vial to her lips and carefully allowed the liquid to go down her throat. She made a face, whimpering as the cold liquid burned like fire as it did. However, it didn¡¯t take long before she felt the stabbing pain in her body begin to dull once again, at least allowing her to breathe without it hurting.


    She was about to hand back the vial before she suddenly felt Marick grab her chin, holding it in place. Her eyes widened, watching as he leaned closer to her. ¡°W-What are you?¡± she asked, to which Marick¡¯s eyes just shot to hers, his expression serious but also slightly annoyed.


    ¡°Relax. I¡¯m just checking over your wounds,¡± he muttered before turning her face and thumbing over the bandage on her cheek. She frowned, having forgotten about the cut that she now remembered had needed stitches. She watched his expression the best she could. Marick¡¯s hands were cold, much like his personality towards her. It seems he was just a serious person in general.


    He hummed, seemingly thinking something over before muttering to himself. ¡°Will probably have to change the dressing on this one soon,¡± he stated before his eyes caught hers again. His eyes had a way to command attention. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was just the way his aura was around people or the strange color of his eyes but they seemed to lock attention immediately.


    ¡°I have to check the rest of them, so you will have to lay down,¡± he ordered before his neutral expression frowned a little. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like this, but put up with it for the moment.¡±


    She had no idea what he meant by that but figured it would be best not to argue with him as she nodded and slowly moved herself to lay down again. As she did, Marick seemed to be deep in thought, waiting for her. With a swift motion, the blanket was pulled away from Calla, making her curl up the best she could, suddenly feeling exposed. Marick¡¯s eyes never changed from their serious expression. Soon enough she would understand what he meant as he took a hold of the end of the night shirt she just realized she was in and began to lift it.


    Her face lit up with a blush, her hand catching his as the night shirt stopped at her waist for the time being. ¡°W-Wait..!¡± she exclaimed with a small whimper. Marick just clicked his tongue, his eyes looking annoyed to hers.


    ¡°I told you that you were not going to like this. However, I can¡¯t check anything when clothes cover them.¡± Something about the expression that Calla had on her face made his eyes soften slightly before he sighed. ¡°Look, I am not planning on doing anything inappropriate.¡±


    Calla still looked nervous about this but looked off as he spoke, moving her hand away from his. ¡°I¡­ I know, just¡­¡± she started, her body still flushed red with her embarrassment. He took the leg that was wrapped into his hands. Luckily, her leg was able to bend, the break being in the lower leg.


    ¡°I am aware,¡± he noted, moving his fingers to prod at areas on her leg. ¡°Your body has never known the touch of a man.¡±


    Calla was silent at that, relaxing slightly. ¡°You¡­ can tell?¡± she asked with a small frown. She guessed that was why the others spoke so freely about deflowering her. They must all have known. She winced as he prodded a particular spot on her leg, making her body tense, to which Marick took note of.


    ¡°I can nearly smell the purity of your blood and I am not a beast that would desire it,¡± he stated harshly before he moved to undo the wrappings on her leg. He frowned, his eyes focused on the task at hand. He seemed to make quick work of redressing the wound as soon enough he was finished and set her leg down again, pulling her night shirt up to her chest, his fingers beginning to do the same to her healing ribs as he had done to her leg. Having his hands moving about her body made Calla blush again, looking uncomfortable. While he was keeping his focus on what he was doing, she was still not used to being touched like this.


    ¡°We can deal with the issue of your virginity once you are healed,¡± he added as he did. Calla¡¯s body froze at that, her eyes wide.


    ¡°I...Issue?¡± she asked, her body squirming at his words and touch. His purple eyes caught hers again, his fingers stopping in place.


    ¡°Whether you like it or not, you stumbled into a coven of magicals. We cannot simply let you go. Even if I thought you had someone to run off to and tell or not, we cannot risk non-magicals learning about the beings in this forest and hidden in the other realm.¡± he explained rather coldly. ¡°From the moment you entered this cottage you became the property of the coven.¡±


    His last words made her a little angry and frightened as she tried to give him a glare to show she wasn¡¯t afraid of what he was saying. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to let me free after this?¡± she asked, clarifying what he said. ¡°You¡­ You can¡¯t just keep me like a pet.¡±


    He hummed at that, prodding a spot on her chest which made her give off a whimper in pain. ¡°Call yourself a pet if you like, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you cannot return to whatever life you had before. Your fate is now in the hands of my coven and you cannot change that. If you try to run, I will think of it as a potential threat and will treat the situation as such.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know how to reply to that, keeping her eyes locked with his, she could tell he was being brutally honest. She didn¡¯t doubt for a second he would kill her if it came to the safety of his coven. After a while she gave in, averting her gaze from his.


    ¡°What does that have to do with my virginity?¡± she asked after a moment. He had already pulled her night shirt down and had moved to the bandage on her face.


    ¡°It would be a waste of energy to keep you locked up in the cottage while we are out and about, so you will more than likely be traveling with us when we leave to handle business. The other realm is full of creatures that would be rather dangerous, especially for a pure non-magical maiden. So, to prevent any unnecessary trouble from happening, you remaining a virgin would not be beneficial.¡± He said matter of factly.


    Calla looked mortified by the whole idea. ¡°So I don¡¯t even have a choice in the matter?¡± She asked, clearly unhappy about any of what he had said.


    Marick, however, seemed unbothered by her discomfort at what he had explained. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who you choose to give it to. Knowing this group, I wouldn¡¯t be too surprised if you ended up warming the bed of more than one person.¡± He added calmly, finishing up. He noticed the look on Calla¡¯s face, knowing the girl was both upset by this news and also mad at it. He sighed, ¡°As I said, we will deal with that later. After all, you have to heal and we have no reason to travel to the other realm any time soon.¡±


    He got to his feet, taking the bloody wrappings to toss them in a basket nearby. He cleared his hands of anything that might have gotten onto them before returning to the cauldron. The room was quiet other than the bubbling sound of the brew he was making. However, Marick soon tapped the side of the cauldron with the ladle and hummed in thought. ¡°The potion I gave you had the bonus of healing your wounds faster. I give it a little over a week before you are fully healed, however, if you listen to my orders about staying in bed, I will allow you to get out sooner, walk around the area, and regain your strength.¡± he said calmly. Calla watched him silently. She found Marick to be difficult to read. To be honest, she found the whole situation difficult to understand. These people were so back and forth with how they dealt with her. She didn¡¯t feel in danger, just trapped. All she could do is follow orders and hoped things would start to make more sense.

 A Powerful but Strange Coven

    As predicted, it wasn¡¯t even a full week before Calla was well enough that Marick gave her permission to get out of the bed. She found herself hesitant at first, worried to get into trouble and being forced back into the bed again. Her legs were still wobbly but at least her broken leg was healed enough that she was able to walk on it. She thought about exploring the cottage but being cooped up inside as long as she had, where she went first was straight to the front door. Keeping her eyes on Marick who was busy at his potion-making area, she turned the door and opened it. He didn¡¯t even look up or stop her so she calmly turned to the doorway and walked outside, closing the door behind her.


    A cool breeze sent a shiver down her body as she pulled the shawl she had been given closer to her, stepping out onto the grass. The fresh air was more than welcome, and with the light of day brightening the area, Calla was slightly taken aback by the natural beauty of the place. The forest was dressed in lush green, trees reached for the heavens, and the area around the cottage had a garden of all kinds of plants ready to be picked. She was sure a lot of the plants she saw were for potions but she did remember Gwy entering the house with a basket of vegetables he planned to use for supper that night.


    The sounds of yelling grabbed her attention as she cautiously moved around to the back of the cottage where there was a little gated area. Inside the arena were Gwydion and Blaise. She assumed they were training as magic was directed at each other. According to the group, Blaise was the newest to the coven so it would make sense that he would be training to improve. By the gate around the arena was Raven who was observing the battle.


    Calla hesitated but soon she walked closer to him slowly. He glanced over as she did, flashing his normal kind smile as he stood tall and turned to her.


    ¡°Finally got permission to leave the bed, huh. Welcome,¡± he said calmly before looking back to the other two. Calla stopped once she was standing next to Raven and turned to watch the others as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming they are training?¡± she asked, just making sure she understood the situation. From how the two interacted, she wouldn¡¯t put it past them fighting for real.


    Raven gave a nod at that. ¡°You assume correctly,¡± he answered, his eyes finding their way to her direction again, scanning her top to bottom before returning to her face again. ¡°Blaise is the weakest compared to the rest of us, and needs to work on focusing his aura.¡±


    She gave a hum at that, not fully understanding but glad he was at least explaining things to her. ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­¡± she said, trailing off.


    They were quiet for a moment, listening to the sounds of the battle during that time. ¡°Blaise got into some trouble with a wolf clan on our last trip. It was a situation he should have been able to handle without our help and the fact that he couldn¡¯t have made him begin training a lot harder than usual.¡± he continued, making Calla look back up at him. She hadn¡¯t heard much about the other realm since she arrived here, but everything that had been said made the other realm sound incredibly dangerous. Her eyes drifted to watch Blaise as he moved about. She could tell from here that he was tired, but he continued regardless.


    ¡°Is it that dangerous in the other realm?¡± she asked softly, pulling the shawl she was wearing around her more. ¡°Or, is he that weak?¡±


    Raven frowned slightly, folding his arms. ¡°Oh, no dear, Blaise is far from weak,¡± he explained calmly, grabbing her attention again. ¡°This coven is one of the strongest covens of warlocks known to the other realm residents. We are highly respected there and the only reason there was a fight at all was the fact that the pack of werewolves were juveniles who wanted to test our strength. Blaise was able to handle the situation fine, the biggest issue is that when he gets angry, he loses control of his aura concentration and needs the rest of us to help him at that point. He still needs to work on that, but there is nothing weak about him. The other realm is unpredictable, however, where it wouldn¡¯t be that dangerous to us, you on the other hand would be sought after as soon as you stepped foot there.¡±


    She looked off, a hint of bitterness on her face. ¡°Yes, I have been informed about that¡­¡± she stated, making Raven glance at her again.


    ¡°I figured Marick would say something. He¡¯s not really someone who will hold his tongue,¡± he said calmly, moving to run his fingers through his hair as a breeze ran through the area. ¡°What exactly did he tell you?¡±


    She frowned, not bothering to look at him. ¡°That I¡¯m the property of the coven, that me being a virgin is an issue for all of you, oh, and apparently I will more than likely be passed around the lot of you like some kind of whore.¡± she stated bitterly. Her words were harsh enough that they even surprised her, making her blink a little. She had been holding the anger of the information in for a while.


    It seemed her words had surprised Raven as well as he looked at her curiously before his expression softened. With a sigh, he moved over to stand behind her. Calla stood still as she felt his arms wrap around her. With his warmth against her, she couldn¡¯t believe how cold she had been. His arms felt... safe and though the man towered over her, he held her close in a comforting way, not an overpowering way. Calla even found herself leaning into his hold.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I know this isn¡¯t fair to you and I am sorry that however, Marick worded the situation made you feel that way,¡± he said, his words calm but firm, making her look up into his face above her. His face was hard to read, but he seemed sincere. ¡°What he said was true but it wasn¡¯t to make you feel as if you were property or that we would treat you like some kind of sex toy. I assure you, we are only bringing it up because it is a matter of your safety. If we were to bring you to the other realm the way you are now, the creatures there would rip you to pieces before any of us could prevent it.¡±


    Calla scowled at that, her eyes looking to the ground as she listened. He sighed, his breath warm on the top of her head. ¡°Just because the way to resolve the issue would be pleasurable, it doesn¡¯t mean we are trying to be cruel. None of us would force ourselves on you and if it were merely taking your purity, that could have been handled quite easily without your consent, however, we chose to inform you first,¡± he added, resting his head on top of hers. He tightened his hug. ¡°We have no business that requires all of us to go to the other realm for a while and though we brought up the fact that your purity is an issue for us, the coven is giving you time to adjust to this life and give it willingly. As for afterward, sure, if you are willing, you may end up in the bed of more than one person. We are a coven of guys who gain nothing from the company of other men. It¡¯s been a while since we have had the company of a woman. I¡¯m afraid many of us would be very eager to have your company during the night.¡±


    A part of her wondered if he was using some kind of spell, what he was saying actually made sense and came off as genuine. She frowned, her eyes looking off as she thought. As strange as the last few days had been, she had no reason to believe these four men had plans to hurt her. Even the more aggressive Marick had done nothing but take care of her. They treated her better in the short amount of time she had been here than anyone who had been in her life for the 19 years she had been alive.


    The sudden cold air hitting her made the girl shiver as she realized that Raven had pulled away from her. She was surprised by how empty the space felt, making her frown as she looked up to see Raven had returned to the spot where she had found him. She was wondering why he would pull away only to see the other two had walked over. Blaise looked annoyed, glaring at Raven who was giving an innocent smile back to him.


    ¡°What the hell is happening over here?¡± Blaise snapped to him, to which Raven laughed.


    ¡°Careful, Blaise, or I will start to think you¡¯re jealous.¡± Raven teased, making Blaise¡¯s face grow slightly flustered.


    ¡°W-What? No!¡± he exclaimed before huffing, folding his arms, his eyes darting to Calla. ¡°So, you were allowed outside, huh. Does that mean you will be more useful around here?¡±


    Calla was taken aback by what he said, blinking in surprise. ¡°More useful?¡± she questioned. She wouldn¡¯t get an answer to that as Blaise was soon swatted on the head, making him yelp in surprise and pain. Gwydion was frowning next to him, shaking his head like a disappointed parent.


    ¡°You are terrible at speaking to a lady,¡± Gwydion said calmly, ignoring Blaise who had started to yell at him. Gwydion jumped over the fence between them and casually waltzed over to Calla, patting her head. As she looked up at him he gave a wink. ¡°Ignore him. I for one am glad to see you are doing better.¡±


    She was about to say something before he seemed to look her over and frown, moving to touch his chin as he thought before smirking, taking her hand, and twirling her into his arms. She let out a surprised squeak as soon enough she was facing the tall handsome man, pressed against his chest as he held her in some kind of dancing hold.


    ¡°We have much more pressing matters to attend to after all,¡± Gwydion said with a coy smile. ¡°A lovely lady such as you cannot walk around in a borrowed nightshirt that is already too big for you. This afternoon, we should work on taking your measurements before going to get you some clothing fit for a young lady.¡± He hummed, his smile turning much more wicked in nature. ¡°That is unless you prefer to walk around naked, to which I wouldn¡¯t complain~¡±


    Calla felt her face growing hot as she struggled to figure out how to respond to that. She did, however, begin to try and pull away from him. Gwydion just laughed at that. ¡°Oh stop, love. I am only teasing. I assure you that I am harmless.¡±


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Raven retorted with a snort as he stretched and turned to his brother. ¡°She should never trust you, just to be safe.¡±


    Gwydion rolled his eyes. ¡°Says the man who had his hands all over her the first time she walks outside,¡± he stated back. Calla¡¯s eyes shifted between the two men. There seemed to be an unspoken competition between them, buying for her attention. It made her uncomfortable but she also felt she had no say in it. Gwydion looked back at her and smiled sweetly.


    ¡°How about we start with the measurements? It would be best to get you some actual clothes sooner rather than later,¡± he noted, his hand on her back moving lower on her body. She let out another squeak, her face hot with a blush as she tried to get away from him again. Lucky for her, she would be removed from his hold rather swiftly as she felt a hand grab hers and she was ripped out of Gwydion¡¯s arms. She stumbled a little, feeling herself being pulled into following someone.


    ¡°H-Hey!¡± she exclaimed, confused as to what happened. Blaise¡¯s hand gripped her wrist tightly and he was walking towards the edge of the treeline.


    ¡°Where are you taking her?¡± Gwydion called after them with a loud sigh. Blaise didn¡¯t bother to stop walking.


    ¡°Away from both of you,¡± he growled angrily. ¡°I have to gather things in the forest anyway, so she might as well see more of the area.¡±


    It seemed no one would change the curly-haired man¡¯s mind at this point as looking back, Calla could see they were already far from the cottage. She looked forward, eyes on Blaise as she picked up speed to stop feeling as if she was being dragged. The two were quiet for a long time, the sounds of crunching underbrush and chirping birds filling the area.


    After a while, Calla couldn¡¯t handle the silence. ¡°I...um¡­ thank you-¡± she started only to be cut off by Blaise suddenly stopping and turning to her, flicking her forehead. She gasped at that, whining as she touched the spot, looking shocked by the sudden action.


    Blaise gave a huff, his eyes looking annoyed. ¡°Are you dumb or naive?¡± he asked, not really as a question. Calla frowned at the insult.


    ¡°I¡­¡± she started before trailing off. Blaise closed his eyes and rubbed them before opening them again. He placed both hands on his hips and leaned closer to her. Although he was shorter than the others, he was still taller than Calla which meant she still had to look up at him.


    ¡°I want you to listen and listen well.¡± he started, his eyes intense as they stared into her very soul. ¡°When it comes to the brothers, never think what they do is out of the goodness of their hearts. They are manipulators. Gwy might be more obvious about his intentions but Raven is far from a saint. I don¡¯t know what the hell you two were talking about but Raven doesn¡¯t do things if he has nothing to gain from it, especially for non-magicals. I wouldn¡¯t put it past him that this is some crazy twisted plot to make you trust him enough to get you into bed with him. As for Gwy, the more you let him get away with touching you the way he¡¯s been doing, the more he¡¯s going to do it. He is pushing his luck to see how much he can get away with and you not telling him to fuck off comes off as you letting him.¡±


    Calla frowned at what he said, her heart actually giving a sad thud at the thought that they were just being nice to get something from her but at the same time, she felt Blaise was being honest. The feeling she had earlier that the two brothers were competing for her attention returned. Once again, she felt helpless in the situation, a toy for this group to mess with.


    Her silence or the sad look on her face seemed to make Blaise¡¯s mood shift as he began to look uncomfortable, standing tall and scratching his head, his face holding a soft flustered look as he grumbled. ¡°Hey, stop looking like a sad lost puppy¡­¡± he muttered, grabbing her attention again. He gave a huff, looking off. ¡°I¡¯m just telling you to say something. People like them need to know when they are making others uncomfortable. I mean, I get it, you are new to all this and I know the magic thing can get to be a bit crazy but you still have the power to tell them no.¡± he said. Calla watched him for a moment. Blaise was odd to her. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was annoyed by her or if he actually didn¡¯t know how to act around others. He seemed rude and mean but at the same time, he did get her out of a situation where she was uncomfortable. Maybe he wasn¡¯t as mean as he acted.


    It seems the silence made Blaise uncomfortable as he shifted on his feet and turned away from her. ¡°I¡¯m going to go deeper into the forest. Marick needs mushrooms for potions. You are welcome to join me as long as you don¡¯t cause me any trouble. Or you can return to mister hands and his brother. It doesn¡¯t really matter much to me.¡± He grumbled before he started to walk off. Calla watched him for a moment, hesitating a moment as she glanced back at the cottage before turning to follow Blaise deeper into the forest.


    It wouldn¡¯t take long before the two came to a cultivated area with mushrooms, clearly, the group made sure they had an easy-to-access patch so they didn¡¯t have to scout out the area to find what they needed. Blaise summoned a basket almost as soon as he reached the area which he set on the ground between them.


    ¡°We need the red-capped ones. They are poisonous so don¡¯t eat them.¡± He said before kneeling down to begin picking some. Calla watched him for a second before moving to do the same. Being out in the deep forest like this, she couldn¡¯t help but look around at the sights around her. She thought with how thick the trees were that the area wouldn¡¯t be as lush as it was but everything was bathed in a deep green. The air was filled with the buzzing of bees and the songs of birds. Even the sudden sounds of walking turned out to be a doe with her fawn that she caught sight of.


    ¡°It¡¯s so pretty out here¡­¡± she found herself saying out loud in a dreamy tone. Blaise gave a slight snort at her words, moving to place a few in the basket.


    ¡°Sure, if you like wooded areas. Haven¡¯t you ever been in a forest before?¡± He asked mockingly, his green eyes snapping to her blue ones. Calla frowned at the question before looking off.


    ¡°No¡­ not really. We didn¡¯t have woods like this around where I lived and any woods we had were owned by someone.¡± Calla answered. Blaise stared at her for a while, almost as if there was something on his mind but he wasn¡¯t planning on asking. After a moment he sighed grumbling and scratching his head.


    ¡°Well, I guess this forest is nice when you haven¡¯t really been in one.¡± He muttered before moving closer to pick more from her side. Calla looked back at him as he did. With him so close, she could see more of his features.


    Blaise looked younger than the others, which made sense as Raven said he was the newest to the coven. He still had a boyish face, no sign of scruff or scars but he did have freckles around his nose. His hair was a curly mess of red and brown colors trying to weave into one color and his eyebrows were thick and nearly always in a scowl.


    ¡°Stop staring at me,¡± Blaise stated sharply, making Calla blush lightly as she realized she had been staring.


    ¡°Oh¡­ sorry. I just¡­ I was just surprised with how young you look¡­ compared to the others.¡± She said, hoping he¡¯d buy that she wasn¡¯t just staring at him. He rolled his eyes at that.


    ¡°I¡¯m probably older than you think I am.¡± He muttered, his eyes moving to look her over a little before locking with hers. ¡°At least older than you. What are you, like 17?¡±


    Calla huffed at that, her eyes narrowing. ¡°I¡¯m 19.¡± She muttered bitterly. Blaise just shrugged.


    ¡°Close enough.¡± He responded, looking back to the mushrooms he was picking. Calla¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as she got up to place her own into the basket.


    ¡°So how old are you exactly?¡± She asked in a rather snippy tone. Her tone must have amused him as he actually gave a smirk.


    ¡°23.¡± He answered, not bothering to look up. He closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m 23, Gwy is 25, Raven is 28, and no one has a damn clue as to how old Marick is but he looks to be around 28 to 30.¡±


    That last bit caught her off guard as she looked a bit confused. It seemed Marick was a mystery, even to his own coven. She got to her feet, planning on walking back over to continue picking mushrooms when her foot hit a tree root. She let out a yelp as she stumbled forward only in a flash to be caught by Blaise who had gotten to his feet and caught her so swiftly, that she didn¡¯t even see he had moved.


    ¡°Hey! Watch where you walk or do you just enjoy having broken limbs?¡± he growled in annoyance at her although his cheeks had darkened with a blush. Calla looked up at him, a bit embarrassed for having tripped.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said, shrinking herself in his arms. He just stared at her for a long time, his blush growing darker as he did before he grumbled, moving to help her steady herself before pulling away, grabbing the basket.


    ¡°We...We have enough I believe¡­ I should probably get you back before they come up with crazy theories¡­¡± he muttered before turning. He looked grumpy as always but offered his hand to her. ¡°You should probably hold my hand so you don¡¯t fall¡­¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise at that, however, the longer she hesitated, the more flustered he was becoming. Giving a giggle at that she nodded, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her back to the cottage.


    Upon getting back, it seemed that the other two had gone back inside. Although Calla couldn¡¯t see Blaise¡¯s face, he seemed a bit relieved that he didn¡¯t have to be confronted by the pair. Once they got to the door, he let go of her hand and opened the door, moving to let her enter first. She was a bit surprised to see him do that, not really taking him for the gentleman type but thanked him, walking in. He followed, closing the door behind him.


    ¡°I got those mushrooms,¡± he said, walking over to Marick. Marick just glanced at the contents in the basket and nodded.


    ¡°Thank you. Just put them on the floor.¡± Marick replied. As Blaise did that, Calla soon felt a rush of wind as soon enough she found herself in Gwydion¡¯s arms again. She gave a squeak in surprise, looking up at the man as he cupped her face in his hands. Once again, his touch felt strange to her, like there was a small spark going through her body. It made her body quiver as if delighted by his attention.


    He looked her over as if he were a concerned father. ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re filthy. That brute better not have done anything unsavory to you, love.¡± Gwydion said with a frown. Blaise turned his way looking like he wanted to hit the other red-haired man.


    ¡°I¡¯m not you, Gwy!¡± Blaise yelled only for Gwy to remove one of his hands from Calla¡¯s face and wave him off dismissively. As if completely ignoring Blaise, Gwydion frowned, his gray eyes searching Calla¡¯s face before he shook his head, clicking his tongue.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do at all. Something so lovely shouldn¡¯t be covered in dirt and leaves. I shall clean you up first and then we can take measurements for nicer clothes.¡± he said. Before Calla could even react she was suddenly lifted up, slung over Gwydion¡¯s shoulder, letting out a small yelp as he did.


    ¡°H-Hey!! Put me down!!¡± she squealed, hitting his back. Her face felt hot again, looking around the room she saw Blaise was seething in anger.


    ¡°Put her down!!¡± he yelled, moving to follow Gwydion as he was carrying her off towards another part of the cottage. However, Calla caught sight of a bit of magic wrapping around Blaise and becoming what appeared to be vines that covered him, stopping him in place and actually causing him to fall. The whole while, Marick just looked annoyed as if he had been asked to watch children who were misbehaving. The silver-haired man didn¡¯t even move from his cauldron.


    Calla struggled the whole time she was carried before she entered a room down one of the halls in the back and was removed from Gwydion¡¯s shoulder, and placed onto her feet. She tried to voice her anger but was cut off by Gwydion turning to a porcelain tub, waving his hand to make it fill with water that had already begun to steam with heat. She had only seen these in rich homes before and was taken aback by the sight. Gwydion hummed, curling up the sleeves of his shirt.


    ¡°Alright dear, remove that dirty nightshirt you are in,¡± he ordered as if that was the most common thing in the world for him to order. Calla¡¯s face was probably as dark as his crimson hair at this point as she tugged on the only thing that was covering her.


    ¡°N-No! Not with you in the room!¡± she exclaimed. His gray eyes glanced at her as if he was surprised by her reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as if I haven¡¯t already seen you naked, love,¡± he said calmly with a slight sigh. Her eyes widened at that but he hummed. ¡°You were a mess when you first arrived here. I removed that horrid thing you were in, cleaned your wounds, and the rest of you before Marick could tend to you. To be honest, I wish we had something other than one of Blaise¡¯s nightshirts to put you in but what can we do.¡±


    The more he spoke, the more Calla was trembling in embarrassment and anger. This pervert had his hands all over her already? She suddenly felt so exposed, even though she was covered. She had a feeling he enjoyed himself more than he should have while he was tending to her given how he acted around her. Her expression seemed to amuse Gwydion as he turned to face her fully, his eyes glowing with a playful look and his mouth twitched into a coy grin.


    ¡°Hence why I said that I wouldn¡¯t mind if you wanted to walk around naked~¡± he sang playfully, stepping towards her. ¡°I already know you have a lovely body.¡± He suddenly paused as if a thought hit him and his eyes lit up more in delight. ¡°Oh! I know! How about we bathe together-!¡±


    He was cut off when Calla, who had been backing up, found a sponge and threw it at him. ¡°GET OUT!¡± she yelled. Moving over to try and push him out of the room.


    Gwydion watched her with a pout before giving a chuckle, allowing her to push him out of the room. ¡°Oh come now, I bet you would enjoy it more than you think-!¡± he tried to say again only to have the door slam in his face. Gwydion blinked before he sighed, rubbing his temple. ¡°Love, I do need to wash that nightshirt you are in.¡±


    The door opened a crack, enough for Calla to throw the nightshirt at him before closing tightly again. Gwydion caught it without issue and gave a smirk. ¡°So brash,¡± he said in amusement before turning to walk down the hall, however, he stopped upon seeing Raven leaning against the wall looking like he had been laughing so hard he was crying.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing she didn¡¯t take up the offer?¡± he asked, stifling a giggle. Gwydion pouted before sighing and returning a smile to him.


    ¡°I do enjoy a challenge.¡± Gwydion simply replied as he walked past him. He stopped at the doorway to the main room where Blaise just appeared to have freed himself from the vines, burning foliage everywhere. Gwydion gave little reaction to it. ¡°Blaise, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have something else she could wear for the time being would you?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off!!¡± Blaise yelled, clearly not hearing the question. Gwydion just sighed as if disappointed with him before he looked at Marick.


    ¡°Marick, I¡¯m taking one of your robes, they are basically nightgowns,¡± Gwy stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Marick shot him a glare at that comment. Gwydion rolled his eyes at that. ¡°Everyone is so grumpy today¡­ You might like how she looks in your clothes, you know.¡± With that he turned to walk into the room to the pantry-like door Calla had hidden in, opening it and grabbing one of Marick¡¯s long blue robes, placing the dirty nightshirt into a basket in the same area, before moving back to the washroom door. Without knocking he opened it, setting the robe on a counter.


    ¡°You can borrow this for when you get out, love,¡± he said before being smacked in the face with yet another sponge.


    ¡°Gwydion, stay out!!¡± Calla yelled. He just casually closed the door, looking down at the sponge.


    ¡°How many sponges do we even own anyway?¡± he muttered to himself, which made Raven chuckle from where he was.


    ¡°Open the door again and find out.¡± Raven teased with a wink. Gwydion only pouted to him before turning to walk towards the basket he had left the nightshirt.


    ¡°Let me know when she is done.¡± Gwydion finally said before moving outside with the basket.


    It wouldn¡¯t be too long before Calla re-emerged from the washroom and stepped out to the main room. Surprisingly, the room was void of anyone other than Marick who she swore didn¡¯t move. However, it did seem that he was finished with whatever we had been working on, emptying the contents of the cauldron into diamond-like vials which were then placed into a wooden box. Adjusting the robe so she didn¡¯t trip on it, Calla walked over to him.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Where did everyone go?¡± she asked, catching Marick¡¯s attention. He paused upon looking at her, an expression on his face that she wasn¡¯t used to seeing. It¡¯s almost as if she had caught him off guard, a look of surprise on his face. He gave her a look over briefly before motioning to the front door.


    ¡°...Raven went to his room. Blaise and Gwydion are outside,¡± he answered before placing a filled vial into the box he held. Calla nodded before turning to head to the front door, opening it and disappearing from sight.


    Marick paused again, looking after her as if deep in thought before sighing, shifting the box in his arm and rubbing his temple with his free hand. He watched his reflection ripple in the nearly empty cauldron. ¡°...That is quite the distraction¡­¡± he muttered to himself before continuing what he was doing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why I have to be here,¡± Blaise grumbled, leaning back with his arms folded, sitting in a chair in Gwydion¡¯s room.


    Gwydion¡¯s room was about what Calla expected. The man seemed to be very fashion-forward, his room having large wardrobes, a much larger bed than Marick¡¯s with red satin sheets. He had one bookshelf with a few books on it, an area to the side with three large mirrors, and finally a desk with another chair in which the handsome man was currently seated, scratching down some notes with his other hand holding a measuring tape. He didn¡¯t look up from his notes.


    ¡°For some reason, she doesn¡¯t trust being alone with me,¡± Gwydion answered calmly with a slight pout on his face.


    ¡°Gee, I wonder why!!¡± Blaise spat back with a growl, his body tensing. Calla looked between the two of them, standing near the table but also right before one of the large mirrors. Looking away from them, she caught her reflection remaining silent.


    She had never seen herself as pretty, but she had to be somewhat attractive if people kept seeing her as such. Her hair was wet at the moment but was normally rather puffy and light brown in color. Her skin had a slight olive undertone to it, tanned a little from working out in the sun. The robe she was in made her blue eyes pop out more than they normally did. The sight of herself made her eyes soften with a sad expression before she looked back to Gwydion, having not been paying attention to the two men arguing with each other.


    ¡°Is all of this really necessary?¡± she asked with a slight frown. At the question, Gwydion¡¯s attention turned from Blaise to her and he blinked in surprise.


    ¡°Of course it is, love,¡± he answered with a warm smile on his face, leaning back in his chair. ¡°You can¡¯t just keep wearing our clothing. They are already too big on you.¡±


    Calla sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. I¡¯m just wondering why you are fussing so much over my measurements,¡± she explained, looking off. ¡°I¡¯m not too picky about what I wear.¡±


    Gwydion clicked his tongue with a tsk before he hummed, resting his chin on his hand. ¡°Then, I can put you in pretty frilly dresses~¡± he sang with a smirk. Calla huffed at that, her cheeks red.


    ¡°I am not a doll you can dress up!¡± she snapped at him. She sighed, calming down. ¡°I am fine with simple clothes.¡±


    Gwydion rolled his eyes at that, getting to his feet. ¡°Come now, I think you would look adorable in a frilly dress, don¡¯t you think so, Blaise?¡± he asked, shooting a playful look at Blaise. Blaise looked as if he was about to protest but the thought hit him. He suddenly blushed and looked off, trying his best to pretend he wasn¡¯t imagining it.


    Gwydion chuckled before moving over to stand before Calla. In a swift motion, Calla found the measuring tape wrapped around her, pinched tightly and lifting up from just below her bosom, her body slightly pulled up towards Gwydion who stood just before her, looking down with a coy expression on his face. His gray eyes danced with delight at a thought in his mind, which couldn¡¯t be good. At once, that strange feeling returned with him so close. Her body felt hot and giddy, her face flushing pink with a blush. Her body quivered, almost begging for this man to run his hands over her.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he started as his gray eyes held hers captive. ¡°We could always go for something skin tight and sexy instead~¡± Calla found herself unable to know how to reply to that, her body preventing her from wanting to tell him no. Lucky for her, the tension was broken when Gwydion used his free hand to boredly catch a fireball that was tossed at him. Gwydion broke eye contact and glanced over to Blaise, breaking whatever spell he had her in as she looked to Blaise as well. Blaise looked pissed, and also very uncomfortable from his own imagination.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you start that!¡± Blaise hissed at him, making Gwydion sigh with a pout but loosened the measuring tape and moved back to the desk. His thumb was still on the number he had pulled the tape on, getting a measurement he needed in the process of messing with her. Calla¡¯s eyes went back to Gwydion pouting with her own flustered face as she folded her arms.


    ¡°A-And that is why I didn¡¯t want to be alone with you!¡± she exclaimed to him only for Gwydion to playfully waves off her comment with a wink to her. Blaise seemed to calm down as well, moving to sit down again but glaring a hole into the back of Gwydion¡¯s head.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by me being so close~¡± Gwydion sang playfully before writing down the last measurement, looking it over. ¡°Well, given that I am buying your outfits and that until you get your own room, or choose whose room you want to share, these outfits will be taking up residence in one of my wardrobes...¡± he started with a flirty wink to Calla, making her blush with a glare to him. He held up two of his fingers. ¡°At least two of your outfits will be something I want to see you in.¡±


    The comment would have bothered her more if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the first part of his last statement caught her by surprise, making her blink with a confused look. ¡°At least two¡­? How many outfits are you planning on getting?¡± she asked, surprised. Her comment seemed to catch Gwydion by surprise as he returned her confused expression.


    ¡°My dear, I¡¯m planning on filling a wardrobe with clothes for you. Twelve outfits at least and definitely more,¡± he explained calmly, looking her over curiously. Calla¡¯s face had a look of shock on it which only made Gwydion more confused as he turned toward her. ¡°You do understand that you live here, correct? You will be getting tons of different outfits to pick between¡­¡±


    Calla just stood there, not sure what to say or how to react. This was not what she was used to in the slightest. Not only were they getting her clothing but at least twelve?! That was so much more than what she had in her old life. But why? Why would they even offer something like that? She touched her face, not sure when she had started to cry.


    ¡°But...why?¡± she finally asked, her lips quivering. Both men seemed surprised at this point. Blaise¡¯s normal expression shifted to one of both curiosity and concern. Gwydion tilted his head.


    ¡°...Because I want you to look nice of course, love,¡± he asked, though his tone was one of confusion at her words. She shook her head, finally lifting it to look at Gwydion. His eyes widened at the sight of her tears and he looked as if he was about to get up.


    ¡°No...Why are any of you being so generous¡­? You¡­You don¡¯t even know me. I don¡¯t¡­.I don¡¯t deserve to be¡­to be treated so kindly...¡± she cried, her tears flowing from her eyes at this point. Both Gwydion and Blaise got to their feet but as soon as Gwydion reached out to Calla, she shrank away from him. Before they knew what to do she bolted to the door and disappeared into the hall, the sound of a door closing in the direction of the washroom.


    Both men stood there stunned by what had happened, silent for a while before Blaise finally moved, scratching his head. ¡°Getting so emotional about clothing¡­¡± he stated before his eyes softened. He looked to Gwydion who still looked confused. ¡°Hey, Gwy¡­? You don¡¯t think that had something to do with what brought her to us, do you?¡±


    Gwydion blinked out of his state of shock before looking to Blaise, the same thought resting in his head. He folded his arms and gave a hum. ¡°...We wouldn¡¯t know unless we found out somehow¡­¡± he noted. The two shared a knowing look before nodding to each other. With that, Blaise moved to leave the room.


    Calla opened her eyes to discover that not only had she managed to cry herself to sleep, but she was no longer in the washroom, laying down above the covers of Marick¡¯s bed in the front room. The room was dark, meaning she had to have been out for a while but she still had no idea what time it was. She lay there for a while, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkroom. She turned over after a while only to become aware of someone next to her. She jolted, the moonlight peaking through the cracks of the window nearby catching the silver hair of Marick laying next to her, his body turned so his back was to her. He was covered by the blankets, however.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Marick muttered, half awake. Calla just stared at the back of him for a moment before frowning.


    ¡°No¡­ I just¡­ was surprised to see you.¡± She said softly, not wanting to be too loud. He grumbled, pulling the blankets around him more.


    ¡°This is my bed.¡± He started with a snarky tone. She gave a huff at that. She knew it was his bed but in the week she had been living with them, she had never seen him use it let alone sleep. Marick gave a yawn. ¡°Go back to sleep, Calla¡­¡±


    She stared at him for a moment longer before giving in and laying down, facing away from him. From the time she lay down, she gave a yawn. It wasn¡¯t long before she would soon drift off.


    She would awaken again the next morning when she felt Marick begin to stir. In the night, she must have cuddled close to him because as he got up she realized she had been facing him and touching his back. Marick sat at the edge of the bed, stretching before moving to pull his long hair to one side. That was when Calla went from half-awake to completely awake and bolting up as she realized she was staring at Marick¡¯s bareback.


    Her face lit up with a deep blush. ¡°Y-You¡¯re naked?!¡± She exclaimed. Marick glanced back at her with a bored expression.


    ¡°Of course I am.¡± He said in a matter-of-fact tone, his purple eyes scanning her face. ¡°Unlike you, I don¡¯t sleep in my robes.¡± He looked away, getting to his feet, allowing the blankets that were around him to fall off his body like water. Her heart was beating out of her chest, eyes wide as she couldn¡¯t pull her eyes away from his backside.


    Marick¡¯s body was toned, flawless of scars or any kind of marks outside of a pentagram tattoo in the center of his back. She was reminded of statues she had seen briefly, perfect and strong. As he walked to the pantry/closet, her eyes couldn¡¯t leave the perfect sculpture of his bottom. She didn¡¯t even realize she wasn¡¯t breathing until she let out a breath, finally breaking her gaze as she turned her head, shielding her eyes. Marick had opened the door and was grabbing a robe at that time. He glanced over at her when he did, wordlessly watching the blushing girl trying to avoid looking at him. He closed the door, turning to head towards the washroom. Once he has turned away from her, his mouth curled into a small smirk that went unnoticed by anyone else in the house.


    Once he was out of sight Calla moved to sit on the side of the bed, she put her face in her hands, trying to calm down. Why was she making such a big deal out of this? It was just a guy¡­ a naked guy¡­ a beautiful naked guy. She sighed, rubbing her eyes, her heart racing. Marick hardly interacted with her and even he made her heart race by doing so very little. How was she meant to live with these guys? Every day they tested her virtue.


    Granted, that was the game they were playing. After all, she eventually had to give herself to at least one of them. The thought made her sigh again, sitting up but looking at her lap. Perhaps she should start getting to know these people, mostly because she was living with them, and second because of what she must do before they need to return to the other realm.


    Luckily for her, she wouldn¡¯t need to stay on this thought for long as the front door suddenly opened. In danced Gwydion with about five dresses draped over his arm. He caught sight of Calla and beamed with a wide smile.


    ¡°Calla, my love! Perfect timing! Blaise and I have returned with those outfits we talked about!¡± he exclaimed happily, waltzing over to her.


    Calla was mesmerized by the sight of the colorful outfits he had in his arms before the look of concern filled her face as she saw Blaise was walking in carrying ten more. It seems Gwy made sure he wasn¡¯t the one carrying everything. Frowning, she got to her feet, walking towards Blaise.


    ¡°Here, let me take some of those.¡± she offered. Blaise glanced at her before huffing.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got it,¡± he said confidently, moving to walk towards Gwydion¡¯s room. Gwydion just laughed as he watched the younger man walk off.


    ¡°Trying to act tough to impress her. I¡¯m so proud.¡± Gwydion teased with a laugh.


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± Blaise yelled from the hallway, only making Gwy laugh harder. The handsome man turned his attention back to the confused girl standing in the room.


    ¡°Now then, I made sure all of these were in the measurements I took yesterday. However, I never fully trust things to fit perfectly, so I would like for you to try a few of them just to make sure if there need to be any alterations,¡± he noted, motioning her with a grand gesture to follow him towards his room. Calla sighed but followed him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not changing in front of you,¡± she warned him as they got into his room. Blaise was already placing the outfits on hangers, filling the second wardrobe in Gwydion¡¯s room. Nine dresses and one outfit to sleep in were added with the five more items that Gwy was holding onto.


    ¡°I am aware, love,¡± Gwydion said with a disappointed sigh. He pointed to a room divider he had placed nearby. ¡°Hence why I bought that for you to change behind.¡±


    Calla was actually surprised to see the elegantly folded room divider that was surprisingly solid with no cracks that he can get a peek through. Her view of the room divider was broken by a sudden dress in her eyesight. She blinked a moment before her mind registered the frilly dress placed before her. Calla gave a huff, glaring at him.


    ¡°I thought I said I didn¡¯t need a frilly doll dress.¡± She muttered to Gwydion who only gave a chuckle and patted her head.


    ¡°And I told you that I was buying two dresses I wanted to see you in!¡± he replied with a playful wink to her. ¡°Just try it on. I won¡¯t make you wear it today. Promise.¡±


    She raised a brow at that, not sure if she fully trusted him not to try something but soon sighed, snatching the dress from him. She honestly hated how pleased he looked when she did, muttering as she turned and walked behind the room divider. ¡°Neither of you better peek!¡± she exclaimed as she started to remove the robe she was wearing.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t lump me in with him!¡± Blaise exclaimed back, highly offended by the accusation. Gwydion, however, just chuckled at that.


    ¡°We promise, love.¡± Gwydion¡¯s playful tone rang out. For some reason, she still didn¡¯t believe them, looking around to make sure the mirrors were nowhere near her that would allow for them to get a show. Muttering, she soon slipped on the frilly dress, finding that she wasn¡¯t able to reach the buttons on the back. She sighed, moving out from behind the room divider.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do up the buttons¡­¡± she started before she heard a gasp. Looking up, she saw what she thought she would never see, a grown man squealing like a child who saw a fluffy kitten. She felt her face grow a bit hot before she huffed, turning to look at Blaise. However, Blaise had his eyes closed, leaning back in the chair he sat in with a blush on his face. Clearly, he wasn¡¯t going to be much help. She sighed before looking back to Gwydion with a serious look.


    ¡°Can you at least get the buttons if you want me to wear this?¡± she asked grumpily. Gwydion snapped out of it and just laughed at her tone.


    ¡°You need to stop hanging around Blaise. You are starting to sound like him.¡± He teased, which at least made Blaise open his eyes and shoot him a glare. Gwydion got to his feet and walked over to her. He gave a bow. ¡°Will you turn so I may assist you, my lady?¡±


    She gave him a blank stare but complied, turning around to let him help her. Soon enough she felt his fingers doing up the bottom buttons. At first, that was all he did but as he got to the top few buttons, she felt his fingers more against her back. Calla¡¯s breath caught in her throat a moment as he stroked her back. His fingertips felt like they sent sparks into her, making her feel strange, her face growing hot. It was almost as if his simple touch made her hot and bothered, but she had no idea how he kept doing that.


    She heard Blaise give a growl. ¡°Knock it off, Gwy¡­ or I will rip off your hand,¡± he warned darkly. It was enough to make Gwy¡¯s hand stop and he gave a sigh, pulling away once he did up the last buttons. At once, the feeling that had been flowing through her ceased though leaving a lingering feeling of wanting more. She turned back around to look up at Gwydion who just smiled sweetly down at her.


    ¡°Well, why not look at yourself in the mirror? You are adorable!¡± he exclaimed happily. Calla huffed at that but turned to walk to the mirror. She didn¡¯t really need to see her reflection but would humor him anyway. Upon seeing herself, it was what she expected. The dress made her look like a doll, a thing for them to play with. It was the last thing she wanted. Her attention went back to Gwydion, who walked over to hug her from behind. ¡°Well?¡±


    She frowned at his reflection of him in the mirror. ¡°I look like a plaything,¡± she muttered, looking off. ¡°Can I please take this off?¡±


    Gwydion frowned. ¡°But it''s so cute on you, love!¡± he exclaimed before sighing. ¡°Fine, you can change into what you want to wear today. But promise me you will wear this for me at least once.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She stated almost immediately, pulling out of his arms and moving to the wardrobe. The sight of so many dresses was overwhelming. She honestly had no idea what to wear and the more she stood there, the more unsure she was.


    Gwydion watched her silently for a moment, seeing the distress on her face. After a moment, he gave a sigh, moving over to her. He grabbed a simple-looking yellow dress with lilies on it, setting it before her. ¡°Try this one, love,¡± he said tenderly to her. Calla looked over the dress before gingerly taking it from him. She nodded to Gwydion before turning around, moving her hair out of the way.


    Wordlessly, Gwydion undid the buttons and she moved back behind the room divider. The room was quiet for a while before Blaise leaned forward, watching the room divider with a serious expression. After a while, it seemed whatever was on his mind wouldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    ¡°Calla?¡± Blaise called after a while. He got a hum in response before he sighed lightly. ¡°... We know why you were chased into our forest.¡±


    Calla froze, half undressed, eyes widened. Her silence bothered Blaise a bit so he continued, ¡°We found out when we went into town¡­ I would say I¡¯m sorry for prying but¡­ after yesterday¡¯s breakdown, we had to know.¡± his voice was oddly soft before he got to his feet, moving towards the room divider, putting his hands into his pockets. ¡°You were attacked after they found you in the bedroom of the richest man in town, holding a heavy stone statue and the man lying half-naked dead at your feet. That¡¯s what sent you into the forest.¡±


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t a mark on his body but they assumed you hit and killed him,¡± Gwydion added. ¡°They beat you with the intention to kill you but you managed to break free and ran.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him!¡± Calla stated suddenly, surprising both men. She moved from behind the room divider in the new dress, her eyes blinded by tears as she looked at both men. ¡°He just¡­ collapsed! Yes, I had the statue. I was trying to keep him away from me, but I never hit him¡­ I know I shouldn¡¯t have tried to fight him but¡­ I didn¡¯t want him to touch me¡­ to use me like¡­ like¡­¡±


    ¡°Like a sex slave,¡± Blaise stated bluntly, folding his arms. He sighed. ¡°We also know you were bought by the lord and sent to the estate as his new sex slave¡­¡± Blaise¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°I probably would have reacted the same way if some old man was trying to harm me.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t kill him¡­¡± she said again, looking down. ¡°He was walking towards me when he suddenly grabbed his chest and collapsed onto the ground.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a heart attack.¡± a sudden voice of Marick from the doorway said. The three in the room looked over to see both Raven and thankfully dressed Marick who looked as if they had heard everything. Calla looked down as they entered. At least all of them knew now.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to cause any trouble¡­I¡­I didn¡¯t know where to go. I-I thought I could lose them in the woods but they kept chasing me. I¡­I slide down a bank and broke my leg so when I saw the cottage¡­ I¡­ I thought I could hide for a moment while they passed! I never meant to trespass.¡± she explained softly, feeling hot tears falling down her face. She looked up when she felt someone pat her head. Raven smiled tenderly down at her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring us any issue. From the fact that no one else has entered the woods since the first night you arrived, it¡¯s a safe bet that they assume you perished.¡± Raven informed her calmly. Looking up at him, the feeling of safety returned, her body relaxing at his touch.


    Blaise gave a slight huff, seemingly trying to calm himself down. He seemed angry with what she had told them as if he wanted to punish those who had harmed her. ¡°Let me guess, parents were poor and sold you off. Typical,¡± he muttered harshly. Calla just looked down with a dark look in her eye.


    She said nothing more about it, keeping her eyes to the floor. Seeming to want to change the subject, Gwydion gave a sigh, turning to Raven and Marick.


    ¡°Why are you two even here to begin with? Do you not trust us with our dear little flower?¡± he asked with a childlike pout on his face. The comment made Marick give a bored stare to him.


    ¡°You were taking too long,¡± Marick stated before calmly moving out of the room and down the hall.


    Raven chuckled slightly at that. ¡°If I remember correctly, Gwy, you were the one who claimed ownership over the kitchen. I wouldn¡¯t wait to get something together to eat. You know how Marick gets.¡± he warned playfully. Gwydion muttered something at that before sighing.


    ¡°Very well. At least in a more lit room, I can show off the darling dress I have dear Calla in~!¡± he sang, moving over to take Calla by the hand. The touch snapped her out of the thoughts in her head.


    ¡°H-Huh?¡± was all she managed to get out before she was swiftly pulled into a bridal hold in Gwydion¡¯s arms and carried from the room. ¡°W-Wait a minute! G-Gwy! PUT ME DOWN!¡±


    ¡°That bastard,¡± Blaise growled, rushing after them. Raven just silently watched them leave before shaking his head with a smirk. Giving a wave of his hand, the disorderly room began to clean itself up, putting items away as he moved to follow everyone.


    Gwydion finally put Calla down after she pushed out of his hold, the girl giving a huff in annoyance as she walked into the dining room. Marick was already seated at the large wooden table, a cup of tea in his hands as he leaned back in his chair. Gwydion followed her in, pouting to Marick.


    ¡°By the way, what do you mean we were taking too long?¡± he asked, folding his arms and ignoring the glares of Blaise who just moved past him to grab an apple from a basket of fruit on the counter. Gwydion ran his fingers through his crimson locks dramatically as he gave a prideful smile. ¡°You know you can¡¯t rush perfection~¡±


    Marick¡¯s expression could not care less as they shot at the man speaking to him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take that long to get dressed,¡± he muttered, closing his eyes as he took a sip from his tea.


    Calla just gave Marick a blank stare at that comment. ¡°Says the man who was walking around naked this morning¡­¡± she muttered. It had been the first thought that entered her head, though upon finishing that thought was when she realized she had said that thought loud enough that the room heard.


    Blaise nearly choked on a piece of apple, coughing before turning to Marick looking furious. ¡°You did what?!¡± he exclaimed. Raven had entered the room by that time. He didn¡¯t say anything but the sight of the chaos seemed to be a thing of amusement to him as he just leaned on the doorframe, arms folded.


    Gwydion flailed his arms wildly as he moved closer to Marick, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him slightly. ¡°You tainted her eyes with the sight of a man¡¯s body BEFORE me! How dare you!!¡± he whined loudly. Marick¡¯s eyes opened as he gave Gwydion a dark look, slapping his hands off him.


    ¡°You¡¯re bothering me,¡± he stated as a serious warning. However, that didn¡¯t seem to stop Gwydion¡¯s whining. The tense air around Marick cooled as he just closed his eyes again and sipped his tea. ¡°Honestly, we have one girl around and you expect me to change what I do in my own cottage.¡±


    Gwydion and Blaise continued to yell and whine at Marick, who had started to completely ignore both of them at this point while Calla and Raven watched on by the door. Calla looked a bit worried at all the excitement, eyes moving between the three men.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to stir up so much excitement¡­¡± she said softly. However, Raven¡¯s chuckle turned her attention to him as he just smiled down at her.


    ¡°Trust me, they would have found a reason to bother each other to this degree even if you hadn¡¯t said anything. It¡¯s just how they are,¡± he exclaimed in amusement, looking back at the chaos. A thought seemed to hit him as his expression sank.


    ¡°Oh, right. Marick.¡± Raven called, the room¡¯s loud argument fading as the attention was turned to Raven. Even Marick opened his eyes again to look over. ¡°I was thinking the other day. Since we tend to get delivery jobs outside of the other realm, what are we to do with her if we have to drop things off?¡±


    Marick was quiet for a moment, seemingly mulling something over in his head before tapping his cup. He gave a slight hum. ¡°That is a good question,¡± he muttered.


    Blaise sank down into a chair, apple still in hand. ¡°To be honest, that old bat would be the only one I could see that would cause an issue and she wouldn¡¯t be that difficult to fend off if she tried anything at all. We could just take her with us if we go anywhere.¡± he pointed out with a level-headedness that confused Calla to see.


    Gwydion hummed in thought, taking a seat as well, his eyes on Calla, making her rather uncomfortable. He gave a slightly wicked smile. ¡°One of us could stay behind here at the cottage,¡± he suggested with a slight purr in his voice. ¡°I¡¯d be on my best behavior~¡±


    ¡°Like hell, you would be!¡± Blaise hissed at him, hitting the table with his fist. ¡°You¡¯re the LAST person I would leave her alone with!¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not the one in charge, so it isn¡¯t your say.¡± Gwydion retorted, the comment making Blaise give a slight growl at the man before looking at Marick, folding his arms with a huff.


    ¡°It¡¯s your call then,¡± Blaise muttered bitterly. Marick¡¯s eyes were on the confused girl the whole time, though looking distant as he was mulling over what everyone was saying.


    ¡°We probably should gradually introduce her to the world we reside in. Coming with us during deliveries would be a simple introduction.¡± Raven pointed out, giving the silver-haired man more to think about. ¡°We really can¡¯t keep her cooped up in this small area of the forest.¡±


    After a moment, Marick gave a small hum, leaning forward to set his cup down, his eyes never leaving Calla¡¯s. He lifted his hand to curl his finger, motioning for her to get closer to him. Calla hesitated a moment, wanting to shrink into a ball but soon did as he wished, walking to the side of the table he was at and standing next to him. He turned the chair so that he faced her more, his purple eyes serious in expression, almost as if she had done something wrong. As her eyes were held captive by his, he took her hand into his, covering it with the other. His hands and his eyes began to glow slightly, Calla freezing in place as the feeling of energy poured through her.


    ¡°In the presence of a magical who is not of this coven, you will obey every command I say without question,¡± Marick said sternly. His words seemed to echo through her head, digging themselves deep within her mind. She couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t say anything as if entranced. The moment wasn¡¯t that long but felt like a lifetime before Marick¡¯s eyes stopped glowing and he let go of her hand. Calla staggered back slightly, holding her head as if trying to keep it together.


    Blaise frowned as he watched what had happened before his expression was serious again. ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± he asked with a small huff.


    Marick leaned back in his seat again, taking up his cup. ¡°She hesitates too much. I¡¯m not going to take chances,¡± he stated with a serious tone.


    A few days would pass after the chaos of them discovering a part of Calla¡¯s past. Thankfully, the time was relatively calm. Calla sat at the dining table picking at some fruit that Gwydion had cut up for her, not that she had asked him to do that. The guy seemed to enjoy preparing food for everyone though. She glanced to the other side of the table where Marick was seated, thumbing through a book. Luckily, or maybe unluckily, she had not had another encounter with him being naked. Still, she wondered if they were ever planning to give her a space of her own. Marick didn¡¯t normally join her as she rested in his bed, but she noticed he would sleep at the table by the bed occasionally.


    Not wanting to be accused of staring she looked towards the doorway, just in time to see Blaise wander in giving a yawn. He didn¡¯t say a word to anyone as he just calmly moved to grab an apple from a basket of fruit on the counter. He was covered in sweat, and more than likely have come back inside from training early in the morning. Watching as he took a bite from the apple and just wandered to a seat, she couldn''t help but be reminded of what she had thought a while ago. She didn¡¯t know much about any of the guys she lived with outside of the way they treated her or what Blaise told her about the brothers. Perhaps she should at least try and get to know more about them today.


    Raven arrived last, bringing in dishes that he must have taken earlier in the week. ¡°Gwy, I have more dishes,¡± he called, breaking the silence that had been in the room. Marick and Blaise both seemed slightly annoyed by the sudden noise. Calla heard Gwydion sigh dramatically from the kitchen before emerging from the other door to the room, toweling off a dish.


    ¡°I swear you hide them just to give me more work,¡± Gwydion muttered with a pout only for Raven to smirk back.


    ¡°Well, of course, dear brother! What else would I hide them for?¡± Raven replied, not really as a question.


    Gwydion sighed again before his eyes fell on Calla. His gaze softened as he moved over to her. ¡°Did you want any more to eat, love?¡± he asked. Calla blinked at the question before looking down. She had managed to finish the fruit she had without noticing. Blushing slightly she looked back up at him and shook her head.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± she said softly. Gwydion¡¯s smile only grew as he took the bowl from before her.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute when you get all flustered.¡± he nearly sang before his eyes scanned the dress she had picked to wear today. He gave a pout at the simple dress. ¡°Now if only I could get you to wear that cute dress I picked out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen,¡± Calla stated sharply, hearing Raven snicker from the other side of the room.


    ¡°She looks fine, Gwy. Leave it alone.¡± Blaise muttered in annoyance. Gwydion seemed more annoyed at the fact the guy was talking with his mouth full than the comment. Calla, however, was a bit surprised by the comment, her eyes on Blaise. He seemed to catch her stare, his face suddenly growing pink but giving a huff. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much into it! I-I just mean you don¡¯t look homeless.¡±


    Calla looked somewhat confused at that before she just gave a small giggle only to hear Blaise growl in annoyance. Raven shook his head, catching Calla¡¯s eye as he smiled at her.


    ¡°Ignore him, he¡¯s grumpy in the morning¡­ and afternoon¡­ and night.¡± Raven teased, a feeling of relaxation sweeping over Calla as she gave a nod. However, Blaise looked between them, clearly annoyed at something other than the comment before huffing and getting up.


    The room would quiet down when Marick closed the book he was reading. ¡°If you are all done being loud this morning, I do believe we all have things to do. The more time we waste here, the longer it''s going to take,¡± he muttered, turning to leave the room.


    Gwydion shook his head with a smirk. ¡°Typical Marick,¡± he said playfully, taking the dishes and disappearing into the kitchen once again. Blaise grumbled a little before leaving as well, taking the nearly finished apple with him thankfully. Raven smiled at Calla, giving her a wink before heading from the room as well, leaving Calla the only one in the room.


    Calla watched as everyone left the dining area, moving off towards their own areas. She gave a frown. Oddly enough, Blaise¡¯s words from earlier about being useful around the cottage filled her head. As much as the others said to ignore it, the last thing she wanted to do was feel like a burden. She sat there for a moment before giving a small nod to herself, getting to her feet. She figured she might as well get to know the men she now lived with. Perhaps in the process learn a thing or two about how she could help. But who to follow?


    Choose to get to know Marrick (Chapter 3)


    Choose to get to know Raven (Chapter 4)


    Choose to get to know Gwydion (Chapter 5)


    Choose to get to know Blaise (Chapter 6)

 Getting to Know Marick

    Her eyes fell on the direction Marick had gone. His area was also conveniently the front of the cottage and the location where she had been staying at night since she had arrived. He was also the leader of this group and although she had seen at least Gwy tease him, she had also seen the group follow his orders without complaints. If anything, he was the best place to start. Calmly, she walked into the front room, looking around.


    Marick, as usual, was at his potion-making area pouring water into the empty cauldron. Looking around the room, she fully took in how the room was arranged. For as clean-cut as Marick was, the room was incredibly unorganized. His bed was never made, books rested wherever he left them, and although there were beautifully built cabinets that could hold the vials he used, they were empty with all the vials resting on the tables around the cauldron. Behind the cauldron on a stand was his black-covered book filled with recipes for different potions. Apart from her wanting to giggle at how contradictory Marick was. He had to be the most organized unorganized person she had ever seen.


    ¡°Do you plan to just stand there looking at me?¡± Marick suddenly asked, not even bothering to look in her direction, already waving his hand to start a fire under the cauldron. Calla felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment. Of course, he knew she had been standing there. She felt slightly awkward but sighed, smoothing out her skirt before walking over to him.


    ¡°I was¡­ I wanted to know if I could watch you make potions¡­ or help¡­ if you¡¯ll let me.¡± She said, her nerve slowly shrinking away as his eyes caught hers as she spoke. He had a way of making anyone feel small just with a glance and with the added fact that he stood at a height of 5¡¯11¡¯¡¯, it wasn¡¯t hard for him to stare Calla down with such intimidation without trying.


    He cocked his head a little, his eyes moving to scan her before narrowing. ¡°Why?¡± He finally asked. In a strange way, that made Calla relax slightly. He didn¡¯t mock her or outright tell her no.


    She frowned at his question. ¡°Mostly because I¡¯m curious about it.¡± She answered, breaking the intense eye contact by looking towards the opened book on the stand. The pages were covered with handwriting that looked to be in another language, marked-in side notes that were more than likely made by Marick, and hand-drawn pictures of different plants or resources. She had no idea how to read the page. ¡°It seems complicated.¡±


    There was a brief pause of silence before she heard Marick give a small snort, making her look back at him. He had closed his eyes to rub them before moving his hand away. His eyes opened, catching hers instantly but were a lot less intense than they had been earlier. His purple eyes were almost enchanting when they were gentle. In a way, Marick could be more handsome than Gwydion if he wasn¡¯t glaring most of the time.


    ¡°I guess it would be fine if you observed,¡± he said calmly, motioning for her to take the seat on the other side of him where she had seen Raven before. ¡°Just don¡¯t distract me.¡±


    Calla nodded at that, glad that he was allowing her to stay. Then again, with her around him it would make less trouble so that might be why. Still, she moved to take the seat, watching as the cauldron was already at a boil. The two were silent for a while, the only sounds being the bubbling cauldron and the tinkering of the glass vials. Marick seemed busy but soon enough he gave a slight frown.


    ¡°You are allowed to speak, you know. I only said not to distract me.¡± he pointed out, his eyes not leaving the book.


    Calla seemed confused by what he said. ¡°How do I not distract you?¡± she asked, figuring talking would be something that was a distraction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be Gwydion,¡± Marick said sharply. The way he said it, adding to the statement itself, took Calla by surprise before she couldn¡¯t suppress a small giggle.


    ¡°It does seem you two don¡¯t get along well.¡± She pointed out. Oddly enough Marick just shrugged.


    ¡°I have no real issue with him, he¡¯s just distracting,¡± Marick noted, his attention shifting to her for a brief second. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t go out of your way to bother me, you won¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯m more than capable of multitasking.¡±


    She gave a nod at that. ¡°Noted,¡± she answered, her eyes moving to the page he was running his finger over while he read. ¡°So¡­ um¡­ I guess my first question is what are you making?¡±


    The room was quiet for a moment, almost as if he were contemplating whether or not it was worth trying to explain. ¡°I need 20 more vials of hex deletion for a consignment shop in the other realm. People like to have them on hand before the winter solstice and high-quality ones can go for a good price,¡± he explained, his eyes never leaving the page he was scanning. ¡°However, they are tricky to make and if not done correctly can either lead to poisoning the person who uses it or it can be highly explosive when making it.¡±


    Calla shifted nervously at that last part, eyeing the cauldron. ¡°No wonder you don¡¯t wish to be distracted,¡± she muttered to herself, however, it seemed Marick heard her as he rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I can make this potion in my sleep. I¡¯ve already made 40 vials of it since you¡¯ve arrived,¡± he muttered back, her eyes moving to his face again.


    Calla had a look of worry on her face, hoping she hadn¡¯t upset him. ¡°Oh! I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to offend.¡± she said with a frown. ¡°I assumed you were a highly-skilled potions master¡­ as I never see you doing anything else¡­¡±


    Marick was quiet again before nodding. ¡°You didn¡¯t offend me. And you would be correct,¡± he said before thinking it over and glancing at her. ¡°But yes, it is best to not do anything to risk it. Even highly skilled potion makers can make mistakes. All it takes is one wrong amount of an ingredient to ruin everything.¡±


    Calla nodded before Marick turned to move selected vials closer to the cauldron, more than likely organizing the ones he needed to be close enough for when he needed them. However, Calla caught a glimpse of an annoyed look on his face, making her frown.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to have them organized on one of those cabinets so you only have what you need on the counter?¡± she asked, though as the words left her mouth she bit her lip, wondering if that wasn¡¯t something she should ask. As she suspected, he shot her a slight glare but sighed, folding his arms, and looking back at the vials.


    ¡°That was where they were originally.¡± he stated in a slightly condescending tone. ¡°I make tons of different potions in a week. I know what vials I need and that they are on the table. I just don¡¯t remember to return them to the shelves when I am done with them before I need them again.¡±


    His attention went back to the vials as he looked slightly annoyed by something, searching the area a few times before grumbling.


    ¡°I thought for sure I just bought some¡­ where the hell did I put it?¡± he muttered, picking up different vials to check tags before putting them down again. The sight made Calla give a slight look of amusement. So much for him knowing where he has things. It seems not even someone like Marick was perfect.


    Calla got to her feet and walked over to him, looking at the table. ¡°What is it called? I can look for it while you tend to the cauldron.¡± she offered. His purple eyes commanded her full attention as they shot to her, making her nearly breathless with how intense he could make his stare. After a moment, he grumbled and moved to pull his long silver hair away from his face before walking around her and back to the cauldron.


    ¡°It¡¯s called lum water extract. It will be a clear liquid in a vial that has a plant etched into the bottle,¡± he said, grabbing the ladle to put into the bubbling concoction already in progress. Calla nodded and went to work searching the vials while Marick tended to the potion, putting the ingredients he had next to him into the boiling water, which had become a blush color.


    It was a moment later when Calla found the vial. In fact, as soon as she found the bottle that had the tag that read lum water extract, she soon discovered four more vials. She stared at the sight for a moment before it finally hit her and she suppressed a small laugh. Marick seemed like the type who would get frustrated upon not finding something he needed right away and would probably go out to get more of it rather than admit he can¡¯t find it.


    She turned to Marick, holding the vial out to him. ¡°Here.¡± She said to get his attention. He glanced over before taking it from her wordlessly and once opening it, added the liquid to the cauldron. The color changed from the blush color to a light blue color as he did. Calla¡¯s attention went back to the vials on the table, thinking silently for a moment. ¡°Would you mind if I put some of these back on the shelves?¡±


    Marick muttered to himself before waving her off. ¡°Fine, just don¡¯t break anything. And don¡¯t touch what I have beside the cauldron.¡± He stated. Calla gave a nod before moving towards the side of the table closest to the first shelf. She began to take up the vials, reading the names of each and placing them on the shelf in alphabetical order. She was a bit surprised with some of the vials containing items that were ordinary. Water, different types of flowers, tea leaves, and so on. However, those items would be in contrast to the odd items she would see between them. Vials labeled as different types of body fluids of different creatures, crushed horns of unicorns, and one vial that slightly bothered her labeled as the blood of the innocent.


    The room was silent as the two worked at their own tasks, however, Calla¡¯s mind would soon find itself thinking back to earlier. Her eyes fell to Marick¡¯s form by the cauldron, slightly illuminated by the fire under it. Marick always wore a loose-fitting robe, most of the time a black or deep blue color. It was hard to believe upon looking at him that beneath his robe the man had nothing else that covered him, or that his body was as sculpted as it was. Her cheeks became slightly pink, remembering back to the morning she learned that he slept naked and didn¡¯t bother covering himself when he walked from his bed to the washroom. Unlike the brothers, she didn¡¯t get the impression that he did things like that on purpose. He wasn¡¯t the type that was actively trying to get her to sleep with him. That was unless this was a long con and he was lulling her into a false sense of security...


    A thought brought her out of the accusation and she looked at him more curious. ¡°Hey, Marick?¡± She started, knowing that even though he looked to be ignoring her, he was still listening. ¡°Why do you have a pentagram on your back?¡± She turned his way more. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry, it¡¯s just that I wouldn¡¯t expect you of all people to have a tattoo.¡±


    Marick glanced her way for a second before silently turning towards her. ¡°I can use it to summon wings for a quick escape if I need it,¡± he stated calmly. ¡°They are made with concentrated energy and can be summoned and dissipated at will.¡±


    Calla looked on in awe at the idea of Marick having magical wings. She wanted to ask if she could see them, but already she seemed to have an idea he would turn her down. As if to prove her thought, Marick had already turned back to his potion, running his finger down the page of the potion book, eyeing every word closely. Calla sighed, glad to have gotten one of the many questions she had, turning to continue to put the vials back.


    It wasn¡¯t that much longer before her eyes drifted around the room again. She looked towards the bed she had been using since she arrived. Now that she was really looking around the place, Marick¡¯s ¡®room¡¯ looked very thrown together, like it was something that had happened relatively recently. She frowned at that. ¡°By the way, why do you have your bed in the front of the cottage?¡± she asked.


    ¡°That would be my doing.¡± A sudden voice from behind her said, nearly making Calla jump out of her skin with a small scream. She turned to see highly amused Raven chuckling behind her. Marick glanced over, looking mildly annoyed by the sudden intrusion.


    Raven gave a hum, tapping his chin before he looked between the two. He got a wicked smirk, eyeing Marick playfully. ¡°It¡¯s about time you got yourself a cute little housewife to clean up after you.¡± he teased, making Calla¡¯s face light up bright red. Marick just clicked his tongue and glared at the man.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Calla exclaimed, to which Raven laughed and patted her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m teasing, dear,¡± Raven said as he did. Marick rolled his eyes.


    ¡°You are becoming as annoying as your brother,¡± Marick muttered, turning towards him and narrowing his eyes. ¡°What do you want, Raven?¡±


    Raven hummed, glancing towards the vials already on the shelf and then the vials on the table. He spotted what he was looking for. Reaching around Calla, he picked up a vial. ¡°I¡¯ve come to take some honey for tea. I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± he said calmly, an innocent smile on his face.


    Marick grumbled. It seemed that all the silver-haired man wanted was for the other to go away. ¡°Fine, just make sure to return it,¡± he stated bitterly. Raven nodded, looking at Calla to give her a wink as if she had been involved with some kind of plot.


    ¡°Anyway, back to your question. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed that when Marick gets into his potion-making mode, he will hyperfocus on the task. He¡¯ll go for days without sleeping before finally crashing if he sits down at the table.¡± Raven explained, ignoring Marick giving him an annoyed look. ¡°Sooo, since Marick wasn¡¯t using the room he had, I moved his room to the main room where he could continue his potions while also being social with the rest of the coven. His old room is currently the storage area for finished items.¡±


    Calla listened, things clicking in her head as the other explained. That would explain everything, she guessed. A shame they wouldn¡¯t turn their storage room into a room for her so she could have a place to get away from them. ¡°Oh, okay,¡± she said with a nod. Raven smiled and patted her head before looking at Marick.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Behave yourself with the young lady, Marick.¡± he teased the other. Marick didn¡¯t bother to glare at him for that, just scowled into the cauldron. Raven chuckled before turning to walk off towards the kitchen. Calla watched him go before looking back to Marick.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing he takes vials from you regularly?¡± she asked, turning to start putting away the vials on the table again.


    Marick gave a sigh. ¡°Constantly. However, unlike the others, he does actually return them,¡± he stated boredly, moving to read over what he needed on the page again. Once again, the room was quiet, Calla managing to get a good number of the vials he had on the table organized onto the shelves.


    Marick ran his finger over the page he was on, making sure he had everything before it paused on a section. His eyes narrowed and he tapped the section slightly with his finger before his purple eyes fell on the vials still on the table as if in thought. Calla caught this, tilting her head curiously.


    ¡°Missing something?¡± she asked, looking at the vials, planning to help him search for the item. Marick was quiet for a moment.


    ¡°Out of something.¡± he finally admitted, seeming to mull something over in his head before his purple eyes lifted to Calla¡¯s blue ones. He hummed, moving his hand to tap his chin as he turned his body to face her, walking closer to her. Calla looked up at him both curiously and slightly intimidated. He wasn¡¯t saying anything as his eyes moved over her face as if searching for something.


    Calla was about to ask what he wanted, opening her mouth to speak when Marick caught her chin with the fingers that had been originally tapping his own. Calla froze, eyes wide as she looked up at him. ¡°W-What are you-?¡± she tried to ask, only to be cut off as Marick spoke, leaning close to her face.


    ¡°Hold still and don¡¯t speak,¡± he commanded, albeit in a low tone. His purple eyes began to glow as they had when he cast his spell earlier before they would close. Before Calla could react, she was pulled closer to him, his lips catching hers. Calla gave a squeak in surprise, eyes wide as she stared at him. His brow tightened as he was focusing on something.


    That was when she felt it, a pain from inside of her. She whimpered, gripping his arm tightly and wanting to pull away, only to find she couldn¡¯t. Her eyes closed tightly, tears streaming down her face as the pain grew. It was as if something was tearing at her very soul, her very existence. Her face was hot, her body trembling. All at once, the pain stopped, as if whatever had been ripping was soon broken off, a warm sensation moving up her throat before Marick suddenly pulled away. Calla covered her mouth, feeling as if she was going to gag as her teary eyes opened just in time to see the end of a glowing golden light become trapped as Marick closed his mouth. His purple eyes opened with a calm expression as if nothing had happened, and him turning back towards the cauldron. He opened his mouth again and let out an exhale, the light, now golden dust, fluttering into the potion, making the concoction glow brightly before the color became clear like water.


    Marick gave a hum at the sight, stirring it calmly. ¡°...High quality...This might be a bit more potent than the ones I made earlier¡­¡± he muttered, more to himself. Calla stood there, still in shock and confusion about what had just happened.


    She shivered, her body feeling slightly cold. Her confusion became anger as she moved over to grab his arm, forcing him to look at her. ¡°W-What did you just do? What was that pain? W-Why did you do that?¡± she asked frantically. However, Marick seemed unbothered by her outburst, swiftly grabbing her arm to remove it from his. His expression was rather cold.


    ¡°Relax,¡± he stated calmly. ¡°I needed a small portion of your life for my potion. I forgot that I used the rest of the current stock I had of pure life essence.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes widened more, a bit of fear in her expression. ¡°You¡­ You stole a piece of my life?¡± she asked, her lips trembling. Marick clicked his tongue in annoyance and huffed, moving to sit her down in the chair nearby the cauldron before calmly moving back to it.


    ¡°I only leeched a year off. It¡¯s not as if you are in danger from me doing so,¡± he stated, turning the ladle in the potion once before looking back at her. ¡°It¡¯s easy to replace. When I leave to get more materials, I will get some to replace what I took.¡±


    Calla just stared back at him for a moment before looking off with a hurt expression. He just casually used her as an ingredient for his potion and he didn¡¯t seem to care how that would affect her. There was still a dull ache from deep inside her but what bothered her the most was just how cold he was about the whole situation. Her eyes softened sadly, her mind deep in thought. Why wouldn¡¯t he react coldly to her? He wasn¡¯t like the others who always gave her a warm smile and a kind look. He was someone who was serious, did what he needed to do without asking, and was focused on tasks without the care of emotions involved in them. Besides, what was she but a thing to be used by this coven?


    Unknown to Calla, Marick had been staring at her the whole time she had looked off. His expression was hard to read as if he were thinking about something before he looked at his cauldron again. The room had been silent again for a while before Marick sighed.


    ¡°Calla,¡± he said, catching her teary eyes as she looked up at him with a hurt expression. He folded his arms, not looking away from his own reflection in the potion below. ¡°I apologize¡­ My ability isn¡¯t a pleasant experience and I should have asked if not warned you first.¡±


    Calla was quiet as she listened to him. She wasn¡¯t sure how to feel at the moment. On the one hand, she felt used, but on the other, he spoke as if he was apologizing. After a moment she just sighed. ¡°Okay¡­¡± she said softly, not really knowing what else to say. She got to her feet slowly, wanting to just finish putting the vials away. However, before she could walk past him, Marick¡¯s arm suddenly blocked her path. She blinked in surprise, looking up at the man who had turned fully in her direction. His expression wasn¡¯t cold but it wasn¡¯t warm either, just kind of neutral as if he was deep in thought.


    He finally tilted his head, his long hair falling over his shoulder like silver water. ¡°Tell me, was that your first kiss?¡± he asked calmly, his voice low. Calla paused for a moment, moving to touch her lips lightly with her fingertips. With what had happened, she hadn¡¯t fully registered that he had stolen more than just part of her life essence, but doing so in a way that also stole her first kiss. She put her hand down from her face, sighing as her eyes softened.


    ¡°...Yes¡­¡± she answered. She heard Marick grumble after she answered, her eyes looking up at him to see his free hand was against his forehead, rubbing his temple as he looked slightly annoyed about something. His eyes were closed tightly in thought before they opened, his arms dropping to his side. He studied Calla¡¯s face for a moment before sighing and turning away from her.


    She couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying but he muttered about something being bothersome before raising both of his hands. Both seemed to glow with a purple hue before he waved his hands about the room. Doors suddenly appeared in the doorframes that led to the rest of the cottage, closing before large pentagrams appeared over them as if locking them magically. The door to the outside also had a large pentagram appear on it. Calla watched in awe as magic swirled around Marick¡¯s hands skillfully. The room suddenly felt as if no one else could just waltz in, as if the area only had Marick and her in it. Once every way into the main room was blocked off, Marick lowered his hands.


    Marick suddenly turned and began to walk over to her. Calla blinked in surprise but soon looked both confused and nervous, backing away from him until her back hit the wall behind her. She lifted both of her hands up as if to keep him away. ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± she tried to ask before Marick grabbed both of her arms by the wrist and pinned them to the wall next to her. Her heart raced as he leaned down to her level, his eyes closing before his lips caught hers once again. As they did, Calla flinched, giving a small whimper as she expected the pain from before. However, this felt different.


    His kiss was commanding, but deep and surprisingly passionate. Calla soon found herself relaxed, even leaning into it as her eyes slowly closed. Marick moved her arms up, pinning them above her using only one hand, freeing the other to cup the back of her head to give him a better angle. Calla¡¯s face grew hot with a blush, body quivering as his body was pressed against hers. She didn¡¯t realize how dizzy her thoughts had become until Marick broke the kiss.


    Calla¡¯s knees felt weak, knowing that if he hadn¡¯t been holding her wrists in place against the wall that she would have sunk to the floor. She panted softly, catching her breath as she looked up into his face. His expression seemed calm, as it normally was, however, there was something in his eyes that was slightly different. She couldn¡¯t quite place what it was, however, if this had been Raven or Gwydion, she would have thought it was the feeling of desire he was trying to hide.


    After a moment, he gave a low hum in thought. ¡°There¡­¡± he said, his voice low, almost husky but his tone being calm if not cold once again. ¡°Now your second kiss has a much better memory.¡± With that, he pulled away, releasing her wrists. He just walked back to the cauldron as if nothing had happened at all, putting out the fire. Calla just stood there, her heart racing as she just watched him, trying to calm herself down. She frowned a little. Marick was so complicated in her eyes. The way he acted, the things he did. At this point she had no idea what he thought of her nor did she feel as if she knew any more about him.


    ¡°Calla,¡± he said after a moment, snapping her out of her thoughts.


    ¡°..Y...Yes?¡± she answered, Marick¡¯s serious eyes glancing her way once again.


    ¡°In the room to the left of the washroom is the storage area Raven spoke of. There are a stack of wooden boxes that have empty vials in individual spaces inside of them. Will you go get one of those boxes and bring it here?¡± he said, making her a bit surprised that he asked rather than ordered. Then again, with what he had done earlier, she wondered if he was just trying not to upset her. It would be a waste of time after all. She nodded slowly, slinking off the wall. Marick turned back to the cauldron, raising an arm lazily and waving it. The magic he had done earlier seemed to dissipate as he did. The doors that had appeared, disappeared into dust and the pentagrams faded from every entrance. ¡°Oh, and Calla, don¡¯t say anything about what just happened. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    Calla stared at Marick a moment before nodding. She silently moved out of the room and headed towards the door he spoke of.


    Marick watched as she left, waiting before she was completely out of sight before he moved to the vials he had next to the cauldron. He grabbed one from the back of the group, holding it up. There were flakes of slightly golden dust in there, the label reading ¡®pure life essence¡¯. He glanced at the doorway before taking in a breath, letting out a long sigh as he looked down at the vial in his hand. Calmly, he moved to the table covered with books to the left of the cauldron, opening one of the drawers and placing the vial inside before closing it again. He casually walked back to the cauldron, looking down at the clear liquid at his reflection. He said nothing but looked to be in deep thought before he heard Calla walking back into the room.


    Calla sighed, seeing that Marick hadn¡¯t left the spot he was at by the time she returned. She walked over to him with the box in her hand. ¡°Was this what you were talking about?¡± she asked. He glanced over before nodding.


    ¡°Yes. Hold the box while I fill the vials.¡± Marick replied, taking one of the empty vials from the case and moving to pick up a dropper of sorts, dipping it into the liquid and filling it before moving it to the vial and emptying the contents into the vial in his hand. Once it was filled, he sealed the top with a cork and placed it back in the box from where he had taken it. He would continue this process silently as Calla watched on.


    She was quiet for a moment before she looked up at him. ¡°Um.. so... I was wondering¡­¡± she started softly, a bit hesitant to speak. ¡°Is it magic like that which is why it''s dangerous for me to be around other magicals? You know¡­ the taking life thing...¡±


    Marick¡¯s eyes shifted to hers a moment before back at the task he was doing. ¡°...No. That is something only I can do. Me, and death of course.¡± he explained. Calla looked slightly confused by that and he sighed, almost as if explaining was bothering him.


    He looked back at her. ¡°I am magical born, meaning that I come from magical parents,¡± he explained sternly. ¡°Those who are born into magic have one ability that is unique to them. I can take life from others. Raven and Gwydion are also born magicals. Their powers are more emotion-controlling in nature, similar but different. The only one among us who was not born magical is Blaise. He made a bond with Gwydion to unlock his power.¡±


    Calla just stared confused at the man before her. That was a lot of information to take in at once but the more she thought about it she seemed to understand. ¡°So could anyone become magical by making a bond?¡± she asked curiously. Marick stared at her for a long time, as if thinking deeply about something before he hummed.


    ¡°Those who have a sensitivity to magic are able to. Blaise could always see the magic invisible to those around him, so by making a bond, it awakened the magic inside him already,¡± he answered, searching her eyes before narrowing his. ¡°Before you ask, no, I don¡¯t believe you could do the same. You are a bit too susceptible to the magic of others. If you were able to resist our powers more, I would run more tests.¡± Calla frowned at the comment. Well, so much for that. She sighed, bummed at the news but nodded.


    The comment that Blaise mentioned to her suddenly came into her mind and she hummed. ¡°With your ability to take life¡­ is that why no one knows how old you are?¡± she asked curiously. Marick¡¯s eyes went back to her with a bit more of a dark look. She shrank back slightly. ¡°B...Blaise said something about it¡­¡±


    Marick sneered before giving a ¡®tsk¡¯ and continued with the task he was currently doing. ¡°Of course, he would,¡± he muttered bitterly. He furrowed his brows and looked back at the intimidated girl next to him. ¡°If he spent more time training and less time gossiping like an old woman, he would be a lot more powerful.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, hesitating before she spoke again. ¡°...You didn¡¯t answer the question¡­¡± she said softly. Marick grumbled at that, looking away from her.


    ¡°Does it really matter how long I have been around?¡± he countered bitterly. Calla paused at that, humming in thought before sighing, looking off.


    ¡°No¡­ I guess not,¡± she answered quietly. The two were quiet again, Marick nearly halfway through filling the box of vials. His face became expressionless as he stared into the cauldron.


    ¡°...I¡¯m 370¡­¡± he answered in a low voice for only her to hear. Calla¡¯s eyes widened, at first, she was amazed at the idea that he had been alive for so long before the realization of the implications of that sunk in and her expression became slightly fearful. If that was the case, how many lives had Marick stolen? She figured that wasn¡¯t a question she wanted the answer to.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s a very long time¡­¡± were the words she settled on. Marick just silently nodded before looking her way.


    ¡°And that is not information I want the others to know about,¡± he stated as a kind of warning. ¡°They are aware that I am a great warlock, one of immense power and skill. They don¡¯t need to know how long my life has been to obtain that kind of power.¡±


    Calla swiftly nodded at that and Marick seemed to eye her but trusted she wouldn¡¯t say anything before going back to filling the vials. Calla frowned as she watched him. Now there were two secrets she shared with Marick that she had to keep from the others. She guessed it was lucky none of them could read minds¡­ that she was aware of. Marick seemed to be uncomfortable discussing his past or personal parts of his existence. Calla was actually kind of glad because he also seemed to be disinterested in learning or caring about her past as well. That or he already somehow knew everything and had no reason to ask her.


    There seemed to be a commotion from the hall, drawing Calla¡¯s attention to the doorway. Marick, however, didn¡¯t bother to look up. ¡°Ignore it,¡± he muttered in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m sure they are just bickering about something unimportant as usual.¡± He sighed, the box nearly full at this point. ¡°I swear they are worse than children.¡± Calla couldn¡¯t help but giggle at that, not sure what was going on with the rest of the house but finding it amusing nonetheless.


    Once the box of vials were filled and the cauldron emptied, Marick took the box from Calla, moving to take it back to the room she got it from. Calla turned back to continue putting vials back on the shelf. She only noticed Marick had returned to the room when he appeared next to her, scanning the shelf as if to see how she was putting them on the counter. She looked up at him for a moment before smiling softly and returning to what she was doing. He remained standing there watching silently for only a moment before reaching around her to take up a few of the vials from the table. To Calla¡¯s surprise, Marick would silently help her as they cleared the table, putting everything back on the shelf in a way that would be much easier for him to search for what he needed. Though there wasn¡¯t anything said, Marick seemed relaxed to have her in the room with him.


    Calla has increased her relationship with Marick.


    Continue this route by going to Chapter 7

 Getting to Know Raven

    She watched the direction that Raven had gone, noticing his room was towards the back of the cottage, closest to the training area. She hesitated at first, Blaise¡¯s warning about the brothers in her head before she shook the thoughts out of it. Sure, she had to be cautious but she couldn¡¯t just ignore them.


    Getting to her feet, she moved down the darkened hall towards the closed door to Raven¡¯s room. She stopped before it, staring at the dark wooden door for a while as she worked up the courage to lift her hand as if to knock on it. However, before she even touched the door she heard him speak.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to knock, you are welcome to come in,¡± Raven called. Calla found herself hesitating again, wondering if it was a good idea to be alone with him. She sighed softly, knowing it was a little late to change her mind now that he was expecting her to enter. She took hold of the handle, turning it before entering the room.


    Raven¡¯s room was not what she expected it to be. He always came off as someone who tended to be rather laid back but his room looked like a giant library with a bed in the corner and a table where the black-haired man was currently working, writing down something in a blank book. What surprised her was the fact that everything was neat and tidy. Not a single paper or book was out of place. It was in stark contrast to what she had seen from the rest of the house. For being a relaxed individual, he was very organized, to the point of being OCD.


    Raven leaned back in his chair with his iconic warm smile, his gray eyes beckoning to her to join him. Then again, no matter how friendly he looked, there was always something mischievous about his gaze. It was as if a fox was watching and planning behind his eyes. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± he asked, tilting his head curiously. Calla frowned at the question. What was she doing? It¡¯s not as if she could really do much to help any of them.


    ¡°I¡­ um¡­ wanted to know if I can help with anything¡­¡± she finally answered, feeling her cheeks growing red as she looked to the ground. His chuckle made her look back at him, seeing him resting his head on the hand that he had propped up on the table.


    ¡°Does this have something to do with what Blaise said about you being useful?¡± he asked light-heartedly. She frowned at that but nodded. He slowly stopped his chuckle before sighing, keeping his smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take his words to heart. Like it¡¯s been said, he''s just a grumpy child.¡±


    She sighed at his words. It wasn¡¯t as simple as ignoring what he said after all. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t¡­ but still, I want to be able to do something around here¡­ since I live with you guys now.¡± she pointed out. Raven hummed in thought, thinking it over before shrugging.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know how you can assist me unless you know the intricate workings of spells.¡± he started, tapping his chin before he smiled and waved his hand to summon a chair that appeared next to him at the table. ¡°But¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mind the company. I¡¯m sure you have questions about our world after all and talking to you is a much better way to pass time.¡±


    That caused her to blush again, hesitating again before moving to take a seat next to him. His expression was much happier when she did, clearly in a much better mood with her company.


    He returned to what he was working on, dipping the feathered quill into a jar of ink before continuing to write in the blank book. Calla watched him curiously, unable to read the words he was writing, however, a bit mesmerized by his beautiful handwriting. It was almost like he was writing calligraphy, his lettering a form of art in itself. Turning her attention to his face, Calla¡¯s eyes softened. He was focused on his work, letting her explore his face which was lightly shaded with the bangs of his dark hair.


    Raven, like his brother, was a gorgeous man. His face was clean-shaven, which allowed for his strong chin to be easily seen. His face didn¡¯t have any markings on it outside of a small cut he had below his right eye which looked to have happened a long time ago. As she explored his face, she saw his mouth twitch into a playful smirk.


    ¡°See something you like?¡± he asked, making her jolt in surprise at being caught before growing flustered.


    ¡°...U-um¡­ I just¡­ never noticed that cut on your face before. How did you get it?¡± she asked, hoping that he would buy the fact that she wasn¡¯t just staring at his face. He gave a low chuckle at that, his gray eyes catching her blue ones. He lifted the hand that was resting on the table to touch the spot where his scar was.


    ¡°You mean this?¡± he asked, though not waiting for an answer before he put his hand back down and was once again looking at the book before him. ¡°I got it when I was a boy. I had just begun to play with my powers, started to mess around with it, and nearly took out my eye when I was moving a knife around, getting it to float, and accidentally sending it towards my face. Luckily it wasn¡¯t a very large knife and my mother was a practiced healer. However, I still got a scar from it.¡±


    Calla couldn¡¯t help but get lost in her thoughts while she listened to him speak. ¡°So, warlocks are born with magic then?¡± she asked. It made sense but she had never heard stories of families with magical powers before.


    ¡°That is one way,¡± he explained, still focused on his writing. ¡°A man can become a warlock by blood or bond. My brother and I were born into a magical family in the other realm. I didn¡¯t walk among non-magicals until I was in my early twenties.¡± He gave another smile, his eyes meeting hers again. ¡°Though, I do find them to be fascinating beings. The young ladies especially are quite easy to make flustered.¡±


    Calla felt he was teasing her with that line in some way so she just huffed at him and folded her arms. That only seemed to make him chuckle again so to make sure he didn¡¯t make her become flush again, she tried to change the subject. ¡°You said the other way was through a bond? A bond with what?¡± she asked. He gave her a slight inquisitive look as if it were an obvious answer.


    ¡°Why, with another warlock of course,¡± he answered, moving his hand so that the quill he was holding was writing by itself as he turned to face her. ¡°Someone who is sensitive to the magical auras of the other realm can make a bond with a warlock or witch, allowing them to become the apprentice of that person and awakening the magic they have inside of them.¡±


    She seemed to go into deep thought again, curious about the idea. ¡°I guess that makes sense¡­¡± she said before meeting his eyes again. ¡°Sorry, in the area I grew up in, we were always told that witches and warlocks got their powers from the devil¡­ so it¡¯s not as if I had any idea.¡±


    He raised a brow at that but seemed to understand and nodded. ¡°Ah, that explains the question then,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re actually acquainted with someone who wasn¡¯t born into magic already.¡±


    She paused to think for a second but seemed to already know who he was talking about. ¡°It¡¯s Blaise. He made a bond with someone, right?¡± she asked and Raven nodded at that.


    ¡°He¡¯s actually Gwydion¡¯s apprentice, which is why the two always train together. Unlike many who seek a magical, Blaise had a choice between the three of us as we had already started the coven before he joined. He picked Gwydion because of the type of magic he masters in.¡± he explained. Calla couldn¡¯t help but give him a blank stare, thinking of all the times Gwydion had messed with her.


    ¡°The power to be a lecher?¡± she stated bitterly with a scowl. Raven just gave a huge cat-like grin at that, resting his head on his fist again.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell him you called him that.¡± he nearly sang before giving a laugh, shaking his head. ¡°Gwydion is a talented spell caster who gained our mother¡¯s ability for healing and nature spells. Blaise is a bit more of a firebug unsurprisingly but he sought us out because he wanted spells for healing. He says it¡¯s so he can return to the non-magical world to tend to the sick.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... surprisingly rather sweet of him,¡± Calla said, impressed. Raven shrugged.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to have to work on his people skills if he wants to be a well-liked healer.¡± Raven pointed out before leaning back in his chair. The quill finished the paragraph it was writing and had returned to the inkwell. Calla watched as it did, once again wishing she could understand what was written.


    ¡°So what are you working o-!¡± She started to ask before getting cut off by Raven gripping her hand and pulling her onto his lap. Her face lit up redder than Gwydion¡¯s hair as Raven hummed, wrapping his arms around her. She stared wide-eyed up at him as he just smiled playfully down at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair if you only get to ask questions.¡± He pointed out. Calla felt her heart racing. Once again, his hold gave her the warmth and comforting feeling it had when he held her outside. However, this time she was slightly tense in his arms, Blaise¡¯s words echoing through her head. He called the brothers manipulators and Raven especially was someone who wasn¡¯t nice unless there was something he was after.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± She exclaimed, frozen as she looked up into his coy grin.


    ¡°I want to ask you some questions now. After all, I would like to discover your secrets as well.¡± He said with a playful tone. He did give a playful wink to her though. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m bored and a bit starved for attention so I figured I would enjoy more of your time.¡±


    She tried her best to glare at him, trying to push away. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be on your lap to answer questions!¡± She exclaimed. Raven gave a slight pout at that before he sighed.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± He replied, however, instead of letting her go, in a swift motion, Calla was being carried bridal styled as Raven got to his feet. He casually walked over to his bed and laid down with her. Calla let out a small yelp at that, pushing out of his arms, and moved to sit up, glaring down at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to be in your bed either!¡± She exclaimed to which Raven flashed a sunny smile up at her. He rested his head on his arm, turning his body towards her while his head was turned to look up slightly at her through his dark bangs. The sight made her heart skip a beat. Now she knew he was toying with her, using his good looks to act all charming.


    ¡°Do you not like it when I hold you close?¡± He asked in a slow tone while a smile rested on his face. She held up her glare towards him, her face hot with a blush.


    ¡°No,¡± she tried to say sternly to which Raven smirked, turning to lay on his back while closing his eyes.


    ¡°Liar.¡± he returned as he did. Calla just remained where she was seated, looking down at the beautiful man who was messing with her. She knew she was lying about that. Being in Raven¡¯s arms was safe and warm. She couldn¡¯t help but want to be held by him. The thought alone made her frown, worried those were feelings he was making her feel.


    ¡°You¡¯re using some kind of magic to make me,¡± she muttered, her eyes softening as they looked away from him. Oddly enough, the thought that he was playing with her like a toy did more than bother her, it made her heart hurt slightly. Did the warlocks only see her as a game?


    He gave a hum. ¡°Most likely,¡± he said calmly, making her look back at him with a frown.


    ¡°Are you admitting to it?¡± she asked. Raven opened his eyes with a blank stare at her before sighing, moving his hand to motion for her to at least lay down.


    ¡°And here I thought I was asking the questions now,¡± he stated, clearly dodging the question she had asked. Calla watched for a moment before giving in, crawling back over to him and laying down. Raven smiled, turning to lay on his side again as his body turned to face her. She stared into his face for a moment, letting him move his free arm to rest on her side for the time being.


    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that the man named for a bird has down blankets.¡± she pointed out, taking in how much softer his cot was compared to the one she had been laying in. He seemed to smile at that.


    ¡°See? And the others thought it was a childish idea. At least you appreciate it.¡± he teased with a wink, making her return his comment with a huff.


    ¡°So, what kind of questions did you want to know,¡± she asked, not really as a question, her eyes narrowing as she looked into his. He hummed for a moment as if thinking but his mouth was already curled into a smirk.


    ¡°Have you ever been kissed before?¡± he asked innocently. Calla huffed again, her cheeks once again flushed with a blush.


    ¡°Is that really a question you care about?¡± she countered bitterly only to have him lift his hand to wag it before her face while he smirked.


    ¡°Ah, ah ah! I answered all your questions without issue.¡± he sang playfully before returning his arm to her waist. She pouted at that before sighing.


    ¡°...no, I have never been kissed before¡­¡± she answered begrudgingly. Raven¡¯s smile became a bit more wicked as he leaned closer to her face. She could feel his warm breath on her face, making her eyes widen as her eyes locked with his.


    ¡°Do you want to be kissed?¡± he purred to her with a low voice. With him so close, her face felt on fire. Her heart was beating rapidly as she stared into his eyes, unsure of what exactly he was getting at.


    ¡°I...I mean, yes¡­ e-eventual-!¡± she started before suddenly she felt her body being turned to lay on her back. She could only gasp before Raven moved over her, his lips locking with hers. His eyes were closed, while hers were wide open.


    Her heart nearly jumped from her chest. His lips were soft, warm, but commanding as they took full control of the heated kiss. What bothered her most was the feeling deep within her that she wanted to give in, kiss him back, deepen it, and lose herself to him. She actually found herself clinging to him, her will wavering as she felt him pull up her skirt slightly to move her legs around him slightly. He hummed low into the kiss, a quiver running through her body. It was as if something was making her feel relaxed and okay with him running his hands over her, although it wasn¡¯t the sparks that made her hot and bothered when Gwy would touch her. This was subtle, her mind and emotions holding a desire to be Raven¡¯s. However, she soon snapped out of it and pushed him away from her, breaking the kiss and making him open his eyes with a playful smirk, licking his lips.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t an invitation!¡± she whined staring up at him as her hand moved to touch her lips, the feeling of his kiss still residing. She felt tears in her eyes that fell down her cheek as she did. But why? Inside, her body was a mess of emotions. Her heart was willing to let him do whatever he wanted to her, while a small part of her mind was screaming with the words that he was using his powers on her, just as Blaise had said. Raven seemed to see the conflict behind her eyes and frowned, his eyes softening again. It hadn¡¯t been his intention to make her cry after all.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be upset, dear¡­¡± he said, a small smile returning. ¡°You looked so sweet, I just couldn¡¯t help myself,¡± he said gently, moving to lay next to her, pulling her into his arms, and lightly kissing her forehead.


    Calla wiped her eyes, curling up into his hold, clinging to his shirt. She felt like a child, helpless and weak, yet, the thought that she actually liked his kiss bothered her more. This was just a game, right? That had to be the only reason why he kissed her. If she hadn¡¯t stopped him, how far would he have gone? They were silent for a moment, Raven soothing her by rubbing her back.


    ¡°Raven?¡± she finally said softly, burying her head into his chest.


    ¡°Hm?¡± he replied just as softly. Calla bit her lip, Blaise¡¯s warning in her head.


    ¡°Please¡­ whatever game you are playing¡­.don¡¯t manipulate me¡­¡± she finally said, feeling her heartache at the thought. The motion of Raven¡¯s hand on her back paused when she said that. Unseen by her, his eyes were hard to read, staring forward as he was deep in thought before he sighed softly, returning to soothing her.


    ¡°...I won¡¯t¡­¡± he finally answered gently, his words sincere. After a moment, he pulled away, getting up off the bed. He smiled tenderly as he looked down at her. ¡°How about I make us some tea? I did have actual questions I wanted to ask you after all and tea will calm nerves.¡±


    Calla nodded at that, moving to sit up at the edge of the bed as she watched Raven leave. She sighed, looking to her lap as she lost herself in her thoughts.


    Raven closed the door behind him, pausing to rest on the door, running his fingers through his hair. He looked off in thought. He couldn¡¯t deny that he was playing a game with Calla. It was a game to get her attention that he was playing with the rest of the house. She was a pretty little doll for the coven to dress up and have their way with. Especially given that none of them had gotten any attention from a young woman since before their last trip to the other realm. If he hadn¡¯t held back, overly confident that he had pulled enough strings of her desire to make her give in, he would be enjoying her body, filling her with his desire, and making her his plaything. Though, that thought made a twinge of pain fill his chest again, making the man move his hand from his hair to grip his shirt. Was that, guilt? How would he feel guilt for having those thoughts?


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    That look in her eyes. The conflict between her emotions and the tears. It wasn¡¯t as if the girl hadn¡¯t already been through a lot. The poor girl was lucky to be alive let alone having already escaped a life of being a sex slave to an old man. It made him feel terrible, almost disgusted in himself. Letting out a sigh, he shook his mind out of it.


    ¡°Get ahold of yourself, Raven. She¡¯s just a non-magical¡­¡± he muttered before moving to the front of the cottage where Marick was messing with the vials on his table, looking annoyed. Raven looked amused at the sight, his mood improving as he walked over to him.


    ¡°You really should organize these.¡± he mocked, only to get a glare from the older man. Raven just chuckled and moved to take up a vial. ¡°I¡¯m taking a vial of honey. Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Marick grumbled towards him. ¡°Can¡¯t you just get your own?¡± he asked but soon waved him off. ¡°Just return it when you are done.¡±


    Raven nodded with a salute before moving off towards the kitchen. Once there he waved his hand, lighting the stove before filling the kettle and placing it above the fire. He sighed, his own mind deep in thought before he felt eyes on him.


    ¡°You¡¯re an ass,¡± Blaise growled in anger as he leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, arms folded. Given the annoyance in his voice, Raven wondered if the younger man had been out on the training grounds and knew something would happen with Calla being alone with the black-haired man if the other felt that she had decided to join him. Then again, it wasn¡¯t as if Blaise couldn¡¯t feel when the others were using magic.


    Raven glanced back at him, his expression looking bored as he looked over the younger man. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that you were the one who said I was manipulating her,¡± he muttered. The comment seemed to piss Blaise off more as he pushed off the doorframe and stood with his hand balled into fists.


    ¡°Of course, I did! She needed to know what you are really like.¡± he spat in his anger. Raven¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change but he turned to look back at the kettle.


    ¡°What proof do you have that I am doing such a thing?¡± he asked after a moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb, Raven! You KNOW what you are doing is wrong!¡± Blaise growled at him, his fists shaking and glowing red with sparks. ¡°Did you happen to mention that people born of magic have special abilities? You have the ability to manipulate emotions to make them feel however you want! If you are not using your powers on her then you would have told her about your abilities. And if she knew the truth about how you feel about non-magicals, she would avoid you as if her life depended on it!¡±


    The sound of the kettle whistling broke the tension in the room as Raven calmly moved to pour water into two cups and placed a metal ball with tea leaves into each before placing them on a tray and turning towards the door where Blaise still stood looking angry.


    Raven¡¯s eyes held a dark expression as he watched him for a moment before he hummed and calmly moved towards him. He stopped, the two standing next to each other. ¡°Are you sure that the real reason you are thinking that is due to the fact that she decided to come to see me and not you?¡± he asked, his tone much darker than it had been before. He kept his eyes forward, his expression was hard to read. ¡°Do me a favor, Blaise. If you like her, tell her. Stop acting like you don¡¯t want her around. If that¡¯s not the case, then don¡¯t concern yourself with what I may or may not be planning to do with her. Stay out of my business¡­¡±


    With that he walked back to his room, pausing at the door before giving a sigh to calm himself. A smile appeared on his face again as he opened the door and walked in. ¡°Hope I didn¡¯t keep you too long. I swear the kettle takes forever,¡± he said as his eyes fell on Calla, still sitting on his bed.


    Calla looked up again when Raven returned. She was taken aback at the sight of him. He was smiling like normal but there seemed to be something wrong. She frowned at that. Did her bringing up the manipulation part bother him that much? She just watched him as he set the tray down on the nightstand next to his bed and moved to sit down next to her draping one arm around her back and offering her a cup with the other.


    ¡°Careful with this. It might be a bit hot still,¡± he said as he did. Calla nodded at that and took the cup carefully. It seemed that the ball of tea leaves hadn¡¯t yet fully seeped into the water yet anyway so it would give it time to cool.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said softly as she did. She watched as Raven calmly took up his own cup, taking the vial he had stolen from Marick from his pocket and pouring a little in.


    ¡°Do you like honey in your tea?¡± he asked, glancing at her. Calla frowned.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve never had it in tea before,¡± she admitted. He gave a small chuckle at that and turned to pour some into her cup.


    ¡°Well then, this will be a treat for you then,¡± he said with a playful wink to her. When he did, Calla kept her eyes on his, searching for any sign that he was upset with her. However, his gray eyes were just as gentle as they had been before. Still, the thought lingered. She would have asked but Raven spoke first.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming your family never had enough for things like honey,¡± he said calmly before a thought hit him, making him hum in thought. ¡°Then again, you also were rather surprised when Gwy got you so many outfits. What was your family like?¡±


    Calla frowned at the comment and question, looking into her cup. ¡°I thought Gwydion and Blaise found out everything about me when they poked around.¡± she pointed out, still a bit annoyed that they did that.


    ¡°Not everything.¡± Raven countered with a smile to her. ¡°Just the reason behind why you ended up in our forest is all. The rest of it was speculation that you confirmed when you got upset.¡±


    She huffed, giving him an annoyed look, which only made him look amused before she sighed. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not too difficult to figure out that I came from a poor family¡­¡± she muttered, a sad look on her face. ¡°My family were pig farmers across the river from here. I had two older brothers and a sister, so no, we never had the money for things like sweets. My clothes tended to be whatever my sister passed down, given that she is a good few years older than I am.¡± She thought back a bit, memories flooding her head. ¡°My brothers were encouraged to leave home to find work while my sister was originally going to be sent to the lord of the village I ended up in to be married off to him but it was discovered she had gotten pregnant by another and ran off to marry him.¡±


    Raven listened without a word as she spoke, thinking to himself as he did. Calla continued, ¡°The lord was furious when he found out, and to make sure he got something from the deal he gave my father a lot of money to buy me. I don¡¯t know if my parents knew what the lord planned on using me for or if the money was too good to care but they took the money and watched as his men grabbed me and took me away. You guys know the rest.¡± she explained, moving to take a sip of her tea. She was surprised by the sweetness of the honey. She sighed, looking into the cup. ¡°My parents didn¡¯t even look sad to see them taking me away. I begged and cried out for them, but they just stood there. I thought¡­ I thought I had been a good daughter, always doing what was asked. I woke up early, I fed the pigs, I bundled sticks for the fire¡­ but still, they let me go as if I were nothing¡­¡±


    Raven hummed in thought once she was done speaking, thinking about what she had said. He couldn¡¯t help but take pity on her. Obviously, her life had been rough from the beginning, not that he fully understood everything. ¡°Well, at least that explains why you came to ask if you can help out. I¡¯m guessing you are not used to not having something to do.¡± he pointed out before sipping his tea. ¡°Though I¡¯m not going to lie, as I am not from your world, I can¡¯t say I know much about non-magical jobs.¡±


    She looked back up at him when he said that before frowning. They really were different from her. She wondered what his childhood was like. If his mother was a healer, they more than likely lived better lives than she had. What was the class system like in the other realm? Her eyes turned to look at the table he had been sitting at earlier. The quill was once again writing on its own.


    ¡°Are you really not going to tell me what you were working on?¡± she asked, looking back up at him. He paused mid-sip before smirking, putting the cup away from his mouth, and glanced at the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m restoring spell books, adding spells to them, and mending some that were given to me from other magic users during our last trip to the other realm,¡± he explained, moving his hand to return the quill to the inkwell. ¡°I can enchant the quill to finish a thought for me but once that thought is done it stops, which allows me to take breaks when my hand is tired.¡±


    Calla watched as the quill was returned before looking back at Raven. ¡°You have beautiful handwriting¡­It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s almost like watching an artist.¡± she said softly with a bashful smile on her face. Raven paused at that before he smiled softly at her.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± he responded before giving a nod. ¡°I have wondered if that is why so many people come to me to add to their spell list, but no one has ever said they like my handwriting.¡±


    ¡°Well, they should. Anyone would be lucky to have something with your handwriting in it,¡± she said, watching the quill return to the ink again. Calla thought things over a moment, her attention returning to Raven. ¡°So, Marick does potions and you mend spellbooks. Does everyone here have a selected job?¡± Raven chuckled at that, once again making her think it was an obvious question.


    ¡°Of course, we are a well-known coven after all.¡± He pointed out before running his free hand through his dark hair. ¡°Powerful beings who control magic are highly respected in the other realm, more so than other beings. Warlocks have the power to do things that can defy logic and with the right powers, can live very long lives.¡± Calla couldn¡¯t help but notice that Raven¡¯s eyes looked distant as he spoke, clearly thinking about something but not saying it. He glanced down at her and the distant look went away, his smile returning. ¡°Granted, born magicals tend to have it a bit easier than those who make a bond.¡±


    Calla looked curious about that, tilting her head. ¡°How so?¡± she asked only to see Raven flash a wicked smirk again.


    ¡°I get a question now.¡± he teased, once again making her huff. To Calla, he was kind of acting like a spoiled child. How was she ever going to learn about their world if he was going to keep holding off answering her questions? She eyed him but returned to her drink.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± she muttered. To her surprise, Raven moved to place his cup on the nightstand before leaning back, propping himself up with his arms as he seemed to look as if he was thinking something over. He gave a small hum before sighing.


    ¡°What did Blaise tell you about everyone?¡± he finally asked. Calla was taken aback by that, frowning as she looked back at him. Was that what was bothering him?


    ¡°He told me that all of you are a good few years older than me, but that he doesn¡¯t really know how old Marick actually is.¡± she started, thinking back to their conversations. ¡°He said I have the right to tell all of you if you are making me uncomfortable¡­ and that¡­ well... That you and Gwydion are manipulative.¡± She frowned, Raven¡¯s expression was rather hard to read. Like he was in deep thought but not a happy one. ¡°He said that you especially tend not to do something unless you gain from it¡­¡±


    Raven gave a breathy snort at that, giving a small smirk as he looked over at her. He tilted his head. ¡°Do you believe him?¡± he asked. Calla couldn¡¯t help but become confused at the question. It had never crossed her mind that Blaise might be exaggerating or outright lying to her. He didn¡¯t seem like he had a reason to do that, though. Her pause made Raven frown before he sighed, sitting up again. ¡°Because he¡¯s right.¡±


    That last comment made her eyes widen as she stared at him. Raven sighed again, pausing as he seemed to be contemplating what he wanted to say. ¡°Magicals who are born into magic all have a power that is unique to them. That¡¯s what I meant by those born into magic have it easier,¡± he explained, staring off in thought. ¡°Since Gwydion and I are brothers, our powers are similar but not the same, however, they can be classified as manipulative in nature. Gwydion¡¯s ability is to send good feelings into another at his slightest touch. Because he is a healer, it¡¯s a useful skill to make a person feel good while tending to them. However, he mentioned to me a while ago that on non-magicals, his ability reacts¡­ differently. His touch sends good feelings but the body¡¯s reaction to it is pleasurable, his touch becomes a kind of like a drug, a craving for more.¡± He smirked a bit before continuing, ¡°Not to add any more fire to your thoughts of Gwy being a lecher, but he¡¯s had more than enough experience to know what his power does to the female body. He knows exactly what he¡¯s doing when he touches you.¡±


    Calla suddenly felt very uncomfortable at that thought. To think she just thought Gwydion was just handsy. Now she knew the feeling of the sparks she felt when he touched her were part of his power. Creep. However, she said nothing, letting Raven continue. Raven looked her in the eyes, his smile seemed sad. ¡°I control emotions, not just make people feel good or pleasurable. I can make you feel however I want you to feel, either through touch or eye contact,¡± he explained, which Calla frowned. So it was true, the feelings she experienced when he held her were something he was doing. That thought bothered her. She wasn¡¯t angry, more just upset that the feeling of feeling safe was fake. He seemed to search her eyes for a second before sighing. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you know how I have been using my abilities around you. When you first got here, I had to keep you calm. Your recovery would have been longer if you were panicked or stressed. After that, I¡¯ve been using my ability to help you get used to being here. I know this is a strange new experience for you¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to fear us.¡± His eyes became serious. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to lie and say that manipulating your emotions to feel safe was all that I was doing. This coven, we just returned from a rather intense mission in the other realm and normally we take some time to unwind in the beds of young women from the neighboring villages. I¡¯m sure even Marick is starved for more¡­ intimate attention. I won¡¯t pretend I haven¡¯t been selfish to try and make you feel safe enough to want to be around me for my own desires. But, as I said, I wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to forcibly take you.¡±


    Raven leaned closer to her, touching her face gently. Calla felt her heart race as she looked up into his gray eyes. His warm breath hit her face again, making her body quiver. ¡°...No matter how badly I want you...¡± he whispered to her, his voice low but calm. She didn¡¯t have the sensation of energy flowing through her this time so she knew he wasn¡¯t using his power, meaning this test of her willpower was on her. She felt a rational person would be mad at him for what he had told her. He had admitted that Gwydion and he had been manipulating her feelings, testing how much they could get away with. But it was just that, he admitted to it, to everything. He had no reason to do so. Raven had the chance to let her go on being ignorant of what he was doing.


    ¡°...You¡¯re a good guy, Raven¡­ For telling me the truth.¡± Calla said back, her eyes looking into his. The comment seemed to catch him by surprise, his eyes widening before they closed. Raven pulled away from her as he lay back on his bed laughing at that. He rubbed his temple as Calla looked on.


    ¡°A good guy¡­ I have to say, I prefer being called that rather than an ass¡­ no matter if the latter is more accurate,¡± he said after a moment. Calla frowned at that, not sure what to say for a while. She turned to set her cup down before slowly moving to lay down next to him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know any of you that well, but I haven¡¯t thought any of you would go out of your way to hurt me. I know, I probably should be more upset at what you said, but¡­ I guess I¡¯ve kind of expected this was going on.¡± she explained gently, her eyes focused on the ceiling. ¡°I¡¯ve been treated poorly my whole life. I grew up as one more mouth to feed in my family, a girl at that. Girls are normally seen as weak and good for nothing outside of marrying into a richer family to support my parents. I was sold to someone to be used and then chased out of the only world I knew by my own kind.¡± She sighed, thinking over everything. ¡°Since entering the forest, this coven has treated my wounds, given me a place to stay, treated me kinder than anyone I have met before, and has gotten me clothes. If you are going to tell me that all of it is being done just to get me to sleep with one of you¡­ that would be a bit desperate, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Raven watched her but the two remained quiet for a while. Finally, Calla sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, everything has been¡­ insane. Anyone in their right mind would be at least intimidated by everything that I have witnessed. If you would have told me a month ago I was going to stumble into a group of warlocks, magic is real, and folktales I thought were used to keep children from misbehaving were true, I would have thought you had lost your mind. Now that I am in this world, I want to get to know it, to not be afraid and learn¡­¡± She turned her head to look at Raven, whose expression was soft but slightly surprised. She just smiled gently at him. ¡°...And I want to get to know all of you better, especially since I live with you guys now. I want to know who you really are, get to know the real you¡­ if you let me.¡±


    Raven just held his stare for a while before his eyes softened and he smiled, looking up at the ceiling with slight amusement. ¡°...I think you might be a bit too sweet and innocent¡­¡± he teased. Calla blinked in surprise before giving a huff.


    ¡°I mean it!¡± she exclaimed to which Raven chuckled, looking back at her.


    ¡°I know you do,¡± he stated calmly before giving a sigh. ¡°But if you keep that up, we will need to fight vampires off with a lot stronger magic than I thought we would. A sweetness to that level would cause a frenzy.¡± She was about to mutter a protest but he just flashed a smile at her. ¡°So what is it you want to know about me?¡±


    Calla paused at that, her expression softening as she thought about everything she wanted to know. She hummed, turning her body towards him before giving a shrug. ¡°You said your mother was a healer, what kind of magical was your father?¡± she finally asked. Raven hummed slightly at that, turning his body towards her as well.


    He gave a playful smirk. ¡°A lecher,¡± he said, making Calla frow her brows. Raven just chuckled in amusement. ¡°I¡¯m serious. As brilliant as my mother was as a witch, she¡­ wasn¡¯t the best at picking men. I¡¯m sure you have noticed that my brother and I are quite different, maybe sharing some facial features and of course, gaining our mother¡¯s eye color, but that is about it as far as similarities. That would be due to the fact that we have different fathers. Granted, we know of them, but neither man stayed in our lives too terribly long. I know my father is a great warlock with incredible power, but he wasn¡¯t one to stay in one place for too long, nor was he someone that was faithful to one person. As for Gwydion¡¯s father, I¡¯m still convinced he was a french minstrel posing as a great warlock but with how powerful Gwydion can be when he¡¯s serious, the man had to have come from magic.¡±


    Calla frowned. ¡°So your mother raised both of you by herself? Wasn¡¯t that tough for her?¡± she asked, once again curious about the hierarchy within the other realm.


    ¡°Not so much. It¡¯s not as if we were hellraisers as children. Outside of my little mishap with a knife, Gwydion and I rarely got into trouble.¡± Raven explained.


    Calla¡¯s expression sank to a blank stare. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± she muttered, to which Raven gave her a wink.


    ¡°Fine, we were never caught causing trouble.¡± he reiterated with a smirk. That sounded more truthful to Calla. He continued, ¡°Magicals such as witches and warlocks are part of the highest social classes in the other realm. Unlike the rules of the non-magical, witches have just as much say in society if not more than their male counterparts. As a healer, our mother made good money. I have wonderful memories of living in a lovely home with a large garden in the front.¡± His smile softened. ¡°I own the house, and the coven stays there if we have a need to stay in the other realm longer than expected. Once you are able to go, I would love to show you.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but dance at the idea of seeing such a lovely garden as he claimed. However, her look faded to a small frown. ¡°So, your mother is no longer around?¡± she asked softly. Raven just shook his head with a sad smile, his eyes giving the distant look he had earlier.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid she passed away long before the coven ever was created. As powerful as magicals are, we are not indestructible. We can still die.¡± he pointed out calmly before sighing and looking off in thought. ¡°I bought the home a little while after she died. Someday, I plan to settle down and raise my own family there, so they can have as nice a life as I did growing up.¡± Calla¡¯s expression softened at that, surprised to hear him have such a future plan. That, however, didn¡¯t last long as his mouth curled into a playful grin. ¡°So, if you are willing~¡±


    Calla¡¯s face lit up with a blush but she glared at him, making him laugh at that before pouting. ¡°You might be even more of a lecher¡­¡± she muttered, making Raven laugh harder. She sighed, smiling as she listened to him laugh.


    ¡°Oh come now, are you saying you don¡¯t want to have children someday?¡± he asked, still more or less teasing. Calla just took one of his pillows to cover his face as she blushed more at his words. He chuckled more at that, moving it off his face and grabbing her. She squealed as he moved over her again, him looking amused as she giggled up at him. ¡°But seriously, are you interested in having a family of your own someday?¡±


    Calla sighed to calm herself but blushed softly as she looked up at him. She seemed wary at his words, not wanting to give him an invitation to try anything. However, he seemed curious more than anything. ¡°Y¡­Yes, I want to have a family someday. A big family of my own.¡± she answered with a shy smile up at him. He hummed in thought at that, a wicked grin on his face.


    ¡°Good to know.¡± he teased, making Calla pouted at his look. He just laughed at her expression again.


    The two would continue talking until Calla dozed off, making Raven move to carry her from his room and to Marick¡¯s currently empty bed. He could hear Blaise and Gwydion were training outback and as he tucked her in he noticed Marick had finished the potion he was making. Raven nodded to Marick before leaning down to kiss Calla¡¯s head gently.


    ¡°Rest well, Calla,¡± he whispered to her before moving to head outside to watch the others train.


    Calla¡¯s relationship with Raven has increased.


    Continue the story by going to Chapter 7

 Getting to Know Gwydion

    From where she was seated, Calla could hear the sounds of plates tapping each other from the kitchen. She frowned, wondering if it was common for the others to stick Gwydion with all of the cleaning. Maybe it was due to her good nature or that she actually wanted to spend time with Gwydion, but something made her get to her feet and move to the kitchen.


    Inside, the kitchen wasn¡¯t all that special. The countertops were made of nicely patterned wood. A large fireplace rested to the side with metal hangers attached so to boil pots of water. A kettle is currently hung from the metal bar. Just before her was the figure of the tall man with long red hair which he kept in a messy updo as he stood before the sink, cleaning the dishes before a large open window that had a view of a small garden of flowers Calla knew was on that side of the cottage. Gwydion didn¡¯t seem to act as if he knew she was standing there but a small part of her had a feeling that he was very much aware. Though facing away, she could feel the smile the man had on his face. Giving a small sigh, she walked over to him.


    ¡°Gwydion, would you like any help with the dishes?¡± she asked, looking up at him. He opened his eyes, the playful grin she knew he was doing only growing.


    ¡°That would be rather kind of you, love,¡± he answered cheerfully. He took a cloth he had draped on his shoulder and handed it to her. ¡°How about I wash you dry?¡±


    Calla nodded, taking the cloth that was already damp before being handed a dish. The two were oddly quiet for a moment, Calla putting away the dishes once dry. As she did, she heard Gwydion give a small chuckle.


    ¡°Forgive me for being so quiet, love. I¡¯m not used to having company while I¡¯m in the kitchen.¡± he pointed out, smiling warmly in her direction. ¡°The others are not as willing to assist in such things.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, a little curious. ¡°You haven¡¯t ever asked for help before?¡± she asked, tilting her head slightly. He laughed again at that.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve asked in the past. You know how the others are,¡± he answered, his attention returning to the few dishes he had left. Calla gave him a bit of a look at that.


    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t really know how any of you are.¡± she pointed out, making him frown as his gray eyes returned to her once she walked back over to dry another dish. A thought seemed to hit him before he smirked.


    ¡°Ah, so that is why you offered to help. You want to understand me better, yes?¡± he asked, making Calla a tad flustered to be called out. He dramatically touched his face, beaming with delight. ¡°To take advantage of the situation and use the moment when I am vulnerable. To think you were such a naughty girl~¡±


    Calla jolted at that, eyeing him, her face bright red as she glared at him. ¡°W-What are you even talking about?! I¡¯m not using you!¡± she huffed in surprise. However, Gwydion was just giving her an amused look, a wicked grin on his face. She grumbled at the sight. He was making her sound like some kind of master manipulator. Her eyes softened at that thought, Blaise¡¯s words filling her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m only teasing, love,¡± Gwydion said calmly after a moment before returning to the dishes, he was on the last cup to wash anyway. However, something seemed to catch his attention from just outside the window. He frowned, Calla watching curiously as he reached out to touch a wilted flower from a vine that was climbing the side of the house, framing the open window when the shutters were open.


    He seemed to be thinking over something before humming to himself. Carefully, glittery sparks of magic began to dance around his fingertips and over the small flower. To Calla¡¯s amazement, the flower began to perk itself up, becoming filled with brilliance once again as if brought back to life. The sight was one of beauty, even Gwydion¡¯s eyes seemed to hold a warm loving glow as he tenderly touched the plant a moment longer before pulling his hand away and returning to finish washing the last cup. Calla¡¯s expression was soft, watching him for a moment before looking up at the little flower near him.


    ¡°Your magic¡­ it¡¯s very pretty.¡± she found herself saying. She hadn¡¯t meant for her thought to come out but it was true. She hadn¡¯t seen him use that kind of magic before and compared to what she had seen of the others, Gwydion¡¯s magic was beautiful in appearance.


    She glanced up at Gwydion after she spoke to see him smiling warmly back, handing her the final cup to dry. ¡°My mother would have been overjoyed to hear such a compliment. I was born with her power over nature and healing, the beauty of my spells come from her,¡± he said with a gentleness she was not used to hearing from him. In all honesty, this was the first time she had heard him say anything about his parentage before. It made her wonder about the dynamics of the other realm. From what he said, it sounded like all magicals were born into that life. She returned the last cup to where it belonged, turning to ask more about it only to see Gwydion staring at the hem of her dress with a serious look in his eye, his fingers touching his chin. It was a look she had seen him give before. It was one that usually meant he was plotting something and it had to do with her clothing.


    She followed his gaze to the hem of her skirt to see what he was looking at. To her surprise, she looked to have gotten a little tear in it. As to when that happened, she had no idea. Her eyes went back to Gwydion as he gave an exaggerated sigh and walked over to her. ¡°I just bought that for you and you have already managed to break it,¡± he stated in disappointment. Before Calla could react, he took her hand and began to lead her toward his room. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t have that. I will need to fix it at once.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait! Gwy!¡± was all Calla could get out before she found herself through the door of Gwydion¡¯s room, him turning to close the door behind them. Gwydion ignored her protest as he let go of her. He pointed to his bed while he moved to the desk in his room.


    ¡°Take a seat.¡± he nearly ordered as he did. Calla frowned. Oddly enough, the chairs that she knew had been in the room were gone, outside of the one that was at his desk. In her eyes, that was nearly too convenient. Had he planned this? Still, she sighed and did as she was told, walking over to the red satin sheets of Gwydion¡¯s bed and sitting on the edge. He opened a drawer on the table, taking out a small sewing kit before calmly walking back over to her. She folded her arms, giving him a blank stare as he knelt down, inspecting the tear in her skirt.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t I have just sat at the table? I do not see a reason for me to be on your bed,¡± she asked incredulously, eyes narrowing. Gwydion¡¯s mouth twitched into a slight smirk but he didn¡¯t look up at her.


    ¡°My bed is much softer than any chair. I only wanted you to be comfortable,¡± he said innocently. She didn¡¯t believe it for a moment. However, he said no more about it as he threads the needle and begins to mend the tear in her skirt. She sighed a little at that, watching him for a moment.


    As much as she had seen his face close to hers before, Calla had never taken in the features of his face. Gwydion had the look to make any woman swoon and the romantic way of speech he had only added to his charm. His skin was flawless of any mark or scar as if he had never once had poor skin in his life. He had a chiseled jawline which had a small amount of a scruffy red beard on his chin. Sharing some attractive facial features with his brother, Gwydion was a level of handsome that even Calla could not deny. What made it worse was the fact that he knew how attractive he was and used it well.


    Blaise¡¯s words hit her again, making her go deep into thought. Sure, Gwydion was handsome and knew it, but then again, Blaise also said the brothers were manipulative. Every once in a while, when Gwydion would touch her, she felt sparks of a strange feeling sweep over her body, making her body warm and sensitive. She wondered what kind of power he had if Blaise felt the need to warn her about being careful around them. It only reminded her of how much she didn¡¯t know about the members of the coven.


    Gwydion was focused on mending her skirt, either not noticing she was staring at his face or knowing and choosing not to react to it. Calla¡¯s expression sank, wondering if she could even ask him about it. Would he even bother to tell her the truth? The two were quiet while he worked skillfully on her skirt, nearly finished already. It wasn¡¯t long before she couldn¡¯t hold it back any longer.


    ¡°Gwydion.¡± she started with a soft tone, still trying to figure out how she wanted to word her question. He didn¡¯t lookup.


    ¡°Yes, love?¡± he asked, eyes on his task but a smile on his face. She searched his face for a moment, wondering what kind of a reaction he would have.


    ¡°Blaise told me that Raven and you are manipulators¡­ is that true?¡± she asked. To her surprise, Gwydion¡¯s expression didn¡¯t even look slightly upset by her question. In fact, he almost looked amused by it, giving a slight sigh.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t surprise me that he said something. The boy doesn¡¯t seem to have any faith in me,¡± he replied in amusement. Calla frowned at that.


    ¡°That¡¯s not an answer to my question.¡± she pointed out to which Gwydion¡¯s gray eyes caught her blue ones with a calm stare. He chuckled and tilted his head a little.


    ¡°No, I guess it wasn¡¯t,¡± he replied, a smirk appearing on his lips. He finished up the mend and got to his feet, winking to her before turning to head back to the table to return the kit. He gave a bit of an over-the-top shrug as he did. ¡°I won¡¯t lie, love. My apprentice speaks the truth. I have a special ability that could be classified as manipulative.¡±


    Apprentice? No, Calla needed to focus on the issue at hand. He was openly admitting he was a manipulator. But why? ¡°Special ability?¡± she asked, her eyes narrowing towards him. He turned to walk back to her, giving a nod to her question.


    ¡°Magicals who are born into magic have an ability that no other magic-user can use,¡± he explained, stopping as he stood before her, his hands on his hips. ¡°My ability actually assists with my healing ability. My touch can send good feelings through the body of another, almost like a drug. When someone is hurt and requires to be healed, a touch like that takes away the pain and allows for that person to relax.¡± He seemed to think of something before humming, moving one hand to touch his chin. ¡°I was planning to fully heal you when you first arrived but after washing you up and stopping the bleeding, Blaise started to get all huffy about me having my hands all over you. Then Marick decided it would be best to slowly heal you as being fully healed may have put you in a state of shock for not being used to it.¡±


    Once again, the thought that Gwydion¡¯s hands had been all over her nude body while she was unconscious made her shutter a little, feeling very exposed once again. She folded her arms, looking up at him with a blush on her cheeks. Still, she wasn¡¯t sure if she would call that manipulative. Sure, Gwydion¡¯s power would trick a person into feeling good while being healed but that didn¡¯t sound like something she would need to be worried about. ¡°If that¡¯s all, why did Blaise feel the need to tell me you were a manipulator?¡± she asked, clearly there had to be more to his power. After all, when he touched her, there was more than just the feeling of feeling good.


    Gwydion snickered at that, his playful expression catching her sight again as he lowered his hand. ¡°That would be because my powers have a different reaction when it comes to non-magicals.¡± he pointed out, before giving a hum as he looked to be trying to figure out how to word it. ¡°You see, when touching a non-magical, wounded or not, I can still send the feeling of feeling good through the body. As I said, my touch can feel like a drug. However, I have discovered that non-magicals gain another emotion in the presence of my touch, still a good feeling, one they find themselves craving more of.¡± He hummed again before sighing, looking at her with a more serious expression. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am not very good at explaining it, but if you are willing to trust me, I can give you a demonstration.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes widened at that, thinking back to the other times when he had touched her. She frowned, her damned curiosity outweighing the caution she felt. She was a bit too naive to expect him to try anything as her eyes met him again. She offered her hand to him, almost expecting him to take it as a method to touch her. ¡°O...Okay¡­¡± she said. However, Gwydion¡¯s wicked grin appeared again as he leaned down to her, moving the hand away. She fell back against the bed as he moved over her. His knee on the bed separated her legs slightly. Calla¡¯s eyes would widen, her heart already racing a little. ¡°W-What are you- nngh!¡±


    Her question was immediately cut off as Gwydion¡¯s fingers slid themselves up her leg slowly and deliberately, pulling her skirt up as he did. Calla¡¯s body shivered and the girl couldn¡¯t suppress a moan from escaping her lips. Her body felt hot almost immediately, her heart racing as her skin seemed to grow sensitive to the new sensation rippling through her. She closed her eyes tightly, covering her mouth with her hand in more of an attempt to stop making noises. She heard Gwydion give a breathy chuckle, her eyes opening to see him looking down at her, his red hair flowing down to touch the sheets. His hand slipped more up her leg but stopped at her side, gingerly tracing her curves as yet another intense wave of this strange feeling washed over her. Her body trembled, her breath quickening slightly. Her face was hot with a blush, eyes staring up at Gwydion with her unknown arousal, much to the amusement of the man. He was leaning right over her, the hand not exploring her body propped himself up while he was slightly pressed against her.


    ¡°See what I mean?¡± he asked her with a low, sensual voice. Calla whimpered slightly, turning her head to look away from him, trying to calm herself unsuccessfully. He smiled lightly, looking over the girl, knowing exactly what he was doing to her. Leaning down, he trailed kisses down her neck, making the girl shiver with another small sound of pleasure. ¡°I can¡¯t quite tell if my touch sends waves of pleasure¡­ or desire. Perhaps a bit of both.¡±


    He rose again, Calla letting out a small moan, moving her hand from her mouth to grip his arm tightly when she felt him press his lower body between her legs. This was too much for her. Her body squirmed with the new feelings of desire rushing through her. Gwydion gave another breathy chuckle as he watched her, his eyes dancing with the look of delight if not his own desire. He leaned down again, pressing his lips against hers to soften the girl¡¯s little squeal as he rocked his hips slowly against her lower body. Oh, how he wished they were not clothed.


    Gwydion¡¯s kiss was deep, passionate, the motion making Calla pant softly as she kissed him back eagerly. She wasn¡¯t nearly as skilled at kissing but she felt herself just not wanting him to pull away, to the point that she even whimpered when he did. Her eyes looked up into his, mind fuzzy with the power he was sending through her. He just sighed.


    ¡°Your body is experiencing lust, love,¡± he explained, rubbing her side as he looked her over. He smiled a little. ¡°As I said, my touch becomes a drug, you want more, need more¡­ eager for me to do anything for that pleasurable feeling.¡± He was silent for a while, eyeing her before his smile became lustful. He leaned down to hold her full attention. ¡°Calla, would you let me have it? Your first time with a man.¡±


    She shivered at him calling her name in such a tone of lust. Her body quivered, begging for him. She bit her lip, her eyes on his lips, wanting him to press them against any part of her again. It was maddening. ¡°G-Gwydion..¡± she begged before she saw him shake his head no, biting his own lip a little as if mentally stopping himself from doing any more.


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t offer it,¡± he said, giving a staggered sigh before looking down at her. ¡°Just answer my question, love. At this moment, would you let me take it?¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    She looked up at him for a moment before nodding her head. ¡°...Yes¡­ I...I would.¡± she admitted. She nearly wanted to cry as she felt him move his hand away from her skin.


    He sighed looking at the hand he had against her body before back down at her. ¡°And that my dear¡­ is why my power is manipulative,¡± he stated calmly. Calla¡¯s heart was racing, wanting his touch again. However, he just smiled down at her softly. ¡°... I have never hidden my intentions to bed you, love. In fact, I have been rather open to you about my desire since you arrived. However, I find it unfair to use my ability to get what I want. It should be something you offer to me willingly.¡± He chuckled slightly. ¡°I am highly experienced in this area, even without my powers I can make your first time incredible. If I were to use my ability, it would only be enough to make you feel good, so you will feel no discomfort or pain¡­ after that, you would enjoy every moment of your time with me without the use of my ability¡­ and that is not me being overconfident about my experience with sex.¡±


    Even though his hand was off her, her body was still hot with desire. She trembled, wanting nothing more than to give in, let him have his way with her. However, her mind was becoming less cloudy with the end of the surging energy in her body.


    She looked up at him, her eyes becoming slightly sad but still filled with desire. ¡°...So I would¡­ be nothing but another conquest for you?¡± she asked, her lips trembling. That was the first time she had seen it, the look of surprise on Gwydion¡¯s face as if the comment had taken him off guard. No, there was more to that. It looked as if the comment hit the very core of his being. He remained still, looking down at her before he gave her a sad smile. He moved off of her, laying down on his bed at her side.


    Gwydion sighed, covering his eyes with his arm as he lay on his back. ¡°It wears off eventually but before you do something you will regret later, go to the washroom and wash your face with some warm water. We can talk more when you return,¡± he said calmly. Calla watched him a moment before she nodded. It took every bit of her willpower to climb out of the bed away from him. Sighing, she hugged herself as she walked to the door before slowly leaving the room.


    Gwydion remained still as he listened to her leave the room. He let out a staggered breath, before moving his arm away from his eyes. ¡°Her saying my name like that nearly made me lose it. And here I thought I was the one who drove people wild,¡± he muttered before running his fingers into the long red hair that spilled over his sheet. He looked disappointed, mostly in himself. ¡°...Just another conquest¡­¡±


    He sighed again, sitting up and fixing his hair. ¡°Gwydion, you shatterer of hearts, what are you doing¡­¡± he muttered to himself before getting to his feet and moving over to his desk and taking a seat.


    To Calla¡¯s surprise, she saw Gwydion had moved while she was gone, now seated at his desk with another chair having magically appeared next to it. He had been right about the water, her head feeling clear and body back to normal now. She frowned, closing the door behind her as she looked him over. He was smiling cheerily again but something seemed off. She couldn¡¯t quite determine what was wrong though.


    ¡°You know, love.¡± Gwydion started, breaking her out of her thoughts. ¡°For the one who claimed she didn¡¯t trust being left alone with me, you seem all too comfortable being here in my room with me.¡±  He gave her a wink, making her give a blush but huff at him. She walked over to the chair he had provided and took a seat.


    ¡°And you did exactly what I worry about when I am alone with you,¡± she muttered, folding her arms, a small blush on her cheeks. ¡°Is sex all you think about?¡±


    Gwydion let out a laugh at that before smiling playfully at her. ¡°Naturally.¡± he teased with a wink before shaking his head. ¡°No, love, I wish I had all day to think about sex, however, I do have other things to do outside of my daydreaming.¡±


    She just gave him a bit of a blank stare at that before sighing, her hand moving to her side where his hand had been. She stared off in thought as she did.


    ¡°It¡¯s an intense ability, isn¡¯t it,¡± Gwydion said softly, turning her attention back to him. He was giving a warm smile before he sighed a little, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I might have overdone it.¡±


    Calla frowned, but her eyes were gentle as she watched him. ¡°And you¡¯ve been doing that to me since I arrived?¡± she questioned. His smile returned.


    ¡°Well¡­ not to that level.¡± he pointed out before he messed with his hair. His smile turned slightly worried. ¡°If you would be so kind, love, could you not mention the extent I used my power earlier? Between being lectured by my underling and mocked by my brother, it wouldn¡¯t be a fun time.¡±


    There it was again. He referred to Blaise as his underling. What did he mean by that? She tilted her head a little, eyeing him in her confusion. ¡°What do you mean by that? You¡¯re underlying¡­¡± she asked curiously.


    Gwydion raised a brow at the question, almost confused by her words before he paused, thinking it over before smiling. ¡°Sorry, I tend to forget you are new to this world,¡± he said calmly before sitting forward. ¡°As far as the life of a warlock goes, Blaise is fairly young. You see, he wasn¡¯t born magical.¡±


    Calla looked surprised at that. She had assumed all of them had been born into magic. Could that mean she could become like them? ¡°He was like me?¡± she asked, to which Gwydion nodded a little.


    ¡°Kind of,¡± he admitted, looking off as if thinking things over. ¡°Magicals are normally born into magical families. Marick, Raven, and I are classified as magical born. However, every once in a while, a non-magical person is born with a sensitivity to our world, either through sensing things others cannot, or seeing things others cannot. Blaise is one of those types. He was a non-magical with sensitivity to magic, meaning he could make a bond with a magical being to unlock the power that was dormant in him.¡±


    She looked off, taking in all he said. It seemed a bit complex to her but as she thought it over, it made sense. She looked back up when she understood. ¡°And he made a bond with you?¡± she questioned. Once again, Gwydion nodded.


    ¡°As far as I know, Blaise heard about our coven and sought us out to gain answers about his abilities. He wanted the ability to heal others, for whatever reason he didn¡¯t specify to me. As I am a warlock with mastery in that type of magic, I agreed to take him on as my apprentice.¡± he explained with a smile. ¡°Blaise may be a bit moody but he has a lot of potential in him to be a great sorcerer. He needs to work on his emotional control though.¡±


    Calla nodded at that before sighing. A thought hit her and she hummed in thought. ¡°Does he have some kind of strange ability too?¡± she asked. It was a fair question, given what she knew about them.


    Gwydion gave a chuckle though, making her feel as if it was a dumb question. He shook his head. ¡°No, love. Only those born into magic have a unique power like I have,¡± he answered before frowning and scanning her face a little. He actually had a small look of concern in his eyes. ¡°What do you know about the powers of others?¡±


    She seemed confused by the question, frowning before shrugging. ¡°I only know that you and Raven have some kind of manipulation power. Blaise didn¡¯t say anything about Marick¡¯s ability,¡± she admitted, making Gwydion seem a bit tense. However, he relaxed slightly, his expression serious.


    ¡°Calla, I want you to let me know if Marick ever does anything to you. Could you do that?¡± he asked suddenly, making her seem a bit nervous.


    ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± she asked, shrinking back in the chair. Gwydion took notice that he seemed to frighten her and frowned.


    ¡°Marick¡­ Marick is a bit of a mystery to the rest of us,¡± he admitted softly, resting his arms on the table. ¡°Raven found him when we were looking for warlocks that were not already in a coven. Marick¡¯s reputation was one of a powerful being of magic who has been around for an indeterminate amount of time. His power¡­ allows him to leech life from others.¡± The look of horror on Calla¡¯s face made his own expression soften. ¡°However, he doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of person who would take life without reason. I don¡¯t know¡­ I trust him as the head of this coven, but I would be lying if I didn¡¯t admit his ability worries me a little.¡±


    The room was quiet for a moment as Calla looked off to process what was said. She only looked back up when she heard Gwydion speak again. ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t have said anything about it. I don¡¯t wish for you to become afraid of us,¡± he noted with a soft tone. He smiled at her warmly. ¡°You are a part of this coven, magical or not. Rest assured that none of us would deliberately do any harm to you.¡±


    It was odd for her to hear him say something so comforting to her. However, it wasn¡¯t something to last as his mouth twitched into a wicked grin.


    ¡°And for something of equal value, I might be willing to make a deal to not use my powers on you from now on~¡± he purred playfully. Calla jolted at that, her eyes glaring at him.


    ¡°Y-You were planning on continuing to do that?!¡± the blushing girl exclaimed to which Gwydion gave a coy grin.


    ¡°But of course! I find the flustered look of arousal on your face to be amusing!¡± he chuckled, making Calla growl a little in annoyance. She folded her arms with a huff.


    ¡°And what would be something of equal value to you that you would be willing to put an end to that?¡± she begrudgingly asked. Between her tone, and the look on her face, Gwydion¡¯s face lit up with amusement. He tapped his chin a moment before leaning closer to her.


    ¡°How about, you let me teach you how to kiss, and I will stop using my powers?¡± he offered, making Calla blush even harder. The comment made the memory of his lips against hers fill her mind again, and a slight twinge of the desire to kiss him remained in her pounding heart.


    ¡°W-What do you mean, teach me?¡± she questioned, eyes narrowing. ¡°How do you know I need teaching?¡±


    Gwydion just laughed at that, leaning back. ¡°Because you are terrible at it, love,¡± he said bluntly, his tone still full of amusement. She huffed at the comment but Gwydion just smiled back. ¡°Do not be ashamed, love. I was aware it was your first kiss. With practice, you can get better at it.¡± He gave a coy grin to her. ¡°And I am a wonderful teacher on the subject~¡±


    She pouted at him, her glare holding. He seemed to hold himself in high regard when it came to sexual contact. She wondered how many people he had been with to give him such an ego. However, upon thinking that, her heart gave a small sad beat, being reminded of the idea that this was probably just a game to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a lecher¡­¡± she mumbled to which Gwydion gave a dramatic hurt expression and a pout. The over-the-top reaction made her roll her eyes as she got to her feet and started for the door.


    ¡°Calla,¡± Gwydion¡¯s low sensual voice purred to her. Calla stopped immediately upon hearing him call her name. Her heart thumped hard in her chest, making her blush as she looked down. She couldn¡¯t understand how he could make her feel so giddy and weak in the knees just by calling her name. Her heart seemed to quicken as she heard his chair being pushed out and he stepped toward her. She could feel how close he was without looking back at him, and before he wrapped his arms around her.


    She nearly melted when she felt his hot breath on her ear, making her close her eyes tightly, a shiver running down her neck. She could tell he wasn¡¯t using his power at the moment, which almost made the situation worse, knowing he had such power without the use of magic. ¡°Calla,¡± he whispered in her ear, making her shutter. ¡°I am a man of my word. If you agree to this deal, I will never use my ability on you unwillingly. I promise.¡±


    Calla felt her whole body growing warm with his body so close to her. What made it worse was that she believed what he was saying. She had every ounce of faith that he would hold up his side of the deal if she agreed. He wasn¡¯t asking for much from her. She bit her lip for a moment.


    ¡°F-Fine¡­¡± she said in defeat. She heard Gwydion give a breathy chuckle before he pulled away. She turned back to pout at him as he stood tall. He had a triumphant grin on his face, which made her scowl. ¡°You¡¯re mean...¡±


    Gwydion laughed at that, moving to sit down at the table again. This time, he moved to take a red-clothed bag out of the drawer. ¡°No, love. If I were mean, I would have asked for your virginity in exchange.¡± he teased with a wink. She ignored his comment, more curious about what he was doing. He took notice and smiled at her as he opened the bag.


    ¡°I do find it amusing to see how curious you get with our powers.¡± he pointed out, making Calla grow flustered again. He pointed to the chair that she had just been in. ¡°Come sit down and I can show you what I do for my job in the coven.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, hesitating slightly before giving in and walking back over to sit down. As she did, she noticed him remove a large glimmering crystal from the bag, his eyes looking over it as if inspecting the quality. After he did that, he nodded before his hand began to glow again with the shimmering sparks he had in the kitchen. The sparks swirled around the crystal before a brilliant glow radiated from it. Calla couldn¡¯t help but look on in amazement, Gwydion glanced over to see her watching wide-eyed before giving an amused smile. Soon enough, the glow would fade but the crystal seemed to have its own small glow about it. Gwydion smiled and offered it to Calla.


    She blinked in surprise as he did, looking up at him to make sure it was okay. He silently nodded, as if understanding her wariness before she took the crystal into her hand. To her surprise, it had a little bit of weight to it and pulsed with energy that even she could feel. ¡°What did you¡­¡± she started before looking up to see Gwydion smiling knowingly at her.


    ¡°I enchanted it,¡± he said calmly before moving to take another from the bag to do the same to it. ¡°When we go to the other realm, I collect crystals that people wish to have enchanted with high-level magic. Once they are enchanted, I bring them back and they are made into jewelry that will offer different abilities to the wearer.¡±


    He glanced back to the crystal she held and hummed a little in thought. ¡°The crystal you are holding now will most likely end up as jewelry that wards off evil intent,¡± he explained. Calla glanced at the crystal before giving him a blank stare.


    ¡°It¡¯s not working. You¡¯re still here.¡± she shot at him. Once again, Gwydion placed a hand over his heart dramatically with an exaggerated look of betrayal.


    ¡°Wounded again!¡± he exclaimed, making Calla roll her eyes before looking back down at the crystal. Gwydion calmed down with a smile as he watched her.


    ¡°If I find the right crystal. I can make you a piece of jewelry that would protect you from dangers in the other realm,¡± he said calmly before his eyes returned to what he was doing. ¡°Even impure non-magicals entering the other realm can still be in danger. Though I don¡¯t ever see you wandering off alone while you are there with us, it is best to be cautious.¡±


    Calla couldn¡¯t help but think about what to expect from the other realm. Every time it was discussed, she was told of the dangers there. However, Gwydion also said he grew up there. Her eyes scanned Gwydion a little before she frowned. ¡°Every time I hear about the other realm, all of you say how dangerous it is¡­ is it really that terrible?¡± she asked. Gwydion raised a brow at that, his eyes falling to her again. He frowned, pausing to think about something for a moment.


    ¡°The other realm is a beautiful place. Outside of the grand bazaar and the main city, the countryside holds a wide range of the most lovely flowers. There are dark areas run by the creatures of the night, but even those areas have their excitement.¡± he explained, his eyes distant as he thought over things. He gave her a smile. ¡°Once you are able to go to the other realm, I have a list of locations I want to show you. But it would be unwise to ignore the dangers for you there.¡±


    She hummed, her mind filled with the ideas of the lovely sights she would see but soon frowned. ¡°Do all magical born people grow up there?¡± she asked. To that Gwydion chuckled with a warm smile to her.


    ¡°It is actually uncommon for a magical to live in a non-magical world. Most would not risk exposing their family to any dangers of non-magical fears.¡± he pointed out before leaning back in his chair a little. ¡°Witch trials have made many wary of non-magicals. I know my mother feared the day Raven and I went out on our own. I was in my late teens when I first came into contact with non-magicals. For a long time, all I knew of your world were the stories I was told as a boy.¡± She blinked in surprise at that. It had never crossed her mind that there was a fear on both sides. He continued, ¡°However, I think my mother would have adored you. She was always one for a pretty face.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± she asked, trying to hide the blush on her face for him calling her pretty with a huff. He chuckled at that.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying you are cute, love,¡± he said with a smile. Her blush deepened, making him smile more in amusement. She sighed at that, her eyes moving back to watch him enchant more crystals. After a moment, a thought hit her as she looked up at him again.


    ¡°You know, you never actually told me what kind of power your brother has.¡± she pointed out. Gwydion gave a sigh, pouting as he looked her way.


    ¡°Spending time with me and asking questions about my brother. You¡¯re going to make me jealous,¡± he said, a coy grin appearing on his face. Calla huffed at that, folding her arms.


    ¡°Stop with that fake pout. It¡¯s just a question.¡± she huffed with a glare at him. Gwydion¡¯s expression warmed up with a smile, waving his hand to make the chair she was in move to be set right next to him. She let out a surprised gasp when that happened before feeling him put an arm around her, leaning in to kiss her head gently.


    ¡°You really need to learn when I am teasing, love,¡± he said to her before giving a small chuckle. She blushed at that but frowned as she looked up into his gray eyes. He gave her a wink. ¡°My brother has an ability to control emotions. However, I think he will back off now.¡±


    She didn¡¯t quite understand what that last part meant but a sudden commotion from the hall changed the subject as both looked towards the door to the hall. Gwydion frowned before sighing.


    ¡°Speaking of the devil. It sounds like Raven is messing with Blaise again.¡± he sighed again, shaking his head. ¡°The boy will never get over his anger issues.¡±


    Calla looked up at Gwydion with a frown. ¡°Should we stop them?¡± she asked. She got the answer when Gwydion gave a wicked smirk, taking up the crystal he first enchanted.


    ¡°We could throw this at them and see what it does~¡± he sang. To be honest, Calla was so taken aback by the comment that she couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh, closing her eyes and missing the gentle expression on Gwydion¡¯s face as she did.


    Calla¡¯s relationship with Gwydion has increased.


    Continue the story by going to Chapter 7

 Getting to Know Blaise

    Calla watched the direction Blaise went, knowing his room was next to Gwydion¡¯s and the closest to the washroom. Out of everyone, Blaise seemed the safest to get close to. Since arriving, he had done nothing outside of warning her about the others and grumbling about her being useless. She wasn¡¯t sure if he didn¡¯t like her or what his issue was. All she knew is that he didn¡¯t touch her inappropriately or had thrown a knife at her. Blaise also answered her questions about magic without looking too confused about her lack of knowledge of the magical world she lived in now. She nodded, making up her mind as she got to her feet and walked towards his room.


    She fixed her skirt, standing before his door when it suddenly opened inward. Blaise was midstep, feeling like it was in slow motion as the realization hit him that Calla was standing before him. The two ran right into each other, Calla giving a small scream as she fell backward.


    ¡°H...Hey!!¡± Blaise let out as he fell forward. It seemed that he instinctively grabbed her as if attempting to stop her from falling. With a loud thud, the two were suddenly on the ground. Calla had closed her eyes, her head hitting the wooden floor rather hard. She whined a little bit, opening her eyes. As she did, Blaise was also opening his eyes, slowly pushing himself off. Her face grew hot with a blush as she realized he was right on top of her. His green eyes looked down at her a bit angry at first before the realization hit him, his expression becoming one of surprise, and then flustered, a blush running across his face.


    ¡°Are you okay?!¡± he exclaimed before his brow furling. ¡°W...What were you doing outside of my room?!¡±


    Calla just blinked, wondering if this was a bad idea. Her eyes were wide, staring up at him. ¡°I...I¡­!¡± she tried to say.


    The two were interrupted when there was a snicker from the doorway to the kitchen. Gwydion was peeking out into the hall, a huge grin on his face.


    ¡°Oh my~! Blaise, I¡¯m so proud of you!¡± he exclaimed. Blaise darted a glare at him.


    ¡°SHUT UP GWY!¡± he yelled. In a swift motion, he scrambled off of Calla, grabbing her hand. She was pulled onto her feet right away. Well, feet was not the right word as Calla didn¡¯t even think her feet touched the ground as Blaise pulled her into his room, slamming the door behind them.


    Blaise grumbled, pulling her over to his bed and pushing her to sit down. Calla was surprised, looking up at him unsure of what to say. ¡°...Blaise, I¡­¡± she started only for Blaise to shush her. He stood before her, searching her face a second before touching her head.


    ¡°How bad did you hit your head?¡± he asked sternly, touching the back of her head. ¡°Are you bleeding at all?¡±


    Calla blinked at his questions before frowning. ¡°N-No¡­ It¡¯s fine¡± she replied, moving to rub the back of her head. Blaise seemed to relax at that, sighing and pulling away to sit on the bed next to her. He rubbed his closed eyes, muttering to himself.


    ¡°Man, you are accident-prone,¡± he muttered before folding his arms and opening his eyes to glare at her. ¡°What were you doing by my door anyway?¡±


    Calla frowned at that, looking off embarrassed. ¡°I...um¡­ I just¡­¡± she started before sighing to calm down. ¡°I wanted to see if there was anything I could help you with¡­ I mean you were the one who said I should.¡±


    She felt Blaise¡¯s eyes staring at her before he groaned at that, getting to his feet. ¡°You took what I said seriously, huh,¡± he muttered, turning to face her. He scanned her face for a while before huffing a little. ¡°Well, I guess as long as it keeps you out of trouble, I don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    Calla perked up at that, staring at Blaise¡¯s slightly flustered face. He wasn¡¯t looking at her, his eyes still slightly glaring. To be honest, it was rather cute and made her smile softly. She gave a nod. ¡°Okay¡­ so, um¡­ what do you do?¡± she asked curiously. Blaise turned his attention back at her before sighing.


    ¡°Normally I would be carving staffs from the elder tree in the back, but I finished that the other day. So I was just planning to train for a bit,¡± he said before giving a huff, oddly not at her though. ¡°There is a spell that has been giving me a hard time lately.¡±


    Calla got to her feet, thinking it over. ¡°How am I able to help you with that?¡± she asked, frowning. He blinked at that as if he hadn¡¯t thought about it before his brow furrowed.


    He shrugged. ¡°I mean, you are welcome to watch.¡± he offered. She thought it over before nodding with a smile at that.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said cheerfully, making Blaise grow a tad flustered again. She figured he would head to the door to go outside, however, he walked over to the window in his room, opening it. He glanced back at her.


    ¡°Are you coming with me or what?¡± he asked with a huff, turning and climbing out the window. Calla watched confused. Sure, the cottage wasn¡¯t that tall so it was not as if he would have gotten hurt jumping out his window. She just didn¡¯t expect it. She moved to the window to see Blaise was waiting for her.


    She just gave him a bit of a look. ¡°And why aren¡¯t we taking the door like a normal person?¡± she asked him to which Blaise just rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with the others,¡± he answered with brutal honesty. She sighed at that before carefully moving to climb out of the window. As she sat on the window sill, swinging her legs around to climb out, she felt Blaise¡¯s hand on her sides. She blushed softly, looking at him in surprise as he helped her out of the window. Once her feet were on the ground, she looked up at him with a shy smile.


    His eyes looked her over before he pulled away from her, scratching his head with a blush on his cheeks. ¡°I just¡­ figured you needed the help,¡± he said softly before turning to walk towards the training field.


    ¡°T-Thank you,¡± she called after him, making him wave her off.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he muttered, moving into the center of the arena. Calla watched him a moment before following. She stopped once inside, moving to take a seat on the more grassy side of the arena.


    She watched in amazement as Blaise raised his hand, waving it around. The rock before him quaked before growing into a large stone-fighting dummy. She was shocked by what she had just witnessed, wanting to ask about it but figuring he would think it was a silly question. She hummed, watching him as his hands began to glow with fiery sparks that danced around his fingertips like embers over a fire. It still surprised her when she saw them using magic, a part of her not believing her eyes.


    ¡°Hey Blaise?¡± she asked after a while. Blaise was busy sending a small whirlwind of fire towards the dummy. He didn¡¯t look over.


    ¡°What,¡± he answered, eyes focused on what he was doing.


    ¡°Raven said on your last trip to the other realm, you got into some trouble with werewolves. Is that why you¡¯ve been training so much?¡± she asked curiously. Blaise paused at that, nearly stumbling before sending his attack to the rock dummy anyway.


    He glanced her way before giving a small huff, folding his arms. ¡°So that was what you two were talking about,¡± he muttered in annoyance before shrugging. ¡°Werewolves aren¡¯t shit. Especially not a bunch of overgrown pups who don¡¯t know better than to pick a fight with a warlock.¡±


    Calla frowned at that. ¡°Raven said he felt you were strong enough to beat them alone, but you ended up needing help because of¡­ something. I don¡¯t quite remember,¡± she admitted with a shrug.


    He scowled. ¡°That¡¯s only because my aura is tied to my emotions, when I get angry, it wavers,¡± he explained. He sighed, looking at the dummy before seemingly deciding not to continue for a moment, moving to sit next to Calla on the ground. He leaned back, propping himself up on his arms. ¡°They pissed me off by bringing up the fact that I was not born magical.¡±


    Calla seemed surprised at that. She had assumed all of them had been born into the other realm. ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± she asked curiously. He glanced back at her before sitting up, resting an arm on one of his raised knees. He seemed to scan her before his eyes met hers.


    ¡°Not all warlocks are born magical,¡± he explained before sighing. He looked away, the arm on his leg lifting to run his fingers through his curly red hair. ¡°The other three are, I was born a non-magical and became a warlock when I made a bond with Gwydion. I¡¯ve only been doing magic for five years.¡±


    Calla hummed in thought at that. ¡°So, can any non-magical person become magical if they make a bond with one?¡± she asked before a thought hit her. She pointed to herself. ¡°Could I become one?¡±


    Blaise seemed to eye her but his look was distant as he seemed to be thinking over her words. He searched her eyes a moment before he frowned. ¡°I mean, it takes a non-magical who is sensitive to the other realm. As for if you could, I¡¯m not the one to ask. Marick was the one who saw I was able to become one.¡± he explained calmly, though with a little bit of disappointment in his tone at his inability to tell.


    She hummed in the thought of that before turning herself more towards him. ¡°Out of all of them, why did you pick to make a bond with Gwydion?¡± she asked with a frown. ¡°Especially since you seem to hate him.¡±


    Blaise sighed at that. ¡°I don¡¯t hate him. I just don¡¯t like how he¡¯s been acting around you,¡± he muttered, rolling his eyes. ¡°You would think that a guy like that would know how to act around a girl.¡± He huffed before he glanced at Calla again. ¡°As to why I picked him to make a bond with, it¡¯s because of his healing ability. Gwy may be a complete man-whore, but he is a master in healing.¡±


    Calla remained quiet as she watched him look off in thought. He sighed. ¡°I grew up in a very poor village along the fishing route. My father was a fisherman, my mother died in childbirth. I lived with my aunt until I was old enough to work at the docks with my father. My aunt worked for the church in town and I saw nothing but death and pain as she tended to the ever-growing sickness in the area.¡± he said softly, his eyes swimming with the memories. ¡°It got worse when the tides changed and the fishing boats began to come back with less and less food. The village entered a famine and so many people began getting sick¡­ the church had to turn the cemetery into a mass grave pit.¡±


    Her eyes softened as she listened, seeing the pain in his face. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Blaise¡­ that sounds terrible to witness¡­¡± she said tenderly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. That seemed to snap him out of it as his eyes widened, his attention turning to her before he just looked off, in his best attempt to look tough.


    ¡°I was able to handle it,¡± he stated with a huff but soon enough he sighed and looked down. ¡°Growing up, I always felt different¡­ been able to see things that were not there and to sense when things were wrong. Still, I always felt so helpless that I couldn¡¯t help anyone¡­ to save my village from its fate.¡± He looked at his hand again. ¡°I left when my father died¡­ hearing stories of people with incredible power, one who could heal anything. So yeah, I¡¯ve been here ever since.¡± He glanced back at her and frowned. ¡°The others are born magical, so they don¡¯t always understand how strange their world can be. I might not be as knowledgeable about any of this, but I will at least answer any questions you have.¡±


    That had been a lot to take in but his last few words made her smile softly and nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said before sighing. ¡°And you are right. This world really is strange.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the half of it,¡± he stated sharply, laying on his back to look up at the sky, resting his head on his arm. ¡°Just wait until you see the other realm. That¡¯s when the real madness starts.¡± He gave her a look over before looking off with a small blush on his cheeks. ¡°I mean¡­ when you are able to go that is.¡±


    Calla stared at him a moment before a thought hit her. She turned to sit on her knees, leaning to look down at him. ¡°Yeah, about that. Since you were like me, did you have the same issue to deal with, or is that just because I¡¯m a girl?¡± she asked seriously. He raised a brow at her.


    ¡°Calla, I worked around fishermen for years. All those guys do is drink, work, and locate every red light district in every coastal village we went to. I was far from a virgin when I joined the coven.¡± he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. With how easily he said it, she couldn¡¯t help but blush and look off. Blaise sighed and sat up, making her lean back as he did. ¡°It didn¡¯t mean that those in the other realm didn¡¯t give me a strange look when I first arrived there. I had already been a warlock for a year and I still ¡°smelled¡± like a non-magical. It would have been just as dangerous for me if I had been pure, regardless of gender.¡±


    Calla frowned and looked down at that. So it wasn¡¯t just some kind of plot, they were being serious about the danger she was in. ¡°So there really is no way around it, huh¡­¡± she muttered softly. Blaise watched her a moment before moving to pat her head gently.


    ¡°Trust me¡­ if this was just a stunt, I would have told you,¡± he informed her in a low voice. ¡°There are a lot of magicals who see non-magicals as nothing but things to use. And then, of course, the creatures we share our world with feed on non-magicals.¡±


    She sighed, looking up at him. ¡°I guess my life really isn¡¯t any different from where I started,¡± she said sadly. She was surprised to see Blaise give a huff at that, folding his arms.


    ¡°Do you honestly see us in such a bad light to compare us to the man you were sold to?¡± he asked, looking a bit annoyed at the implication. ¡°Look, I know Gwy and Raven can be a bit much, and Marick is a bit of a dick, but we would never put you into any situation we couldn¡¯t handle.¡±


    She frowned at that. ¡°But why? What do any of you gain from protecting me?¡± she asked, her mood turning a tad angry as she looked into his green eyes. ¡°You wanted to leave me to die when I was caught in the cottage. When did that turn into promising to keep me safe?¡± She looked off, her anger fading as she did. ¡°What makes me so special?¡±


    They were quiet for a moment before Blaise lightly hit Calla on the head, making her blink in surprise and look back up at him. He was frowning, trying to look tough with a blush on his face. ¡°Man, you are a pest,¡± he stated sharply before sighing and getting to his feet. He stretched once he did before looking back down to Calla. ¡°Did you ever think that maybe you''re special because you are ordinary? Most magicals are unaware of how strange and interesting their world is. You wouldn¡¯t know, but you being here has actually brought a lot more excitement than there has been in a long time. When you are able to do the extraordinary, the extraordinary becomes ordinary. Dull and boring.¡±


    She blinked in surprise at that, staring up at him as he continued, ¡°When things become too dull, the coven takes trips to non-magical villages or the other realm for entertainment. To feel special. This coven is highly regarded for our skills and outside of the werewolves that decided to pick a fight, no one dares to take us on like they would other covens. They have nothing to gain by even trying.¡± He explained, folding his arms over his chest as he stared off in thought. ¡°Your wide-eyed curiosity at everything we do is a reminder of how remarkable our powers can be.¡± He frowned a little, seemingly trying to figure out how to explain it better. ¡°The best example I have is when you bring a lady aboard a ship. The men are starved for attention and try harder in the attempt to gain her affection. The only difference is the danger. You don¡¯t run the risk of having a group force themselves on you.¡± He stated, his expression growing dark at the thought. ¡°Because if anyone tries, I¡¯ll kill them.¡±


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    She watched his expression for a while before smiling softly. It seems he was just the protective type. What he said made a little sense and hadn¡¯t been what she was expecting. She didn¡¯t know anything about how they were before, and just assumed they were just a lively group, to begin with. Then again, Raven had said something similar to her when he mentioned they were a group that didn¡¯t gain any kind of pleasure from being in the presence of other men.


    Blaise gave a sigh as Calla saw him glance back at the stone dummy he made. ¡°Now then, I should get back to practicing,¡± he muttered bitterly. He sounded like she had been the one to waste his time but she had nothing to do with him taking a break.


    She looked between the dummy and him before humming in thought. ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± she asked softly, before blushing at the question, especially when he glanced back at her wide-eyed and blushing. She waved her hands frantically, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. ¡°I-I mean using magic! What¡¯s it like doing magic!¡±


    Blaise¡¯s expression changed from shock to slight embarrassment and he nearly face palmed his face red. ¡°Be more specific when you ask questions please,¡± he grumbled, clearly flustered. It took him a moment to calm down before he seemed to think it over a little. A thought hit him and he glanced back at her.


    He looked away stubbornly, holding his hand out to her. ¡°I can¡­ show you¡­ since you are so interested¡­¡± he said softly, trying to sound like he didn¡¯t care. Calla hesitated a moment as she looked up at him before slowly taking his hand. He looked back, helping her to her feet before leading her over to where he had been standing before the dummy.


    As he turned towards the dummy, he pulled her to stand before him, facing the same way. Calla blinked in surprise as he moved his arms so that they were right against hers, his fingers sliding over the back of her hand and between her fingers before clasping down.


    ¡°Keep your palms open and your arms lose. However my body moves, follow it,¡± he said, though his tone was not as demanding as his words seemed to be. Calla nodded, looking forward as with Blaise¡¯s movement, their arms were held out in the position Blaise had them in the first time he had summoned the small fire whirlwind.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart race with being so close to him. She had never noticed how strong Blaise¡¯s arms were. Then again, he said he used to work on ships so it made sense as to his body being tough from experience in that line of work. However, she quickly moved that thought from her mind, wanting to focus on what was going on.


    ¡°Now, this may feel a little strange at first,¡± he stated with a sigh. Calla nodded at that.


    ¡°I trust you,¡± she said softly. She felt Blaise¡¯s arms tense a little at that before he relaxed, muttering something to himself before moving his leg to get her to take a step towards the stone dummy. She moved her body as he did, eyes on the dummy once again, even when Blaise brought their arms before them.


    All at once, Calla let out a gasp as her body seemed to ripple with energy that was flowing from Blaise and through her. She could feel his strength, his incredible power. For a second, she remembered what Raven had said about Blaise being far from weak, and at this moment, she seemed to understand that clearly.


    ¡°Relax your body. If you stay tense, my spell will hit you instead of going through you,¡± he stated sharply, which had Calla become aware of how tense she had become in the presence of his power. She took in a breath and let it out slowly in an attempt to calm herself. Blaise sighed as well. ¡°Try and picture yourself as if you are floating in a large body of water. That¡¯s what helped me when I first started using magic.¡±


    Calla nodded at that, closing her eyes as she tried to picture herself in a large body of water. As she did, she felt herself becoming relaxed, weightless even. His power wrapping around her instead of holding itself inside her body. Once he felt her relax, Blaise shifted their hands again. Calla opened her eyes to see the sparks of embers dancing over their hands. It felt strange to see them flowing through her hands. Her eyes widened as the energy around them focused before them. In between her hands, the sparks formed into a small fire whirlwind. Being so close she could actually feel the heat from it. Once it was formed, Blaise moved their hands to face the target, sending the whirlwind towards the target. Unlike before, upon contact with it, the stone dummy exploded into rubble.


    They stood still for a moment before Calla¡¯s expression lit up with a huge excited grin. As soon as Blaise let go of her, she spun around, nearly jumping with her excitement. ¡°That was amazing!!¡± she squealed in delight before she looked at her own hands. ¡°It just blew up!!¡±


    Blaise just stood there, watching her as she went on in her excitement about what had happened. He blinked in surprise. It seemed even he tended to forget how impressive his power was. Seeing the delight on Calla¡¯s face. His expression soon turned into a smile before he looked off, covering his mouth to try and suppress an amused laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that impressive¡­¡± he said as he did. Calla paused to look at him before she smiled with a blush. She had never heard Blaise laugh before or seen him smile. She was surprised how it made him look more his age. After all, he wasn¡¯t that much older than her. It was good to see him acting less serious.


    Blaise glanced over and grew flustered upon seeing Calla smiling warmly at him. He grumbled a little, looking off before folding his arms. ¡°Stop looking at me like that,¡± he muttered, trying to sound annoyed. He gave a sigh and walked towards the window to his room. ¡°Stay here. I remembered I forgot something in the kitchen.¡±


    Calla nodded, watching him go before looking back at the crumbled stone dummy again. Her mind was filled with thoughts as her heart raced with excitement. She had never wished she were able to use magic more than she did right now.


    Blaise jumped through the window to his room, rubbing his forehead with his eyes closed. He let out a long sigh, stopping in the middle of his room. ¡°Why does she have to be so damn cute¡­?¡± he asked himself, only to hear a small chuckle in the room. He opened his eyes to see Gwydion was seated at the only desk Blaise had in his room.


    ¡°It makes things difficult, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Gwydion answered, making Blaise frown. He turned to him, clearly not too surprised to see the older man in his room.


    ¡°You know, a normal person wouldn¡¯t spy on others,¡± Blaise muttered in annoyance. Gwydion waved off the comment, glancing out the window towards Calla.


    ¡°An adult would not act like a schoolboy with a crush.¡± he shot back with a playful smirk, not needing to look over to see Blaise¡¯s face growing flustered. Gwydion sighed a little. ¡°You know you don¡¯t need to say mean things to her to get her to like you. The two of you have a lot in common, if anything, the rest of us have to do more to get her attention than you do.¡±


    Blaise paused at that before looking down in thought for a moment before sighing and turning to head towards the door of his room. ¡°...Don¡¯t bother her while I¡¯m gone,¡± he muttered, only to hear Gwydion chuckle lightly, making him stop just before opening the door.


    ¡°And ruin your special alone time with her?¡± he questioned before shaking his head. ¡°I may be a lot of things, Blaise, but cruel is not one of them.¡± Gwydion sighed and rested his head on his fist, looking out the window again. ¡°I only came to observe your practice. Nothing more.¡±


    Blaise glanced his way for a moment. He knew Gwydion well enough to know that the man was telling the truth. After a moment, he nodded, turned, and headed towards the kitchen.


    As he entered the kitchen, he noticed Raven was boiling water. Clearly to make tea. He glanced around the area. ¡°Raven, have you seen the bucket?¡± he asked, not seeing it in the brief scan he did.


    Raven glanced back at him before he gave a hum in thought. ¡°I do believe it was under the sink,¡± he mentioned, motioning his hand towards the cupboard under the sink. Blaise nodded and moved over to open it.


    Raven gave a bit of a smirk, his attention watching the kettle. ¡°Having fun out there?¡± he asked after a moment. Blaise grabbed the bucket, standing tall again to give a slight glare at Raven, frowning.


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± he countered, narrowing his eyes. Raven chuckled a little before flashing an innocent grin toward Blaise.


    ¡°Just sizing up the competition,¡± he answered, to which Blaise rolled his eyes. As much as he respected Raven¡¯s skill and leadership, he found the man to be a spoiled child when he didn¡¯t get what he wanted.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a game, Raven¡­ and she¡¯s not some toy.¡± Blaise snapped to him. Raven, however, just smirked.


    ¡°I am aware,¡± he said calmly before turning his attention back to the kettle. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I will stop trying to win her affection.¡±


    Blaise gave him a huff, giving the man a look over before turning to leave the room. ¡°Some of us don¡¯t have to use manipulation abilities to get ahead.¡± he shot toward him as he left the room. He didn¡¯t stick around to see or hear what Raven¡¯s response to that was as he soon moved to head back outside.


    Calla glanced up when she saw Blaise climbing out his window again, this time with a bucket. She seemed slightly confused by the sight but figured he needed it to hold water. He seemed to catch her confused look and huffed a little.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bucket. It¡¯s for water,¡± he said as if she were stupid. She frowned at that with a little glare.


    ¡°I got that much,¡± she stated. Her glare actually made him sigh to prevent him from smirking at the sight. Not that Calla knew as he walked over. She watched as he looked between her and the stones in the center of the arena.


    ¡°Alright, well, I need to seriously focus on my spell casting. You can stay and watch, ask questions if you have them, but don¡¯t get upset if I ignore you,¡± he stated seriously before pointing to the fence. ¡°What I was doing earlier was a warm-up, the real spell I am working with is a lot more intense and for your safety, stay by the fence.¡±


    She looked towards the fence before looking back to Blaise and nodded. ¡°Oh, okay,¡± she said softly before moving off to stay by the fence as he said. She sighed, looking back to see that he was watching her a moment before turning to begin the setup he needed.


    He waved his hand over the bucket which looked to fill with water as he did before he set it down by the broken stone dummy before turning to other rocks in the area. She watched in amazement as he seemed to summon tons of the stone dummies around the area with a single wave of his hand. She sighed a little, sitting down as she just watched.


    A thought hit her as she watched him, frowning a little. ¡°Hey, Blaise? When you were warning me about the brothers being manipulative. What did you mean by that?¡± she called out to him. It had been on her mind since he told her, but she hadn¡¯t known when it would be the best time to ask.


    He glanced her way, moving to each stone dummy, tracing a symbol on each with his finger. He frowned. ¡°Those who are magical born have a special ability that only they possess. All three of the others in the coven have a special ability but only the brothers possess types that are manipulative in nature,¡± he explained as he did, pausing to think it over for a second. ¡°Raven¡¯s ability messes with the emotions of others. He can make people feel however he wants them to. However, I have never seen him use it for negative emotions. Most of the time he uses his ability to keep people calm.¡±


    Calla frowned at that. ¡°And you think he¡¯s been using it on me?¡± she asked. Blaise just rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I know he has,¡± he noted bitterly. ¡°He¡¯s been using his power since you first woke up to keep you from freaking out. I warned you because I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to use it to make you have a positive experience around so that you trust him.¡± He moved to the next dummy. ¡°As for Gwydion, his power is similar. He can send good feelings through the body of those he touches. However, it works differently against non-magicals, adding a pleasure element to it. Which doesn¡¯t help given that his power has an addictive quality to it. I don¡¯t think I need to explain why I warned you about him.¡±


    She looked off at that before giving a sigh. Thinking back to how she felt when Gwydion touched her, it made sense now. She shivered a little.


    ¡°As for Marick,¡± Blaise continued, making her look back at him. He gave a frown as he folded his arms and looked off to think. ¡°His power has something to do with taking life from others. I don¡¯t really know much about it, but I know that¡¯s why his age is unknown.¡± She blinked in surprise at that. It seemed Marick was a bit of a mystery to the others, or perhaps just Blaise as he was the newest.


    She would watch him for a while as he began to train, the symbols he had placed on the stone dummies causing them to move and attack him as he moved about. It was a sight to see as she sat there, trying to keep her eye on him as he moved about, sending a spell she couldn¡¯t even comprehend towards the stone dummies, a few disintegrating upon impact. It was clearly a higher-level spell than what he had been using before, making her wonder how much he held back when he was showing her his power.


    The memory made her blush a little, remembering the feeling of being in his arms. It made her heartbeat increase as she looked off. Still, he always tried to sound as if he was annoyed with her, making her question sometimes if he honestly found her annoying or what his problem was. She looked up when she saw the last stone dummy disappear. Blaise was panting. She could tell from where she was that he was covered in sweat and looking exhausted. It made her wonder how much energy magic used when it was cast. Then again, he was also dodging hits from stone dummies, which didn¡¯t help.


    She watched a little concerned as he walked over to her, taking off his shirt to dry the sweat from his face as he sat down next to her, his breath already calming. She frowned a little. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked as she looked him over, blushing slightly at the sight of the strong, shirtless guy next to her.


    He glanced her way before nodding. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, taking deep breaths to come down from his exercise. He used his shirt to remove more sweat from his head, Calla blushing a little and looking away so as to stop staring at his strong body.


    ¡°Hey Calla?¡± he asked after a while, making her jolt a little and look back at him. He was staring at her with a serious expression. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    She frowned a little but nodded. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± she answered, her eyes focused on his.


    ¡°If things had been different and you never ended up in the non-magical village outside the forest, where did you see your life going?¡± he asked calmly. Calla paused at the question before looking down a little.


    ¡°You say that as if you don¡¯t understand how our world treats girls,¡± she said softly before giving a sigh. ¡°The only reason I ended up with the lord of the town not far from here was that my sister refused to be his maid and ran off with a lover she had gotten pregnant by. If my sister had ended up here, my parents would have still married me off to an older man with money. So to answer your question, my life would have seen me married to a man I didn¡¯t know or even love, spending my days tending to the house and children¡­¡±


    He was quiet as he listened to her speak before he sighed. He leaned against the fence before looking back at her. ¡°You were from the village across the river, right? I think I heard people talking about how you were brought in by ship,¡± he asked before she gave a nod. He looked off again. ¡°Maybe you could have run away. Snuck onboard a ship at the harbor and saw the world.¡±


    Calla almost rolled her eyes at that. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve always known where my life would end up and I never bothered thinking about the future.¡± She admitted. The two sat quietly for a moment before he clicked his tongue.


    ¡°A life with the coven may not be too bad, you know.¡± He said softly, making her look over at him. He shrugged. ¡°I mean, I get that you kind of have to stay with us, but¡­ at least you might like it here¡­¡±


    She stared at him for a while before frowning. ¡°Sure, what¡¯s not to like living with two guys who harass me every chance they get, and the other two glare at me-!¡± She started only to be cut off when she was swiftly pulled onto Blaise¡¯s lap. Her face became bright red as she realized her front was pressed against him, her hands on his strong chest. He wrapped his arms around her back, holding her close as he looked her dead in the eye. The seriousness of his expression nearly took her breath away.


    ¡°Fine. Then how about this?¡± he started in a stern tone of voice. ¡°I vow to act nicer towards you and protect you if you vow to stop lumping me in with the shenanigans of the others and treating this like it is anything like the life you left.¡±


    Calla was surprised by his words, thinking them over before sighing and nodding. ¡°Okay¡­¡± she said softly, attempting to pull away only for his arms to remain firmly in place. She looked back at him as he scowled a little, a small blush on his own face.


    ¡°When you make a vow, you seal it with a kiss, or else they are just words,¡± he said, trying to sound stern but seemingly a little more awkward. Her blush turned a darker shade as she looked at him wide-eyed.


    ¡°I¡­.um¡­¡± she stammered. Blaise scanned her a moment before rolling his eyes. Removing one of the arms from around her back, he touched her chin, slowly guiding her face closer to his.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± he asked her with a tenderness she wasn¡¯t used to hearing from him. She hesitated a moment before nodding slowly.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I trust you,¡± she answered. Her heart was racing as she leaned forward, eyes closing as her lips met his.


    Blaise wrapped both arms around her again pulling her close as he kissed back. His kiss was tender but slightly eager as he held her close, neither wanting to pull away.


    When the kiss did break, both were blushing a deep red, Calla looking off a little while Blaise watched her tenderly. He cleared his throat a little. ¡°T...There¡­ now the vow is bound to both of us¡­¡± he said softly before he sighed a little. Calla looked at him again. His eyes were a lot kinder towards her but he looked a bit awkward about being so gentle. ¡°Hey...umm¡­ would you just¡­ lay here with me for a moment longer? You know¡­ just so when we go back inside people don¡¯t start asking questions about why we are so flustered...¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise at his question. However, with how fast her heart was beating, she had to admit she would be okay with the tender moment with Blaise lasting a little longer. She gave a nod, moving to lay in his arms, resting her head on his chest as he hugged her close.


    From within Blaise¡¯s room, Raven and Gwydion watched on. Raven seemed slightly jealous, while Gwydion just smiled warmly at the sight.


    ¡°Since when are vows only validated with a kiss?¡± Raven asked before glancing at his brother. ¡°That sounds like some silly story you would tell someone, Gwy.¡±


    Gwydion just gave a lighthearted chuckle at that, leaning back in the chair. ¡°You know he just wanted to have a reason to kiss her. You would do the same.¡± Gwydion teased softly. The two just turned their eyes back at the two outside. Gwydion¡¯s eyes softened a little. ¡°Getting close to her will be good for him¡­ she might help keep his anger under control.¡±


    Calla¡¯s relationship with Blaise has increased.


    Continue the story by going to Chapter 7

 The Witch of the Twisted Woods

    The next few weeks went by with relatively nothing happening. Calla was slowly getting to know the people she lived with, helping out. She was hesitant about bothering anyone as after a quick meeting at the dining table in the morning she saw the guys were busy with all kinds of the gathering of resources she assumed they would be delivering to this other magical person. She would assist where she could though was mainly asked not to mess with anything.


    They finally got to the day Marick suggested they deliver items and before she knew it she was following the group down a trail leading deeper into the forest, a path she had never gone down before today. She was somewhat surprised that they were walking, having no idea how close or far they were to this mangled shack. As she followed, she realized she had no idea how close the coven lived to the other realm either. Was that why they tended to keep her close to the cottage? She frowned at her thoughts, keeping pace with Blaise. Mostly because he was the only one she could catch up to. She finally glanced up at him. He looked tired or probably bored as he carried a bunch of staffs on his shoulders. She was starting to see that the others tended to give him the heavier items to carry but from the look of it, he didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised you guys don¡¯t teleport or something to where you need to go¡­¡± she finally said, catching his attention. His green eyes glanced her way before he shrugged.


    ¡°We normally do. However, some of the items we have are rather sensitive to other magic and will react negatively if we did,¡± he exclaimed with a yawn. She was slightly surprised by how Blaise answered her, oddly enough, he seemed less grumpy for the time being. ¡°It won¡¯t take us that long to get there. The building we are headed to is just within the twisted treeline to the south of here,¡± he added.


    Calla looked forward when he said that, curiously looking at the trees before them to see what they meant by twisted trees. Unsurprisingly, she didn¡¯t see anything at the moment and she looked back at Blaise. ¡°Who is this lady anyway?¡± she asked curiously. Blaise once again glanced at her though looking slightly more irritated.


    ¡°Madam Coffer. The witch of the twisted woods,¡± he muttered before sighing. ¡°She¡¯s a crazy old hag who gathers supplies from the neighboring magicals in the area to sell. Sometimes to other magicals, sometimes to non-magicals for her amusement.¡±


    ¡°And she is not someone we will be offending this time, right Blaise?¡± Raven called back to them, a mocking expression on his face. Blaise shot him a glare.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault the woman¡¯s insane.¡± Blaise huffed in annoyance. ¡°All I said was that she needed to get the spiders out of her ears.¡±


    ¡°She nearly killed you for that. So let¡¯s not say that again.¡± Raven pointed out. Calla couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous about that.


    ¡°Now, now, dear brother, don¡¯t scare the poor dear on her first outing with us.¡± Gwydion sang, not bothering to look back at them. Raven smirked and gave a wink back at Calla.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± he commented playfully. Calla just frowned at both of them, about to say something when she caught sight of a strange line of trees before them.


    She understood what they meant by twisted. Each tree looked as if a giant had grabbed them, ringing them out like a wet cloth before returning them to the ground. Some had fallen over, while others had branches that reached towards the group like thin fingers ready to grab anyone who dared walk down their path. Calla felt herself shrink into herself, looking around wide-eyed as they continued down the path that took them into the treeline. The path was just as crooked, looking as if it would lead them astray at any second. Even Blaise looked a bit tense as he faced forward, eyes narrowing but darting around. It was then that Calla took notice that the forest sounds had gone silent. The only sound was that of sticks popping and a breeze rushing around them.


    Looking forward, smoke from the chimney of an old worn-down shack became the telltale sign that it was there, nestled in the arms of the eerie trees around it. At the sight, Marick¡¯s expression became more serious.


    ¡°Calla, stay next to me,¡± he commanded sharply. Without any time to think, Calla felt her body act as commanded, moving up the group to walk next to Marick. She blinked in disbelief at the sudden action her body made without her control. She would have said something but the group was soon stopped at the door to the shack before them. Marick raised the hand that was not holding the boxes of potions he had with him and knocked on the door.


    Calla swallowed hard, having the overwhelming feeling of eyes on her as soon as he did. If it weren¡¯t for Marick¡¯s spell, she would have tried to hide at the back of the group, but she was unable to move from next to him. At once, the door flung open as if taken by a wind storm. From the shadows of the darkened shack emerged an ancient-looking woman with a cane. From under her crooked hat, the woman¡¯s sharp eyes rested on Calla before anyone else, her stare reaching into Calla¡¯s very soul.


    ¡°We have the items you requested.¡± Marick¡¯s sharp tone rang out, breaking the old woman¡¯s stare as it moved to Marick. She gave a slow nod at that before her bony cheeks lifted as a smile appeared on her lips.


    ¡°Of course. Please, bring them inside,¡± she said, her voice cracking slightly. She turned, slowly shuffling out of the way, waving a wrinkly arm to move them inside. Marick nodded, walking inside, Calla following him. She didn¡¯t want to look up at the woman as they passed, but she felt compelled to glance over, only to see the woman was watching her every movement. She felt it best to keep close to Marick, staying close to him. The others would soon follow, moving to locations around the room to place their items with others of their kind.


    Once placing down his box, Gwydion danced over to the old woman, giving a princely bow and kissing one of her wrinkled hands. ¡°You are as lovely as ever, Madam Coffer.¡± He sang, raising to give the woman a playful wink.


    The woman¡¯s lips curled into a smile as she cackled his words. ¡°Charming words as always.¡± She stated with her raspy voice, her attention solely on the man before her. ¡°Anyone would pay a pretty penny for a vial of blood from such a handsome man.¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Gwydion chuckled, rising to his full height and touching his face. ¡°And I would give it willingly but only if there was some kind of enjoyment in it for me~,¡± he said playfully.


    The woman shook her head at that. ¡°Your reputation precedes you,¡± she said before her eyes drifted past the man to look towards Calla once again. At first, Calla thought Gwydion was that much of a flirt to hit on an old lady. It was when the woman looked back at her that she realized what he had done. Gwydion had broken the old woman¡¯s line of sight, keeping her eyes off of Calla for as small of a moment that was. He had been doing what he needed to keep himself between the witch and Calla. Calla was kept by Marick who was emptying the box of potions he had, placing the vials in the holders she had on the counter.


    Calla felt a wave of power flow through her as her eyes locked with the old woman. The woman curled her lips into a wicked grin. ¡°Knowing your reputation, I¡¯m surprised you keep such an untainted pet.¡± the old woman said in a slightly wild tone. She tapped her cane on the ground, making Calla jump. ¡°Come here, girl.¡±


    Calla had hoped that Marick¡¯s spell would prevent her from moving, however, Calla¡¯s feet began to move in the direction of the woman, much to her bewilderment. The room was immediately tense as she stopped halfway to the woman when Gwydion¡¯s arm shot out before her, blocking her path. Calla blinked in surprise, looking up to see an intensely dark look in the eyes of the beautiful man as he watched the old woman. The woman giving a tsk, made Calla¡¯s attention turn back to her only to see the old woman stepping close to them.


    ¡°A bit overprotective.¡± Madam Coffer muttered a bit snippy, craning her neck for her eyes to look up at the crimson-haired man in her way. ¡°I¡¯m just curious. I thought it strange when Marick took in the boy, but at least he had magic in his veins. To take in a non-magical girl, now that¡¯s a rare sight. I wonder what makes her so special.¡± Calla¡¯s heart was racing in her fear, suddenly very scared of the woman before her. Gwydion¡¯s arm didn¡¯t move, not even as Madam Coffer lifted her hand and placed her boney fingers against Calla¡¯s cheek.


    Calla¡¯s body started to tremble as she could do nothing but watch the woman as she looked her over before smiling. ¡°A pretty thing, for a non-magical. Sweet, innocent, young¡­ there are many uses for you, my dear. Especially if you haven¡¯t warmed their beds.¡± she said, her voice surprisingly sharp in tone as if digging into her. Calla just stared, afraid but confused. The woman took notice of that and cackled a bit, her hand moving to touch Calla¡¯s brown hair, running between her fingers. At that moment, Calla felt alone, as if the room was empty outside of the woman and her, but she knew that couldn¡¯t be true.


    The woman tilted her head. ¡°I wonder how much they have used you¡­¡± she said calmly, the sentence hitting Calla like a rock.


    ¡°U...Used me?¡± Calla¡¯s quivering lips managed to say, only for the woman to hum, her smile growing.


    ¡°Of course, dear. Someone like you¡­ so many uses.¡± she stated before moving her hand to Calla¡¯s chin. ¡°Your youth will be harvested to aid the old by reversing age¡­ your beauty to be used to aid those who seek their beauty again¡­¡± The old woman smirked. ¡°Your pure blood for potions.¡±


    Calla¡¯s blood ran cold at that, eyes widening. They wouldn¡¯t have done that, would they? The old woman nodded at that. ¡°Blood of the Innocent is a highly sought-after item in potion-making. With you around, Marick wouldn¡¯t have needed to purchase it, and with it fetching such a high price¡­¡±


    Calla had the sudden feeling of being pulled backward. As soon as the old woman¡¯s hands were off her, the room returned to normal, Calla blinking in surprise at the sight of Blaise pulling her back before she stumbled back into Raven¡¯s arms. His safe arms. It was at that moment that Calla realized how much she was shaking, clinging to his arms as she allowed him to hold her close. Calla heard the old woman click her tongue again as she glared at Blaise.


    ¡°Ah yes, the smart-tongued boy,¡± she stated bitterly, tapping her cane. However, her attention moved past him and towards the silver-haired man staring daggers at her. ¡°You know the rules about withholding resources other magicals can use, Marick. If you have no plans to use her, I will pay a hefty amount for such high-quality goods.¡±


    ¡°Calla is not for sale, you ugly hag. Touch her again and I¡¯ll break every bone in your body.¡± Blaise hissed. His words were much more serious than Calla heard him use when he threatened the others. This was different. Blaise sounded like he was ready to kill. The woman gave a slight growl.


    ¡°Disrespectful brat! Do you have any idea who you are speaking to?¡± she hissed angrily, raising her hand. However, Marick suddenly stepped between Calla¡¯s sight and the others. He moved his hand but as to what he did Calla didn¡¯t see.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to start this war, Coffer. As one of the members of my coven told you, Calla is not for sale, let alone an item to be used. If you try to go after her, we will not hold back and that would not be a favorable outcome, not even to a witch of your reputation.¡± Marick stated sternly. The two seemed to lock eyes with each other, Marick holding no fear at all. ¡°Now since we delivered what we said we would, I believe we shall be taking our leave.¡±


    With that, Calla felt herself being lifted, carried from the shack by Raven, soon followed by the others. Calla blinked, confused, lost, and trying to process what had happened. The group was silent for a long time, Calla only letting out a breath as soon as they left the twisted woods.


    ¡°Well, that went better than expected.¡± Blaise finally said, breaking the silence. Gwydion seemed to give a hum in agreement. Calla just looked back at them wide-eyed. Were they serious? That was well?! What had they expected to happen! She frowned at that, catching Gwydion¡¯s attention and he gave her a concerned smile.


    ¡°We told you, things in our world are dangerous for a flower such as you. She could have attempted to bleed you dry.¡± Gwydion pointed out. Calla looked fearful again, clinging to Raven.


    Raven sighed. ¡°And you were the one saying I was scaring her,¡± he muttered, catching Calla¡¯s attention as she looked up at him. His eyes were gentle as he looked back but he was frowning. ¡°My apologies, Calla. I should have informed you not to look her in the eye. Marick¡¯s magic is strong but can be undone by a counter. She must have suspected something¡­¡±


    Calla looked off, the words of the witch in her head. When they were far enough away, Raven put her down, patting her head gently before he started to walk. Calla watched them pass her before she followed. Her eyes were on Marick. As the cottage came into view, she stopped in her tracks.


    ¡°Was she right? Have you gathered vials of my blood to use?¡± she asked. The group of guys stopped, turning to look back at her, other than Marick. The man with silver hair just kept walking towards the house.


    ¡°...You were bleeding pretty heavily when you first arrived. I found it to be a waste.¡± Marick stated almost coldly. ¡°As Gwydion stopped the bleeding I took a few vials. After the first night, I never took any more.¡±


    Calla just watched after him. ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡± she asked, gripping her dress.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a reason to lie and you already know I don¡¯t tell jokes,¡± Marick replied calmly before waving his hand. ¡°Keep up or I will assume you are attempting to run off.¡±


    Calla hesitated. It seemed his power was for only when she was around others not in this coven or he would have just ordered her to follow. She sighed, looking at the four men before her before she began to walk towards the cottage.


    A Day with Marick (Chapter 8)


    A Day with Raven (Chapter 9)


    A Day with Gwydion (Chapter 10)


    A Day with Blaise (Chapter 11)

 A Day with Marick

    No.


    Calla¡¯s expression went from off in thought to one of anger. No! This was now the second time he had done something without her permission and acted like it wasn¡¯t a big deal. She gave a little growl in anger as she ran past the other three, headed towards Marick.


    ¡°Should we help him?¡± she heard Blaise ask the others.


    ¡°Nah, I kind of want to see how this plays out,¡± Raven replied. She didn¡¯t have time to focus as she grabbed Marick¡¯s arm, making him stop and look back at her. She was furious as she glared up at him.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not going to just let this go!¡± she yelled at him. Marick¡¯s eyes looked a bit bored as he turned his body completely towards her. ¡°This is the second time, THE SECOND TIME, you have used me for some kind of potion ingredient! First, you steal a piece of my life without my permission and now I find out you took vials of my blood, WHILE I WAS UNCONSCIOUS!!¡±


    She saw Marick¡¯s eye twitch as one of the three gasped behind them. ¡°Marick! You didn¡¯t!¡± Gwydion exclaimed with a tone of disappointment. Marick shot a glare at them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you three have better things to do than standing there?¡± he shot towards them bitterly. His mood only soured more as all three replied ¡®No¡¯ in unison. Marick grumbled in annoyance before Calla felt him grab her hand and pull her into the cottage, slamming the door behind them. It had taken Calla by surprise but her anger soon came back when he turned to face her, his expression of annoyance on his face.


    ¡°I thought I told you not to tell them about the life thing,¡± he said with a small growl in his voice. Her eyes narrowed as she returned his look. She was far too angry at what he had done to become intimidated by him this time.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fun when people do things out of your control, huh!¡± she shot back, her tone livid. She clenched her fists, trying to hold the angry look in her eyes which began to show signs of hurt behind them. ¡°You had no right to do that!! You can¡¯t just go around doing things and expecting people to be okay with it! You stole some of my blood! You stole a part of my life, Marick!¡±


    Marick clicked his tongue in annoyance, scanning her face. ¡°The blood isn¡¯t a big deal. You didn¡¯t even know I took some until now.¡± he shot back in annoyance. ¡°And I told you I would replace the bit of life I stole.¡±


    ¡°It is a big deal!! It¡¯s a very big deal!¡± Calla yelled back, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Replacing life doesn¡¯t change the fact that you stole it in the first place!!¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Marick answered loudly, catching Calla by surprise. He seemed visibly annoyed, his brow twitching as he rubbed his temple. ¡°You¡¯re right. I had no right to do what I did,¡± He opened his purple eyes again, looking down at Calla with a serious expression. ¡°In exchange for what I have done, what do you want from me? Name your demands,¡±


    Calla¡¯s breath caught in her throat at the question as she looked at him wide-eyed. Was he giving her the chance to do whatever she wanted to him? Her face suddenly grew hot, looking off to think. Never in her life had she had this kind of power and she had no idea what she could do. She let out a sigh, so many possibilities in her head before something clicked as she looked back up into Marick¡¯s awaiting stare.


    ¡°As of today, you have to follow any command I give you in the presence of this coven or alone without complaining. If you agree to that, we will be even,¡± she stated harshly. She could tell that struck a nerve as he looked physically uncomfortable and his body tensed. If there was one thing she had learned from her time with them so far, it was that Marick liked being in control. So if he agreed to this, it meant he was serious about making it up to her.


    She watched as he seemed to process what he had just gotten himself into before he frowned bitterly with a nod, folding his arms. ¡°Fine. I agree to those terms,¡± he muttered, not looking very happy about it. She blinked in surprise at that, really believing he wouldn¡¯t have agreed.


    Her eyes narrowed, wondering if he was just saying that. ¡°Prove it,¡± she said bitterly, folding her arms.


    Marick¡¯s expression hardened at that. ¡°And how do you want me to do that?¡± he countered back. Calla frowned, he got her there¡­ She thought it over for a moment before looking off. She knew what she wanted, a chance to get out of the cottage for a change.


    ¡°Will you take me to one of the bigger non-magical cities tomorrow?¡± she asked before looking at Marick when he sighed.


    ¡°Is that a request or a command?¡± he stated, making Calla blink again before giving a huff. He was right, she had to act more demanding. She glared up at him.


    ¡°I...I order you to take me to one of the non-magical city markets tomorrow¡­ a-and while there you have to do what I say,¡± she commanded in the best tone she could muster. Her body trembled. She was not used to doing this. She was acting in opposition to every rule she was raised to believe growing up. Girls were to be submissive, not in control.


    The room was quiet for a while, and Calla couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had gone too far as she watched for Marick¡¯s response. He let out a long sigh, his expression hard to read as he stood tall. ¡°As you command,¡± he replied. His tone was still bitter but he seemed a bit calmer in his anger. He folded his arms. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    She frowned, looking him over. A blush formed on her face as she looked off. ¡°A-And tonight, if you share the bed with me. I-I don¡¯t want you to be naked!¡± she ordered, her command a bit more awkward. She heard Marick click his tongue and mutter to himself, making her look back to him to see him give a stern nod.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered, his eyes focused on her.


    She heard a laugh from behind her, turning to see the other three had entered the room. Raven patted her on the head. ¡°Our new fearless leader.¡± he teased before flashing a smirk at the annoyed-looking Marick. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you so pissed.¡±


    ¡°Leave it be, Raven.¡± Marick snapped angrily before moving from the room. Raven laughed at that before winking at Calla.


    ¡°I guess that means our coven is run by a non-magical now,¡± Raven said with a playful smirk. ¡°Shall we call you mistress Calla or queen Calla?¡± Calla¡¯s face grew flustered, unsure of how to answer that. A confused, ¡®Huh¡¯ was all she was able to get out.


    ¡°Leave her be, Raven,¡± Blaise muttered as he walked towards the hall, messing with his shoulder. ¡°The guy had it coming. I¡¯m surprised it took this long before he got called out.¡±


    She heard a gasp, turning her attention to see Gwydion rush to follow after Marick. ¡°Marick! Let me dress you up for your date tomorrow!¡± he exclaimed. Calla didn¡¯t hear anything as the red-haired man disappeared into the hall before she heard Marick hiss something she didn¡¯t understand from the other room and Gwydion yelled back at him something on the lines of ¡®Hey, don¡¯t spit curses at me! I¡¯m only trying to help!¡¯.


    By the time night fell, Calla wondered what would happen. Since that afternoon, she hadn¡¯t seen Marick all day, only hearing from Raven that he was taking inventory in the storage room and had locked himself in there to not be bothered. She sighed, slipping into her nightdress quickly while in the main room so as to not have peeping toms catch a glimpse at her. Carefully, she picked up the dress she had been wearing and moved to put it in the basket within Marick¡¯s pantry turned closet. She closed the door just in time to see Marick walk into the room. He glanced up as she did before nodding to her and moving towards his bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you are not going to just avoid sleeping tonight.¡± she pointed out, although her tone was gentle as she moved to climb into the bed. He watched her for a moment, messing with his hair as he sat at the edge of his bed.


    ¡°And I am surprised you didn¡¯t just order me to give you your own room,¡± he retorted. She jolted before mentally slapping herself.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that¡­?¡± she muttered to herself before sighing. She looked back at him. He was following her order of not going to bed naked like he normally did even though she didn¡¯t magically have a way to make him obey her.


    Calla sighed and soon lay down, pulling the blanket around her and watching silently as Marick joined her, his eyes closing as soon as he lay his head on the pillow. She had been sleeping in his bed since the moment she arrived at the cottage, occasionally with him resting next to her, however, this felt different. Maybe it was just because she felt she had a bit more power than she normally did. She was a little relieved that he wasn¡¯t turned away from her this time.


    ¡°Are you angry with me, Marick?¡± she asked after watching him for a while. She didn¡¯t know why that would bother her. After what he had done, she shouldn¡¯t care if he was angry. He gave her the freedom to do to him what she wanted as payback. So, why did she worry about it? Maybe it was the look of discomfort he had on the idea of being ordered around, or maybe she was too good-natured.


    ¡°Angry at you? No.¡± Marick answered, eyes still closed. He let out a sigh as if he was trying to calm himself. ¡°Annoyed in general, yes, but not towards you for the time being.¡± Well, at least he was honest. She frowned and sighed softly, curling up in the blanket more before drifting off.


    Marick opened his eyes after a while, turning his head to watch as Calla slept, something he did most nights. He never was a deep sleeper, nor someone who needed a lot of sleep to be well-rested. He scanned her face, wondering what she was dreaming about. A part of him wondered why she hadn¡¯t yet asked for her own room or had gone to share a bed with one of the others. After all, he wasn¡¯t forcing her to remain in his bed.


    He seemed to be in thought as he remained silent. He had expected her to be angry when she found out about the blood thing, hell, he expected her to get more upset with him for leeching a part of her life away. What he hadn¡¯t expected was how she reacted. It wasn¡¯t a secret that Marick was someone who tended to want to be in control of situations. Being the leader had been his only request upon joining the coven the brothers were creating as he never enjoyed following someone else¡¯s orders. Mostly because he had little faith in others.


    Marick had been around for a long time and had increased his power to levels that made magicals fearful of him. Non-magicals avoided him due to his intimidating aura. That¡¯s why he was taken back when Calla confronted him, no one ever did that, especially not timid non-magical girls. She had no way of making him do anything, everything he would do would be him complying with her request reluctantly. He wondered why he cared that she was angry with what he had done. He could have just as easily dismissed her anger. Ah well, a question to solve at a different time.


    He turned his body towards her, moving to lightly remove a strand of hair from her face as he looked her over. If anything, tomorrow was going to be bothersome, if not interesting.


    Marick was not in bed by the time Calla woke up. In fact, she didn¡¯t see him for a while that morning but heard that he was taking inventory of items he needed. By the time she saw him, the group was getting ready to head to the larger city nearby.


    She almost didn¡¯t recognize him. Instead of the long blue robe, she was used to seeing him in, Marick was wearing an outfit that reminded her of a man of status. He wore gray pants and a white buttoned-up shirt with a black vest. He was pulling on a long dark coat, doing up a few buttons in the front before moving to fix his long hair back into a ponytail. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she was sure Gwydion would avoid dark-colored clothing, she would have thought Marick had borrowed an outfit from him.


    The others were also dressed rather non-magically, which made sense as they did say they went into those areas for resources and would need to wear clothes that didn¡¯t scream witchcraft. Either way, it was an odd sight for Calla, a faint blush crossing her cheeks.


    Marick was handsome, though it was clear he didn¡¯t pay much attention to his looks, unlike Gwydion. Marick was an older gentleman, not old but had older features on his face. Given how old he really was, he looked great, however, Calla was taking notice of the slightly worn look on his face. He was a man who had seen a great deal already and would probably see a lot more to come, and that showed with the fleeting youth of his facial features.


    Her thoughts would continue as the group would appear just outside of the city, in an area where no one would see a group of five suddenly appear. However, Calla¡¯s thoughts would soon disappear as they went into the wealthy city, Calla finding it difficult to focus on what Marick was telling everyone as she looked at the tall buildings and fancy-dressed people around them.


    She did take notice of what was being said when she heard Marick speaking about the list. ¡°I will be marking off things once we collect them. For the items I cannot locate, I expect the rest of you to gather them,¡± he told the other three. Calla¡¯s eyes narrowed at that. He was using the fact that she asked to go to the city as his day to gather resources. Was he trying to get out of listening to her?


    ¡°Marick, hand the list to Raven. He can take care of gathering things with the others.¡± Calla stated sharply, glaring at the older man. She saw Marick¡¯s brow twitch slightly, an annoyed look on his face. The looks on the other three¡¯s faces ranged from amusement to holding back laughter.


    Raven smirked, giving Marick a coy look as he held out his hand to the other. ¡°You heard the lady, Marick,¡± Raven said, looking highly amused as Marick shot him a death glare. Marick huffed slightly before reluctantly handing his second in command the list before folding his arms.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Marick muttered in a bitter tone, before giving Calla a look over.


    Raven scanned the list calmly before looking at Marick. ¡°You act as if you don¡¯t trust us to do what we¡¯ve done many times before. Have a little faith in us.¡± He motioned to Gwydion and Blaise. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Blaise answered, flashing a smirk at Calla before following the brothers as they walked off.


    Marick watched after them before folding his arms and turning back to Calla, scowling slightly. ¡°What will I be doing today, since you clearly don¡¯t wish for me to get things done,¡± he asked on the snippy side.


    Calla almost found his discomfort amusing to watch. The guy was clearly out of his element about following orders. Still, she hoped he wouldn¡¯t be too upset with her for this. The guy was always working on things. He could take a moment to relax.


    She couldn¡¯t help but blush at his question, already knowing what she wanted. ¡°I...I want you to show me around the city. I¡¯ve never been here before but I know you have.¡± she said, still as an order but a lot softer in tone than earlier. She saw Marick¡¯s body become slightly less tense before he sighed.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he answered calmly but still with a hint of reluctance in his voice. He walked closer to Calla, unfolding his arms enough to offer his arm to her. She blinked, surprised as he did, but wasn¡¯t about to question him about it as she took his arm.


    Once she did, the two started down the sidewalk. Marick was very knowledgeable about the city they were in, pointing out locations to explain more about it. The city was built on the trading route, goods being exchanged making the area very wealthy and attracting the rich and high-status people in society to make their homes here. The center of town had a large and beautiful building that hosted gatherings of all kinds. At the moment, it looked as if those inside were setting up the venue for a ball that was to be held. Across the street from that was the opera house that had a sign with dates for the next play, the story of Othello. Calla had heard the name before but she didn¡¯t know anything about the story itself.


    Calla listened as Marick spoke but she frowned slightly. His tone was calm but the look in his eyes made it clear that he would rather be doing anything else. The two had fallen silent, just walking with each other. As they reached a park, she sighed.


    ¡°You could at least pretend that you like spending the day with me, you know,¡± she muttered softly, looking down. Marick stopped walking, making her slow to a stop as well.


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    They were quiet a moment before she heard him give a sigh, causing her to look back up at him. His eyes watched her gently, but his thoughts gave him a distant look. ¡°...Calla,¡± he started before he moved to rub his temple. He pulled away from her, moving to sit on a stone bench nearby. He looked towards her again as she moved to sit next to him. He watched her a moment before frowning.


    ¡°Calla, what do you want from me?¡± he finally asked, making her give a look of surprise, confused by the question, however, he sat up straight and continued. ¡°I¡¯m not a very expressive person normally unless people really begin to irritate me.¡±


    She frowned at that before looking off. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean I wanted you to be more expressive. I just¡­ wish you were not acting like spending the day with me wasn¡¯t some kind of inconvenience,¡± she said softly. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right either. She couldn¡¯t help but think back to the memory of his kiss. In a sense, he treated it like he had to, but there had been a strange sense of passion and desire there which had confused her given how cold of a person he tended to be.


    Marick closed his eyes to rub them a moment, muttering to himself. ¡°I have a lot to do today,¡± he stated coldly to which Calla couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes.


    ¡°Be honest with me, Marick. Did you really have a lot to do today or did you suddenly find things to do after I ordered you to take me into the city?¡± she shot back, giving him a slight glare. Her tone or words seemed to catch Marick by surprise as he just opened his eyes to stare at her a moment, lowering his hand.


    He seemed to be really thinking over his answer, making it clear to Calla that he would have most likely avoided the question if she hadn¡¯t ordered him to be honest. She could understand his surprise, her question had come off a bit cold. Perhaps she was spending too much time with him, his harsh personality was rubbing off on her.


    He finally dropped his arm to his lap as he crossed his legs, eyeing her a moment before frowning slightly. ¡°I found things to do, but only because I hoped to deal with needing to go into the city for resources and you want to go at the same time. I don¡¯t particularly like to be here and the fewer times I have to go to the markets and speak with others, the better,¡± he admitted before looking forward. It made her pause, again looking at him surprised.


    In a way, she felt that Marick wasn¡¯t trying to get out of doing what she said today just because of his discomfort with being told what to do, but mostly he was uncomfortable being around so many people in general. It made sense to her, seeing his posture now. He was uncomfortable, his body growing tense as people would pass by. Thinking back to what Raven said about Marick¡¯s room being in the main room so he would socialize with the rest of the coven, she was sure Marick would avoid social interactions altogether if he could.


    She looked off. ¡°You could have just told me you are uncomfortable with crowds,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, you said I had to obey all of your commands without complaining.¡± he returned in a matter-of-fact tone. She frowned at that, looking up at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I did say that¡­¡± she stated before sighing. ¡°To be honest, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to agree to this. After all, I¡¯m not really a part of your group, I don¡¯t have the power to make you do anything.¡± She shot him a look. ¡°Unlike what you have on me.¡± She was trying to be vague with what she said, as she figured it wasn¡¯t a good idea to talk about magic and the coven while they were in the presence of non-magicals who may be listening to them talk. It seemed Marick appreciated that, looking around them a second before turning himself more towards her.


    ¡°You are right about not having the power to make me do anything, but you are wrong about your statement saying you are not a part of my group,¡± he stated, making her blink in surprise. He seemed confused by her surprise, raising a brow. ¡°My group of four became a group of five the day I told you that you were staying. I didn¡¯t particularly care what you called yourself but you are as much a part of my group as any of the others.¡±


    He looked around at the people in the area before getting to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s find a more private location to continue this,¡± he stated before turning to her. His stare was slightly cold again. ¡°Unless you have a different command.¡± Calla glared at him for that. If he kept that up, she would find more ways to get him back for those comments. She got to her feet.


    ¡°That should be fine,¡± she replied with the same tone before moving to follow him. If anyone would know of a quiet place to be away from people, it was Marick.


    Soon enough, they were on their way towards the pier, where there seemed to be a lot fewer people moving about. By the docks, ships were being unloaded, and anyone who was by the water was on the beach. All there was here were the sounds of the water below and the gulls cawing overhead.


    Marick stopped, moving to discreetly move his hand, a strange symbol appearing in purple lettering before Calla watched as a stone bench appeared before the wall. It looked as if the bench had always been there, allowing people to watch the water from a safe distance. As much as she trusted Marick to know what he was doing, she couldn¡¯t help but look around nervously to make sure no one had witnessed the sight.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Calla,¡± Marick said as he moved to sit down once again. ¡°Non-magicals can be unobservant creatures and I am very subtle when I use my spells.¡±


    She hummed at that, moving to sit down next to him. She let go of the comment of him calling her kind unobservant for the time being as she was more curious about what he had done. She was reminded of what had happened with Madam Coffer, not knowing what Marick had done but had noticed his arm moving as he stood between her and the old witch.


    ¡°Hey, Marick? When we were at the twisted shack, you didn¡¯t¡­ toss a vial of my blood to the old woman, did you?¡± she asked, the thought had crossed her mind after they had gotten to the cottage.


    ¡°No,¡± he answered with no hesitation. He glanced her way. ¡°If I had given her a vial, it would give her a reason to come after you.¡± He thought over her question a moment before narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°Why?¡±


    She frowned at that. ¡°I saw you do something¡­ when you were standing in front of me but I couldn¡¯t tell what it was,¡± she admitted. He watched her a moment more before leaning back against the wall behind them.


    ¡°What you saw was a hex. As I said, when I use spells, it¡¯s subtle. I do not need to use much movement to send my spells where I want them to go.¡± he explained, folding his arms as his eyes seemed to be distant. ¡°I specialize in curse and hex spells. I have also known Madam Coffer for a long time and know that if I didn¡¯t threaten her with a hex that would cause her physical harm, she would take that as giving her permission to try and come after you.¡±


    Calla pondered what he said for a moment, a look of worry on her face. ¡°Your magic sounds like it¡¯s rather evil by nature¡­¡± she pointed out to which Marick shrugged.


    ¡°It depends on the spell. A hex can cause a lot of pain or control at once and is typically found in dark magic while curses are the ability to place long-term effects on people which can get worse over time, those can either be found in dark or light magic. I dabble in both, similar to Raven in all honesty, but I mainly stay in the lines of hexes and curses as I find them the most effective.¡± he explained calmly before she saw a darkness in his eyes as he looked off. ¡°However, there are many more evil spells when you dig too far into dark magic. Spells that I have no desire to use but know a few people who relish in them.¡±


    She was quiet as he spoke, wondering if Madam Coffer was one of those who he said enjoyed the darker spells. If not her, she once again worries about what she will see in the other realm. There wasn¡¯t much that Calla knew about Marick, the guy tended to keep information like this to himself most of the time so to hear him at least speak about his powers and knowledge of other magicals was surprising. There were a number of questions she wanted to ask, but before now she didn¡¯t think he would answer her.


    ¡°Marick,¡± she started, causing him to glance her way. She paused a moment before looking up at him seriously. ¡°Tell me more about your past.¡± That seemed to hit a nerve as he scowled. She wondered if he would actually refuse this command as he never seemed to be someone who spoke of his past. ¡°You said you were magical born, meaning your parents were magical as well, right?¡±


    The air felt slightly tense under Marick¡¯s stare. She couldn¡¯t help but feel as if he was attempting to scare her away from wanting to hear him answer. However, he soon huffed but nodded. ¡°Yes, that is what that means,¡± he said sternly as he eyed her. ¡°I¡¯m a descendant of Merlin.¡±


    She looked a little confused at that. As far as she knew Merlin was known as the most powerful sorcerer in folklore. Someone who was spoken about with stories of King Arthur and the fantasy stories she heard as a child. If what Marick said was true, not only was Merlin a real person, but as a descendant, Marick was far more powerful than she thought.


    ¡°I...thought those were just stories,¡± she said, letting what he said sink in.


    He gave a hum in thought. ¡°So are the tales of magic and magical creatures,¡± he pointed out. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make them less real.¡± He watched her expression a moment before frowning. ¡°There are only a few people who are alive that know my lineage and I would prefer to keep it that way. I am known as a powerful sorcerer, I do not need to be thought of as some prince of magic due to my family tree.¡±


    Calla hummed in thought, searching his face curiously. ¡°Is that why you are hiding your past from others?¡± she asked, to which he nodded.


    ¡°I have no doubt in my mind that they wouldn¡¯t care who or what I was, but I would rather not have it brought up,¡± he noted calmly. She thought it over before nodding.


    ¡°I won¡¯t say anything, but I do think you should tell them. I mean, I don¡¯t understand much about how covens work but I would assume secrets are not something one should have.¡± she pointed out, once again seemingly surprising him as he gave her a curious look before humming in thought and looking towards the water as he thought it over.


    She watched him a moment before her other questions came to her mind. ¡°Marick?¡± she asked, seeing him tense as if he was bracing himself for her next question. He glanced back her way with a scowl.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked as he did. However, he paused when he saw the look on her face, the distant look in her eyes, and the hesitation in asking. He frowned, his expression softening. There was only one question he could think of that she would be hesitant about asking him.


    She looked off, shifting herself a little on the bench. ¡°I...I don¡¯t know if I want to know the answer or not¡­¡± she admitted softly, looking at the ground. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ you told me that you were 370 years old¡­ and¡­¡±


    ¡°You want to know how many people I¡¯ve stolen life from,¡± he said without hesitation. He said it so calmly that it honestly made Calla look up at him wide-eyed. He sighed, moving to rub his eyes again. The two were quiet for a moment before he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve never said I was a good person, Calla. To be honest, I can¡¯t officially say how many people I have killed, or how many lives I have taken. They didn¡¯t matter to me to care about the morality of what I was doing.¡±


    He opened his eyes to look down at her. ¡°My power allows me to access the life force within others, to add and to take away. I can share my years or take away others. However, I can only take from the amount of life the person has. Meaning younger people tend to be better to harvest from than the old.¡± he explained calmly. ¡°I haven¡¯t stolen life to the point of killing the person in a long time, but when I was in my teens I took the lives of many.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± she asked bewildered at his claim. Marick hummed a little.


    ¡°Many in the other realm tend to see non-magicals as objects. As a descendent of Merlin, my family has worked alongside non-magicals who were worthy, but outside of that, non-magicals had no value outside of resources,¡± he said, making a shiver run up her body before she looked off.


    ¡°You stole lives because you felt they were meaningless?¡± she asked, hugging herself a little.


    ¡°No,¡± he stated, making her look back at him. ¡°I stole life because I was with a group of people who treated non-magicals as things that were to be used. This isn¡¯t my first coven, and the one I was in as a boy was a lot darker than the one I am in now. I broke out of the mindset of non-magicals being worthless when I entered my twenties but by that time I had stolen enough life that I am practically immortal. Every time I take a life, I extend my years based on the years the person would have lived, and by doing so, I slow down my aging.¡±


    Calla still had the look of horror at the idea but he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not particularly proud of what I did in my past, Calla, hence why I prefer not to talk about it. If I could return the lives I stole, trust me, I would have. However, one cannot change what has been done by the time it has become hindsight.¡± he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. ¡°All I can do now is live with what I have done.¡±


    They were quiet for a moment as Calla looked off in thought. From the tone in his voice, she was sure he was being honest about being ashamed of his past. After a moment, she looked up at him again. ¡°Isn¡¯t it, lonely? You¡¯ve¡­ You¡¯ve already lived for such a long time. I can only imagine the things you¡¯ve seen¡­ and the people you¡¯ve lost.¡± she said. To her surprise, Marick gave a slight smirk, leaning back again.


    ¡°Funny, that is very similar to the line Raven used when he asked me to make a coven with him,¡± he stated, seemingly shaking his head to remove the memory. ¡°I wasn¡¯t one to have many people in my life that hurt when they were gone, but the handful that did does tend to make my immortality lonely.¡±


    Calla hummed a little before a thought hit her. ¡°Maybe you could share a part of your life force with the coven. I mean, it just doesn¡¯t seem fair to you to go through life alone,¡± she suggested, seeing Marick raise a brow at her again.


    ¡°Do you really believe I want to deal with these guys until the end of time?¡± he asked bluntly, catching her by surprise before she gave a huff.


    ¡°They are your coven,¡± she muttered back, to which Marick rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Technically they follow your orders as you are the one who tells me what to do,¡± he stated bitterly, making her huff again and look away. However, she soon heard him sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Calla couldn¡¯t help but smile a little at that. The two were quiet again before Marick spoke up. ¡°I have a question for you now,¡± he started, making her look back up at him. He looked serious, arms folded again as he stared her down. ¡°Why do you bother getting to know me? I would have thought out of anyone in the coven, you would have been closer to Blaise, being that he was a non-magical.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but blush at that but narrow her eyes. ¡°Why did you kiss me?¡± she shot back, to which Marick¡¯s expression turned slightly dark.


    ¡°I answered your questions, Calla.¡± he pointed out, making her blush darken and she looked off.


    ¡°I...I wanted to,¡± she said, frowning. ¡°I mean, I was already sharing a bed with you and you¡¯re always so mysterious. Not even your own coven seemed to know anything about you. I was¡­ curious.¡± She looked back up at him. ¡°Now answer mine.¡±


    He stared for a moment before a faint smirk crossed his lips. ¡°I wanted to,¡± he said back, seemingly mocking her before he gave a sigh. ¡°I never said anything earlier, but you look nice in that dress.¡±


    Calla felt her heart give a thump at that, making her look down with a shy expression. ¡°I-I...um... T-thank you.¡± she managed to say, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. ¡°You look good in the clothes you are wearing, too.¡±


    He scoffed at that. ¡°I hate wearing these. I find my robes to be much more comfortable, however, they are not something non-magicals would think were normal,¡± he stated, clearly annoyed by it. ¡°However, I appreciate the compliment.¡±


    She gave him a little bit of a huffy look before his comment about the kiss seemed to sink in. ¡°W-Wait, did you say you kissed me because you wanted to?¡± she asked to clarify. He seemed confused by her question.


    ¡°That is what I said,¡± he stated calmly, scanning her face a little.


    ¡°But you, you stole a part of my life when you did that!¡± she snapped back. He rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Well yes, the first kiss was because I needed something for my potion,¡± he explained before turning more to her. ¡°I was talking about the second kiss.¡±


    Her face lit up bright red again, her mind returning to that day, once again being reminded of the passion and slight desire that she had felt. It made her heart race. He hadn¡¯t done anything like that since which is why she had been so confused by it.


    Calla sighed, calming down before she got to her feet, moving to stand before Marick with her face still flushed with a pink blush but a serious look on her face. She couldn¡¯t read Marick, never could tell what he was thinking. He was right, after all, the guy wasn¡¯t all that expressive.


    ¡°Marick, tell me the truth and don¡¯t hide anything. What...What do you think of me?¡± she asked seriously. He rose a brow at that before humming in thought, sitting tall again.


    ¡°I think you are naive,¡± he stated calmly, however, he tilted his head. ¡°But that isn¡¯t the question you wanted to be answered, now is it?¡± She blinked in surprise at that, seeing him lean forward. ¡°You want to know how I feel about you, not what I think about you.¡±


    She swallowed hard, looking down. That was what she was actually asking. She heard him give a hum in thought as he looked her over.


    ¡°I enjoy your company. I find your curiosity to be a breath of fresh air though I do hate having to explain everything. However, I forget you are new to this world so I will try to remember when you ask simple questions, they are not simple to you.¡± he started, making her look at him again, surprised by what he was saying. He scanned her face. ¡°I find you to be pretty. In fact, I am reminded all the time of how you looked in my robe. I enjoy seeing you smile, especially when you are smiling at me though I don¡¯t understand why you do. I guess the simplest way to put it is that I like having you around.¡±


    Calla listened to him with a soft expression on her face, her heart racing at his words. Although his face was still hard to read, she knew his words were genuine. However, she saw him frown slightly as he got to his feet, standing before her. ¡°I just want you to understand that whatever reason you may have to get close to me, I am not an affectionate person. If you are fine with that knowledge then I will not stop you,¡± he informed her in a calm tone. She looked up at him a moment before nodding.


    ¡°Will you kiss me again?¡± she asked shyly as she did. He seemed to think it over a moment before nodding.


    ¡°I do owe you a year of life back, so I do plan to do that,¡± he answered to which Calla frowned at the comment.


    ¡°I mean an actual kiss¡­ not just because you feel you have to¡­¡± she said with a slight huff. He just kind of stared at her a moment before sighing.


    He caught her chin before leaning down and pushing his lips to hers, making her squeal in surprise by the sudden action. It wasn¡¯t a particularly long kiss, but it did manage to make Calla¡¯s face about as red as Gwydion¡¯s hair by the time he pulled away. Marick looked down at her, his expression still rather blank before he gave a slight smirk.


    ¡°Happy now?¡± he asked calmly, moving his hand away from her face. Calla touched her lips gently and looked down again, not sure how to respond to that.


    ¡°I-I, umm¡­¡± she started before he sighed, folding his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you ask me to do, Calla, that is the rule you put into place. As I said, I am not particularly affectionate, so you will have to tell me if you want things like a kiss,¡± he said with a tired tone. ¡°Just don¡¯t start getting overly needy for my attention.¡±


    She looked up at him a moment before pulling her hand away from her mouth and smiling shyly up at him. ¡°O-Okay,¡± she said softly. The sight made Marick¡¯s expression soften slightly before he looked confused when she took his hand.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go into the market stands we passed earlier with all the crowds!¡± she said suddenly, her smile turning a bit more playful. He blinked before looking annoyed, mostly at the thought of crowds.


    ¡°Why,¡± he asked sharply to which Calla just hummed in thought, her smile turning slightly dark.


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t forget about all the ways you insulted my kind earlier and because this is part of your punishment,¡± she pointed out, with a giggle.


    He scowled at that. ¡°Calla-,¡± he started before she cut him off.


    ¡°Marick,¡± she cut in with a serious look on her face. ¡°You are not allowed to argue with my commands.¡±


    The two just stared at each other for a second, Calla finding the annoyed look on Marick¡¯s face amusing before the man just huffed, holding her hand tightly as he began to lead her back towards the marketplace.


    Calla giggled a little as she intertwined her fingers with his as she quickened her steps to catch up with him. With him facing forward, she didn¡¯t notice the small smile on his face and the slight amusement in his eyes. He had been right, the day did end up being interesting.


    Relationships have increased.


    Continue the story in chapter 12

 A Day With Raven

    Calla looked up as she saw a shadow of someone move over her, making her stop as she took notice. She blinked and looked up to see Raven standing before her with his normal innocent smile on his face. It almost made her frown, wondering what plot was going through his mind before he spoke.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we sat down and had a talk about your knowledge about magic,¡± he said simply, however, Calla couldn¡¯t help but hear a small hint of annoyance in his voice. She frowned at that, remembering what he had said when they had left the shack about not looking the old woman in the eyes. Was he blaming her for her lack of knowledge? She saw him smile a bit more gently before he offered a hand to her.


    ¡°Follow me, dear,¡± he said calmly. She looked him over, hesitating before taking his hand. He smiled at that before turning and leading her into the house, ignoring the glare from Blaise as the two passed the others. Calla didn¡¯t even have time to notice Marick wasn¡¯t in the front room as she was led to Raven¡¯s room, soon finding herself back in the familiar setting once again. He let go of her hand, turning and closing the door behind him.


    ¡°...You broke your promise,¡± she noted as he did, making Raven pause at the door. His eyes narrowed. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t use your power on me again¡­¡±


    She heard him give a slow sigh, turning to look at him to see a serious look on his face. It honestly surprised her to see his expression so cold as he looked her over. ¡°Calla, you are not seriously holding that against me, are you?¡± he asked, raising a brow and resting a hand on his hip. ¡°I had to correct your emotions in front of Madam Coffer. The higher your level of fear was, the more control Madam Coffer had over your mind.¡±


    This time, Calla frowned with a slight look of annoyance back. ¡°Are you saying being afraid was not the ¡®correct emotion¡¯ in that situation? The woman was talking about how she could use me for potion ingredients! Marick even admitted he was tempted enough to have taken vials of my blood when I first arrived!¡± she exclaimed. Raven¡¯s expression remained hard to read for a moment as he seemed to process what she was saying before he moved to rub his eyes with a sigh. Calla¡¯s anger faded, her looking off. ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to know what¡¯s going on or be able to take this information well. I wasn¡¯t born into your world, Raven. All I know of magic is what you have explained to me and even then I don¡¯t fully understand.¡±


    He was silent for a moment before he hummed in thought, folding his arms as he stepped towards her. Looking up at the tall man with black as night hair, Calla was reminded just how intimidating the warlocks could be without really trying. His gray eyes scanned her face when he pulled his hand away from his face. She could tell how tired he looked, which might be why he was more snippy than he normally was. Had he been nervous about the situation? It had been his idea to bring her along.


    ¡°...You have a point,¡± he muttered as he stood before her. He sighed lightly, moving to run his hand through his dark hair. His gray eyes caught hers again before his expression softened more. ¡°Remember when I told you about how my ability worked?¡±


    She thought back before nodding. ¡°...You said it worked based on touch and by eye contact¡­¡± she answered, to which Raven gave a nod.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he stated calmly, moving his hands to his hips again. ¡°Most magic works similarly. When encountering a magical, it is always in one¡¯s best interest to stay away from them and to avoid looking them in the eye. Madam Coffer must have expected that one of us had some kind of hex on you that would have made it harder for her to get close to you. So as soon as you gave her eye contact, she used a counter hex that overruled Marick¡¯s spell so that you would obey her commands as long as your attention was on her.¡±


    He frowned, looking her over. ¡°She used enough magic that if I hadn¡¯t been carrying you until we were out of the twisted woods, she would have pulled you back to her and who knows what would have happened to you,¡± he said, trailing off. She watched his expression, her eyes blinking in surprise. So he had been worried.


    ¡°I thought¡­ you guys said it went better than expected.¡± she pointed out with a slight frown. He nodded at that.


    ¡°It did, but it doesn¡¯t mean the situation couldn¡¯t have changed into an issue quickly.¡± he pointed out before grumbling and moving to sit on his bed.


    Calla watched him, her mind in thought for a moment before she saw his mouth curl into a playful smirk, his eyes looking her over. She was once again worried about what he could be plotting. He tilted his head, moving to undo the buttons of his shirt. ¡°You do owe me for what happened at the twisted shack. What will you give me for saving your life?¡± he asked with a coy tone. Between the look in his eyes and the tone he was using, it made her shiver. He was always doing this. Normally, it was when she had questions that he would ask for questions in return. It was always, ¡®this for that¡¯ when it came to him.


    She hesitated as she turned to him, frowning. ¡°...What would you want in return?¡± she countered, already knowing what he would say.


    He gave her another look over before his smile became a bit more wicked. ¡°Your body would be a nice exchange,¡± he said in a coy tone. She frowned at that and hugged her arms around herself as she tried to glare at him.


    ¡°You know, the others protected me as well,¡± she pointed out, her face turning red. Raven chuckled at that before winking.


    ¡°Well, you can have sex with me first and then offer everyone else a turn if you wish~!¡± he sang, making her scowl more at him.


    ¡°And here I remember you saying that I wasn¡¯t to become the coven whore¡­¡± she stated bitterly. Raven chuckled at that, leaning back on his arms as he smiled at her.


    ¡°Calla, my dear, you really need to learn when I am teasing,¡± he pointed out before he hummed and held his hand out to motion her over.


    She watched him a moment, thinking things over before walking over, standing before him. She seemed to think a moment before tugging his shirt, and pushing her lips against his. That seemed to catch him off guard, feeling his body tense slightly before she broke the kiss, looking into his eyes with a shy expression on her blushing face.


    ¡°Th¡­.There¡­does that make it even?¡± she asked softly, her eyes searching his surprised ones. The surprise faded as he seemed to watch her with interest. To be fair, that had been rather forward for the normally shy girl.


    She yelped in surprise as she felt his hands wrap around her, however, his hands had tugged her dress up, moving under them so his hands were against her skin. She shivered, eyes closing tightly as she instinctively tried to pull away from him.


    He gave a long sigh as his hands rubbed her sides and back. He gave a breathy chuckle. ¡°The kiss was nice, dear¡­ but I do believe I deserve a little more,¡± he said calmly, making her look back at him. Her face was warm with a blush, her body shivering at the feeling of his hands against her bare flesh. She gripped his shirt.


    ¡°R-Raven, I-!¡± she started only to get cut off by Raven giving a soft smile to her.


    ¡°I will not ask for sex,¡± he reassured her calmly. He searched her unsure expression before hugging her close. ¡°If you are willing to trust me. I promise I will stop when you request me to.¡±


    Calla frowned, her body feeling as if covered in goosebumps, not sure what to expect. However, she did feel like she could trust his word. Still, that didn¡¯t make her any less nervous. Raven seemed to notice this as he hummed in thought, pulling his hands away from her. Maintaining eye contact with the blushing girl, he undid the rest of his shirt, shrugging out of it.


    There was a small part of Calla who wanted to look away from the bare-chested man seated on the bed before her. After all, it was immoral for a woman to gaze upon a man like this. Then again, she had also seen Marick walk around naked. She didn¡¯t have a chance to turn away as Raven grabbed her hands to set them on his smooth chest.


    ¡°I explore¡­ you explore¡­¡± he offered, smiling at the feeling of her hands on him. ¡°I am nothing but fair when it comes to give and take. In exchange for what happened at the cabin¡­¡± he started, Calla shifting uncomfortably when she felt his hands undo the backing of her dress, having it begin to slip off her. ¡°I wish for you to lay with me¡­ in exchange for letting me explore your body, I will allow you to touch me anywhere you feel comfortable in doing so.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes were wide, her heart racing quickening as she kept her eyes locked with his. The feeling of his warm body against her fingers was a strange experience for her. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was ready to do something like this with him yet, after all, it had only been a few weeks since she first really started to get to know him. He was testing the limits, that was clear. Raven was seeing how far he was able to go, which was odd as she expected this behavior from Gwydion, not from the older brother. Then again, it wasn¡¯t as if Raven hadn¡¯t admitted that he desired to have sex with her. He had made that pretty clear.


    Her expression shrank to that of timidness, moving one of her hands from his chest to hold her dress up. ¡°...Y...You promise you will stop when I say so¡­?¡± she asked, still hesitant. Raven nodded with a tender smile to her.


    ¡°I promise, Calla,¡± he reassured her, one of his hands moving to touch the hand on her dress, slowly coaxing her to let the dress fall, to trust him.


    She seemed to hesitate a moment longer before allowing him to pull her hand away. As he did, her dress fell down her body smoothly, leaving the girl bare. Her whole body was red with a blush, her hands moving away from Raven¡¯s chest to try and cover herself. She missed his expression, his eyes wide as he scanned her body with his eyes, hints of desire filling his thoughts. He bit his lip, almost as if he was hesitating this choice, the temptation much higher than he had expected. Calla was breathtaking, her body soft to the look and touch, sweet and pure to the ways of men. No wonder Gwydion has such a hard time keeping his hands off her.


    She heard him give a breathy chuckle, pulling her to him as he moved onto the bed with her. For the moment, his hands rested on her back as he pulled her onto the bed with him.


    ¡°So shy¡­¡± he said tenderly as he looked down into her sweet face. ¡°...You are beautiful, Calla¡­¡±


    Her breath was staggered, hiding her face in his chest as her body was laying on top of his. She couldn¡¯t help but let a whimper escape her lips as she felt his hands trail over her back and side, goosebumps perking over her skin where his hands went. She heard him chuckle, running his fingers into her hair and kissing the top of her head. She looked up when she felt him pull the blanket up around them, seeing him smiling down at her warmly.


    ¡°For my eyes only~¡± he teased, making her face grow hot before guiding her to sit up onto his lap, the blanket covering her backside. She shyly looked up at him as his hand moved a strand of her hair from her face. Calla¡¯s heart raced, shivering as she felt his hand move from her face to trail his fingers to her bare chest. She closed her eyes tightly, clinging to his shoulders.


    Raven wasn¡¯t what she called muscularly, his body was lean for the most part. He was strong, but not to the level of what she had seen of farmhands or those who did manual labor. Then again, given that he was a magical born, she wondered if he had ever needed to do hard labor in his life. He was keeping one hand on her side while the other teased her breasts, making her gasp with light moans at the new sensation. He leaned in at least once, trailing kisses over her neck as he held her closer to him, loving the sounds she made.


    Raven¡¯s eyes danced with a mix of desire and curiosity as he leaned back again to watch how Calla reacted to him playing with her. A part of him felt bad about teasing her in such a way, the girl was new to this after all and he was taking advantage of the situation. He found non-magicals to be easy to mess with, even without his powers. They were simple creatures, unlike magicals. Girls like Calla could become putty in his hands by the slightest touch. He smiled, eyes following his hands on the young woman¡¯s body. Perhaps he was being a bit cruel, playing with Calla for his amusement at the current moment. He smiled, moving one of her tender nipples in between his fingers as he watched her reaction. The sounds she made were music to his ears, making him want to hear her moans of arousal become sounds of pleasure. He shifted a bit uncomfortably, his eyes trailing down to where her lower body met his. At this moment, he debated how easy it would be to claim her, wanting to be selfish and not give anyone else the chance to steal her away. His pants were tight, his arousal very clear. It made him wonder if she could feel it, feel how badly he wanted to make her his. However, her words echoed in his head, being the only thing that prevented him from taking full advantage of her vulnerability.


    She called him a good person, her words so naive and sweet. It made him hate himself more for the selfish thoughts in his head. No, he wasn¡¯t a good person. He was just good at pretending to be one. If anything, Blaise calling him an ass was more accurate. How many girls had he played this game with before? How many girls had he lied to and manipulated into sleeping with him? It wasn¡¯t difficult to do. Hell, Gwydion did it more than he did. He wondered how much he could get away with. With a gentle pushing of the line she had drawn, he could convince her to go all the way, to let him have his way with her.


    His eyes grew slightly dark in desire as his hand moved from her breasts and trailed down her body, however, as they hovered above the girl¡¯s lower body, he felt her fingernails dig into his skin, hearing her whimper and shift uncomfortably as his fingers teased her folds.


    ¡°R-Raven¡­ y-you promised¡­¡± she whimpered, her eyes opening to look at her own. His expression softened, looking into the teary-eyed girl on his lap. She was so sweet, so trusting of him. He felt his heartache for the thoughts that had been in his mind. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do anything he knew Calla would hate him for. It wasn¡¯t something he was used to feeling, regret for his actions. In reality, Calla wasn¡¯t any different from the girls he had used before. However, there was something about her being around them like this that made him see her differently than other non-magicals. He shouldn¡¯t be toying with her like this.


    ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡± he asked softly, not moving for now as he gave a warm smile towards her. He had promised to do so and no matter how much of an ass he was, he always kept his promises. She closed her eyes, seemingly upset with herself as she gave a nod to his question.


    He smiled lightly at her, sighing as he moved his hands away from her lower body, wrapping them around her figure and pulling her into a comforting hug. She wrapped her arms around him as he did, hugging herself close to him, their chests pressed against each other.


    ¡°Forgive me. I got caught up in the moment,¡± he told her gently, smiling more at the feeling of her cuddling close to him. He traced the center of her back with his fingers, giving a small sigh as he looked off in thought. A smirk grew on his lips as he looked down at her.


    ¡°Do you want to explore my lower body in exchange for me to do the same?¡± he purred into her ear. All at once, Calla jolted up, her face bright red as she glared at him. An amusing sight.


    ¡°N-No!¡± Calla exclaimed, pouting. He was messing with her. She could tell by the smirk on his face. Why did he have to be so mean? He chuckled.


    ¡°Teasing,¡± he sang, making her give a huff. Her eyes softened as she looked down at his chest, her mind in thought. Her hand reached out and traced the line of his shoulder before trailing down to the gentle lines of his lean body.


    ¡°You always tease me¡­ can¡¯t you ever be nice?¡± she muttered with a sigh. She felt his chest move with a small chuckle.


    ¡°That would imply that you think I¡¯m mean,¡± he countered before humming in bliss at her touch, catching her attention again. He pouted playfully. ¡°Are you telling me that you only want to see Marick naked? Are you disinterested in my body?¡±


    Her face was hot again. ¡°W-What? N-No! I mean¡­¡± she said, growing flustered before she huffed at him again. ¡°It wasn¡¯t by choice that I saw Marick walking around naked!¡±


    He laughed at that. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he pointed out before leaning back on the bed, arms behind his head, He scanned her, mentally enjoying the look of her in this position. He smiled playfully again. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you are not the least bit curious about the male body. I understand you were raised with some kind of morals and virtue, but you are still a curious young lady.¡±


    Calla couldn¡¯t help but blush. Of course, she was curious. She wondered what it was like, to be with a man. She had heard stories from girls around her village and that of her sister, some claiming the experience was painful, others that it was wonderful. She wondered what it felt like to have a man inside of her. Looking off, her mind wandered more. The feeling of Raven touching and exploring her body had felt good, it had been due to her nerves that she had asked him to stop. She knew he wanted to be intimate and somewhere in her desires, she wanted it to as well. Raven and Gwy had been with women before, surely they were good in bed. What would sex with Raven feel like? Her mind snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Raven chuckle.


    ¡°That look in your eye tells me you are,¡± he teased, making her face turn a bright red with embarrassment. He just laughed again. ¡°There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Calla. It¡¯s natural to be curious.¡± He scanned her, his lustful stare returning. ¡°...I''m letting you give in to those curiosities. Ask me anything, touch me wherever you wish. You may do with my body whatever rests in your desires and daydreams.¡±


    Calla bit her lip at that. The offer was testing her virtue. She looked him over again, debating if she should. She swallowed hard, her eyes meeting him as she thought about what she wanted to know. ¡°I...I saw statues of naked men and women in the house of the lord I was sold to. Some¡­ Some had¡­ you know¡­¡± she said awkwardly, tugging on the blanket around her as she looked at him shyly. ¡°Do they...Do they all look like that¡­?¡±


    Raven was trying so hard not to laugh or make any noise that would embarrass her. He did blush lightly at the awkwardness of her question. She was just too cute. Calla looked back at him when he reached out and took one of her hands, guiding it to the button of his pants, his eyes locked with hers as he gave a coy grin.


    ¡°Go ahead and take a look, then you can tell me,¡± he said calmly, making Calla give a small squeak, pulling her hand away, closing her eyes tightly as she hid her red face with the blanket.


    ¡°R-Raven, I was being serious!¡± she squealed, her heart racing. She heard him chuckle and move to prop himself up on the bed.


    ¡°So was I,¡± he stated calmly, watching the girl¡¯s reaction with amusement. She peaked out from the blanket. He seemed to be expecting to hear what she wanted to do, but would he accept it if she said she wasn¡¯t comfortable with it? She frowned as she thought. Did she want to turn down the offer? She barely knew Raven and already she was in his bed with nothing on while he offered to let her explore him, to see if the statues of marble athletes were what a man¡¯s body really looked like.


    ¡°I¡­¡± she started, seeing his attention perk as she started to talk. She frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m¡­ ready¡­¡±


    She noticed the look of disappointment in his eyes but he soon sighed and nodded. ¡°Alright, next time then,¡± he said with a smile at her. ¡°I just figured you would want to be on level ground with me. After all, you are unclothed before me.¡±


    Calla looked saddened as she looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said softly only to see him shake his head.


    ¡°There is no need to apologize,¡± he said calmly. ¡°When you are ready to go farther with me, you only need to ask.¡±


    She watched him a moment before she sighed, looking off. Raven¡¯s eyes scanned her a moment before smiling. ¡°To answer your question, no. They do not all look like that. But as I said, you will understand once you are more comfortable exploring my body.¡± he pointed out, making her glance his way. She thought it over before staring at him, thinking. Her heart raced, wondering if she was brave enough to ever go that far. Her hesitation at the moment made Raven raise his brow before smiling, seeing her thinking it over. He chuckled lightly and shook his head.


    ¡°You, my dear, have a contradictory head and heart,¡± he said calmly, gently moving her off him. He sat up. ¡°What causes you to hesitate? I can tell your curiosity is getting the best of you.¡±


    Calla bit her lip at that, not sure how to answer before sighing, looking at his face. ¡°...I just¡­ I feel like I don¡¯t know you well enough to¡­ to go so far. I only just started to get to know you¡­¡± she admitted, frowning lightly. ¡°I just¡­ I just don¡¯t want to feel like you''re toying with me¡­¡±


    She watched Raven eyed her before he sighed. ¡°So what you are saying is that you do not trust me yet¡­¡± he noted calmly. Calla looked off again. She was worried that she had upset him; however, she felt his fingertips touch her face, guiding it to look at him. He smiled warmly at her. ¡°What can I do to win your trust?¡± Calla looked at him with an expression of surprise as she saw him thinking it over.


    She wondered about that as well, moving off in thought. If she were someone of a higher social class, she would be courted by a guy like Raven, and taken on dates. Girls from her social class were lucky if a guy offered to marry them before taking them to bed. She had always dreamed of being treated like a high-class lady, someone whose affection had to be won. She looked to Raven again, wondering how the different classes were treated in his world.


    ¡°W-What¡­ what would you do if you wanted to win the heart of a magical born?¡± she asked curiously. That seemed to click something in his thoughts as his eyes met hers before smiling.


    ¡°I would try to sweep you off your feet,¡± he answered before giving a nod. He moved to pull Calla to him again, wrapping the blanket around both of them as he held her close. ¡°Then that is what I will do. Tomorrow, I will take you on a date and if I cannot win your heart after that, then I do not deserve it.¡± He smirked but winked at her. ¡°But, you have to dress in that cute frilly thing I know Gwydion bought you.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes went from looking at him in wonder at what he could have planned for tomorrow before she gave him a blank stare and whined. ¡°But why?¡± she whined before huffing. ¡°You¡¯re so mean¡­¡±


    Raven couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that. ¡°I never said I was nice,¡± he pointed out, hugging her close. He yawned. The adventure that morning tired him out slightly, plus, he didn¡¯t want to lose the moment of laying with Calla by getting up. He hummed sleepily. ¡°I think we deserve a nap. Mind staying here with me for a while longer?¡±


    Calla blushed, cuddling close to him. Even without him using his powers, she did feel warm and comfortable in his arms. She nodded. ¡°Sure,¡± she said softly. It wouldn¡¯t take long before the two had dozed off.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± Calla muttered, tugging on the frilly dress before looking up at Raven. He just smiled back at her, overly happy with the choice. Calla blushed at that, looking him over.


    Raven was wearing a rather nice suit, making him look noble. His hair was brushed back away from his eyes, his handsome face no longer hidden by his black as night hair. He was handsome beyond words, which made Calla all the more unsure about the outfit she wore, feeling like a doll.


    ¡°Well, I think you are breathtaking,¡± he replied happily as he walked over to her, fixing his cufflets. He smirked and turned on his heels to sweep his hand behind him. ¡°And they think so too!¡±


    Calla blushed, turning to look at the other three. Gwydion looked like a proud father as he squealed in delight, while Blaise looked away blushing. Even Marick had his eyes closed with a stone face as if trying not to show himself being flustered. The others were also dressed like noble non-magicals, which was an odd sight to her.


    When Raven had brought up the fact that he was taking Calla to the town of Rowien, Marick brought up the fact that they needed to restock supplies anyway and figured it would be a good idea for everyone to go. As soon as Raven told Gwydion what dress he was forcing her to wear, Gwydion cheered loud enough that Calla was sure Madam Coffer could hear them.


    Marick didn¡¯t seem to like the idea that his more competent member of the coven was going to be busy today but he hadn¡¯t said anything about it. Raven chuckled as the group moved to walk into the city.


    The place was a sight to behold. The city was born from the wealthy trade of the sea, drawing those in high society to make this place their home. In the center of town were an opera house and a dance hall, while just to the south, closer to the port was a large open marketplace. Calla wasn¡¯t used to seeing such a large city. Even the town she had been brought to was just a large manor owned by the lord of the land and those who were loyal to him. It was a lot to take in as she shielded her eyes from the sunlight.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Marick¡¯s voice rang out, making all of them look his way. He sighed, glancing at Raven. ¡°You two, go.¡± He waved them off. Raven just laughed at that, ignoring the glare he was getting from Blaise.


    ¡°You guys have fun~¡± Raven sang with a wave to the others before taking Calla¡¯s hand. She blushed as he began to lead her away, her listening to Marick giving orders to the two remaining coven members.


    She hummed after a moment, turning to look up at Raven. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me what we are doing today¡­¡± she pointed out, making him smirk with a coy smile down at her.


    ¡°If you want me to tell you all my secret plans I have for today, I better get something in return.¡± he teased playfully, making her face light up and pout at him. He chuckled, giving her a wink. ¡°I am sweeping you off your feet today. I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin the surprise.¡±


    She just stared at him for a moment. Raven was a tough one to read. He was both an open book and very secretive. She gave a light sigh, looking forward. ¡°It sounds like you have no idea what you are doing and plan to make it up on the spot,¡± she muttered. She felt him give her hand a bit of a squeeze before he laughed, scratching his head.


    ¡°That could be a possibility,¡± he said with a smile in her direction. He hummed, looking around as they walked down the path. ¡°It¡¯s a lovely day out today, don¡¯t you agree? I think we picked the perfect kind of day to spend together.¡±


    Calla blinked at that and looked around before giving a smile. ¡°Yeah¡­ it really is,¡± she said, taking notice that they were headed towards the dance hall. Her awareness seemed to be right on queue as Raven glanced at her.


    ¡°Do you know how to dance?¡± he asked, tilting his head. She blushed at the question.


    ¡°Um¡­ n-no¡­¡± she admitted to which he chuckled.


    ¡°Neither do I.¡± He admitted with a shrug. ¡°Which is why I thought it would be fun for us to take a class on how to waltz.¡±


    She blinked in surprise at that, curious if he was telling the truth. To be honest, she was more surprised to hear that Raven didn¡¯t know how to do something, having given in to the idea that all warlocks knew everything at this point. Raven wasn¡¯t nearly as romantic as she assumed Gwydion was, but as he held the door open for her with a little bow, she couldn¡¯t help but notice he had a charm to him. The man had gotten glances from women as they walked here, and Calla had been a bit wary. However, he wasn¡¯t as distracted as she thought he would be. He never so much as glanced in the direction of any of the women who smiled his way. She expected the attention he would get. Gwydion and Raven were beautiful men. Gwydion was the charming seductive beauty whereas Raven was tall, dark, and mysterious.


    Inside was no different, with couples of all ages waiting for the lesson to start. He caught eyes as soon as he walked in, however, his eyes never left Calla as he took her hand and led her over.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t know how to dance¡­¡± Calla said after a while, giving him a look over. ¡°I assumed you knew everything.¡±


    He chuckled lightly at that, shrugging. ¡°I am a man of many talents, dancing just isn¡¯t one of them,¡± he said before humming in thought and looking around the room. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the appeal in it.¡± It didn¡¯t surprise her to hear him say that. Raven was as Blaise said, he was a man that didn¡¯t do something unless it benefited him in some way.


    ¡°Then why plan for it to be part of our day?¡± she asked, confused. Raven flashed her a smile.


    ¡°Because I might enjoy it if you danced with me,¡± he said simply, making her blush a little and look off. He chuckled. ¡°You are so cute when you get all flustered.¡±


    ¡°N-No I¡¯m not¡± she whined softly, making him smile more. He gave a hum at that, an amused look on his face before he patted her head.


    ¡°Besides, this way I can hold you in public without you calling me a lecher~¡± he teased, just loud enough for her to hear him. She huffed up at him, her face still very red.


    She would have commented back at him but soon enough the instructors walked in, greeting everyone. It seemed the lessons would begin shortly.


    One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three.


    Calla tried her best to keep the count in her head as she followed Raven¡¯s lead. For the guy who claimed to not know how to dance, he was a surprisingly fast learner, elegantly moving about the room. Why did he have to be perfect at everything?! She felt bad every time she stepped on his foot.


    As they turned, Calla looked up at him. She knew Raven was tall, but being so close to him like this only reminded her of how much the nearly 6-foot man towered over her. He seemed to catch her stare as he gave a warm smile down to her.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± he asked, making another turn. She just pouted up at him.


    ¡°You picked up on this way too fast¡­¡± she muttered with a slight huff, making the man give a small chuckle in amusement at her face. He shrugged.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re doing just fine-!¡± he said, only to be cut off as she once again stepped on his foot. She jolted at that, especially at the dark and wicked grin on his face as he stared down at her. ¡°...I¡¯m starting to think you are stepping on me on purpose.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not!¡± Calla exclaimed, shaking her head frantically at his accusation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Raven just sighed, shaking his head at her before humming. He was smiling sweetly but Calla felt intimidated by it, his smile felt threatening. ¡°Do it again and you will be punished,¡± he said calmly. She shivered at that, completely believing his words. She feared what he would do to punish her.


    ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± she squeaked, looking down to watch her feet as they started to dance again, making sure she didn¡¯t do it again.


    Raven chuckled lightly, looking down at her before sighing. ¡°Calla, it¡¯s rude to not look at your partner~¡± he purred into her ear. She shivered at that, blushing as she looked up at him, pouting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust that look in your eyes about punishing me¡­¡± she muttered with a huff. He just laughed, moving to spin her before pulling her into his arms once again and leaning in to whisper into her ear.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d enjoy it,¡± he teased, making her blush deeply, her body shivering at the warmth of his breath on her ear. He smirked, raising tall again with a playful grin at how red her face was, finding amusement in her attempt to glare at him.


    ¡°You are worse than Gwy¡­¡± she muttered. He chuckled at that, giving her a wink.


    ¡°I am the older brother, after all.¡± he pointed out as he did. ¡°Where do you think he got it from?¡±


    She gave a blank stare up at him. ¡°You did tell me about your family situation,¡± she pointed out. Raven rose a brow in surprise by that before he hummed and nodded.


    ¡°Fair point,¡± he said, leading her into another turn. Calla sighed at that, her eyes glancing at the other couples. A few were looking at each other with such love in their eyes, she blushed as she caught one young couple stealing a kiss. Raven took note of Calla looking around and curiously followed her eyes. When he saw what she was looking at he smiled and shifted his arms, leaning down to kiss her cheek.


    Calla blushed and turned her attention back to him. ¡°Do you want one too?¡± he asked softly to her. Calla frowned at that, locking her eyes with his, her heart fluttering. Still, she smirked, trying to look playful as she smiled up at him.


    ¡°It sounds like maybe you are the one that wants one,¡± she tried to tease, making him raise a brow with interest. ¡°What would you give me to get a kiss?¡±


    Raven curled his mouth into a playful smirk, finding her attempt to turn his game onto him to be amusing. He hummed, pretending to think it over before running his hand down her back slightly before returning it, making her shiver.


    ¡°Now, now, dear. We are in a polite society. I can¡¯t just say things like that here~¡± he teased back, making her face hot with her blush. She pouted at that, not liking how easily he turned it back to her like that. She huffed, figuring she should have known better. She sighed, once again being led into a turn as the music began to end. She only looked back up at him when she felt him jolt. Her eyes widened as she noticed she stepped on his foot once more but played it off, ending the dance by bowing to her. He kissed her hand before his wicked expression met her worried one.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The two thanked the instructors, leaving with the others. It seemed the lesson had lasted about an hour, but by that time the nice day had become rather cloudy. Calla frowned as she looked up at the sky.


    ¡°It looks like it might rain¡­¡± she said as she did. Raven glanced her way before looking to the sky as well. He hummed at that.


    ¡°It could, but it might pass.¡± he pointed out, smiling as he looked down at her. He did look slightly disappointed in the nice day going cloudy. He hummed, however, offering her his arm to take. ¡°Anyway, shall we head to our next location?¡±


    Calla hesitated, still concerned about whatever punishment he would have for her as she took his arm. He just smiled innocently at her, her concern turning to fear. She was in danger.


    ¡°H-Hey, Raven, you were not serious about that punishment, r-right?¡± she asked, shivering at the grin he was giving. He hummed at that, not answering as he began to lead her off. She lowered her head. Yep, she was doomed.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Calla asked as the two continued to walk. They seemed to be more towards the docks by this point, the less glamorous section of the city where sailors and workers would stay. It seemed that Raven was headed to a specific location, one that passed this section and more than likely led more out of the city. She looked around as they walked, slightly nervous about the stares they got from sailors. They were not the only people who looked of the higher class in the area, but the looks Calla got from some of the men made her nervous and cling to Raven more. Looking up, Raven didn¡¯t seem at all fazed. He wasn¡¯t giving anyone they passed the time of day, he focused on where he planned to go. He also didn¡¯t answer her question, making her frown.


    She tugged on his arm. ¡°Raven,¡± she said, finally seeming to get his attention as he glanced down at her. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    He gave her a smile and a wink. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± he countered before looking forward again. She just scowled at that, blushing. Why did he have to be so secretive all the time? He just chuckled lightly. ¡°I know of a nice location just outside the city. Trust me, you will love the place once we get there.¡±


    Calla hummed at that but nodded. After all, Raven knew where he was going. Though a part of her wondered if this location he spoke of was found because of his time with another woman. After all, the brothers tended to seek attention from women when they were around here. She didn¡¯t dwell on the thought for too long, not wanting to sound like she was jealous.


    Her attention was grabbed when they started to pass a flower shop, though a bit more to what Calla was used to than the markets in the center of the city. There was an old man out front, tending to the flowers. He glanced up as they got closer and smiled.


    ¡°Ah! Might I interest such a nice couple in some flowers?¡± He called. The man smiled at Calla. ¡°A lovely lady deserves flowers.¡±


    Calla was about to speak but Raven cut in. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in whatever pathetic plants you have,¡± he said in a surprisingly sharp tone, making Calla look up at him surprised. Raven was normally at least kind towards others as he spoke, this was a strange side to see from him. The old man blinked at that as well, frowning.


    ¡°I assure you that my flowers are of good quality. My wife is sick, you see, even if you bought one flower it would be enough.¡± The man said calmly, reaching to grab Raven¡¯s shoulder. Raven turned swiftly on his heels and slapped the man¡¯s hand away, the look in his eyes seemed to be one of warning. His hands lightly danced with a mix of light and dark energy that only someone who knew magic would take notice of. Her eyes widened more at that, looking up at Raven in shock. He had a dark look in his eyes almost as if he felt threatened or at least was defensive about the situation, or at least from being grabbed by the other.


    ¡°I could care less of your troubles. Peddle your weeds to someone else.¡± Raven said sharply. It was enough that Calla¡¯s look of surprise went to slight anger. She glared up at Raven before moving to his coat, catching him by surprise as he looked down at her. ¡°Calla, what are you doing?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer him, just grabbed his coin pouch and turned to the old man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about him. He¡¯s in a bad mood it seems,¡± she said as she handed the man some coins. She smiled up at the man as she did. ¡°Here, I don¡¯t need the flowers so give them to your wife. I hope she gets better.¡±


    The old man blinked before he smiled warmly at Calla. ¡°You have a beautiful heart¡­ I thank you,¡± he said. Calla just nodded before moving to grab Raven by the hand and start to pull him down the path. He followed but the two were quiet for a long time before Raven gave a sigh and moved to walk next to her.


    He scanned her angry expression, his own hard to read. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are angry,¡± he said oddly and calmly. Calla just glared at him as they walked.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to get so aggressive. I might not understand much about magic but I could tell the guy wasn¡¯t magical. He wasn¡¯t threatening anyone. That and you can see this is a poorer area of the city. The guy was just doing his job. You had no reason to insult him like that.¡± she stated sharply, making Raven give her a slightly bored expression.


    ¡°For all you know, he could have been lying.¡± he returned, looking forward again. ¡°Even if he was telling the truth, so what? He¡¯s just a non-magical. Unless they have something of use, they are not worth the energy to waste time on. He should have understood his place enough to back off when I first told him that we were not interested.¡±


    Calla stopped walking as he said that, the two nearly out of the city at that point, looking up at him wide-eyed. Her stopping made him stop, looking back at her as if confused as to why she had done so, and pulled her hand away from him. Raven¡¯s words had been like a dagger. She had never heard him speak in such a harsh and cold tone like that before. And then there was what he said. ¡®Just a non-magical¡¯


    She looked off, her eyes holding hurt. ¡°Is that¡­ Is that really what you think?¡± she asked as she did. She wasn¡¯t looking at him but felt his eyes on her.


    Raven was confused by her look and tone. Why was she upset with him? He sighed, fully turning to her. ¡°Calla, I don¡¯t understand why you are getting upset by this. I just didn¡¯t see the point in buying flowers from some non-magical. We have much nicer ones at the cottage that I would much rather give you if you want some.¡± he said calmly. Calla couldn¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t understand why she was upset.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about the flowers,¡± She stated to which Raven sighed.


    ¡°Then why are you upset with me all of a sudden?¡± he asked, his tone slightly annoyed.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve never heard you sound so cruel like that,¡± she said, trailing off. Raven gave a huff at that, folding his arms.


    ¡°Cruel? Calla, come now, he was just a-!¡± Raven started before Calla shot her teary-eyed glare up at him. She patted her chest as she did.


    ¡°I''m non-magical!¡± she yelled, making Raven stop. His eyes were wide as he soon closed his mouth, watching as she looked down again, her hands balling into fists. ¡°... How could you say what you said when I am also non-magical? Are you saying that you only wanted to spend the day with me because I am ¡®something of use¡¯? That I would be a waste of your time if you had nothing to gain? Am I not ¡®just a non-magical¡¯ as well? I¡­I never took you for someone who would have such cruel opinions on my kind like that. You are always so kind towards me¡­I¡­ I didn¡¯t like seeing that side of you. The way you spoke, is that how you treat non-magicals?¡±


    They were quiet for a moment before Raven let out a sigh and moved toward her. He looked her over, frowning as he scratched his head, messing his hair up a little. ¡°No, Calla, I¡­¡± he started before he trailed off. He was silent for a moment before sighing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I...I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± Looking up at him, she could see the look of guilt in his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you. I shouldn¡¯t have behaved the way I did and said what I did. I¡¯m sorry for being so rude...¡±


    Calla frowned, pain in her eyes as she shook her head. ¡°That¡­ That was more than you being rude, Raven. You¡­ the look in your eyes. The hatred you had. I saw your magic spike. You could have remained calm but you grew hostile towards someone that wasn¡¯t a threat, insulted him, and when I asked you why you brushed it off saying he was just a non-magical as if that meant he was beneath you.¡± Raven was silent at that, watching her a moment before he looked off.


    As if staring deep in thought, his eyes seem to dance with a memory hidden behind his eyes but one that he wasn¡¯t planning to say. Finally, he returned his gaze to her. ¡°There are a lot of prejudices in our world, especially towards your people, Calla,¡± he said, making her return his gaze with a surprised look. He sighed. ¡°I try not to give into them but sometimes I mess up.¡± She could tell there was more to what he was trying to say but that he didn¡¯t want to go into it. Still, what he did say was surprising to hear.


    ¡°Magicals, hate non-magicals?¡± she asked to clarify only feeling her heart sink when she saw him frown at her words.


    He shook his head. ¡°Not all of them, but I would be lying if I said that there are not a handful of magicals who see non-magicals as inferior or to be things that can be used. Hell, you heard what Coffer said to you back at the cabin. That and we have all told you of the dangers that would come from bringing you to the other realm. It¡­ It doesn¡¯t all have to do with your purity, although that is one of the biggest draws. Persecution of witches hasn¡¯t helped the situation, nor have non-magicals who have been spirited away. Either way, you are correct. I had no reason to be as hostile as I was, especially in front of you.¡± he said, hoping she would know he meant what he said. In a sense, he had forgotten that Calla was non-magical. In the short time, she had been with them, he had grown used to her presence. He was comfortable around her. With a sigh, he reached out to touch her face gently. ¡°Will you forgive me?¡±


    She knew he could easily use his power to force her to forgive him and the fact that he wasn¡¯t was the only reason why she hesitated as she looked up at him. Calla knew he was being honest with her. He wasn¡¯t telling her anything about why he personally had such disdain in his voice when he called the old man ¡®just a non-magical¡¯ but it seemed he was trying his best to apologize. Calla sighed, leaning into his touch as she looked up into his pleading gray eyes. It made her heart flutter. It did look as if he wanted her forgiveness and that it bothered him that he had upset her.


    ¡°I forgive you¡­ but when we walk back through, I want you to apologize to the old man¡­ okay?¡± she said, making his eyes catch hers again. He gave a tender smile before kissing her softly.


    ¡°Fine, I will,¡± he said, sighing relief before he shook his head. He took his hand off her face to scratch his own, giving a saddened chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m not too good at this, am I?¡± She blinked, confused by his words before he stood tall again. ¡°Here I was trying to give you a romantic evening where we could get to know each other better, and all I¡¯ve managed to do is upset you. I hope I haven¡¯t soured your thoughts on me.¡± He gave a long sigh, looking off. ¡°You¡¯ve grown on me since you¡¯ve arrived. I¡¯m not sure what I would do if you hated me.¡±


    Calla felt her face warm at his words, still slightly unsure but deep down, she didn¡¯t want to be angry at him. She shook her head, moving to touch his hand, threading her fingers with his. It seemed enough to surprise him, his eyes locking with hers again. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, Raven. But, I worry about your thoughts on my kind,¡± she said honestly. His face fell again.


    ¡°In all honesty, Calla, it slipped my mind that you are non-magical,¡± he admitted with a slightly bashful look on his face. It was strange to see, given how mature of a man he was. ¡°Non-magical or not, you are part of this coven. A part of our family. I would lay down my life defending you.¡±


    Her eyes widened at that, shocked by what he said. Swiftly, she shook her head, feeling tears in her eyes. ¡°B-But I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m nothing special for anyone to¡­-!¡± she started, stuttering to find the right words. However, she was cut off when she felt his lips against hers. It wasn¡¯t a particularly long kiss but it had been enough to make her stop, eyes looking up at him. He smiled warmly down at her, thumbing away a tear from her eyes.


    ¡°You are special to me, and there is nothing you can say that will change that,¡± he whispered to her. She felt her heart beating fast, her face a darker shade of red by this point. ¡°And I mean it, a coven is a family and as our fifth member, we would protect you from anything, understand?¡±


    No, she didn¡¯t understand, but her heart wanted what he said to be true. After a moment, she nodded, which seemed to satisfy him as he stood tall again. ¡°Now,¡± he started, clapping his hand. ¡°How about I make sure our date ends on a high note? I am trying to win your heart after all and I can¡¯t have my momentary lapse of judgment be the biggest highlight of our time together. That would make the end goal more difficult.¡±


    That seemed to snap her out of it, narrowing her eyes towards him. ¡°What end goal?¡± she asked, already regretting her question as he gave a wicked grin.


    ¡°You sleeping with me, of course, ~!¡± he said in a teasing manner. Of all the times to pick on her. She huffed and folded her arms with her blush deepening again.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sleeping with you, Raven,¡± she said, seeing him sigh with a disappointed smile. He shook his head.


    ¡°Damn, and here I was trying so hard. Would you have slept with me if I had ended our date after we danced?¡± he asked, his smirk growing. She groaned at that.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on sleeping with you at all! I-Isn¡¯t it a rule to not sleep with someone on the first date? I thought proper people courted women more before even trying.¡± she muttered to which he let out a laugh, mostly glad to see things were in high spirits again.


    ¡°I never heard of such a rule, but, according to you my brother and I are lechers,¡± he said playfully, moving to walk past her and towards the direction they had been walking again. She huffed after him.


    ¡°You are a lecher!¡± she whined. As she heard him laugh, she sighed, smiling again. Hopefully, he would tell her more about why he had reacted the way he did earlier, but for now, she was happy to have the Raven she knew back. Quickly, she ran after him so she was walking by his side, taking his hand. He seemed happy for that as she felt him squeeze her hand slightly as they walked together, a blissful smile on his face.


    Soon enough, they got to a nice waterfall and deep river just outside the city. It was hidden from view by large rocks. Around the water¡¯s edge were flowering bushes, framing the area like a painting. It was a breathtaking sight, making Calla look wide-eyed as Raven led her over to a rock closest to the water''s edge and took a seat. She followed him, sitting next to him as her eyes looked around.


    ¡°This place is beautiful¡­ how on earth did you find it?¡± she asked, turning her attention to him. He gave a smile, tilting his head.


    ¡°Well, when one wants a nice quiet place for activities, you tend to find quiet places like this,¡± he pointed out. Though he wasn¡¯t saying it outright, Calla gave him a blank stare, seemingly understanding what kind of activities he was talking about. She blushed and looked off.


    ¡°...Great,¡± she muttered to which Raven just laughed, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close.


    ¡°Oh come now, who cares how I found it? All that matters is I wanted to share this place with you,¡± he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. That made her grow even more flustered before she noticed the wicked look in his eyes. It made her swallow hard with fear on her own.


    ¡°Besides, this is where I plan to punish you... And I don¡¯t need witnesses~¡± he purred as he kept her from pulling away.


    Calla jolted at that, pushing away from him as she looked up at him, heart pounding fast. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t step on you on purpose!!¡± she whined as she did, only to suddenly be pulled to lay on the ground with him over her.


    He hummed, tilting his head at that with his innocent smile. ¡°You stepped on my feet ten times. I forgave you the first three, after that, it was a bit much,¡± he noted as his hand trailed over her body. She shivered at that, blushing as she looked up at him.


    ¡°W-What are you going to do?¡± she asked, her lips trembling. He hummed at that before Calla let out a squeal when she felt him pull her dress up. ¡°R-Raven don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go all the way with you. But I am going to have some fun.¡± he purred, waving his hand. She felt the buttons behind her undo, making her gasp. In a swift motion, she soon found herself naked under him, him tossing her dress aside.


    ¡°R-Raven!¡± she tried to yell, reaching for her dress as if to want to cover herself. However, she was pinned to the ground as he leaned down to kiss her deeply, making her moan and shiver. As he did, he started to remove his clothing, leaving his pants on for now as he moved between her legs. She let out a squeal into his passionate kiss as his hips began to grind against her sensitive womanhood, making her body grow hot.


    She shivered, and moaned, breaking the kiss to cover her face with her hands as waves of pleasure rushed over her. He chuckled at that, moving his hips rhythmically. Even with his pants on, the motion of pushing the bump in his pants against her was stimulating enough to arouse him.


    ¡°Does that feel good?¡± he purred into her ear, making her whimper. He chuckled at that, pulling a hand from her face and pinning it down before leaning in to suckle one of her breasts. Calla shifted beneath him, her moans of pleasure tempting him to go further with this.


    ¡°R-Raven!¡± she cried with a moan, panting as he kept up his motions.


    He chuckled at that, pulling his mouth away from her breast to look down at her, picking up speed as he rubbed his hips against her womanhood, making her bite her lip. The look of lust in her eyes made him shiver. If only she knew how badly he wanted to undo his pants and take her.


    ¡°Hey, now¡­ this is meant to be your punishment. Stop looking as if you are enjoying it~¡± he teased with a small groan in his voice, moving to lift one of her legs so he could grind harder against her. She moaned louder at that, clinging to him as he did. Her body was filled with waves of pleasure, him rubbing her like this was a strange experience and drawing a new sensation to the surface, making her whimper.


    He seemed to be getting there himself as he groaned, pushing himself against her more as he heard her cry, her body quivering and her fingers digging into his arms. It was just what he needed to finish as well, not caring if he made a mess of his good pants. It¡¯s not as if he did the laundry so it would be someone else¡¯s problem once they got back.


    Calla moved to cover her bright red face again, embarrassed. The sight made Raven laugh as he pulled away from her to sit down against the rocks again. She waited before he was off of her before sitting up, moving to cover herself with her dress. She looked over at Raven who just gave his sunny grin her way.


    ¡°Enjoy your orgasm?¡± he asked, making her whine and hide her face in her dress.


    ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t go so far with me!¡± she whimpered, wanting to shrink away as she heard him chuckle.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t going far. If anything, all we just did was masturbate together,¡± he said, getting to his feet. He sighed, touching the crotch of his jeans. ¡°And a mess I made doing it¡­¡±


    Calla peaked out from behind her dress to look at him. He caught her look and smiled at her. ¡°You were not the only one who enjoyed what we did together after all.¡± he teased, making her blush deeply and huff at him being so lewd around her.


    ¡°You¡¯re the devil!¡± she whined as she did, making him laugh.


    ¡°First I¡¯m a lecher and now I¡¯m the devil, I sure am ranking up fast.¡± he teased with a wink her way. He sighed and started to undo his jeans. ¡°Think of it this way, if this felt good, how do you think you will enjoy it when we have sex?¡±


    Calla didn¡¯t have a chance to comment on what he said as she watched as the man soon became naked as the day he was born, making her cover her eyes again. ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going for a swim to clean myself up. You are more than welcome to join me,¡± he said, farther away from her. She looked to see where he was, seeing him walking towards the water. He turned to look back at her with a wink before turning back and walking into the deep river. It had been just enough time for Calla to catch a glimpse of a certain part of him, making her heart beat fast, and her eyes widened. She sat there a moment before slowly getting to her feet. She sighed, dropping the dress, and moved to pull off her socks and shoes before soon joining him in the water. She squeaked, rushing into his arms at the sudden shock of the cold water. He chuckled at that, wrapping his arms around her. The water was deep enough that they could stand in it and be covered. After a moment, he led her over to a slightly shallow side, sat down, and pulled her into his arms.


    ¡°Sorry, I should have warned you that the water was cold,¡± he said softly, running his fingers through her hair. She blushed as she did, her body relaxing against him as he soothed her. She didn¡¯t know how to feel about what they had just done. It had been nothing like anything she had ever experienced before. If it had been anyone else, she would have felt violated, but with him, she couldn¡¯t deny that the feeling of him rubbing against her felt wonderful. She remembered catching sight of his member and she blushed a little. Even now she didn¡¯t want to think about them both being naked in the water together.


    ¡°It¡­ um¡­ you were right about them not all looking the same¡­¡± she said, feeling him give a soundless chuckle as he petted her head.


    ¡°I wondered if you caught a look at it,¡± he said softly to her. He hummed a little. ¡°How do I compare?¡±


    ¡°J-Just because you like speaking lewdly around me, doesn¡¯t mean I do..!¡± she exclaimed, her face red as she hid her expression in his chest. She felt him kiss her head.


    ¡°Come now, there is no one here but us. You can say whatever you want. I wouldn¡¯t tell.¡± he purred playfully, moving to run his hand down her back. She shivered at that, pouting as she was quiet for a moment. She thought back to the statues she had seen, blushing softly.


    ¡°...I-If you must know¡­ y-you are¡­ much bigger than what I saw¡­¡± she said shyly, not wanting to look up at him. She could already tell he was smiling. She shifted a little. ¡°... I-I have been told it hurts¡­ the first time¡­¡±


    He seemed to hum at that, leaning back against the rock. ¡°It can, but there are ways to avoid it. If I am the one to take you, I will do everything in my power to make sure the experience is pleasurable, not painful or uncomfortable,¡± he said calmly, running his fingers over her back slowly, making her shiver. She blushed at the thought of being intimate with Raven, oddly comforted by what he said. Raven was the type of guy who could get anyone he wanted. She didn¡¯t know why he seemed so determined to be the one to take her first time.


    She thought back to what he had said the first time they had spent time together. Raven had admitted that he eventually wanted to settle down, and start a family. ¡°Hey, Raven? Can I ask you something personal?¡± she asked, finally looking up at him. Given his rule of giving and take, he was up three questions so she didn¡¯t worry about him turning it down. He seemed a bit curious at that before his eyes softened.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said with a nod. Calla sighed and moved to sit up more, the best she could in this position.


    ¡°You told me once that you wanted to settle down and have a family someday. With you being 28, I would have thought a guy like you would already be married by this point. I guess what I wanted to ask is, why haven¡¯t you settled down with a family of your own if you want it so badly?¡± she asked, her tone gentle. She saw his expression turn to a look of surprise before they softened. He hummed at that, moving to run his hand through his hair.


    Finally, he gave her a playful grin. ¡°Well apparently I¡¯m the devil,¡± he teased, making her huff at him before he chuckled. ¡°Then again, according to you, if I were the devil, I would be the one who gives all magicals their powers. So I guess that¡¯s not too far from the truth given that I create spells and add them to books to be used.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping for a serious answer¡­¡± she muttered at him, giving him a blank stare. He just chuckled before shrugging.


    ¡°To be honest with you, Calla. I guess it¡¯s because I just haven¡¯t met the person I wanted to settle down with,¡± he explained, wrapping his arms around her again. He scanned her surprised face before smiling softly again. ¡°I¡¯ve been told I am a difficult person to understand. I¡¯m not as confident or flirty as my brother. Hell, I¡¯m not even all that romantic of a person. I try not to be as secretive as Marick but I do enjoy my privacy. And then, of course, I don¡¯t think Blaise and I share too much in common either.¡± He tilted his head as he looked her over. ¡°I have been told I come off as a bit of an ass because of the way I think, and if not that, people say I tend to be rather cold, especially when I am serious. What do you think?¡±


    She frowned at that, surprised to hear him open up so much to her like this. It was times like this when she felt she was seeing the real Raven. ¡°I think you have a wicked side to you, and well, you can be intimidating without trying¡­¡± she started, making him raise a brow at that. She smiled softly. ¡°But I stand by what I said before, you are a good person.¡±


    Calla sighed, looking off. ¡°I don¡¯t know what game you are playing¡­ sometimes I worry that all you are doing is toying with me, but I like spending time with you, Raven. You are easy to talk to and I feel the safest in your arms¡­¡± she said before blushing, looking back into his surprised eyes. ¡°Is...Is that weird?¡±


    His eyes softened as he gave a breathy laugh at that, pulling her into a deep but short kiss. ¡°...If that is how you feel, then who cares?¡± he asked gently, holding her close.


    Calla didn¡¯t know but her words made Raven¡¯s heart race. He had a yearning for her like nothing he had felt before. Calla was an angel in his eyes, someone who was sweet and caring towards everyone. He didn¡¯t deserve someone like her, not with the things he had done in his life. Things he hoped she would never find out about.


    ¡°I still think you¡¯re the devil though¡­¡± she muttered as she clung to him. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh at that.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± he answered when he calmed his laughter. He hummed before kissing her head. ¡°What about you, Calla? Would you marry a guy like me?¡±


    She blushed deeply at that, hiding her face. ¡°I...I don¡¯t know! Y-You can¡¯t just suddenly ask someone that!!¡± She said, to which Raven just patted her head.


    ¡°I do appreciate that you tend to be honest with me. Most people would tell me, yes to not upset me.¡± He said softly, ignoring her scolding for now. ¡°Or at least, you are not one to lie. You tend not to tell me the whole truth though.¡± She frowned at that.


    ¡°You do the same to me.¡± She pointed out, looking up at him. He blinked in surprise at her words but soon his smile turned gentle and warm.


    ¡°Perhaps I am a bad influence on you then.¡± He teased, however, his tone wasn¡¯t playful, more loving. It made Calla blush, moving to embrace him.


    They were quiet for a moment, just enjoying each other¡¯s company in the cool water before Raven gave a hum. ¡°I believe I owe you three questions. Was there anything else you wanted to know?¡± He asked, rubbing her back.


    Calla paused to think a moment before nodding. She pulled away from him to sit in the water next to him, still cuddling close. ¡°What made you want to start a coven? Is it just common practice in your world to do so?¡± She asked, looking up at him. Raven looked to the sky as if to think over her question before nodding when he looked back down at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon for magicals to band together. Covens are in place for protection. Magicals are strong but together they can do incredible things.¡± He explained, thinking a little more. ¡°Most covens tend to have some kind of a family unit to them, some if not all being related. Some covens tend to contain only one gender but I know many who are mixed. There is also not a limit to how many can make up a coven, but most try not to have that large of groups, splitting them into small branch covens if they get too large.¡±


    ¡°However, there are many of us who choose not to belong to covens or those who can be removed from them.¡± He added as his attention turned to her again. ¡°When making a coven with strangers, it is always best to be careful who you form one with. Those with poor reputations are best to avoid.¡±


    ¡°Gwy and I chose to make a coven with Marick because of what we had heard of him,¡± Raven said calmly, looking off into the water. ¡°He was a challenging man to locate but he was known for being a powerful magic user who wasn¡¯t in a coven.¡± Raven chuckled. ¡°We had a hell of a time talking him into joining. I still think he joined just to get us to stop asking. He¡¯s a good mentor and I trust his leadership.¡±


    Calla was quiet as she listened to him explain. It was a lot of information to take in but soon enough she nodded, getting the idea. He didn¡¯t outright answer her question with why he personally started a coven, but if it was something to do with safety in numbers, it would make sense. She couldn¡¯t help but smile at him softly.


    ¡°Marick seems to trust you as well. I¡¯ve noticed he always consults you¡­¡± she pointed out, seeing him curl his mouth into a smile.


    ¡°Why do you sound surprised to hear that?¡± he asked, tilting his head with a playful smirk. He chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t say I know everything but I like to think I am far from clueless when it comes to the world we live in.¡± Raven seemed to scan her eyes with his smile softening. ¡°I was actually planning on leading the coven, but when we found Marick, that was his only request. Though, in hindsight, I am much happier being second in command rather than the leader. Marick puts up with far too much.¡±


    Calla just sighed at that, a small smile on her face. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure if the rest of you didn¡¯t act like children¡­¡± she teased. Raven just let out a laugh at that before pulling her into a hug.


    ¡°If you keep teasing like that, I might have to punish you again~¡± he teased back. Calla just giggled, happily cuddling close to him. They were quiet again, just cuddling close before Raven gave a hum in thought.


    ¡°Calla,¡± he started, making her look back up at him. She gave a blink in confusion at the distant look in his eyes as he looked down at her. ¡°I know I owe you a few more questions, but¡­ there has been something I have been meaning to ask you.¡±


    She frowned at that but nodded, clinging to his arms. ¡°Oh, um. Okay..¡± she said, curious about what he was going to ask.


    ¡°How do you feel about us being magicals?¡± he asked, making her pause at that. He frowned. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ to be honest, dear¡­ I¡¯ve never really thought about the life and happiness of non-magicals, and I do not understand much of the world you are from¡­ but I can¡¯t imagine it has been easy with you getting used to all this. You¡­ You accepted magic and the fact that we were warlocks rather easily, which has always made me curious.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°You did say you¡¯ve been using your ability on me since I arrived¡­¡± she pointed out, seeing him give a small smile at that.


    ¡°Only to keep you calm and to make you feel safe around us as people. As much as I can manipulate the emotions of others, it¡¯s not as if I have the power to make you accept the life you are in now, just to make you comfortable with the new environment. You were an injured young woman who ran into a cottage full of men who just also happened to be warlocks.¡± he pointed out calmly before thinking things over, moving one of his hands to run his fingers through his hair. ¡°You told me last time that you found our world to be insane¡­ but even with my ability keeping you from panicking¡­ you never once showed as if you were fearful of our powers or that we were magic users. You never showed the fear you had towards Madam Coffer towards the rest of us. No amount of magic can force you to do that.¡±


    She just watched him for a moment, not sure what to say at first before she just smiled softly, leaning against him. ¡°Raven¡­ I told you before, your world is insane... But that doesn¡¯t mean you guys are monsters.¡± she said with a soft sigh. ¡°Magicals¡­ Non-magicals¡­ we are both humans. Your life might be more exciting than mine, to be honest, I¡¯m rather jealous that I will never have the kind of power you have¡­but it''s not as if we are completely different beings.¡±


    Her eyes glanced back up at him when she heard him give a small chuckle to see him shaking his head, his hand scratching his head. ¡°You really are something, Calla..¡± he said calmly, making her blush softly at that.


    Thinking back to what she wanted to know, she moved to hold his hand, catching his attention. ¡°Be honest with me¡­ what do you think of me?¡± she asked, her eyes searching his eyes. ¡°And I want a serious answer, please.¡±


    Raven scanned her eyes at that before he gave a soft smile. ¡°I¡¯m captivated by you,¡± he said honestly, making her face grow pink again with a blush. He gave a soft sigh, looking off towards the water. ¡°I enjoy spending time with you and to be honest, I sometimes have trouble remembering what life was like before you arrived at the coven. Your curiosity is refreshing, we all think so.¡± He shook his head and caught her eyes again with a warm smile. ¡°I want to get to know you better¡­ and I feel oddly protective of you. I felt my blood boil when I saw Madam Coffer was using her magic on you. If Gwydion hadn¡¯t been between the two of you, doing his best to pull away the old woman¡¯s attention from you, I have a feeling I would have reacted poorly.¡±


    Calla couldn¡¯t help but give a small chuckle, making him blink at her confused. ¡°You know, you said that you don¡¯t think you and Blaise have a lot in common, but you saying that sounds like both of you tend to be aggressive in situations you deem dangerous. Like, your first instinct is to fight, the same with him,¡± she said with a warm smile in return. She did blush softly though, looking off. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m worth any of you being that protective of me.¡±


    He watched her a moment before pulling his hand away to pat her head. ¡°You need to work on the way you see yourself, dear,¡± he said before leaning closer to her, cupping her face gently. His smile was tender. ¡°But until you do, I¡¯ll have to show you just how special and worth it you are, especially to me¡­¡±


    Her heart caught in her throat at that, her face growing hot. Unlike his teasing earlier, those words felt honest and very real to her. She swallowed hard, looking into his beautiful gray eyes. ¡°R¡­.Raven¡­¡± she said, her heart beating softly. His expression was so gentle, a warmth behind them. He gave a soft soundless chuckle at that, resting his forehead on hers.


    ¡°Do you want me to prove I mean it?¡± he asked in a low tone that made her shiver. Calla opened her mouth but soon closed it again. She searched his eyes before she closed the distance between them, tenderly pushing her lips to his. He happily returned the kiss, his eyes closing as he pulled her into a warm embrace.


    He wondered if she could feel his heart racing, not wanting to pull away. What was it about her that made him feel like this? It almost hurt when they finally broke the kiss, an aching in his heart for more but knowing they probably should begin getting back to the others.


    ¡°We...We should probably get back. By now, Marick¡¯s probably tired of being in public and is wanting to go home¡­¡± he said with a sigh, Calla picking up on the sadness in his tone. She couldn¡¯t deny she felt the same about having to pull away for now. He sighed and got to his feet, holding his hand out to help her up. With a smile, he led her towards where their clothes were left.


    ¡°Raven?¡± Calla called as they did, making him pause to look back at her.


    ¡°Yes?¡± he asked curiously. Calla blushed darker, looking off shyly.


    ¡°Can I¡­ Can I start staying in your room?¡± she asked. Raven couldn¡¯t help but feel his cheeks grow warm but he gave a smile at that with a nod, his heart beating fast.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± he answered warmly.


    ¡°Hey! There you two are!¡± Gwydion called, the two looking up from their conversation to see the man waving his hand with a huge grin on his face as he ran up to them. He gave them both a look over, catching the fact that they both looked wet. His mouth curled into a smirk at that, locking eyes with his older brother. ¡°Looks like you two had fun~¡±


    Raven just chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you anything if that¡¯s what you are getting at,¡± Raven said. Calla just looked between them, a blush but a smile on her face. She couldn¡¯t help but give Gwydion a look over, catching some lipstick on his neck.


    ¡°Looks like you took off for your fun, Gwy¡­¡± she said, making the men glance her way. She just gave an awkward smile and motioned to the lipstick on his neck. Gwydion blinked at that before taking out a cloth to wipe where she pointed. When he saw the lipstick he just let out a laugh.


    ¡°Oops! I guess I missed a spot!¡± Gwydion chuckled with a wink toward Calla. ¡°Thanks, love.¡±


    Raven just smiled and shook his head. ¡°Anyway, did you need something, Gwy?¡± he asked, catching his brother¡¯s attention. Gwydion smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Marick asked me to come to get you two. We gathered everything and are ready to head home¡­ but well, Blaise got into a fight at the docks, and Marick didn¡¯t trust leaving both of us to find you both on his own.¡± Gwydion said before smiling playfully. ¡°Besides, I tend to know your little hideaway areas so if anyone was going to find you, it would be me.¡±


    Raven gave a bit more of a playful smirk, resting his hand on his waist. ¡°Oh, my poor naive brother. Do you think I would share all my secrets with you?¡± he asked, making Gwydion pout with a huff towards him. The red-haired man was about to comment when someone caught Raven¡¯s attention and he frowned.


    ¡°Give me a moment. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Raven said, making both blink in surprise as they watched him walk off. Only Calla understood what he was doing, making her smile warmly as she watched him approach the old man from earlier. Gwydion frowned, standing tall and folding his arms as he watched.


    ¡°What is he doing?¡± Gwydion asked, glancing toward Calla. Calla just smiled up at him.


    ¡°Raven was rather rude towards the flower shop owner earlier and I told him to apologize when he saw him next,¡± she answered. Gwydion looked incredibly shocked by that before looking back at his brother wide-eyed.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Gwydion muttered, more to himself.


    ¡°Pardon me, sir,¡± Raven called, catching the attention of the old man from earlier.


    The old man blinked with a small frown. ¡°Can I help you?¡± he asked. Raven sighed, folding his arms as he stood before him.


    ¡°I just wanted to apologize for how I behaved earlier. There was no reason for me to be as defensive towards you or be as aggressive as I was.¡± Raven said calmly as he gave a small frown. The old man blinked before looking back, seeing Calla nearby before smiling and returning his eyes to the tall man before him. He shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, my boy. I¡¯m sure you were just looking out for the safety of the young miss you were with. ¡° the old man said with a warm, friendly tone. ¡°It¡¯s not a secret this area is dangerous and I didn¡¯t help the tension you had by grabbing your shoulder. You don¡¯t need to apologize for what you felt was right at the time.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes were wide in surprise at that, seemingly confused by the old man¡¯s kindness and understanding. ¡°I..¡± he started but soon trailed off. The old man just chuckled at that, turning his attention back to Calla as she was talking to Gwydion.


    ¡°She reminds me a lot of my wife when I first met her. A kind heart, sometimes too kind for her own good.¡± the old man said before looking back towards Raven. ¡°Take it from an old fool. You¡¯ll regret it forever if you lose her. A girl like that will be snatched up fast if you miss your chance.¡± Raven frowned before his eyes turned to look towards Calla, seeing her giggling at something Gwydion was telling her. His eyes softened at that, a smile running across his face.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Raven said calmly before he nodded a goodbye to the old man before returning to the others.


    ¡°Trying to steal my girl, Gwydion? And here I thought better of you.¡± Raven teased, his heart almost skipping a beat when Calla flashed a huge grin up at him.


    ¡°Raven, did you really almost destroy the kitchen the last time you cooked?¡± she asked. Raven blinked at that before he soon touched his face, laughing.


    ¡°Gwydion, how dare you tell such an embarrassing story about me!¡± he laughed. Gwydion chuckled at that, the three turning to walk towards where they had first entered town, Calla laughing at the story the brothers told her.


    She would only look up again when she heard Blaise call to them. He was much more disheveled than he had been when they had first arrived, clearly looking to have gotten into a fight. Marick looked annoyed, if not tired as he glanced up. Calla just smiled at the both of them, waving before leaving the brothers to run over to them.


    The brothers watched her walk off towards the others before Gwydion gave a small hum, folding his arms, the group starting to head back the way they came.


    ¡°She got you to apologize to a non-magical. I never thought I would see the day.¡± Gwy said with a small smile, glancing at his older brother. Raven returned the look before smiling softly, looking forward with a warm look towards Calla as the girl was talking to Blaise. ¡°I think Marick should look her over again. If she got you of all people to be kind towards a non-magical, she had to be a saint at least.¡±


    Raven let out a small chuckle at that, shaking his head. ¡°You would have gone to apologize too if you had seen how mad she was at me. It¡¯s been a while since I felt as if I was being scolded,¡± he said as he did. ¡°It almost felt as if our mother was there with her, telling me to behave myself.¡±


    Gwydion was quiet at that before frowning, looking towards Calla as well. ¡°..You haven¡¯t told her about our mother, have you?¡± he asked. Raven hummed at that.


    ¡°Only that she is no longer with us,¡± Raven answered as his eyes gave a distant look. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how she will react to what really happened to her. But¡­ Calla means a lot to me and I don¡¯t want to hide things from her.¡±


    Gwydion looked surprised to hear that but soon his expression sank to one of warmth, looking towards Raven before letting out a small chuckle. ¡°Not only being kind towards non-magicals but falling for one as well. Mother would be pleased,¡± he said only for Raven to give an amused look.


    ¡°Are you kidding? If she were around, mother would already be asking when the wedding was.¡± Raven pointed out with a warm smile. He sighed. ¡°She would have loved Calla¡­¡±


    The two were quiet a moment before Gwydion just patted Raven¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Fine, then in her place, I won¡¯t ask when the wedding is, just make sure I¡¯m the best man!¡± Gwydion said with a huge grin. Raven rolled his eyes at that and shook his head with a playful smile.


    ¡°If I catch you flirting with her again, Gwy, you¡¯ll be lucky if I let you attend the ceremony.¡± he teased, making Gwydion whine and flail his arms a bit.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cruel!¡±Gwydion returned just before the group would teleport back to the cottage once again.


    Calla¡¯s relationship with Raven has increased.


    Continue the story in Chapter 12

 A Day with Gwydion

    Calla looked over at Gwydion, who flashed her a smile as they walked into the cottage. Marick disappeared into the storage room, Blaise yawned and looked to be heading back to his room, and Raven walked off towards his room muttering about needing to finish something. Only Gwydion seemed to pause as he was heading back to his room, turning to look back to Calla.


    ¡°Something wrong, love?¡± he asked, catching her attention. Calla¡¯s eyes fell to him before she just looked off with a shy look on her face.


    ¡°Um...no¡­.I guess,¡± she said though she did have a lot on her mind from what had just happened. She heard Gwydion give a small sigh before seeing him stop before her. Her eyes moved up to his as he gave her a gentle smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re not angry with Marick, are you?¡± he asked calmly. Calla¡¯s eyes softened. She felt as if she should, but from what Marick said, he had only done it once and it was when she had already been bleeding. Plus, according to Gwydion, the mysterious man could have done a lot worse. She shook her head.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± she admitted, frowning a little. ¡°I¡¯m just coming to terms with what happened.¡± She saw Gwydion give a nod at that.


    ¡°Understandable,¡± he said calmly before thinking something over. He smiled down at her again. ¡°Head to my room. I¡¯ll make us some tea.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked down the path to the kitchen. Calla watched after him a moment before sighing lightly and headed towards his room.


    Once she got inside, she looked around. Once again, he conveniently didn¡¯t have a single chair in the room, not even at his desk. She gave a blank stare, looking around.


    ¡°Okay, now I know he¡¯s doing it on purpose¡­¡± she muttered, glancing at his bed. Her mind was filled with the memories of his hands on her side. She blushed deeply, moving her hand to touch her lips in thought before looking back to the bed again. In the time since that day, Gwydion had kept his word, not using his powers on her. However, that meant he had taken breaks from his tasks to ¡®teach her how to kiss¡¯ which he made sure to review the lesson nearly every day. Staring at the bed her thoughts turned a bit more mischievous as she smirked. ¡°Two can play at this game, Gwy.¡±


    She casually walked over, moved things to make room before pushing herself to sit down on the table. She fixed her skirt before folding her arms, glancing towards the door.


    It wouldn¡¯t be much longer before Gwydion walked in with a tray carrying two cups of tea. He seemed surprised before giving a wicked smirk. ¡°Ah, caught on to my plan, did you?¡± he asked with a playful tone. He chuckled, moving over and setting the tray down next to her.


    Calla pouted at that. ¡°You could try being nice without the undertone of harassing me,¡± she muttered to which Gwydion chuckled again before giving her a wink.


    ¡°Now, where is the fun in that?¡± he teased, making her huff at his comment. He lazily waved his hand, making a chair appear before the desk before taking his seat. He leaned back with his arms folded, eyeing her top to bottom before his grin became coy. ¡°You know I can do just as much to you on this desk as I can on my bed.¡±


    ¡°GWY¡± she yelled, her face as red as his hair. She stared at him a bit angry. He gave an exaggerated sigh before taking up a cup from the tray and leaning back.


    ¡°Fine, fine¡­¡± he said calmly, taking a small sip as if testing the heat first. ¡°Now, about what transpired at Madam Coffer¡¯s¡­¡±


    Calla¡¯s expression changed, she looked off again, her mind swimming in the fear she had experienced. Even now, so far from the shack, she felt the eyes of the old woman on her. It made her shiver. That seemed to catch Gwydion¡¯s attention as he frowned, moving to grab the other cup and offering it to her.


    ¡°The tea will calm the nerves, love,¡± he told her gently. She stared at the cup a moment before taking it from him, taking a small sip. Oddly enough, it did relax her slightly. She set it in her lap and sighed.


    ¡°...The way she spoke to me¡­ is that what you meant about the dangers?¡± she asked softly, looking into the cup she held. She heard Gwydion give a hum in thought.


    ¡°To be honest, love, Blaise was not lying when he said it went well,¡± he answered, rubbing his temple with a free hand. ¡°Madam Coffer was putting you into a trance, if I hadn¡¯t been standing in front of you, it could have gone a lot worse.¡±


    Calla was reminded of the look that had been in Gwydion¡¯s eyes. She looked back at him. ¡°That look in your eyes¡­ I¡¯ve never seen you look so intimidating,¡± she admitted, to which Gwydion smiled lightly.


    ¡°Just because I specialize in healing and nature spells, that doesn¡¯t make me less of a threat. I have just as many other spells that cause a lot of damage when I take a situation seriously.¡± he pointed out. He sighed, tapping the cup in his hand. ¡°Madam Coffer is a powerful witch, but not nearly as powerful as the coven, let alone its members. You know this coven is highly respected, and there is a reason for that. Very few dare to take us on given our level of power.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but watch him as he took another drink from the tea in his hand. She wondered just how powerful they were. She assumed she hadn¡¯t seen nearly the extent of their powers, which only made her more curious. Sure, Gwydion was a flirt, but could he be dangerous? She took a deeper drink of her tea before setting the cup down.


    ¡°You put yourself between her and me to keep her from looking at me¡­ why would you do that?¡± she asked. He glanced at her a moment before giving a playful grin.


    ¡°I was jealous.¡± he teased, making her scowl.


    ¡°Be serious!¡± she snapped, to which he chuckled.


    He shook his head before his smile became more gentle. ¡°You say that as if you expected me not to try and keep you safe, love,¡± he said before sighing. ¡°What I can promise you is that the situation was never out of our control when we were with the old witch, and she will not come after you while we are around.¡±


    She let his words mull around a moment before nodding, finishing up her tea. ¡°So what happens now? For the last few weeks, you guys have been doing nothing but getting things together for this delivery. What happens now?¡± she asked, almost regretting the question immediately as Gwydion¡¯s wicked grin returned.


    ¡°I have a few suggestions~¡± he sang, making Calla give him a blank stare and kick him. He chuckled at that before shrugging. ¡°To be honest, love, we would more than likely travel to gather more resources for any new deliveries or take side jobs.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°I would have expected the life of a warlock to be a bit more-¡± she started before he cut her off with a grin.


    ¡°Exciting?¡± he asked. He shrugged again. ¡°Normally yes, but as we live between the other realm and the non-magical one, and are a coven that is highly regarded, people do not find it wise to try anything. Thus, we normally have to find our own entertainment.¡±


    Calla blushed when she noticed he was giving her a look over, not wanting to know what he was thinking. She didn¡¯t have to wait to find out as he soon set his cup aside and got to his feet. All at once, he slammed his hands on the table on either side of her and leaned close to her face. Her body gave a bit of a shiver, seeing the look of lust in his eyes as she looked up at him. He had a coy grin on his face, his forehead touching hers as he looked down at her.


    ¡°And I am someone who could use some entertainment~¡± he purred in a low, sensual voice. Calla¡¯s heart raced, feeling her face growing hot as she looked up into the face of the beautiful man before her. Even though he did similar things to her like this nearly every day, he somehow managed to make her heart skip a beat when he was so close.


    ¡°Gwy, don¡¯t,¡± she said when she found her voice, her lips trembling.


    He smirked more. ¡°Don¡¯t what? You have to be more specific, love.¡± he purred with the same tone. One of his hands that were against the table, moved to touch her chin, leaning in only for his lips to be stopped by her fingers. She could feel him pouting before he pulled away from her fingers, looking down at her with the biggest pair of puppy-dog eyes the adult man could do. She blushed at that but huffed.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we ever have a conversation without you doing this?¡± she asked seriously with a slight frown before narrowing her eyes. ¡°Also, enough with the eyes, you¡¯re supposed to be the older one here!¡±


    He pouted a moment longer before sighing, moving away. ¡°Of course we can talk,¡± he said before frowning as he looked back at her. ¡°But getting a taste of your lips always makes my day~¡±


    She huffed at that, her blush turning a deeper red. ¡°Your flowery words are not going to change the fact that every time I want to talk to you, you either try to explore my body or kiss me!¡± she exclaimed with a scowl. Gwydion smirked at that before looking off with a sigh.


    ¡°Fine. I guess I shouldn¡¯t be so selfish,¡± he said with a playful tone. Calla¡¯s eyes widened as she saw him undo the buttons of his vest and shirt, removing both.


    ¡°W-What are you doing?!¡± she exclaimed, turning her eyes from his sight.


    ¡°Leveling the playing field. I have explored your body, so you should explore mine~¡± he sang, finding her reaction amusing to watch.


    ¡°That was not what I meant!!¡± she whined, but soon heard him chuckle from the other side of the room. She glanced over to see him sit on his bed, messing with his hair. He undid the messy updo he normally had it in, undoing the braid once his hair was down. She watched him with a gentle expression, watching as his crimson hair flowed over his shoulders like red water. Now down, she could see just how long his hair was. It had to at least reach his lower back. No wonder he kept it up. She blushed again as he caught her staring. He just smiled and held his hand out to her.


    ¡°Join me for a rest?¡± he asked, his tone low and gentle. She hesitated, her eyes scanning his bare chest. She slowly got off the desk, turning towards him. That seemed to be all he needed to see as he moved to recline, moving the pillows to prop himself up against the frame, a smirk on his face. She sighed, moving over to the bed. She paused when she got there, however, thinking things over. Her eyes narrowed at him, making him raise a brow curiously.


    With how much he teased her, she wondered how badly she could tease him. She blushed, not sure how to be sexy but figured there was something she could try. She pulled her skirt up a little before climbing onto the bed. Blushing with a shy look on her face, she slowly crawled over the bed to him.


    However, simple, it seemed effective as she saw him bite his lip, eyes wide for a moment before the look of desire filled his expression. His mouth curled into a smirk, arms reaching out to receive her as she was pulled onto his lap, her hands resting against his chest. She swallowed hard, eyes wide as her fingers slowly ran down Gwydion¡¯s chest. He had some chest hair, but other than that, his skin was smooth and as flawless as the rest of him. Her eyes were on his chest, though feeling his breath stagger as her fingers traced the lines of his muscular body. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her loosely to allow her to explore. As her hands traced just above the hem of his pants, she felt his arms tighten uncomfortably.


    ¡°Love¡­ if you keep touching down there, you will be responsible for dealing with the outcome,¡± he warned with a staggered purr. Calla felt her face grow hot, eyes looking into his, seeing the arousal in his eyes. She felt a bit glad that she could do that to him while being unsure about what she was doing.


    ¡°S...Sorry¡­¡± she said softly, moving her hands up to rest on his shoulders. However, Gwydion just chuckled lightly and shook his head.


    ¡°Nothing to be sorry about, love. I probably deserved that,¡± he answered, though looking a little uncomfortable. He pulled her body against his, eyes looking into hers longingly. He frowned, searching her face. ¡°Let me make love to you, Calla¡­¡±


    Calla frowned at that. He would beg for it occasionally, though she knew it was only when he couldn¡¯t help himself. In reality, Gwydion had been on his best behavior for the last few weeks, not using his power and never going too far. Even now, she knew he wasn¡¯t really asking, it was just in the heat of the moment.


    ¡°...I...I know it''s something I¡¯m required to do, but I¡¯m...I¡¯m not ready to go that far yet¡­¡± she said, looking off. He sighed, rubbing her back gently.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a requirement, love,¡± he replied tenderly, making her look back up at him. He just smiled warmly. ¡°There is no reason for all of us to go to the other realm anytime soon, there is no deadline for when you need to give it up and I will wait for as long as you¡¯d like until you are ready to give it to me.¡±


    She was quiet for a moment before giving a breathy giggle. ¡°Y-You seem confident that I¡¯ll offer it to you,¡± she said, trying to tease but it came out a bit shyly. He gave a playful little pout.


    ¡°And you call me mean, love,¡± he replied back before smiling sweetly again. ¡°First you turn me on and then you tell me you won¡¯t even sleep with me? You little tease.¡± he teased back with a wink. She giggled at that, wrapping her arms around him before leaning in to kiss him softly. It wasn¡¯t a long kiss as she pulled away, looking away with a shy smile.


    ¡°I have been hanging out with you a lot lately, so I guess if anyone is to blame for becoming a tease, it¡¯s you.¡± she teased back. He watched her a moment before giving a chuckle.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± he replied, smirking at her. He let out a sigh, his arms loosening as he moved to lay down. She moved off of him as he did, moving to lay down next to him. He smiled at that, turning his body to face her. ¡°Then how about I try a little harder to court you?¡±


    She looked surprised at that before humming in thought. She was still worried this was just a game to him but was curious all the same. ¡°And how would you do that?¡± she asked, curling up.


    ¡°Allow me to take you on a date,¡± he answered with a smile on his face. Calla¡¯s face grew flustered again but so did the look of surprise.


    ¡°I...I¡¯m not¡­¡± she started, more just surprised at the idea of Gwydion courting her like she was a woman of status. ¡°W-Where would we even¡­?¡±


    He chuckled at that. ¡°You are so cute when you get all flustered!¡± he teased, making her pout before he hummed in thought, eyes locking with hers. ¡°There is a larger city just to the north of here. I am sure you have heard of it as it is a point of trade and wealth in the area. I figured we could dress nicely and spend the day tomorrow exploring the area.¡±


    Again, she was surprised to hear this. ¡°You want to willingly go into a non-magical city?¡± she asked with a frown, remembering what he said about magical¡¯s being slightly afraid of non-magicals. He just laughed at that.


    ¡°I go there all the time, love.¡± he pointed out, the look of amusement on his face. ¡°Granted, normally I am there for pleasures of the flesh, but I would be more than happy to enjoy the day with you.¡± His smile grew warm and loving. ¡°Let me treat you like the princess you deserve to be.¡±


    Calla¡¯s face was bright red, almost matching the color of his sheets before she turned away from him. ¡°...You¡¯re teasing me again¡­¡± she muttered. He chuckled at that, moving to wrap his arms around her and holding her close. She curled into his hold as she felt him kiss her head gently.


    ¡°I would never tease about treating you well, love,¡± he whispered to her, making her body shiver. She sighed, clinging to his sheets as she thought it over.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± she said after a moment. ¡°But¡­ But I¡¯m not wearing that frilly dress.¡± For some reason, she just had a feeling he was going to try to get her into that dress. He whined and pulled her closer.


    ¡°How did you know my plot?¡± he whined as he did. ¡°I will get you to wear it eventually¡­¡±


    She giggled at that, turning in his arms to cuddle close to him. ¡°Good luck.¡± she teased back before giving a small yawn. Something about laying in his warm arms seemed to melt the stress of that morning away, making her dose off after a while.


    As Calla fell asleep in his arms, Gwydion gave a small sigh. He looked down at her form, running his hands into her soft brown hair, twirling it in his fingers. He was doing everything in his power to ignore how tight his pants were. Even now, his eyes looked distant as memories of her crawling over to him danced around his head. Then there was the feeling of her hands exploring his body, so curious, and yet so shy. It was bad enough the memories of seeing her so aroused below him as he used his power kept him up at night. He was almost glad she had been staying in Marick¡¯s bed as the temptation was becoming harder to avoid.


    He sighed again, looking down at her sleeping face. She looked so sweet, so innocent, it sickened him with how badly he wanted to corrupt her. Maybe he was just a fiend addicted to sex. How different was he to an incubus? Then again, this was the longest he had ever gone without finding entertainment for his desires. That might be why the temptation was higher than normal.


    His eyes softened, leaning down to kiss her forehead before pulling her close. For now, it was enough just having her here with him and it was an amazing feeling knowing she seemed to enjoy being around him without the use of his powers. He closed his eyes, smiling warmly as he felt her shift and cuddled against him.


    Calla awoke the next morning startled to see that she had managed to fall asleep in Gwydion¡¯s room again. After their nap, she had mainly hung out with him the rest of the day, helping him tend to the garden and even assisted in making dinner. The man was an amazing cook, a skill Calla figured she should probably get better at. By the time night fell she had fallen asleep while watching him enchant things at the table again. She must have been moved to his bed as she did, and the fact that she was still in the dress she was in yesterday meant the man hadn¡¯t done anything. She looked around, Gwydion wasn¡¯t in the room, making her frown before sighing.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably making breakfast,¡± she muttered to herself, climbing out of the bed. She wondered if he had been serious about what he said, him planning to take her on a date. If it were true, she should probably take a bath.


    She grabbed a nice-looking dress from her wardrobe before leaving the room. She could hear people talking in the dining room and saw Marick moving towards the storage room with a list in his hand. He caught sight of her and simply nodded towards her as if saying good morning. Calla blinked and did the same before the mystery man disappeared into the open door. She sighed, walking into the washroom and closing the door behind her. Marick was strange to her, but from what the others tended to say, he was strange to all of them. As she turned on the faucet to fill the tub with water, something the warlocks never seemed to use as they had magic, Calla wondered if she could ask Gwydion more about what the group was like before she got here.


    The tub was filled with warm water by the time Calla got her dress off. She was starting to think Gwydion got dresses with buttons that were hard to undo without help.


    In her struggle with the dress, she hadn¡¯t heard the door to the washroom open and close. She only noticed when she felt arms go around her, making her let out a small scream in surprise before looking up at a laughing Gwydion. Her face grew bright red.


    ¡°I figured I would join you for a bath this morning, hope you don¡¯t mind~¡± the man sang with a playful look in his eyes.


    ¡°GWY!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°GET OUT!¡± She looked around before seeing a sponge, grabbing it and tossing it at him. To her horror, he caught it with ease, still smiling coyly.


    Oh no! Her ultimate defense against him had failed!


    ¡°Gwy please!¡± she whimpered, trying to pick up the dress to cover herself as he hugged her close to him. He chuckled, pulling away from her. He was in nothing but a nightshirt and she turned away from him as he removed it, covering her face. She only looked his way again as she heard him get into the tub and give a sigh. He caught her look and smiled coyly. ¡°If you wait, I will steal all the warm water.¡± He glanced towards the door then back to her. ¡°I also enchanted the door so no one will be bothering us.¡±


    She huffed at him, her face still beet red. Of course, he would. Still, her expression turned to one of hesitation. Her heart raced at the idea of taking a bath with him. Finally, she gave in but glared at him as she let the dress drop to the floor, leaving her bare.


    ¡°I-If you try anything I¡¯m telling them how far you took your powers,¡± she warned, making him pout before sighing.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± he said before offering her a hand to help her in. Calla swallowed hard, keeping her eyes away from the water to make sure she didn¡¯t see a certain part of him as she did. She sat down, facing away from him as he pulled her to lay against him. He hummed, wrapping his arms around her.


    ¡°See? Not so bad,¡± he said calmly, waving his hand to bring items he needed closer to them. Calla sighed, turning to lay the front of her body on his, blushing as her chest was pushed against his. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he was trying his best to behave himself, making her wonder just how badly he wanted to go farther.


    ¡°Is this what you like to do, push things until you get your way?¡± she huffed at him, not saying that to be mean. He seemed to understand she wasn¡¯t that angry with him as he smiled, his hands running over her back, exploring the curves of her body.


    ¡°You say that like I¡¯m a spoiled child,¡± he teased with a wink. ¡°I wanted to spend the whole day with you, after all, we do have our date today.¡±


    So he had been telling the truth about it. She hummed at that, his hands resting on his shoulders as she looked up into his face. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you would¡­ I¡¯m not a lady or anyone of status,¡± she pointed out to which she saw Gwydion frown.


    ¡°You think so little of yourself, love,¡± he said softly before sighing. ¡°You are no longer just some mere lower-class non-magical. You are the fifth member of our coven, our family. If you are so worried about status, I assure you that you''re far higher in rank than other non-magicals.¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise at that before her expression softened, looking off as she thought over his words. ¡°You mean that?¡± she asked softly, looking back up at him. He just smiled warmly at her.


    ¡°Of course I mean that¡­¡± he said in a warm tone. Calla blushed at that before moving herself to sit up more so she could kiss him, her hands slipping from his shoulders to slowly run down his chest as she did.


    It wasn¡¯t a long kiss, her pulling away with a soft smile and blush. ¡°Thank you, Gwydion¡­ that means a lot to hear you say that¡­¡± It was true, him saying she was a part of this family unit, this coven was a good feeling. The life she had come from made her feel as if she was just something to be used or sold off for the right price. She came from nothing, and thus felt like nothing.


    Gwydion just smiled, looking over her face. ¡°You are getting better at that, you know,¡± he said after a while. ¡°A few more lessons and you may be as skilled as me when it comes to kissing.¡±


    She sighed at that. Gwydion always had a habit of turning a sweet moment into one where he teased her. She figured it was his way to avoid getting too close emotionally. ¡°And when I begin to think you were being sweet to me, you go and say things like that,¡± she muttered, giving him a slight smile. He just chuckled at that, his hands resting on her sides.


    ¡°Sorry love, force of habit,¡± he mused playfully before his eyes looked her over. ¡°I will say though if you prefer to be treated like you are a lower class woman, I am happy to do so~¡±


    He had that lustful look in his eyes when he said that, making Calla blush before glaring at him. Even someone with her naivety knew what he meant by that. Girls in her status were lucky if they were pure by the time they married, normally being pulled into bed by upper-class men who were bored and horny. Women like her were things to use for entertainment, and even be insulted when money was offered to them for their time.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± she said, though a slight worry in her voice. He gave a coy grin at that before she felt his hand move from her side.


    Her eyes widened with a gasp as she suddenly felt his hand rubbing her between her legs. She bit her lip, clinging to him with her eyes closed. She couldn¡¯t help a soft moan from escaping as his fingers slipped into her folds, expertly teasing her sensitive areas, making her body grow hotter than the water. However, it wasn¡¯t long before she came to her senses and pulled away from him, climbing out of the tub. Her face was bright red as she got out, glaring at him.


    ¡°G-Gwy! You are such a jerk! Always doing things like that!¡± she whined as she did, seeing him watching her confused before sighing. She heard him get out while she moved to kneel to get her dress before suddenly being whirled around, falling back onto her back, blinking in surprise as she watched Gwydion kneel and move over her, a frown on his face. She blushed deeply, seeing the look of lust in his eyes as he scanned her body.


    He sighed again, one hand touching her face as he leaned in to kiss her deeply, making her squeak, eyes wide. His kiss was so needy, passionate and commanding, but had a little force in it as if wanting more. The kiss was broken and he looked down at her longingly, his hand moving from her face and down her body to stop at her waist. It made Calla shiver at his touch.


    ¡°G-Gwy¡­¡± she started only to see his eyes looking a bit serious.


    ¡°Calla,¡± he said suddenly, catching her eyes before moving his hand away from her, closing his eyes to rub them. He soon pulled his hand away with a frown as he looked back down at her confused expression. ¡°I need it, I need you... badly. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can control myself.¡±


    Calla¡¯s expression went from confusion before shock and then bright red, her eyes closing as her legs were parted and she soon felt Gwydion¡¯s hard member rubbing against her folds. She shivered, the feeling of pleasure rippling through her but also mixed with the slight fear she had about the sudden situation.


    ¡°N-No¡± she whimpered, gripping Gwydion¡¯s arms as he continued to move his hips, but at the moment, not penetrating as he watched the moaning girl squirm in her unknown desire. ¡°G-Gwy you promised¡­nnggh!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t put it in¡­. I just want to show you what I¡¯ve been dealing with...¡± he said calmly, making her open her eyes to look up at him as she made small sounds of arousal. She couldn¡¯t help but look down, watching what he was doing. Her face was bright red, seeing him holding one of her legs up to give him better access to what he was doing. He was rubbing her sensitive clit, making her feel waves of pleasure that slightly clouded her mind at the new experience. This was the first time she had ever laid her eyes on the full male body, the thoughts of what she had expected being interrupted by the feelings he sent through her without the use of his powers. The only thing she could compare to Gwydion¡¯s lean, slightly muscular body was the greek statues that she had seen in the lord¡¯s manor when she was brought through. However, there was a major difference between Gwydion¡¯s flawless body and the statues, and it had everything to do with the size of the part of him that rubbed against her. It was longer and thicker than those carved onto the male athletes made of marble.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s not¡­ nngh¡­ t-the point! Y-You said you wouldn¡¯t go t-too far!¡± she whimpered through her soft gasps and moans.


    He sighed, rubbing her leg before smiling down at her. ¡°Do you really want me to stop, love?¡± he asked with a coy tone. He smirked as he saw Calla bite her lip, looking up at him as he could see the mix of emotions going through the eyes of the girl below him.


    She moaned softly, gripping his arms after a moment before her eyes locked with his. No, the answer to his question was no. Maybe he was succeeding at his game to push the line enough where she wanted more, maybe it was her curiosity with sexual acts, or maybe it was just because of how good him doing this felt. Either way, she didn¡¯t want him to stop, wanting to know the feeling of release. However, the more she thought that the more there was that voice in her head telling her she was just another conquest for him. She didn¡¯t mean anything to him but something he could play with. ¡°G-Gwydion¡­ I-I¡­ If I am¡­ If all I am is another girl to you¡­ If all you want is sex from me¡­ t-then just take it...¡± she said with a small moan, hurt filling her expression as she said those words. She felt his hips stop as she said that, catching him looking deep in thought. The room was quiet for a moment before he gave a long sigh, pulling away from her. She sat up as he got to his feet, turning to offer his hand.


    ¡°Calla¡­ of course, you are not just another girl to me¡­ I just¡­¡± he started before looking off. She could see a slight pain in his eye. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie to you, love. I want to be intimate with you more than anything¡­¡± he gave a slight breathy laugh as he helped Calla up. ¡°You would think I would be better at controlling myself.¡±


    Calla frowned, looking up at him, he smiled softly down at her. Her expression sank to a sad expression. ¡°Gwydion¡­ I¡­¡± she started before looking at the tub.


    However, she felt him pat her head. ¡°Don¡¯t, love,¡± he said tenderly. ¡°I was being selfish, wanting to satisfy my want with the sweet look on your face when you are experiencing pleasure and arousal. How about we finish our bath and start the date I have planned for us today?¡±


    Calla blushed, looking up at him as she watched him give her a wink, her still noticing the desire in his eyes. He turned and climbed back in. Calla paused a moment as he sat down, the warm water seeming to relax him. She was thinking a moment before moving over to the tub.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Gwydion?¡± she started, making him glanced at her curiously.


    ¡°Yes, love?¡± he returned. His gray eyes locked on her face. She bit her lip and looked away. Was she sure about what she was about to ask?


    ¡°You said that today¡­ you were planning to court me,¡± she said before sighing, blushing deeply as she rubbed her legs together. ¡°If¡­ if you can prove to me that I¡¯m not just something you want to sleep with¡­ afterward¡­ afterwords...I¡¯ll agree to do something sexual you want to do t-that doesn¡¯t involve taking my virginity.¡±


    She watched him raise a brow at that, frowning as he paused to seriously think over her offer before humming, rubbing his chin. He smiled. ¡°You know I am not like my brother, Calla. You don¡¯t have to offer me something for me to treat you nice.¡± he pointed out, making her frown before he hummed again. ¡°Are you sure you would be alright with that?¡±


    Calla nodded at his question. ¡°I...I haven¡¯t a clue about what you would be interested in doing¡­ but¡­ if you can show me that I am not just some toy to you today, I will feel better about doing more¡­ with you¡­¡± she said shyly.


    Gwydion didn¡¯t know what interested him more, her offer, or that adorable shy look on her face. What she was offering was a challenge. In reality, he wasn¡¯t fully sure how he thought of Calla yet. But he did know that he didn¡¯t like the idea that she thought he was treating her like a toy, even if deep down he knew he probably was.


    He hummed before smiling. ¡°I accept the offer,¡± he said calmly before motioning to Calla to join him again.


    She searched his face a moment before blushing and climbing in. After all that had happened, Calla was glad when Gwydion¡¯s attention went to actually taking a bath with her. As for the conversation, it was more on the lines of Gwydion asking about things Calla liked.


    ¡°G-Gwydion, wait¡­!¡± Calla exclaimed as she was nearly dragged as the enthusiastic man had her by the arm as he nearly danced into the center of the large port city with her. They received some looks but mostly people just chuckled, Calla, hearing them talking about being young. Clearly, the city knew about Gwydion¡¯s antics as no one looked surprised. A part of Calla wondered just how many girls he had done something like this with.


    She didn¡¯t have time to think as he stopped in the center of the city and gave a grand gesture around him. ¡°This, my love, is the majestic city of Rowien! See the lovely people, the splendid opera house, the smells of sweets and saltwater...¡± He nearly sang.


    ¡°The sounds of the overly dramatic lunatic at the center of it¡­¡± a voice said, making Gwydion pout as he looked back at Blaise giving him a blank stare. The comment made Calla giggle, especially with the overly dramatic look of hurt on Gwydion¡¯s face.


    The others had needed to go to the city anyway, so the group had gone together. However, after whining all morning, Marick finally agreed to allow Gwydion to spend the day with Calla instead of gathering resources. To her surprise, everyone seemed to be wearing clothing that made them look like non-magical nobles. It was...odd to say the least. She was not used to seeing them, especially Marick, looking like anything but warlocks.


    ¡°You are so mean to your teacher!¡± Gwydion whined at Blaise, moving to shake his shoulders. ¡°Why can¡¯t you ever say nice things!¡± The younger redhead growled and pushed him off.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Blaise hissed. Marick just looked annoyed before taking out the list he had. Raven just looked like he was about to burst out laughing, even having tears in his eyes at the sight. Calla was starting to think that Raven lived off the chaos, he always looked amused when it happened.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Marick said sharply, catching all of their attention as they looked his way. He scanned the list for a moment. ¡°While we are here, we need to restock supplies.¡± He glanced Raven¡¯s way, clicking his tongue at the smile on the man¡¯s face. Clearly, Marick expected Raven to have a bit more control over himself than this.


    ¡°Raven, you always have luck in the markets. See how many of the items you can locate and get a cart for us to bring things back.¡± Marick ordered, to which Raven smirked and nodded.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Raven replied, turning and walking towards the open market. He stopped and patted Calla¡¯s head, giving her a wink. ¡°Let me know if Gwydion doesn¡¯t make you feel special today so I can fix that~¡± The comment confused Calla, making her blink in surprise as she looked up at him.


    Gwydion stomped his foot with a pout to his brother, folding his arms. ¡°You say that as if I don¡¯t know how to treat a woman,¡± Gwydion whined. Blaise rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because he knows how you treat women is why he said that.¡± Blaise snapped back, once again making Gwydion act as if he had been shot.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Marick nearly growled. Raven frowned towards Marick before chuckling in amusement and waving it off.


    ¡°I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going,¡± Raven said calmly. He turned to walk down the sidewalk. ¡°You act as if we¡¯ve never done this before.¡± Marick just muttered in annoyance before looking over his list again before glancing at Blaise.


    ¡°Blaise, you handle gathering what we need from the docks, and don¡¯t get into a fight with anyone this time,¡± Marick stated bitterly. Blaise just rolled his eyes at that.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Blaise grumbled, turning to head that way. He glanced towards Calla.


    ¡°Kick him in the balls if he misbehaves,¡± Blaise stated so casually that Calla¡¯s face lit up at that.


    ¡°W-What?!¡± She exclaimed only to watch Blaise continue to walk down the street. Gwydion huffed at that, looking hurt.


    ¡°Why do I get the feeling no one trusts me?¡± Gwydion grumbled with a pout.


    ¡°Because we know you and all the brainless things you do.¡± Marick shot back, making Calla look his way again.


    ¡°You¡¯re so heartless, Marick!¡± Gwydion whined dramatically, once again getting people to look their way. Once again, no one looked surprised, just amused or annoyed as they moved about. That could only mean this was a common occurrence.


    Marick just gave him a blank stare. ¡°I already permitted you to run off today so you would stop bothering me. Since you are not helping, shoo.¡± Marick snapped, waving his hand to shoo him away. Gwydion gave a huff at that but sighed, turning to Calla with a smile.


    ¡°Fair enough, shall we?¡± Gwydion asked, offering his arm for Calla. She blinked in surprise at that before her face grew hot with a soft blush. She smiled shyly and took his arm.


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± she answered, making Gwydion¡¯s eyes soften their expression to a warm, loving look. With that, he turned to walk with her down the stone sidewalk.


    She looked up at him again as they did. ¡°So um¡­ What did you have planned for today?¡± she asked curiously. Gwydion had looked down at her curiously when she first spoke before smiling with a playful grin.


    ¡°If I told you, how am I supposed to surprise you?¡± he asked coyly. Calla pouted at that with a huff.


    ¡°I would still be surprised¡­¡± she muttered, looking away. Her eyes caught the bulletin board at the opera house. It seemed there was a show that would be happening over the next week. ¡°Don Giovanni¡­¡±


    That seemed to catch Gwydion¡¯s attention as he glanced her way before he stopped, looking towards the opera house curiously. He hummed in thought before smiling back to Calla. ¡°Do you know that one?¡± he asked curiously. Calla frowned, returning his gaze as she looked up at him.


    ¡°No, is it a show?¡± she asked, making him blink in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s an opera, not one of my favorites, but it¡¯s very good. You¡¯ve never seen an opera before?¡± he asked. Calla gave him a blank stare at his stupid question.


    ¡°Gwy, when would I have seen an opera?!¡± she snapped at him with a huff. He seemed to pause to think a moment before smiling again.


    ¡°Well then, I guess I have to ¡®pop your cherry¡¯ so to speak~¡± he sang with a coy grin. Calla blushed deeply at that, glaring at him.


    ¡°GWY!¡± she yelled to which he chuckled in amusement at her face.


    ¡°Sorry~¡± he sang playfully, giving her a wink.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± she huffed back, looking away from him. ¡°Lecher¡­¡±


    He gave a pout at that before chuckling slightly. ¡°But in all seriousness, I will get us tickets. We can make the show our second date,¡± he said calmly, making Calla frown but she soon sighed and smiled at him.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said softly, making Gwydion smile once again.


    He began to walk with her again. ¡°Now that we know what we are doing on our next date, let¡¯s start this one,¡± he said with a chuckle, leading her towards smaller docks with what appeared to be small boats that could be used.


    Before Calla could react, Gwydion had already pulled away from her and walked over to the man who seemed to be dealing with couples who were buying these boats to spend the day out on the water. It seemed that whatever he did, it got them a boat as soon enough Calla was whisked away into it, being rowed out onto the water.


    She couldn¡¯t help but look around, the water shimmered and sparkled as if it danced with magic itself. The sky was so clear, the water a deep blue, which only made the city to the left of them stand out more on the port. The girl couldn¡¯t help but look around in wonder at the surroundings.


    Seeing Calla¡¯s expression, Gwydion couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly at her, slowing the rowing to a stop to allow them to drift out on the clear water, a little away from other couples who had decided to do the same. In the light reflecting off the water, Gwydion¡¯s heartbeat warmly as he watched Calla, drinking in her sweet beauty and curiosity. It almost amazed him that she was from such a lowly background, her gentle beauty having been made to be treated like a lady of high society. As much as he didn¡¯t fully understand the society of non-magicals, he knew Calla¡¯s life could have been one of misery if she hadn¡¯t found her way to him. Then again, perhaps her misery would still occur, just in a different setting. He had been with so many women before but only now his heartbeat with a soft new feeling of longing that confused him.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful out here, isn¡¯t it,¡± Gwydion said after a while, making Calla¡¯s blue eyes look his way again. The smile on her face made his heart skip a beat.


    She nodded at his question. ¡°It is,¡± she replied, turning herself to look his way. His smile widened.


    ¡°I am the master of romance, after all, how could I not give you a beautiful sight while I enjoy my own beautiful view?¡± he said, giving her a look over. Her face redded at that, looking off shyly.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not that pretty¡­¡± she muttered to which Gwydion sighed again, making her look up at him as he touched his chin.


    ¡°You think so poorly about yourself, love,¡± he said gently, his eyes softening as they looked her way. ¡°Have you not seen the looks people have given you since we arrived? You are a vision of beauty.¡±


    She huffed at that, pouting his way. ¡°I¡¯m sure the one they are looking at is you, not me,¡± she stated with a sigh. He seemed to blink in surprise at that before chuckling.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m a vision of beauty?¡± he asked coyly, making her jolt in surprise, her face growing darker in her blush.


    ¡°I-I¡­!¡± she stuttered before pouting and looking away from him. ¡°D-Don¡¯t act like you are unaware of the way you look! Y-You care more about your looks than any of the others¡­ and you¡¯re one of the most beautiful guys I have ever seen and I know you are fully aware of that!¡±


    That¡¯s why Calla knew he was a guy who could get anyone he wanted, why she was so afraid he was just using her as a toy. The man knew what he was doing, knowing how attractive he was. Added with his flowery words and romantic air, girls would melt if he merely looked their way.


    She heard him give a slight laugh at that, leaning back slightly. She looked his way to see him fold his arms and looked towards the reflection of the water. ¡°Well, I will accept your compliment, but I still think you sell yourself short. You are just as lovely to me as you think I am to everyone else,¡± he said, looking her way with a smile. At first, she blushed at that before she felt her heart ping with a sad thump, knowing that had to be a line he¡¯s used before. However, he sighed.


    ¡°I inherited a lot of my looks from my mother, the same with her power,¡± he explained. His casual speaking of magic made her slightly worried as she couldn¡¯t help but look around to make sure no one had heard. However, Gwydion chuckled at that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love. We are far enough away from their ears, plus, I doubt anyone would care about whatever the other couples are doing unless another boat starts to get frisky.¡±


    She blushed at that, glaring at him before he just continued. ¡°My mother was a lovely witch, kind-hearted and warm,¡± he said with a soft smile. ¡°It made her a popular healer as not only was she talented, she was nurturing.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes softened as she listened. She tried to imagine what his mother would have been like. How he spoke of her, Calla assumed she was no longer alive. A question hit her mind again when he stopped.


    ¡°Gwydion?¡± she started, making him give a curious look before smiling softly.


    ¡°Yes, love?¡± he answered, tilting his head. She hummed in thought about how she wanted to word this.


    ¡°Raven and you¡­ you don¡¯t look all that much alike¡­ even though you are brothers. I was wondering if-¡± she started only for Gwydion to cut her off.


    ¡°We share the same mother, but not the same father,¡± he explained, seeming calm like before when he openly spoke about his powers with her. It seemed Gwydion wasn¡¯t the type to get offended by questions like this.


    She blinked in surprise at that before frowning. ¡°Oh¡­¡± she said. She hadn¡¯t thought of that being a possibility. After all, a single mother was scandalous in the non-magical world. However, Gwydion just smiled softly at her.


    ¡°My mother was a helpless romantic, always falling in love with the idea of love,¡± he explained, his eyes staring off dreamily. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Raven¡¯s father, he was long out of our lives when I came along but I did interact with mine a few times. I guess I get my charm from him. He was the type who was more interested in short, fun relationships, rather than anything long-term. Growing up, my mother would have flings but never anything serious, and never really bringing men around when we were home.¡±


    Calla frowned at that. ¡°So you picked up bad habits from both of your parents¡­¡± she muttered, Gwydion giving a dramatic look of being hurt by her words.


    ¡°Your words wound me, love,¡± he said before giving a playful chuckle. He sighed. ¡°But you may be right with that comment. As I told you before, I have never hidden my intentions around you, but I promise I do not think of you as someone merely for a fleeting moment of blind passion.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure if she believed that, sighing and looking at her reflection in the water. ¡°Gwydion, I don¡¯t understand how you can talk so freely about things like that¡­¡± she said with a soft blush on her face. ¡°Do you not have any shame in what you do?¡±


    He raised a brow in surprise at her comment before frowning, however, he didn¡¯t answer her, his expression shifting to a distant look as in thought. Did he feel shame? He hadn¡¯t ever really thought about it before. He shook his mind out of the thought before smiling at her.


    ¡°Calla, I wanted to ask you¡­¡± he started, making her look back at him again. His smile was soft. ¡°Are you happy¡­ living with us?¡±


    She gave the look of surprise at the question, even more so at the faint hint of worry in his voice about her answer. ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± she asked, confused by his question. Gwydion gave a small sigh, running his fingers into his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool, Calla. I understand the events that brought you to us were far from ideal. I also understand that you were not given a choice when you were told to live with us.¡± he explained, a slight sadness in his voice. ¡°Given all of that, I worry sometimes that you are unhappy.¡±


    She paused at that before sighing, looking off. ¡°I won¡¯t lie, Gwydion¡­ your world¡­ it¡¯s a lot to get used to,¡± she said honestly, before looking back at him. ¡°I still don¡¯t fully understand everything. As for living with you guys, I¡¯m getting used to it, but it would be nice if I were able to help in any way¡­ and if I wasn¡¯t getting pressured into doing things.¡± She gave him a look at that, only to see him give a smirk and shrug at that part. ¡°But I¡¯m not unhappy¡­¡±


    Calla sighed again. ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a future before this after all. I¡¯m a nobody little farm girl from a poor family. If I hadn¡¯t been sold to the lord of the town I ran from, I would have been married off to some rich older man.¡± she said before smiling slightly. ¡°Ironically, being forced to live with a bunch of warlocks has given me more freedom than what I would have had. You guys tell me about all kinds of things, I get to read the books in the cottage without being told not to, everyone has been at least civil towards me though sometimes I question your motives. Still, I would say I am happy.¡±


    Gwydion was silent as he listened to her speak. Her words had surprised him. Not just what she said, but how genuine it felt to him. He smiled softly at her, moving to take her hand into his. ¡°Well, then. I would say that I¡¯m glad to hear that, love,¡± he said calmly before giving a wicked smirk. ¡°But I am afraid I can¡¯t make any promises about the pressuring part, however, I will try not to make you feel as if you have to do things with me.¡±


    Calla gave him a blank stare. At least he was being honest about it. ¡°Lecher....¡± she muttered again, Gwydion giving a pout before pulling away from her hold. He gave a hum in thought before smiling.


    ¡°How about we get off the water? I promise I do have other things planned for today,¡± he said. Calla watched him a moment before nodding. Her curiosity was getting the best of her at this point.


    Once she gave a nod, he began to row them back to shore. Once there, he got out of the boat and offered his hand to Calla, who took it. However, she did stumble a little as she climbed out, squeaking in surprise as she was swiftly caught by Gwydion.


    He blinked in surprise before chuckling. ¡°Oh my! It seems you are already falling for me~¡± he teased, making her face go bright red as she glared up at him.


    ¡°S-Shut it,¡± she muttered as she hid her face in his chest. He chuckled again, petting her head before moving her away so he could take her hand, leading her off.


    Calla was a bit confused as Gwydion moved about the city to the different food places, picking up a few items before seeming to lead her towards a wooded park area.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked in her confusion as he spread out a cloth and started to place different foods and wine down. He glanced up at her with a cheery smile.


    ¡°A picnic!¡± he said before gasping in surprise. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never had one before!¡±


    ¡°Gwy, again, when would I have?!¡± she snapped back. Gwydion sighed and sat down, motioning for her to do the same.


    ¡°Love, I will be honest, I do not fully know everything about non-magicals. I just assume everyone has had some experiences.¡± he pointed out with a pout. Calla looked at him for a moment. She figured him making comments like that was probably similar to the questions she asked about magic. The questions might be stupid for one side, but not the other. Sighing, she sat down, next to him. Looking over the food he got, she noticed it was things like cheeses and fruits. She wasn¡¯t sure if that was common or not, however.


    As she looked over the different fruit and cheese he had got, Gwydion was already getting into the wine, filling two glasses and offering one to her. ¡°Here, love. Give this a sip and tell me what you think, assuming you¡¯ve never had wine before,¡± he said, taking a sip of his own.


    She stared at it a moment, taking in the deep red color of the liquid inside the glass before taking a small sip. At first, she didn¡¯t know what to think of it, the odd mix of fruit and alcohol, however, she didn¡¯t mind it when she took another taste. She glanced at Gwydion watching her and blushed.


    ¡°Well?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°Not too terrible is it? I made sure to get a sweet one, not that you need any more sweetness of course.¡±


    She huffed at him. ¡°Stop teasing me¡­¡± she said softly, moving to lean against him. He smiled at that, putting an arm around her and resting his head on top of hers lightly.


    ¡°I only speak the truth, love,¡± he said softly. Calla¡¯s heartbeat softly, enjoying the feeling of being cuddled up with him. He seemed to be trying to court her, pulling out all the charm.


    Looking around, she wondered if this was what it felt like to be upper class. And then, there was the reminder that she wondered how many others had been treated like this. Was she truly special or was he just making her feel special to him? Gwydion seemed to know what she was thinking as he sighed.


    ¡°Before you start questioning me, love. I assure you I am not treating you like just another woman,¡± he said calmly, making her jolt before blushing, looking off.


    ¡°I...I¡¯m sorry¡­ it¡¯s just, I sometimes wonder just how many girls you¡¯ve done things like this with.¡± she said honestly. He gave a light chuckle.


    ¡°Calla, are you jealous of the women in my past?¡± he asked, making her pull away from him with a slight jump, looking up at him wide-eyed.


    ¡°W-What? N-No!¡± she said before huffing at him. ¡°Why would you even think that?¡±


    ¡°Teasing~¡± he sang with a coy grin before noticing that she had managed to spill some of her wine on her arm. He sighed at that. ¡°You, my dear, will stress me out if you ruin another dress.¡±


    She blinked, confused by that before he took her glass from her. She didn¡¯t even see the bead of wine running down her arm until Gwydion grabbed her hand and leaned in to lick it from her body, making Calla shiver, face going red. He seemed to take notice of that before smirking wickedly.


    ¡°And you say I am the horny one, love.¡± he teased, making her look down, face hot with a blush. ¡°You are very easy to arouse. I have a feeling we will have so much fun once you are ready to go that far with me.¡±


    ¡°I-I am not..!¡± Calla whined. He just laughed at that, her face too cute for him to handle before he leaned in to kiss her forehead.


    ¡°You¡¯re too cute, Calla.¡± he purred, making her shiver before he pulled away from her. He took up his glass again, taking a sip, offering hers again. Once she shyly took it back, he moved to grab some of the cheese he had gotten. ¡°Try this, love, then take another sip. Wine is a funny thing that changes with food.¡±


    She blinked in surprise at that before taking the bit of cheese. She ate the piece before taking another sip of wine. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good,¡± she said as she did. She heard Gwydion chuckle slightly, making her look back at him. ¡°You know, you seem to know a lot about food. If you were not magical, do you think you would have been a chef? Or a royal cook?¡±


    Gwydion paused at that, looking to the sky as he thought it over a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about that before,¡± he admitted, looking back at her before giving a smile. ¡°When you are born magical, it is difficult to imagine yourself without those abilities. But, the idea of having a job where I get to cook all day does sound nice.¡±


    She listened quietly before frowning. ¡°I wish I were magical¡­ your lives sound much more interesting,¡± she muttered before sighing.


    He gave a light chuckle. ¡°Well, yes, I would say it probably is.¡± he pointed out. He gave a hum in thought. ¡°My mother always told us stories of the lives of non-magicals she would help. She found your kind to be fascinating. Non-magicals have created amazing things without knowing how their societies have grown alongside the other realm. I was a teenager when I first set foot into a non-magical village with my mother and brother.¡± He smiled at her again.


    ¡°As simple as non-magicals live, I have fond memories of aiding the sick on my first few trips to the non-magical towns and villages,¡± he said, his stare distant. Calla watched him a bit before humming in thought.


    ¡°Your mother sounds like she was a wonderful person.¡± she said softly before frowning. ¡°But you speak as if she is no longer with us. When did she pass? If...If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±


    Once again, Gwydion didn¡¯t seem upset or bothered by her question, just giving her a smile. ¡°It was a few years before Raven and I set out to form a coven. I believe I was 20 at the time.¡± he said before sighing, staring into his glass as he swirled the red liquid inside it. ¡°She was caught performing magic while in one of the non-magical villages. Fear and paranoia set in as soon as she was found out. I wasn¡¯t present at the time but Raven was there as she was tried and executed for being a witch.¡±


    Calla¡¯s blood ran cold, eyes widening as she listened. Their mother was killed by non-magicals? Gwydion glanced over, seeing her expression before sighing with a frown. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it, Calla. I do not blame all non-magicals for the sins of a few,¡± he said calmly, taking another sip. ¡°However, Raven has a much harder time with trusting non-magicals or seeing them as equals. The only reason he¡¯s not as bitter around you as I have seen him with others of your kind is because of the state you were in when you arrived. He told me seeing you in such a state reminded him more of the state our mother was in than when he took revenge on the villagers who had killed her.¡±


    Calla looked down at that, thinking to herself. She wondered what Raven thought of her or if he was uncomfortable with her being in the cottage. He was normally smiling towards her but she now wondered if a part of it was just an act.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t hate you, Calla,¡± Gwydion said calmly, making her snap her attention back to him, once again wondering if he could read her thoughts. Gwydion smiled softly at her. ¡°And neither do I. However, that is why I wanted you to understand that some magicals are slightly fearful of non-magicals or will think of them as lesser beings.¡±


    Calla¡¯s expression still held a sadness to it but she nodded. Gwydion frowned however before sighing, moving to wrap his arm around her again. ¡°Love, trust me. You would know if any of us held any malice towards you. To be honest, Raven¡¯s been very gentle around you since the moment you arrived, which outside of being friendly towards women for the sake of his desires, I have never seen him do towards non-magicals. You were not the one to blame for what happened to our mother, nor do we hold you accountable for the whole population of non-magicals. So please, don¡¯t be upset.¡± He said, his words soft and warm as he kissed her head softly. He smiled when she looked up at him. ¡°Anyway, I believe a change of topic would be best.¡±


    Calla nodded before sighing. ¡°Alright, so what should we talk about now?¡± she asked, curious, however nervous about where he would turn the conversation. Her suspicions were only elevated when he gave a wicked grin.


    ¡°How about you tell me what sexual act you are the most curious in doing with me~?¡± he purred playfully. Calla¡¯s face went red again and she glared, pushing away from him.


    ¡°You are worse than a lecher,¡± she muttered, to which Gwydion laughed and hugged her back to him.


    ¡°Oh come now, you are young and curious after all. You cannot tell me you have never fantasized about what it was like to be intimate with a man before.¡± he pointed out, making her face grow a darker shade of red as she looked off embarrassed. He chuckled. ¡°See? Now I know I¡¯m right.¡± He leaned to whisper into her ear. ¡°Tell me what you want me to do to you, love~¡±


    Calla whined at that, trying to cover her face. A shiver ran over her body and her heart raced. Why did he have such an effect on her like this? ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!¡± she whined, using her hair to hide her face. The sight made Gwydion chuckle with amusement.


    He hummed. ¡°Do you want to know what I want to do to you tonight?¡± he asked playfully. She moved her hair to shoot a glare at him, her face still beat red.


    ¡°I already know what you want to do, Gwy! And I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯m...I¡¯m not sure if I want to go that far yet¡­¡± she stated with a huff. However, his smile curled into his wicked grin again.


    ¡°Not sure? Interesting, so now your answer has moved from not ready to not sure if you are ready. I seem to be making progress~¡± he teased with a wink. Calla whined and lightly pushed his face away before turning to face away from him. He pouted and moved to wrap his arms around her.


    ¡°But Calla, what if you start looking all sweet, moaning my name in that lovely tone you do when we play together? How am I to control myself? I know deep down you want to~¡± he purred into her ear, making her body tense with a shiver again.


    Calla whined, eyes closing tightly as she bit her lip. ¡°Stop it!¡± she yelled. She felt Gwydion¡¯s hot breath on the back of her head as he gave a sigh and soon let her go.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stop,¡± he said as he did. Calla looked back to watch him down the rest of his wine, his eyes distant and disappointed. It made her frown and look off, remembering what he had said that morning about not being able to control himself. She felt she was being unfair to him, but at the same time, it wasn¡¯t her problem that he was addicted to sex. She shouldn¡¯t have to give in and do things when she wasn¡¯t sure if she was ready to do so because he wanted it. Gwydion was a man who was used to getting his way, getting what he wanted when he wanted. Even Calla was aware of that.


    Still, Gwydion was showing a level of restraint around her that she didn¡¯t think someone like him could do. He wasn¡¯t using his powers to force her to do anything she would regret. He pushed the line, but never fully crossed it, always stopping when she asked him to. What he had done that morning was about as far as he had ever gotten to crossing the line and yet Calla wasn¡¯t upset with him for it. Maybe he was right about her wanting to give in deep down. Gwydion was open and honest, and that was why she was so conflicted.


    The two were silent a moment before Calla turned back to him. ¡°Gwydion¡­?¡± she started, making his gray eyes look her way again.


    ¡°Yes, love?¡± he asked, a look of curiosity peeking through the other emotions in his eyes. She frowned, looking off.


    ¡°What am I to you?¡± she asked softly, hugging herself.


    Gwydion¡¯s eyes widened as he watched her. She was conflicted about her thoughts on him, he could sense that, which she had every right to be. Out of habit, his head went to every line he had ever said to a girl. He knew every disingenuous answer he could give to make a woman feel comfortable about being with him, maybe even to tip the scales in his favor of getting what he wanted from them. However, upon letting the look on her face sink in, he soon turned his mind from those lines. No, Calla wasn¡¯t like the others in his mind, she deserved a real answer from him.


    He gave a long sigh, looking up at the sky as he leaned back. ¡°What are you to me¡­¡± he repeated her question, almost as if asking himself. He gave a light smile. ¡°To be honest, that¡¯s a question I¡¯ve been asking myself since you first started spending time with me¡­¡± He looked her way again, Calla¡¯s eyes on him. She looked both confused and curious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fully know the answer to that question,¡± he admitted calmly, moving to run his fingers through his hair. He looked to the ground in thought as he did. ¡°I enjoy your company¡­ I dream of the day you want to start spending nights with me, and that¡¯s not just for sex. I want to hold you in my arms for hours and talk about anything. I love making you flustered, and I adore when you smile my way¡­¡±


    Calla was silent as she listened to him, a faint blush appearing on her face as her heart beat faster. This was the first time she had ever seen him look so lost in thought. He continued, ¡°I am kept up at night with thoughts of making love to you, but the idea of being forceful towards you makes me sick. I know I push things to the limit, and every time I do I hate myself for doing anything that would make you uncomfortable. Always that pesky hindsight.¡± he said before looking at her and smiling softly. ¡°You¡¯re the first woman I have ever cared about upsetting with my actions. So I would say you are quite special to me.¡±


    Calla¡¯s heart fluttered, not because his words were flowery or were trying to make her heart race, but because of how genuine his words felt. She believed everything he had said, and yet, a part of her was still unsure. He didn¡¯t make some wild claim that he loved her, he claimed he didn¡¯t fully know how he felt but that he cared.


    She seemed to think for a moment before putting down her glass. She moved over to him, pushing her lips to his as she climbed onto his lap. She felt him tense slightly for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing back with a deep passion that made her mind dizzy. That or maybe it was the wine. Still, she clung to him, not wanting to pull away any time soon. His embrace was warm, his lips soft and needy.


    Her head was spinning by the time the kiss was broken, finding she needed to catch her breath as her eyes opened to see him smiling lovingly to her. Her heart raced, face a deep red as she hid her face into his chest. She felt him give a slight chuckle, petting her head as he moved to lay down, holding her close before sighing.


    ¡°And here I thought I was courting you, Calla...¡± he muttered, his eyes staring into the sky.


    It would be hours later when Calla and Gwydion walked back into the middle of the city, greeted by Raven who waved to them.


    ¡°Well now, how was the day?¡± Raven asked with a smile on his face. Calla blushed but smiled back at him.


    ¡°He behaved himself,¡± she said, giggling when she heard Gwydion whine next to her. Raven just laughed and nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Raven replied, smirking at his pouting brother before sighing. ¡°But sadly, I may have to steal Calla from you for a while, Gwy.¡±


    Gwydion paused, looking confused before blinking. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, seeing Raven take out a small list and hand it to him.


    ¡°There were a few things we still needed, mostly those in the nature department. You are the expert when it comes to the rarer plants.¡± Raven pointed out with a shrug. Gwydion gave a pout before sighing.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Gwydion said before smiling at Calla. ¡°Will you be okay without me?¡±


    Calla just rolled her eyes with a smile. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said, Gwydion giving a chuckle.


    ¡°So mean, I was hoping you¡¯d beg me to stay.¡± Gwydion teased with a wink before turning to leave. He glanced back at the brother. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything I would do~¡±


    Raven chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Never would,¡± he replied before looking at Calla. ¡°Ready to head back?¡±


    She nodded but looked around. ¡°Where are the others?¡± she asked, not seeing them. Raven sighed.


    ¡°Blaise got into a fight, Marick dragged him back to the cottage nearly an hour ago,¡± he explained, turning to walk down the sidewalk with her. Calla frowned at that.


    ¡°Of course he did¡­¡± she muttered, following. ¡°Is he okay?¡±


    Raven flashed her a smile. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s fine. The other guy however is missing a few teeth,¡± he said, shaking his head with a smile.


    Calla sighed again, wondering what could have happened that had gotten Blaise so angry that he would fight someone. Then again, Blaise was always a hothead. His name was fitting for him.


    As they walked out of the city, heading to the location they started in which would be out of sight enough to teleport back to the cottage, thoughts filled Calla¡¯s head, making her frown and slowing to a stop. She looked at Raven.


    ¡°Raven?¡± she called, making the black-haired man stop and turn slightly towards her.


    ¡°Yes?¡± he replied curiously. Calla sighed, her eyes softening. She knew Gwydion told her not to worry about it but she felt she had to at least make sure Gwydion wasn¡¯t just saying Raven wasn¡¯t angry to make her feel better.


    ¡°Gwy¡­ Gwy told me what happened to your mother. I just¡­ wanted to say that I am sorry-¡± she started before Raven¡¯s gentle smile cut her off. His smile was so warm, eyes soft as he smiled her way.


    ¡°He did, huh¡­¡± Raven said, turning his body to fully face her. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. ¡°You have a very kind heart to apologize for something that wasn¡¯t your fault, Calla. But you have nothing to be sorry for¡­¡±


    Calla frowned more at that, stepping towards him. ¡°But¡­ she was killed-¡± she started again before being cut off.


    ¡°By people who were not you¡­¡± Raven stated calmly, shaking his head with a smile to her. Calla looked down as Raven moved over to her. He patted her head softly.


    ¡°Calla, I¡¯m assuming you are bringing this up because Gwy said I had an issue with non-magicals, right?¡± he asked but didn¡¯t give her a chance to answer as he hummed in thought. ¡°I won¡¯t lie, I don¡¯t particularly hold non-magicals in high regard, but I know good from evil. If you are worried that I hate you, then you have nothing to worry about.¡± He gave a warm smile as she looked up at him again. ¡°You are family, and Gwydion adores you. I will protect you the same as I would anyone in this coven and I hold no thoughts of hatred or dislike towards you.¡± He hummed, moving to scratch his head. ¡°Does that make any sense?¡±


    She hummed in thought, letting what he said sink in before nodding. ¡°I guess so,¡± she said after a moment. Raven smiled again and nodded.


    ¡°Good, now let¡¯s get back before Gwydion thinks I ran off with you,¡± Raven teased with a wink before taking her hand and teleporting off with her.


    In the city, Gwydion sighed, looking over some flowers before scanning the list in his hand. His thoughts were elsewhere. Thoughts of his day with Calla swimming through his mind. He wondered if he could do anything with her without giving in to his lust and taking her. He wanted her badly, hoping she would stay the night with him tonight. Then again, could he control himself if she did?


    His attention was grabbed by a pretty girl who was nearby. She smiled at him, blushing before giggling with some other girls who were with her. Gwydion gave her a look over before smiling. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to indulge himself a little before returning. At the moment, his mind was only on his desires and needs as he moved away from the flowers. He put on his most charming smile before walking over to the excited-looking ladies.


    Regret would only set in when he returned to the cottage, his mind finally clear enough to realize his head was screaming with the thought of his betrayal.


    Gwydion¡¯s feelings for Calla have increased.


    Continue the story on Chapter 12

 A Day with Blaise

    Calla looked to Blaise, seeing the man messing with his shoulder as he turned to head inside. It made her frown a little, hoping he hadn¡¯t injured himself. Gwydion seemed to catch her look of worry and sighed, catching her attention.


    ¡°We tell him all the time not to overdo it. The boy never listens.¡± he said with an exaggerated shrug. He flashed a smirk towards her. ¡°Perhaps he will listen to you.¡± With that, he turned to head towards the garden. Raven just flashed Calla a smile before heading inside, muttering to himself.


    She sighed, fixing her dress before walking inside. She noticed that Marick wasn¡¯t in the front room, meaning he was probably taking inventory in the storage room like she had seen him doing earlier in the week. She was still a bit unsure of how she felt about him taking some of her blood, but at the moment her mind was on Blaise. She carefully moved towards his room and knocked on the door. There was no answer.


    ¡°Blaise?¡± she called, not hearing anything again. She gave another sigh before opening the door and entering the room.


    Closing the door behind her, she looked around. She hadn¡¯t noticed it the last time she had been in his room, but Blaise¡¯s room was rather simple. All that he had in there was a chair, a bed, and a desk covered with opened books and wood shavings. It didn¡¯t take long before she saw where Blaise was. The guy was sprawled over his bed, sound asleep.


    The sight actually was rather amusing, making her giggle softly before she quietly walked over to the bed. His face was so gentle as he slept, the wrinkles of frowning and scowling smoothing out to more of a baby face. She could understand why he tried to look tough all the time, seeing him like this made it clear that Blaise was still young and given the life he had lived, needed people to take him seriously.


    She didn¡¯t want to wake him, knowing how tired he had looked on their trip to the shack and back, but she also didn¡¯t want to startle him if he happened to wake up and see her in his room. She smiled warmly down at him, running her fingers through his red curls gently before turning to move away.


    To her surprise, she suddenly felt him grab her wrist. She looked back at him, noticing his eyes were still closed but he¡¯s face was scrunched a little.


    ¡°What¡­¡± he murmured sleepily. Calla frowned at that, turning back.


    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t trying to wake you¡­¡± she replied softly, watching as he gave a yawn and opened his eyes. He let go of her arm and sat up, scratching his head.


    ¡°I was awake,¡± he muttered tiredly, clearly lying. It made her giggle a little again before moving over to sit on the bed.


    ¡°I was worried about your shoulder¡­ you looked like it was bothering you,¡± she finally answered, looking him over. He glanced at her before rolling his eyes. In the time between when she had started to get to know him until now, he had kept his vow to be nicer towards her, or at least not scowl at her. She had been learning his personality.


    Blaise was rude, but not cruel. He rolled his eyes, swore like a sailor, and treated people like they were a pain if they bugged him for too long, but since his vow, he hadn¡¯t acted like he didn¡¯t want her around. She wasn¡¯t even bothered by him getting snippy with her earlier, knowing that was just how he was when he was tired.


    She watched as Blaise messed with his shoulder, frowning a little but looking at her with calm eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just pulled a muscle,¡± he muttered before looking her over a little. ¡°Is that really all you came in here for?¡±


    Calla frowned at that. He acted like she shouldn¡¯t be worried about him. Or, was that his way of asking her if she was alright? She gave a small sigh, looking away from him. ¡°I¡¯m okay, if that is what you are asking.¡± she said, seeing his face grow a little flustered in her peripherals. It seemed she was right about what he was getting at. ¡°I won¡¯t lie, I was scared¡­ being around that woman was a lot more tense than how it was the first time I met all of you.¡±


    She looked over to see Blaise looking her over seriously, almost as if checking to make sure she wasn¡¯t injured before his eyes met hers. ¡°...A lot of magicals will act that way around non-magicals. Many sorcerers have a slight fear of non-magicals since witch trials of the past and those who do not have any fear, will see non-magicals as lesser beings,¡± he explained calmly before giving a yawn. ¡°When I first became a warlock, I had to deal with a lot of prejudice. Sadly for them, I am used to being looked down on from my time as a fisherman. Our boats would dock at all the cities along the trade route, even the richer areas. The upper-class would look at us like we were nothing.¡±


    His eyes grew distant as a memory came to him. He smirked a little. ¡°I remember one time, I believe I was around 17 and had been working on the ship for a while. We had finished dropping off our catch in one of the trading cities when the guys decided they wanted a little poke before we went back out to sea.¡± he started before catching Calla¡¯s confused look. He blushed a little before giving a slight cough, looking away from her. ¡°Poke¡­ is a term they used for sex. Like I told you, we tended to frequent prostitutes when we were ashore.¡± he said before sighing, ¡°I must have been drunk off my ass, cause I can¡¯t remember much from that night, but I do remember that I just finished up some business with a prostitute and was on my way back to the ship when I crossed paths with some rich fucker and his lady out for a walk. I think I must have bumped into him cause I remember him turning and pushing me. All I remember was him calling me a filthy sailor before I saw red. Woke up in the brig the next morning to my captain telling me I owed some guy an apology for kicking his ass. Worst morning of my life.¡±


    Calla blushed a little, trying not to focus on the idea of Blaise with prostitutes as she listened to his story, frowning at the end. He muttered to himself before looking her way. ¡°Anyway, the moral of the story is that people will treat you like dirt regardless of magical ability. Besides, you heard the others say that Madam Coffer is a pain in the ass to deal with normally.¡± he pointed out. She seemed to have a flash of memory of the conversation before they got to the shack.


    ¡°They said you were almost killed because you were rude,¡± she muttered to which Blaise gave a huff in return.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t even being rude. The woman is just crazy.¡± he stated bitterly before grumbling. He lied down in his bed the correct way, rubbing his face as he yawned. Calla frowned as she watched him.


    ¡°Why are you so tired this morning? Didn¡¯t you go to bed when everyone else did?¡± she asked curiously. She heard him grumble at that, moving his hands away from his face to look up at her.


    ¡°No,¡± he stated, trying his best not to sound irritated by the question. He huffed again before closing his eyes, moving an arm behind his head. ¡°I wanted to make sure I could stop the old bat if she did anything to you, so I stayed up last night practicing the speed of my spells.¡±


    Calla blushed a little at that, a little taken aback at the thought of him being worried about her. He opened his eyes wide with a flustered look, realizing it sounded like he cared before grumbling a little. ¡°I-I just wanted to make sure I didn¡¯t break my vow to protect you is all!¡± he shot at her, a blush on his own face. Calla blinked a little before humming in thought and giving a nod. That seemed to satisfy him as he closed his eyes again.


    She watched him a moment before smiling softly, leaning in to kiss his cheek softly, feeling him tense a little when she did. ¡°Well, whatever your reason¡­ I appreciate it,¡± she replied with a soft tone. His cheeks grew hot with a blush but he didn¡¯t open his eyes. She smiled at him a moment more before starting to get up.


    ¡°Calla,¡± Blaise called, making her pause and look back at him. His eyes were opened, his look soft but still hard for Calla to read what was on his mind. He scanned her slowly before looking off. ¡°S..Spend the night with me¡­ I-I mean-! U-Unless you enjoy staying in Marick¡¯s bed¡­¡±


    She blinked in surprise, thinking over his request. In reality, she had no reason to continue to stay in Marick¡¯s bed. It was just the one she had been using. She couldn¡¯t help but blush at the idea of sleeping in the same bed as Blaise, and yet, he might be the safest one to do so with. It seemed her pause made his face continue to grow hotter with his blush before she nodded with her own shy blush on her face.


    ¡°O-Okay.¡± she answered before getting up, wanting to let him catch up on his rest.


    Blaise watched her as she left, letting out a staggered sigh when she closed the door behind her. He grumbled a little, staring at his ceiling. He acted like such a jerk around her. Why couldn¡¯t he have just asked her if she was okay? Why did he have to act as if he hadn¡¯t been worried about the situation? What made it worse was that he had to rely on Raven¡¯s ability to calm her down. He wished he could have held her close, been her white knight against the old woman. He wished he had the power to make her feel safe around him.


    He sighed a little, eyes softening as his fingers moved to touch the spot on his cheek where the feeling of her lips had been. If he had Gwydion¡¯s confidence, he would have pulled her back onto the bed, kissed her deeply as he held her close to him. Blaise bit his lip as his mind went deep into thought. As much as he hated to admit it, he wanted to do more than just kiss her. How long had it been since he was last with a woman? He wasn¡¯t the type to pick them up so easily like Raven and Gwydion. Hell, Marick probably got laid more than he did, the guy just didn¡¯t talk about it. Blaise was used to sex being easy to get for the right price. He had never bothered with the whole courting thing. Hell, did he even know how to treat a woman who wasn¡¯t a prostitute?


    A thought hit him and he frowned a little. He had never been with anyone who was virgin before. Calla had never been with a man, and Blaise was far from someone who was gentle. If she offered her body to him, would he hurt her without meaning to? He slapped himself, groaning a little. Why was he even thinking about this stuff right now? She only agreed to spend the night with him, it wasn¡¯t like she and him would get that far. This was the first time they would share a bed, far too early in whatever this relationship was for them to be intimate. It wasn¡¯t as if the warlocks had a reason to go to the other realm any time soon, so they had time to get to know each other first.


    ¡°You¡¯re being stupid, Blaise¡­¡± he muttered to himself before giving a yawn. ¡°Stop overthinking¡­¡± With that, he turned over and soon fell asleep again.


    By the time night came, Calla had been mostly hanging out in the dining area, occasionally helping Gwydion as he brought in vegetables he planned to use to cook with that night. Blaise looked to be in a better mood after his nap, but she caught him doing a lot of thinking throughout the day when he would look her way. She never could tell what was on his mind, plus, outside of that, he didn¡¯t act much differently the rest of the day.


    She gave a sigh, taking her nightdress from Gwydion¡¯s room and moved to Blaise¡¯s door. She raised her hand to knock but was stopped when she heard Blaise call to her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to knock, just come in.¡± he stated bluntly. Calla blushed a little embarrassed by that before sighing and opening the door.


    Blaise was facing away from her, stretching out his arms as he was looking over a book on his desk. He had no shirt on, just a pair of long john pants that hugged his lower body tightly. Calla felt her face heat up, closing the door behind her once she had walked into the room. Her heart raced as she watched him wide-eyed.


    Blaise was built with a strong body which she knew from the last time she had seen him shirtless, but it always managed to surprise her. It seems that his time away from the fishing boats hadn¡¯t lost him much muscle. That or he regularly put his body through grueling training to keep himself fit. Seeing him now, she had no doubt as to his story about beating some guy badly for insulting him. Blaise looked as if he could take on a bunch of people in a fist fight and win.


    ¡°Instead of staring at me, maybe you should take the time I¡¯m not looking at you to change.¡± Blaise muttered, breaking Calla from her thoughts as she looked even more embarrassed.


    ¡°R-Right¡­¡± she said, moving to set her nightdress on his bed. She knew better than to think Blaise would sneak a peek. After all, he wasn¡¯t Gwydion or Raven. However, he might have to as she found herself unable to undo the buttons on her dress. She huffed a little. Why were these buttons easier to do up than undo?! She could almost bet that Gwydion did it on purpose so she would have to ask for help to undress.


    Her eyes fell onto Blaise, who was still looking away from her. ¡°..H-Hey Blaise?¡± she called. He paused a little but didn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he answered, stretching one of his arms. Calla frowned, blushing a little.


    ¡°C-Could you help me with the buttons¡­?¡± she asked softly, clearly embarrassed. She saw him jolt slightly, as if a little caught off guard before he glanced back at her. He scanned her before sighing and turning to walk towards her.


    ¡°S...Sure¡­¡± he muttered, Calla turning her eyes away as he walked over. She sighed, moving her hair out of the way before feeling him grip the first button.


    Sadly, it seemed he was having just as much of a struggle with them, only getting a few undone before he started to curse under his breath. ¡°The hell are these damn things made of?¡± he muttered, growing annoyed by the second. He grumbled more before Calla felt him grab the dress and nearly rip the thing in half, buttons flying everywhere. ¡°There! Stupid dress¡­¡±


    It had surprised Calla enough to give a yelp, feeling her dress slip fast enough that she grabbed it before she was fully exposed. She shivered, feeling the cold air hit her back. She turned slightly to look back at Blaise, seeing his annoyance turn to realization of what he did. His eyes widened, his stare landing on the look of her nearly naked before him. He seemed to process it a moment before flushing a deep red and turning away.


    ¡°Err, um¡­ s...sorry. I¡¯m sure Gwy can fix it.¡± he muttered as he did. As he listened to Calla mutter an ¡®it¡¯s okay¡¯ before hearing her dress hit the floor, Blaise was doing everything in his power not to think about it.


    He kept his eyes open and straightforward, looking to the desk he had just been at. It seemed like seconds but felt like a lifetime for her to cover herself. His face felt hot, picturing the sight of her standing there, her dress hanging off her loosely, she having to hold it over her chest so it didn¡¯t fall off.


    ¡°I¡¯m covered.¡± Calla said softly, watching Blaise. She was confused by how tense he looked, only seeing the back of him at the moment. He seemed to hesitate before turning back towards her, looking her over.


    ¡°G...Good.¡± he stated awkwardly, scratching his head before sighing and looking her over. Calla couldn¡¯t help but blush as he did. Sure, Blaise wasn¡¯t like Gwydion, but he was still a guy. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he thought of her when he would look her over like that. Did he find her pretty? He always seemed to grow flustered around her.


    She blinked as she saw him give a slight cough, blushing. ¡°And, you are okay with spending the night with me, right?¡± he questioned. Was that what he was worried about?


    She gave a nod before smiling softly. ¡°Yeah, why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± she countered. Blaise gave a slight huff, eyes snapping her hers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, from how you talk about things here sometimes I wonder if you think I¡¯m plotting to do terrible things to you.¡± he muttered, before looking off again. Calla frowned at that, sighing before moving closer to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said softly, looking up at him. ¡°To be honest, Blaise, I probably trust you more than anyone else here. You¡¯ve never made me feel uncomfortable nor have stolen my blood for any reason I can think of.¡± She sighed again, looking off. ¡°I promised I wouldn¡¯t talk as if I didn¡¯t trust you anymore and since we made that vow, I thought I hadn¡¯t.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He calmly looked her over before muttering a little. ¡°...You haven¡¯t.¡± he stated calmly, folding his arms. It made her look back up at him. ¡°I just have a hard time letting it go, is all. Forget I said anything.¡±


    He turned and moved to the bed, getting ready to lay down as Calla watched on. Her heart raced at the idea of sleeping next to him. She thought it wouldn¡¯t feel much different from when she happened to share Marick¡¯s bed with Marick, but for some reason, this felt different to her. Knowing he would question her if she hesitated, she moved over to the bed, climbing under the covers as he lay down. He seemed to watch her as she did, his expression looking distant as if in thought as she curled up next to him. He gave a slight frown, looking up at the ceiling.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t weird, is it?¡± he asked after a moment. Calla blushed softly as she thought about it.


    ¡°A little,¡± she admitted, although she scooted closer to him. Out of instinct, he seemed to put an arm around her, sighing as he turned his body towards hers, scanning her face. She just shrugged. ¡°But to be fair, that might just be because I¡¯ve been staying in someone else''s bed until now¡­¡±


    He hummed at that before frowning. ¡°Marick didn¡¯t do anything to you, right?¡± he asked suddenly, making her jolt in surprise.


    ¡°W-What? No! Of course not!¡± she exclaimed before sighing to calm down with a blush. ¡°He rarely even shared his bed with me. Most nights I would catch him asleep at the table.¡±


    He seemed to think that over a moment before nodding. ¡°Sounds like him,¡± he muttered before giving a yawn, closing his eyes.


    Calla watched his face a moment before smiling lightly. ¡°Out of the four of you, it did seem safe to stay in the rooms of those who seemed as if they didn¡¯t want to do things to me-¡± she started before getting cut off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be naive, Calla,¡± Blaise stated, his expression scrunching his face. ¡°Just because I¡¯m not Gwydion or Raven¡­ and I sure as hell can¡¯t speak for Marick, it doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t want to do things with you.¡± he grumbled before sighing. ¡°If you gave me the okay right now, I don¡¯t think I would have the will power to pause and think clearly before agreeing.¡± Calla¡¯s eyes widened but soon softened, seeing the look of disgust he had on his face for even admitting that. He opened his eyes, looking serious. ¡°But only if you were to offer yourself to me. I¡¯m not going to stand around pushing the boundaries with you or try and force it to happen. I will tell you that I think it would be a bad idea for your first time to be with someone like me though. As much as I hate the thought of it, Gwydion would probably be the best choice for that.¡±


    Calla blushed deeply, not sure how he could speak of sex so bluntly. However, his words made her heart hurt. ¡°W-Why do you say that?¡± she asked with a frown. Blaise gave a long sigh, his expression a bit sad but gentle.


    ¡°30 silver,¡± he said calmly, making Calla blink in confusion. He frowned, shifting a little to rest his free arm on her side. ¡°That¡¯s how much it costs for just one round with a woman of the night. I¡¯ve only ever been with prostitutes, Calla. I¡¯ll hurt you.¡± Calla frowned at that, watching him with gentle eyes as he muttered to himself before looking at her seriously again. ¡°Gwydion¡¯s power literally makes a person feel good, to enjoy themselves.¡±


    She seemed to mull over his words for a moment before looking off. ¡°So the first time does hurt¡­ I was hoping that was a myth,¡± she said honestly before feeling Blaise give a shrug.


    ¡°I think it can be avoided, I just don¡¯t know how I could do so,¡± he stated bluntly before sighing again, searching her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I brought it up. It¡¯s not like you have to sleep with anyone right away. If anyone has to go to the other realm, we can go separately. The only way all of us would need to go is for a bigger request and as far as I know, we haven¡¯t gotten any of those. The coven has gone years before without all of us needing to go to the other realm together and we just came back from the other realm the day you broke in so I honestly can¡¯t see a reason for us to go back for a long while.¡±


    They kept saying that, but that information never seemed to stop them from bringing it up. She frowned. ¡°Then why was it brought up as if it was such a big deal?¡± she questioned, making Blaise roll his eyes.


    ¡°You really have to ask that?¡± he asked before sighing a little. ¡°We are a bunch of guys who like the company of women. You are a young lady that now lives with us. As far as I am aware, none of us have gotten laid since we returned from the other realm. I bet it¡¯s killing Gwydion slowly that he¡¯s gone so long without it.¡± He shifted again, trying to ignore the thoughts in his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised if the others start wandering off to non-magical cities looking for entertainment.¡± A thought hit him and he hummed. ¡°However, if they got some, they might tone it down with the harassment¡­¡±


    Calla gave a blank expression as she thought it over. So Gwydion and Raven were only as bad as they were because they were bored and horny? Wonderful. That didn¡¯t explain Marick¡¯s behavior though. She huffed a little, blushing at the idea of the coven running off with girls for their own pleasure. She honestly didn¡¯t want to know how many trips they tended to take just for the sake of getting laid. Her eyes scanned Blaise¡¯s face softening as a thought came to her mind.


    ¡°What about you?¡± she asked, seeing Blaise raise a brow. She blushed softly and looked off. ¡°I mean, will you plan to head into one of the cities for the same reason?¡±


    She saw him pause a moment before shrugging again. ¡°More than likely,¡± he answered before seeing the hurt expression on her face. He huffed. ¡°I¡¯m not a saint, Calla. I have just as much of a need as the others do¡­¡±


    Giving a hum in thought, she sighed. She was about to continue the conversation but Blaise pulled her closer to him and yawned. ¡°Look, can we talk about this later?¡± he mumbled, looking tired. She frowned but gave in, nodding before cuddling close to him.


    ¡°Alright, good night, Blaise,¡± she said softly, closing her eyes.


    ¡°Night, Calla.¡± he murmured back, already beginning to drift off to sleep.


    Oddly enough the next day, Marick made a comment about the group heading to one of the richer cities in the area. Of course, he claimed it was for resources but also made an offhand about the group being annoying and needed to go stop bothering him.


    Soon enough, she found herself in the city, watching people walk around as she followed Marick and Blaise. Marick was wearing an outfit that made him look like a noble, Calla finding it odd to see him in anything but a long robe. As for Raven and Gwydion, she had lost track of them almost as soon as they got here. She sighed, fixing her gloves as she glanced to Blaise.


    He was dressed a bit more like the sailors she had seen around the docks. She could only assume that was his non-magical clothes or that he just refused to wear anything fancy. He looked uncomfortably, catching glances his way from the wealthy around them. Calla frowned a little, turning to him.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked softly, catching his attention. He sighed and folded his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied, although he didn¡¯t look like it. They both looked to Marick as he gave a hum, looking over a list in his hands. She assumed it was what he needed while he was in town, most of which were items found in the market.


    Blaise pushed off the wall he was leaned against and faced Marick. ¡°What?¡± he asked curiously. Marick glanced at him before looking back at his list, tapping his chin with his finger.


    ¡°...I¡¯m in need of seaweed and saltwater,¡± Marick muttered before looking back to Blaise. ¡°I¡¯m assuming those would be by the beach. Go gather a few vials, Calla, go with him.¡±


    The two of them nodded. Blaise looked at Calla, motioning her to follow. She had to run a moment to catch up to him but soon walked side by side. She looked around as they headed their way towards the docks.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s a nice day out,¡± she pointed out, smiling as she glanced towards Blaise. She saw him blush a little before nodding.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ it is,¡± he agreed before sighing a little. ¡°You know, when I spoke about us headed into the city, I didn¡¯t expect it to happen right away.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but giggle at that and nodded. ¡°I assumed so,¡± she replied, looking forward. ¡°This is my first time being in a city like this, it¡¯s very different from what I expected.¡±


    Blaise looked her over a little before humming in thought. ¡°We, um¡­ don¡¯t need to head back right away after we gather what we need,¡± he started before looking off stubbornly. ¡°I-I mean, if you want to see more of the place. I can show you around, I guess¡­¡±


    Calla blinked at that before smiling. ¡°I¡¯d like that¡­¡± she answered softly, the view of the port coming into sight.


    There were massive ships at the docks, men moving around carrying things off of ships. She couldn¡¯t help but picture Blaise doing that, knowing he must have done similar things when he worked on these types of ships. Blaise was keeping his eyes forward as they walked passed the docks, clearly not as interested at watching the workers as she was.


    ¡°Do you ever miss it?¡± she asked as she caught up to him, glancing at the ships. ¡°Being out at sea?¡±


    Blaise frowned a little before shrugging. ¡°Not really,¡± he answered honestly. ¡°It was work, but not what I felt I was meant to do with my life. I also tended to get into more trouble back then.¡±


    She thought about it a moment before nodding. ¡°I think it would be interesting though, out at sea like that. There wasn¡¯t any part of it you enjoyed?¡± she asked as they reached the beach. There were a few people out on pedestrian boats, ladies with large umbrellas shielding them from the sun. However, the sandy area was empty for the most part. Blaise paused a moment, stopping in place as he thought about her question. He looked up at the sky, arms folding.


    ¡°I miss the stars,¡± he said calmly, his expression distant as he was off in thought. He turned to look at Calla with a calm look on his face. ¡°When you get out far enough, when the water is still, you can¡¯t tell where the sky begins and the water ends. The ship just looks as if it''s surrounded by stars.¡±


    Calla paused, picturing what he was describing. It sounded like an amazing view, making her wish to have had experiences such as that. She hummed, looking off in thought. ¡°It sounds like a beautiful sight¡­¡± she answered dreamily. The two stood there quietly for a moment before Blaise sighed, turning to step off the edge of the stone walkway and onto the sand.


    ¡°...Anyway, we should get these things and get back to Marick¡­¡± he said, catching her attention. She blushed, a little embarrassed for being so spacy before moving to follow him off the stone path. She stumbled a little, making Blaise quickly catch her, the two standing close to each other for a moment before Blaise blushed and looked off blushing.


    ¡°Err, um¡­ w-watch your step.¡± he muttered, taking her hand as he led her towards the water. A thought hit him and he patted his pockets a moment before grumbling. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± He stopped walking and turned to look back the way they came. ¡°He never gave me any vials!¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise before looking confused. ¡°Why would he send us here then?¡± she asked in her confusion. Blaise grumbled, looking annoyed.


    ¡°We were probably bothering him,¡± he muttered bitterly. Calla still seemed confused though. She figured Marick would just tell them to go away if they were bothering him. It wasn¡¯t as if Marick was the type to beat around the bush.


    Blaise turned away from her and plopped himself onto the sand. ¡°Well, fuck it. I¡¯m not doing anything if I don¡¯t have the method to gather it. If he wants the things, he can get them himself.¡± he stated loudly, catching some looks from those who walked back. Calla just looked confused a moment longer as she watched him before giggling and walking over to him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just summon them?¡± she asked softly as she did. He gave her a look.


    ¡°Not unless I want a ton of people to see me using magic,¡± he mumbled before sighing, looking out at the water for a moment.


    An idea hit him and he got to his feet, brushing himself off before turning to Calla. ¡°Well, I guess since we can¡¯t gather anything, how about we walk the beach together?¡± he asked, his face showing a sign of a blush as he held his hand out to her. She was surprised by that, blushing a little as she looked up at him. Was he asking her on a date?


    ¡°I...I, um, s-sure,¡± she said, flashing a shy smile as she took his hand. Blaise nodded at that, turning to walk with her down the beach. They were quiet for a moment before they looked to each other.


    ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± they both said at the same time before Blaise looked away embarrassed, Calla just blinked in surprise before giggling with a smile on her face.


    ¡°G...Go ahead,¡± Blaise said, scratching his head. Calla looked forward, smiling softly.


    ¡°I...I just wanted to say that it was nice¡­ spending the night with you last night. Your bed is softer than I thought it would be,¡± she said, looking back to see him blushing more at that, keeping his eyes forward. She guessed that was probably what he was going to ask her about anyway.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I mean¡­ I¡¯m used to cots and stuff like that, but this bed is the nicest I have rested in¡­¡± he said a little awkwardly. She felt his thumb rub the back of her hand. He looked to the sand before them. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, you know¡­ if you wanted to continue sharing my room. I...It¡¯s not like you keep me up or anything, s-so¡­¡±


    Calla giggled a little. Blaise was being rather awkward and it was rather amusing to see him acting like a little boy. ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± she admitted, the two continuing to walk slowly down the beach. After a moment, Calla looked back at Blaise. ¡°So, um¡­ you said you¡¯ve been with the others for five years now. Have any interesting stories about your time with them so far?¡±


    Blaise glanced at her when she asked before looking off in thought. ¡°I think I may have a few,¡± he said before smirking and began to tell her some of the stories.


    Calla was laughing as she heard tale after tale. Blaise was telling her his first reactions to everyone when he had first arrived. It seemed that group was a lively one at times. Marick punished Gwydion by cursing his mouth to stay closed. Raven nearly set the kitchen on fire the last time Gwydion let him make food. The many strange positions Marick would be located in as he fell asleep at the cauldron before his bed had been moved to the front room. In a way, the coven was very much like a family unit. Then of course there were the stories of them on missions that took them into the other realm dealing with dragons, harpies, and other magicals. They soon were sitting on the sand at the far end of the beach, laughing and talking about the many adventures that Blaise bore witness to.


    ¡°That is amazing,¡± Calla said with a huge grin on her face before clearing some tears from her eyes from laughing so hard. ¡°It seems I am in for quite the ride when we go to the other realm.¡±


    Blaise gave a breathy laugh. ¡°You sure will, at least Raven¡¯s place in the other realm is nice. Every once in a while I hear Marick talk about moving the cottage onto the estate¡¯s land, but he never ends up doing it.¡± he noted, leaning back on his arms.


    ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s rather nice there,¡± She agreed before sighing and laying back, not caring if she got sand in her hair. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s nice hearing good things about the other realm. I¡¯ve been worried that it¡¯s scary there.¡±


    ¡°I mean, it can be, but it¡¯s also nice,¡± he pointed out, looking her over a little.


    Calla sighed, taking in the beautiful sights and sounds of the beach, especially that of the water rushing around. She was reminded of a question and turned to look back up at Blaise. ¡°By the way, I was wondering. It seems the four of you have your own type of magic that you are best at. Is that common?¡± she asked curiously. He hummed in thought.


    ¡°You mean outside the special abilities of the magical born? Yeah, it¡¯s common,¡± he noted with a hum. ¡°Most of the time, magic follows the personalities of the user. I¡¯ve been called a bit of a hot head, so my magic tends to be fire based. Gwydion is the fashionable type so his magic tends to be very pretty. Marick¡¯s magic tends to focus more on hexes and summoning. Raven¡¯s brilliant when it comes to the intricate nature of spells, inventing new spells, so he has the largest range of spells of the lot of us, but even then he tends to use dark and light spells.¡±


    Calla listened quietly but her expression soon turned to one of suspicion as she stared at him. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯m starting to think you guys renamed yourselves after getting your powers.¡± she muttered her accusation. She saw Blaise close his mouth and look away, scratching his face.


    She huffed at that, closing her eyes. ¡°You guys are strange-¡± she started before she was cut off by a shadow coming over her and the feeling of his lips against hers. Her face lit up bright red, blinking her eyes open in surprise as Blaise broke the kiss, looking down at her with a calm expression.


    ¡°Is there a problem with being strange?¡± he asked softly, his own face having a soft blush. Calla just stared for a moment before shaking her head.


    ¡°No¡­¡± she replied softly before pulling his shirt to pull him back down, pushing her lips to his once more. She closed her eyes again, just wanting to feel his kiss, happy that he wasn¡¯t tense around her. She didn¡¯t know why, but she wanted this, wanted him to kiss her like he did when he made his vow.


    ¡°You two are cute,¡± a sudden voice said, making Blaise pull away and shooting a death glare with a bright red face as he looked up to see Raven sitting on the stone path just above them. Calla¡¯s face was bright red as well, sitting up as Blaise got up.


    ¡°The fuck do you want, Raven,¡± Blaise hissed in embarrassment only for Raven to toss him a few vials.


    ¡°Marick said he forgot to give you vials for the salt water and seaweed.¡± Raven noted before waving him away. ¡°Go fetch,¡±


    Blaise growled at him but did as he was told, stomping away towards the water. Calla sighed, moving to brush sand off her and frowning at Raven. Raven, however, just smiled innocently back to her. He looked a lot more relaxed, making her wonder if what Blaise said was true.


    ¡°You seem to be in a better mood,¡± she noted, looking over the dark-haired man. ¡°Did you run off to have fun?¡±


    Raven just laughed at that, winking to her. ¡°Very bold of you to ask that. Is someone jealous?¡± he countered, only for Calla to give him a blank stare.


    ¡°The fact that you are avoiding the question is telling,¡± she muttered to which Raven just snickered again before sighing and looking towards Blaise. Calla did the same, her eyes softening as she watched him filling the vials of salt water, probably grumbling to himself. Raven gave a hum, making Calla look back at him.


    ¡°He¡¯s rather smitten with you, isn¡¯t he, now only if he would admit it to himself,¡± he started, making her blush and look off. Raven just smiled warmly at her. ¡°It¡¯s good though, he seems to be calming down with you around.¡±


    She looked back at Raven curiously. ¡°I would think you would be mad about it,¡± she said softly only to see Raven smile and shake his head.


    ¡°A coven is a family, Calla. We may compete with each other, but there are no harsh feelings. I would fight side by side with Blaise regardless of anything, including your feelings for him.¡± Raven explained calmly.


    ¡°That goes for you too, Calla,¡± a new voice said, making Calla look to see Gwydion standing next to her. He was easy to tell where he was, smelling of perfume and wiping lipstick off him with a handkerchief. The man smiled at her. ¡°We have been a coven of five since you joined us. As much as I think you have a strange taste in men, anyone in this coven would fight for your safety.¡±


    The backhanded comment about her taste in men made Calla roll her eyes at him but she soon sighed and she looked to the water again, smiling softly. ¡°I just wish I had a way to fight too¡­¡± she said to herself, looking to her hands as she remembered the feeling of Blaise¡¯s power flowing through her.


    Calla¡¯s feeling for Blaise has increased.

 A Dangerous Encounter

    It had been nearly three months since Calla first entered the forest. So much had happened already that she never would have believed. With time, the group was beginning to give her more freedoms, allowing her to walk around without being checked upon as long as she stayed on their land. It was nice being able to explore more of the forest, or even just being able to go outside without someone following her around. Marick had even started to allow her to gather the resources he needed from the forest for potions. She began to feel what they had told her, Calla was a part of this coven. A coven of four warlocks and one non-magical.


    She took in a deep breath of the fresh air around her, gripping her basket as she walked outside. Marick needed mushrooms, a task he would normally give Blaise to do. As she walked around the cottage, she could hear the sounds of training. At least she knew where the others had gone now.


    ¡°Morning,¡± she called, spotting Raven by the fence. The fact that the scene was similar to the first time she had been allowed outside, it made her understand how far she had come since that day. Raven glanced over and gave his typical grin.


    ¡°Morning,¡± he replied before scanning her a little. ¡°Let me guess, Marick needs mushrooms?¡± The black-haired man chuckled and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to end up getting him a planter for the house.¡±


    Calla just shrugged at that. ¡°He does say a lot of potions take them,¡± she pointed out, to which Raven nodded.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± he noted before stretching and turning his eyes back to watch Gwydion and Blaise train. They were using magic that Calla could barely comprehend. All she could tell was the difference in energy the two had, the beautiful magic of Gwydion clashing with the fiery embers of Blaise¡¯s. She shook her head at the scene before glancing at Raven.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a little bit,¡± she called, turning to walk into the forest towards the direction of the mushroom patch.


    She took in another huge breath when she got there, smiling as she looked around at the different types. She hummed a little, remembering what kind he said he needed.


    ¡°Redcaps¡­¡± she muttered to herself, moving to a patch of them and beginning to pick them. The sounds of bird songs filled the air, making her smile as she listened to the sounds of nature. She could understand why they picked this area to live in, resources were everywhere and the land felt so calm.


    She had gathered about twenty of them before getting to her feet with a sigh. ¡°That should be enough¡­¡± she muttered to herself, moving to pick up the basket. However, as she turned to start walking back, she felt the basket become caught on something before it was removed from her hand. Her eyes widened in confusion, turning around before her blood ran cold.


    Standing behind her was a man. He was slightly shorter than Marick, hair golden as the rays of the sun, back in a hair tie, not nearly as long as Marick¡¯s or Gwydion¡¯s but covered in a white top hat. His eyes were orange in color, holding a curious expression as he looked at the basket that rested on the end of an elegant walking cane that had an orange orb at the end of it. He was dressed sharply, fingers having colorful rings on his middle fingers and thumbs but were also pointed into sharp tips, painted black. He wore a white coat with gold trim that was only long enough to reach his waist. She could see the inner lining was a bright red. His vest was a vast rainbow of colors with a white undershirt below it. His pants matched the coat, white with gold trim. He looked like someone who just walked out of a royal court, not someone who stood in the middle of a forest. He was a beautiful man, but every fiber of Calla¡¯s being screamed that she was in the presence of danger.


    ¡°Redcaps,¡± he finally said, curiously looking over the contents in the basket before his orange eyes snapped to hers.


    Danger.


    Calla quickly broke direct eye contact, keeping her eyes on his face, but not looking him in his eyes. His mouth curled into a smile. ¡°What would a little lamb like yourself want with these? They are poisonous to eat, you know,¡± he said, his voice ringing out in velvet, charming tone.


    Danger.


    She tried to control her heart racing, feeling like a lamb before a great wolf. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know that¡­¡± she lied, swallowing hard and looking down. ¡°T-Thank you for letting me know¡­¡± She needed to get away from him. She heard him give a hum in thought before watching as he dropped the basket from his cane only for the orange orb of his cane to touch under her chin to force her to look up at him. She continued to keep her eyes focused on anything but his eyes.


    ¡°I am curious, however. What is a cute little non-magical doing out here?¡± he asked, not really to her but more in general. He gave a slight chuckle. ¡°You are either very lost¡­¡± he started before he hummed again, his eyes showing a colder look in them. ¡°Or you belong to someone¡­¡±


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Run.


    Calla shivered, taking a step back away from him. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m trespassing! I-I wasn¡¯t aware the forest was occupied. I¡¯ll...I¡¯ll inform my master straight away!¡± she exclaimed, begging this man believed her lies as she turned to get away, wanting him to believe she was from the non-magical village. Her voice was so shaken that she couldn¡¯t let out a scream as he appeared before her, pushing her against one of the large trees and catching her chin with his fingers. She was terrified as he leaned down to her, his cold look turning to a wicked grin. She had seen the others use a similar smile but his felt off, less mischievous and more sadistic.


    ¡°Little lamb, I do not like to be lied to and you have done that twice now,¡± he said calmly. Calla wanted to whimper as he looked her over curiously. He tilted his head, his smile growing. ¡°Do you want to know how I know you are lying to me?¡±


    Her lips quivered, tears appearing in her eyes as her body trembled. This was different from the fear she felt around Madam Coffer, this man was on a whole different level. He seemed to be enjoying this as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. ¡°I know because you didn¡¯t seem surprised when I called you a non-magical~¡± he purred before lightly kissing her cheek. ¡°But nice try.¡±


    Calla¡¯s heart felt like it was going to explode, she had to get away from him. Her body shivering in fear, she mustered up every bit of courage she had to push him away from her, seeing him blink slightly in surprise before his amused smile returned, his eyes showing a hint of interest. Calla¡¯s eyes widened but she had no time to hesitate, turning and bolting towards the cottage, tears streaming down her face. She had to reach the others. How were they not aware that this man was here?


    She seemed to find her voice again, taking in a deep breath before screaming. ¡°HELP!!¡± She cried, knowing at least three were outside. She just caught sight of them, the three looking over in a mix of concern and worry before she was stopped, the ringed hand of the man she just met covering her mouth and holding her against him.


    The man let out an amused laugh. ¡°Well, now, you should have told me you belonged to this group~¡± his voice sang out, pulling her face so that she looked up at him, his smile was cold. ¡°I have a history with them.¡±


    Her eyes widened, only looking back as the man easily blocked a dark spell before him with a spin of his cane. The swirl of magic around the three was intense, each having a dark look in their eyes. The air was very tense as they rushed closer towards them, but stopped suddenly as the man laughed.


    The man playfully wagged a finger at them with a smirk. ¡°Now, now. We wouldn¡¯t want to hit the little lamb now, do we.¡± He said with a sadistic tone. He dug Calla¡¯s face a little harder, his nails causing her to bleed, making her cry in pain. The three seemed to have a hint of panic at the sight, glaring on but knowing that if they moved closer, this man would cause more harm to her.


    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± a voice hissed, surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t from the hot-headed Blaise who looked ready to kill, and actually from a seriously pissed-off-looking Raven. It was clear that Raven seemed to know this man a little better than Blaise. There was a flash of purple that seemed to blind the man holding her as his arm loosened from her face to drape around her.


    ¡°Calla, to me.¡± She heard Marick¡¯s commanding voice ring out, Marick appearing closer to them than the other three. His eyes were dark, focused on the man before him. To Calla¡¯s horror, she didn¡¯t move, the man¡¯s arm keeping her close to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with your commands, dear Marick. I already removed that pesky spell of yours,¡± the man holding her said almost toying with him.


    Calla¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡°B-But I didn¡¯t look him in the eyes!¡± She said, not knowing her thoughts had been spoken aloud.


    She heard him laugh, the orb of his cane forcing her to look up at him as he gave a wink. ¡°So you do know a little about magic, that explains that question I had,¡± he sang playfully. ¡°Sadly for you, my magic works differently.¡±


    ¡°Aro,¡± Marick stated with a dark tone of voice, making the orange-eyed man glance his way with a bored expression. ¡°You are trespassing on land that you are unwelcome on. Remove yourself at once.¡±


    Aro rose a brow, looking around the group before smirking in amusement. ¡°I merely wished to offer a job to you, I am in need of a few things,¡± he said, not even caring about the tense air around him. He moved his hand back to touch Calla¡¯s face again, smiling wildly down at her. ¡°One would think they would be more accommodating to a client.¡±


    ¡°Aro!¡± Marick snapped again, once again taking Aro¡¯s eyes off the terrified girl and back towards Marick. This time, he scanned each face longer before tilting his head, pulling Calla so to wrap both his arms around her.


    ¡°So hostile,¡± he replied playfully, dragging a finger over Calla¡¯s neck, making the men around them tense more, and Calla whimpered in fear. He kissed her head softly. ¡°You must be special to someone here. They do not wish to risk hurting you, by getting too close to me. But who would that person be~? Such an important question. Shall we find out who it is, dear?¡±


    Calla¡¯s body trembled, not sure what this Aro guy would do but it was clear from the wild look in his eyes that he was having a wonderful time. She let out a cry of pain as she felt his fingers move to rip her dress, cutting her skin with his sharpened nails as his hands moved down to her chest. She let out a cry, saying the name on her mind and reaching out to them, trying to get out of Aro¡¯s arms.


    Call for Marick (Chapter 13)


    Call for Raven (Chapter 14)


    Call for Gwydion (Chapter 15)


    Call for Blaise (Chapter 16)

 Call for Marick

    ¡°Marick!!¡±


    Calla¡¯s cry rang out loudly as she reached toward the purple-eyed man. Aro seemed to pause for half a second but his attention was soon grabbed. She watched as the arm Aro was using began to shake violently before it began to twist and pull away from her unnaturally. Looking up, Marick had his hand held out before him, a strange symbol carved in a deep purple smoke-like energy.


    Once Aro¡¯s arm was fully off her, she darted to Marick, sobbing as he caught her with his free arm and moved to stand between her and Aro. To Calla¡¯s horror, it seemed that Aro looked more curious and less in pain at the strange movement of his broken hand and arm before the arm fell limply to his side.


    ¡°The immortal prince himself¡­ fascinating,¡± Aro sang almost as if nothing from before had happened. Marick¡¯s body tensed as Aro tilted his head with a large wicked smirk. ¡°We never learn, do we Marick~¡±


    ¡°I will not repeat myself, Aro,¡± Marick cut him off with a dark tone. The other three had moved to stand beside Marick. Calla, through teary eyes, watched in slight amazement at the highly disciplined coven that looked ready to attack.


    She looked towards Aro only to see the man looking slightly bored at all of them before giving a sigh and smiling. ¡°Fine then, I guess I will have to just make my request and have it sent from my home. You do remember where that is, don¡¯t you?¡± he said, not really as a question. The man was mocking them, and from how tense the air was, it seemed to be working to set them all on edge. Suddenly, Aro¡¯s eyes shot to Calla¡¯s and he smiled wickedly.


    ¡°I look forward to seeing you again, little lamb. Perhaps we should play in the other realm when my request is fulfilled,¡± he said, making Calla shiver. His words felt like a threat, but she didn¡¯t quite understand what he was threatening her with.


    Calla watched as both Gwydion and Raven held up their hands, making their power swirl around Aro, who once again sighed, seemingly bored at what was happening. Using his good hand and cane to tip his hat, he smiled at Calla again before bowing. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be leaving. Good day to you all~¡± he sang, raising. In a flash of orange light, the man was suddenly gone.


    Everyone was still for a while before the adrenaline began to wear off and suddenly Calla¡¯s body became aware of her pain. She let out a small whimper, touching the fresh marks Aro had left on her chest with his sharpened nails. She couldn¡¯t believe how much damage he had managed to do with just his fingernails as her eyes went to the torn top of her dress and saw the bleeding marks on her skin.


    ¡°Calla!¡± Blaise exclaimed as he moved to her. The others turned her way, Marick¡¯s expression hard to read.


    ¡°Gwydion,¡± He said, looking over Calla¡¯s wounds. The tall red-haired man nodded, offering his hand to Calla.


    ¡°Come with me for a moment, love,¡± Gwydion said calmly, oddly serious again as he had been with Madam Coffer. Calla nodded, shivering in her remaining fear and pain as she took his hand. As the others followed, Gwydion guided her into the cottage.


    ¡°Raven, update the wards around the area,¡± Marick said as they followed inside. Calla looked back when she heard that just to hear the stern-looking Raven give a nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± Raven replied with a serious tone.


    However, she didn¡¯t get to see what Raven was going to do as she was soon brought inside and sat on Marick¡¯s bed. Gwydion grabbed the chair next to the table and moved to sit before her. His eyes were serious, and it was odd to see him not smiling as his eyes shot to hers.


    ¡°Calla, I will need you to remove the top part of your dress,¡± he said calmly. If this were any other time, she would have become huffy at that, thinking Gwydion was trying to pull some stunt to get her naked, however, as she felt the pulsing of the wound on her chest she nodded, moving to undo the buttons of her dress and lowered it, holding it just enough to cover herself. With the top part pulled away from the wound, she could see what Aro had done clearly. He had raked his sharp nails down between her breasts before he had stopped clawing at her. In her fear at the time, she hadn¡¯t registered that the man had slightly molested her. That thought alone made her feel disgusted and violated.


    She shivered as Gwydion¡¯s hand began to dance with his beautiful magic before he placed his hand against her chest. She would have thought that it would be painful, watching as her wounds began to mend themselves with his power. However, she found herself feeling as if she had been given a strong pain reliever, not feeling anything. She figured it was something to do with Gwydion¡¯s ability. The normally flirty man was focused on his task, allowing Calla to calm down and look towards Marick who was standing nearby, looking deep in thought.


    Blaise looked annoyed but also a tad confused as he paced. ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡¯ Blaise finally snapped, looking towards Marick. ¡°What the hell is that guy doing back in this area?! Wasn¡¯t he in exile?¡±


    ¡°The council probably called him back for a job. He¡¯s probably itching for entertainment from his time in the abyss. People like Aro are not the type to stay out of trouble for too long.¡± Raven explained as he walked back into the cottage, messing with his sleeves. He gave a tsk, looking angry. ¡°He was concealing his power, meaning he probably came here to observe when he came across Calla.¡±


    ¡°The wards were meant to keep people like him away!¡± Blaise yelled angrily, to which Raven gave a dark look. Marick sighed a moment.


    ¡°The wards were working. That was why he didn¡¯t take any steps forward when Calla broke out of his hold.¡± Marick said seriously, eyes still distant. ¡°He knew where the line was. Meaning that he was fully aware of what the wards would do if he stepped onto our land.¡±


    ¡°The only way he could have been able to do that is if he watched me put them in place.¡± Raven pointed out bitterly, moving to run his fingers through his black as night hair. He tapped his foot. ¡°However, if he¡¯s been keeping an eye on us, he would have known about Calla.¡±


    ¡°Aro isn¡¯t the type to always be observing.¡± Marick pointed out, moving to rub his eyes. ¡°He hasn¡¯t been in the area that long. He reeked of the abyss, meaning he¡¯s just returned from exile. Although it doesn¡¯t surprise me that he was asked back, the council is foolish for doing so. He¡¯s not someone who can be controlled.¡±


    Marick looked towards Calla, whose eyes held fear as her eyes met his. Raven gave a hum, making Calla¡¯s attention move back his way. ¡°Normally, his presence isn¡¯t that much of an issue, but now¡­¡±


    Calla looked concerned, the room was very tense as everyone seemed to be thinking about something. ¡°What...What does he want?¡± she finally asked with quivering lips, making the four men look her way. Gwydion finished up and sighed, getting to his feet.


    ¡°To put it simply, Calla, he wants to kill us,¡± Gwydion said with an odd calmness. However, his words made Calla¡¯s eyes widen as she looked between the group.


    ¡°W-Why?¡± she asked confused and worried, as she pulled the top of her ruined dress around her more.


    Raven sighed, moving to place both of his hands on his hips. ¡°Aro isn¡¯t just a warlock. He¡¯s one of the elite.¡± Raven explained his expression was hard to read. ¡°There are only a handful of warlocks in our world that people do not try to mess with. Our coven, but mostly Marick, is one of them. Aro, however, is a warlock who is not in a coven and is known as the Jester because of the way he acts. Not much is known about him but ever since our coven has made a name for ourselves, he¡¯s been coming around, wanting to fight us and see just how strong we are.¡±


    ¡°Aro finds chaos and misery a thrill. He¡¯s taken on full covens before just to prove he can and normally he does this by exploiting any known weaknesses of the coven he wants to destroy.¡± Marick added, turning the room''s attention his way. Marick muttered, moving to rub his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve known him for a long time, and I know what he¡¯s capable of doing.¡±


    Calla looked nervous. If these guys were wary of Aro, then he was a much larger threat than what she could imagine. ¡°But Raven said him being around has never been much of an issue¡­¡± she said confused. She watched the men in the room seem to shift on their feet. It seemed whatever the issue was, they all seemed to know about it.


    ¡°Calla,¡± Gwydion said, grabbing her attention as she looked up at him. ¡°Aro is a monster who uses things and people that he can exploit to get what he wants. In the past, he hasn¡¯t had anything he could use against us¡­¡±


    ¡°Gwydion,¡± Marick seemed to warn sharply, making the man look his way. However, Gwydion seemed to give a dark look back.


    ¡°She has the right to know how much danger she is in, Marick,¡± Gwydion stated. Gwydion¡¯s words made Calla¡¯s blood go cold as she looked wide-eyed.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ planning to use me to get to you?¡± she asked softly. The room went quiet for a moment, Calla finally understanding what was bothering all of them. However, the tension turned to the sounds of tapping which made Calla jolt in fear. By the window near the front door, a large bird tapped on the window.


    Raven frowned but moved to open the window, taking a rolled-up parchment from the bird, which soon took off. He stared at it in his hand with annoyance, almost as if he wanted to destroy it before closing the window and moving towards Marick.


    ¡°I bet we can¡¯t guess who this is from,¡± Raven said bitterly as he handed it to Marick. Marick looked just as irritated, opening the parchment and looking it over. Marick growled, the man looking very intimidating in his anger.


    ¡°Aro handed us off a mission he received but doesn¡¯t want to do in the other realm. He also wants vials of death¡¯s kiss potions.¡± Marick told everyone. Blaise looked angry enough that he was shaking.


    ¡°So he¡¯s made it so we have to return to the other realm,¡± Blaise growled. He turned to Marick, who seemed to be deep in thought.


    Raven clicked his tongue. ¡°Bastard... ¡° he muttered, rubbing his temple. ¡°I doubt the mission needs everyone, but if we split up, it will give him more of a chance to attack.¡±


    ¡°It also means, we cannot risk leaving Calla here, alone or with one other person,¡± Marick stated as he walked over to stand before Calla, folding his arms. He didn¡¯t seem happy about whatever was on his mind. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this changes everything, Calla. We have three weeks to prepare for the mission to the other realm.¡± His words were harsh, his stare intimidating. It made Calla shiver. ¡°Your purity needs to be one less thing I need to worry about during this time. As much as I do not want to force this on you, I no longer have a choice, and neither do you.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes widened in panic as she looked up at him. Her body trembled at his words. She had hoped she had more time to get to know Marick before offering herself to him. This was her worst fear, once again being in a situation where she would be forced to give her body to someone she barely knew.


    ¡°No,¡± Calla said suddenly, getting to her feet as she glared up at him. ¡°There has to be another way to go about this!¡±


    Marick clicked his tongue at that, his face showing annoyance. ¡°Calla, enough!¡± he snapped back, making her shrink slightly in fear. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you understand of the situation, but Aro threatened to do something vile to you. Aro sees non-magicals as things for his entertainment and finds pleasure in causing them pain. He worded it as ¡®play¡¯ but I can assure you that was the nicest way he was going to word it and he won¡¯t stop until he gets what he wants. If he¡¯s set his sights on you, then there is no other way. I apologize, but you only have two options at this point. You can start being intimate with someone here or you can be raped and tortured by Aro. What do you prefer?¡±


    The room was quiet as Marick glared darkly down at Calla. Tears filled her eyes as she just sat down on the bed, hugging herself tightly to comfort her trembling body. She didn¡¯t know what she was feeling right now and multiple emotions filled her. She just stayed there, crying.


    ¡°Marick¡­¡± Raven started only to get cut off by Marick, who gave a loud huff, seemingly calming himself down as he rubbed his temple.


    ¡°Gwydion, get her something else to wear,¡± Marick stated, his tone still slightly annoyed. ¡°Raven and Blaise, follow me to do a walk of the perimeter.¡± With that, Marick turned and stormed outside. Raven frowned, glancing at Blaise who just seemed unsure at the situation before the two moved to follow.


    Gwydion frowned, watching them leave before moving to Calla. He sighed softly, helping her to her feet before hugging her. ¡°...He¡¯s worried about you, Calla¡­ that¡¯s all that was¡­¡± he said tenderly before pulling away. Using his thumb, he cleared some of her tears as she looked up at him before nodding and pulling away to head towards his room.


    ¡°That was uncalled for Marick,¡± Blaise stated bitterly as he followed the other two. Blaise seemed to ignore Raven¡¯s flashing him a look of warning as the younger warlock folded his arms.


    Marick didn¡¯t look at him as he moved about, reaching out to test the wards around the area. ¡°Gwydion was right, she had a right to know how much danger she was in. There was no reason to sugarcoat it,¡± he stated, his normal calmness seeming to hide the irritation in his voice.


    Blaise growled at that. ¡°She¡¯s scared!¡± Blaise yelled at him. ¡°The bastard just had his hands all over her and then you inform her that she has no choice but to have a guy fuck her cause it¡¯s going to happen whether she wants it or not!¡± Blaise was ignoring how tense Marick was getting, again, much to the worried look of Raven. ¡°Are you just incapable of understanding human emotions?!¡±


    ¡°Stop talking,¡± Marick hissed in a low tone, still not looking towards either man.


    ¡°What was your plan there, genius?! Do you think she¡¯ll let you screw her tonight after all of this happened because you told her she has to?¡± Blaise yelled angrily. ¡°How is that fair to her?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not!!¡± Marick yelled back, turning towards Blaise with such an intense look in his eyes, it made the confrontational man back off immediately. ¡°Nothing about how our world operates is fair to her! Nothing! But you of all people know the dangers for non-magicals, Blaise. You saw how you were treated. It would be worse for her if we brought her there now the way she is. She would be bled dry before we ever noticed she was missing simply because virgin blood is highly sought after!¡± Marick just gave a growling huff, moving to rub his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster. I wasn¡¯t going to make her do anything tonight. Hell, I wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything in general unless she brought it up. If only that accursed council didn¡¯t bring that damn man back from exile¡­¡±


    Raven sighed. ¡°Marick, I don¡¯t think that was what he was getting at. We all understand the danger she is in when it comes to the other realm and what Aro will do. The reason why he was in exile is proof enough of the type of monster he is. I agree she had every right to know, but the way you went about it only adds extra stress to her.¡± the black-haired man said calmly, though not seeming to like the dark glare Marick shot his way. Raven just sighed and folded his arms. ¡°Then again, that might be what he was hoping.¡± Raven shook his head before looking back toward the man before him. Marick¡¯s eyes were distant again. ¡°You are a hard one to read, Marick, and even I can tell you care for her. I know you were not trying to frighten the girl, but the way you handled that situation wasn''t right.¡± At his words, Raven noticed Marick¡¯s eyes softened slightly from the glare to just looking off in thought. ¡°As you said, you know Aro better than any of us. It might have been due to that is why you explained the best way you could, not out of fear but out of understanding who we are up against. I know everything you have been doing lately has been for Calla¡¯s sake.¡± Raven couldn¡¯t help but chuckle slightly, looking off, scratching his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, for a non-magical she has a lot of power and she is the fifth member of this coven after all¡­¡± Raven continued before frowning and looking back towards Marick. ¡°You¡¯ve always been someone who shows that they care in odd ways. Just¡­try to have a bit more patience with her, especially when it comes to what happened today.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the lecture, Raven,¡± Marick said calmly before turning away. ¡°I know I probably should have handled the situation better.¡± Marick stared off. ¡°You don¡¯t know Aro as I know him. You have no idea the things he would do to her if he got ahold of her¡­ even more so because of her connection to me.¡± He paused and sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Her growing close to me might have put her in more danger in the long run, especially from Aro. Becoming intimate with her wouldn¡¯t fully take away the danger of Aro bringing harm to her but it would make it less fun for him.¡±


    Blaise stared at Marick for a moment before sighing. ¡°Marick, perhaps it''s time you let us in on what you know. If we are a coven, we shouldn¡¯t have secrets,¡± he pointed out, making Marick pause a moment before looking his way. He seemed to scan the other a moment before humming in thought.


    ¡°...Funny¡­ Calla said the same thing.¡± Marick muttered, making the two other men give a slight look of surprise as they watched their leader seem to mull over the idea in his head instead of shooting it down like he normally would. After a moment of silence, Marick gave a nod.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Marick muttered before turning away. ¡°Later tonight¡­ we¡¯ll have a discussion on what has happened and things I believe are relevant.¡±


    He looked back towards the cottage. As much as he hated talking about his past, if any information he had would lead to keeping Calla safe, that was all that mattered.


    After changing, Calla lay down, wrapping herself in the blankets before having dozed off. However, her dreams were plagued with her memories of Aro¡¯s wicked smile. Even now, she trembled in her sleep, feeling his hands on her and him whispering into her ear. What that man had been was terrifying, shaking her to her very core. She wondered who he was to be such a threat. Marick knew him after all.


    She woke up when she felt someone move her hair from her face. She opened her eyes, red from crying to see Marick seated on the bed looking down at her. His expression was much softer than it had been earlier and more how it was during their time by the water in the city they had gone to. It was strange for her to see him looking so gently at her.


    ¡°...For a guy who told me he¡¯s not very affectionate, you tend to show that side of you more than you think¡­¡± Calla said softly as she slowly moved to sit up, rubbing her eyes. She heard him give a hum at that, resting the hand he had used to remove hair from her face to rest around her.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± he said as a response. He seemed to scan her face a moment before sighing. ¡°I wanted to apologize if I frightened you at all earlier. The others noted that I could have handled it better than I did.¡± He used his free hand to rub his temple as he closed his eyes. ¡°I understand it¡¯s not fair to you, saying that you have to give us something so important to someone you barely know.¡± He sighed again, removing his hand and looking her way again. ¡°I¡¯m sure Aro was counting on that.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, looking off. She couldn¡¯t believe how one man could be so intimidating that even someone like Marick was concerned about him. Even now she couldn¡¯t help but scoot closer to Marick, wanting to feel safe.


    ¡°I...I know¡­ I just¡­¡± she started, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling him tense when she did. She gave a shiver at the memory of her meeting with Aro in her mind. ¡°That guy¡­ he would really do those things to me?¡±


    Marick frowned at that, hesitating before moving his arm around her, attempting to soothe her by rubbing her arm. ¡°I would be more surprised if he didn¡¯t. But, enough, for now, I will be sharing what I know about him with everyone later,¡± he pointed out, making her look up at him in surprise. ¡°You were right, I do believe it¡¯s time I share my past with everyone, especially since my knowledge of Aro would be important to determine what he is planning.¡± His eyes gave a distant look, a memory behind them but one that he was not willing to bring up just yet. ¡°I do not doubt in my mind he would do horrific things to you if he were to grab you. He¡¯s done those types of things multiple times before.¡±


    She shivered at that, not wanting to think about ever being alone with Aro. The man came off as a predator on the hunt, one that took pleasure in the pain of others. Her mind was taken out of her thoughts when she felt Marick kiss her head softly before pulling away and getting up off the bed. She blushed softly as she looked up at him, watching as he fixed his clothing before his purple eyes met her stare. He held his hand out to her.


    ¡°I believe it is in your best interest to join us at the meeting, but it is your choice,¡± he said calmly as he did. He waited, almost as if he was curious to see what she would do.


    Calla hesitated a moment before taking his hand, letting him help her off the bed. He seemed pleased that she was willing to trust him, the only sign being the gentle look in his eye before he turned to lead her towards the dining room. However, Calla stopped before they reached the door to the hall, making him pause to look back at her.


    ¡°Marick,¡± she started, looking to the ground. She blushed softly, hesitating in what she wanted to say. ¡°It would be you¡­ if I have to be intimate with anyone. You know that, right?¡± She shifted, not needing to look at him to know he was staring at her. ¡°I-I know I have to¡­ but I want to know, and be honest with me. When I¡­ When I sleep with you¡­ would it just be something you have to do?¡±


    The two were quiet before Calla saw the shadow of Marick move over her, making her look up into his face. He seemed to scan her for a moment as if searching her soul as he thought. ¡°I told you before that I care about you, Calla,¡± he said calmly, in a low tone. ¡°I am not one to get close to people, but¡­ if you are serious about me being the one to bed you, I will try my best not to act as if it is something that has to be done, .... as it is something I want to do with you. Fair enough?¡±


    Her heart gave a light beat at that, feeling the blush returning to her face. Marick wasn¡¯t good at comforting, or thinking about the feelings of others. This was the closest thing to him being gentle with her emotions she had seen from him. Aro was right, she was special to Marick, which made her wonder if that probably put her in more danger than anyone else in the coven. She just gave a nod up at him, which seemed to be enough for him to understand as he turned and once again began to lead her towards the dining room.


    Marick sighed as he sat at the table, looking around at the coven members who seemed ready and willing to listen to what he had to say. He seemed to mutter to himself, leaning forward as he contemplated what he wanted to say.


    ¡°Well, I guess to start with, I better get this out of the way,¡± Marick stated with bitterness in his voice. He closed his eyes to rub them as he sat back. ¡°I am Marick Wyllt of the lineage and the house of Merlin.¡± The room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, Calla listening closely with the others. It was strange to hear Marick use his last name. ¡°However, it is a surname and lineage I have long abandoned. My skills and my achievements have nothing to do with my blood or my connection to Merlin and I do not wish to be seen as such.¡±


    ¡°A descendant of Merlin¡­ I¡¯m surprised the council hasn¡¯t tried getting you on the board.¡± Raven said after a short while, a frown on his face. He did seem upset that Marick had kept something like that from him. Marick, however, just sighed.


    ¡°Oh, trust me. They¡¯ve tried. I refuse to be a puppet for them to control at their every whim. I prefer to be away from any of that nonsense.¡± Marick muttered, his purple eyes opening to look at the surprised faces around them. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for two stubborn boys who decided to camp out outside my front door for nearly a month, I would have happily lived my life away from the other realm or covens.¡± The brothers smirked, Raven, giving a small shrug. ¡°That being said, my connection to Aro is apparent. He is Aro le Fay, a descendant of Morgan and the rightful heir to the kingdom of fairies, but he too has long abandoned his title. I have known him all my life and our families have been at war for ages.¡±


    Blaise grumbled at that. ¡°Wonderful, so not only is he from the second most powerful family known in magic history, but he¡¯s a damn fairy prince. An asshole with too much power,¡± he said, making him scowl and look off.


    ¡°But Marick¡­ no one has heard anything of those two families since the last war in the magical realm. How can two families like that remain hidden for so long?¡± Gwydion asked with a curious look. Marick muttered at that, leaning forward again.


    ¡°Aro and I joined a coven together at the request of the council to stop the fighting between our families. He is 7 years older than I am and joined Hilden¡¯s coven when I was 10 and he 17. The others of that coven were Lazier and Andrea Coffer.¡±


    ¡°The bitch from the twisted woods?¡± Blaise asked, a look of shock on his face before he gave a sound of pain as he was swatted.


    ¡°Shush,¡± Gwydion stated, clearly the one who had hit Blaise. Blaise growled in annoyance at him.


    ¡°Those are also some powerful names. Hilden was known as a warlock so strong that he could cheat death.¡± Raven pointed out, leaning on the table. Marick nodded at his words.


    ¡°Hilden¡¯s title was such that Aro took it as a challenge. He killed Lazier a few years before I left the coven and I heard he had killed Hilden just before he was exiled for the rape and torture of the princess to the elven kingdom.¡± Calla¡¯s eyes widened at that, fear in her eyes. So that was what Aro was capable of. No wonder Marick and the others seemed so wary of him. ¡°He is brought out of exile every once in a while to do odd jobs but it doesn¡¯t take long for him to do something stupid and get sent back. As far as I know, he¡¯s served 100 years of his 600-year exile sentence to the abyss.¡±


    ¡°6-600 years?!¡± Calla exclaimed with wide eyes. Marick gave her a softer look but simply nodded as the others seemed surprised.


    ¡°Marick¡­ I¡­I hate to ask this,¡± Blaise started, shifting in his chair as the older man glanced his way. ¡°But-!¡±


    ¡°You wish to know how old we are, correct?¡± Marick asked, cutting him off. Blaise gave a wary look but frowned with a nod. Marick sighed. ¡°I guess that would give context to all I¡¯ve said, given what Gwydion pointed out about not hearing anything for years.¡± Marick shook his head and closed his eyes. ¡°I am 370 years old. As I said, Aro is 7 years older than I am, even if he¡¯s managed to not look like it.¡± His eyes opened to a distant look as the room grew quiet. ¡°I know I haven¡¯t bothered to explain my ability to any of you outside the little I have. I can leech life from others. I can take and give as much as I desire. In my youth when I had a different view of non-magicals than I do now, I would empty non-magicals of their years.¡± He frowned, a look of self-hatred in his eyes while Blaise seemed to look on in horror at the news. ¡°I do not know how many I killed, but I have stolen enough years that I am functionally immortal. My aging has slowed. It took this long for me to look as if I was around 30. I could share my years and still have more than enough.¡± He looked off. ¡°It¡¯s not as if I could take back what I¡¯ve done.¡±


    The room was quiet again before Raven sighed. ¡°I believe there are many in this room who feel the same about things they have done in the past, Marick. No one is perfect,¡± he said with a shake of his head. Raven looked back at the older man with a frown. ¡°Aro¡¯s ability has something to do with manipulating time, right? I believe I read something about that in one of the archives of the great library by the bazaar.¡±


    ¡°They have books on him? What, in the ¡®assholes of history'' section?¡± Blaise asked to which Raven gave a roll of his eyes.


    ¡°More like, history of the realms. I didn¡¯t know his family tree, but there are books about the powerful magicals to learn from. As much as I detest the fact, he is a master of abyss magic and has created powerful spells that I have learned over the years.¡± Raven pointed out calmly which only seemed to annoy Blaise more.


    ¡°Great, this guy sounds better and better. So how do we keep him from doing anything to get Calla? He¡¯s fought whole covens before after using something to draw them out. Marick even said it himself that she might even be in more danger because of her connection with him.¡± Blaise asked with a huff, resting his head on his arms.


    Calla frowned at that. ¡°You said he wants to use me to get to everyone. Is that really his goal?¡± she asked, making the room look her way. There was a wariness in all of their eyes before Marick sighed but gave a nod.


    ¡°In a sense. But I doubt his enjoyment falls strictly on a chance to fight such a powerful coven like ours.¡± Marick said, leaning back. ¡°He seems to have taken an interest in you specifically which makes him all the more dangerous.¡± He closed his eyes to rub them as Calla frowned. ¡°Aro is unpredictable. He makes claims saying that he is in love with me but in the same breath he would attempt to fight me just to see who was stronger. Over the years, he¡¯s been a rather large headache of mine. I rarely know what he¡¯s planning and I¡¯ve known him the longest. However, I can tell you he¡¯s not a threat to take lightly and whatever he is planning, you can be sure that it will bring nothing but trouble. Everything that was stated earlier wasn¡¯t in an attempt to scare you.¡±


    She frowned but nodded at that, looking off. However, something felt off and she was sure they all felt it. Surely a fight with the coven wasn¡¯t his overall goal. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been easier for him simply to kill me upon finding me so close to the cottage? He¡­ He seemed to know that I hadn¡¯t wandered into the forest from the village nearby and he called me out for not reacting when he called me a non-magical. He had to have known given how close I was that I was with you guys. Yet, he seemed to taunt and toy with everyone rather than do something to start a fight. If he¡¯s as crafty and cunning as you all make him out to be, his actions didn¡¯t make a lot of sense.¡± she said softly, looking around the room.


    ¡°Aro likes playing games. There is a lot that he does that doesn¡¯t make sense in terms of long-term goals.¡± Marick pointed out but he did seem to think over her words. ¡°But you have a point. I would say Aro was behaving strangely.¡±


    ¡°That might be due to his isolation in the abyss for so long though.¡± Raven pointed out. ¡°He is known for doing things out of boredom.¡±


    ¡°Is he an elite warlock or a toddler needing attention?¡± Blaise asked with a blank stare. That seemed to amuse Raven slightly as he smirked.


    ¡°Both are what I normally go with,¡± Marick stated, a small laugh going around the table. Calla was glad to see them a little less tense but she understood why they had been so afraid for her safety earlier. Marick soon looked off though, tapping the table with his finger. ¡°As for how to stop him¡­ it would be easier if I knew exactly what he was planning. He wants to get us all to the other realm which was why he gave us the job, but what does he need 10 vials of death¡¯s kiss potions for? What in the realms is he trying to involve us in? He would know that by making me make those that using them to kill us would be futile.¡±


    The group watched him silently before Raven gave a smile. ¡°Marick,¡± he started, making the silver-haired man glance his way. ¡°We are a coven, a family. You are not facing him alone and he knew he couldn¡¯t take us all in a fight. None of us want to see Calla come to harm and I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only man here who would willingly aid in her protection. We can¡¯t hide from Aro and his game. It¡¯s better to face it head-on, no matter what.¡± Calla seemed surprised to hear that, eyes wide as she watched Raven. Raven seemed to notice that and gave her a smile and a wink. ¡°She is our fearless leader after all. Marick¡¯s little housewife who cleans up after him and tells him what to do.¡± Her face grew hot and Marick seemed to glare which was ignored as Raven returned his gaze towards Marick. ¡°I can place wards on her directly that can work against abyss magic for when we leave. I¡¯m assuming you need more ingredients for those potions so we would have to take a trip into Rowien eventually so I can start placing those wards as soon as you wish, but that would mean I would need to borrow her for a few hours.¡±


    ¡°I can create an enchanted necklace that wards off ill intent. I have more than enough of those crystals I have been saving until I needed them.¡± Gwydion pointed out. Calla, again, seemingly surprised as the others spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the strongest among us, but I am sure I could get a few hits in if that bastard comes after her, so I can keep an extra eye on Calla. Hell, I can teach her how to fight. I¡¯m sure that would catch him off guard if he dares to grab her again.¡± Blaise said, leaning back in the chair. Her heart felt warm at their words, a smile on her face. This coven really was a family who looked out for each other.


    Marick seemed to nod after taking in all that they had said. ¡°Thank you¡­ I¡­I will think over all that was offered, but I do think those options seem like good ones. Whatever it takes to keep her safe, especially if he is targeting her.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem, Marick. We will handle this as a team and when we head to the other realm, we will be ready for whatever is waiting for us.¡± Gwydion said with a smile, the others nodding.


    They continued to speak on different subjects for the remainder of the night before retiring to their rooms. Calla sighed, lying down in the familiar bed in the front of the cottage she had stayed in her own time here. She only looked over when she saw Marick climb into the bed next to her, closing his eyes as his head rested on the pillow. Calla watched him a moment before turning to cuddle close to him.


    ¡°Marick?¡± she asked, hearing him hum in response. She scanned his face before sitting up to push her lips to his.


    When she broke the kiss, she looked down to see his purple eyes looking up at her, a calm look on his face. It made her blush at that. ¡°If you wanted a kiss, you could have asked,¡± he said, scanning her face. Her blush grew at that but she pouted.


    ¡°If I asked, you would have wanted to know if I was asking or giving an order. It would have taken time,¡± she said as she did. Marick¡¯s brow raised before he gave a hum at that.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked, not really as a question. ¡°Are you satisfied with the kiss you received?¡±


    Calla¡¯s face grew darker as she frowned at that. Before she could answer, he gave a hum before she soon found herself laying back on the bed with him over her. Calla blinked in surprise at that. ¡°M-Marick-?¡± she began to ask only to get cut off when his lips returned to hers. She moaned into it, her eyes fluttering closed as she returned the kiss. It was passionate and seemed to have a hidden desire in it. A heated kiss similar to the second time he had kissed her, only this time, his hands ran down her sides. He moaned into it, her feeling a small smirk on his lips at the sounds she made or how she squirmed under his touch.


    By the time he broke the kiss, she was breathless, panting softly with a warm face as she opened her eyes to look up at him. Marick watched her before a small smirk rested on his face, almost as if he was amused by the look of her in such a state. He sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head.


    ¡°I hope you are not getting needy for my attention, Calla. I¡¯m going to be rather busy for the next three weeks.¡± Marick said. It made her pout with a whine. Was that his attempt to tease her? She gave a huff at that.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not being needy!¡± she said to which he opened his eyes with a small chuckle down at her. His eyes were so gentle as he watched her, it was strange to see from his normally serious expression. ¡°And I can order you when I need something you know.¡±


    Marick gave a nod at that. ¡°That you can, but I am not lying with what I am saying. Death¡¯s kiss potions are temperamental at best and need my full concentration. I cannot be pulled away from them every time you need a kiss.¡± he said, rubbing her hips. There was something in his eyes that made her blush, a faint look of lust as his eyes ran over her body before he shook his head. He leaned down, ignoring her protest at his comment, and kissed her head gently. ¡°For now, it¡¯s been a long day. Good night, Calla.¡±


    With that, he got off her and returned to his side of the bed, leaving her watching after him with a blush. Her heart beat fast but she soon sighed to try and calm down, turning to face away from him and pulling the blankets closer to her. However, before she could go to sleep, she felt him move, her body right against his as he rested an arm over her while the other moved for her to rest on, holding her close, almost protectively. It didn¡¯t help the warmth of her body or the racing of her heart before she just snuggled against him, touching his arms before she soon drifted off to sleep.


    Marick had enough ingredients to finish a few vials of the black liquid that slushed around the equally concerning vials with a skull on them. It only made Calla worry while Marick was once again wondering what the man needed these for. The potion was instant death to anyone who consumes them and since the potion had no flavor to it, it could be added to anything without being detected. A concern for anyone who the blonde warlock was targeting. If it hadn¡¯t been a formal request, Marick would have turned it down. Such a potion didn¡¯t belong in the hands of someone like Aro.


    What was more annoying was when he ran out of vital items. Thankfully, the ingredients to make Death¡¯s kiss were simple, until many of the other potions he could make. They could easily be found in Rowien. However, Marick couldn¡¯t help but feel an uneasiness with having Calla outside the wards around the cottage. Aro could be anywhere, even if he wasn¡¯t fond of non-magicals. He only hoped the man had gotten bored and wandered off to find entertainment elsewhere.


    At breakfast, he had brought up needing to make a trip, the others seemingly sharing the wariness of such a thing, but nothing more could be done. It wasn¡¯t as if leaving Calla here was a safe option. Going alone seemed pointless as it would take more time to gather everything that was needed. Besides, Calla seemed eager not to let the threat of Aro stop her from enjoying the area around her. He couldn¡¯t help but find her determination to be calming. Still, he wanted to protect her from whatever Aro was planning with her. Soon enough, the group was dressed and headed off towards the markets of Rowien. As much as Marick wanted to order Calla to remain close to him the whole time, the stubborn girl wanted to show she wasn¡¯t afraid when they got to the market, ordering him to let her wander around but promising to remain within sight. It was clear he didn¡¯t like the idea but allowed it to happen.


    Even though the market was busy, Calla had felt safe enough to be on the other side of the street from Marick, knowing that the coven was keeping their eye on her. However, she wanted to feel safe enough to be on her own again. Given what Marick had told them, Aro didn¡¯t care much for non-magicals so, in her mind, the idea of him being in the city of Rowien was a slim chance. Calla let out a sigh, turning to look over the items at each stall.


    For the most part, it was different in wear and spices. With Rowien being a wealthy shipping area and trade district, the market was filled with sights and smells that were foreign to the former farm girl. It was as she perused the different items that her eyes caught the sight of something shimmering in the sunlight. It was a crystal flower with orange and purple petals. It was gorgeous and seemed to draw her attention, making her stop to look it over. The colors were bright and a smile rested on her face as she admired them.


    She hadn¡¯t noticed a shadow of someone joining her as she looked over the lovely flower before her. It was only when she felt fingers run through her hair that she looked up. She froze when she did, eyes widening before the hand swiftly moved from her hand to cover her mouth. A ringed finger with long black nails reached up and touched his lips as the tall blonde man next to her winked and shushed her softly before removing the finger from his mouth, gripping the orange orb of the cane as he set it down again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not make a dramatic uproar, little lamb,¡± Aro said calmly, moving his hand from her mouth to her shoulder once again, pulling her closer to him. Aro smiled playfully, his orange eyes scanning her with interest. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to disturb the peace now would we.¡±


    Her lips trembled as she looked up at him. She feared what he would do if she didn¡¯t follow the rules of whatever game he was playing but her eyes did glance back to see if Marick noticed. However, as she did, it was as if a pit sank in her chest. Marick wasn¡¯t around. Had she wandered off too far without noticing? Surely someone had an eye on her.


    ¡°If you are looking for the others, they are around, dear,¡± Aro said, making her look back up at him. His eyes were on the wares before them on the table. She couldn¡¯t believe a man like him didn¡¯t catch more attention as people moved about. In fact, it was as if no one gave him much attention at all other than he was another wealthy-looking man moving about. ¡°It would be rather careless of them to allow such a sweet little thing like you to wander off alone. I¡¯m sure it is only a matter of time before they see me with you.¡± His mouth curled into a wicked grin that made her shiver. ¡°But if they don¡¯t wish for our world to be exposed or there to be an issue that would result in the death of many a non-magical, they will behave themselves and allow me to enjoy the company of their little princess. Meaning, as long as I don¡¯t suddenly take off with you, they have no choice but to do this little dance with me for your safety.¡±


    His fingers touched the crystal rose she had been looking at as he took it into his hand as if holding a real rose, holding it up to allow the sunlight to catch it, sending rainbows to dance over his handsome features. She couldn¡¯t help but admire the look of the man next to her. Aro was darkness wrapped in the skin of pure light. There was something princely about him and it made her heart flutter with her conflict. Aro was beautiful and yet he was a monster.


    ¡°See something you like?¡± Aro suddenly asked, making Calla jolt, shivering as she realized she had been staring at him. His mouth curled into a smirk as he glanced down at her, rose in hand.


    Not wanting to give this wolf among sheep any more fuel, she figured it was best to change the subject. She frowned, trying to control the fear in her heart as she locked eyes with him. ¡°W-What are you doing here, Aro?¡± she asked. She saw him shiver at that, a look of sadistic pleasure washing over his face as his smile grew.


    ¡°What a lovely ring that has, my name on your lips.¡± he purred, making her swallow hard. He was enjoying this, the look of helpless fear she was trying to hide. ¡°Say it again. Just one more time~!¡±


    He gripped her shoulder tightly, making her let out a small sound of fright before she looked up at his expectant expression. Her lips quivered, wishing someone would take notice and stop him. ¡°A¡­Aro¡­¡± she said, trying to stop the tremble in her body. He shivered with delight before giving a pleased chuckle and standing tall again.


    ¡°Ahh, such a lovely sound indeed.¡± he purred before placing the crystal rose in her hair, much to her surprise. He leaned closer to her, touching her chin. ¡°What I would give to hear you cry that name out as I taught your body the ways of a man.¡±


    She glared up at him, trying not to look scared. ¡°Y-You¡¯re vile!¡± she snapped at him, making him give her a look of surprise before smirking. He let out a chuckle and stood tall again, waving off her comment.


    ¡°Sticks and stones, dear,¡± he said calmly before straightening his coat. ¡°If anything, I¡¯m on my best behavior. Isn¡¯t that right, my love?¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise at his words before she noticed the seething form of Marick standing not far behind him. Aro smirked and glanced over his shoulder towards Marick, seemingly ignoring his glare.


    ¡°Seems you found some way to heal those broken bones. Perhaps I should turn them to dust next time.¡± Marick said darkly. That seemed to remind Calla as she blinked, looking at the arm she now remembered that was broken the last time she had seen Aro. In response, Aro raised the arm and seemed to show how it was fully healed before turning to face Marick¡¯s direction, though making sure Calla couldn''t run off as he scooted her to remain by his side.


    ¡°Now, now, my love. We can flirt later.¡± Aro said, Calla, noticed the look of disgust on Marick¡¯s stern face. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen to your sweet little princess or the¡­ good non-magicals of this great city.¡± Calla looked up as Aro had paused when he spoke, noticing the slight displeasure of saying anything kind about non-magicals.


    Her eyes returned to Marick who seemed annoyed at how stuck they were in the situation as well. She frowned. ¡°Marick, I-!¡± she started, only for Marick to sigh.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault, Calla,¡± Marick said as his eyes were softer as he glanced her way only to return to the dark look he had when his eyes met Aro¡¯s smirking face. ¡°What are you after, Aro?¡±


    Aro hummed at that before he shrugged, changing which hand held the walking cane to allow him to run his fingers through Calla¡¯s hair again, his eyes falling on the crystal flower he had placed in her hair. ¡°Nothing in particular. I was bored and looking for entertainment,¡± he said as he did, his expression distant.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± Marick said suddenly, making Calla frown as Aro¡¯s expression went a little dark. ¡°Try again. What are you doing, and if you lie to me again, you know I can cause you harm without alerting those around us.¡± Calla looked around as people moved about. A few glanced their way but once again, it was as if something had been done that people wouldn¡¯t pay any attention to what was going on. Was this a spell?


    Aro hummed in thought and stood tall again. ¡°You need to be more aware of your surroundings, my love. Are you honestly not aware of who else has decided to wander her way into the city? You would think you would take better care of your pets with such threats in the area.¡± Aro said with a seriousness in his tone. It made Calla look between the two men as they locked eyes, confusion filling hers.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    However, before anything more could be said, Aro suddenly took Calla¡¯s hand with a smirk down at her. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s go for a walk, my pet,¡± he said, starting to walk off. He gave a lazy wave towards Marick. ¡°Be a dear and pay for the lovely item I gave to the dear girl, Marick. After that, you are free to join us.¡±


    ¡°You are not going anywhere with her, Aro!¡± Marick hissed as he stepped towards them, Calla panicking as she couldn¡¯t remove her hand from Aro¡¯s. Aro sighed and stopped, turning to glance back towards Marick.


    He held up their entwined fingers that Calla noticed began to dance with dark energy. That made Marick¡¯s eyes widen before he growled angrily. Calla felt a twinge of pain run up her arm, making her whimper and struggle but was unable to pull away. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to catch up,¡± Aro said in a calm but dark tone. ¡°I¡¯m not in a particularly good mood today my love. As much as I would love to keep playing this little game, now is not the time. If you don¡¯t want me to hurt her, you will not interrupt my day with her. If you don¡¯t trust me being alone with her, hurry and catch up.¡±


    Calla whimpered, tears in her eyes as the pain faded but she looked terrified at the two titans of the magical world staring each other down. Marick knew the best way to navigate this problem would be to follow the rules for now, but that didn¡¯t mean he had to like it. With that, Aro turned and began to lead her away. Calla looked panicked but could do nothing as he moved her hand to his arm. She looked back as they walked down the sidewalk as if nothing had happened, her heart racing in her terror.


    ¡°He¡¯ll catch up,¡± Aro said, making her look up at him with teary eyes. His playful expression had faded to a more serious one, which worried her more.


    She didn¡¯t know what to do, just looked forward, trying not to look scared but knowing that she was failing at that. Could she even reason with this man? It hadn¡¯t been that long ago that she had met Aro in the woods and that he had made his threats against her.


    Finally, the tension was getting to be too much and she just timidly looked up at the blonde warlock she walked with. ¡°W-Who were you warning Marick about?¡± she asked, just wanting anything to prevent this dangerous man from plotting anything. Aro seemed to smirk but it wasn¡¯t as playful as she had seen it before.


    ¡°Just a witch we both know,¡± he answered to her surprise, his orange eyes staying on the path forward. It didn¡¯t take long for her to put the pieces together and she frowned.


    ¡°You are talking about Madam Coffer¡­¡± she said, watching his eyes twitch slightly. The witch who had been one of the elite immortals that Aro and Marick had been in a coven with and one that Aro detested over everyone.


    He gave a hum in response to her realization before shifting her hand on his arm that he was making sure to keep there. ¡°Good, it¡¯s good that you are as bright as you are for a non-magical,¡± he answered in a calm tone for now. He seemed to be looking around before spotting what he seemed to be looking for. He used his cane to point in the direction of the natural park in the center of the city and smiled down at Calla. ¡°This way, dear.¡±


    Unable to do anything else, she allowed him to lead her to the park. Memories of her date with Marick filled her mind as Aro led her to a secluded area and took a seat on the bench there. He pulled her into sitting next to him before he leaned back, closing his eyes. He seemed to have a content look as he leaned back, crossing his legs and taking in a deep breath. It was strange seeing this man who she knew had done horrific things, take in nature in such a relaxed way. Calla just sat there, watching him but her heart was racing. If she ran, he would catch her. Hell, that was the least of what he could do if she tried that.


    Seemingly knowing her thoughts, Aro¡¯s smile turned to a bit of a wicked smirk. ¡°You can attempt to run. I¡¯d be interested in knowing how far you¡¯d get.¡± he seemed to tease coyly. His orange eyes opened again before he sat up, moving to tuck some hair behind her ear. ¡°As skilled as Marick is, he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach us in time before I would make you regret the choice to flee.¡±


    Calla shivered at that, her eyes pleading as she looked up at the man next to her. That only seemed to amuse him more, his smile growing. He scooted closer to her, trailing his long fingernails down her arm. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m trying so hard to be on my best behavior but if you keep tempting me with that sweet look of fear on your face, I won¡¯t be able to stop myself from indulging.¡± he purred into her ear.


    She whimpered at that, closing her eyes tightly and gripping her dress. ¡°P-Please¡­ I don¡¯t want any trouble!¡± she begged, hearing him give a breathy chuckle. He leaned in and kissed her cheek softly.


    ¡°That¡¯s up to what you do, dear.¡± he purred before resting his arm around her. ¡°I know my dear Marick has told you a few things about me. All good things I¡¯m assuming.¡±


    ¡°H-He told us that you are a time manipulator and why you were exiled,¡± she answered, figuring that was for the best to just have a conversation with him. He seemed to nod, giving a hum at that.


    ¡°That¡¯s more information than I expected him to share. The man has never been one to dive into his personal life.¡± Aro said with a smile, his eyes scanning her form again. ¡°Your name is Calla, correct?¡±


    She gave a nod and he gave a pleased look. ¡°A lovely name for a lovely girl,¡± he said, Calla, opening her eyes to watch him spinning his walking cane. ¡°The little non-magical who tells Marick what to do. I have to admit I¡¯m rather amused by it.¡± He seemed to chuckle, making her lock eyes with him again with a wary look. So he had been watching them. ¡°To think a cute little thing like you could pussy whip a descendent of Merlin without even allowing the man a place between your legs. You must be rather special to him indeed.¡±


    Calla couldn¡¯t help but allow her face to heat up at his words. In a way, he was as open about this kind of talk as Raven and Gwy were, but something about the way he spoke felt like a threat. Every fiber in her being told her to run from this man, especially as his eyes burned with a dark desire and his smirk grew wide. ¡°I thought for sure the three-week deadline would have Marick bed you right away. I¡¯m pleasantly surprised that you remain pure. Perhaps he seeks to unify our families with your womb and is allowing me to sow my seeds first~¡±


    ¡°N-No!¡± Calla exclaimed, pushing away from him. Aro just laughed at that, leaning back against the bench again. The sound of his amusement at her torment made her glare. ¡°You¡¯re a-!¡±


    ¡°Oh! Oh! Let me guess!¡± he interrupted as he looked more like an excited child than anything, moving closer to her. He smirked, tapping his chin. ¡°I¡¯m a handsome man? I¡¯m a monster? Oh! Or am I a heartless bastard?¡± Calla just closed her mouth, trembling as he chuckled. He took her hand and placed it on his chest, Calla frowning but looking confused as he did. The soft beating of his heart could be felt under the chill of his body.


    The feeling of his heart surprised her slightly. It was rather quick as if he was excited even as the giddy look of his expression faded to a calm one once again. He wrapped the arm clutching his cane around her and pulled her close, nuzzling her head softly as he gave a hum. ¡°Well, as you can feel¡­ I have a heart, a lively one at that even for an old man.¡± he purred, making her blush softly. Her body was betraying her with how it felt. It told her to run from danger but also grew flustered at the playfully dangerous tone he took. She felt like a puppet on strings, being pulled along with whatever Aro fancied and she hated it. ¡°But you are not wrong with thinking I¡¯m a monster. I am a lot of things, Calla, but pretending to be a saint is no one of them.¡±


    Her eyes met his at that, seeing his expression was oddly gentle as he took the hand off his chest and pressed his lips to the knuckles of her hand, not breaking eye contact with her. She frowned, trying to search his eyes for what he was planning. Moreover, she wondered what was taking Marick so long to catch up with them. She felt cold being alone with this man, a man who could and would do anything to her. She could see how he was restraining himself from his desires when their eyes met. It was like watching a caged lion with a weak lock.


    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± she felt her mouth say before she could stop it. He smirked before shrugging.


    ¡°As I said, I¡¯m bored.¡± he pointed out before scanning her face. He pulled her nearly snuggled against him. ¡°In all honesty dear, you should be thankful that I have taken an interest in you. You see, this is me keeping you safe.¡± Her eyes widened in surprise by that before seeing him hum and tap his chin. ¡°Or perhaps, it¡¯s more I am making sure that woman doesn¡¯t ruin my fun. I hate when she breaks my toys before I have a chance to play with them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re keeping me safe?¡± she questioned to which he smirked.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t assume I am doing this out of any kind of goodwill. If I allowed that witch a chance to get near you, I could lose the one thing keeping me entertained,¡± he said calmly though moving to run his fingers through her hair. His expression was distant as if he was lost in his thoughts. ¡°I have my own plans for you and Marick¡¯s coven and for them to happen, I can¡¯t have that witch snooping about. Besides, the woman will be downright nasty when she discovers which one of the members of this little coven holds your heart.¡± He playfully poked her nose at that, making her frown.


    ¡°You make it sound as if she is jealous of Marick¡¯s relationships.¡± Calla pointed out to which a sly smile ran across his face but he said nothing more about it. Seeing he was ending the conversation, Calla thought back to what he had said before that. ¡°Why me? Why this coven? Why can¡¯t you just leave everyone alone?¡±


    He raised a brow at that, seeing the slight anger in her eyes. ¡°Why? I feel as if I have answered this already. Boredom. It¡¯s really as simple as that.¡± Aro said with his smile returning. He hummed lightly, caressing her face. ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult for a non-magical to understand but the lives of the magical can become rather dull. Finding entertainment in the form of dealing with others is the only kind of pleasure I can find. Non-magicals have no value as unless I hurt them, they cannot give me pleasure.¡± His expression was dark as he held her close, making Calla whimper softly. He dug his nails into her side, leaning in to nip her ear. ¡°You on the other hand¡­ fascinate me.¡±


    ¡°S-Stop!¡± she begged, letting out a cry as he raked his nails over her back, raising to watch her reaction. He wasn¡¯t cutting into her this time but there was pressure on her back as if all he had to do was push a little harder and he could make her bleed again.


    ¡°I want to hear you crying my name, to whisk you away to a pocket area where I can hurt you and make you enjoy every minute of it. Alas, I cannot with such a pesky coven watching over you. So I have decided to steal you. If they die in the process, it¡¯s on them.¡± he said coldly. A mix of anger and fear pooled inside of her and she glared at him, pushing him away.


    ¡°No! I won¡¯t let you!¡± she yelled, gripping his vest with her trembling hands. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll..!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll what, dear?¡± he asked coyly, seemingly amused as he leaned back, watching her with interest.


    Calla paused at that, searching for any way she could handle this situation. He hadn¡¯t made any kind of move towards her, making her wonder if he was just toying for now. After all, he did claim that he had plans. Still, something didn¡¯t feel right. He was far too relaxed, seemingly more focused on messing with her rather than hurting her. Her eyes narrowed, seeing his own look curious at her expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re all talk¡­ You have no plans to hurt me or them, do you?¡± she asked. He seemed to give a hum at that before sighing.


    ¡°Dear, you really shouldn¡¯t tempt me like this,¡± he answered. Before she could react, she was suddenly grabbed by something, making her look wide-eyed as she was pulled off the bench by long shadowy snakes that wrapped around her. She let out a cry as her arms were pulled over her head and she found herself dangling as if the snakes were rope, tied to dangle from a tree just mere inches from the ground. Calla whimpered as she watched him get up, removing his hat and tapping his cane which glowed with his dark energy. He set the hat down on the bench as he moved over to where he had captured Calla, suspending his cane in the air as he did.


    Fear could not describe what Calla was feeling as Aro stood before her with cold eyes. Terror wasn¡¯t even the right word as he smirked and touched her face before running his hand down to grip her throat. ¡°Do you still think I am all talk?¡± he asked, ignoring her whimpers for him to stop. He hummed, pushing his own body against hers. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve been behaving myself since the first moment we walked into this area?¡±


    Calla trembled, closing her eyes only to feel Aro squeeze her neck. ¡°Oh no, dear. Keep those eyes open and on me,¡± he ordered darkly, making her whimper but opening her eyes to meet his again. He smiled again with a calmer look. ¡°Good girl.¡± He moved her legs around his lower body, her body feeling no longer being in her control. ¡°You see, your beloved coven has a protective bubble over this area. I assume they put it up the moment we walked in and sat down. The witch knows you and the others are here, and I¡¯ve been on my best behavior so as to not alert her to where I am. She knows that wherever I am, you and Marick wouldn¡¯t be too far.¡±


    ¡°I suspect this magic is Raven¡¯s doing but I can feel Marick¡¯s energy as well. It¡¯s rather strong for a warding spell but one could never be too careful when it comes to warlocks such as myself,¡± he said with a hum, his free hand tugging on the bow that rested on her bosom.


    ¡°A-Aro, please!¡± she begged, though she knew it was pointless, her eyes swelling with tears.


    He smirked, his eyes dancing over her body before returning to her gaze. ¡°Every time I touch you, it causes me excruciating pain. They really are making it difficult to want to do anything to you, but I have been in worse pain than this before,¡± he said. His words made her eyes widen. He was in pain?! Nothing in his expression even hinted at that. Then again, her mind returned to the first time she had seen him. Marick¡¯s curse had broken the man¡¯s hand in front of her, the memory of watching it twist and move unnaturally haunted her. Even then he didn¡¯t show any kind of pain on his face. ¡°I have every intention to do horrible things to you, my dear, no matter what kind of agony it puts me in.¡±


    He pushed his lower body against hers, making her yelp and struggle in the bindings she was in. ¡°A-Aro, I believe you! Please! I¡¯m sorry!¡± she whimpered, any words to defy him or logic fading with the fear she felt. He hummed at her words, gripping her face and pushing his lips to hers. She squealed at that, feeling his tongue forcing its way into her mouth and feeling the weight of it on her throat. She bit at his tongue anything to try and get him to stop, which only made him chuckle and groan in bliss into the kiss.


    As he commanded her mouth, his hands moved from her face and down her body before she felt him tear the bottom of her dress. She struggled as he did, the cold hitting any exposed flesh, and her crying increased as she felt his hand slip between them and begin messing with his pants. However, Aro soon pulled away from the kiss, letting out a cry of pain. Through her sobbing, she saw the white coat begin to bloom red. He growled in annoyance, reaching around to pull the large knife that had been tossed at his back before pulling away from Calla completely.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit rude, my love,¡± Aro said, more annoyed than anything as he turned to face Marick whose energy flowed around him with strange shapes she couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    Marick said nothing, holding his hand up to summon another knife into it. Aro just rolled his eyes, the knife turning to dust in his own. ¡°I warned you about the witch, didn¡¯t I? And I have been rather good for the most part. She tested me, I was merely showing her what good that does.¡± Aro said as he did, sighing.


    ¡°Let her down. Now.¡± Marick hissed with a fury that frightened even Calla but seemed only to bore Aro. The man sighed but smirked, folding his arms.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked with a tilt of his head. Aro waved his hands, the snakes that bound her flowing forward so that Aro could wrap his arms around her, kissing her neck and running his hands over her. ¡°Does she really mean that much to you, Marick? A replacement for Maria?¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes widened. Maria? Who was-? Her question would have to wait as Marick sent a spell towards Aro who blocked it but didn¡¯t seem to notice the second knife tossed at him. Aro let out a scream as the blade pierced his hand, making him growl before turning it to dust as well and watching the blood pour from his hand.


    ¡°You keep that name out of your damn mouth,¡± Marick said in a low, dark tone. Aro once again just gave him a blank stare.


    ¡°You¡¯re being rather dramatic, don¡¯t you think?¡± Aro said before he shook his head. ¡°A knight coming to save his princess.¡±


    ¡°Get out of my sight if you know what¡¯s good for you,¡± Marick said darkly, a pentagram appearing with a step of his foot. Aro seemed a bit less thrilled at the sight. He finally gave another sigh and glanced toward Calla, making her tremble.


    Aro smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. ¡°Seems that Marick wants to be a fun killer,¡± he said before snapping his fingers. The spell he used dissipated and Calla sank to the ground. With that, he turned and gave a half-wave towards Marick. ¡°If you wish to level a whole city of non-magicals, that¡¯s on you.¡± Marick just watched Aro as he calmly moved over to take up his cane and hat, setting it on his head. Marick''s intensity didn¡¯t change as he moved to place himself between Aro and Calla.


    ¡°Coffer is aware that you are here. I¡¯m not sure why you bothered to inform us of what she was doing, but you moving Calla away to allow us to send her off doesn¡¯t excuse what you just tried to do.¡± Marick said darkly, his eye contact intense. Aro simply continued to clean himself up, ignoring the blood that dripped over his clothes. The man acted as if he wasn¡¯t wounded in the slightest.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t a clue what you are talking about. I was merely trying to scare her. Though you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ve never done anything towards your girls, Marick. Things like that hold no interest for me.¡± Aro said as he did, turning to face the man again. He gave a small smirk, looking between Marick and Calla. The girl looked so helpless that it clearly amused him. ¡°She¡¯s not her, you know. And she¡¯s not like us.¡±


    Marick growled low, taking a step towards him only to stop when he felt Calla grip the back of his clothes. He paused to look back to see the trembling girl clinging to him. She was frightened. The look made him calm down as his energy started to dissipate. He turned to face Calla and held her close. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking so long to get here. Let¡¯s go home, Calla,¡± he said in a softer tone than how he had been earlier.


    ¡°How long do you plan to play with her, Marick?¡± Aro asked, making Marick tense. ¡°She is mortal, you will live forever. She is non-magical, frail, and weak. You know what happens to non-magicals who get close to you.¡±


    Calla looked up at Marick, frowning at Aro¡¯s words. She expected Marick to snap at him but the man seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°Her life and existence will be like a blink of an eye for us. In less than 100 years you will lose her, and that is only if you can keep her safe enough to have her last that long. And what then, dear. Will you break your promise to Hilden? Will you sow your seeds, and continue your family line with her? Will she give you a son or a daughter? Will you watch as she grows old while you stay the same? Watch as your children grow old and die. So much heartache over one non-magical.¡± he said through his words seemed sterner rather than playful. His words rang with a harsh reality, and oddly enough, his tone seemed to hold a longingness and sorrow in it. ¡°Keep a better eye on her or next time I will take her without alerting you or the others.¡±


    ¡°Over our dead bodies.¡± a voice growled. Calla felt the air growing tense as the others appeared around the area, all seeming angry while Blaise glared darkly. It had been him who spoke. However, Aro seemed unimpressed.


    ¡°That is the idea,¡± Aro answered, before glancing towards Marick¡¯s back again. Any notion of the seriousness he had before faded as his expression lightened again. ¡°You know I don¡¯t make threats. If I catch her alone again, I will make her mine.¡± His eyes met Calla¡¯s, making her shiver. He just scanned her face before smirking. ¡°You have two weeks left, little lamb. Marick or me, either way, I will make sure you will be joining us in the other realm.¡±


    There were sounds of protest from some of the others, but Calla¡¯s attention was on how tightly Marick held her close to him, making her look up into the dark look in his eyes. However, the man remained silent. It looked as if he had hundreds of things to say but not the words that were right in order to get across what he needed. Calla¡¯s attention returned to Aro who caught her stare and smiled. He removed his hat to give a bow to her before replacing it, standing tall.


    ¡°Have a good day boys,¡± He called before his smirk returned. ¡°And enjoy the flower, Maria¡¯s replacement.¡±


    Marick¡¯s eyes glared as he turned to turn the dark look towards Aro. ¡°She isn¡¯t-!¡± he started before Aro disappeared with a raise of his cane.


    The area was silent a moment before Raven sighed, running his fingers through his hair. ¡°Madam Coffer fled, I felt her energy headed back to the twisted woods. She was in bad shape so I doubt she will come after us for a while.¡± Raven reported, making Calla look his way. Marick seemed to be watching where Aro went before sighing and nodding.


    ¡°To think he was telling the truth about her plans. I knew that woman was crazy but to come all the way to Rowien to grab Calla is ridiculous.¡± Blaise muttered in annoyance.


    ¡°Aro hates that woman. He always has. It doesn¡¯t surprise me in the slightest that he got involved as it was to cause misery for her.¡± Marick muttered, before looking down at Calla. His eyes softened. ¡°I apologize, Calla.¡±


    She frowned but shook her head. ¡°I ordered you to let me explore and was the one who wandered off, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± she said, looking off. There was a lot on her mind so she didn¡¯t notice Gwydion had moved over to her before she felt him touch her shoulder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any wounds, do you? Did he hurt you at all?¡± Gwydion asked, his expression serious as he seemed to eye the rip in her dress. ¡°What did he do?¡±


    Calla jolted at that before she shook her head. ¡°N-Nothing¡­ Marick¡­ Marick got to me before he could do anything.¡± she said as she frowned again. ¡°He just¡­ talked with me. To be honest, he didn¡¯t even try anything until I said he was all talk.¡± She looked off. ¡°He had every chance to hurt me before that, even with the wards in place, right?¡±


    There was a sigh and she looked up to see Raven standing tall and folding his arms. ¡°We did say he likes to play games. But I never expected him to actually warn us about a threat.¡± he pointed out, turning his attention towards Marick who was oddly silent about the whole situation.


    ¡°Perhaps he just didn¡¯t like the competition,¡± Blaise muttered, resting his hands behind his head. ¡°Marick did say he doesn¡¯t like Coffer, not that I blame him there.¡±


    Marick was silent but he soon looked up, meeting Raven¡¯s gaze before waving it off with his hand. ¡°There is no use speculating when it comes to what he does. For now, we have what we came here for. Let¡¯s get back to the cottage before he gets any ideas to come back.¡± he commanded, everyone giving a nod in agreement.


    It was the middle of the night when Calla awoke. The rest of the evening had been as if nothing had happened. She helped Gwy with dinner, the group seemed to talk about things in the other realm and by nightfall, Marick had returned to his potion area to finish up the batch he had made while Calla read some books she had found before going to bed. Knowing he had finished, she was surprised when he hadn¡¯t joined her, the bed feeling cold without him next to her or even holding her as he had been the last few nights.


    ¡°Marick?¡± she called, rubbing her eyes as she let her eyes adjust to the dark room before seeing him seated at his desk. He didn¡¯t seem to be sleeping, but he was off in thought. It made her frown before she climbed out of the bed and moved over to him. She touched his shoulder, which seemed to snap him from his thoughts as his eyes found hers. There was a flicker before the candle nearby lit up, the light from it illuminating their faces.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asked, scanning her face. The question upset her slightly as she searched his eyes for any sign of what thoughts were behind them.


    ¡°I was worried when you didn¡¯t come to bed¡­¡± she answered. That seemed to perk his mood up slightly, a small smile resting on his lips before he soon hummed and it faded.


    ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about today,¡± he admitted. Why did he have to hold his thoughts from here like this?


    ¡°Marick,¡± she started, him seemingly tensing at what she was going to say, almost as if he was aware. ¡°I order you to talk to me¡­ please¡­ what¡¯s on your mind?¡± His eyes returned to hers as he gave a slight scowl at that. However, he soon sighed and nodded. He got to his feet, motioning her to follow him.


    ¡°Fine, but let¡¯s go outside. I want some fresh air,¡± he said, Calla nodding as she followed him out to the small bench he summoned just by the garden. It was a cool night, Calla wondered if winter was not too far away. Marick took a seat and she soon joined, looking out at the forest at night. There were sounds of the creatures of the forest moving about, an owl¡¯s call echoing around them, and the chirping of bugs. She looked up at Marick to see his eyes were closed, almost taking in the night around him.


    Calla took the time to take in his look in the moonlight. He was almost angelic in the light of the moon, his silver hair falling around him as he moved his head, allowing it to fall over his shoulders. For the first time, she really took in the reality of it all. Marick was a descendent of Merlin, an incredibly powerful warlock and here she was, a non-magical who only was able to tell him what to do because he cared about her. No matter what he said, the fact that she shared a bed with someone like him was a big deal.


    She didn¡¯t realize they had said nothing for a while before he gave a sigh and his purple eyes opened to look her way, making her frown at the distant look in his eyes. ¡°I was thinking about what Aro said to me in the park,¡± he admitted, making her look surprised but she soon looked worried. There had been a lot that the blonde warlock had said and it seemed a lot of it hit Marick harder than Calla expected. He had looked as if he had been deep in thought since.


    ¡°What about what he said?¡± she asked, wondering more about what was on his mind. He hummed at that, seemingly hesitating before he shook his head out of it. Whatever was on his mind, he knew he couldn¡¯t keep it from her forever.


    ¡°You¡­. You remind me of someone who was very special to me.¡± He said finally as he reached to run his fingers through her hair, making her blush more. ¡°You are curious and a bit reckless, gentle and yet stern when you need to be. Though you are not completely the same as her, there are qualities that bring back those memories. Memories that I have been trying to avoid until now.¡±


    She blinked at that, her heart beating warmly. She thought back to what Aro had said. ¡°Are¡­. are you talking about Maria?¡± she asked softly, seeing a saddened look cross Marick¡¯s face. It seemed to hit the nail on the head.


    He gave a small nod at that, returning his hands to his lap. ¡°I told you before that my opinion of non-magicals that I had during my younger years in Hilden¡¯s coven changed when I got older. It had to do with Maria,¡± he said calmly, his eyes distant. Calla was surprised to see him opening up about it, remaining silent as she listened. ¡°I first met her during a mission our coven was sent out to complete. A rather powerful vampire had taken residency in a kingdom that used to be located in the very north of the land. He had killed the seated non-magical king of the kingdom and began to build an army of bitten vampires. The royals of the magical realm wanted the situation handled and the vampires killed so as to stop the spread of knowledge of the magical realm being exposed. In reality, it was an easy mission, but tedious. Those who hadn¡¯t been turned were kept in constant fear. Young men and women were taken to the castle as food if they were caught out late or if they caught the eyes of the vampire lord.¡±


    Marick glanced toward Calla, giving a sigh. ¡°We were split into teams once we entered the kingdom. I was working with Madam Coffer to gather information about the best way to get to the vampire lord without him escaping. It had been her choice to work with me, though I assume it was because pairing her with Aro was becoming more of a problem each time. Aro and Coffer are like vinegar and water, they¡¯ve never gotten along. I can at least tolerate Aro in small doses but Coffer has never been able to be around Aro without the fight breaking out.¡± he explained. It made Calla think back to Aro¡¯s reaction when hearing the name Madam Coffer. Even now he held such disdain for the woman that she could believe what Marick was saying about them. ¡°At any rate, it was during that time when we ran into Maria. She had been a handmaiden for the late king¡¯s daughter and fled the castle when the royal family had been slaughtered. She knew her way around the castle and was more than willing to assist us. She.. caught me off guard. One would have thought she would refuse to help us given what the vampires had been doing. In fact, many non-magicals fled from us when we had first arrived. Maria, though, she wasn¡¯t afraid, not even when we started to use magic around her.¡±


    ¡°With Maria¡¯s aid, we were able to take care of the mission with no continued issues and smoother than it would have been originally. After the mission was completed, I found myself spending time with her more and more. It¡­ bothered the others of course. Madam Coffer and Aro especially found irritation in us getting close. The day I asked to marry her, I thought for sure the two of them would cause problems.¡± he noted with a sigh, rubbing his eyes. ¡°We were married for a few years and they were some of the happiest moments of my life.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, seeing the pain in his eyes again. ¡°What¡­ What happened to her?¡± she asked softly.


    Marick frowned with a trace of bitterness in his look as he started forward. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted, making her give him a look of surprise. He sighed, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table. ¡°I had gone to complete a smaller assignment with Hilden. Aro had gone off after Lazier to take care of a rebellion in the vampire kingdom but had killed Lazier on their way back, returning back to our home before I had. As far as I know, Coffer had remained behind to handle some of the magical items we had gathered.¡± His expression was dark as he thought it over. ¡°No one will give me a clear answer as to what happened. Aro claims that Coffer did something, Coffer claims Aro was behind it. Either way, when I returned home with Hilden, I found my wife bewitched with madness and agony. Her body wasn¡¯t in control and she was harming herself screaming about beetles under her skin. I know the spell that had to have been used. It makes the body rot from the inside and boils the brain to the point that the person attacks themselves and everyone around them. It¡¯s a slow death with no counter to it.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes were wide with horror. To think someone had done something so horrible. She could understand how it could have been done by either person, both seemingly finding sickening enjoyment in the pain of others. Marick sighed, leaning back.


    ¡°My wife, my Maria¡­ in the few glimpses of humanity I saw left in her eyes, begged for death¡­ and I was the one who granted it to her,¡± he said, his words cold. The area was silent as if even the birds and bugs around them were silenced from his words. ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t see her suffer like that. No spell or potion in the world could have reversed what had been done. I remember hearing Hilden speaking to the other two but I don¡¯t remember what was said. I took her away from that place and buried her in a place we always went to get away from them.¡± He looked up towards the ceiling, his eyes were distant. ¡°Aro says I was at her grave for about four days, not eating, not drinking. Only he tried to speak to me but I refused to listen to him. To this day, he swears he never harmed Maria. As for Coffer, she either dismisses the subject or doesn¡¯t bring it up when I see her. Either way, I left the coven that night and went into hiding. I heard that Hilden was killed years later but it meant nothing to me by that point.¡±


    She was quiet for a moment longer before she touched his arm, making his purple eyes look her way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said softly. He watched her a moment before shaking his head.


    ¡°You have nothing to apologize for, Calla. That happened years before you were born¡­ you had nothing to do with it,¡± he said, scanning her eyes. Calla frowned at that but shook her head.


    ¡°I¡­ I know that. I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ve had to live with that pain for so long. You were suffering and I¡­ I didn¡¯t notice.¡± she answered as she did. Marick frowned at that, watching her a moment more before sighing.


    ¡°You have a good heart, but I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t have noticed anything. As I said, I don¡¯t particularly like speaking of my past and I¡¯ve mastered not showing much in the way of emotion with time.¡± he pointed out, moving to rest an arm around her.


    Calla looked off as she thought over all that he told her, glad that he had opened up to her like this. Still, something bothered her, making her frown as her eyes soon returned to him. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t mean to pry, but¡­ what if Aro is telling the truth?¡± she asked, seeing his attention snap to her. She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know him the way you do. However, from what I have seen, he¡¯s a violent and terrifying man¡­ but he doesn¡¯t lie about what he will do or has done.¡±


    Marick rolled his eyes at that. ¡°Great, now you are saying the same things he does,¡± he muttered which made her pout slightly at that. However, before she could protest he sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that before. The truth is if Aro is telling the truth and it was Coffer who did such a horrific thing to Maria¡­ All that would change is that I would know. I already do not trust either of them. The only difference between them is that I¡¯m willing to be around Aro for a longer period of time as he behaves himself when I keep my eye on him. Coffer¡­ I never know what she¡¯s thinking which bothers me more.¡±


    He gave a sigh, looking off. ¡°I don¡¯t get close to people, and I have avoided doing so for a long time. I kept to myself, staying out of the public eye and making sure people couldn¡¯t find me.¡± He gave a slightly amused smirk as a memory hit his mind. ¡°That was what surprised me most when one day I went to gather materials and at my door were two young warlocks who started some spiel about how they were making a coven and wanted me to join them as their mentor. I have no idea how Raven and Gwydion managed to locate me, but they made it an annoying habit to return every morning, Raven making up a spiel that was different from the day before but had the same ideas in it. They did that every day for a month before I finally agreed.¡± His smirk faded as he sighed. ¡°The coven doesn¡¯t replace what I have lost, but it has opened my eyes to the good that Maria would tell me was in the world.¡±


    She was about to comment but his purple eyes locked with hers as he continued, ¡°After that, Blaise found his way to my cottage, seeking someone to teach him magic. A non-magical sensitive to magic but still interesting to see.¡± he started before an amused half-smile rested on his lips again. ¡°But the most surprising thing was when a wounded young woman accidentally found my cottage trying to escape a life completely different from that of the world of magic. A young woman who managed to do things I never thought I would witness. One who showed little fear when it came to things she couldn¡¯t comprehend. A girl who didn¡¯t know how to react to complete strangers showed her kindness. A girl who asks questions and looks amazed at everything we do. A girl who for some reason made the choice to walk into the front room when I was making potions to ask if she could help me. One who, for very good reasons and to punish me for what I did, forced me to follow her orders or she would never forgive me.¡±


    She blushed softly at that, seeing the hint of warmth in his gaze as watched her. Listening to him talk about how she became a part of the coven made her heart warm as she smiled at him. ¡°You make me sound like I changed everything when I decided to enter the cottage and hid in your closet,¡± she said with a giggle. He gave a slight hum at that, a slight laugh before he patted her head gently.


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t know any other way to explain it.¡± he pointed out as he held her closer, enjoying the feeling of her warmth at his side. ¡°Calla, from the moment you arrived here, you have had an impact on our lives. There are days that I find myself feeling as if you have always belonged here with us. It¡¯s hard to picture this coven without you.¡± However, those words seemed to make him look off, a distant look in his eyes. It made her frown at that, but before she could ask, he shook his head, glancing her way. ¡°You are a part of this coven and no matter what, we will keep you safe. Safe from the dangers of the other realm, from Aro, and from Coffer.¡±


    ¡°I will never understand what makes me so special that you all are willing to do so much for me. Wouldn¡¯t it just be easier to send me away?¡± she asked before jolting as he gave her a slightly annoyed stare at that.


    ¡°Calla, I might be a lot of things, but I am not that cruel of a man to even think of something like that,¡± he stated sharply, making her blush and look off. He soon sighed, shaking his head. ¡°You mean a lot to this coven, whether you think so or not. And more than that, you mean a great deal to me.¡± Her eyes widened as she looked up at him again. His eyes were gentle as they met hers again. ¡°I might show it well, but I adore you and I will for the rest of my life.¡±


    Her heart beat with warm thuds as she blushed softly. She didn¡¯t know how to feel about his words but she knew he meant what he said. She opened her mouth, trying to think of what to say before he sighed and got to his feet. She blinked at that before seeing him offer a hand to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. The last thing I need is for you to pick up my bad habit of staying up all night. How about you turn in for the night?¡± he asked, though it wasn¡¯t really a question. She stared for a moment before taking his hand, allowing him to help her to her feet.


    He turned to move over to the door only to stop when she grabbed his arm. She was about to ask when she stopped herself, shaking her head before giving him a serious look. ¡°Join me,¡± she said as close to order as she could make it sound with the cute blush on her face. ¡°I¡­I know you finished those potions already. You are just making extras to have here and you can start those tomorrow.¡±


    He had looked over his shoulder at her but sighed and faced forwards. Unseen by Calla, a smirk rested on his face. ¡°Is that a request?¡± he asked with a slight playfulness in his voice.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s an order,¡± she answered which made him shake his head, his smirk growing as his eyes stared gently.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± he answered before leading her back into the house, the sounds of nature returning to the forest around them.


    The first few weeks seemed to go by before anyone knew it, but soon enough the last week had arrived. If everyone was stressed, they had been good at not showing it. Every day had been filled with making sure everything was ready for when they left and every night had found Marick cuddling Calla close as they slept. She had made sure to help out where she could to make sure she didn¡¯t get in the way, mostly making sure everything was clean and that the guys were not overworking themselves. It was the fact that Marick had been holding her at night and that she had been so focused on everyone¡¯s health and needs that when she woke up to find the bed empty, she had been concerned. Calla got out of bed and looked around, not seeing him in the house. That could only mean one thing and she moved to open the door to look outside. Her suspicion was correct, seeing him sitting at the bench near the garden seemingly off in thought or at least taking in the night.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± Calla called as she walked over to where Marick was seated, the light of the full moon made him look as if he was glowing as he looked up at the sky. He turned his head to look her way, his purple eyes gentle but looking as if a thought that had been behind them was growing smaller.


    He seemed to scan her before letting out a sigh, his warm breath creating a cloud with the cool air of the still night. He turned away from her but motioned her over. ¡°You could say that,¡± he answered calmly, his eyes finding her form again. Where she had found him stunning in the light of the moon, he felt the same. Calla was like an angel that had appeared next to him. He couldn¡¯t deny how he felt about her and seeing her in the cool light of the moon was enchanting.


    ¡°You should be resting.¡± Marick finally said after a moment, his eyes returning to the sky above them. Calla couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly before looking off, a small blush on her face. She tugged on her night dress.


    ¡°I¡­ um¡­ couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± she said softly as she did. ¡°The¡­ bed felt empty and I couldn¡¯t get warm.¡± Her eyes glanced up towards him, blinking in surprise as she caught him giving a slight smirk at that, finding amusement in her words.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked, not really as a question, though his eyes were not leaving the sky. His expression looked so distant, so deep in thought. It made Calla wonder if he would ever fully share the thoughts within his mind. He gave a hum in thought, catching her attention again as his head tilted to the side, his long silver hair falling around his shoulder. ¡°I would think you would be used to staying in an empty bed. After all, it¡¯s not as if we share my bed all the time. Perhaps I have been spoiling you too much lately¡­¡±


    Her expression softened at that, her mind filled with the memory of being held by him the last few nights. The warmth of his body, the smell of fire on his clothing, the feeling of his surprisingly strong body against her. It had been the first time she felt more than just a guest in his bed and even then it was just being held. He didn¡¯t touch her more than rubbing her back, he didn¡¯t kiss her. It was as if all he wanted was to hold her close.


    She shifted where she sat before looking off. ¡°Spoiling me¡­ all we¡¯ve done is cuddle.¡± she returned, before smiling. ¡°But¡­ It has been nice..¡± She looked up at him, seeing his attention was on her.


    He raised a brow at that curiously. ¡°You say that as if you are disappointed,¡± he noted, making her eyes widen.


    ¡°N-No! Not at all!¡± she exclaimed back, shaking her head with a deep blush on her face. He didn¡¯t look that convinced but he watched her a moment before smirking and getting to his feet. She looked confused before he held his hand out to her.


    ¡°I guess since I am the reason behind you not being able to sleep, I should make it up to you. Will you accompany me for a walk?¡± he asked. Calla blinked in surprise but took his hand, allowing for him to help her up.


    ¡°O-Of course¡­¡± she said softly, getting to her feet and looking up to the tall handsome man before her. ¡°But where to?¡±


    ¡°I know of a place that I think you would like. It¡¯s a bit deeper into the forest.¡± Marick said, glancing towards the forest before them. Calla looked hesitant at that, surprised to hear him wanting to leave the safety of the wards.


    ¡°You want to leave the wards?¡± she asked, grabbing his attention her way again.


    ¡°As much as I don¡¯t trust Aro, he also knows better than to attack me while I am out,¡± he noted calmly with a sigh. ¡°I also trust him not to want to pick a fight. As I said, he is under the impression that we are some kind of friends or lovers. As long as you stay by my side, he won¡¯t show up or at least bother us.¡±


    She held his hand tighter but nodded. ¡°I trust you¡­ besides, I¡¯m not foolish enough to wander away from you this late at night,¡± she said with a soft smile up at him. Marick gave a knowing nod before he turned to lead her off in a direction.


    They were quiet as they walked, Calla clinging to him as they moved through the forest. The light of the moon illuminated their path as the sounds of the wind blowing around were the only other sound that could be heard. Calla couldn¡¯t help but look up at him curiously. Marick seemed lost in thought. It was odd to see him looking like this, but she didn¡¯t feel afraid, not even after leaving the wards. He had an aura around him that was far stronger than any of the magic she felt from the others, including the feeling of safety that Raven could make her feel with his special ability. It really made it clear the difference in power that Marick had compared to the others.


    ¡°Are you nervous about being away from the cottage with me?¡± he asked after a moment, snapping her from her thoughts. It was only then that she realized he was looking down at her. She blushed softly but shook her head.


    ¡°No¡­ I was just thinking about some things,¡± she said calmly, looking forwards. She gave a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s a different feeling being out here with you than on my own. Even being out with Blaise to gather things¡­ I can feel a difference with you here.¡± She clung to his arm, looking up at him.


    He raised a brow slightly before humming in thought and looking forward. ¡°Well I would hope so,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m a lot older than the others and my power is much more significant¡­¡±


    She gave a soft giggle at that. ¡°Right¡­ you do claim to be a descendent of a great warlock of legend,¡± she said, to which Marick gave a small grin at that but was quiet as he looked forward. After a while of walking, Marick stopped, waving his hand to pull back some of the bushes in their way.


    The sight before her was off a cliff with a view of the large city below. Her eyes were wide seeing the barely lit city below as the candles around the area were being put out for the night. She had no idea how they had managed to get here, a part of her wondering if at some time he had used some kind of magic to get them here. He did say his magic was subtle.


    She blinked, pulling away to move a little closer so as to look down at the city below. They were silent a moment before he moved forward to sit at the edge. Calla looked hesitant at that, worried at being so close to the edge but as Marick seemed to be fine, she soon joined him.


    ¡°I found this location when I first built the cottage nearly 200 years ago. I find it useful to watch what non-magicals do and how they change over time without being too close,¡± he said after a moment, making her look at him. His eyes were distant again as he looked down at the city below. ¡°It¡¯s rather interesting¡­ watching your kind and how things change for them over time. Beings without magic¡­ I am not sure how to feel about them but I am curious to witness how they will progress over time.¡±


    She was silent at that but soon looked forward in thought. ¡°...What¡¯s it like¡­ living for so long?¡± she asked after a while. Her eyes fell to him but he didn¡¯t move for a while, his eyes distant but gentle.


    After a moment he sighed and moved to close and rub his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s hell,¡± he admitted, making her frown at his words. He removed his hand to look her way. He gave a sigh, moving his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. ¡°I¡¯ve watched people come and go over time¡­ and I have to be careful about where I go as I can¡¯t have non-magicals catch on that I am not aging the same as they do. Then, there are those in the other world who want to use the power I have. For a long time, I just wanted to be left alone from both worlds¡­ but even that tends to be rather lonely.¡±


    Her expression softened at that, leaning into his touch. ¡°It does sound lonely¡­¡± she said, scooting closer to him. ¡°But now you have the coven¡­ doesn¡¯t that make things at least a little easier?¡±


    His look became a bit sad. ¡°Calla¡­ you know that I will outlive them... I¡¯ll outlive you,¡± he said softly. He gave another sigh. ¡°It seems the only one who will live as long as I will is the one person in this world I hate the most¡­ and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s doing that just to drive me insane.¡± He pulled away from her and leaned back to look up at the sky. ¡°I¡¯ve always lived with the thought that it would be better to be alone and not grow close to others¡­ it makes it easier than watching those you care about grow old and pass on.¡±


    Calla watched him for a moment not sure what to say. His eyes were distant again, making her wonder what was on his mind. Had there been more than just the thoughts of Maria that had plagued his mind?


    ¡°You¡¯ve had that look in your eye since the meeting¡­¡± she pointed out, making him look her way. ¡°Like you have something on your mind¡­ tell me what you are thinking¡­¡±


    He watched her for a moment but he gave a small sigh. ¡°Right¡­ I guess I do still have to follow your orders¡­¡± he noted before running his fingers through his hair. ¡°To be honest¡­ a part of me has wanted to be selfish and give you more than the year I owe you¡­ make you immortal so I have someone else by my side¡­¡± he said before giving a sigh and looking up at the sky. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t do that to you¡­ I¡¯m not that cruel to curse you to live forever for my sake. That has been one of the few thoughts that have been going through my mind as of late.¡±


    ¡°We did have a similar conversation while in the city¡­¡± she pointed out, her eyes gentle as she watched him. ¡°Have you given it any more thought about sharing years with the coven?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± he answered with a nod before shrugging. ¡°I will bring it up with them. If they desire to do so, I will share my years with them.¡± His eyes found her¡¯s, his expression hard to read but soft. ¡°What of you?¡±


    She blinked at that. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.


    To her surprise, Marick sat up, grabbing her chin and bringing her face closer to his. Being so close made her heart race, her face growing hot. ¡°...Do you want to become immortal?¡± he asked, his eyes locking hers in place. Even now he was a commanding view, his purple eyes seeming to search her very soul and make her body quiver.


    She couldn¡¯t help but hesitate at his question. Immortality. Something like that had never passed her mind before and yet now she was next to a man who would do just that. Though, she didn¡¯t have to think long about it as she grip his shirt, her eyes softening.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± she said, though he didn¡¯t move, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, making her look at him with surprise. ¡°I tell you that immortality is hell and you agree to it with little thought. Do you understand what that means? If I did this, there is no taking it back without causing some issue. You will no longer be seen as human.¡±


    ¡°I love you¡­¡± Calla said, seeing Marick pause, just watching her. She knew her face was red, feeling the heat of her face and the racing heart in her chest. Her eyes drifted away from the stare of his purple eyes. ¡°I...I know it sounds strange, falling for someone I haven¡¯t known for very long...but¡­ those words feel right. You and the others¡­ you had no reason to take me in but you did. I feel safer around the coven than I do non-magicals. You especially help me feel safe when you are around and I enjoy spending time with you.¡± She met his eyes again as she frowned. ¡°No matter what you¡¯ve done in the past, you are a good man. You speak your mind, never lie, and you¡¯ve gotten better at asking before you do anything to me. And unlike Raven and Gwydion, you haven¡¯t been pushing the line or pressuring me into doing things with you.¡±


    They were silent for a moment before Marick gave a hum at that. ¡°You make me sound like a saint,¡± he muttered, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Have you forgotten that I was the one that informed you that you needed to give your body to one of us?¡±


    She blushed at that, looking off. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± she said before hugging herself with the cold air around them. ¡°But I have also been sharing a bed with you since I arrived. You told me that I had to make love to someone for my safety, but you¡¯ve never touched me while we slept next to each other or anything like that.¡± She gave a small giggle. ¡°I honestly believe that you have no desire to do anything like that to me.¡±


    That seemed to make him pause before he gave a sigh. ¡°Calla,¡± he said calmly, waiting for her eyes to meet him before he continued. He shook his head. ¡°I am as much of a man as any of the others. You are foolish to believe that I don¡¯t desire you or any woman for that matter.¡± He closed his eyes, looking forward. ¡°When we come back from rather stressful missions in the other realm, it¡¯s not just Raven and Gwydion who head to the non-magical areas for some attention. I might not voice my intention as openly as the others, but I am not above a meaningless tumble in the sheets with someone. I¡¯ve had more than my fair share of sexual partners in my extended existence.¡± He opened his eyes again, staring off. ¡°I¡¯m not much of a gentleman about it. Actually, Gwydion says I am pretty straightforward when I want the touch of a woman. Raven would argue that I tend to be more tightly wound and so he often tells me to seek attention when we are out.¡±


    He glanced at her, taking notice of her red face as she looked off. She didn¡¯t really want to think about Marick with random women. ¡°As for my attraction to you,¡± he started, her eyes turning his way again. ¡°I may not be affectionate, but that doesn¡¯t mean I haven¡¯t thought about bedding you.¡±


    Calla looked surprised at that, giving a shy look up at him. She had memories of Marick touching her when she had first arrived, though he hadn¡¯t been inappropriate to her during that time, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had been on his mind. ¡°Y-You have?¡± she asked softly, to which Marick just nodded in response.


    ¡°Why do you seem surprised by that?¡± Marick asked, tilting his head with a stern look on his face. ¡°Whether you think so or not, you are a lovely young woman, Calla. Any man in all the realms would be lucky to have you by their side, regardless of the status of your birth. Poor or rich, magical or non-magical, royalty or farmer, you are captivating. Everyone in this coven thinks so.¡± He leaned close to her, touching her face with his fingertips. ¡°I have touched your skin before, yet I wonder how it feels completely cupped in my hands. I have tasted your lips and yet I desire more.¡± A calm smile curled its way onto his mouth. ¡°I dream of seeing an expression on you that only I will witness. To steal everything from you and make you mine.¡±


    The smile faded from his face and he sighed, his eyes gentle. ¡°I¡¯m a selfish man, Calla. I always have been. I steal life to keep myself alive. I¡¯ve thought about making you immortal to keep you by my side forever. I desire to claim every part of your body and hold your attention.¡± he said in a low tone, resting his forehead on hers. Calla¡¯s body quivered with him so close, her body warm with her blush even with the cool of the night. ¡°I adore you, Calla. I mean it. But I don¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    She just watched him for a while, her heart fluttering at his words. Wordlessly, she leaned in and caught his lips, her eyes closing. She felt him tense at that but he soon gave a low groan, returning the kiss. The kiss lasted longer than any of the ones that came before, neither wanting to pull away. A cold chill from the wind made Calla shiver and break the kiss. Her eyes opened and looked up into his as he seemed to search her face.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get sick if we stay out here much longer¡­¡± he said calmly, however, he didn¡¯t pull away. In fact, he pulled her closer to him, his lips moving to her neck. Calla shivered, eyes closing in bliss as his warm breath and lips touched her neck, trailing down it slowly.


    ¡°M-Marick¡­!¡± she moaned softly, clinging to him as he easily moved her to lay down on the cool ground with him over her. He gave her neck one more kiss before he sighed again.


    ¡°Calla, if I stole your innocence, right here and now¡­ would you stop me?¡± he asked calmly, though a hint of desire rested in his tone. His hands moved down her sides, making her squirm with her own lust building. Her body was dotted with goose bumps from the cool air and the heat between them. It was strange to be in a situation like this with Marick of all people, but she wouldn¡¯t want this with anyone else.


    She blushed more, running her fingers into his hair which made him pull away to look down at her. ¡°You... You can¡¯t steal it¡­ if I let you have it.¡± she said softly, watching as desire filled his gaze. She played with his hair, locking her eyes with his. ¡°My body is yours to take, Marick¡­¡±


    That seemed to be all he needed to hear as his lips met hers again, making her let out a small moan. She shivered, her nightdress easily pulling up and over her head as Marick broke the kiss, moving his mouth to her chest. Her eyes closed tightly as she felt him explore her body with his hands and mouth, trailing kisses over her chest and groaning as he heard her make soft sounds of pleasure at what he did.


    Her skin was cool from the air around them but warmed where his hands moved. Everything about her was intoxicating to his senses and whatever air he put on to hide his desire for her was gone, him no longer holding back how badly he needed and wanted her. Marick pulled away only a moment to pull off his robe, moving to put it behind her head as Calla ran her hands over his body, making him shiver slightly. He couldn¡¯t help but watch the girl below him as she ran her hands over his body while he easily separated her legs and settled between them. The desire in her eyes made him let out a staggered breath, a cloud of steam exiting into the cold night. Calla nearly glowed in the light of the moon, her soft flesh a light red with a blush.


    He leaned back down to her, returning her lips to hers and lacing his fingers with hers, pinning her hand to the ground. Calla moaned into the kiss, falling into his desire before gripping his hand tighter with a small sound of discomfort. Her legs trembled, hips lifting as his own met hers. He broke the kiss with a sigh, looking down at her before moving his hand to remove a tear from her eyes.


    There were no words between them as he kissed her softly, each tender kiss a promise that he loved her and would keep her safe. She returned each kiss before he started to move, making her make a small moan and cling to him. Her body quivered, the cool of the night not reaching how warm her body felt with him. He let out a hum in bliss, leaning down to move his kisses to her neck, covering her body with his own as he felt his own pleasure wash over him. Marick was a selfish man, and tonight he gave in to his desires, the calm cool night filled with her cries and moans in pleasure at his motions. Here under the full moon, the only warmth from each other, he made Calla his and savored the look, sound, and feel of her for as long as they could last.


    Marick placed Calla in his bed, pulling the blankets around them as he soon joined her. Her body still had sweat glisten in the moonlight that reached through the small cracks of the windows as he moved a piece of her hair off her face before leaning in to kiss her softly. He held her close, resting his head on the pillow next to her as he smiled to himself. ¡°Sleep well,¡± he whispered, his own eyes closing and already beginning to drift off. ¡°I love you, Calla.¡±


    Marick¡¯s love for Calla has increased.


    Into the other realm! The story continues for Marick in Chapter 17!

 Call for Raven

    ¡°Raven!¡±


    Through her blind tears, she could see Raven seething, his dark magic flowing around him. However, as she cried his name Calla felt Aro¡¯s hand stop. Her blood would run cold as he began to laugh wildly as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.


    ¡°Raven? The man who hates non-magicals?¡± Aro questioned, making Calla¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Then I know just what to do with you.¡± She looked in horror as he raised his hand, creating what appeared to be a dark portal near them.


    Raven¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Raven, don¡¯t!¡± she heard someone yell before Aro pulled her into the portal, soon followed by Raven who tackled him away from Calla. The three tumbled out of the portal and into an area Calla was unfamiliar with. It was some kind of field but the flowers were nothing she had ever seen before. Were they in the other realm?


    ¡°You stay away from her, you son of a bitch!¡± Raven growled, making Calla look over to see the two men were grappling. Aro just laughed at him, hitting Raven with a spell that sent him flying away from the blonde man. Raven hit the ground but soon got to his feet, sending his blast of dark energy toward Aro.


    ¡°S-Stop! Please!¡± Calla exclaimed, watching in horror as Aro easily dodged Raven¡¯s attack and with a swing of his cane, sent a line of dark spikes from the ground.


    Calla could only watch helplessly as the two men continued to fight each other. She couldn¡¯t even follow the fight with her eyes, clearly witnessing a battle between titans. What she did notice was just how similar Raven¡¯s magic was to Aro¡¯s, both having darkness to it and yet Aro¡¯s seemed to be on a different level.


    Time seemed to freeze when Aro managed to catch Raven off guard, hitting him with a powerful attack. Her heart stopped, watching as Raven fell to the ground, bloody and broken. Aro seemed to be injured as well as he staggered when he got to the ground, his clothing red with blood but still holding a smile on his face.


    ¡°That was what I expected from a fellow user of abyss magic,¡± Aro said. Calla sobbed, finally finding the courage to run to Raven.


    ¡°Raven!¡± she cried, kneeling next to him and looking over his form horrified. She shook him, unable to wake him. ¡°Raven! Please! Get up! Please!¡± She was shaking, not sure what to do, and panicking as she heard Aro¡¯s footsteps getting closer to her.


    She searched around her before finding a stick and getting to her feet. She swung it towards Aro who easily caught it, even with his bruised and bloody look. He chuckled, looking down at her with interest.


    ¡°A non-magical who is willing to fight for a magical¡­ now that is amusing to see.¡± He said but his expression soon sank, as if knowing something she couldn¡¯t sense. He sighed, making the stick dissolve into ashes before reaching out to touch her face. ¡°There is never enough time to have any fun.¡±


    Calla shivered as he tucked some of her hair behind her ear. ¡°Little lamb, we will be meeting again. The others will be here any second. My dear Marick has always been one who could find me easily.¡± he said, his orange eyes glowing slightly, making her look away. She felt a sharp pain as he gripped her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m relaying a message to your beloved coven,¡± he said sharply, making her whimper a little. ¡°I am requesting 10 vials of potent death¡¯s kiss potion and I know a quest that will be coming up in the other realm. It is going to be offered to me but I have no intention of taking such a boring quest, so I have already placed in the queue that your coven will take it.¡±


    Her eyes widened as she listened to him, frightened by the intimidating man before her as she shivered. ¡°T-The other realm?¡± she asked, not really as a question. Aro gave a devilish grin at her words, a spark of interest in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you three weeks to prepare. After all, a maiden like you has a special little gift she needs to give.¡± Aro said, moving the cane between her legs. She let out a cry, trying to pull away from him only to be held in place as he laughed wickedly.


    ¡°You will be joining them when they go to the other realm, dear little lamb. I¡¯ll make sure of it. Even if I have to personally make it happen.¡± Aro said calmly. In a swift motion, he pushed his lips to hers, making her squeal in surprise and terror. He slipped his tongue into her mouth as she struggled to get away from him.


    The kiss was cold, commanding like Aro was claiming ownership over her. It wasn¡¯t broken until Calla felt the weight of someone on her shoulders and she was pulled away. Aro looked amused, staggering back as he licked his lips.


    ¡°Good to see you still fight you, my dear Raven,¡± Aro said, making Calla¡¯s eyes widen as she looked to see the very injured Raven was holding her, nearly supporting his whole weight on her as he glared at Aro.


    ¡°R-Raven¡­¡± Calla was barely able to say before flashes of light could be seen before her. Aro was surrounded by the other members of the coven. Gwydion was the first to see Raven and a look of horror rested on the younger brother¡¯s face.


    Aro had swirls of magic around him, and a symbol glowed before Marick¡¯s hand. ¡°Aro-¡± Marick started in a dark tone before he was cut off.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I got what I wanted for now, and my message is with your sweet little lamb.¡± Aro said calmly, brushing off his vest before he turned and began to slowly walk between Marick and Gwydion. He stopped when he was just next to Marick, smirking.


    ¡°You always seem to find the interesting ones, my love,¡± Aro said, making Marick shoot him a look of disgust. Aro sighed and gave a half-wave as he moved past. ¡°Oh, and little lamb. Make sure you take care of dear Raven for me. I look forward to fighting him again.¡± He stopped and turned to look back at her, his devilish grin returning. ¡°Make sure you are ready in three weeks or I will personally make sure you are.¡±


    Blaise growled at him, sending a ball of fire his way only for Aro to spin his cane to block it. He smirked before disappearing into another black portal.


    ¡°What did he mean by that?¡± Blaise snapped angrily as he looked toward Calla. However, she wasn¡¯t able to say as Raven soon let out the sound of pain and slipped from her arms, hitting the ground hard.


    ¡°R-Raven!!¡± she exclaimed with Gwydion as she turned to kneel to him. Gwydion rushed over, kneeling as well as he seemed to scan the wounds on his brother. Calla looked at him with tears in her eyes, but also saw the look of fear in Gwydion¡¯s eyes.


    Blaise growled but moved over as well, soon followed by Marick who stood behind Calla. ¡°Damn fool, he knew better than to take on Aro alone!¡± Blaise said angrily, however, looking up at him Calla was catching the look of worry and even guilt in Blaise¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get him back. It¡¯s not safe to be here any longer.¡± Marick ordered. The other two men seemed hesitant but nodded, Blaise moving to help Gwydion pick Raven up. Calla sniffled, feeling helpless as she looked at the beaten man she cared about. So many things ran through her head as the group soon teleported back to the cottage.


    Gwydion and Blaise pulled Raven onto his bed, Gwydion immediately moved to pull off Raven¡¯s shirt to try and begin healing him. Calla was trembling as she watched from the other side of the bed, holding Raven¡¯s hand with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, Calla. Raven¡­ Raven¡¯s too stubborn to give up.¡± Blaise said, doing his best to comfort her. Gwydion was hyper-focused on his task, his magic glowing around his hands as they were pressed against Raven¡¯s chest. Raven''s body was cut as if someone had tried to turn his chest into a bloody dark mosaic. Black magic radiated from his wounds. Raven was out again, just laying there limply.


    Marick had been in the hall, seemingly trying to calm his emotions down before he walked in. He still showed signs of anger on his hard-to-read face. It was just in time for Gwydion to let out a growl in frustration, his magic stopping.


    ¡°He used an abyss magic level curse that is preventing me from fully healing him!¡± Gwydion said angrily, Calla slightly frightened by the look on the normally handsome man¡¯s face. Marick let out a tsk in annoyance, moving over.


    ¡°If it¡¯s the spell I¡¯m thinking of, it means that Raven¡¯s going to have a hell of a time as he recovers on his own,¡± Marick muttered in annoyance, his eyes staring off in thought. ¡°I can see if some of the potions I made can expel the curse but he¡¯ll need at least two weeks to fully heal with someone tending to him.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it,¡± Calla said, catching the attention of the room. Her eyes were on Raven, holding his hand in both of hers. She was crying. ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave his side.¡±


    Gwydion¡¯s anger seemed to fade before he sighed, getting up and moving to her side of the bed. ¡°Calla¡­ let me take care of your wound,¡± he said calmly as he did.


    She just clung more to Raven. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± she lied, ignoring the growing pain from the slashes to her chest. Aro¡¯s nails had been sharp enough to cut her deeply, the bleeding still oozing but not enough for her to bleed out.


    Gwydion seemed to give an annoyed look, grabbing her arm and pulling her to sit on the bed. ¡°If you want to help him, don¡¯t give him something to worry about. I¡¯m not having both of you injured.¡± Gwydion snapped, making Calla jolt a little before looking down. Gwydion rubbed his eyes before sighing, calming himself. It was clear he was worried for his brother. ¡°Please¡­ just let me heal you.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, looking towards Raven before back at Gwydion and giving a nod. She moved to undo her dress enough to slide the top part down, covering her breasts but allowing the cuts to be easily seen. Blaise, who stood nearby, frowned at the sight before looking at Marick angrily.


    ¡°What was Aro even doing here? I thought he was in exile.¡± Blaise stated bitterly. Marick glanced at the younger red-haired man with a scowl, a bitter look in his eyes.


    ¡°As far as I had heard, he was,¡± Marick stated back before his eyes looked between Raven and Calla. ¡°Knowing him, he was called back because of his abilities for a task and felt the need to pay us a visit.¡± Calla flinched at that, looking away as Gwydion was healing her wounds. Lucky for him, Calla¡¯s body was healing, meaning that Aro hadn¡¯t used any kind of magic on her.


    ¡°Calla,¡± Marick said, making the girl with puffy red eyes look up at him. Marick frowned, but his look was as soft as he would allow on his stone face. ¡°I need you to tell me everything said to you.¡± She stared at him for a moment before giving a nod.


    The looks on the faces of all three men were hard to read as Calla finished telling them everything she heard Aro say and do. She gripped her dress tightly, looking off as she wanted to forget the memories of Aro¡¯s hands on her and the kiss he had given.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s when you guys showed up, and you know the rest,¡± Calla said as she finished what she knew. Blaise gave a low growl in annoyance. His arms were folded, his hands digging into his arms so hard that the skin was white.


    ¡°That rotten bastard,¡± Blaise spat with a dark tone, making Calla shiver in the intensity of his words. However, even Gwydion held a similar expression as he finished healing her. He got to his feet.


    ¡°He knew Calla was important to one of us and baited Raven to follow him. It¡¯s almost as if this is a game to him.¡± Gwydion said bitterly as he looked towards Marick. Marick just gave a nod at that, seemingly taken in everything that was said. ¡°So what do we do now, Marick?¡±


    Marick was quiet, thinking it over a moment. ¡°We are not allowed to turn down any requests, and if he has given us a quest offered by the other realm, it has to be followed or the council of the other realm will get on our case.¡± He states bitterly, folding his arms. He didn¡¯t like what he was saying any more than the rest of them. ¡°We have three weeks to prepare¡­ if we are lucky, Raven will be back in good shape before then.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± Calla asked, slowly getting to her feet. She looked between the three men but then her eyes rested on Marick. ¡°Aro threatened that he would make sure I have to go to the other realm with you guys¡­ that means¡­¡± Her expression sank, her heart giving a painful thump as she looked toward Raven. She knew to go to the other realm she would need to give up her purity or the group would be at risk of an attack to keep her safe.


    She heard Gwydion sigh before he patted her head, making her look up at him. ¡°You should focus on tending to Raven,¡± he said softly, making her a bit surprised to hear him be so tender towards her. ¡°My brother adores you, we can all see that and not one of us would ever want to force you to betray your heart.¡± Gwydion looked at the form of his brother on the bed before going back to Calla. ¡°We have three weeks to worry about it. For now, I will leave my brother in your capable hands, love.¡±


    After a moment, she heard Blaise sigh. ¡°Calla, go with Gwy and get cleaned up. I¡¯ll bandage his wounds,¡± he said, making Calla look surprised. Blaise was always glaring at Raven, why would he offer to do something like that? She figured it was best not to argue for the time being as everyone looked stressed out. She gave a nod before looking at Gwydion. Gwy gave Raven another look over before smiling at Calla and leading her from the room.


    Marick watched them go before glancing at Blaise. ¡°When you are done, meet me outside so we can check the wards around the cottage. I don¡¯t like how close Aro was able to get,¡± he said sternly before turning to leave the room.


    Blaise gave a nod before moving over to the bed. With a wave of his hand, a roll of bandage wrap appeared. He scowled as he grabbed a chair and moved. He scanned Raven¡¯s bruised and cut-up body. Gwydion¡¯s magic had managed to stop the bleeding for the moment but Blaise could tell it wouldn¡¯t hold. If Gwy couldn¡¯t heal him, he couldn¡¯t, but he would attempt to hold off the bleeding while he began to wrap up Raven¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°What you did was stupid¡­ but I understand why you reacted that way¡­¡± Blaise muttered, not caring if Raven could hear him. Blaise gave a look of guilt on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I called you an ass. I just¡­ I just was concerned that you saw her as just another non-magical. I was worried you would be hostile towards her like you were me at first¡­¡± Blaise looked down, scowling a little. ¡°Maybe I was a little jealous that she picked you. But I can see you really care about her¡­ so¡­ so you better hurry up and wake up. Cause if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kick your ass for upsetting her.¡±


    For the first week, Calla was true to her word, staying by Raven¡¯s side. It got to the point that the others would have to distract her to lift her spirits. Gwydion had begun teaching her how to cook. Blaise was teaching her how to change Raven¡¯s bindings when he was busy. Even Marick took time to check up on her and Raven¡¯s status. It only confirmed what she had been told, this coven was a family, one that went out of its way for each member. That being said, Marick did seem annoyed that his potion was doing little to help get rid of the curse inflicted upon Raven. Whatever spell Aro had used was far stronger than the low-level potions he had, but Marick didn¡¯t have the right quality materials to make a more potent potion.


    It was halfway through the second day of the next week when Calla felt Raven¡¯s hand twitch. She had fallen asleep seated in a chair next to him, holding his hand. She sat up as she heard him groan, slowly trying to sit up. He looked out of it and was still in a lot of pain as his eyes scanned the room before falling on her.


    ¡°C...Calla?¡± he asked, his voice groggy. However, the girl didn¡¯t seem to take a lot of notice of the fact that he shouldn¡¯t be moving as her eyes soon filled with tears.


    ¡°Raven¡­¡± she called before throwing her arms around him. She felt him let out a sound of pain, falling back down to the bed as she hugged him tightly. ¡°Raven!!¡±


    ¡°A-Ah!¡± Raven exclaimed, making Calla freeze and pull away worried.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± she said, looking to check and make sure she didn¡¯t break open any of his wounds. However, her hands were caught by his, making her look back at him. He frowned, moving to touch her face gently before looking around.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine¡­ what happened?¡± he asked, pulling his hand away from her face to rub his eyes. He tried to sit up again, this time Calla taking notice and pushing him back down.


    ¡°You are still healing, Raven. You have to stay in bed!¡± she exclaimed in a slight panic. Raven seemed slightly confused before a thought hit him.


    ¡°Aro!¡± he said, jolting up only to let out a cry of pain and fall back to the bed. He groaned, touching his bandaged chest as Calla once again moved to make sure he hadn¡¯t done anything to break open his wounds.


    She sighed in relief when she saw he looked to be okay before she looked into his eyes with a stern look. ¡°Stay. In. Bed.¡± she stated a bit more commandingly. He blinked a little in surprise at her tone before sighing.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said before smiling slightly, a pained amused smirk on his face. ¡°Are you going to threaten to cut my legs off if I don¡¯t?¡± The comment made her blush softly, remembering her first day waking up here. It was a bit strange, seeing the roles switched. Her eyes softened as she looked off.


    ¡°You were injured badly during your battle with Aro¡­ you are covered in cuts that run very deep. Gwydion was able to heal enough to stitch you up and stop the bleeding but Aro used some kind of curse on you that prevents him from fully healing you. Outside of the cuts, you have five broken ribs and a broken arm. You also have bruises everywhere.¡± she explained softly, watching him look down at himself as she told him everything. Calla gripped the bedding a little, looking off.


    He hummed in thought. ¡°Well, I guess that answers my question on why Gwy or Blaise didn¡¯t heal me¡­¡± he muttered before seeing Calla shake a little.


    ¡°Raven¡­ you¡¯re been out for a little over a week. We¡¯ve¡­ We¡¯ve been so worried about you. I was so scared you would never wake up.¡± she said, her lips quivering as tears fell from her eyes. She heard Raven sigh before using his good arm to pull her close to him enough to kiss her cheek. He gave her a warm smile.


    ¡°Calla, I¡¯m okay,¡± he said softly, using his thumb to clear her tears. ¡°I would never leave you alone like that.¡±


    Calla pressed her face into his hand, smiling softly with a deeper blush. She sighed after a moment, getting to her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll go tell everyone you are awake and get you something to eat,¡± she said before giggling a little. ¡°Fair warning though, Gwydion might cry and tackle you. He¡¯s been very worried.¡±


    Raven sighed in annoyance at that before shaking his head. ¡°Thanks for the warning,¡± he said, looking towards the ceiling.


    She looked him over, her heart thumping faster, the joy clear on her face. She had a lot she needed to tell him unless the others informed him first. However, she remained silent as she moved to the door and left the room.


    ¡°Marick,¡± Raven said as he handed back the empty vial of the potion he had just downed. His eyes rested on the tall silver-haired man next to the bed. Marick eyed him, taking the vial back. ¡°I know you enough to know when you are not telling me everything.¡±


    It had been two days since he had woken up and the group had been careful about what Raven knew as they wanted him to focus on healing. Marick kept his face hard to read but scanned Raven¡¯s stern look.


    ¡°And you know me well enough that pointing that out isn¡¯t going to make me tell you any more information.¡± Marick pointed out, turning towards the door to leave. Raven growled, sitting up despite his pain.


    ¡°I have a right to know what Aro said!¡± Raven snapped as he did, making Marick stop and turned to look back at the man in the bed. ¡°What job did he give us? I heard him threaten Calla. I can¡¯t protect her if I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Marick just stared at him silently before giving a hum in thought. As much as Marick was the head of this coven, the man respected Raven¡¯s thoughts and opinions. He frowned, turning to him.


    ¡°You know why Aro is dangerous,¡± Marick noted calmly, tilting his head. ¡°So you should have an idea of what Aro is planning.¡±


    Raven¡¯s eyes narrowed but he soon lay down on the bed, covering his eyes. Marick watched him a moment before closing his eyes. ¡°Aro gave us three weeks from the day he arrived to prepare to head to the other realm,¡± Marick said after being silent for a moment. The comment made Raven uncover his eyes and stare at Marick with a dark look in his eyes.


    ¡°So Calla¡­¡± Raven started before trailing off. Marick just nodded at the question.


    ¡°Worry about healing,¡± Marick noted as he moved to the door. ¡°I know what you think, Raven. As much as I would appreciate it if there were some way for her to lose her purity sooner rather than later, especially knowing Aro is lurking around, I would advise against it in your current state.¡±


    Raven was silent as he just listened before recovering his eyes again. ¡°...I¡¯ll bed her as soon as I am able.¡± He replied calmly as he did. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to like having to force it on her like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Marick said before opening the door. The tall man paused however as Calla stood just outside the door. She was looking off, clearly having heard the majority of the conversation. Marick just stood there a moment before sighing and patting her head softly before moving around her and towards his room.


    Calla watched him before walking into the room and closing the door. Raven glanced up as she did, however, he didn¡¯t seem as surprised to see Calla there or the look on her face. He just watched as Calla moved to set new bandages down on the nightstand.


    His eyes softened, looking towards the ceiling. ¡°Were you keeping that from me for a reason?¡± he asked after a moment. Calla just kept her eyes forward before turning to sit down by his bed.


    ¡°I wanted you to focus on getting better,¡± she said softly before hearing him mutter to himself a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re not being fully honest.¡± He said, not accusingly but just simply pointing it out. Still, it made her frown at his words and grip her dress a little. ¡°It¡¯s because you were hoping things would change and you didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not holding it off, Raven.¡± She said suddenly, her eyes catching his stare. ¡°I...I understand that it has to happen. I¡¯m going to give my body to you as soon as you are healed. Aro told me if I didn¡¯t within the three weeks, he¡¯ll make sure to do it himself.¡± She looked off, fear in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about what he would do to me and as soon as I think about being intimate with you, that thought enters my head.¡±


    His expression was hard to read as he just silently listened. With a sigh, he began to lift himself up, much to the worried look on Calla¡¯s face. ¡°...I would prefer to be a bit more romantic about it. Us having sex for the first time shouldn¡¯t feel like a job we have to do.¡± Calla gave a nod at that but soon got to her feet to push him back down.


    ¡°Stop trying to get up,¡± she said only to let out a yelp as she was pulled onto him, hearing him give a slight grunt as he did. He pulled the blanket around both of them and held her close as she protested him for what he did.


    ¡°I know you were probably coming to change my bandages, but you can wait a moment,¡± Raven said, rubbing her back. His arm had healed by this point but there was a good amount of pain from his chest which was taking longer to heal due to the abyss magic.


    ¡°R-Raven, you shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Calla said with a frown. However, the familiar warmth and comfort of his arms soon made her cuddle close to him. She didn¡¯t catch the soft smile on Raven¡¯s face as she did, holding her close. It was clear they both missed each other¡¯s company.


    They were quiet a moment before Calla looked down at him. ¡°...Raven¡­ was Aro right when he said you hated non-magicals¡­?¡± she asked. It had been a question that had been on her mind. After all, during their date, he had commented on the others around them being ¡®just non-magicals¡¯ which had upset her at the time. He had never given her a clear reason for why he would say that with such malice in his tone.


    Raven frowned as she said that, sighing as he looked to the ceiling, petting her head. It seemed like he didn¡¯t want to talk about it but knew he had to.


    ¡°Calla¡­¡± He started before sighing again with a frown. ¡°...I¡¯ll be honest with you, I don¡¯t particularly like non-magicals. For a long time, I resented them, saw them as lesser beings to be used when I was bored but nothing more. I will also not lie and tell you I haven¡¯t caused harm to non-magicals because of what I think of them.¡±


    His words hurt to hear, making her shiver in fear but another part of her looked confused. ¡°Why?¡± she asked timidly. His gray eyes caught hers before he carefully moved her to lay next to him, turning his body to face her. He lightly touched her face to move hair from it.


    ¡°Remember when I said my mother passed long before we started the coven?¡± he asked, to which Calla nodded with a frown. He returned the look. ¡°...A few years after we started working in the other non-magical villages I had accompanied my mother on a trip to an area that was said to have gotten injured during an attack of some kind. We hadn¡¯t been to the village before and I advised her to be subtle about her magic as the villagers all looked tense about us being there. Of course, my good-hearted mother didn¡¯t heed my words.¡± He started, his eyes distant as if recalling the memory.


    ¡°At first, everything seemed to be fine. Most people were just happy to be tended to by someone who wanted to help. But then, we got an influx of people from a village nearby who had just survived a major attack. I could feel the lingering magic around them. It was clear they had been attacked by a magical and as soon as they saw my mother performing magic to heal there was an outcry.¡± He said darkly, his body tensing as he spoke. ¡°Gwydion wasn¡¯t around at the time but I was. My mother and I were captured by those who spread the word that there was a witch among them.¡±


    ¡°That night there was a trial held and my mother was sentenced to death on the grounds of being a witch. I had been chained up and made to watch as they led her to the execution block, all the while hearing her voice above the voices in the crowd. She told me not to hurt them.¡± His expression was dark as he gave a small sad smile. ¡°Funny, isn¡¯t it? They were going to kill her and the whole time she was worried about them.¡± He sighed, closing his eyes as she held Calla close to him.


    ¡°There are times I can still smell the fire and hear her screaming as they set her aflame. I...I lost it.¡± He continued, his expression dark again. ¡°I broke out and attacked. In my eyes, non-magicals had betrayed my mother¡¯s kindness. They didn¡¯t deserve forgiveness or mercy.¡±


    Calla shivered at his words, seeming to catch his attention as his eyes focused on her and he frowned. ¡°You killed them¡­?¡± she asked, her lips trembling. Raven looked off, however, his eyes held no shame for what he had done. The whole time she had been listening, Calla¡¯s expression had gone through so many emotions.


    ¡°I laid waste to that whole area before sunrise,¡± he admitted. ¡°I left no survivors¡­¡±


    They were silent a moment before Raven gave a small breathy laugh, but not a happy one. ¡°You know what the best part was? It was all because of Aro¡­¡± he said, making Calla freeze, eyes widening.


    ¡°W-What?¡± she questioned, looking surprised.


    ¡°Aro had gotten bored and was going around attacking non-magical towns,¡± Raven explained. ¡°When the place was in cinders and only I remained, Aro casually walked into the village. He looked surprised and then almost proud at what I did. I just walked past him and left. Looking back now, I hate how entertained he was.¡±


    Calla was once again reminded of a thought that had hit her during their battle. However, it seemed Raven was aware of what was on her mind. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that I am similar to Aro in the way I think... and I think that bothers me more than anything. Because of my understanding of how spells work, I dabble in both light and dark magic, including abyss magic. This makes my energy dark in color which doesn¡¯t help the comparisons.¡± he said calmly, however, Calla could tell from the look in his eyes that it tended to bother him.


    ¡°You are not that much like him¡­¡± she said tenderly, cuddling close to him. ¡°You¡¯ve never hurt me or have ever acted as if you hated me even though I am a non-magical.¡±


    He gave her a slight smile. ¡°You were in rough shape when you first arrived, Calla. It would be difficult to see you as anyone but a person who needed help.¡± he pointed out calmly, rubbing her back. He sighed. ¡°But I won¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t have trouble seeing you as an equal part of the coven with what you were¡­ I believe I stopped seeing you as just a non-magical person who I could toy with for the first time you spent time with me alone.¡± He looked off. ¡°You spoke so honestly, so sweetly towards me. It was the first time I regretted treating a woman as a toy for my entertainment.¡±


    Calla listened to him with a surprised look on her face which he seemed to take notice of. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, nor do I blame you for what happened to my mother. As much as I would rather avoid non-magicals, I understand that it is good and evil on both sides. I don¡¯t think of us as superior to non-magicals like Aro seems to think, however, I cannot say my dislike for non-magicals doesn¡¯t come to the surface from time to time. I¡¯ve gotten better at handling myself around them with age¡­ though, that didn¡¯t stop me from being rather nasty towards Blaise when he first arrived at the coven.¡± He said, more to himself towards the end of his sentence. He gave a small grin. ¡°That might be why he¡¯s been so tense with me being around you.¡±


    She frowned slightly at that. ¡°Oh, so that is why he has been glaring at you. But, you are not that way with him anymore, right?¡± she asked to which he shrugged.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I am close with Blaise, but if he was ever in trouble I would protect him as I would anyone in this coven,¡± he admitted with a gentle look her way.


    ¡°Hearing you say that might make me sick to my stomach.¡± a voice called which made both of them glance towards the door. Leaning against the door frame was a tired and grumpy-looking Blaise. Raven sighed at that, letting go of Calla to allow her to sit up.


    ¡°Damn, the warden¡¯s here,¡± Raven said, although a playful look tugged on the corner of his mouth. Calla frowned and got up.


    ¡°Sorry, Blaise. He wouldn¡¯t let me change his bandages,¡± she said as she did. Raven gave a tired wave of his hand.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t so much as wouldn¡¯t let you, and more we had a difference in priorities.¡± Raven teased with a small smirk towards Calla. Blaise made a face, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Right, well, be gross together some other time. I¡¯ll deal with his bandages.¡± Blaise said, ignoring the pouting from the other two. ¡°Gwy needs your help in the garden and Marick says that if he hears him whining any longer he¡¯s going to curse his mouth shut again.¡±


    Calla seemed surprised at that while Raven cackled at the thoughts, only grunting in slight pain as doing so hurt. Calla soon sighed and shook her head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be surprised to hear any of this anymore¡­¡± she muttered before nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll go deal with it.¡±


    She moved towards the door. ¡°I love you, Calla. Thank you for listening to me and understanding.¡± Raven called with a tender tone of voice. It made her stop, a blush on her face as she turned to look back into the room at the man who smiled at her tenderly.


    ¡°I love you too, Raven. Don¡¯t give Blaise a hard time, okay?¡± she returned, a small smile on her lips. He let out a chuckle.


    ¡°No promises,¡± he returned, hearing her sigh before she left the room. Blaise had watched after her a moment before grumbling and moving towards the bed, grabbing the bandages that Calla had left on the counter.


    The two were silent as Raven sat up and allowed Blaise to remove the bandages, replacing them with the new ones, the feeling of the warm embers of his magic running over the wounds to work towards closing them up, although slowly given the curse wouldn¡¯t allow for him to be fully healed.


    ¡°I have the faint memory of you threatening to kick my ass if I upset her,¡± Raven said after a while, Blaise not stopping as the older man looked off.


    ¡°That¡¯s still on the table. Someone like you needs a good kick in the ass.¡± Blaise muttered as his eyes narrowed, but he was focused on his work. Raven smirked at that and shook his head.


    ¡°I nearly died,¡± he pointed out to which Blaise scoffed at that.


    ¡°Being reckless to the point of almost getting killed, and getting your ass kicked because you''re a dick are different things,¡± Blaise stated sharply as he finished with one of the bandages. Raven seemed slightly taken aback by his words but soon let out a pained chuckle.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked, laying back as Blaise finished the bandages on his chest. The boy was not that great at wrapping wounds. He was sure Gwydion was going to get on his case later for how messy they looked, but it was always good enough to do what was needed of them, no matter if they didn¡¯t look pretty. Raven watched the younger man as he finished up and moved to toss the used bandages in a bin nearby. As he did, his smile soon faded. ¡°Blaise, I wanted to apolog-!¡±


    ¡°Save it,¡± Blaise said, although his tone was not as harsh as his words made it seem. His green eyes locked with Raven¡¯s gray ones as he stood tall and folded his arms. ¡°I heard what you told Calla. There is nothing you need to apologize to me for.¡± Raven seemed surprised by that as Blaise grumbled and scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s not as if you were the first guy who treated me like crap for who I was.¡±


    ¡°The truth of the matter is, I had no reason to be that way.¡± Raven pointed out to which Blaise shrugged, folding his arms again.


    ¡°Let me tell you the differences between how magicals treat each other and non-magicals treat each other. Magicals judge whether someone is worthy by if they have magic or not. Non-magicals judge based on birth. There isn¡¯t much of a divide in the caste system when it comes to the magical realm. Those born into poorer families still have enough to get by. But you know the difference when it comes to the rich and poor of the world Calla and I come from. You¡¯ve seen it.¡± Blaise said as he looked off in thought. Raven just watched him with his expression seemingly deep in thought before the young man returned his gaze to him. ¡°You were an asshole towards me when I first arrived, but that wasn¡¯t new for someone like me. But, given what you said to Calla, I get why you were hesitant and aggressive. I¡¯m not gonna stand here saying that non-magicals are totally blameless about things. In a sense, you might be right about us being greedy, lesser beings, but magicals are not perfect.¡± Blaise¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°We are a coven. No matter if you are an ass, I¡¯ll fight by your side. Just make sure you are a better person from this point forward, especially since you fell for a non-magical girl.¡± Blaise¡¯s words made Raven pause a moment before he leaned back with a small smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you are a better man than I could ever be,¡± Raven said as Blaise turned to leave, making the boy stop again. He gave a roll of his eyes but smirked.


    ¡°Nah, if anything, we are both assholes. I¡¯m just not dumb enough to take on someone like Aro alone.¡± Blaise said with a mocking tone. Raven rolled his eyes at that.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Raven said with a smirk on his face. ¡°Next time I¡¯ll drag you in to fight with me.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Blaise said with his own smirk on his face before he turned and walked out of the room. Raven watched him go before he lay back with a light laugh. Perhaps Calla had a point about them being similar.


    ¡°Oh, stop pouting like that!¡± Calla whined as she brought Raven food that evening. He had been giving her a pouted look since that afternoon when she had found him working at his desk instead of resting. ¡°You knew you should be in bed, not working at your desk. I¡¯m sure the spellbooks can wait.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to tell on me for that. Do you have any idea how upset Gwy was with me for being out of bed? And here I thought you loved me.¡± Raven said with a bigger pout. Calla huffed at that with a blush, hating the sad puppy look he was giving her. ¡°I just wanted to write down the thoughts I had before I returned to bed. I would have returned to bed as soon as I was done.¡±


    ¡°Raven! You just woke up! Writing should be the last thing on your mind!¡± Calla exclaimed before she sighed, sitting down on the bed. ¡°Why are all of you warlocks so damn stubborn? You nearly died and like three days after you woke up, you just sit at your desk as if nothing happened?!¡±


    Raven¡¯s expression had faded to a warm, gentle look before he shook his head and sat up to grab the food she had brought for him. As he did, he leaned in to kiss her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry, Calla. That wasn¡¯t my intention,¡± he said softly, before taking a bite of what she brought. He raised a brow at it. ¡°This is really good. I didn¡¯t think Gwy could improve on cooking more than he had.¡±


    Calla blushed softly as she turned herself to watch him. ¡°I¡­um¡­I actually made dinner tonight. Gwy¡¯s been busy going into town to get things for Marick.¡± she said softly. Raven¡¯s expression only grew in his surprise before he smiled warmly.


    ¡°Is that so? Well, I have to say, I¡¯m impressed,¡± he said before a playful smirk rested on his face. ¡°I better snatch you up in a hurry before someone better whisks you away to be their cute little housewife. Shall we go to the courthouse?¡±


    ¡°R-Raven!¡± Calla whined as he chuckled at how red her face was. She couldn¡¯t deny his teasing made her heart flutter at the thought though.


    ¡°No? Then how about after dinner you can make it up to me for being a tattle tale by starting a family with me. If we start now, I¡¯m sure we can make a rather large one.¡± he teased more, loving how she whined in embarrassment. ¡°How many little ones do you think you could handle raising? 6? 7?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the worst! Why do you feel the need to tease me when I want to do something nice for you?!¡± Calla exclaimed, pouting towards him. Raven laughed and waved it off.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I just love how flustered you get when I mess with you. We have time to think about marriage and starting a family.¡± he said with a wink, a smirk on his face. His expression grew soft, however. ¡°But I mean what I said. This really is good, Calla. I appreciate you making something I like and bringing it to me, and that you care enough to make me rest. I don¡¯t deserve a girl like you in my life.¡±


    His words held a slight sadness in them and it made her frown. Calla shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± she said as she scooted closer to him. She gave him a softer look. ¡°I know what you said you have done, but I don¡¯t blame or judge you for what your past was like.¡±


    He gave a sigh, a small smile as he shook his head. ¡°You are too kind for your own good, Calla. The truth of the matter is that I am not a good person,¡± he said, stopping her from speaking by touching his fingers to her mouth. He gave a warm smile. ¡°But I will try to be a better man, at least for you.¡± He saw her face warm with a pink blush as he moved his fingers to touch her face, running his thumb over her lips. ¡°I want to be a man who is worthy of you¡­ worthy of the angel who found her home among sinners. You¡¯re everything I want, and picturing life without you hurts deeper than any wound I have.¡±


    ¡°R¡­Raven¡­¡± she said softly, her heart fluttering at his words.


    ¡°Calla,¡± he started, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again. ¡°I know you will probably turn this down because I am wounded, but it wouldn¡¯t be an issue if you wanted to continue sharing a bed with me.¡± He frowned slightly. ¡°I know you have returned to share a bed with Marick during this time, but¡­ I miss you at night.¡±


    She watched him with a conflicted look of worry and want at his request. There was nothing more she wanted than to share a bed with him like before the attack. Raven was warm and snuggled her close at night. Before the attack, it had been nice waking up in his arms to a gentle kiss on her head. It had been hard to return to Marick¡¯s bed after being with the man she loved for the nights she had.


    ¡°I miss you too¡­¡± Calla admitted with a gentle look up at him, leaning into his touch. ¡°Are you sure that would be okay? I wouldn''t want to get in the way of you getting better.¡±


    He shook his head with a small chuckle. ¡°If anything, you being around would help me improve more just being in your presence.¡± he pointed out with a smile. ¡°Any time I got hurt or sick when I was a child, mom would always cuddle with me at night and say that being close to someone you care about makes one heal faster. To be honest, it might have been her healing me while I slept, but it was always nice to cuddle with her.¡±


    She seemed surprised to hear him talk about his mother like this, but it made her smile. ¡°It sounds like you have a lot of fond memories. I would love to hear more about your childhood,¡± she said. He hummed at that, finishing his meal and setting the dishes aside only to grab Calla and pull her to lay down with him. She gave a surprised sound at that but he held her close and pulled the blankets around them.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind telling you more about my childhood, but in return, I want to know more about your childhood,¡± he said calmly as he ran his fingers through her hair. She snuggled close to him, resting her hand on his chest but frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have many fond stories from my childhood.¡± she pointed out. He seemed to hum at that but rubbed her back lovingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I just want to know more about you. Your likes, your wants, your fears. I know we¡¯ve talked a little about things like this in the past, but I feel there is so much I don¡¯t know about you or your world.¡± he said calmly, making her look up into his face. He had a warm smile on his face and she sighed, finding being in his arms relaxing and safe again, knowing he wasn¡¯t using his powers to do so.


    Calla frowned at that but it did make her happy that he wanted to know more about her. ¡°Okay, well, what about you? Do you have any fears or likes that I don¡¯t know?¡± she asked. He raised a brow at that before giving a smile, turning to face her more.


    ¡°I guess it is only fair,¡± he said with a shake of his head. He seemed to think it over. ¡°Well, for likes, you know my favorite tea and how I like it with honey. I¡¯ve also told you about my favorite foods.¡± He hummed in thought. ¡°My favorite flower is forget-me-nots. My favorite color is blue¡­ which might be why I love your eyes so much.¡± She blushed at that but he just kissed her head softly. ¡°As for fears, I don¡¯t have many. I do fear for the safety of others I care about. Oh! I guess there is something I do fear.¡± She seemed surprised at that as she waited for him to reply. ¡°There is a creature in our world that can morph into horrific things and likes to take the forms of other people to mess with others. I had a bad experience with it when I was a boy and I can¡¯t say I enjoy jobs that have us run into those creatures. I have gotten better at not panicking at the sight of them, but they do bother me still.¡±


    ¡°They sound scary,¡± she said with a frown.


    He gave a smile towards her. ¡°If you ever join us on a mission with them involved, I will make sure to protect you from them,¡± he said calmly, touching her face lovingly. ¡°That might help with my phobia with them if I have something around to keep safe.¡± She hummed at that, silently hoping she would never have to face something like that any time soon. ¡°Now then, it¡¯s your turn to share.¡±


    Calla frowned at that. ¡°W-Well¡­ my favorite color is a soft pink, like on some wildflowers or even some powders I¡¯ve seen. Something is soothing about the color even if it''s not uncommon for girls to like the color. You know my favorite foods and things like that.¡± she said before she grew bashful, blushing softly. ¡°And my fears¡­ you¡­ you have to promise not to laugh, got it?¡±


    He blinked in surprise at that but gave a light chuckle. ¡°I promise, no laughing,¡± he said, moving his hand to make a cross over his heart. ¡°Cross my heart.¡±


    She hesitated a moment before nodding. ¡°I¡­um¡­ I¡¯m afraid of thunderstorms¡­ and well, I keep looking around the woods just in case of bears. Bears are kind of scary.¡± she said, embarrassed at that. It seemed Raven was holding back a laugh as he smiled, making her huff. ¡°You promised!¡±


    He took in a breath to calm himself before he hugged her tight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just, you¡¯ve been sold, attacked, seen things you thought didn¡¯t exist, and came face to face with Aro¡­ yet the things that you fear the most are thunderstorms¡­and bears.¡± He said, doing everything in his power not to laugh. He covered his mouth with his hand, eyes closing. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s so cute!¡±


    ¡°It is not!¡± she whined, hiding her face in his chest. She felt his chest move with his silent laughing before she felt him hold her close, rubbing her back.


    ¡°Dear, have you ever seen a bear?¡± he asked, playing with her hair.


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    She frowned, not lifting her head as she blushed with embarrassment. ¡°N¡­No¡­ but I¡¯ve seen them in books and they are huge!¡± she whined, hearing him chuckle at that.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± Raven said with a smile on his face, leaning back as he enjoyed the feeling of her in his arms like this. ¡°So why are you afraid of thunderstorms?¡±


    Calla grew silent for a moment, her eyes distant as she thought about her childhood. She had been fortunate that there hadn¡¯t been any storms while she had been staying with them. Rain, yes, but no thunderstorms. ¡°I¡­¡± she started, the seriousness of her tone making Raven stop rubbing her back as he listened. ¡°I am the youngest of four in my family. I have two older brothers and an older sister. However, I was born later than my siblings and they are all a good deal older than I am. My sister is about 8 years my senior and she is the closest to me age-wise. For that reason, I have never been very close to my older siblings and I always got the opinion they didn¡¯t like me very much¡­ and¡­ well¡­ because I was a girl¡­ there wasn¡¯t much use I would have to my family. I was trained by my mother to be a good wife for when I would be married off to a wealthy man, the same as my sister had been. However, my sister always was a bit more disobedient than I was. By the time I was 10, people started to stare at me more and my sister¡­ I always got the impression that she hated me, especially when I entered my teens. I never understood why. She was far prettier than I was.¡± She sighed and snuggled close. ¡°When I was little, my sister played a cruel trick on me and locked me in the barn during a really nasty thunderstorm. I was terrified and cried the whole night. In the morning, my father found me but instead of getting upset at my sister, I got in trouble. After that, when it storms, I think back to that time in the barn.¡±


    The two said nothing for a while before Raven hugged her tightly, ignoring any pain he felt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that happened to you. You didn¡¯t deserve such treatment,¡± he said calmly, running his fingers through her hair again. His eyes were distant with darkness behind them. He couldn¡¯t deny that there were feelings inside to punish her family for what they did, but he knew she would be upset with him if he ever did that. He sighed and used his hand to lift her chin to make her look up at him, a warm smile on his face. ¡°If you ever feel frightened, you know you can come to me. I¡¯d protect you, even from thunderstorms¡­¡± His smirk grew a bit more playful. ¡°Or bears.¡±


    Calla blushed but huffed at that last part. ¡°You¡¯re mean,¡± she muttered, feeling him give a silent chuckle at that. Still, she was grateful to hear him say that. She scanned his face a moment before moving to kiss him deeply. He seemed surprised by that but soon hummed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her before he rolled her into laying on her back, him over her. She broke the kiss when he did that, a worried look on her face. ¡°R-Raven, you¡¯re going to-!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± Raven said with a soft smile, his tone low. It made a shiver run over her body as she could see the desire in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll stop myself if things get too painful¡­ but I want more of you, Calla.¡±


    She frowned at that, but couldn¡¯t argue more as she felt him lean in to kiss her neck slowly, causing her to close her eyes, a soft hum escaping her lips. His hands explored her above her clothing for now. How fortunate! The dress she had on had buttons on the front of it. Raven smirked against her skin, his hands reaching up to start undoing the buttons, his lips touching the newly exposed parts of her body as they become visible to him. Her sounds were encouraging, the soft hums and sighs as he played with her body.


    ¡°You make it difficult not to want to do more when you make sounds like that, Calla.¡± he purred in a low tone. ¡°I love how your body reacts to my touch. It nearly begs for my attention.¡±


    Calla whined at that, her body growing warm. ¡°T¡­This isn¡¯t fair, Raven. Y-You know how to mess with me to get me this way!¡± she whimpered, hating how easily he was able to get her all hot and bothered. He let out a chuckle at that, leaning in to kiss her softly.


    ¡°It only works because you are attracted to me.¡± he teased, his hand fondling her breast gently as he watched her squirm under him. His eyes held more desire. ¡°I desire you deeply. No woman has ever made me feel this way before. I¡¯m practically giddy with my lust when you are around.¡± Calla blushed darker as she looked up at him, lust in her eyes.


    ¡°R-Raven¡­¡± she said softly, her body squirming under his touch as her dress fell open with the last button becoming undone. Her fingers trailed over his arms as he hadn¡¯t worn anything for a top while he was healing but her eyes were on the bandages around his chest and body. However, he touched her face when he caught her staring at his bandages.


    ¡°Ignore them¡­ I feel fine and I don¡¯t want them getting in the way of us spending some time together.¡± Raven said calmly, smiling down at her. He sighed before shaking his head. ¡°Allow me to make it up to you for worrying you so much earlier. I want to make you feel good.¡±


    ¡°Y-You should worry about healing¡­¡± she said, trying to ignore how her body felt as he continued to play with her body.


    ¡°Calla, I mean it, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± he said as his hand slowly ran down her body and between her legs. Her breath caught as he stroked her, teasing her between her folds. ¡°You tend to my wounds, you worry about me, and you do so much for my wellbeing¡­ you deserve the world¡­ but for now, I can at least make you feel good.¡±


    How amusing, the girl was already turned on with so little. Raven watched with desire in his eyes as he saw her body squirm as he teased her clit before slipping his fingers into her, thrusting them skillfully. She covered her face, trying to hide her lovely sounds and the fact that she was enjoying what he was doing. Raven chuckled softly, keeping up the motion as he used his free hand to play with her nipple again. However, Raven shifted on his knees, hating how uncomfortably turned on he was just by watching her.


    After a moment, he couldn¡¯t hold himself back, pulling his fingers out as he moved between her legs to press himself against her. Calla gasped at the feeling of how turned on he was, him looking at her like an animal in heat. ¡°Calla, let me have you¡­¡± he nearly begged. ¡°I need you. I crave you.¡±


    Her body quivered at his words and the feeling of his bump against her, rubbing her with the neediness that echoed what he said. She watched him, her face bright red as he seemed to wait for her to agree. He was injured and needed to heal. They shouldn¡¯t¡­


    She wanted him just as badly, her mind slightly clouded with her desire to think clearly. If they were careful he should be okay. They just needed to take it easy. ¡°R-Raven¡­¡± she said, opening her mouth to agree before the flash of pain ran across his face. Raven let out a cry of discomfort, sinking over her. ¡°Raven!¡±


    He took deep breaths to seemingly calm himself before he rose again, an apologetic look on his face. ¡°I...I¡¯m okay¡­ I¡­¡± he said as he touched his chest, Calla¡¯s eyes widening with worry as she saw spots of red forming on the bandages. Raven sighed and got off her. ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt? Did you break your stitches?¡± Calla asked frantically as she sat up, moving to check. Raven caught her hands before giving a soft smile, pain in his eyes but he tried to look loving.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯m not quite at the point where I can follow through with what I say,¡± Raven said softly, touching her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Calla.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Please, just don¡¯t push yourself.¡± she pleaded. Raven sighed.


    ¡°I know. I know¡­¡± he said as he looked to the ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I think I might have pulled some of the stitches, but nothing is open. But damn it hurts.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, clearly worried. His gray eyes found her again and his smile was warm. ¡°There you go again, worrying about me,¡± he said, reaching up to touch her face. ¡°It was my fault, don¡¯t feel bad. I thought I could handle more.¡±


    She sighed at that, leaning into his touch. ¡°You should rest¡­ okay?¡± she asked softly, seeing him give a nod at that.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll obey my sweet little nurse,¡± he said, trying to tease but he was clearly still sore. Calla just shook her head again before moving to climb out of the bed, doing up her dress again. She only looked back his way when he spoke again. ¡°If I were in a better shape, would you have agreed to make love with me then?¡±


    Her face turned a slight pink with a blush. His being in pain had killed the mood but she still felt the lingering feeling of his touches, kisses, and teasing. She shyly gave him a nod. ¡°Yes¡­ I would have,¡± she answered. His expression grew gentle as he smiled before closing his eyes and turning his head away from her.


    ¡°Good,¡± he answered. He couldn¡¯t help but be happy to hear that, knowing the girl he loved was comfortable enough to be with him intimately. Now it was up to him to heal to catch up to her. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±


    With that, he had a smile on his face as he listened to Calla pick up the dishes she had brought in before leaving the room. He touched his chest once she was gone before his smile faded, his eyes opening. In reality, he hadn¡¯t pulled anything. What had happened was nothing to do with what he had done, but he didn¡¯t want to worry Calla more with that information. The pulsing of the dark curse in his wounds felt like he was being stabbed by a heated knife. Raven gritted his teeth, an angry expression on his face.


    ¡°You piece of shit, Aro,¡± Raven grumbled before he turned to try and relax, knowing the pain would fade as soon as he was calm.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Calla asked as she took back the vial of the potion for Raven. He sighed, laying back down in the bed as she moved to set the empty vial on the table.


    ¡°Better, thank you,¡± Raven said with a smile, watching as she returned to the bed and climbed in. He couldn¡¯t help but watch her lovingly as she did. It had been so long since they shared a bed and he couldn¡¯t wait for a night where he could rest easy with the woman he loved by his side.


    Just as he had hoped, Calla instantly cuddled close to him, making him chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her. ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­ but please promise not to do anything to hinder your healing,¡± she said softly, snuggling close. Raven sighed but shook his head.


    ¡°Honestly, and you say that Gwydion worries over me like a mother hen,¡± Raven said, laughing more as he heard her huff, pouting up at him. He petted her head. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to worry you so much, alright?¡±


    She didn¡¯t really believe him but nodded after a moment. ¡°Alright¡­¡± she said softly, running her hand over his chest, tracing the lines of his wounds. She frowned as she did. ¡°But I also don¡¯t want you to play off what happened to you. I was really scared. I¡­I wouldn¡¯t have been able to forgive myself if you died protecting me.¡±


    ¡°Give me a little credit, Calla. I¡¯m not a pushover in the magic world.¡± Raven pointed out as he pouted down at her. ¡°I may not be an elite, but I¡¯m well known for my power and intellect. All I would need to do is to be seen as an elite by the council to get the title. As you saw, it takes a lot more than what happened to me to kill me. Besides, I would never die and leave you alone in this world.¡±


    She knew he was trying to make her feel better. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be alone. I have the coven.¡± she teased back. Raven gave a shocked look, resting a hand over his heart in a pose that mirrored Gwydion in a way.


    ¡°Ah! You wounded me,¡± he said, giving a fake hurt look before he smirked playfully. ¡°And yet I am the devil in this relationship.¡±


    ¡°You are the devil,¡± Calla said with a huff. He just chuckled at that.


    ¡°And what does that make you? The devil¡¯s lover?¡± he teased back with a wicked smirk. She blushed at that but pouted at him.


    ¡°Apparently I¡¯m the bewitched one who has been seduced by the darkness.¡± she mocked, which he seemed to find amusing. He touched her face with a smirk.


    ¡°Well, I guess I can¡¯t deny that. If I were the actual devil, I would do everything in my power to corrupt such a pure angel to be a slave to my love.¡± he purred in a low tone that made her shiver, her blush darkening. He seemed to chuckle at the sight. ¡°And I feel it wouldn¡¯t take much to do, especially with that curiosity of yours.¡±


    She gave another huff at that, trying to look annoyed at his words. ¡°I-I¡¯m not that easy!¡± she exclaimed, only to swallow hard as he leaned his head back on his pillow, allowing a few strands of his hair to fall over his face. She trembled at that, trying to ignore how handsome he looked with the smoldering look. ¡°S-Stop it!¡±


    He chuckled low, resting his arm over her as he leaned closer. ¡°Stop what? I¡¯m not doing anything and yet you are already red in the face.¡± he purred, making her whine more. ¡°Could you imagine how easily you would melt if I put in some effort?¡± Oh, why did he have to give such a coy look? And why was this working?! Calla¡¯s heart raced in her chest, a more submissive look on her face. He seemed to smirk more at her look before he gave her a soft kiss, leaning back and holding her in his arms. ¡°But to prevent a repeat from earlier, we should just rest. Try and contain your lust for one night.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not f-filled with lust!¡± she whined, hiding her face in his chest. He laughed at that, running his fingers into her soft hair. He watched her lovingly. ¡°You were the one begging for intimacy earlier!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall hearing you try to stop me. In fact, I would say your body seemed hungry for my attention.¡± he returned with a smirk. However, his hand slipped down to rub her back. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll stop teasing.¡±


    She was still for a moment before lifting her head to look up at him. His eyes were closed as she scanned his face. Her heart still fluttered but a small smile rested on her face. ¡°Raven?¡± she called, hearing him give a hum in response. She wrapped her arms around him, just glad to be sharing a bed with him again. ¡°I love you.¡±


    A warm smile grew on his face, but he didn¡¯t open his eyes. ¡°I love you too,¡± he said with a tenderness in his voice. He rubbed her back. ¡°Sweet dreams.¡±


    It was only after he was sure that Calla was sound asleep that Raven opened his eyes with a more serious look, watching the lovely girl sleeping next to him. He just watched her for a while, taking in the gentle rise and fall of her chest. He couldn¡¯t help but smile at his beloved Calla by his side. He loved her more than anything in this world and that was why he feared what Aro was planning. Raven wanted to protect her with everything he had, no matter what it did to him. Aro was an abyss magic-user, one of the strongest levels of dark magic there was and he was well known for a reason.


    Raven sighed and turned more her way, his hands starting to glow with the white and black mix of his energy. Counterspells. He needed to place as many counterspells and wards he could remember on her if she were to encounter Aro again without him being around. It would be draining on his energy, but it would be worth it to keep her safe.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let him hurt you, Calla. I promise.¡± Raven whispered to her, knowing she would be upset with him using his energy on her if she were to wake. However, she was far too precious to him to take any kind of chance.


    ¡°Hey, Calla. Are you busy?¡± Blaise called as he walked into the room. Calla had just brought Raven something for lunch and had been in the process of leaving with the dishes when the red-haired man walked in. She gave a curious look towards him while Raven couldn¡¯t help but give him a side-eye.


    ¡°Um¡­ no, not particularly. Do you need something?¡± she asked, gathering the last dish into her hands. Blaise looked between Raven and Calla before he sighed and scratched his head.


    ¡°I got thinking about it, and well, it¡¯s not right that you have to rely so much on us to keep you safe when dealing with someone like Aro,¡± Blaise said, standing tall again. ¡°I highly doubt a guy like him would waltz in while you were with people and the idea of you being alone at any time with him bothers me more than you being alone with Raven.¡±


    Raven gave a blank stare at that. ¡°What is that meant to imply?¡± Raven asked only to be ignored.


    ¡°So, I wanted to know if you would like to learn some self-defense stuff I picked up from my time working as a fisherman. I mean, I don¡¯t think you will be as good of a fighter, but I can at least help teach you some things to help you if he ever corners you.¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise at that, frowning as she thought it over. To be honest, learning how to defend herself, even against magicals, was a good idea. She had no power otherwise and at least she could catch the blonde off guard if he attacked her again. She gave a hum before nodding towards the other. ¡°If you are willing to teach me a few things, I¡¯d be willing to learn,¡± she said with a smile. Blaise gave a nod at that but glared slightly as Raven laughed.


    ¡°This will be good,¡± Raven said as he tried to sit up.


    Blaise rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to Calla. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll meet you in the training area after you are done with the dishes,¡± he said before turning to leave the room.


    ¡°Okay, so the first thing I need you to do is hold up your fists like this,¡± Blaise said, standing next to Calla as he modeled what he wanted her to do. Calla, of course, did what was asked. She asked to make sure she was doing it right, allowing Blaise to move her hands to where he wanted them to be.


    ¡°Like this?¡± she asked, to which Blaise nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, just like that,¡± he replied, hitting her fist with his hand to make sure she was holding it out with some strength behind it. ¡°Now, I want you to hit my palms, and I want you to use as much force as you can.¡±


    Calla jolted at that, looking worried. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d actually be hitting you!¡± she exclaimed to which Blaise gave an amused glance like he had done when they first hung out in the forest together.


    ¡°Trust me, you are not gonna hurt me,¡± Blaise said. Calla huffing slightly at his words before he looked serious again. ¡°Now, come on, give me a good punch!¡±


    Calla nodded and threw her fist at his hand, which he easily blocked. Blaise sighed. ¡°Come on Calla! You gotta give it your all. Even some twiggy man like Aro would laugh if you hit him like that.¡± Blaise said with a blank stare. Calla''s face was bright red, a whine escaping her lips. ¡°Try it again.¡±


    Giving a huff with a much more serious look, she threw her fist at his hand again, using more force. Blaise hummed at that, blocking her hit. ¡°Better. Again,¡± he said.


    ¡°So this is how non-magicals learn to fight.¡± a voice to the side called just as Calla threw another fist. Blaise looked annoyed, eyebrow twitching as he glared towards the fence.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be inside resting?¡± Blaise snarked back before he grumbled. ¡°And did all of you feel the need to come out and watch?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± all three of the older warlocks said while Raven shrugged from where he sat, resting against the fence. Marick seemed to watch with a blank stare but ultimately seemed curious. Gwydion seemed more concerned about Calla getting dirty than anything else, watching more like a protective father over his younglings.


    At their answer, Blaise grumbled, rubbing his face with one of his hands. ¡°Bloody magicals,¡± Blaise muttered as he did, making Calla flash a worried smile.


    ¡°Hey now, you were the one who said I didn¡¯t know much about the world of non-magicals. I¡¯m simply taking time to learn.¡± Raven said with a smirk before he scanned Calla slightly, making her blush under his gaze. ¡°As well as getting to see Calla in a new light. Besides, I had to make sure you were not going to try and steal my sweet lover from me.¡±


    Blaise grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not you.¡± Blaise snapped before turning back towards Calla. ¡°Focus.¡±


    Calla jolted at that, blushing darkly but nodding. ¡°R-Right!¡± she exclaimed. The two returned to their lesson, having Calla hit his hands a few times just to get her more confident in doing so before teaching her what to do in different scenarios.


    Blaise pulled her into her arms, taking slight pleasure in the annoyed look on Raven¡¯s face as he held her tightly against him. ¡°So, if you find yourself in a hold like this, try and get a good hit to the chest or gut,¡± Blaise said as he looked down at her. Calla nodded at that before Blaise frowned. ¡°If you are both standing though, the best place to hit a guy to get him off you is in the balls. Just move your knee up swiftly into a guy¡¯s crotch and I assure you, it will give you enough time to run.¡±


    Calla jumped at that. ¡°W-What?¡± she seemed, more in surprise and less that she didn¡¯t understand.


    Both Gwydion and Raven seemed slightly uncomfortable at that while Marick just sighed and folded his arms. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t think you had to tell her that one. How about we avoid that area.¡± Gwydion said with a nervous laugh.


    ¡°Even for someone like Aro that just seems cruel,¡± Raven muttered, making Blaise let go of Calla to turn towards them, starting to argue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t show sympathy towards that bastard!¡± Blaise exclaimed, patting his chest. ¡°I¡¯d sooner she castrate the fucker before he did anything vile to her!¡± Calla gave a nervous wave of her hand, trying to calm the area down.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I¡¯d go that far,¡± she said nervously as she did. Blaise turned his head her way to see her shake her head. ¡°But anyway, thank you for the lesson, Blaise. I feel a lot less nervous about seeing him again.¡±


    That seemed to relax him as he scratched his head but gave a ¡®hmph¡¯ in response. ¡°Y-Yeah¡­ no problem,¡± he muttered, looking off.


    Marick sighed. ¡°Alright, well, now that this is out of the way. I need to finish planning for heading into the city tomorrow.¡± Marick said, glancing towards Gwydion. ¡°Gwydion, I would like to-!¡±


    However, Gwy had already disappeared, and the silver-haired man and the others seemed surprised when Gwydion grabbed Calla and started to push her towards the house. ¡°I let you train with Blaise and you have dirt all over your dress. Honestly.¡± Gwydion muttered while Calla tried to protest.


    ¡°Dammit Gwy!¡± Blaise snapped, starting to follow only to be stopped by Marick who sighed.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll deal with this,¡± Marick muttered, moving to follow after the two. That left Blaise standing there with Raven, who slowly started to get to his feet.


    Raven had a more amused look on his face than anything. ¡°Leave it to Gwy to be more concerned about possibly ruining a dress than listening to Marick,¡± Raven said calmly, flinching in slight pain as he soon staggered to his feet. He did glance towards Blaise as the other gave a sigh and shook his head. Raven seemed to hesitate for a moment before smiling warmly. ¡°Thank you for this, by the way.¡± Blaise glanced towards the other when he said that. ¡°I feel better knowing that she wouldn¡¯t be completely helpless and I¡¯m sure she appreciated the lesson.¡±


    Blaise was silent as he listened to him before he looked off, folding his arms. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± he asked as he did, making Raven seem surprised.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Raven said with a nod. Blaise sighed, eyes distant.


    ¡°You¡­ You and Aro are quite similar from what I hear of the guy.¡± Blaise started, making Raven frown but for now, didn¡¯t say anything. Blaise lifted his eyes to stare in the direction the others went. ¡°If you were him, how would you do it? How would you get to Calla without everyone getting involved?¡±


    Raven was surprised by the question before he looked off in thought for a moment. Finally, he sighed and looked in the same direction that Blaise was. ¡°...I would get her alone, in the closest time that everyone would seem to have put their guard down,¡± he answered honestly. The two were silent before Blaise nodded, turning towards the others.


    ¡°You must have used up a lot of energy placing those wards on her over the last few days. If you don¡¯t take it easy, you will pass out before you ever encounter him again.¡± Blaise noted much to the other¡¯s dismay. ¡°You know he¡¯s more than likely watching us, right? Watching and waiting. I know you are not as bad as you were when you first were knocked out, but¡­ in your current state, do you think you could stop him from taking off with her?¡±


    Raven frowned, looking off with a bitter look. He was silent before sighing and shaking his head no. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Especially with the curse he has on me.¡± Raven pointed out, touching his chest.


    ¡°So what do you suggest?¡± Blaise asked, returning the other¡¯s eyes to him. The red-haired man looked serious. ¡°You know more about dark magic and abyss magic than anyone I know. Is there a spell that would catch him by surprise if used against him while he was distracted?¡±


    Raven paused before humming in thought. He closed his eyes to think for a moment before he gave a nod. ¡°There is one, but in my current state, I would need help to perform it,¡± Raven said, the two staring at each other before giving a nod with a silent understanding. ¡°Come to my room later while Calla is busy making dinner with Gwy. We will discuss more about what to do.¡± Blaise simply nodded at that before moving to help the other back into the house.


    Calla let out a gasp as she saw the wind had lifted the sheet from the clothesline and began to blow it off in the direction of the treeline. Sighing, she put down the clips and quickly moved to chase after them.


    ¡°I told Gwy it¡¯s too windy!¡± she huffed as she reached for the sheet. However, just as her fingers were just about to reach the sheet, the wind seemed to pick up and pull it up, getting caught in a tree branch in one of the trees just by the path that the group had used which led towards the twisted woods. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t in the path but the tree wasn¡¯t within the wards that protected the land around the cottage either. The sheet rested on a branch that Calla could reach if she stood on something. She gave another sigh, wondering if she should just go back inside and ask Blaise to help her. Marick and Gwydion had gone into town, having heard about high-quality resources that could be used towards the potent potions that Marick needed to do. With there being one more week left before they went to the other realm, they were all growing stressed to be ready. That was why Calla was helping out more, wanting to do what she could to ease that stress from the others, even if she couldn¡¯t do much. Raven was getting stronger but the man was still resting and healing. However, Gwydion noted that Raven should be fully healed soon, the wounds being a lot less worrying, even on his chest.


    She looked back to the sheet when the wind picked up again, making her worry about the sheet being taken away if she went to get help. Figuring it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, she nodded to herself before going to grab the little wooden bench by the garden and bringing it over, setting it just below the sheet. She was a little nervous being away from the wards, hoping this wouldn¡¯t take too long as she stood on the stool. She reached to take hold of the sheet, taking hold of it. She had thought she needed to pull it more so as it easily was pulled out, it made her stumble forward. Wide-eyed, she braced herself, unable to stop herself from falling forward, partially blinded by the sheet that had covered her slightly.


    She expected to hit the ground, anticipating the sudden impact. What she didn¡¯t expect was the feeling of someone catching her before they both fell to the ground, her landing on top of whoever was below her. She let out a groan, feeling the person sit up, causing her to do the same. She thought it had to have been Blaise, but Blaise would have griped at her for being so careless. Whoever had softened her fall was being oddly silent.


    ¡°I...I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said with a soft whine, trying to untangle herself from the sheet. Silently, whoever¡¯s lap she sat on, the person seemed to move to help her. That was good because as soon as her eyes fell on the rainbow vest and white shirt of the man before her, Calla froze, panic set in. She felt the sheet pull itself tightly against her back, pulling her against him as her terrified eyes slowly looked from his rainbow vest to the wicked smirk on his lips before locking eyes with the orange orbs that stared at her with amusement. She was about to scream when his hand covered her mouth, the other wrapping around her to hold her close as he leaned back against the tree he had sat up next to.


    ¡°Shh,¡± he hushed with a mockingly warm tone, moving his face closer to hers. ¡°If you scream, I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± His words were as cold as his hold, making her shiver. He scanned her fearful expression, him seeming to take pleasure in her fear. ¡°You should be thanking me, little lamb. If I hadn¡¯t caught you, you would have hit the tree behind me. And it would be no fun to play with a broken toy.¡±


    He moved the hand away from her mouth to stroke her face lightly with his long black painted fingernails. She shivered but glared at him, trying not to look scared as it only seemed to amuse him more. She tried to push herself out of his hold, only for his arm to tighten.


    ¡°W-What are you doing here, Aro?¡± She asked in a mix of anger and fear, her body trembling. His smile grew, eyes showing a wild expression of giddiness.


    He quivered with delight, gripping her chin to force her to look up at him. ¡°Hearing you say my name is wonderful~! Do it again,¡± he said with a dark amusement to his tone. It made a chill go down her spine and a whimper couldn¡¯t help but escape her lips. He chuckled slightly, his lips nearly touching hers. ¡°One more time. Say my name one more time.¡±


    She whimpered, trying to turn her head away from his potential kiss. ¡°Aro, stop!¡± She tried to order only for it to come off as a beg. Aro let out a laugh, his body shivering but he did pull his face away from hers, leaning back against the tree again as he looked over the trembling girl on his lap.


    ¡°Even scared, it rolls off your tongue so nicely, little lamb¡± he purred with a wicked grin. However, he seemed slightly annoyed by something, a flicker of the expression in his eyes as he scanned her face. His smile never wavered as he watched her. ¡°I wonder how nice it would sound coming from your lips with you sobbing in a mix of pain and pleasure¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She yelled, glaring at him. She hit his chest as hard as she could at this angle, making him grunt and his arm loosening enough for her to pull away from him. She stumbled back, crawling away from him until her hand hit something. She looked down to see his walking cane, wondering if he had dropped it when he caught her.


    She heard him chuckle as he got to his feet, touching the spot she hit him. ¡°I have to admit, I didn¡¯t expect that from you. Someone has been learning how to protect herself.¡± He said in amusement. He smirked as he stepped towards her before watching her scramble to her feet, grabbing his cane tightly.


    ¡°S-Stay back or I¡¯ll break it!¡± Calla yelled, trying to sound serious. She had no idea if the orange orbed cane was even all that important to him. Sure, this was now the second time she had seen it with him and it looked as if he used it for his spells, however, the item might just be for his fashion.


    It did seem to make him stop, giving her a curious look over before he smirked. ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked. He hummed in thought, taking another step towards her. His smile turned into a playful smirk. ¡°It¡¯s just a walking cane, dear. It would mean nothing if you did.¡±


    She shivered, taking steps back as her eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t tell if he was being serious or if he was calling her bluff. Looking around, she noticed a large stone on the ground and stopped by it, holding the cane above the rock. ¡°You...You¡¯re bluffing. You said your power works differently but¡­ but it still works through touch and it has something to do with this. I know it¡¯s important to you.¡± she said, watching him carefully. She scowled, trying to look brave. ¡°You like making deals, right? So make a deal with me. Let me return to the wards and you can have the cane back.¡±


    Aro seemed to raise a brow at that before smirking, shaking his head. ¡°Come now, dear, you need a better deal than that if you want to perk my interest. There would be nothing of value in your deal for me,¡± he said with a shrug, continuing to walk forward casually. ¡°I would lose such an interesting toy for a walking cane? How boring. Besides, getting my cane back wouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    She shivered at that, holding her glare but getting more nervous as he continued to get closer to her. ¡°My name is Calla and I am not your toy or your little lamb!¡± she yelled, raising the cane about ready to smash it before a sudden and aggressive gust of wind sent her back and hit her against a tree. She held onto the cane for dear life before hearing a sigh. Calla looked up with horror as Aro was nearly before her looking slightly irritated.


    ¡°Alright then, Calla.¡± He said as he reached his hand out to take the cane from her. ¡°How about we stop with this little game and hand me the cane.¡±


    Calla shivered, seeing the dark look in his eyes but was more worried about what he would do with the cane back, feeling at least somewhat in power keeping it away from him. She quickly moved it behind her as he stopped before her. Aro¡¯s dark look locked with her terrified eyes as she did.


    ¡°Dear, I am not a good man to piss off.¡± he hissed before his smile reappeared. He used one of his hands to hit the tree just above her head before touching her face as he moved against her. She shivered in terror as she looked up at him.


    ¡°Calla,¡± he purred, making her shiver as he scanned her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to help Raven?¡±


    Her eyes widened at that, watching as his mouth twitched into a playfully dark smirk as he leaned closer to her again. ¡°I know he¡¯s taking longer to recover because of my spell, but my curse has another effect that I haven¡¯t used much of yet which will allow me to cause him significant pain and reverse any recovery he has done.¡± He looked amused at Calla¡¯s horror at his words before tapping her cheek. ¡°I haven¡¯t used it yet because I have my own plans and for those plans, I need dear Raven to be fully healed when he comes to the other realm.¡±


    He hummed in thought, gripping her chin as his eyes held a dark look again. ¡°However, I can have just as much fun if I kill him now,¡± he said calmly, making her shiver with tears in her eyes. However, his smile returned with a wicked look in his eyes. ¡°I only came around to observe, playing with the wind to draw you near. After all, we didn¡¯t have time to play last time we met.¡± He scanned her face before his orange eyes locked with her blue ones again. ¡°I¡¯ve been bored waiting for these three weeks to be over so the real game can begin in the other world and I see you have yet to give your gift to someone yet~¡±


    His lips touched her quivering ones again. ¡°If you love him, how about you persuade me to remove my curse on him? I can be a reasonable man~¡± he purred with wickedness that shook her to her core. She wanted to scream for Blaise, wanted Marick and Gwydion to come to save her. She gripped the cane tightly, keeping it behind her as her body tensed.


    She glared at him, turning her head away from his kiss again. She had to pull his attention away, hoping to stall long enough for the others to get back. ¡°T-They told me about you,¡± she said nervously, seeing his look change from one of interest before sinking to a playfully curious smirk.


    ¡°Did they now?¡± he asked, not really as a question. ¡°I¡¯m assuming good things.¡±


    ¡°Y-You were in exile and¡­ and you want to kill the members of this coven.¡± She said, not really answering him. He chuckled at that, mostly he was amused at her stalling. Aro knew Marick and Gwydion were not around and as long as he kept his magic at small levels, he wouldn¡¯t attract the attention of Blaise or Raven inside the cottage.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my exile and wanting to kill the coven have nothing to do with each other,¡± he said calmly before pulling his hand away to hold it out before her. ¡°Give me my cane and we can have a civil conversation, little lamb. However, I mean what I say, I will only remove that curse from Raven if you give me your body.¡±


    ¡°As if I would fall for that. I-I¡¯m not that foolish. You would simply use the cane to do something vile and what would stop you from taking what you wanted and still hurt Raven?¡± Calla asked, shrinking away from him. He frowned at that before giving what looked like a small pout of some kind.


    ¡°Now, now, I am nothing if not a man of my word,¡± Aro said as his smile returned. He smiled more as he hummed in thought. ¡°What if we pretended to trust each other? Just this once.¡±


    Calla scowled at that, locking eyes with him. However, something in his eyes made her hesitate slightly. He was almost as if he was hoping for something, something that she couldn¡¯t figure out. Whatever it was looking for in her eyes, he seemed slightly bummed by not seeing it as she spoke. ¡°No one in their right mind would trust you, Aro,¡± she said. He smirked at that before waving his hand lazily.


    ¡°Sticks and stone, dear,¡± he said before his eyes fell to her body again. There was a dark desire in his gaze, making her uncomfortable.


    He hummed in thought before lightly touching the bow on the bosom of her dress, making her push herself back against the tree. ¡°Raven knows me a little too well it seems. Odd for a boy I only met a few times,¡± he muttered, staring at her body as if looking into her soul. ¡°Have you not been curious as to why I haven¡¯t attacked you yet?¡± The question made her shiver but looked at him confused. Aro just smirked, his eyes scanning her body slowly. ¡°Even though I see you are still pure, I can tell you have been spending time with him by the number of different wards he has placed on you specifically against my type of magic. I can¡¯t do anything fun with magic with you, including stealing you a way to do what I please.¡±


    Her heart thumped at that, blushing at the idea that Raven had been casting spells on her as she slept next to him to protect her when he wasn¡¯t around. Aro chuckled at the sight of her blush, making her look fearful towards him again. ¡°But there are always loopholes, even with magic,¡± he said calmly. In a flash, he reached around and grabbed the cane, making her flinch but hold onto it as she was spun around and pushed against the tree. ¡°For example¡­¡±


    Calla let out a scream that was muffled by Aro¡¯s free hand as sudden jolts of electricity flowed through her, making her body spasm until her fingers let go of the cane. She trembled and whimpered in pain, her arms shaking as they moved to hug herself as tears fell from her eyes. He chuckled and leaned down to purr into her ear.


    ¡°If you are touching me or any of my items, I can hurt you despite the wards on you,¡± he said before moving the cane around her to pull her back against him. Her eyes opened wide at that, looking over her shoulder up at him. He chuckled down at her. ¡°You were right by the way, my magic is based on touch. However, it is amplified through my cane, making my magic stronger and can be sent farther.¡±


    Calla shivered at that, looking around as she tried to figure out how she could get out of his arms and towards the safety of the wards.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Aro said, pushing his lower body against hers, making Calla¡¯s eyes widen and her face pale. ¡°With this game now over, let¡¯s get back to dear Raven.¡± Aro¡¯s hands glowed with dark magic, making terror fill Calla¡¯s eyes as she whirled around to look up at Aro in fear.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± she cried with tears in her eyes. Aro¡¯s eyes held a wicked look as he smirked down at the poor girl in his arms. However, there was something else in his eyes, a distant look as he watched her.


    ¡°Tell me, dear,¡± he started, leaning closer to her. ¡°Do you think men like Raven will change their view of the world?¡± Calla¡¯s eyes widened at that as he pulled her closer to him with a strong grip on his cane. ¡°You are a sweet little thing, but surely you understand that someone like Raven isn¡¯t going to change how he feels about your kind just because of a cute girl like you. The hatred between magicals and non-magicals runs deep like an old wound. He may care for you, even love you, but you won¡¯t change his opinions in a single day. Could you still love him if he says something hurtful about your kind again? Could you stay by his side if he kills non-magicals? People like him and I, we cannot be fixed, Calla.¡± His words made a sad thump in her heart as she looked up at him.


    ¡°You are wrong!¡± Calla exclaimed, not seeing the look leave Aro¡¯s eyes. ¡°Raven¡­Raven said he wants to change for the better. He promised.¡±


    Aro gave a slight snort at that, shaking his head. ¡°A man can make thousands of promises and not mean them. Promises are weak.¡± Aro said calmly, moving one of his hands from the cane to stroke her hair. Why was he acting so gentle? It made her nervous. ¡°If he meant what he said, he would make a vow to you. Magicals cannot break a vow once it is uttered.¡± He smirked, making her worried. ¡°If you were mine, I would make all kinds of vows for you. I would make it clear that I would ravish you.¡± Her eyes widened at that as his own eyes filled with delight. ¡°I would abuse you and force you to enjoy it over, and over, and over again. Your body would grow hungry for my needs and I, as your master, will use you for my pleasure as long as I want. I would fill you with my lust. But, I would also make a vow to you, that I would never kill you. I would not make empty promises of not killing other non-magicals. Only you would be special enough for a vow.¡±


    Calla trembled at that, whimpering in fear as he gave a wicked grin down at her, feeling his hand slip from her hair and grip the cane again. Aro chuckled at the sight. ¡°You see, I¡¯m a man who likes what he likes. I have no reason to change who I am nor make false promises to change for anyone,¡± he said calmly, his lips nearly touching hers again. ¡°You know what to expect when it comes to me.¡±


    ¡°That is the difference between you and me, Aro,¡± a sudden voice said, making them look over to see Raven and Blaise. Calla¡¯s teary eyes looked overjoyed at the sight but she soon looked worried, seeing the pain on Raven¡¯s face. Blaise looked pissed, hands up, and his fiery sparks rushed around him like a wildfire. Raven took a step forward, eyes trying to look serious. ¡°I¡¯m willing to change who I am. My promises are not meaningless.¡± He held out a hand that glowed with a mix of his magic. ¡°Get your filthy hands off her. Now.¡±


    Aro looked at them with a bored expression before sighing. ¡°And here things were about to get fun¡­¡± he muttered before he smirked and his hands glowed. All at once, Raven¡¯s eyes widened and he sank to the ground with a cry of pain.


    ¡°Raven!!¡± Calla cried out, struggling as she tried to break out of Aro¡¯s arms. However, Aro held her close. Blaise¡¯s eyes widened and he turned to help Raven.


    ¡°W-What happened?¡± Blaise asked as Raven growled, slowly getting to his feet as he started to walk towards Aro and Calla.


    ¡°I knew about that part of your damn curse, Aro,¡± Raven said with a growl. ¡°I also know you¡¯ve been watching us and using your curse to cause pain so I can¡¯t physically be with Calla. I refuse to play your stupid games and I¡¯m not going to let you have your way with her, you piece of shit!¡±


    Aro just smirked and waved off the comment. ¡°Sticks and stones, boy,¡± he said calmly before turning back to Calla. ¡°See, dear? I wasn¡¯t bluffing. I am also not lying about removing it from him if you are a good girl.¡± He touched her chin, making her look up at him. ¡°Agree to become my entertainment for a few hours and I¡¯ll remove my curse~¡±


    Her eyes were wide with terror, her body trembling as she looked from Raven to Aro. Unseen to them, Blaise was shaking in his anger. ¡°Calla! Don¡¯t agree to give him anything! He knows he can¡¯t hurt or do anything to you without your willingness due to the protective wards on you!¡± Blaise growled as he moved over to help Raven, who staggered. Blaise¡¯s energy flared as he grabbed the other man, beginning to heal any new damage caused by Aro¡¯s curse. ¡°He¡¯s powerless and he knows it.¡±


    Aro glanced at the boy before rolling his eyes. ¡°Powerless, hilarious,¡± he said before he smirked. He grabbed Calla¡¯s face tightly before she let out another scream of pain as new jolts of electricity hit her. Both Raven and Blaise growled before they rushed him. Aro laughed before he was hit by two spells, pushing him away from Calla, and making her drop. However, Aro just laughed as he leaned against a tree nearby as Raven bundled Calla into his arms with a dark glare at Aro. ¡°I can hurt her as long as she is touching me, and you know that.¡±


    Blaise stood between Raven with Calla and Aro, his magic flaring in large quantities. ¡°I¡¯ll get you for that,¡± Blaise said darkly, making Aro chuckle.


    Aro stood tall and began to slowly approach Blaise, a wild look on his face. ¡°Interesting. The former non-magical thinks he can do what a pure-blooded magical could not?¡± he asked as he laughed. ¡°Fine, if you want to die here. I will grant it to you!¡±


    With that, Aro rushed him, making Blaise look horrified but soon growled with a determined look and smirked, the blonde had fallen for a trap. Before Aro could react, Raven grabbed the shoulder of the young red-haired man before both raised their hands, sending a spell that Calla could not even comprehend toward Aro. Aro couldn¡¯t dodge, raising his own hand to counter as much as he could as the spell hit, sending the blonde back with a scream.


    There was a flash of light as Marick and Gwydion appeared, Marick grabbing Calla and pulling her back into the warded protected area while the three warlocks remaining chased down Aro as the injured man began to flee, growling.


    Calla blinked before looking at Marick with terror in her eyes. ¡°A-Aro! Aro¡¯s curse! He¡¯s going to kill Raven!¡± she exclaimed, tears in her eyes. Marick just listened with his stony expression resting on his face before pulling out a vial.


    ¡°No, he won¡¯t,¡± Marick said calmly, though it was clear he understood Calla¡¯s fear. Calla blinked before looking worried. Marick, however, sighed. ¡°This one is potent and infused with anti-curse life magic. Besides, Aro won¡¯t try to use the curse now of all times, not while you are out of his reach. Raven¡¯s going to be okay, I promise.¡±


    She looked unsure but nodded, trusting Marick. She looked down. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry for leaving the protected area. I¡­ I was just retrieving a sheet. I didn¡¯t know he was-!¡± Calla started before Marick just patted her head.


    ¡°You are fine, Calla,¡± Marick said calmly, looking towards the treeline as the others began to walk back. ¡°I forgot Aro¡¯s abyss magic could manipulate the wind. I didn¡¯t think anything of it either until we felt Blaise¡¯s energy spike.¡±


    Calla looked over as the other three entered the safe area, Blaise complaining in annoyance as Raven and Gwydion just spoke amongst themselves. Her tears began to fall again before she ran over to wrap her arms around Raven, hiding her face in his chest. ¡°Raven¡­!¡± she exclaimed. The man looked at her surprised before his eyes softened. He wrapped his arms around Calla and held her close, rubbing her back.


    Blaise gave a huff at that before pouting. ¡°Thanks, Blaise, for helping my dumb ass of a lover when you saw him attempt to rush off to fight Aro alone again,¡± Blaise muttered in a mocking of her voice. Calla blinked as she looked his way before she giggled, a blush on her face. She pulled away from Raven, who just flashed her a warm smile before moving over to hug Blaise.


    Blaise froze as she did. ¡°Thank you, Blaise,¡± Calla said softly. The boy flushed a dark red with a blush before scratching his head and giving her back a pat.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome¡­¡± he muttered back shyly. Gwydion chuckled at the younger man¡¯s face.


    Raven touched his painfully throbbing chest as he walked over to Marick. Marick handed him the vial before eyeing the man. ¡°I told you he would try something,¡± Marick muttered only loud enough for Raven to hear. Raven downed the vial, making a face at it before sighing. His eyes fell on Calla as she spoke with Gwydion and Blaise, Gwy seemingly mocking his apprentice.


    ¡°He knew he couldn¡¯t teleport away with her with the wards I had in place¡­ I should have known he would use hurting me to try and manipulate her.¡± Raven replied, his eyes softening. ¡°... We are in the last week before we go to the other realm. If she doesn¡¯t go with us, I fear he would find a way to steal her. I have no magic that can prevent his special ability to control time.¡±


    Marick folded his arms as he watched the other three as well. ¡°Bedding her wouldn¡¯t keep him away.¡± He admitted, making Raven glance at him. ¡°When something holds his interest, it doesn¡¯t matter what happens to it as long as he can still obtain it. It is the same with people.¡± Marick sighed, seemingly thinking something over. ¡°We may need to seriously discuss the possibility that Calla will not be returning to the non-magical world after this quest. Either with her staying at the estate or whatever Aro is planning.¡±


    Raven frowned at that, looking off in thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°We should move the cottage to the estate land,¡± Raven stated, making Marick glance towards him before humming in thought. The two said nothing more on the subject as soon enough the group headed back inside.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Has the potion taken effect?¡± Calla asked as she walked into Raven¡¯s room after a bath. Since the potion, it looked as if he was healing again with no fear of Aro causing any more pain. He glanced over at her from where he was at the table. He eyed her, taking in the gentle beauty of the girl in her light nightdress as she toweled off her hair. He gave her a tender smile.


    ¡°Better,¡± he said honestly, turning to dip his quill into the ink again before continuing what he was writing in the spell book before him. Calla watched him a moment before frowning.


    ¡°Should you really be working right now?¡± She asked, taking up a brush to comb out her wet hair. She heard him chuckle at that, resting his head on his fist as he focused on writing.


    ¡°Are you going to report me again?¡± He countered playfully, making her roll her eyes at that.


    ¡°You are the one who should be resting.¡± She pointed out with a huff. ¡°Just because the spell is gone, it doesn¡¯t mean your wounds disappeared and I know Gwy didn¡¯t heal you.¡±


    Raven just chuckled again and waved it off using the quill. ¡°Let me finish this section and I¡¯ll lay down again.¡± He said calmly before returning to his task.


    Calla huffed at that, moving to sit on the bed. The room was silent outside of the scratching sounds of the quill on the parchment as she waited. She had no idea how long of a section he was working on, not that it mattered as her mind was off in thought. They only had a few days left and it had surprised her that he hadn¡¯t been as pushy as she had expected, especially with what he had promised Marick about bedding her as soon as he was able. Sure, there was the one time when they nearly went all the way but when he was in pain, they hadn¡¯t tried anything since.


    She blushed, her legs rubbing together as she thought about their time at the waterfall, wondering if it would feel similar with him inside of her. The idea made her flustered at how dirty her thoughts were. Her body felt warm as she watched the black-haired man seated facing away from her. She wondered if he would know what was going through her mind when he would look at her again. That was, whenever he would finish with what he was working on. Whatever it was, it was taking longer than she thought it would.


    After a moment, she bit her lip, her body warm and needy of his attention. She hesitated as she silently got to her feet, wondering if she should do this. However, her heart began to pound as if to tell her she was ready to be with him in every sense. Swallowing hard, she fixed her nightdress before moving to stand just behind his chair, resting her hands on it.


    ¡°Raven¡­¡± she started, shifting on her feet. He didn¡¯t look up, busy scratching the new spells into the spell book. However, unseen by her, a warm smile rested on his lips.


    ¡°Is there something you want?¡± He asked in a low, sensual voice that made her shiver. She blushed softly, running her fingers through his dark hair.


    ¡°Will you¡­. Will you dance with me?¡± She asked, chickening out of asking him what she really wanted for now. She heard him chuckle, him setting the quill into the ink before leaning back to look up into her face. He could see the hints of arousal in her eyes, making his heart race with desire. However, he smirked playfully.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± He asked, seeing her face growing hotter by the minute. He chuckled before sitting tall and stretching. ¡°I guess I can do that.¡±


    She moved as he pushed the chair back and turned to her. He was only in some kind of long johns that men used for sleepwear, leaving him mostly unclothed before her. Giving a bow, he winked at her before raising and pulling her into a dance hold.


    ¡°Do you remember the steps?¡± He asked, making Calla nod as she looked up at him. She smiled, just glad to have his undivided attention as the two began to dance.


    ¡°I will try not to step on your feet,¡± she teased with a giggle, trying to ignore how sensitive her body was. He chuckled before spinning her and pulling her into his arms again.


    ¡°If you do, you will be punished~¡± he purred into her ear, making her bite her lip and face grow hot. She shivered at that, making Raven¡¯s smile turn more playful. He knew what he was doing, curious to see if she would say what she wanted. ¡°Unless that¡¯s what you are hoping will happen,¡±


    Calla closed her eyes tightly, hiding her face in his chest as she did. He didn¡¯t move other than to wrap his arms around her as they were silent again. ¡°Y-You¡¯re the devil¡­¡± she whimpered, making him laugh lightly.


    ¡°If you say so,¡± he teased. He sighed, holding her close as he started to hum the song that had played while they were at the dance hall, swaying them back and forth in an informal dance. He stopped humming after a moment and leaned down to kiss her head.


    ¡°Calla, we have a few more days left¡­ we don¡¯t have to until you want to,¡± he said with a tenderness in his voice. Calla just rested her hands on his chest before lifting her red face to look up at him. His eyes were filled with desire, making her heart skip a beat. Her head and heart were in agreement, ready to be his.


    ¡°Raven, I¡­¡± she started, rubbing her legs together as her own eyes stared up at him with her desire. ¡°I¡¯m yours¡­¡± She swallowed hard before saying no more, standing on her toes as he leaned down, catching his lips.


    He groaned into it, deepening the kiss as their eyes closed tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing back eagerly as he backed her against the wall of the room. His heart raced, feeling how badly she wanted him. In a swift motion, he broke the kiss long enough to pull her nightdress off, making her shiver before pulling her back into the heated kiss.


    She shivered with delight, only making a small sound when he helped her remove his long johns, before he picked her up, pressing her between him and the wall. He lifted one of her legs for the moment, using his other hand to grip his hard manhood.


    ¡°Raven,¡± she moaned softly as he rubbed his member between her sensitive and wet folds to tease the clit as he trailed kisses down her neck. He groaned at that, nipping her neck before gripping her hips again.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked breathlessly, making her bite her lip with a nod. Her body quivered as she clung to him. He nodded, lifting her enough to fully move between her legs. Holding her against the wall, Calla let out a small cry as she felt him push into her. Her legs trembled, toes curling as her cry was muffled by his deep kiss. He rubbed her hips once he was fully inside of her, breaking the kiss with a breathy pant.


    She clung to him, a dull ache in her lower body but nothing to the pain she had been told she would feel. She could feel him throbbing, his tip deep inside of her as he seemed to wait for her to get used to it. She pushed her lips to his again, her tears running down her cheeks as he kissed back passionately. She would gasp into the kiss as he began to rock his hips, thrusting into her slow but deep. She rolled her head back, wrapping her legs around him as he started a steady pace, groaning as he held her hips. His mouth nipped her neck as she gasped and moaned, her body reacting to his every motion as waves of pleasure flowed through her.


    In a matter of minutes, Calla was a moaning mess, Raven guiding her to rock her hips with his as he picked up speed. She locked her legs around him as he moved inside her, hitting areas that made her cry out in bliss. Her tears rolled down her face as if trying to cool off her cheeks, hearing him pant and groan with his pleasure. As he hit a sensitive area, she panted, feeling a new sensation building inside of her. She wrinkled her face, clawing at his back as it grew closer, making her start to pant his name. He groaned, chuckling breathlessly as he felt her tighten around him, knowing he was sending her over the edge. The cries of his name were music to his ears, making him want as much of her as he can tonight, never wanting to pull away.


    He had been savoring this pleasurable time together, not wanting to finish straight away so as the girl had her first climax, he chuckled, becoming a little rougher with his motions wanting to give her as many as he can before he too could not hold back. He was sweating and panting, ignoring the twinge of pain in his chest as he sought his release. Calla¡¯s head rolled back with a louder cry of ecstasy as she was pushed over the edge again, feeling Raven push as far into her as he could go before he soon found his release. He panted, rocking his hips slower before fully stopping, leaning against her and the wall.


    After a moment she unlocked her legs and allowed him to pull away, finally having caught her breath but looking worn out. Her legs felt both on fire and weak as she staggered, leaning against the wall for support as he let her down. However, soon enough she looked up as he grabbed her hand and led her over to the bed, moving to lay down, pulling her to join him.


    He gave a small tired chuckle as he held her close. ¡°It wasn¡¯t so bad, huh.¡± He said, making her blush with a loving look in her eyes. She snuggled closer to him, trailing sweet kisses over his chest. He watched her with a warm smile of his own, running his fingers into her hair. ¡°Was it what you expected it to be like?¡±


    Her sweet face looked towards him, making his heart race again. She smiled, still shy to say such things but nodded. ¡°It was better than anything I could imagine¡­¡± she said softly, making him chuckle again and rub her back.


    He moved to lay her back on the bed, climbing over her as he kissed her deeply, her gasping as he entered her again. ¡°Good, because we have a lot of time to make up,¡± he said breathlessly before groaning low as he began to move again.


    Calla was out moments later, her body slick with sweat but her breathing had steadied. Her skin had light bruises from love bites but for the most part, he had been gentle with her, taking their time to explore her body and love her tenderly. He wanted to make her first time as special as he could and hoped she had enjoyed making love as much as he did. Raven couldn¡¯t help but watch her sleep, love in his eyes. Still, he gave a soft sigh, carefully moving to get up. He sat on the side of the bed for a moment, scratching his head. He looked towards the wall to his room, seeing where his pants had gone before noticing the trickles of blood on the floor. He smiled at the sight before shaking his head.


    ¡°Probably shouldn¡¯t have made love against the wall for your first time¡­¡± he muttered to himself, turning to look back at the young woman sound asleep in his bed. The way her brown hair flowed around her softly, framing her gentle face. The way the sheet covered her form like waves on the water. Calla was perfect in his eyes. He smiled and lightly removed a strand of hair from her face before leaning down to kiss her cheek.


    ¡°I love you, Calla,¡± he said softly, not wanting to wake her. With a warm smile, he moved away, getting out of the bed and stretching as he returned to the desk. Grabbing his long johns on the way before he began to work again. He would return to the bed once he was finished to sleep by Calla¡¯s side for the rest of the night.


    Raven and Calla''s relationship has increased


    Adventure awaits in the other realm! Raven''s story will continue in chapter 18.

 Call for Gwydion

    ¡°Gwydion!¡±


    Calla saw Gwydion¡¯s form move hesitantly when she cried out to him, arms reaching. He looked intimidating, eyes focused as if plotting what he was going to do. As for Aro, Calla felt his hands stop as soon as she called for Gwydion. She whimpered as she heard him start to laugh before her head was pulled back by her hair to look up into his cold eyes.


    ¡°Gwydion? The prince of heartbreak himself?¡± Aro asked in amusement before Calla struggled again, feeling Aro¡¯s hands slip over her breasts, groping her a little. ¡°And yet you are still pure¡­ how interesting~¡±


    ¡°S-Stop!¡± Calla yelled, eyes blurry with tears as she felt him continue to touch her.


    All at once, the trees around them began to move, the branches reaching out and grabbing Aro, pulling him away from Calla. She looked back in horror as the blonde man looked more curious about his situation, arms and legs impaled by the branches and yet not causing him any pain. Aro¡¯s white clothes were beginning to stain red with his blood.


    She jolted when she felt arms wrap around her, only to look up to see Gwydion had removed the coat he had been wearing that morning to place around her before holding her close. He was glaring at Aro, who soon gave a snicker.


    ¡°Such intensity¡­ and here I thought I was the only one who was a glutton for punishment.¡± he teased, moving to touch one of the branches that were pierced through his skin before humming. With a wave of his cane, the branches disintegrated into black ash, making Aro fall to the ground. He didn¡¯t step closer to them, however, just calmly brushed himself off before looking a tad disappointed when he touched his bloody clothing.


    ¡°You ruined my nice clothes,¡± Aro muttered as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°You heard Marick. You are not welcome here.¡± Gwydion said darkly, raising his hand which danced with his lovely magic. The trees began to shake again, making Aro glance back at them with a curious expression. While he did, Calla saw the others had moved over, all very defensive.


    ¡°You can see this place is protected by wards, Aro. You are outnumbered and have no way to reach us. Cut your losses and leave.¡± Raven said sharply as he stood next to his brother. Calla looked slightly confused by Raven¡¯s words but her thoughts soon disappeared as she heard Aro give a chuckle.


    ¡°Never a disappointment when it comes to you boys,¡± Aro said calmly, catching Calla¡¯s attention when he flashed her a coy smile. He looked towards Marick. ¡°Fine, I will just send my request once I get home. You remember the location.¡±


    He looked towards Calla again which made the already tense Gwydion hold her tightly. Aro just scanned them a moment before smirking.


    ¡°When you drop off my request in the other realm, bring the little lamb. I would love to play with her again.¡± Aro said in his charming tone once again which made her shiver. She had no idea why, but his words came off as a threat. Even more so as she heard Gwydion give a ¡®tsk¡¯ in anger.


    Aro just smiled, removing his hat as he gave a bow before returning it to his head, turning and disappearing into the dark shadows of the forest. It would be moments after he was gone when there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief from the group, even Marick seemed less tense. That was also the moment when Calla¡¯s adrenaline began to fade and the pain of what Aro had done set in. Her legs felt like jelly as they gave in, making Gwydion give a sound of surprise as he caught her.


    ¡°Calla!¡± he said as he did, soon scooping the girl into his arms, holding her close. His eyes were wide, seeing the blood from the surprisingly deep cuts on her skin.


    ¡°Gwydion, get her inside and tend to her wounds,¡± Marick said, making the man look in his direction and give a nod. Marick turned to Raven and Blaise. ¡°You two follow me,¡± Marick added before looking towards the forest. ¡°I want to make sure he¡¯s actually gone.¡±


    Calla didn¡¯t get to see anything more as she was soon whisked into the cottage by Gwydion. She was placed onto Marick¡¯s bed in the front room while Gwydion moved to grab the nearby chair.


    ¡°Calla, undo the top of your dress so I can access the wound,¡± Gwydion said in a surprisingly stern tone. If it were any other time, she would hesitate, thinking this was some kind of plot to get her out of her clothes. However, she knew this was serious and gave a nod, doing as he said as she undid the backing of her dress, pulling it away so it covered her breasts but allowed her to see the full extent of what Aro had done. She shivered, feeling disgusted at the memory of his hands fondling her as Gwydion set the chair before her and sat down. He seemed to scan the wounds on her chest and face a moment before his eyes shot to hers.


    He frowned. ¡°Healing this will be rather uncomfortable. May I use my ability?¡± he asked, making Calla blink a little, clearing tears from her eyes. She just simply nodded wordlessly, at the moment trusting Gwydion to do his job without any other motives.


    As soon as she gave the okay, he nodded back, placing his hand over the wound on her chest. His hand began to shimmer with his magic as Calla watched in amazement as her wounds began to mend themselves. She could tell he was using his ability, feeling that slightly stirring feeling wash over like a drug that took away the pain. However, this time he wasn¡¯t adding the bonus of arousal with his touch, making it clear he had full control over what his touch could do.


    She tugged her shredded dress tighter to her as she watched him, sniffling a little. ¡°Who...Who was that guy?¡± she asked through trembling lips. She shivered, once again feeling Aro¡¯s hands on her body. She saw Gwydion¡¯s eyes narrow slightly, still focused on her wounds.


    ¡°His name is Aro,¡± Gwydion said with slight anger in his tone. ¡°He¡¯s one of an elite group of warlocks that Marick also falls into the category of. He¡¯s also known as the Jester.¡±


    ¡°And he isn¡¯t supposed to be in the area.¡± the sudden voice of Blaise rang out, making Calla jolt as she looked over to see the other three walk into the cottage. Blaise looked back to Marick as the men moved to stand in the room. ¡°What is he doing back here? I thought he was in exile.¡±


    ¡°He was supposed to be, but as a powerful warlock of the other realm, it¡¯s not uncommon that he was pulled out of exile for a quest,¡± Raven stated bitterly, folding his arms. Marick looked at both of them before his eyes fell on Calla. Walking over, he leaned down to scan her face before looking at Gwydion.


    ¡°How are her wounds?¡± Marick asked. Gwydion didn¡¯t look up but hummed a little.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost finished,¡± Gwydion answered with a trace of bitterness in his tone. ¡°He had placed traces of his magic into her cuts.¡± Calla shivered at that, looking at Marick who seemed to hold a small amount of concern on his hard-to-read face.


    ¡°W-What does that mean?¡± she asked, her fear returning. Marick¡¯s purple eyes darted at hers again, seemingly staring into her soul as he seemed to be thinking something over.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sensing anything¡­ but it would be a good idea to give her an enchanted crystal to wear just to be on the safe side. I wouldn¡¯t put it past Aro to try something.¡± Marick said coldly, rising to his full height. Gwydion gave a nod as Calla looked between the two.


    ¡°Sick bastard,¡± Blaise growled, to which Raven seemed to agree as Calla caught him giving a slight nod at Blaise¡¯s comment.


    Raven¡¯s attention turned to Marick as the man with long silver hair moved to stand by one of the windows. ¡°So what do we do now? You, above anyone, know what would be Aro¡¯s next plan of action.¡± He said. Calla frowned, wondering if Marick had some kind of past with Aro. Then again, Raven also seemed to know something about Aro as well given how tense he had been and still was.


    Marick sighed. ¡°We will have to tread carefully. Aro is like a serpent who waits for his moment to strike.¡± Marick said bitterly, moving to rub his eyes. ¡°And now that he knows Calla is here¡­¡±


    The room got quiet, making Calla¡¯s worry grow as she looked at the faces of all the men. It seemed there was something they all understood, something about the danger Calla was in. Her attention went back to Gwydion as he finished up and sighed, His hand moved to lightly touch her shredded dress before getting to his feet.


    ¡°Stay here, I¡¯ll get you something to change into,¡± Gwydion said, turning to leave the room. Blaise watched him leave before frowning.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so tense¡­¡± he muttered, folding his arms. Raven gave a sigh.


    ¡°Given Aro had his hands all over, Calla. It doesn¡¯t surprise me that he is.¡± Raven noted bitterly. Calla frowned, blushing lightly at the idea of Gwydion being so worried about her. If the moment wasn¡¯t so tense, she would be happy knowing she was so special to him.


    ¡°What does Aro want?¡± Calla finally asked, looking at the three left in the room. Marick hummed in thought as he looked her way, almost as if he was thinking of how he wanted to explain, while Blaise just looked off angrily. Raven glanced at Marick¡¯s direction before frowning.


    ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t sugar coat it, Marick¡­¡± Raven pointed out, making Marick¡¯s expression harden like a stone. The comment surprised her as Marick never seemed like the person who would sugarcoat anything. He was normally brutally honest. However, it seemed that whatever Marick knew, he didn¡¯t really want to go into it.


    Marick finally nodded. ¡°Aro is someone who has been attempting to take out this coven for a while now. He doesn¡¯t care much for competition but loves a challenging battle.¡± Marick began to explain, seemingly trying not to say too much about how he knows so much. ¡°Aro was a part of five elite magicals known as the immortals. I am one of those elites, and so is Madam Coffer. Aro has killed the other two members of that elite group leaving us as the last three immortals. What Aro wants is to fight and kill the members of this coven, mostly out of boredom.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± Raven cut in with a frown. ¡°He¡¯s not a fool. He knows that a fight against all of us would be a death sentence like it would be with any coven. So he tends to use methods to split the coven up to be able to fight them.¡±


    Marick sighed, rubbing his eyes a little. ¡°Exactly¡­¡± Marick muttered bitterly before pulling his hand away to look towards Calla again. ¡°He does that by going after the weakest members first or by finding something that coven cares about to use against them.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes widened in fear, it finally clicking. She shrank a little into herself, looking off. ¡°He wants to use me to get to you guys?¡± she asked, mostly for confirmation. She shivered as she looked up to see the faces of the others who seemed to go hard to read. That meant she had hit the nail on the head. Having the memory of what Aro did to her fresh in her head, Calla could put the pieces together. It wasn¡¯t so much that Aro was powerful, it seems the coven was used to dealing with him. It was the fact that everyone knew that Aro was sadistic and cunning which was the source of danger. She trembled, not wanting to think about what Aro would do to her if he got his hands on her again. Would she be raped? Tortured? Killed? Just seeing how Aro was in the brief encounter she had, she wouldn¡¯t put anything past him as long as it got him the results he wanted.


    She looked towards the hall that led to the rooms as she heard Gwydion curse loudly. He walked in, a new dress draped over his arm while his eyes were on something in his other hand. He held a parchment that looked as if it had been tied up with a bow, which now was hanging loosely on his hand as he read over the note. He looked up, an annoyed look in his eyes as he moved to offer it to Marick.


    ¡°This just came to my window. You will want to read this.¡± Gwydion said as he did. Marick took the note to look it over as Gwydion turned to move to Calla. He handed her the dress, his eyes gentle as he looked down at her still seated on the bed.


    ¡°Change into this. You can stand behind me while you do if you don¡¯t want to be watched,¡± he said calmly. Calla hesitated, not sure if she liked the idea of changing before the whole group, but Gwydion seemed to be offering to block the view. She nodded, getting up and handing him back his long coat. Gwydion turned to face away from her, putting on the coat but holding it out to give her more cover as she stood behind him to change.


    She heard Marick click his tongue. ¡°Let me guess who it¡¯s from¡­¡± Blaise muttered bitterly. ¡°What does he want?¡±


    ¡°He wants 10 vials of death¡¯s kiss potion to be brought to him in the other realm. There is also a quest here to deal with goblins that I¡¯m assuming he didn¡¯t want because it didn¡¯t sound interesting enough.¡± Marick explained, Calla was unable to see the man¡¯s angered expression but heard him toss the parchment onto the table with the vials. ¡°He¡¯s giving us three weeks to prepare before we head to the other realm.¡±


    Calla froze as she heard that, her eyes widening in horror as she was pulling on the new dress. ¡°Does...Does that mean¡­¡± she started, still hidden behind Gwydion.


    ¡°That bastard!¡± she heard Blaise hiss in anger. ¡°He¡¯s doing that on purpose, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Gwydion,¡± Calla heard Marick start only to be cut off.


    ¡°No,¡± Gwydion said sternly. ¡°I know what you are going to order me to do and I refuse.¡±


    Calla turned to look up towards him, still in the process of doing up her buttons. ¡°You of all people are going to refuse an order to have sex? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been pressuring her since she got here!¡± Blaise stated more in disbelief rather than an annoyance in his voice. Calla gave a look of shock as she stared at Gwydion. He glanced back at her, seeing that she was dressed, and sighed, putting his arms down and turning to her. The rest of the room was staring her way as well.


    Marick grumbled a little. ¡°He gave us a three-week deadline to go to the other realm. Aro is far too crafty to leave you at the cottage while we are gone, even with the wards and if someone were to stay here. He¡¯s not giving us much of a choice.¡± Marick explained, making Calla frown. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Calla, but you know what this means.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking her tonight just because you would be more comfortable with the knowledge that she¡¯s no longer pure,¡± Gwydion said suddenly, making Calla look back to him again with a look of surprise. He was serious, eyes closed a moment before turning towards Marick. ¡°We have three weeks. As much as I hate the idea that we have to force this, I promise she will not be a virgin by the time we go to the other realm.¡±


    Calla shifted uncomfortably, looking down before Gwydion continued, ¡°But only when she is comfortable enough to be okay to do so with me,¡± Gwydion said with a soft, gentle tone. She looked back up at him, her heart skipping a beat. Of all the people, she was surprised to hear him be the most caring about her feelings towards the idea of suddenly having to be intimate. It seemed she wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by his words, even his own brother looked on with surprise.


    She smiled warmly up at him. ¡°Thank you, Gwy¡­¡± she said softly in return, making his expression become more loving.


    Marick clicked his tongue in annoyance again but sighed. ¡°Just understand the longer you wait, the more tempted Aro will be to attack her,¡± he said bitterly before waving his hand. ¡°Now get out of my area. I will need complete concentration to make the potions he wants.¡±


    Gwydion nodded, offering his hand to Calla. Once she took it he smiled and led her to his room.


    Raven and Blaise watched as they left. Blaise folded his arms. ¡°He either really cares about her or he¡¯s feeling guilty about something¡­¡± Blaise muttered. Raven smirked lightly.


    ¡°It could be both you know¡­¡± he pointed out as he turned to leave the room. ¡°He cares about her which is why he¡¯s guilty about something to the point where he hasn¡¯t been pressuring her as much.¡±


    Blaise frowned at that before grumbling, moving to head to his own room.


    Once inside Gwydion¡¯s room, Calla sighed, moving over to sit on his bed. She hugged herself tightly, looking off. So much was running through her mind that it was hard to focus on one or the other. She only looked up when she felt Gwydion sit on the bed next to her. He gave a soft sigh, moving one of his hands to clear tears from her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Calla,¡± he said tenderly. She just sniffled and looked off. Oddly enough, since coming back from the city, Gwydion hadn¡¯t been as pushy towards her as he had been, even with her reminding him that she was willing to do a little more with him. He was still flirty but something seemed to be bothering him. However, he never brought it up.


    She moved to clear tears from her eyes. ¡°I was so scared¡­ that guy¡­ Madam Coffer was nothing compared to him¡­¡± she said, shivering. ¡°I...I still feel his hands on me¡­¡±


    Gwydion frowned at that, moving to pull her into his arms, rubbing her arm. ¡°I could only imagine love¡­ I was so horrified when I saw you in his arms. And when you cried out for me¡­ I knew I had to do something.¡± he said, clinging to her. ¡°I put you in a lot of danger using that spell. He could have easily done something to counter and who knows what he would have done in retaliation¡­¡±


    Calla frowned, clinging to him, wanting to be as close to him as she could. In his arms, her memories of Aro¡¯s hands on her didn¡¯t appear.


    ¡°Gwy?¡± she started, comforted by him running his fingers through her hair.


    ¡°Yes, love?¡± he asked with a soft tone as he continued to soothe her. She buried her head into his chest.


    ¡°Can I...Can I start staying in your room?¡± she asked, feeling him pause. She couldn¡¯t see the overjoyed look on Gwydion¡¯s face. The guy looked as if he wanted to cry, but soon got a hold of himself and returned to soothe her.


    ¡°...You believe you can trust me enough to start sharing a bed with me?¡± he asked curiously. Calla sighed.


    ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± She said softly before tugging his shirt. ¡°But even if I didn¡¯t, I have to sleep with you, right? You are allowed to do whatever you want now¡­¡±


    Gwydion frowned at that before sighing, patting her head. ¡°Not without your permission, Calla,¡± he replied before moving to gently lift her chin so she was looking up at him. He smiled warmly. ¡°I want your first time with me to be because you want to be intimate with me, not because you feel obligated to do it. Sadly, that will need to be sooner than I had hoped, but my thought still stands.¡±


    Calla blushed lightly, looking up at him. He was being so gentle, so loving. She almost forgot he tended to ruin moments like this by being coy by the time he gave her a playful smirk. ¡°Besides, after our first time together, I plan to go at it like rabbits~!¡± he purred, making her huff with a deeper blush on her face before she pulled away.


    ¡°You are such a lecher¡­¡± she grumbled, making Gwydion chuckle and move to kiss her head.


    ¡°And you love me for it.¡± he sang, making her shoot him a slight glare. At least she was feeling better from what happened. Gwydion¡¯s comments oddly helped to distract her from her thoughts of Aro.


    It was a tense week and a half that would pass by the time Calla was surprised by Gwydion suddenly slipping a necklace over her head while she was at the dining table. At that time, she had been spending her nights with Gwydion. Outside of kissing and getting comfortable with him sleeping naked, Gwydion was oddly on his best behavior, much to the surprise of the others. Calla was sure that Marick was eyeing her every morning to see if she was still pure. Then again, given how concerned he was about Aro, she was sure Marick was getting stressed out by the upcoming deadline.


    She blinked in surprise as she lightly touched the beautiful red crystal around her neck that pulsed with its own energy before looking up at Gwydion. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asked curiously. He just chuckled with a wink.


    ¡°You¡¯re crystal that wards against those with evil intent towards you,¡± he said happily, making her narrow her eyes at that before looking back towards the table.


    ¡°I thought I told you that I don¡¯t believe these enchanted crystals work as you think they do. I have yet to see them repel you,¡± she muttered. Blaise, who was seated nearby, nearly choked at that comment, coughing on the apple he had been eating while Raven just laughed. Gwydion pouted at them before hugging Calla with a whine.


    ¡°You are so mean, Calla!¡± he whined. ¡°And here I wanted to give you the prettiest crystal I could find as a token of my love!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being romantic,¡± Raven said with a smirk towards his brother. ¡°But what use would something like that have while she is here?¡±


    Gwydion beamed with a wide smile as he let go of Calla and rose to his full height. ¡°For your information, dear brother. I did not give her this necklace with the intention of it protecting her while she is here. In fact, it¡¯s for our date tonight!¡± he said happily. Calla looked confused as she looked up at him, but blushed.


    ¡°What date?¡± she asked, confused. Gwydion gave a chuckle, flashing her a playful grin.


    ¡°Why, the date to the opera of course! Don¡¯t tell me you forgot.¡± Gwydion said before making a dramatic pose of disappointment. He smirked and touched his chin. ¡°This will be my attempt to fully win your heart!¡±


    Calla blushed deeper but sighed at him. ¡°You¡¯re strange¡­¡± she muttered, smiling. He gave her a wink and chuckled.


    ¡°I thought I told you that it would be dangerous for us to move about without the others,¡± Marick muttered, shooting a slightly annoyed look at the theatrics that was Gwydion.


    Gwydion pouted towards him. ¡°Well by all means you can join us in the city, but I will have this date with Calla without you all hovering around,¡± he said, putting his hands on his hips with a childish pout. He waved his hand. ¡°We could even stay the rest of the week at that nice hotel in the city.¡±


    ¡°You were saying that you needed to head into the city again for materials.¡± Raven pointed out to Marick. He also moved to whisper something to Marick that Calla couldn¡¯t hear. Marick rolled his eyes and motioned him to go away. Marick thought it over before nodding.


    ¡°Fine, we can gather what we need to stay in the city for a couple of days,¡± Marick said calmly, leaning back in his chair. ¡°It might be a good chance to relax before we head to the other realm.¡±


    Calla looked confused by it, catching Raven who flashed her a smile and a wink. It made her feel as if he was plotting something. Gwydion just chuckled. ¡°Wonderful! I shall pack our bags!¡± he exclaimed, racing off towards his room. Calla watched after him before a thought hit her. She jumped up and raced after him.


    ¡°You are NOT packing that dress, Gwy!!¡± she exclaimed as she did, making Raven and Blaise laugh from the table. Even Marick gave a small smirk of amusement.


    ¡°What do you mean separate rooms!¡± Gwydion whined as he followed Raven up the stairs to the next floor. To be fair, Calla was also surprised to hear that. Ever since she started living with the coven, she had shared a bed with someone. However, Raven seemed to be trying to cause trouble and had told the group that he had gotten rooms for everyone, meaning that Calla would get her own room if she so desired.


    Raven flashed a wicked grin towards his brother. ¡°Well, as you said, this trip is only for a date right? Unless you want to admit that you are doing this for any other reason, I am afraid you will be staying in a separate room from Miss Calla. She does still have a chance to be with anyone else, you know.¡± Raven pointed out in a wicked tone. Gwydion looked as if he had been hit by a brick. He was in tears as he moved to Calla, grabbing her by her shoulders.


    ¡°Say it isn¡¯t true, my love! Tell this fiend that you would never pick anyone else!¡± Gwydion exclaimed. The sight made Calla laugh, a blush on her face. He was being overly dramatic as usual.


    ¡°Gwy, you know you are just giving your brother what he wants.¡± She told him, making the older man pout before being pulled off of Calla by Blaise, who huffed.


    ¡°You are annoying,¡± Blaise said as he dragged Gwydion off towards the direction of his room. Calla laughed as she watched them before turning to look towards Marick who was already stopped at his room. She frowned.


    ¡°Marick?¡± she called, making him look her way. ¡°I know you said it should be safe, but¡­ should we put wards around my room just to be cautious?¡± She hadn¡¯t left the cottage since her encounter with Aro, and although there hadn¡¯t been news or sightings of the man, she still felt cautious. Marick hummed in thought before nodding.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.¡± He said after a while before giving a nod. ¡°I will place some down once everyone has settled in.¡±


    Calla gave a slight sigh of relief at that, nodding to Marick before moving towards her room. She entered and leaned against the door with a sigh. It was nice being able to get out of the cottage for a change, but she couldn¡¯t deny she had a bad feeling. The deadline was getting closer, and she had denied Gwydion upon his requests to be intimate multiple times. She knew she had to, but at the same time, she didn¡¯t know if she was ready.


    Still, she had the date tonight to think about as she moved to put her suitcase down on the bed. She huffed as she opened it, seeing the frilly dress had managed to still get packed. Now it had a note on it telling her to wear it tonight for the opera. She grumbled at that, taking the dress out to look it over. It was a lovely dress, she just hated how much of a doll she felt in it. After all, the last thing she wanted to feel doing their date was that she was his toy.


    A blush ran across her face as she set the dress down, moving to run her hand over her body. The last few weeks had been the closest things to intimate she had ever been involved in. Even now she could feel Gwydion¡¯s kisses on her body, feel his hands explore her. She had even spent a night with him completely nude. Her body began to heat up at the memory of him over her, kissing her so passionately. She almost gave in that night, almost letting him have what he wanted when he asked. Calla was then reminded of the look of disappointment he had on his face when she turned him down. She felt bad that she kept doing that, knowing he was almost torturing himself with how aroused he got with no payoff. However, he never said he was upset with her for doing things like that.


    She had noticed that Gwydion had a nice scent about him, always smelling of spices from cooking and freshness of flowers from when he tended the garden. That might be what she would miss the most having her own room for the four days they were here.


    Calla turned her attention back to the dress and sighed. She had a few hours before the opera started but figured it was probably a good idea to get a bath in and change while Gwydion was distracted.


    ¡°Gwydion, wait!¡± Calla explained as she was nearly dragged by the overly excited man. He chuckled and slowed to a stop as they got to the opera house. People were gathering, moving inside around them as Gwydion turned to her.


    Calla sighed, looking up at him. Not that Gwydion ever looked bad, but tonight, the man looked like he could be a prince, dressed in a fancy suit with red accents, a white shirt under the coat, and his long hair up in a loose ponytail. It made her blush a little at the idea of being on a date with such an attractive man. Of course, she wasn¡¯t the only one whose eyes he caught as women of all ages oogled him.


    ¡°My apologies, love. I¡¯m just excited to show you an opera!¡± He exclaimed with an excited tone. Calla just sighed, tugging on the frilly dress she was in. She wasn¡¯t happy to be wearing it but Gwydion had looked so overjoyed when she walked out of her room in it that she couldn¡¯t stay mad for too long.


    She looked around, moving closer to Gwydion as she saw fancy people of all ages moving into the building. ¡°There are so many people here¡­¡± she said softly, only to look up to see Gwydion smiling warmly at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be here.¡± He said calmly, offering her his arm. She blushed and took it, allowing him to lead her into the building where people mingled. A good few people looked their way, making Calla look down both embarrassed and feeling out of place. She was just some lowly farm girl who just happened to find a group of warlocks, being let into the whiles of high society was such a strange concept for her.


    She heard Gwydion chuckle. ¡°This time they are looking at you, my love,¡± he said, making her give him a shy look. He smiled down at her. ¡°You look like a princess.¡±


    ¡°I feel like a doll,¡± she muttered back to him before giving a sigh. She gave him a look over. ¡°If anything, you are the one who looks like royalty.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more!¡± a sudden voice said, making both look over to see who was speaking. Calla froze. The woman who was walking their way was a beauty, with long dark hair, and stunningly lovely hazel eyes. She looked to be in her 20s, taller than Calla with a tight black dress on with a slit that showed off her slender legs.


    The woman gave Gwydion an interesting look over before her mouth curled into a grin. ¡°I heard the great Gwydion was going to be here tonight and I was interested to see if the rumors were true.¡± the woman said happily. Her eyes fell on Calla and she hummed. ¡°And with such a lovely pet.¡±


    Gwydion gave a hum, moving towards the woman, Calla frowned as she saw his typical flirty grin on his face. ¡°Well, you were right about the rumor of me being here,¡± he started before putting an arm around Calla, making the young girl blush. ¡°However, the girl I am with is named Calla and though she is lovely, she is not a pet.¡±


    The woman hummed at that, giving Calla a once over before smiling with a flirty grin as she looked back up at Gwydion. ¡°How sweet, I guess the stories of you being a charmer are true.¡± She said, her smile becoming more coy. ¡°Are the other stories I have heard about you true?¡±


    Gwydion chuckled at that before giving a hum. ¡°If they are good stories then, of course, ~¡± he purred. Calla looked between the two. She didn¡¯t like this. Gwydion was flirting with some woman. A woman who had called her a pet, making Calla wonder if the beautiful woman was magical. Frowning, she couldn¡¯t help but look off, clinging to Gwydion¡¯s arm as if she were a child. It seemed to catch his attention as he looked down at her before smiling.


    ¡°How about we go find our seat?¡± he asked, making Calla look back up at him. She said nothing but gave a nod.


    The woman hummed in thought before touching Gwydion¡¯s arm. ¡°You should come to find me sometime. I am always eager to see if rumors in our world are true~¡± she purred to him before winking and moving off. Calla watched her go before Gwydion just calmly led her towards the stairs.


    ¡°...She was very pretty¡­¡± Calla said after a while as they climbed. The stairwell at this height had very few people on it so she felt they could speak a bit more openly. ¡°Is she magical?¡±


    Gwydion glanced at her before smirking. ¡°Calla, are you jealous?¡± he teased, making her huff a little.


    ¡°N-No¡­¡± she said, looking off. Gwydion just chuckled and stopped when they got to the top area, the archway leading to balcony seating. It seemed Gwydion spared no expense for tickets but as to how he got the money, she was still unsure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her, Calla,¡± Gwydion said calmly, motioning her into the balcony box where two comfortable chairs awaited them. Calla eyed Gwydion but sighed. She had said that she trusted him after all, and this was the date he planned. She walked in, her thoughts shifting immediately to the view from this balcony. She could see everyone below them and the whole stage.


    Gwydion chuckled at the look of wonder on Calla¡¯s face before taking a seat. He leaned back, looking pretty proud of himself. ¡°My courting skills are unmatched, my love. I did a wonderful job, no?¡± he asked with a smile towards her.


    Calla blushed but gave him a slightly playful grin. ¡°You might have overdone it a bit,¡± she said, mostly to see him take his ego down a little. He pouted at that before his smile returned and he gave her a wink.


    ¡°I also made sure we were high enough and in a dark enough place so if you wanted to give me your body while we were here yo-¡± he started only for Calla to give him a blank stare.


    ¡°No,¡± Calla cut him off before looking towards the stage. They were quiet a moment before Gwydion sighed.


    ¡°Always such a tease. And here I thought you wearing that cute dress was giving in to my needs.¡± Gwydion said, however, Calla noted this didn¡¯t sound like he was teasing. She looked back at him and frowned, only for him to notice and smile.


    ¡°Teasing, love.¡± He said calmly before motioning to her seat. ¡°Why not have a seat?¡±


    She just stared at him a moment, not sure if she should call him out on the fact that she didn¡¯t think he was teasing before she moved to sit down in the seat next to him.


    ¡°So, um¡­ what is this opera about again?¡± she asked, glancing towards the stage which was still closed by a curtain.


    Gwydion hummed. ¡°It¡¯s a comedy about a constant skirt chaser of a man who destroys his life in a single day and ends up getting punished for his crimes,¡± Gwydion explained, making Calla narrow her eyes at him.


    ¡°So it¡¯s a play inspired by you,¡± she said before giggling as Gwydion gave his overly dramatic look of betrayal.


    ¡°So cold, love,¡± Gwydion said with a whine before he couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly at her giggle.


    The lighting in this area made Calla glow like an angel, making Gwydion¡¯s heart skip a beat as he watched her. She was so beautiful in his eyes and yet, he found himself conflicted. He hadn¡¯t been pressuring her as much, knowing she was under a lot of stress to sleep with him by the deadline, however, every time he tried to get her more comfortable with the idea of being intimate, she always turned him down. He couldn¡¯t lie as to say he wasn¡¯t a bit sexually frustrated by her. He wanted her so badly to the point that every moment he was with her, he wondered what he could do to tip the scales in his favor. After this trip, there would be less than a week left before they had to go to the other realm, time was ticking.


    His eyes moved to the crowd below them, soon locking eyes with the enchanting woman he had met in the lobby. He couldn¡¯t deny the woman was pretty, but outside of her offer running through his head, she was just another woman who wanted his attention. He just smiled at her, eyes moving away towards the stage. As much as he wanted to focus on his alone time with Calla, his mind was on the growing need he had for attention. He wouldn¡¯t force Calla into his desires, but he wasn¡¯t someone who could hold off for much longer, especially with how close they kept getting. Perhaps if his mind were a bit more clear, he could wait a little longer for Calla to come around to the idea of making love with him.


    Soon enough the play would begin. Gwydion couldn¡¯t help but smile as he watched Calla¡¯s reaction. The girl was so curious and interested in every little thing. It made him hold back a chuckle as he turned his attention to the stage.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how far into the play they were when his mind began to wander again, eyes scanning the crowd to catch another sight of the woman from earlier as his thoughts returned. He bounced his leg, eager for a touch of a woman who would be more willing to let him have his way. However, the thought made him frown, remembering what he had done last time. He glanced at Calla, his eyes gentle. She was important to him. She was the only one that meant something to him. So why couldn¡¯t he hold off his desires for sex? Maybe it was an addiction. In a sense, his desires were as powerful as the feelings he sent to others with his ability. It was a craving, a drug.


    Finally, he gave a small sigh, shaking his head. No, he couldn¡¯t keep doing this. Calla was the one he wanted to be with, not some easy lay that would only make him regret his actions later. He made up his mind, no matter how badly he wanted attention, he would hold off. Before he knew it, it was intermission, the lights raising.


    Calla turned to him wide-eyed and smiling. He couldn¡¯t focus on what she was saying at the moment, finding her expression to be adorable as she talked about everything and anything about what they were seeing. The sight of her smile made his heart race. He just chuckled at her, seeing her blush as he did.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you are enjoying yourself, love.¡± He said in amusement, moving to get up and stretch.


    ¡°Gwy?¡± Calla called, making him look back down at her. She looked off with a shy smile. ¡°Thank you, for this.¡±


    He smiled at her. ¡°Of course, love,¡± he said softly, leaning down to kiss her head before standing tall again with a warm smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to go grab a drink. They have a stand on the first floor. Do you want anything?¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise at that but shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± She said before humming. She had a bad feeling again but she didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long, okay?¡±


    He just chuckled and gave her a wink. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± He said before turning and leaving the room. Calla watched after him, frowning. She grabbed her chest, slightly worried about something but not sure if she should say anything.


    Gwydion wasn¡¯t a fool. He noticed the look in Calla¡¯s eyes as he left. He sighed, thinking to himself as he fixed his coat. ¡°To be fair, Calla, I wouldn¡¯t fully trust me either.¡± He muttered to himself. It made him frown as he descended the stairs, pulling his coat closer as he found the stairwell to have a slight chill to it.


    Once he got down to the first floor, he noticed a line at the drink stand. It was mostly alcoholic drinks, wine, and spirits that could be bought by the bottle. The wealthy non-magicals always seemed to enjoy everything with a drink. His kind of people. He hummed, wondering if he should get two glasses. Sure, Calla said she didn¡¯t want anything but perhaps he could change her mind. As he waited, he let his mind wander, a perverted little grin on his face as he did. He wondered if he could talk Calla into letting him lick the wine he got off of her sweet skin, already imagining her sweet moans and blushing face, already tasting the mix of wine and her sweet body. It was quite the turn-on for him already. He didn¡¯t even notice the smirking woman next to him.


    ¡°You seem to be having a nice thought. Is it about me?¡± the woman purred, snapping him out of his fantasy. He glanced over before his expression sank. It was the magical from earlier, her smiling up at him with her interesting scan. Oddly enough, as pretty as she was, he felt no desire for her any longer. Still, his personality was naturally flirty so he just smiled at her.


    ¡°It was about a woman,¡± he pointed out with a wink her way before his attention turned back to the shelves of wine. He saw the one he planned to get before looking back at the woman. ¡°Enjoying the show?¡±


    The woman hummed, scanning him again. ¡°I could think of other things more enjoyable,¡± She said, her mouth twitching into a smirk. She wrapped her arms around his, pushing her chest against his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±


    To her surprise, Gwydion gave her a bored look and removed his arm from her hold. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am not interested in entertaining,¡± he said sternly, fixing his coat.


    She narrowed her eyes, giving a hum before she tilted her head. ¡°The prince of intimacy, Gwydion himself, turning away an offer for attention from a woman? And here I thought you lived to satisfy,¡± she said. She eyed him. ¡°And because of that girl?¡±


    He stepped forward, his turn to buy. ¡°People change,¡± he said calmly before speaking to the one at the stand, ordering the bottle he was eyeing. The woman watched him for a moment. As he got the wine and glasses, turning to head back upstairs she curled her mouth into a smile.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± she asked, turning to him. ¡°Does that mean your little pet doesn¡¯t know about the last time you were in the city?¡±


    Gwydion stopped dead, face hard to read. The woman hummed, moving over to touch his arm. ¡°I saw you with the other non-magical. So much for ¡®people change¡¯ huh?¡± she purred wickedly. She giggled. ¡°I¡¯m assuming since you didn¡¯t say anything, you would rather not let that cute little pet of yours know of your betrayal. You wouldn¡¯t want me to say anything to her, right?¡±


    Gwydion frowned, looking down with shame in his eyes. He wrinkled his nose, glaring at her. ¡°What do you want?¡± he hissed loud enough for only the woman to hear. She just smiled sweetly, giving a giggle.


    Calla frowned slightly. Gwydion had been gone longer than she had expected. Intermission was over and the play had started again. It made her a bit nervous, but then again, perhaps there was a line for drinks. Still, she sighed, getting up and moving to peek into the hallway that led to the balcony. She debated going after him, her mind already making up the excuse of wanting something to drink after all as a reason why she would be checking up on him.


    However, she changed her mind. She wanted to trust him, trust that he wasn¡¯t flirting with the pretty girl he had been talking to in the lobby. After all, he said Calla was special to him. She sighed, moving back inside. However, on the dark balcony, Calla didn¡¯t notice the form of someone in Gwydion¡¯s chair until she was right there.


    The light from the stage illuminates the blonde hair of the man lounging back, orange eyes watching the stage. Her blood ran cold, her face losing color but feeling as if she couldn¡¯t scream as she was frozen in place.


    ¡°Don Giovanni, huh. To be honest, I wouldn¡¯t have expected this to be the opera someone like Gwydion would take you to see. It would only make what he does more obvious.¡± Aro said calmly, leaning back in the chair. His eyes glanced her way, seemingly breaking the fear holding her in place as she turned to leave the room. However, he easily grabbed her arms. In one swift motion, Calla was pulled onto Aro¡¯s lap, resting easily in his arm while his cane blocked her only exit. She stared up at him, eyes wide with fear as he simply looked at her boredly. Her lips trembled, unable to scream.


    ¡°Y-You shouldn¡¯t be able to touch me!¡± she whimpered, only to be shushed by him. He hummed, a smile on his face as he leaned back in the chair, holding her in this seated bridal style as he winked to her.


    ¡°Not so loud, little lamb. People are enjoying the play,¡± he said calmly with his wicked grin. She trembled, attempting to push away from him. Still, she found some courage, remembering her necklace. She held it out, glaring at him.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m wearing this! You shouldn¡¯t be able to touch me!¡± she said, though being quieter this time. She worried about what he would do if she caused a scene.


    Aro raised a brow at the necklace before smirking, his ringed hand moved to touch her face with a slight grip but otherwise was rather gentle with her.


    ¡°Oh, my dear. You are still so new to magic,¡± he answered coyly before chuckling lightly. It made her want to whimper. ¡°I was aware you had that on. I saw it on you in the lobby when I had originally tried to grab you.¡± His eyes fell to her necklace for a moment before sighing. ¡°It is rather bothersome, I will tell you that.¡±


    He looked her in the eyes again with a charming smile. ¡°However, it only works against ill intent. As long as I have no ill intentions towards you, I can touch you,¡± he said before Calla let out a whimper as his lips were suddenly pressed against hers.


    His kiss wasn¡¯t long as she struggled to push him away, but it was controlling, slipping his tongue into her mouth to explore against her will and even chuckling as she tried to bite his tongue to make him stop. He pulled away, licking his lips as she covered her mouth. ¡°Touch you, among other things¡­ all as long as I have no ill intentions. No matter how feisty of a person you are.¡± Aro nearly sang. Calla wanted to vomit, wanted to scream, and get away from him.


    She glared, moving to try and slap him only for him to catch her wrist with ease and pull her arm back to her lap. He hummed, eyes turned to watch the stage. Calla didn¡¯t know what to do, heart racing as she searched for a way to get away. Where was Gwydion?!


    ¡°Your name is Calla, correct?¡± Aro asked after a moment. She froze at that, looking back up at him. He smiled slightly, though his eyes seemed cold, almost bored. She could only imagine what he had been planning to do when he first said he tried to grab her.


    ¡°Y...Yes¡­¡± she said, a shiver running through her body. He seemed to notice her fear as his smile turned into a more amused grin. He looked back down at her, his eyes dancing with an entertained look.


    ¡°That¡¯s a rather nice name. And rather fitting for a lovely girl like you,¡± he said calmly with a hum. ¡°For a non-magical of course.¡±


    Calla frowned at that. ¡°Madam Coffer said the same thing¡­¡± she muttered. That seemed to hit a nerve as his eyes shot to her with annoyance, not at her but at what she said. It was strange to see his normal demeanor flash with such disdain. Then again, according to Marick, Aro was going around killing the others.


    His expression shifted back to his calm demeanor once again. ¡°Did she now¡­¡± he muttered, eyes moving back to the stage. Calla glanced to the stage and then back to Aro, who looked bored.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you want, Aro. B-But the others are-!¡± she started only to be cut off.


    Aro was giving an amused smile once again. ¡°Are nearby. I¡¯m aware¡± he said, eyes moving to hers again. He shifted himself a little, holding her close. ¡°I like hearing you say my name, Miss Calla.¡±


    She shivered at that, glaring at him. ¡°D-Don¡¯t get used to it!¡± she said, trying to sound brave. However, he just let out an amused chuckle.


    ¡°I can see why they like you, little lamb,¡± Aro said with a smirk on his face. ¡°Such a fighter.¡± His smile became wicked, making her eyes widen in fear. ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted to break something so bad in all my life as I do with your spirit.¡±


    Calla whimpered, trying to push out of his hold. However, she stopped when she saw her necklace give a slight flash, a slight look of pain on Aro¡¯s face. He glared at it before sighing. ¡°Right, no ill intent¡­ how frustrating¡­¡± he said in annoyance. He smirked at her. ¡°I¡¯m not used to being on my best behavior.¡±


    She trembled at his smile but was encouraged that the necklace seemed to keep him at bay from hurting her. She bit her lip before glaring at him. She hesitated a moment before clinging to his rainbow vest.


    ¡°Leave the others alone,¡± she said after a while, catching his attention from the stage as he rose a brow slightly at her. She tried to hold her glare, wanting him to know she was serious. ¡°Marick¡­ Marick told me what you are after. I...I¡¯m not going to lie and say I understand your world or that I understand your motives. But...But they are my coven, my family. I won¡¯t let you hurt them.¡±


    He was quiet for a moment before his mouth curled into a wicked grin once again. His eyes showed interest, however, hesitation. He knew he couldn¡¯t act on his true desires while he was holding her.


    ¡°I find it rather entertaining that you trust them so much and yet distrust me just as much, little lamb,¡± Aro said after a while, giving her a look over. He tilted his head. ¡°Do you know anything about the company you keep? The people they have killed, the non-magicals they have used. The only difference between your beloved coven and myself is that I don¡¯t pretend to be what I am not.¡±


    Her eyes widened but she soon glared again. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t know anything about them-!¡± she started only to be cut off.


    ¡°Do you know where Gwydion is right now?¡± he asked, leaning back. The question caught her off guard as she stared slightly confused before narrowing her eyes again.


    ¡°Why do you want to know¡­?¡± she asked, glaring. He waved off her anger with a hum. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you if-!


    ¡°I know where he is, Calla,¡± Aro said before smirking to her darkly. ¡°I wanted to know if you knew.¡±


    She frowned at that. ¡°He¡­ went to get something to drink¡­¡± she said softly. Aro hummed at that before leaning back.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Aro said, looking back to the stage. ¡°Well, he¡¯s satisfying a need, but I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not thirst.¡±


    ¡°You''re lying,¡± Calla said, glaring at him. She felt his arms loosen, allowing her to pull away from him. She fell to the ground, before scrambling to her feet again. Aro just watched her in amusement before moving to rest his head on his fist.


    ¡°Now, Calla, what would I have to gain from lying when the truth is more amusing?¡± Aro asked with a coy grin. He looked her over before using his cane to point in a direction. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you are welcome to go see for yourself. He¡¯ll be in a back room on the first floor.¡±


    Calla stared at him a moment before glaring as she turned to leave the room. Aro kept his eyes on the stage, watching as Don Giovanni would be dragged to hell for his crimes. A wild smirk ran across his face before he licked his lips again, Calla¡¯s taste still there. He leaned forward onto his cane, eyes watching with wicked delight.


    Calla¡¯s footing picked up speed as her heart began to race. Where was Gwydion? He told her he would be right back! She reached the first floor and looked around. There was no one to be seen, not even at the drink counter. Her heart was beating faster, wondering if maybe Aro was lying to get her alone.


    That changed as she heard voices to her left. Looking over she saw the beautiful woman from earlier walk out of the room, fixing her outfit with a satisfied smile on her face. ¡°I have to admit, you exceed expectations,¡± she said with a giggle, looking back into the room.


    She froze wide-eyed when she heard a sigh. Gwydion walked out of the room, buttoning up his shirt, his eyes closed, his expression hard to read. ¡°Well, I do live to satisfy,¡± he muttered. He glanced over before the color ran from his face, eyes wide.


    Calla just stood there, her eyes becoming blind by her tears as she gripped her chest. Her heart hurt. Aro had been right. But why? Why did Gwydion¡­?


    She was a toy. That was all she was to him. A toy that wasn¡¯t giving him what he wanted. She was naive to think she was anything more. She was so hurt that she didn¡¯t even register the fact that Gwydion hadn¡¯t looked happy leaving the room.


    ¡°C-Calla,¡± She heard him call, taking a step towards her. The woman looked over and gave a slight smirk.


    ¡°Oops, looks like you were away from your pet for too long.¡± She said her words hit Calla harder than any wound she had ever received. She turned and ran blindly.


    ¡°Calla! Wait!¡± Gwydion yelled after her, only for his arm to be caught by the woman.


    ¡°Gwydion, don¡¯t waste your breath. She¡¯s just a non-magical.¡± The woman said before giving him a look over, not seeing the dark look in his eyes. ¡°How about instead of chasing your pet, you have another round with me?¡±


    The woman was caught off guard when Gwydion soon slapped her, making her pull away in shock. Gwydion looked at the woman with disgust.


    ¡°Calla is not a pet!¡± He spat at her in anger. ¡°And she is not just some non-magical.¡± With that, he turned and ran after Calla, wanting to reach her. His chest hurt, hating what he had just done. The only thing he wanted at this moment was to reach Calla, knowing that if he didn¡¯t, he might lose her forever. That was something he didn¡¯t think he would ever be able to bear.


    Calla wasn¡¯t sure how long she had run before she ran into an alley and collapsed onto her knees, sobbing. She was nothing to Gwydion. So why did her heart hurt so much? She trembled, picturing Gwydion with that woman.


    She heard a sigh before feeling someone sink to the ground next to her. Through her blind tears, she looked to see Aro who was fixing his hat on his head again. He smiled at her.


    ¡°I did try to warn you,¡± he noted. Calla¡¯s eyes widened, getting to her feet to try and get away only to suddenly be pulled back into the alleyway. She was turned around and pulled into Aro¡¯s arms. She trembled but soon just sank, giving in as she clung to his clothing. Her body felt weak, broken. She didn¡¯t care anymore as she just let Aro pull her into a hug. He was nowhere near as warm or comforting, but he was sturdy, which was more than her at the moment as she felt ready to collapse again. She sobbed into his chest as he petted her head and hushed her. She didn¡¯t see the enjoyment in his expression, his sadistic love of her pain.


    ¡°Gwydion is known as the heart breaker for a reason, little lamb,¡± Aro said, leaning in to whisper into her ear. ¡°He¡¯s not faithful. He doesn¡¯t care about who he hurts.¡± He smirked, holding her against him. ¡°I at least stay loyal to my toys.¡±


    Calla¡¯s body became numb at his words. Fear filled her again. She felt him give a low chuckle. ¡°Take off that necklace, Calla. Become my pet. I promise you will know exactly what you get when it comes to me. Your life will be misery, hell on earth, but I will be loyal to you.¡± he said in a sadistic tone. Calla whimpered before pushing away from him. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him. He just let her go, his smile becoming evil as soon as she was no longer against him. He took a step towards her, making her back up into the wall.


    ¡°You can trust me to be what I am. As I said, I do not pretend to be what I am not.¡± Aro said darkly with a wild smile on his face. It seemed he was enjoying her fear. ¡°I¡¯ll hurt you, abuse you, break you, and make you enjoy it all as I rip away that naivety in you.¡±


    ¡°Get. Away. From. Her.¡± a dark voice growled, making Calla look over to see a livid Gwydion walk into the alleyway. The look in his eyes was darker than anything she had ever seen before. Even his normally beautiful magic held darkness to it as it swirled around him.


    Aro just glanced his way before giving a smirk. ¡°The prince of heartbreak appears. How scary.¡± He said calmly before turning back to Calla. He reached toward Calla, making her shrink against the wall. However, Calla watched as Aro was violently flung deeper into the alley, hitting the wall of the building hard enough to crack the brick before he sank to the ground.


    ¡°If you ever come near my Calla again. I will erase you from this world.¡± Gwydion said, his words dark, horrifying, and honest. Calla couldn¡¯t help but look at him in fear as he stepped past her to put himself between her and Aro. ¡°She is NOT anyone¡¯s pet nor will I ever allow you to have your twisted fun with her!¡±


    Aro moved to wipe a bit of blood from his mouth as he used his cane to get up. He gave a breathy chuckle, eyes wild with his entertainment. ¡°...Is that so?¡± he said, taking a step towards him. ¡°I think you just don¡¯t want to share¡­ not that I can¡¯t see why. She does taste very sweet¡­¡± His smirk grew as he licked his lips. Gwydion¡¯s power seemed to intensify as Aro was once again blasted back into the wall.


    Aro was visibly shaking with giddiness at this point as he rose to his feet again. He laughed maniacally, a smile reminding Calla of a boy in a candy store. He was getting what he wanted. He had angered Gwydion enough to bait him into a fight. Gwydion was in danger.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Aro said with a laugh before he took steps towards Gwydion.


    ¡°N-No! STOP!¡± Calla yelled, moving herself before Gwydion, arms out as if she could do anything to protect him. What she did manage to do was wake him up in time to see Aro disappear, knowing he was attacking. His eyes widened before he grabbed Calla and pulled her to the ground just in time to only get skimmed by a blade of dark energy being swung at them, Aro appearing from one of the walls.


    Gwydion let out a scream as he was hit in the back but thankfully wasn¡¯t that seriously injured like he would be if he hadn¡¯t woken up. As Aro brought the blade down towards them, Gwydion countered with his own spell, pushing Aro back.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Aro said, his excitement growing. However, his fun seemed to end as dark energy moved around him turning into shadow chains and holding him in place. Raven rushed into the alley, moving over to Gwydion and Calla, helping them up.


    Blaise stood before Aro, his hands dancing with sparks that moved around Aro but didn¡¯t touch him.


    ¡°You knew we were around, Aro. Did you not think we would be here as soon as we felt your energy spike?¡± Marick asked, not as a question as he moved over to the others.


    Aro just chuckled at that, his excitement fading to a tired smile as he eyed each person. ¡°You should know me better than that, dear Marick. I got what I needed out of this,¡± he said. Before anyone could react, the ground below Aro turned into a dark hole, him disappearing into it with his eyes on Calla. The chains that had been holding him disappeared as he did.


    Calla let out the breath she wasn¡¯t aware she was holding before looking towards Gwydion as Raven helped him to his feet. Her eyes widened, seeing the cut on his back. It wasn¡¯t that bad but looked about as deep as the cuts Aro had given her. She was confused. Why did he save her? Her mind went back to seeing him with that woman and she looked off. She just wanted to go back to the hotel.


    As they got to their floor of the hotel, Calla passed all of them and moved to her room. Gwydion¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Calla, I-!¡± he started, following her only to be cut off as she closed and locked the door behind her. Gwydion just stood there a moment before the door before leaning to rest his head on the door. Inside, he could hear Calla sobbing, making his heartache. He knew that was because of him.


    ¡°What the hell did you do, Gwy?¡± Blaise asked, making the tall red-haired man remember that the other three were in the hall. His expression was hard to read before he hit the door with his hands, pushing away from it and turning to head towards his room.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± He hissed as he moved to his room, slamming the door behind him as he entered. Blaise just stood there a while before sighing, moving to rub his head.


    ¡°He¡¯s such an idiot¡­¡± he muttered, turning to move to his own room. Raven and Marick remained in the hall, watching what had just happened before exchanging looks before moving to their rooms.


    Three days passed and Calla had yet to leave her room. Gwydion had been pacing the halls during that time, pausing but never seeming to have the courage to try the door to Calla¡¯s room. He felt horrible. He hadn¡¯t slept in days, the normally beautiful man looking ragged and stressed out. He had seen that look on the faces of so many women. So why? Why did his heart hurt so bad now? He growled, rubbing his face as he walked to her door again, wanting to knock. Why did he have to be so weak? His time with that woman was meaningless to him, he should have just told the woman off. He should have walked away. Meaningless sex and it changed nothing. Perhaps he didn¡¯t turn her away because deep down he wanted it. Wanted the attention. He told Calla he would wait until she was comfortable and yet, he had broken her trust completely, and for what? So she wouldn¡¯t find out he had betrayed her?


    He sighed and moved away from her door again, looking lost before his arm was caught. His eyes were swollen, and red from lack of sleep as he looked at his brother. Raven seemed to scan him, irritating Gwydion. He knew how bad he looked, he didn¡¯t need to hear it from Raven.


    ¡°How about we go for drinks?¡± Raven said after a while. Gwydion gave him a glare, feeling Raven using his ability. He pulled away from him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to calm me down with your power.¡± Gwydion spat bitterly. Raven rolled his eyes at that and just smacked Gwydion on the head. ¡°HEY!¡± The man said, rubbing his head.


    ¡°Enough. I¡¯m tired of seeing you look like a sad sack. Clean yourself up and meet me in the lobby. We are going for drinks.¡± Raven stated in a rather commanding voice. Gwydion growled at him a moment as he glared before sighing in defeat.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered, storming towards his room.


    It took a little longer than Raven hoped but soon enough Gwydion slugged his way into the lobby. Raven motioned him to follow, making the man scowl but move to follow him. Raven gave a small smile, leading the broken man to the tavern nearby. He did take notice that Gwydion seemed to ignore all the women who were looking his way, giggling, or trying to catch his attention.


    The two took a seat at the bar, Raven taking the chance to order the drinks while Gwydion rubbed his eyes and leaned against the bar. As soon as they got the first pints, Raven watched as Gwydion downed his in one sitting.


    Raven sighed at that, shaking his head. ¡°You must have really messed up. I haven¡¯t seen you beat yourself up this badly since the night our mother died.¡± Raven muttered as he took a swig of his.


    ¡°Can it, Raven.¡± Gwydion snapped, signaling the barman to get him another. Raven rolled his eyes at that.


    ¡°You¡¯re not helping anyone when you are like this,¡± Raven muttered, looking over his brother. He sighed. ¡°Let me guess. She caught you with another woman right?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Gwydion hissed again, downing another drink.


    ¡°Well that answers that question,¡± Raven said with a sigh, moving to rub his head. ¡°As much as we hate to admit it, Gwy, we ended up becoming our fathers.¡± Instead of snapping at him, Gwydion¡¯s face sank, looking towards the counter with a distant look. He growled before Gwydion moved to cup his head in his hands, rubbing his face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do, Raven.¡± Gwydion said after a while, running his hands into his red hair. He sighed, looking off. ¡°You didn¡¯t see her face¡­ how much I hurt her.¡± He was quiet a moment before his expression was sad. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why¡­ Why does it hurt so much? I¡¯ve never regretted what I did so much before now. Calla didn¡¯t deserve that¡­ didn¡¯t deserve getting hurt by me. Maybe¡­ Maybe she¡¯s better off with someone else.¡±


    Raven hummed at that, leaning back on his stool as he thought it over. ¡°Naturally,¡± He said after a while, making Gwydion tense. ¡°We are creatures of habit, Gwy. You knew how she felt about you and yet you still got attention from another. Perhaps you should cut your losses and find another woman.¡±


    Gwydion slammed his hands on the bar and got to his feet, glaring at his brother. ¡°I DON¡¯T WANT ANOTHER WOMAN!!¡± he yelled loudly, catching the attention of the whole tavern at this point. Gwydion was furious, his fists shaking as he glared at his brother.


    ¡°Calla is the only one I want. The way she smiles at me, the way she says my name, her curiosity at everything we do, no other woman has ever made me feel this way before. I¡¯ve never cared about the feelings of a woman like this before. I¡¯m disgusted by what I did to her and I have no way to take it back!¡± Gwydion yelled, though his voice grew quieter as he continued to talk. His eyes fell to the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t care if she never wants to be with me...I just....don¡¯t want her to hate me...¡±


    Raven just patiently listened to him before he got to his feet. ¡°Then tell her that,¡± Raven said sternly. Raven frowned, looking over his brother. ¡°She is hurting and no one but you can fix that.¡±


    Gwydion stared at him a moment before turning and grabbing another glass of beer and downing it. Raven seemed concerned at that, watching him as he asked for another. ¡°Sure, Gwy, get drunk. That will help things.¡± Raven muttered, only to be grumbled at. He downed the fourth pint of beer before getting up.


    ¡°Shut up, Raven,¡± Gwydion muttered, turning to leave. Raven watched him a moment before moving to put money down for the drinks and following after his brother, mostly to make sure he didn¡¯t hurt himself.


    Back at the hotel, it was starting to get dark out, another day wasted as Calla finally crawled out of her bed. She looked like a mess, her eyes puffy from crying. She had heard Gwydion pacing outside for days, even going to the door a few times, debating on opening it. Still, she hesitated, her heart aching as she was reminded of the night of the opera.


    She had forgotten how cold it was to sleep without someone next to her. She didn¡¯t know how many times she had wanted to go to Gwydion¡¯s room, wanting to just go back to how things were. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, take in his scent of spices and flowers she had become so used to. She wanted to kiss him, anything to take her pain away. Calla knew what Gwydion was like. Blaise even warned her that Gwy was a man-whore, a manipulator, and yet she had fallen for him anyway. Her dreams were plagued with the gentle look on his face she would catch when he would tend to plants, the loving look on his face when he would look her way. Surely not all of it had been an act, right?


    She worked up the courage to open the door to her room, looking out into the hall. Blaise seemed to be camped out in the hall but he was sound asleep. Not wanting to wake him, she snuck out of her room, slowly walking past him and towards Gwydion¡¯s room. The hall had been quiet for a while and she wondered if Gwydion had finally passed out. She hesitated a moment before raising her hand to knock. However, a sudden sound of voices coming up the hall caught her attention. That was when she saw something she never thought she would see.


    Gwydion was scruffy, his hair clearly not taken care of and his clothing messy. He was drunk, even Calla could tell that, and he seemed as if he hadn¡¯t slept in days. Her heart skipped a beat upon seeing him but also a sad thud. He was always so put together, it was strange to see him so broken. Was he really that upset?


    He had been arguing with Raven before he paused, his eyes falling on her. ¡°Calla¡­¡± his voice said in such a tender, soft tone that made her want to race to him. She didn¡¯t have that chance as Gwydion soon rushed her. She let out a scream as she fell back, the older man now over her.


    ¡°Hey! Gwy get off her!¡± Blaise exclaimed, clearly having been woken up by the yelling. Calla just stared up at Gwydion. It was as if the world disappeared, that it was only her and him as she saw his tired eyes swell with tears.


    ¡°Calla, I...I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± he said, tears falling faster down his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ a-and I know that doesn¡¯t fix anything¡­¡± Calla¡¯s eyes widened, just watching him as he broke down. The smell of alcohol was strong on him, making her wonder how much he had.


    ¡°I¡¯m a fool, Calla. I destroyed your trust and I put you in danger because of my own stupid desires. I didn¡¯t even want that woman¡­ I wanted to spend the whole time with you.¡± Gwydion continued, Calla¡¯s eyes softening. He was shaking. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I want! The only one who I hold dear. I adore everything about you and pledge my undying love to you!¡±


    Calla blinked, blushing but growing concern. ¡°G-Gwy, you¡¯re drunk¡­ c-calm down before you say or do something you¡¯ll regret¡­¡± she said in a worried tone. Her heart was beating fast, however, wanting to believe everything he said.


    She let out a squeak in surprise as the man collapsed onto her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. ¡°G-Gwydion¡­!¡± she exclaimed, her face hot with a blush as he nuzzled her shoulder.


    ¡°I love you...I vow to be loyal to you for the rest of my life¡­¡± he said, trailing off as he finally passed out. Calla looked around at Blaise and Raven who had just been standing there watching all of this, wide-eyed.


    ¡°H-Help¡­¡± she called to them. Blaise seemed to blink himself back to reality before sighing and walking over.


    ¡°Now he¡¯s done it¡­¡± Blaise muttered, looking at Raven. ¡°Mind helping me put the lump back into bed?¡± Raven scanned them a moment before shrugging, moving over. Together, the two managed to pull Gwydion off of Calla, ignoring his growl as they did.


    ¡°Come on, Gwy. I think you need to sleep this off for the night.¡± Raven said, helping Blaise as they carried Gwydion into his room and tossed him onto the bed.


    Calla got to her feet, watching them before Raven and Blaise emerged from the room and into the hall. Raven passed, looking back into the room before turning to Calla.


    ¡°Calla¡­¡± he started, getting her attention. Raven sighed, looking back into the dark room. ¡°...My brother is an idiot who thinks with the wrong head¡­ but he has a big heart.¡± He looked back at her. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to forgive what he did¡­ but¡­ could I ask you to keep an eye on him tonight?¡±


    Calla frowned at that, eyes softening as she looked back to the broken man on the bed. She couldn¡¯t deny how badly she longed for him, but she was still unsure.


    No. She wouldn¡¯t deny her feelings anymore, no matter how much it hurt. His words echoed through her head, making her feel warm again.


    Looking at Raven, she gave a nod. ¡°I will¡­¡± she said softly before walking into the room. She saw Raven give her a soft smile as if to thank her as she closed the door behind her.


    She sighed softly, leaning against the door before fixing her nightdress. She turned to look at the form of Gwydion on the bed for a moment before moving over, climbing in. As soon as she did, however, she felt his arms wrap around her, trapping her against him.


    ¡°G-Gwy?¡± she asked, only to hear him mutter something in his sleep.


    ¡°...Calla¡­ please...please don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± he muttered, still very much out of it. Calla just stayed where she was, looking into his face as she heard his words. Her expression softened and she moved slightly to kiss him softly before cuddling into his hold.


    ¡°I won¡¯t, Gwy¡­ I promise,¡± she replied, though knowing he probably couldn¡¯t hear her. Still, she smiled softly, just glad to be in his warm hold once more. She soon fell asleep, finally finding the night''s rest she had been missing for days.


    Gwydion groaned as he was awoken by the lights of the day hitting his face. It was doing nothing for his hangover, his head throbbing. He turned from laying on his back to his side, rubbing his head before he noticed the form of Calla next to him. His eyes widened and he jolted up upon seeing her, panicking that he had done something to her during the night. However, he soon relaxed when he noticed both of them were dressed. As he sat up, he flinched at the pain in his head, groaning again.


    ¡°Gwydion¡­?¡± Calla called, making the man freeze as he looked down at her. She started to get up, propping herself up on an arm as she rubbed one of her eyes sleepily. She seemed to look at him a moment before a thought hit her. She frowned and got up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the curtain,¡± she said softly as she did. Gwydion could only watch as she got out of bed and moved over to close the curtain, the light no longer bothering him. She turned back to him with a look of concern. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Like death¡­¡± he answered, laying back down again, covering his eyes with his arm. ¡°What happened last night? I remember Raven taking me out for drinks.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, wondering if he remembered anything that he said to her. ¡°Yeah, you went out for drinks¡­ you were pretty out of it when you came back,¡± she said softly, moving over to sit on the bed next to him.


    He removed his arm to look at her, his eyes seemed so sad. ¡°...You came to my room?¡± he asked, almost with disbelief in his voice. She just nodded.


    ¡°I...I had gone to your room, not knowing you were out. You tackled me in the hall and started to go on and on about stuff¡­¡± She blushed softly, looking off.


    Gwydion was silent for a moment before moving to sit up, rubbing his eyes. ¡°What did I say?¡± he asked softly once he moved his hand away from his face. She shifted on her feet, her blush deepening as she looked his way again.


    ¡°You pledged your undying love to me¡­ said you were sorry for what you did¡­¡± she started, watching his expression move from hard to read to shame as he looked off. It was clear that he still regretted what he did at the opera. ¡°You¡­ You said I was the only one you wanted¡­ and then you made a vow.¡±


    His eyes widened at that, snapping his attention to her. ¡°Tell me word for word what I vowed,¡± he said, oddly concerned at the news. She frowned at that, thinking to remember what he said.


    ¡°You vowed to be loyal to me for the rest of your life¡­¡± she said, seeing him pause in surprise. ¡°You are drunk¡­ so¡­¡±


    He sighed and moved to rub his temple. ¡°Calla, a warlock can¡¯t break a vow they make, no matter in what context it was uttered,¡± he said calmly, before moving his hand to look at her. He gave a soft smile. ¡°Luckily for me, I am fine with that vow.¡±


    Calla felt her face grow hot as she looked at him in surprise. ¡°Gwy¡­ A-Are you sure?¡± she asked, her expression sinking to a soft look.


    He gave a nod. ¡°Even if you will never forgive me for what I did. I will never touch another woman,¡± he said calmly, his expression sincere. ¡°I will think of it as punishment for breaking your trust.¡±


    She just stared at him for a moment, her heart beating fast. He had just a pull on her, and what was worse was that she believed everything he said. He was being honest. She seemed to reassure something before she crawled onto his lap, wrapping her arms around him as she kissed him deeply. He seemed so tense at first but soon kissed back, pulling her close.


    He gave a breathy sad chuckle when the kiss broke, him rubbing her back. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to let you go¡­ I¡¯m afraid this is just a dream and you will disappear,¡± he said softly. Calla just smiled softly, shaking her head.


    ¡°I promise I am not a dream and I will not disappear,¡± she said softly, touching his face tenderly. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind if you won¡¯t let go¡­¡±


    He smiled at that, leaning his face into her hand. His eyes looked at her with such a warm, loving stare. Calla couldn¡¯t help but continue to fall in love with him more. She looked off, a lot on her mind.


    ¡°Gwydion¡­¡± she started, blushing deeply as she looked him in the eye. He raised a brow curiously.


    ¡°Yes, love?¡± he asked curiously, seemingly confused by her expression. She seemed to pause, thinking about what she wanted to say.


    ¡°Would you¡­ like to spend the day with me? I, um, I don¡¯t mind if we don¡¯t leave the room¡­¡± she said softly. He blinked in surprise before smiling again.


    ¡°Were you really nervous about asking me that? Of course, I will spend the day with you.¡± Gwydion said with a slight chuckle. He tilted his head. ¡°Or is that not the real question you wanted to ask?¡±


    She blushed but pouted at him. Her look soon softened as she sighed. ¡°I...I want to¡­¡± she started before shaking her head. Why was she so scared to speak what was on her mind?


    ¡°I love you, Gwydion¡­.but I can¡¯t just let go of what you did, you must understand that,¡± she said softly, making his expression sink but nod. ¡°I want to be with you, in whatever way you want me to be¡­ but before we move forward with whatever this is between us¡­ before I give you everything¡­ I think we need to start with a clean slate, no more secrets¡­ Does that sound fair?¡±


    Gwydion stared a moment before nodding with a smile. ¡°I agree,¡± he said calmly, rubbing her back. She blushed, shivering at his touch.


    She seemed to think a moment before moving to get off him. She got off the bed, turning to him and shyly tugging her arm. ¡°Want to take a bath together¡­ to start?¡± she asked. She heard him give a chuckle, turning to sit on the edge of the bed before her.


    ¡°A bath sounds wonderful¡­¡± He said, offering his hand to her. Calla felt her face grow hot again as she smiled softly, taking his hand and helping him up.


    Slowly, she led him to the washroom connected to his room. She was about to turn on the water when she saw the tub begin to fill with warm water. She sighed, looking back at him to see his hand raised.


    ¡°Show off¡­¡± she muttered, making him chuckle, moving over to her.


    ¡°Well, I am a warlock.¡± he pointed out, beginning to undo the buttons of his shirt. Calla frowned when she saw him do that and turned to him.


    ¡°May I?¡± she asked, to which Gwydion looked surprised at her before moving his hands. He smiled softly and gave a nod. Calla blushed softly but reached up to start undoing his shirt. She kept her eyes on his chest, watching him breathing steadily to control himself. Her eyes softened, taking time to trace his chest as it became exposed to her. The thoughts in her head almost surprised her as her heart began to beat faster. Her body was warming up, wondering if she had the willpower to turn him down if he asked for more. If she even wanted to turn him down.


    She had been naked with him before, but this felt different. As much as what he did hurt her, she didn¡¯t want to hate him. She wanted to be his one and only, and that thought alone made her heart race as she finished with his shirt, moving to the button of his pants.


    She didn¡¯t need to look up at him to know he was enjoying this, getting that by how staggered his breath was becoming as she undid his pants and pulled them down with his assistance. Her face grew bright red at the sight of a particular part of him standing at attention. She bit her lip, wondering how she could turn him on so easily. She heard him chuckle slightly, moving to help her out of her nightdress.


    ¡°Sorry love¡­ I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t control how badly it wants you.¡± He said, his voice sounding like he wanted to be a bit more playful but was nervous. He must be worried about upsetting her.


    Calla seemed to hesitate a moment before slowly moving to take it into her hand, exploring it with her fingertips. She felt him jolt at that, moving to grab her hand.


    ¡°C-Calla, I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± He said with a gasp, making her look up at him. His eyes were filled with his arousal, making Calla look surprised as she frowned, thumbing the head. ¡°If you keep playing with me, we will not be taking a bath any time soon.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how I can turn you on so much¡­ I¡¯m not anything special.¡± Calla said softly, moving her hand away and turning towards the tub. ¡°I¡¯m just another girl.¡±


    ¡°No, you are not just another girl, Calla,¡± Gwydion said, surprisingly sternly. He sighed before moving to climb in. He sat down with a blissful hum, enjoying the warm water. His eyes glanced at her. ¡°You have never been just another girl. As to how you affect me, I will never know. I¡¯m assuming it''s because I¡¯m attracted to you on a level different from others.¡±


    She huffed at that, but climbed in, moving over him to help undo his hair. ¡°I swear you don¡¯t know how to turn off the flowery words¡­¡± she muttered. She shivered as she felt him start to trail kisses over her shoulders while she was working on his hair. ¡°G-Gwy¡­¡±


    He gave a low chuckle, wrapping his arms around her. ¡°They may be flowery but I am being honest,¡± he said between kisses. She stopped to grip his shoulders.


    ¡°T-Talking Gwy¡­ w-we are talking,¡± she said in a poor attempt at a warning. The truth was he was getting her all hot and bothered. Her body was starved for his attention to the point where she would give in at any moment.


    He hummed at that, looking up at her before giving a smile. ¡°We are talking,¡± he said calmly. Calla pouted at him before turning around to sit before him. Gwydion chuckled, wrapping his arms around her again once she was situated where she wanted to be. He took in a deep breath, just sitting there holding her silently before his eyes looked off sadly.


    ¡°That woman had blackmail on me¡­ I will be honest, I was in a state of wanting a woman¡¯s attention when she cornered me at the drink stand.¡± He said honestly, just holding onto Calla, not wanting her to run off. ¡°After our last date in the city, when I was given an errand when everyone else left¡­ I had sex with a random girl who kept trying to get my attention at the flower shop. At first, it didn¡¯t bother me, but as soon as I came back to the cottage I began to hate myself for what I did, thinking about how you would feel if you knew.¡±


    Calla was still as she listened to him, her expression off in thought as she took it all in. ¡°I¡¯m known as a heart breaker because I have never been loyal to a single woman. I enjoy sex more than caring about who I was with. That is how it¡¯s been since I was 16 when I started being sexually active. It¡¯s a bad habit, and one I never regretted until I started to get to know you. So when the woman at the opera said she would tell you what I did unless I met her in the backroom for a quickie, I made a stupid choice and listened to her. In the end, she got what she wanted and I was still exposed.¡± he continued, Calla feeling his arms trembling. He was scared, scared of her getting upset at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a good person, Calla. In reality, I have always been confused as to why you bothered getting close to me, especially when Blaise told you I was a manipulator and knowing the type of man I was.¡± Gwydion said, leaning back. ¡°But after seeing your face at the opera, seeing how broken you were¡­ I knew if you gave me the chance I would never do anything to make you look at me like that again. I am not physically or mentally strong enough to handle you hating me¡­ and I don¡¯t care if it takes me hundreds of years, but I will make it up to you.¡±


    Calla waited for him to finish before she let out a long sigh. The idea that he had cheated twice stung but the fact that he was telling her dulled the pain a little. It also made his actions make sense ever since they came back from the city. He had been overly nice like he had been hiding something or making up for something he did.


    ¡°And you are sure it was only twice?¡± she asked after a while. She felt him shift but sigh.


    ¡°Yes¡­ twice too many, but yes,¡± he said softly, looking off. ¡°Could you ever forgive me?¡±


    Calla was quiet a moment before nodding. ¡°You can¡¯t do things like that anymore, right? With the vow you made?¡± she asked, looking back at him. He looked down at her and nodded with a serious look. ¡°What happens if you break it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll die,¡± Gwydion said calmly, making Calla¡¯s eyes widen. He frowned at that, moving to run his fingers through her hair. ¡°Vows are a magical bond that has to be honored. It is the only way to hold powerful magicals to any kind of virtue or they will run wild without consequence.¡±


    Calla frowned, thinking over. ¡°How do they work? You just have to say them?¡± she asked curiously. Gwydion blinked, seemingly more surprised to see the conversation move to this.


    ¡°Words hold power when it comes to magicals. To make a vow, we just have to utter the vow we will keep and it becomes real. Not even someone like Aro would be foolish enough to break one. He may be an immortal, but he¡¯s not indestructible.¡± Gwydion pointed out. He frowned, looking down at Calla as he saw her look off in thought at his words. ¡°You never answered my question¡­¡±


    Calla looked back at him, her eyes gentle as she seemed to think. ¡°I want to forgive you¡­¡± she said honestly, turning to wrap her arms around him. ¡°My heart hurt so badly when I saw you with that woman, Gwy¡­ but¡­ during the three days I¡¯ve been in my room, all I could think about was how much I missed you. Is that¡­. Is that crazy?¡±


    Gwydion¡¯s look turned from sad to a slight smile as he shook his head. ¡°Not to me,¡± he said, holding her close. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. I forgot how cold it is at night without you in my arms¡­¡±


    She blushed at that, her heart fluttering as she couldn¡¯t help but smile. She had felt the same way, snuggling close to him. Still, she wasn¡¯t sure if she was ready to fully forgive him for betraying her, but he would be lying to herself if she said she didn¡¯t want to. Especially now that Gwydion had no choice but to be loyal now. He had thrown away his past self to be with her. She wasn¡¯t sure what more he could do as the vow was the highest form of commitment she had ever seen anyone do. She wanted to be his, whatever that would entail.


    She buried her face in his chest as she just took in the feeling of his skin against hers. Everything that had happened three days ago filled her mind, making her shiver. ¡°Aro was on the balcony with me¡­ he said¡­ he said that he had tried to grab me but couldn¡¯t due to my necklace.¡± she began to tell him, feeling the man below her tense at her words. ¡°He found a way around it so that he could still touch me by holding off his darker desires. He held me in his lap and he¡­ he kissed me. I can still feel his tongue down my throat¡­¡±


    Gwydion¡¯s body twitched below her, meaning that she didn¡¯t have to look up at him to know he was pissed, both at Aro and for allowing himself to have left her alone to allow Aro to do that.


    ¡°He asked me why I trusted you guys so much¡­ saying that the people in this coven have killed and used people and that he doesn¡¯t pretend to be what he is not as if as if it is something that makes him more trustworthy, knowing that he doesn¡¯t hide the fact that he¡¯s a monster..¡± She continued, just wanting to feel safe in Gwydion¡¯s arms. Gwydion seemed to take notice of her fear, rubbing her back gently to soothe her. ¡°He was the one to tell me where you were. I think he was hoping he could upset me enough that I would allow him to convince me to go with him¡­¡±


    Gwydion frowned at that, him staring forward as he thought. ¡°He did have magic laced into his attack on you¡­ that might have been a corrosion spell he had been planning to use. However, it was nullified by the crystal,¡± he told her softly. She nodded, shivering at the idea of what could have happened if her necklace had been removed. She figured Aro couldn¡¯t remove it himself as that act would count as a form of ill intent.


    ¡°In the alleyway he was trying to get me to take it off, asking me to become his pet because at least he would be loyal¡­ I was so scared by the look in his eyes but also¡­ if you hadn¡¯t shown up, I fear I might have gone with him.¡± She admitted, once again shivering at the thought. As she did, she was reminded of Gwydion¡¯s wound and she sat up wide-eyed. ¡°Y-Your back!¡±


    Gwydion blinked in surprise by the sudden movement before he chuckled lightly. ¡°Love, I have healing magic, remember? I¡¯m fine,¡± he reassured her, a smile on his face. She blushed at that, looking off before she felt Gwydion kiss her cheek. ¡°But it makes me happy to hear you were concerned about me. You truly are a wonderful soul.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not that special, Gwydion¡­¡± she muttered, moving to touch her cheek.


    ¡°You are to me,¡± he said tenderly before lifting his arms out of the water in a dramatic pose. ¡°You are my light, my morning and night, my reason for living-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± Calla said with a giggle, blushing at the comments he was making, no matter how theatrical he was. He pouted, giving his normal over-the-top reaction to being hurt. She just shook her head and hugged him again.


    He soon relaxed, chuckling as he moved to grab some items he needed for them to clean up. ¡°You are so mean to me.¡± He teased lightly before winking at her. ¡°How about we actually take a bath? I don¡¯t know about you, but I need one badly.¡±


    She gave a nod at that before taking one of the items from him to do the same. Once the bath was over, Gwydion sighed, walking naked out into the other room as he dried his hair with the towel he was using. Calla had hers covering her, smiling as she watched after him.


    ¡°I am never going that long without a bath again.¡± He said, moving the towel to his waist as he walked to his suitcase to take out a brush. He walked to a mirror, beginning to brush out his long red hair as Calla sat down on the bed. She watched him for a moment, a part of her wondering how he managed to keep his hair so well. Her hair was long but not anything like his.


    She frowned after a while, a question coming to the surface as she looked him over. ¡°Gwydion?¡± she started, looking at his reflection in the mirror.


    ¡°Yes, love?¡± he replied, his eyes catching hers. She shifted herself on the bed, holding his gaze.


    ¡°What...What are we?¡± she asked awkwardly, frowning slightly. She blushed softly. ¡°I mean, in the context of a relationship. Are we a couple? I don¡¯t think we ever discussed anything. What kind of a relationship do you want to have with me?¡±


    He hummed, watching her before turning to face her with a smile. ¡°I want you to marry me,¡± he said calmly before he smiled more tenderly. Calla jolted at that, her blush deepening as she looked up at him. She was so taken aback by that to the point that she didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    He just smiled warmly at her. ¡°The relationship I want is to be your husband,¡± he said again.


    ¡°G-Gwydion! I was being serious!¡± she exclaimed, her face as red as his hair. He chuckled at that, moving over to lean down to her, resting his hands on the bed.


    ¡°So was I,¡± he said softly, smiling warmly at her. ¡°I am yours forever, Calla. And I would like to make that as official as I can.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s such a sudden question, Gwy. Y-You can¡¯t just-!¡± she started, her face hot from the question and from him being so close.


    ¡°Why not?¡± he asked, cutting her off. He hummed, scanning her face. ¡°You are welcome to turn me down. I am just making my intentions clear. Calla, I want to marry you.¡± He gave a sigh, shrugging. ¡°In a perfect world, I would like to do that before we were to have sex but well¡­ Nothing about this life is perfect. That is of course if you want me to be the one to bed you.¡±


    Her heart raced, body feeling warm as she looked into his eyes. He was being serious. Nothing in his expression gave her any idea he was teasing or messing with her. She couldn¡¯t picture it, being married, especially to someone like Gwydion. Then there was the second comment about her still wanting to be intimate with him. Unlike the question about marriage, she knew the answer to the comment about sex. Her heart fluttered as she looked up at him before swallowing hard and nodding to him.


    ¡°Yes... you would be the one I would¡­ be intimate with¡­¡± she said softly, her face a gentle red with a blush. She saw his eyes soften at that with a loving smile to her. Her lips quivered. At this moment, she felt the words on her tongue, the words echoing through her head and heart. She wanted him to ask for her body. If he did, she would be his tonight, her body wanting nothing more than all of his attention. She rubbed her legs together, not sure why she would be okay with him taking her right now, with everything that had happened.


    Her eyes widened as she saw him chuckle at her words and start to pull away. Her body moved on its own, catching his arm and making him look back down at her.


    ¡°Gwydion¡­¡± she started, her heart conflicting and yet knowing what she wanted. He looked at her curiously, anticipating what she was going to say. She wondered if he could tell what was on her heart, wondering if her body and eyes spoke what her desires were. She was sure he knew, perhaps that was why he was waiting for her to speak. Waiting for her to say it out loud.


    She locked her eyes with his, clinging to his arm. ¡°Gwydion¡­ t...take me... ¡° she said softly, seeing his eyebrows raise as he watched her. ¡°I¡¯m ready¡­ a-and it¡¯s not because the deadline is coming up¡­ I want to¡­ I want to be yours¡­¡±


    The room was still for a moment before she saw him turn to her fully, smiling with a sigh. He leaned down to her again, cupping her face as he pushed his lips to hers again. The kiss wasn¡¯t very long as he broke it and locked his eyes with hers.


    ¡°I will only ask you once¡­¡± he said softly, moving one of his hands from her face to touch the start of her towel, tugging it lightly. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Calla shivered, heart beating faster. Even such a simple touch to her face and now tugging on her towel, she couldn¡¯t resist anymore. Her body wanted him, no matter what was to happen from here on out. She nodded. ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± she said, her own hands finding their way to trace just above the towel before tugging on his towel hem, the towel becoming loose and falling to the floor.


    He gave a nod at that, pushing his lips to hers again, this time pushing her to lay on her back, moving over her. His wet hair fell onto her as the long passionate kiss made Calla dizzy with how hot her body was.


    She was breathless when he broke the kiss, tugging open her towel to leave them both bare. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, love¡­ I may not be at my best right now¡­¡± he noted, one of his hands running over her tender body and teasing her nipple. She moaned softly at that, her hands tugging on the sheets.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care as long as it¡¯s you,¡± she replied, shivering at his touch. Gwydion gave a breathy chuckle at that.


    ¡°You are so sweet¡­¡± He said, leaning down to trail kisses down her neck as he took up one of her legs, running his fingers down her leg slowly. It made her shiver, moaning softly as she closed her eyes. His mouth reached her breasts, taking her nipple into his mouth and rolling his tongue over it. She bit her lip, watching him as he tended to both breasts before continuing down her body.


    She wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing before she let out a gasp, gripping the bed as she suddenly felt his tongue tease her clit. She shivered, moaning as she covered her face. ¡°G-Gwy, d-don¡¯t, it¡¯s dirty..!¡± she whined, biting her lip as she felt his hot breath against her womanhood. He began to tease her entrance with one of his fingers.


    ¡°Dirty? But we just had a bath, love~¡± he teased playfully, encouraged by her wonderful moans. He kissed the insides of her legs a moment as his skilled fingers prodded her before moving to slip his tongue inside of her. The girl let out a squeal at that, body growing hot as he flicked his tongue around. The feeling was strange and yet wonderful, making her toes curl as he skillfully sought out sensitive areas.


    After a moment, he pulled away, licking his lips as he moved over her again. He chuckled. ¡°The sounds of your pleasure¡­ I could listen to it all day.¡± he purred in a low voice. Calla moved her hands down, her eyes looking up at him, tears falling as if to cool her bright red face. He leaned down and kissed her head before pulling away. She watched as he lifted her hips, touching the tip of his member to her entrance before locking eyes with her again. She saw him give a loving grin to her before she felt a tingling sensation coming from his hands. Her body trembled with desire, her lust building. It wasn¡¯t as much as he had used last time, but he had said he would use just enough of his power to make it so that it wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    Calla gripped the bed tightly, closing her eyes and letting out a gasping moan as she felt him enter her. There was no pain, no discomfort as his hips met hers. Calla¡¯s body was only feeling a rush of pleasure. She felt him grip her hips slightly tighter before he began to move, rocking his hips slow and rhythmically, sending wave after wave of pleasure through her body. His exploration with his tongue made it so that he knew where her sensitive areas were, and he moved to aim for those spots almost immediately, making the girl dizzy with bliss from each thrust.


    She panted and moaned, opening her eyes to watch him. Gwydion gave a moan, his motions picking up speed after a moment. His eyes held both love and lust in them, as he caught her stare, moaning low. He leaned over her, his thrusts moving deeper into her.


    Calla¡¯s body moved with him, almost as if it wanted more of him. ¡°G-Gwydion,¡± she moaned, feeling him pick up speed. She bit her lip, feeling her body growing close, a new sensation washing through her. Her moaning picked up, seemingly giving Gwydion a clue about how close she was getting. He panted, smiling as he sought to push her over the edge. She let out a cry, craning her body as she tightened around him, her toes curling as she cried in bliss. Gwydion didn¡¯t stop his motions but slowed his speed a little, chuckling as he leaned down to kiss her.


    ¡°Did that feel good, my love?¡± he asked breathlessly. Calla panted, looking up at him as her body reacted to his deep thrusts. He groaned, leaning down to kiss her neck, sucking on it as he picked up speed again, seeking his own release. She cried out in bliss, wrapping her legs around him and moving her hands from the bed to rake her fingers down his back. As he sought his own release, Calla began to feel herself growing close to her own once again. It seemed he had wanted to give her more than one, him nipping her neck with a breathy chuckle, panting and groaning. In a mix of moans, Calla let out another cry, Gwydion pushing himself as far into her as he could before she felt his manhood twitch, a warm feeling rushing into her. Gwydion rocked his hips a little more before he fell against her, panting. Calla fell limp against the bed, catching her breath as well, her body twitching as she came down from her ecstasy. She smiled, her teary eyes looking up at the ceiling. Gwydion rose after a moment, smiling warmly as he leaned down to kiss her deeply before pulling out of her. He moved to lay on the bed next to her, pulling her into his arms. She snuggled into his hold, wrapping her arms around him.


    He hummed in bliss, kissing her head before he used one of his hands to remove a piece of hair from her face. ¡°...Was it what you hoped it would be?¡± he asked tenderly, making her blush but smiled shyly at him. She buried her face into his chest.


    ¡°It was better than anything I imagined,¡± Calla answered, making Gwydion give a breathless chuckle and rub her back. He closed his eyes, just taking in the tender moment with the woman he loved.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± he said softly, kissing her head. He held her close, having a feeling the girl was probably tired. ¡°...Marry me, Calla...¡±


    Calla tightened her hug, wanting to be as close to him as she could, craving the warmth of his body. Her heart fluttered at his words. She was his, not wanting to be intimate with anyone but him from now on. She smiled warmly, her smile unseen by the man who held her. ¡°Okay, Gwydion¡­ I¡¯ll marry you,¡± she said tenderly, kissing his chest before she gave a yawn, wanting to rest if only for a moment.


    Unseen by Calla, Gwydion smiled, love in his eyes. His heart beat with joy as he held her close. This moment was bliss. Gwydion had been with tons of women, but this was the first time he had enjoyed love-making as much as he did. It was different, and it was probably due to the fact that he actually cared for the woman in his arms. Her agreeing to marry him was music to his ears. He wanted nothing more than to have Calla by his side for the rest of his life. It was strange to feel this way about a woman. After all, Gwydion had been nothing more than a womanizer. Never in his life did he think he would make a vow of loyalty, nor did he ever think he would want to get married.


    He knew Calla had drifted off, making him smile, resting his head on top of hers as he stroked her back lovingly. ¡°I promise you, Calla¡­ I promise I will make you happy for the rest of our lives.¡±


    ¡°Has anyone gone to check on them since yesterday? For all we know, Gwydion dropped dead.¡± Blaise muttered as the three warlocks waited for Gwydion and Calla to show up. They were leaving to head back to the cottage today and no one had seen either one of the two since Gwydion¡¯s drunk ass had passed out in the hallway.


    Raven shrugged, arms folded as he sat at a table with Marick in the lobby of the hotel. ¡°I¡¯m sure they will be down soon enough. They knew we were leaving today.¡± the black-haired man said calmly. Marick just sat there looking tired, he clearly was long past ready to leave the city.


    They looked up as they heard a cheerful voice call to them to see a smiling Gwydion, dragging Calla over. They had at least made sure to grab their suitcases. Raven couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly at the sight of the two. In fact, the three seemed to relax upon seeing them both smiling as they got to the table.


    ¡°Looks like you two made up,¡± Raven said with a happy tone. Gwydion was beaming as they stood before the three.


    ¡°Oh, we did more than that,¡± Gwydion sang, making Calla jolt and blush deeply, huffing at him.


    ¡°G-Gwy-!¡± she started, only for Gwydion to grab her and pull her into a hug.


    ¡°We are getting married!!¡± Gwydion exclaimed, overjoyed. Calla blinked in surprise, seeing a new emotion from the three men before them. Complete and utter shock.


    Betrayal and Forgiveness. Relationships have increased.


    Enter the other realm. Gwydion''s story will continue in chapter 19

 Call for Blaise

    ¡°Blaise!!¡±


    Almost as soon as the name left her lips, she felt a sudden breeze before being yanked out of Aro¡¯s arms. She looked back, seeing Aro stagger back, Blaise¡¯s fist colliding with the blonde man¡¯s face. However, Aro seemed to counter quickly, using his cane to send a dark spell toward Blaise, knocking him back while still holding onto Calla. The two hit the ground, Calla groaning as she found that Blaise had turned them so he would take the impact with her on top of him.


    Her eyes widened, seeing the look of pain in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Blaise!¡± she exclaimed, moving off of him to help him sit up. Luckily for them, the others had moved to stand between them and Aro, who was laughing.


    ¡°I guess I should have guessed. Non-magicals do tend to stick together, don¡¯t they.¡± Aro nearly sang in his amusement, wiping some blood from his mouth. He eyed Blaise with a wild expression. ¡°I admire your tenacity, boy. That was a good hit, even without the use of magic.¡±


    Blaise just glared with a growl as he looked at Aro, a protective arm around Calla. She fearfully looked between Blaise¡¯s dark expression and the amused look in Aro¡¯s eye as his orange eyes locked with hers. She shivered, seeing darkness behind them. This man craved the chance to hurt her.


    ¡°This land has wards in place, Aro. You know you can¡¯t do anything.¡± Raven hissed angrily, Calla noticing that the dark-haired man also seemed on edge. In fact, all of them seemed to have an idea of who this guy was to the point that they were all tenser than she had ever seen them. Who was this guy named Aro?


    Aro¡¯s eyes shot to Raven, his expression becoming bored. ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± he muttered before sighing and standing tall again. ¡°Fine, since none of you will entertain me, I guess I will just have to take my leave.¡± His words didn¡¯t seem to make the air any less tense as he moved to tip his hat. However, he stopped before giving a hum.


    ¡°Oh right! How silly of me. I was having so much fun playing with your new pet that I nearly forgot.¡± Aro said before a wicked grin appeared on his face. It made Calla shiver again, once again being reminded that this man was far more sadistic with his smile than the others had ever been. The man turned more towards Marick. ¡°I placed an order for 10 vials of potent death¡¯s kiss potions. I made it clear you will be the one making it for me and delivering it to my home.¡± He gave a wink to Marick, making the man¡¯s power flow around him as if showing his anger. ¡°You remember the place, don¡¯t you, my love?¡±


    Marick didn¡¯t reply, but Calla noticed Blaise had turned his attention towards Marick as if wanting to hear the man turn down the job. Still, she could see it in Blaise¡¯s eyes that even he knew that couldn¡¯t happen.


    Aro continued, ¡°I am also giving your little coven a quest that I got as I have no interest in diplomacy with goblins.¡± he said, his mouth curling into a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three weeks to prepare for your trip to the other realm.¡±


    Those words made Calla grow cold, her eyes widening. Her lips trembled as Aro¡¯s eyes turned to her. ¡°Little lamb, I do look forward to seeing you again,¡± he said, taking out a card from his pocket and turning to place it into the open knot of a tree nearby. He winked her way before turning. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun in the other realm together.¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch!!¡± Blaise exclaimed loudly, getting to his feet. Calla looked with horror as he did.


    ¡°Blaise, calm yourself! He¡¯s baiting you!¡± Gwydion said sharply as he turned to hold an arm out as if to stop Blaise, making Calla panic as she saw Blaise look as if he was about to rush Aro.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t!¡± Calla yelled, quickly moving to wrap her arms around Blaise, burying her face into his back. She was trembling, using any strength she had to keep him from running into Aro¡¯s trap. She felt Blaise tense at her hold before he began to slightly relax, though giving a low growl. Aro just turned his head to flash an amused smirk before facing forward and walking into the darkness of the woods again.


    They were silent, almost making sure the man was truly gone. Calla¡¯s arms trembled, losing any strength she had as the adrenaline faded. Her body sank, clinging to Blaise for support before finally collapsing to her knees with a sound of pain.


    ¡°Calla!¡± Gwydion exclaimed, snapping Blaise out of whatever anger he had. He spun around wide-eyed before kneeling before her.


    Blaise touched the start of the slashes on her body, his eyes wide. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± Blaise said under his breath, his hands trembling. Calla looked into the terrified look in his eyes, tears in her own.


    ¡°Raven, Gwydion. You two follow me.¡± Marick ordered, making them all look towards the serious-looking man. Marick eyed Calla, a flicker of anger in his eyes as he saw the scars left by the mysterious blonde man. ¡°I want to make sure he¡¯s gone. We can leave Calla in Blaise¡¯s capable hands.¡±


    Blaise nodded with a stern look, moving to pick Calla up bridal style and walk with her back to the cottage as the other three moved into the woods to scout for Aro.


    Once they got inside, Blaise placed her down to sit on Marick¡¯s bed before grabbing the chair and placing it before her, taking a seat. His eyes scanned her dress before he frowned. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± He asked, making her blink tears from her eyes.


    ¡°Of course I trust you¡­¡± she said with a slight whimper of pain. He gave a nod before standing enough to lean over her. She felt him pull the back of the dress open, once again having buttons scatter before sitting back down.


    She blushed darkly, the dress slipping down to the point where she had to hold it before it would expose her breasts. She didn¡¯t have time to question him as he rested a hand on the now exposed wound before watching the dancing embers of his magic swirl around his hand. Calla felt a twinge of pain but watched as the surprisingly deep slashes began to heal slowly. Blaise¡¯s expression was hard to read as she felt the familiar and warm energy of his magic flow through her. He didn¡¯t have the ability to take the pain away but his presence was enough to make her feel safer than she did before.


    Whatever he was thinking about, she could feel his anger boiling over as his magic wavered. Remembering what he had said, she reached out and touched his face. Blaise blinked, clearing his mind of his thoughts as he looked her in the eyes. His expression was a mix of worry, fear, anger, and disappointment in himself before they softened.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡­¡± he started with a gentle tone. He sighed and shook his head, focusing back on healing her wounds. ¡°If I knew¡­ If I had sensed him at all. I would have never let you¡­¡± Blaise growled before trying to calm himself again. ¡°I thought he was in exile.¡±


    Calla frowned at that, just lightly rubbing the arm that was healing her. ¡°Who...Who was that guy?¡± She asked, her own memories flooding to her encounter with the tall blonde man with the dangerous grin. Blaise scowled.


    ¡°His name is Aro.¡± He answered bitterly. He seemed to be focusing on his task again. ¡°I only know him from stories I hear around the other realm. He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s a really dangerous elite magical born who treats non-magicals as play things and isn¡¯t above killing other magicals when he¡¯s bored.¡±


    She shivered at that, about to ask more when the door opened and Marick walked in with the other two, grumbled to himself. He walked over to Blaise and Calla, seemingly leaning down to check her slowly healing wounds.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t use any curse on her wounds, did he?¡± Marick asked, his eyes scanning her. Blaise¡¯s expression was hard to read again but he shook his head no.


    ¡°Not that I¡¯m sensing,¡± Blaise said, trying his best to control his emotions so he could heal Calla. Marick gave a nod at that, pulling away to stand tall again.


    ¡°One would think that what that bastard did to the daughter of one of the committee members, they would never have called him back from exile,¡± Gwydion muttered angrily, folding his arms. ¡°If they asked him back for such a simple mission to handle goblins, they are either stupid or insane.¡±


    Marick just muttered to himself moving over to look over the vials on the table. ¡°Whatever their reason, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s around again and has given us tasks we can¡¯t turn down.¡± He said, clearly not happy about it. He stood tall rubbing his eyes.


    She couldn¡¯t help but look at the expressions of the men around the room. They all held a similar expression. Their lives had gotten much more complicated with Aro¡¯s appearance.


    Blaise closed the door behind him as he walked in with the new dress for Calla, his mind off in thought. He walked over, handing it to Calla.


    ¡°Here¡­¡± he said to which Calla nodded, using one hand to take it from him while the other kept her destroyed dress up. She watched him as he walked over to his desk, facing away from her. It surprised her to see him still giving her space, even now that it was known that they had a deadline. Calla¡¯s expression sank, her looking off. Blaise and she hadn¡¯t done anything outside of kissing once in a while and now they were expected to have sex before three weeks was up. She shifted herself on the bed, thinking to herself. Was she even ready to do that yet? Then again, from what it sounded like, Aro was the type to make sure Calla would be there, willing or not. She shivered, remembering the dark amusement in Aro¡¯s eyes when she locked eyes with him. His powers were not based on sight, that was what she took from her encounter with him.


    Her eyes fell on Blaise again, wondering what he was thinking. Was he just as stressed about this as she was? Probably not. She thought back to what he had said about him not being the best choice for her first time. Was that why he hadn¡¯t been all that sexual towards her? He was worried about hurting her.


    She frowned at that. ¡°Blaise?¡± She called softly, though he didn¡¯t look towards her.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± He answered, looking something over on his desk. She wondered if he was looking over a spell that would work best if they encountered Aro again.


    Calla¡¯s expression softened as her eyes rested on his form. ¡°I¡­ I want it to be you¡­¡± she said softly. He glanced back at her, seemingly confused by her words. She just sighed, holding onto her ruined dress. ¡°My first time¡­ I want it to be with you.¡±


    She saw his eyes widen at that, turning to face her, arms folded. She could already see that stubborn look in his eyes before he opened his mouth to say something. That was why she cut him off before he could protest. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± She said sternly, enough that she saw him blink before scowling, closing his mouth again. She looked off, her expression serious. ¡°I know what you said. I know you think it would be a bad idea and that I should give it to someone else.¡± She gripped her dress more, eyes closing. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to give it to anyone else¡­ I trust you¡­ and¡­ and I want to be with you¡­¡±


    Blaise was silent for a moment before sighing. Calla only looked up when she heard him walk over. She couldn¡¯t help but blush, seeing the desire in his eyes that she caught from time to time. Raven said that it was clear that Blaise was attracted to her and even Blaise had admitted that he wanted to do more with her.


    He watched her a moment before he hummed in thought, leaning down to Calla with hands on either side of her. With him so close, Calla¡¯s face grew red as she was face to face with him. Her heart raced as he sighed, his warm breath hitting her face. ¡°Calla¡­¡± he said with a low tone, not helping the feeling that ran through her body. She couldn¡¯t stop the quiver in her body with him so close and the tone of voice he said. His eyes scanned the look in hers before he moved a hand to lightly tug on the rags of the dress she was still in.


    ¡°...I care about you¡­ a lot. I want to be with you¡­and I won¡¯t lie, I want you... badly.¡± he said softly. He sighed and his hand slipped to her skin, stroking the line of her shoulder blade. He gave a slight grumble, his eyes snapping to hers. ¡°However, I think you are foolish to offer it to me. You know I don¡¯t have any way to stop it from being uncomfortable or painful.¡±


    He moved one of his hands to rub his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m used to sex being easy to get for the right price and with women who have been with men before. I¡¯ve never been with someone who wouldn¡¯t know what they are doing.¡± His expression softened as he moved his hand away to look into her blushing face. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know how to do this with you where it wouldn¡¯t hurt and¡­ and I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± He trailed off before sighing again, shaking his head. ¡°Sex feels incredible. I haven¡¯t been with a woman in a good while and the last thing I want is to ruin your experience with something that is meant to feel so good. You don¡¯t want to know how many times I have wanted Gwy¡¯s confidence to pull you into my bed¡­ it¡¯s honestly shameful.¡±


    He gave a slight smirk, shaking his head. ¡°Hell, the first night we shared a bed, all I could think about was how badly I wanted to sleep with you,¡± he muttered more to himself but loud enough for her to hear. Calla just frowned, her heart racing as she let him rant. She was happy to hear him say what was on his mind.


    She didn¡¯t know what to do. She could feel the tense air in the room when they had spoken of Aro and going to the other realm earlier. No one said it, but she could tell that everyone was stressed with the thought of them only having three weeks to prepare. She had no idea what to expect. Calla frowned her eyes at the conflicted look on Blaise¡¯s face.


    ¡°Blaise... ¡° she started, making him seem to watch her. She felt her body shiver, her mind trying to figure out if she wanted to say what was on her mind. She sighed, looking off. ¡°I know everyone is stressed¡­ I¡­ I want to do what I can to help so¡­ to take care of one of the issues-.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Blaise said, cutting her off before she finished speaking, making her blink and look up into his stern expression. His eyes narrowed. ¡°You are not ready to be intimate with anyone, let alone me. I¡¯m not going to let you offer your body before you are ready because it would make everyone¡¯s life easier.¡± He pulled himself away, scratching his head as Calla looked up at him bewildered.


    ¡°But-¡± she started only for Blaise to cut her off with a scowl, though a blush on his face.


    ¡°I said no, Calla. We have three weeks¡­ if you seriously want me to be the one to take you, offer it again when you are more comfortable with going that far.¡± he said sternly, however, he glanced towards her, hearing her give a huff at that to see her looking to him red face but with a stubborn look on her face.


    ¡°I-I wouldn¡¯t offer it if I wasn¡¯t sure¡­.¡± she said, she gave a stern look towards him. However, she was ignoring the slight tremble in her body from the nervous thought of it. Blaise just narrowed his eyes as he watched her before resting his hands on his hips.


    ¡°Man, you are more stubborn than I am,¡± he muttered before scanning her for a moment. He gave a huff. ¡°Want me to prove to you that you¡¯re not ready?¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise at that, looking up at him confused by his words. However, he soon gave a ¡®tsk¡¯ and slipped off his shirt. He tossed it away before moving to grab Calla¡¯s face and pushing his lips against her. She let out a small squeal at that, him pushing her to lay back against the bed as he deepened the kiss, groaning into it and climbing over her. She shivered, the kiss was intense and needy. She found herself panting, the heated kiss making her feel on fire, her mind growing fuzzy. Her body would tremble as she felt his hands slip from her face to grab her ruined dress. In a swift motion, he tore the rest of the dress open, his warm hands trailing over her exposed body. The feeling made her whimper, breaking the kiss as she turned her head away, her eyes tightly closed. She would let out a gasp feeling his lips move to her neck, hearing him give a low groan.


    He growled against her neck. ¡°I¡¯m going to go as far as you let me. Don¡¯t want it, then stop me,¡± he grumbled against her neck.


    ¡°B-Blaise! W-Wait¡­!¡± she exclaimed with a slight whimper as she felt his teeth on her neck, him nibbling on a spot and making her shift under him. She didn¡¯t know how to feel, her body feeling hot but squirming uncomfortably at the situation. Calla wanted to give in and let him go all the way, but he was right, she wasn¡¯t ready for this. It made her upset, tears in her eyes. She loved him, so why wasn¡¯t she ready to give him everything? They had never done anything like this before. The way he moved against her body with his slight grinds, the way his hands trailed over her curves and chest, teasing and playing with her, she could feel how badly he wanted her.


    No, that wasn¡¯t the only thing on her mind. As he continued to run his hands over her, her mind was on what Aro had done to her. Blaise¡¯s hands on her body making her mind return to the feeling of Aro¡¯s hands on her.


    She bit her lip, feeling him push his lower body against hers. He was turned on, she wasn¡¯t that naive to know that as he trailed his love bites over her neck with his slight growls as he explored her body. However, as she slightly pushed on him, he stopped. His kisses on her skin became much more tender before he rose to look down at her. He scanned her face before sighing, moving to remove some tears from her eyes that she didn¡¯t realize that had been there.


    ¡°...I love you, Calla¡­ but please. Don¡¯t think that you need to push yourself into doing something you are not ready for. Not for my sake or anyone else''s¡­¡± He said after a while. She could see the arousal in his eyes, the want he had in his stare but also the restraint. He sighed, leaning in to kiss her tenderly.


    She looked upset as her blue eyes met his green ones. ¡°Blaise¡­ I¡­¡± she started only for Blaise to sigh and move to get up. She cleared her eyes, sitting up as he got off the bed before tossing the new dress over her.


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± he said with a sigh as he did. She moved the dress off her face to look up at him. He looked uncomfortable but looked off as if in thought. They were silent for a moment before Calla looked off.


    ¡°I want to be ready¡­¡± she said with a soft tremble in her voice. She looked back up at him when he gave a sigh seeing his eyes were gentle as he looked at her.


    ¡°Calla¡­ it¡¯s not as if we¡¯ve been all that intimate before this¡­ I wouldn¡¯t expect you to be comfortable with going that far yet.¡± he said calmly, moving to sit on the side of his bed. ¡°Besides, a lot has happened today.¡± He looked off in thought, leaning back onto his arms. ¡°I thought we would have more time to get to know each other before thinking about doing things like this.¡±


    She frowned at that, moving to sit on the side of the bed next to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said, her heart hurt, almost feeling as if she was disappointing him.


    He shook his head at that, moving to rest an arm around her. ¡°There is nothing to be sorry about,¡± he said, making her look up at him. She had never seen Blaise so tender towards her. He really did care about her, that much was obvious. He scanned her face, a blush on his own before he looked off. ¡°I¡¯m willing to wait until the last day before we have to go to the other realm. Take as long as you need. I¡¯m not happy about there being a deadline, but¡­ I¡¯m not going to pressure you into it so¡­ don¡¯t think you need to force yourself to sleep with me until you are ready.¡±


    The rest of the day had been rather quiet as the house seemed to just want to relax after what had happened. By nightfall, everyone seemed to head to bed early, exhausted from the day.


    It was the middle of the night when Blaise opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. He heard a soft hum next to him, turning his attention to Calla as she slept next to him. In the light of the moon, he took the time to explore her face, turning to face her direction. It seemed she had been crying, dried tears on her cheeks. That made him frown as he lightly reached out to remove any tears from her eyes without waking her. It had probably been a nightmare. She had them from time to time from what he had noticed. Surely, the situation with Aro hadn¡¯t helped those.


    Silently, he touched her face for a moment before slowly running his fingers down her body, his own eyes distant. Blaise¡¯s heart beat quickly in his chest, remembering what they had done earlier. Calla had been so stubborn trying to force herself to be ready to give him everything, but in all honesty, even if she hadn¡¯t stopped him with those sounds of fear, he probably wouldn¡¯t have gone all the way with her. He tugged on a few of the buttons of her nightdress, undoing them as his eyes filled with arousal at the sight of her body.


    Blaise bit his lip before sighing, silently cursing himself. He hadn¡¯t touched a woman since Calla arrived, not even after they had returned from the other realm on the last mission. Normally he would join the others in getting some attention after a high-stress situation, but ever since Calla had arrived, he had been more focused on keeping her safe rather than his own needs. He couldn¡¯t deny that he was attracted to Calla. She was beautiful, sweet, determined, and brought so much light into their lives. She wasn¡¯t a pushover like he had expected. In reality, she was about as stubborn as he was and once she was comfortable here, she wasn¡¯t afraid to argue and speak her mind when needed. The coven really did help her find her voice, and yet, she was kind and always willing to help out. He was sure everyone thought the same. The cottage had never felt more like a home than it did with Calla here, and she wanted to be with him of all people.


    His hand moved down to tug up her nightdress so he could rest his hand on her soft skin, remembering how she tasted when he had kissed her body. He let out a staggered breath but shook his head to try and control himself. He wanted her so badly, wanted to make her his. His own fears made him look off as he pulled his hand away from her. What if he was too aggressive? What if he hurt her? She deserved her first time to be special. She didn¡¯t deserve to be forced to do this, and with his own desires making him needier than normal. Even now, he hated the thoughts in his head. He finally sighed and turned to get out of the bed, sitting on the side of it. Being turned on wasn¡¯t helping. He rubbed his face with his hands before getting up to leave the room, seeing Calla reach for his side of the bed as if wanting to be cuddled even while fast asleep.


    He slipped into the hall and towards the washroom, closing the door behind him with a sigh. ¡°This is going to be a long three weeks if I¡¯m gonna lust after her worse than Gwy¡­¡± he muttered to himself as he did.


    ¡°You want what?¡± Gwydion asked as Calla had joined him to make lunch for everyone. A few days had passed since Aro had appeared and everyone had been busy preparing, Calla doing what she could to help, but it was clear everyone was on edge for the coming mission to the other realm.


    Calla frowned, cutting up the vegetables they were going to add to the soup before glancing his way again. ¡°Yarn,¡± she said again. ¡°I can knit and well, with it getting colder out, I figured I could make some items for everyone. That and maybe sell a few so I could get my own money.¡±


    He frowned at that. ¡°Love, you know we don¡¯t mind buying things for you.¡± he pointed out which seemed to make Calla huff.


    ¡°I know, that¡¯s not the point. I want to be able to earn money for myself too. I¡¯m a part of this coven, aren¡¯t I? I want to feel as if I can contribute rather than have all of you spend so much on me.¡± she pointed out, turning to cling to Gwy as she gave him big puppy dog eyes. ¡°Please, Gwy. I¡¯m only asking you because you would know where to get the best crafting items.¡±


    He seemed to shiver at her look but soon pouted. ¡°And here I thought you were asking me because you secretly love me.¡± he teased, once again making her huff, which only seemed to have his expression change to an amused chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m heading into Rowien today, so I will pick up what you need.¡±


    ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best!¡± Calla cheered happily, hugging his arm. He let out a louder chuckle at that, moving to pet her head.


    ¡°I know,¡± he said with a wink down to her before returning to the pot on the stove.


    She moved away to start cleaning up the area before her mood changed, looking off. Blaise had been training harder the last few days and even though he said they would start being more intimate to be more comfortable with the idea of making love, it had been like he was avoiding her. Sure, at night they shared a bed and he would cuddle with her or even kiss her, but nothing more. Her heart beat softly, thinking back to the feeling of him running his hands over her and kissing her neck, doing so to prove his point that she wasn¡¯t ready to sleep with him.


    ¡°Hey, Gwy?¡± she asked after a moment, looking back over at him. He gave a hum in response and Calla let out a sigh, looking off. ¡°Is Blaise avoiding me during the day?¡±


    Gwydion hummed at that. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s doing so on purpose,¡± he answered after a while. He finally glanced her way as he allowed the soup to simmer, sighing and moving over towards her. ¡°My apprentice is a strange boy. He does things without thinking a lot of the time.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been training nearly all day every day.¡± she pointed out with a frown. Gwydion sighed at that but waved it off.


    ¡°He¡¯s worried about the sudden appearance of Aro and the man¡¯s apparent fascination with you. To be honest, Calla, Blaise is probably so focused on trying to get stronger to keep you safe, that he¡¯s neglecting spending time with you. That is how his mind works.¡± He scanned her a moment before smiling warmly down at her. ¡°Would you like me to swat him and get him to take you on a date? Or maybe I could dress you in one of those sexy and tight dresses to make him hot enough to take you to bed?¡±


    Her face went bright red and she whined. Why did he have to do this every time she wanted a serious chat? ¡°Lecher,¡± she muttered to which he just waved off her comment before giving her a look over.


    ¡°Oh come now. I¡¯m just helping you be stunning for your man. Blaise is bullheaded and stubborn. Honestly, if you were with me and we had a legitimate reason to have sex like removing your purity for your safety, I would have pulled you into bed with me right away. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s avoiding you when he could be making hot love with you every day, especially with how hungry for attention he is.¡± Gwydion said as he wrapped an arm around her. ¡°Do you know he hasn¡¯t so much as LOOKED at a prostitute since our return? He¡¯s so smitten with you that he¡¯s ignoring his own urges for attention. I¡¯d be surprised if you can walk the day after you finally let him between your legs.¡±


    ¡°Stop!!¡± she whined, pushing his face with her hand. He laughed harder, hugging her a moment before pulling away and standing tall.


    ¡°I¡¯m teasing, love,¡± he said, turning to check on the pot again. ¡°But I am speaking the truth. That boy wants you more than anything in this world. Once you are ready to be intimate with him, I know he will do everything he can to make it special and not just because you have to.¡±


    Calla was about to complain again but his words made her expression shift to a softer look, looking down at the ground. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know about any of that,¡± she admitted softly. She didn¡¯t look up but felt the other¡¯s eyes on her. Calla frowned, shifting on her feet. ¡°He¡¯s¡­He¡¯s worried that he¡¯s going to hurt me.¡± She gripped her dress slightly as she kept her eyes down. ¡°Blaise said that he¡¯s nervous about being with someone like me¡­ someone who''s never been with a guy before. He says he doesn¡¯t know how to be gentle and has been trying to convince me to give myself to someone else for the first time. But¡­But I want to be with Blaise. He¡¯s the only one I would ever want to give something so special to.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see what the problem is,¡± Gwy said suddenly, making her look up at him with a look of surprise. He gave a warm smile. ¡°You are concerned that even when you are ready, he will turn you down out of his own fears.¡± He sighed and shook his head. ¡°Like I said, a stubborn boy.¡± Still, his smile returned and he faced Calla with a witty smirk. ¡°I think I have an idea of how you could get his attention when you are ready to be intimate with him.¡±


    Calla blinked in surprise by that but couldn¡¯t help but give him a wary look. ¡°How?¡± she asked. He huffed at the look on her face but ignored it for now as he moved over to her, leaning down to her level.


    ¡°You will be making money, right? Well, when the time comes that you are ready to give him everything, use what he knows against him.¡± Gwydion said, Calla, looked a bit confused before he chuckled. ¡°Give him 30 pieces of silver, buy his attention as if he were a prostitute.¡± Her eyes widened at that as her face flushed with a dark blush.


    ¡°You¡­You think that would work?¡± Calla asked to which Gwydion patted her head with an amused smile.


    ¡°Oh, love, I know it would work. I think he would not only allow it to happen, he might even find it to be a bit of a turn-on.¡± Gwydion whispered. Calla blushed deeply, looking up at him before nodding.


    ¡°O-Okay¡­¡± she said before looking more determined than ever to make her own money. ¡°I will have to work extra hard to make enough to sell.¡±


    Gwydion chuckled at that but nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll help you as much as I can,¡± he said as he turned to open a cupboard. He seemed to pause before grumbling to himself. He closed his eyes to rub them. ¡°For now, go to my irritating older brother¡¯s room and get the bowls he¡¯s more than likely hoarding just to make me upset.¡±


    Calla blinked at that before letting out her own laugh. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± she said, turning to rush out of the kitchen. However, she nearly ran into someone as she entered the hall.


    ¡°Woh there!¡± Blaise said, catching her as she ran into him. Calla blinked in surprise, looking up at him as she staggered in his arms at the sudden stop. He was sweaty, probably from being out training. His green eyes scanned her as he held her in his arms. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡±


    ¡°Raven¡¯s stolen all the dishes again and Gwy asked me to get them back.¡± she pointed out, although a light blush on her face. Something about seeing him after a workout was rather attractive and she was trying not to make it noticeable.


    Luckily, if he did notice her attraction, he wasn¡¯t showing it as he scowled with a sigh. ¡°Sounds about right,¡± he said, but to her surprise, he didn¡¯t let her go as she had expected. ¡°Hey, um¡­¡± Calla tilted her head as Blaise seemed to scan her for a moment, looking slightly awkward. ¡°You, uh, are you busy tomorrow?¡±


    Her eyes widened at that, surprised by his question before she gave a smile. ¡°No, not really,¡± she said. His mood perked up and he smiled.


    ¡°Great!¡± he exclaimed before that seemed to come off as too excited and he grew flustered. ¡°I¡­I mean, g-good. It¡¯s about time the others gave you some time for yourself.¡± He let out a cough before returning his eyes to her. ¡°Well, since you are not busy, would you like to go with me tomorrow? It¡¯s not all that interesting of a task, Gwy just wants me to get some fish. I figured fishing would be less boring if you were there.¡±


    Her heart fluttered at that but she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous about the situation. ¡°Would it be safe for me to leave the wards?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Huh? Oh,¡± Blaise said as he seemed to think it over. ¡°The fishing hole I normally go to is a bit away from here but it¡¯s protected. I can have wards put up that will keep you safe while we are there.¡±


    She seemed to think it over again before nodding. ¡°Alright, if you say it''s safe, I trust you. I look forward to hanging out tomorrow,¡± she said, closing her eyes as she smiled up at him. There was a small pause at that before her eyes widened when she felt him kiss her softly, once again looking up at him surprised.


    He was blushing softly but kept his normal moody expression as he nodded. ¡°Good, just don¡¯t expect it to be too exciting, alright?¡± he said, letting her go before moving around her and into the kitchen. Calla blushed as she watched him leave before smiling warmly, touching her lips softly. She turned and started towards Raven¡¯s room once again.


    Calla couldn¡¯t help but look around in wonder at the fishing hole the two had appeared in. It was a lovely little location, a deep pond that was fed by a river, even as they sat at the edge she could see the place was teeming with fish. She only returned her attention to Blaise when she heard him start muttering to himself angrily only to be met with the sight of him tangled up in the fishing wire. Calla let out a giggle and moved over to him.


    ¡°Need some help?¡± she asked to which he grumbled more, seemingly embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± he huffed, far too proud to ask for help. Calla just shook her head.


    ¡°Hold still,¡± she ordered, ignoring his complaints as she started to help untangle him. He huffed but soon stopped complaining as he sat there waiting for her to get the rest of it off him. It took a moment but she finally got it, smiling at him. ¡°See? And here you call me stubborn.¡±


    ¡°You are stubborn,¡± he muttered before sighing, grabbing the line and stringing up the rods he had brought. ¡°But thanks.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem! What would you do without me?¡± she said to which he rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start getting cocky,¡± he said but a smile rested on his face, baiting up the hooks and soon getting the lines in the water. Once he was done, he sighed and leaned back. She watched the lines a moment before her eyes returned to him.


    ¡°You know, I could have baited my own hook,¡± she said, moving to sit next to him. He smirked at that, keeping his eyes closed for now.


    ¡°Oh well, next time you will have to be faster than I am or I will keep doing it myself,¡± he said as he did. She huffed at that with a pout.


    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll just catch more fish than you just to prove I am capable of doing things myself,¡± she said with a wicked smirk. He opened his eyes to give a sly smirk towards her.


    ¡°Is that a challenge, Calla?¡± he asked, scanning her face. ¡°Alright, you''re on. But if I win, you have to do what I say for the rest of the day!¡± She pouted at that with a huff but soon looked determined again.


    ¡°Fine, but if I win, YOU have to wear that stupid frilly dress Gwy got me,¡± she said to which he jolted with a surprised if not worried look.


    ¡°Damn, I didn¡¯t think you would go for blood in this challenge!¡± he exclaimed before he narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lose if that is the punishment. I¡¯ll dive in the water and grab fish by hand if I have to.¡±


    She giggled at that but nodded. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re on!¡± she said as she moved over to her pole to watch it. He just smirked and shook his head before moving over to join her.


    The two grew quiet as they waited for the fish to bite, the sounds of running water and nature around them. It was nice being out in nature again and any fear Calla had about being away from the cottage melted away. She knew Blaise would never let anything bad happen to her. With him here, she felt safe, leaning to rest her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°Hey, can I ask you something?¡± she asked after a while. He didn¡¯t move other than to give a small shrug, not trying to move her head from his shoulder.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he replied, wrapping an arm around her.


    ¡°Is Blaise your real name?¡± she asked, feeling him shift under her slightly as if he were slightly uncomfortable. ¡°It just¡­ it¡¯s a bit of a coincidence that it would be your name and your magic just so happened to be fire-based, you know. That¡¯s¡­That¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m asking.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I changed it after I joined the coven,¡± he admitted with a sigh. ¡°Many non-magicals who become witches and warlocks will do that as it lets go of the life they had before. Blaise was a name my old crew would call me when I would get angry and start a fight so I figured it was fitting.¡±


    She hummed in thought, taking in the information before nodding. ¡°What is your birth name?¡± she asked, the area becoming quiet for a moment before he sighed.


    ¡°Henry. I was named after my father,¡± he answered before she blushed as he started to stroke her arm. ¡°But I prefer Blaise. So don¡¯t think you are allowed to just go around calling me Henry, got it?¡±


    She let out a light giggle. ¡°I promise¡­ Henry,¡± she said only to yelp as he pinched her. She whined with a pout up at him. However, he just smirked, moving to be face to face with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Calla. I¡¯ll make you regret it if you start getting sassy like this,¡± he said with a playful tone. It made her shiver at that but her attention was soon grabbed when the pole in her peripheral started to move. She jumped and moved to grab it, growing excited.


    ¡°We got one!¡± she exclaimed, hearing him laugh as he moved behind her to help reel it in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate yet! It¡¯s only caught when we get it on land,¡± he said, the two working together before soon enough a nice sized fish was reeled in, Calla falling back into Blaise as she laughed and cheered in her excitement. It was rather infectious as he soon laughed as well but moved to take the fish off and place it to be retrieved later.


    ¡°We did it!¡± Calla exclaimed happily.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, just watch the other pole,¡± he said with a laugh. Calla nodded and did what was asked, sitting before the other pole. Upon his return, Calla had expected Blaise to sit next to her again. However, she soon felt him sit behind her, pulling her into his arms as he held her close, resting his head on hers. She blushed at that but didn¡¯t move, feeling safe in his arms, leaning back against him again with a smile on her face.


    ¡°I have a question for you now,¡± he said softly, making Calla give a curious look. ¡°If you knew then what you do now, during the time you were being sold and all, what would you do?¡±


    The question caused her to pause and think about it. She hummed before shrugging. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I would have been able to get away, but I think I would have fled as soon as my mom called for me to return to the house for a conversation,¡± she said before looking off. ¡°I feel so silly looking back on that day. I saw the carriage the lord had sent but for some reason, it didn¡¯t register in my mind that it was there for me. I thought he sent people to find my sister.¡± She sighed, snuggling against him. ¡°Then again, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d ever be brave enough to try and outrun the carriage or his men¡­ but¡­ I do know one thing for sure.¡±


    ¡°And what would that be?¡± he asked, rubbing her arms.


    Calla gave a warm smile. ¡°I¡¯d do everything in my power to find you all again,¡± she said, feeling him stop his motions at that. She rested her head back against him. ¡°This is where I belong. I know that now. My life¡­ My life before this had been so¡­ miserable. I was a child my mother had late in life. I¡¯m a lot younger than my siblings and a girl. I don¡¯t believe I was neglected but I always knew I wasn¡¯t wanted. I thought¡­ I thought my mother loved me at least, but after I was sold, I wonder if her love had always been to make sure I grew to be obedient and marry a wealthy man. I have memories of my eldest brother telling me that I was a burden on the family and that if our parents ever died, he would have sold me to one of his friends or a workhouse. I¡­I was actually locked in the barn a few times by my siblings. I think in an attempt to just get rid of me¡­ those nights were always terrifying. Of course, when I was found in the morning, my father would get angry at me and the others would never be punished.¡± She looked off again, feeling his arms tighten his hug. ¡°This coven, the cottage¡­ I love it here with everyone. I was a stranger and yet you took me in, got me things, let me explore, and get to know your world more. Compared to my old life, you all treat me like a queen and¡­ and I don¡¯t know why. I¡¯m nothing special and yet you all act as if I am, at least to all of you. Despite everything that has happened between the situation in the twisted woods and now with Aro, I am happy. I would never return to the life I had before knowing what I know now.¡±


    They were silent for a while before he held her close. ¡°...You are not a burden. Don¡¯t ever think that, okay?¡± he muttered, making her blush. ¡°If we ever meet your parents or siblings, I¡¯m socking them in the face. I¡¯d make them regret everything they ever did to you.¡±


    ¡°Blaise¡­¡± she said softly.


    ¡°I mean it!¡± Blaise said sternly. ¡°People like that¡­ I almost understand why magicals hate us so much. As creatures, we are disgusting with how to treat each other.¡± He wrapped his arms around her completely, holding her tightly. ¡°No one has the right to make you feel like you are worthless or unwanted. I¡¯ll kill anyone who ever tries to hurt you like that. You¡­You are too good for them. Too good for us. You didn¡¯t deserve to be treated the way you have been.¡±


    She frowned at that, doing her best to turn in his arms as she sat on her knees. ¡°Blaise¡­¡± she said again softly, trying to calm him down. He only clung to her, burying his face into her chest as she wrapped her arms around his head.


    ¡°I would have saved you¡­ if I had met you while you were with those people. I would have dropped everything to keep you safe.¡± he said, holding her close. She frowned at that, knowing that was a lie. If they had been strangers, would he have really gone out of his way to protect her? Still, his words made her heart flutter, wishing that had been true. He finally let out a sigh, pulling his head away from her as he looked up at her. ¡°I love you, Calla. I¡¯ll always love you. And I will protect you as long as I breathe.¡±


    She gave a soft look down at him, her face warm with a soft blush. ¡°I love you too¡­ but¡­ I¡­I don¡¯t know why any of you have grown to care about me as strongly as you do. What have I done to be loved in such a way?¡± she asked, her expression slightly sad as she ran her fingers through her hair.


    He sighed at that. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you think you have to do something in exchange for love. If that was what your parents did, that only pisses me off more,¡± he said, rubbing her back and sides. His eyes were gentle as they returned to her. ¡°I¡¯ve liked you since we went to get mushrooms the first day you came outside. You getting huffy at me was actually fun to see. You didn¡¯t get apologetic when I was being rude, you got snippy. That and¡­ it was nice, having someone around who understood me.¡± He looked off again. ¡°We were both born non-magical, and both came from poor families. And yet, I had been in the world of magic longer than you, and I had forgotten how amazing magic could be until we hung out together. The way you looked at me when I was performing simple spells to train with¡­ you made me feel so special¡­ so powerful.¡± He sighed, enjoying the feeling of her fingers through his hair. ¡°I know I¡¯m not weak, but¡­ I won¡¯t lie and say I wasn¡¯t at a low point when you walked into our lives. Juvenile wolves, fucking teenagers, got under my skin and put me in a situation where I felt weak. So when I showed you what magic felt like¡­ and you looked up at me with so much excitement and with such a huge smile on your face¡­ I fell hard for you. You are¡­the only woman I want in my life. I mean it.¡±


    Her heart fluttered at his words, wanting to cry at his words. She leaned in and kissed him deeply, which seemed to surprise him at first but he soon returned the kiss. He held her close, the two just relaxing against each other as they continued the loving kiss, holding each other. It was after a while that the kiss broke as Calla blushed deeply.


    Blaise watched her a moment before he let out a soft laugh and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, I guess I got a bit sappy there huh. I just wanted to tell you how I really felt,¡± he said, rubbing her back. She just gave a soft smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I liked seeing that side of you,¡± she said, hugging him. ¡°You always have a way of making me feel special too, you know. But someday, I want to be able to protect you as much as you do me, even if that¡¯s silly in practice. You are important to me Blaise. I want you to be safe too.¡±


    He seemed to watch her a moment before he smirked. ¡°You wanna protect me, huh. Well, I guess I could teach you how to fight so you would be a little more intimidating,¡± he said, to which she huffed and playfully punched his chest. He laughed at that, taking her wrist before grabbing her and shifting so that she was on the ground with him over her. He sighed, his expression gentle as he touched her face before running his hand down her body, watching her face warm with a blush. He couldn¡¯t help but smile at that, glad that she enjoyed his touch. ¡°You are amazing, Calla. You don¡¯t need to change yourself too much, but if you want to learn things, I¡¯m more than willing to teach you whatever you want to feel more confident and strong.¡± He smirked with a determined look. ¡°We are above the life we were born into. We¡¯ll show the world just how wrong they were to treat us like crap. I will become a powerful healer¡­ and then no one born poor has to suffer just because some rich asshole determined they were less than.¡±


    She loved hearing about his dream. No matter how much of a hot head Blaise was, he was training so he could help others and that was such an amazing thing in Calla¡¯s eyes. He really was an amazing man. ¡°And I¡¯ll be by your side, no matter what,¡± she said, seeing him look with a surprised expression before a warm smile rested on his face.


    ¡°You better, cause I¡¯m not letting anyone else steal you away!¡± he said, leaning in to give her a soft kiss but groaning as it broke, his expression changing to a more lust-filled one. Calla seemed hesitant upon seeing it, frowning softly as she reached up to touch his face, catching his attention.


    ¡°Are you¡­ nervous about us being intimate?¡± she asked, seeing him look to surprise before he frowned and looked off with a blush.


    ¡°N¡­No¡­¡± he said, although she could tell he was lying. ¡°But¡­ I still stand by what I said. You are foolish to give your first time to me, even though I know you are being stubborn about that.¡±


    She frowned at that. ¡°Would you be okay with me being with someone else?¡± she asked, his eyes returning to her.


    ¡°What? No, but¡­!¡± he started before grumbling with a sigh. He sank more against her again as he frowned. ¡°I never said I liked the idea, but I just¡­ I told you, I don¡¯t know how to be intimate with a girl who''s never been with a guy before. I don¡¯t want your first time to be uncomfortable or painful.¡± He tugged on her clothing, lust in his eyes again. ¡°I want you¡­ so bad¡­ But, I love you too much to hurt you, purposely or not. Just¡­ Just give it time okay? We¡¯ll talk about it more when you are ready to even go that far. Maybe you will change your mind.¡±


    Calla frowned at that but he soon got off her, moving to check the rods again. She sat up, sighing as she watched him. ¡°...I¡¯m not worried about you hurting me, Blaise. I know you wouldn¡¯t,¡± she said softly, seeing him pause at that before sighing, moving to rub his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid that I would do so willingly. I just¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± he said, as he looked back at her. He frowned. ¡°You are not asking because you want to, right?¡±


    She swiftly shook her head, frowning as she looked down. She did hate that she still was nervous about that. ¡°N¡­No¡­ I¡¯m just asking¡­¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡­ wouldn¡¯t mind doing more intimate things but¡­ I¡¯m nervous about going all the way.¡±


    He nodded at that and returned to the rods. ¡°Good, cause I¡¯m going to keep telling you no. One of these days you¡¯ll stop being so stubborn and listen to me,¡± he muttered. Calla frowned at that before sighing.


    ¡°I think you are the stubborn one,¡± she muttered before moving over to her rod. He sighed at that but patted her head, making her look up at him.


    ¡°I love you. You know that right?¡± he asked, to which she blushed with a nod. He smiled at that and leaned in to kiss her softly. ¡°Then let''s just enjoy our day together without worrying about that stuff. We have a whole day with no one bothering us.¡±


    She gave a small smile at that before nodding. ¡°Right, and besides, when I beat you with how many fish I catch, we¡¯ll see how much you enjoy the doll dress!¡± she exclaimed, him huffing with a grumble.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he said, although she saw a smirk perk the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Can someone explain to me why I came back to Blaise in a dress?¡± Marick asked with a blank stare as he watched Gwydion, who had been out with him, nearly keeled over laughing, Raven on the floor, and a grumpy Blaise sitting on the floor in the middle of the room in the small dress as Calla was putting bows in his hair.


    Blaise¡¯s face was as red as his hair, just glaring at the group, growling in his embarrassment. Calla just hummed as she looked up before smiling. ¡°He lost a bet,¡± she said simply.


    Marick stared at the sight before him for a moment longer before he let out a long sigh, raising his hand to rub his eyes before just leaving the room. ¡°Why do I even ask?¡± he muttered, as he did, leaving the shenanigans of his coven. It didn¡¯t take long for the other two to join in dolling up the already angry young man but as this was what Calla wanted, he only swung a fist at Raven and Gwy twice.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    It had taken a week and a half with help from Gwydion and questioning from Blaise as to why she was making things, but Calla soon had enough scarves and blankets knitted up to sell by the time the coven had to go into Rowien again. She wasn¡¯t sure how Raven secured a stall for her to sell some items from but frankly, she wasn¡¯t about to ask. When it came to how the coven did things, she would rather be blissfully unaware than know if they used magic on people to get what they wanted. Gwydion had made some trinkets as well to sell, not enchanted of course but lovely all the same.


    As she set things out, Calla couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. She had never sold things before and had no idea what she was doing. ¡°What if no one likes my items?¡± she asked with a frown only to feel a hand touch her head. She looked up to see Gwydion smiling down at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love. Your knitted items are adorable. I¡¯m sure we will be sold out in no time.¡± he said with a wink toward her. ¡°And besides, you have me here as a model.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but giggle at that. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯d have more luck selling you.¡± she teased to which he gasped with a playful hurt look on his face.


    ¡°So cruel. You make me sound as if I sell my services. I am simply someone who lives to please.¡± he said before giving a chuckle and moving to set a few more things down. Calla sighed and moved to sit down, looking around the area as it started to get busy. People had begun to move about to look at what the shops had brought in.


    Still, she frowned. ¡°You said Marick sent Blaise to pick up some things at the dock, right?¡± she asked, hoping that he would not get into any trouble while on his own. The last thing she wanted was for him to get into a fight.


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, yes, but he should not be long. I know he wants to be back here as fast as he can. He¡¯s being rather overprotective lately.¡± Gwy said with a smile on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d risk getting into a fight if that meant being away from you for so long.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but blush at that, about to say something when she felt hands touch her shoulders. It was a sudden touch that made her jolt with a small surprised yelp only for Raven to let out a laugh as she huffed up at him embarrassed.


    ¡°Raven!¡± she exclaimed with a whine only for him to shake his head.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, only for her to scowl.


    ¡°No you''re not!¡± she muttered. Raven waved it off before looking over the stand.


    ¡°You two seemed to have gotten the stall ready in record time. I¡¯m impressed.¡± Raven said, moving around where she was seated to look over the items they had set out. ¡°I have to say, we have never thought about selling things in Rowien before, especially to the¡­¡± He paused as if trying to think of a nice way to say non-magical without drawing attention. ¡°Good people here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start, Raven. I only have so much charm. If you foul the place with your bigotry, I will never be able to assist our dear Calla.¡± Gwydion warned, shooting a wary look towards his older brother. Raven, in turn, returned a bored look.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my best behavior. I have nothing to gain from today by being rude.¡± Raven said before turning towards Calla, giving her a softer smile. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think all people are bad. One, in particular, is family after all.¡±


    Call shook her head but gave a warm smile. ¡°No matter what, thank you for getting the stall for us, Raven,¡± she said. Raven simply nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Not a problem, but I do hope you are not selling all of your items.¡± Raven pointed out as he took up one of her scarves to look it over. His expression was tender. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind exchanging my efforts today for one of Calla¡¯s famous scarves.¡±


    ¡°Famous?¡± Calla questioned with an amused smile before she giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I made one for everyone. Those are back home though. Do you mind waiting until later in the evening to get them?¡±


    Raven seemed to pause and touch his chin to think it over before giving a smile. ¡°I guess I can wait. Will you give me mine first before you hand Blaise his? I have to have some reason to tease him later.¡± he pointed out to which Calla just sighed and shook her head.


    ¡°Sometimes I find it difficult to remember that you are the second oldest,¡± she muttered, Gwydion chuckling as Raven just smirked, waving off her comment. ¡°And for your information, I already gave Blaise his this morning. I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t notice.¡±


    Raven seemed to pout at that, folding his arms. ¡°Damn¡­ well, I¡¯ll have to find another reason to tease him,¡± Raven said before he turned towards Gwydion again. ¡°At any rate, I¡¯ll be collecting items on the other side of the city today. Marick thinks the items you both were unable to find last time might be arriving and he wants me to check. Hopefully, Blaise will return within an hour or so. Do you think you will be able to handle any potential dangers, Gwydion?¡±


    Gwydion frowned at that. ¡°I¡¯m not a child, dear brother. I am more than capable of protecting our dear flower. Be more concerned about yourself.¡± Gwydion huffed to which Raven chuckled but nodded.


    ¡°Very well. I will leave you to it. Good luck.¡± Raven said, winking towards Calla before he turned and walked away.


    It wouldn¡¯t take long to get a few customers, mostly due to Gwydion showing off his charm to women young and old. To be honest, it was interesting to see how well Gwydion could work with a crowd of people. He was attractive and a smooth talker. She couldn¡¯t help being flustered at times. If she didn¡¯t know Gwy well, she wondered how easily he could have charmed her into more inappropriate things upon first meeting him. He really was a prince of heartbreak and it made her wonder if a man like Gwy would ever find someone who he would settle down with. For a man who was such a manwhore, it would have to be someone really special to make him change his ways.


    As Gwydion was busy trying to sell some of the items to a group of older rich women, Calla turned to put more items on the counter when something caught her eye. It was a rose of some kind, one with multiple colors that seemed to glow with its own light. It was lovely and she couldn¡¯t help but take it up to look it over. But where in the world did it come from? Just below it, she took notice of a yellow scarf that she had made no longer being among the others but in its place, a small pouch of coins had been set. She was highly confused by the sight.


    ¡°Calla, dear. Do we have any more pink blankets?¡± Gwydion called, turning her attention back towards the man. She snapped out of her confusion for now before moving to grab one of the blankets he asked for.


    ¡°Yes, right here,¡± she called back, bringing it over after setting the flower she had found back on the small pile of scarves she had left.


    It would be a little over an hour later when Blaise would wander back into the area, looking more annoyed than anything but at least it seemed he hadn¡¯t gotten into a fight. Calla was the first to see him and she smiled wide, leaving the stall to rush over to hug him.


    ¡°Blaise!¡± she exclaimed happily, making Blaise make a small sound of surprise as he staggered back to catch her, hugging her back.


    ¡°Ah! Uh, hello to you too, Calla.¡± Blaise said, whatever annoyance he had melting away with a smile returning to his face. His smile only grew warm as she looked up at him. There was something about her smile that always seemed to make his day. She was so beautiful. ¡°So how did you make out? Sell a lot of your things?¡± He had been thrilled when she had offered him the red scarf she had made earlier and was interested to see how many things she would sell with Gwydion.


    She was beaming with a smile. ¡°We¡¯ve already sold nearly half our items in the first few hours! Gwy¡¯s really helped draw people over,¡± she said cheerfully. Blaise couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes at that. If there was one thing he knew about his mentor, it was that Gwy liked being in the center of attention.


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear, but I¡¯m sure they didn¡¯t buy your things only because of Gwy being a flirt. You made some nice things,¡± he said with a shrug, moving some hair from her face. It made her blush.


    ¡°You are just saying that because I made them,¡± Calla said to which Blaise just shook his head.


    ¡°Nah, I mean it. You are really talented.¡± Blaise replied with a smile, the two getting into a conversation. However, back at the stall, Raven had returned.


    ¡°Ah, so he did return,¡± Raven muttered, almost impressed that the boy hadn¡¯t gotten into a fight. Gwydion had just said goodbye to the women he had been speaking to when his brother had approached, giving a hum as he turned his way.


    ¡°You are back early. Did you get all the items Marick needed?¡± Gwydion asked with a curious tilt of his head. Raven frowned at that before sighing.


    ¡°It seems the wagons that were carrying the goods we have been waiting for had been attacked by bandits. The merchant in charge of the stalls over there was rather distraught.¡± Raven explained before he folded his arms and looked off. ¡°I was far too uncomfortable to remain in the area so I left.¡± He glanced towards the stack of scarves before something caught his eye. ¡°Gwydion, come now. I thought we agreed not to try and get in the way of Blaise and Calla¡¯s happiness.¡±


    Gwydion raised a brow at that, looking confused. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean? I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± he said to which Raven gave him a blank stare before reaching to take up the multicolored rose.


    ¡°No? Then why is there a celestial rose here? Only you would go so far as to locate such a rare flower from our world.¡± Raven said as he watched the glowing petals. ¡°And it''s glowing, the sign of someone whispering their deep devotion into its petals.¡±


    ¡°A celestial rose? Raven, please, when would I have been able to go to the other realm to get one? It¡¯s not as if they grow all over the place, only on nights of a full moon and in the fairy kingdoms.¡± Gwydion explained. It was Raven¡¯s turn to seem confused, narrowing his gaze.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t from you, then who set this rose here? Surely it wasn¡¯t just anyone and I highly doubt Blaise would care that much about flowers to get Calla this one in particular.¡± Raven said. Gwydion frowned but suddenly seemed tense.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t think-!¡± Gwydion started only for Raven to shush him as the other two walked over.


    ¡°Raven! You¡¯re back as well!¡± Calla exclaimed although Blaise seemed less than enthusiastic about the sight of the other man. Raven hid the rose for now as he smiled at Calla. It seemed she didn¡¯t seem to notice which was what he wanted for now. ¡°With everyone here, we could probably sell out before we know it. Will you help?¡±


    ¡°Of course, dear. I would never leave Gwydion to have all the fun.¡± Raven said, turning to take up a scarf, setting the rose down, before he casually modeled the item with a wink towards Calla. Blaise rolled his eyes at that while Calla giggled. ¡°Led the way, my lady.¡±


    ¡°You look like an idiot,¡± Blaise muttered. He only looked over when Calla clasped her hands together and pouted up at him with huge puppy dog eyes. It made him jolt, his face growing red. ¡°No! No, no no! Don¡¯t you give me that!¡±


    ¡°Please?¡± she begged, doing everything in her power to look as cute as possible. Blaise¡¯s face kept getting more red with his embarrassment, his body trembling. DAMMIT! Why did she have to be so cute?! ¡°For me?¡±


    FUCK! Blaise groaned, closing his eyes as he grumbled to himself, only growing more annoyed as the other two snickered at him. He opened his eyes to glare at them, covering Calla¡¯s face with his hand. ¡°F-Fine¡­ just stop looking at me like that,¡± Blaise muttered. Calla giggled, moving his hand off her face before smiling up at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best,¡± she said, making him mutter more. However, he couldn¡¯t do much as he was soon grabbed by the brothers and dragged over to the stall, him complaining the whole way. The three warlocks started planning how best to sell the rest of the items while Calla watched them with a smile. Her family of warlocks. A lively but amazing group.


    She took a step towards them, only stopping when she felt eyes on her, causing her to pause and look around. She didn¡¯t see anyone but could have sworn she saw the flash of something yellow dart away. Still, all it did was make her frown before shaking her head to join the others.


    It would be evening by the time the group started to head back, the brothers walking ahead of Blaise and Calla as they talked about different things. Calla had tucked the strange rose she got away in her bag for now as she walked with Blaise, holding his hand.


    ¡°What a long day¡­¡± Blaise muttered before glancing back towards Calla. He caught her smiling at him and just returned the smile. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she answered, although she moved closer to him. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± He had told her during the last few minutes of selling things that while at the docks, he had avoided conflict with someone trying to anger him. The fact that he had walked away rather than engaged in the fight had been amazing, making her wonder if what she had been told was true that he was more concerned about returning to her rather than winning a fight.


    He gave a slight huff at that but just used his free hand to scratch his head. ¡°You make it sound like all I do is fight people when I come into town,¡± he muttered before sighing as he looked back at her. His expression returned to a softer look. ¡°But I guess it is a good feeling to get your praise.¡±


    Calla giggled at that but soon just smiled back up at him. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, shall I give you more praise and thanks for all the help you were given today when we get back home?¡± she asked with a slight blush on her face. During the last week, she had tried growing more comfortable with more intimate things with Blaise. But, outside of kissing, and light touching, he had denied going too far, always claiming that she was not ready. She wanted to do more, her own curiosity about more sexual things wanting her to explore. It was always Blaise who seemed the most hesitant to do more, usually turning her down or leaving the room to do whatever he did when he left the room. So stubborn. She knew he was hoping if he turned her down enough times she would give her first time to someone else.


    She watched him perk up at her words, almost as if somewhere, he wanted to do more, even craved her touch. He tried so hard to not show his desire for her. Swallowing hard and taking in breaths to calm himself or even looking away. Even now, she saw the deep desire he had. His will had to be breaking little by little each time. She wished he would stop worrying about hurting her.


    ¡°Oh?¡± he asked, scanning her with his eyes for a moment. ¡°And how would you do that?¡±


    She blushed more, looking off. ¡°I um¡­ I don¡¯t know. Whatever you wanted to do. I¡¯d be okay with that.¡± she said softly. He didn¡¯t say anything for a while, just watching her before he sighed and stopped, pulling her to a stop with him.


    ¡°Calla,¡± he started, watching her for a moment before he sighed again, pulling her closer. He touched her face, giving her a soft kiss. Upon breaking the kiss, he seemed to allow his lips to linger, feeling her lean in as if wanting more. He bit his lip before he shook his head. ¡°How¡­¡± He seemed to pause before grumbling, moving to walk again. ¡°How much did you make from this little trip anyway?¡±


    Calla frowned at that, her heart beating faster. She hated when he did this, changing the subject to ignore his own thoughts. She looked to the bag at her side, knowing the coin purse was in there next to the rose she had been given by someone. ¡°I got a good amount,¡± she said, as she thought it over. ¡°Gwy thinks I might have what it takes to be some kind of powerful merchant.¡±


    Blaise smirked at that. ¡°Probably,¡± he agreed before holding her hand tighter. ¡°But if you ever have me model like that again, I¡¯m telling Gwy to buy more of those dresses you hate.¡± She just whined and pouted at that, making him laugh.


    Calla let out a nervous breath as she watched Blaise dry off his hair with the towel. He was only in a pair of pants for the time being, having just finished up a bath after training. Water glistened off his body. It made her blush as she waited for him to finish drying off. Her heart was beating fast at her plan, her hands gripping the coin purse tightly. She swallowed hard before getting to her feet.


    ¡°Blaise?¡± she called, making him stop drying his hair and glancing over towards her, resting the towel on his head.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked, seeing her get up from his bed and move over with a blush on her face. He gave her a look over. ¡°Why is your face red? It¡¯s not as if you haven¡¯t seen me shirtless before.¡±


    Calla huffed at his words with a pout. ¡°Just because I¡¯ve seen you shirtless, it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t find you attractive¡­¡± she muttered to which Blaise just flashed a smirk, turning more her way.


    ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t seem as if it¡¯s that difficult to get you flustered. But it¡¯s cute to hear you say that,¡± he said with a shrug, making her sigh with a shy blush up at him. ¡°Now, what did you want?¡±


    The feeling of nervousness filled her again, her body quivering and growing warm at her thoughts. She was ready but it didn¡¯t stop her from feeling nervous. It must have been noticeable because he was able to open his mouth to say something before she stopped him. ¡°C¡­.Close your eyes and hold out your hand,¡± she said. He seemed unsure of that, just kind of eyeing her.


    ¡°Why?¡± he finally asked. Calla whined at that with a huff.


    ¡°Just do it!¡± she stated, making him sigh with a small smile at her face before closing his eyes.


    ¡°Fine. But just this once,¡± he said calmly, holding his hand out. Calla blushed softly as she watched him a moment before taking the coin purse in her hands out from behind her. She looked between it and the man before her before timidly setting it in his hands. The weight of the coins or the sudden placement of the item made Blaise¡¯s brow look at confusion before his eyes opened. He looked perplexed as he saw the coin purse in his hands before his eyes caught Calla¡¯s look again.


    ¡°Is this money?¡± he asked, the look of confusion making his more boy-like features show. It would have been cute if Calla wasn¡¯t blushing with her own thoughts.


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± she answered though it didn¡¯t seem as if it cleared anything up for him. He moved the bag of coins around in his hand as he looked confused. ¡°It¡¯s¡­. It¡¯s 30 silver.¡±


    ¡°30 silver? Why on earth are you-!¡± Blaise was starting to ask before the realization dawned on him. She watched as the look of confusion turned into shock before his face turned about as red as his hair. He let out a cough, looking away from her as he scratched his head.


    He swallowed hard, seemingly understanding what she was doing but not sure about it as she moved to touch his face, turning his attention back to her. ¡°Blaise¡­ I..¡± she started, blushing softly as she locked eyes with him. Her eyes fell to his chest as her fingers moved from his face to trace down his firm body, feeling him shiver at her touch. She took in a breath to seemingly try to calm herself before closing her eyes. ¡°Y-You said that 30 silver is enough for a night, r-right? W-Well, then I am paying for your attention tonight. Now you can¡¯t tell me no¡­¡±


    They were silent for a while, Calla feeling her nerves taking over as she refused to look up and see what he was thinking. She only did when she felt him touch her head. Looking up, she saw him giving her a soft smile. His eyes were gentle and warmer than she had ever seen from him, making her blush softly as he leaned down to kiss her tenderly.


    ¡°...Don¡¯t beat around the bush with me, Calla¡­ do you want just my attention¡­?¡± he asked, mostly because he wanted to hear her say what she wanted. Calla¡¯s face was warm as she looked up at him. He moved to run his hand over her arm, tracing down it and causing her to shiver. Her body felt sensitive and warm. She knew what she wanted, to be his completely.


    She shook her head, gripping the towel that hung around his neck as she gave him a soft but shy look. ¡°...I want to be yours, Blaise, completely. I¡­I¡¯m not going to change my mind. I love you¡­and I want you to be the one I give myself to.¡± she said softly. They were silent again before he let out a sigh and shook his head. He lightly tapped her head with his fist, making her look up to see him blushing with a small smirk.


    ¡°...You¡¯re hopeless, you know that?¡± he asked before he laughed lightly at her pout. He tossed the coin bag up in the air before catching it and setting it aside. He turned back to her with a serious look. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Calla¡¯s expression looked to him longingly before she just nodded as he caressed her face gently. ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­¡± she said honestly, her eyes falling deep into his green orbs. He seemed to search her eyes a moment before he nodded. She did notice there was still a wariness behind his eyes, knowing that he was still unsure about being intimate with her. However, he couldn¡¯t deny how badly he wanted her, especially when she was being as cute as she was.


    ¡°Good,¡± he answered simply before he tossed the towel away from him and took her hand, leading her towards the bed.


    He took a seat and pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her. He leaned in, trailing kisses over her body above her nightdress for now as his hands began to pull it up. A groan escaped his lips. ¡°I have to say¡­ it feels a bit strange being paid for sex rather than the other way around,¡± he muttered against her body, making her hum at the vibrations.


    ¡°B-Blaise¡­¡± she said with trembling lips, him pulling away to pull her nightdress off and tossing it off to be found later. He took in a breath to let out a staggered sigh, eyes burning with desire at the sight of her body. He ran his eyes over her body before undoing his pants, slipping them off. She blushed deeply at the sight of him, looking off only to return her eyes to him when he gripped her hips to pull her back to him.


    She leaned in to kiss him deeply as his hands ran over her body. A quiver was sent through her body as he did, moaning into the kiss. With a strong grip on her hips, Calla gave a sound of surprise as she was pulled onto him, Blaise fell back to the bed and looked up at her. She blushed darker, looking down at him as a smirk rested on his lips.


    ¡°You paid me, Calla. So tonight, I¡¯m all yours¡± he said with a purr in his throat, rubbing her hips. His smile turned to a look of lust as he took in the sight of her in this position. He was already turned on but this wasn¡¯t helping how badly he needed her. ¡°I want you to top me. I¡¯ll teach you how to ride me, alright?¡±


    Calla swallowed hard at that, feeling him against her lower body. The nervousness returned, but not as bad as the first time they had been in an intimate moment. No, this time her body was ready to go farther, ready to be his. She trusted him. She loved him. Calla gave a nod. ¡°Okay¡­¡± she said softly, resting her hands on his chest. She took in a deep breath and let it out before lifting herself up, Blaise helping her as he guided her into him.


    A sharp pain ran through her body as he entered her but soon enough he was fully inside as her hips met his. She closed her eyes tightly at the strange feeling of him so deep and throbbing. He let out a gasp when she was fully straddling him, the tight feeling of her around him bringing a wave of pleasure he hadn¡¯t expected.


    Blaise opened his eyes to look up at her, rubbing her hips. ¡°You okay? It doesn¡¯t hurt too badly, right?¡± he asked, lust in his expression. Calla¡¯s eyes opened with small tears in the corner but she shook her head, her body warm with a blush.


    ¡°I-It did a little at first, but the pain faded,¡± she answered, finding him rubbing her hips to be soothing. He gave a nod at that, scanning her body as he let out a sigh of bliss.


    ¡°Good¡­ now¡­ move your hips¡­ like this,¡± he explained, closing his eyes as he guided her hips to start moving, letting out a sigh of pleasure as she started her motions. Calla gasped at that as she did what he asked, feeling him moving inside of her.


    The room would be filled with the sounds of panting and soft moans as she continued her motions for a while, the two just taking time to get used to each other. However, it wasn¡¯t much longer before Blaise groaned and in a swift motion, Calla found herself under him. His motions were still trying to be gentle but were rougher than when she had been on top. The rougher thrusts made her moan more, gripping the bed as he held her hips tighter.


    ¡°C¡­Calla¡­¡± he moaned, eyes closed tightly as he grunted, biting his lip. It had been too long since the last time he had been with a woman and the neediness for release was building to a point that he could barely hold himself back. Her sounds and panting weren''t helping other than encouraging his rougher motions.


    He finally opened his eyes to look down at her, watching the beautiful girl below him in a sea of ecstasy. His mind was too hazy with his pleasure to notice the small bruises he had accidentally given her, just watching her body react to his motion as she clawed at the bedding.


    Blaise grunted again, trying to hold back, but he couldn¡¯t last much longer. He grabbed her legs as he started to thrust with a rough, faster speed. ¡°B-Blaise!¡± she whimpered, her body craning as he did. He panted with a smile on his face, loving the sound of his name leaving her lips in such pleasure.


    He moved harder and deeper, rolling his head back. ¡°Come on, baby. Cum for me, Calla! I-I can¡¯t hold it any longer.¡± he said, a mess of panting and moaning. He refused to finish before her, wanting to feel her tighten around him and to cry out with her own climax. It wouldn¡¯t be much longer as her cries increased before he felt her tighten around him. He panted with a huge grin on his face, rocking his hips a few times before he too would find his release.


    Blaise rode it out with a few more thrusts before he grunted, falling more against her with both arms propping himself up on either side of her. His eyes were closed, feeling a bead of sweat drop from his face and onto her as he sought to catch his breath. He only opened his eyes when she felt her hands on his face. The sight of her looking up at him with a look of love and bliss made him happier than he ever could have imagined.


    ¡°Blaise¡­ we¡­we made love!¡± she said breathlessly. Blaise returned the look in her eyes as he gave a breathy chuckle. He shook his head.


    ¡°...Why must you say such cute things like that?¡± he asked as his eyes fell to her again. ¡°I love you, Calla.¡± He leaned down to kiss her deeply, not wanting to be away from her just yet. She moaned into the kiss, wrapping her arms around him as they held each other close.


    He groaned when he finally broke the kiss, his eyes opening to desire again as he looked down at her. He bit his lip. ¡°Dammit, once isn¡¯t going to be enough for me. I hope you weren¡¯t planning on sleeping tonight,¡± he said before Calla squealed as Blaise pushed his lips to her, grabbing her hips as he started to move inside her again.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Raven called as the curly red-haired man walked sleepily into the dining room. Blaise yawned but glanced towards the table, seeing the three others already there. He felt a little awkward that they were there but soon gave a sigh.


    ¡°Morning..¡± he muttered back, his eyes shifting between the three. Marick was looking over a list in his hand, not giving much attention to anything else. Gwydion was fixing his hair back up into his normal look. It seemed only Raven was smiling at him. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at that. Surely, they had to know. He looked between them again. ¡°Calla¡¯s still sleeping. I didn¡¯t want to wake her.¡±


    ¡°Blaise, you better make sure she doesn¡¯t wake up to you not being in that room.¡± Gwydion soon shot towards him, giving the younger man a serious look over. ¡°She gave you something very special to her. She will think it means nothing to you if you are not there.¡±


    Blaise scowled towards Gwy, his face turning red before folding his arms with a huff. ¡°I know that, Gwy!¡± Blaise hissed in annoyance. He grumbled, closing his eyes to rub them. ¡°I¡¯m headed back there soon. I just wanted to ask Marick something.¡±


    Marick glanced up at that, seemingly scanning him. ¡°Is that so? What do you need?¡± Marick asked. Blaise opened his eyes again when he pulled his hand away. He would have questioned how the three seemed to already know that Calla and he had made love, but magicals always seemed to be able to sense differences in energy like that. It was also how they had known she was pure when she first arrived.


    ¡°I was wondering if we had any Fellien¡¯s potion in the storage area, or even some low-level pain blockers for when Calla wakes up,¡± Blaise asked, his face holding a small blush on it as he looked off.


    ¡°Still worried you were rough with her, huh,¡± Gwydion said with a sigh only for Blaise to shoot him a glare, clearly flustered. Raven, however, gave a hum at that, resting his head on his hand.


    ¡°Why would you be looking for Fellien¡¯s potion?¡± Raven asked, his gray eyes locking with Blaise¡¯s green eyes. Blaise gave a huff, folding his arms.


    ¡°Seriously? Am I the only one here who has even thought about the possibility of her getting pregnant?¡± Blaise muttered in annoyance, seemingly confused to see Raven blink in surprise at that. Blaise scowled more. ¡°With how much you and Gwy go around screwing every pretty girl you see, it has never crossed your mind? You both are nearly 30! You should know that by now!¡±


    Both brothers were about to protest, seemingly huffy at Blaise¡¯s comment but the situation soon changed as Marick put down his tea cup with a hum, making the three look his way. Marick seemed to be thinking it over.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any in stock, but it¡¯s not a difficult potion to make,¡± Marick noted calmly, his purple eyes meeting Blaise¡¯s. Marick rubbed his temple as he thought. ¡°I will go through the vials I have to see if I have all the ingredients I need. If I have everything, I¡¯ll have a few vials made before noon. If I don¡¯t, we may have to make a trip to Hearthside.¡±


    The room grew tense at that, even the brothers not liking the sound of that. ¡°We would have to go there of all places?¡± Raven asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Right at the edge of this realm and the other realm?¡±


    ¡°Not to mention in the middle of werewolf territory. I¡¯m sure they would love to see us again¡­¡± Gwydion muttered. Blaise huffed at that, narrowing his eyes towards Marick.


    Marick just rolled his own, looking back to his list. ¡°I need more items to finish the death kiss potions anyway and that area is the only location that has the rarer items that I need to make both,¡± he noted calmly, his purple eyes returning the stare of the others. ¡°With Calla no longer pure, there will be less of a threat to be that close. If we keep our emotions in check and keep her close by, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°What about Aro being around?¡± Blaise asked as he decided to ignore the comment about keeping his emotions in check, the question causing the room to pause again. Marick seemed to stare a moment before sighing.


    ¡°... Aro won¡¯t attack if I¡¯m there. He knows better than to pick a fight. That is if he would show up in Hearthside anyway. Ironically, outside of the abyss, he tends to stay away from the darker areas of the other realm unless he has a reason to be there.¡± Marick explained, though being rather cryptic about how or why he would know that. The others knew not to push the topic. This was the closest they could get to getting information about his knowledge about the world or those in it.


    The air of Hearthside was dense and filled with the crisp air of the thick forest around them. The lush area would be pretty if Calla didn¡¯t have the overwhelming feeling of dread as she clung to Blaise¡¯s arm. Marick had warned them to stay close as they moved through the main street, only occasionally entering stores to gather items.


    Blaise was tense but was trying not to worry Calla as he took notice that she seemed wary about being in the area. He frowned and wrapped his arm around her, kissing her head. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked softly as the group entered one of the stores with the others.


    She looked up at him with a frown but nodded. ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡­ I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so nervous. I just have this feeling that we are being watched.¡± she answered. He scowled but nodded at that.


    ¡°I get it. We are really close to the other realm. I¡¯m sure you can already feel the difference in the air here.¡± he said, eyes scanning the people walking around, wary of everyone who glanced their way. This place was a mix of magical and non-magical. However, the magical in this area was exclusive to the werewolf clans that spilled over from the kingdom inside the other realm. He just hoped a selected group of wolves were far away from the area. His green eyes fell to the girl next to him who watched him with trusting eyes. He frowned, just wanting to make sure she was safe while in such a dangerous area. ¡°I¡¯m keeping my eye open, just stay by my side and I¡¯ll make sure we all go home, alright?¡±


    She nodded at that. ¡°I trust you,¡± she said softly, making him give a soft smile.


    ¡°Calla, love, come here for a moment,¡± Gwydion called from near the counter. It made the two look his way before Calla nodded.


    ¡°Coming!¡± Calla said, moving to join the man at the counter. It left Blaise to keep his eyes on the street again. There was movement in the treeline which had him give it a second glance with a wary gaze, but for now, he just needed to stay close to Calla. He just hoped this would be an easy Ah, who was he kidding? If they didn¡¯t get into some kind of trouble he would be impressed.


    ¡°I believe, all I have yet to locate are a few vials of scorpion vine powder and then I will have everything I need,¡± Marick muttered as he checked over his list again once the group had left the store.


    ¡°And where can we find that?¡± Calla asked, making sure to keep to the others as they moved about. Raven seemed to hum as he thought it over before glancing toward Gwydion.


    ¡°You are the plant expert, Gwy.¡± He pointed out before Gwydion seemed to frown as he thought before nodding.


    ¡°Scorpion vine wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find just out by the woods. They are native to this area and can be found on the trees just on the outskirts of town.¡± Gwydion answered as he returned his eyes to Marick. ¡°As for getting it into a fine powder, I believe you have to roast them first.¡±


    ¡°I can handle that,¡± Blaise said with a smirk only for Gwydion to flash him a blank stare.


    ¡°I said roast, not turn to ash,¡± Gwydion said. Blaise shot a glare his way for that one. Calla just giggled.


    ¡°Hey! That was one time!¡± Blaise snapped as he did. ¡°I can use a lesser fire spell this time. The last thing I want is to hang out here any longer than I need to be.¡±


    ¡°That is a fair point,¡± Raven said as he folded his arms. ¡°The longer we remain in the area, the higher the risk of any young wolves wanting to cause problems by picking a fight. I have to agree with Blaise on this one. Let¡¯s collect as many vines as we can find and let Blaise handle the fire part.¡±


    ¡°Once they are where they need to be turned into powder, we can place them in a jar. I¡¯ll handle the powdering of them back at home.¡± Marick said. It was interesting to see them acting more seriously as they moved about to get things. Calla couldn¡¯t help but admire how well organized they seemed to be. Then again, they were a well-known and powerful coven, clearly, they would need to be a powerful team.


    Her attention returned when Marick glanced her way. ¡°Calla, try and remain by one of us while we are near the treeline. I don¡¯t sense any magicals around but when it comes to the wolf clans, they are rather good at covering their energy from warlocks,¡± he explained. Calla nodded at that.


    ¡°No problem,¡± she answered. She almost caught the small look of relief with her cooperation from the older man, making her wonder if Marick was as wary as the others about being here. Hopefully, once she is used to being around magicals and the other realm, things will not be as stressful for everyone. For now, she was aware that as far as any other magical was concerned, she was the shiny new toy of Marick¡¯s coven. According to Blaise, it would take a while before that would change.


    With that, the group started towards the treeline, Calla moved to cling to Blaise as they walked, making the man glance her way but allow her to do so.


    ¡°No then, if I were a scorpion vine, I would be¡­ ah! There¡¯s one!¡± Gwydion said as the group got to the trees. Calla couldn¡¯t help but look at the plant curiously as Gwydion took his time to carefully cut the vine. It was a yellow vine that was barbed and wrapped around a tree like any other parasitic plant, stealing water from the tree it was attached to. As he cut it, he handed it off to Blaise, who waited next to him. ¡°Now remember, one prick of this and..!¡±


    ¡°I know Gwy, it will irritate the skin until it¡¯s powdered,¡± Blaise muttered with an eye roll. Gwydion pouted at being interrupted but nodded.


    ¡°At least you remember,¡± Gwydion said, turning to locate and cut a few others. They had been fortunate to locate a good abundance of them in one little area. The group had gotten to work gathering what they needed if not a little more just for future use so they had no reason to return to this area for a while. While the others worked, Calla remained next to Marick, watching them. However, she would occasionally feel eyes on her, making her look around.


    Marick seemed to take notice of that and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure we are being watched to make sure we don¡¯t do something.¡± he pointed out, making her look up at him. ¡°They would have to be very foolish to try and attack a full coven like this.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Blaise had issues with werewolves before everyone came back?¡± she asked, to which he nodded at her question.


    ¡°Juveniles,¡± Marick answered, keeping his eyes on the others. ¡°Around this time of the year, young wolves who are becoming of age tend to get a little antsy to prove themselves or look strong in front of their mate. It¡¯s not unheard of to have them try and fight other magicals to prove themselves. The worst is any young alphas who have yet to take over. They are aggressive, hormonal, and honestly a pest to anyone.¡±


    Calla gave a slight giggle at that. ¡°You make it sound as if you were never been young and dumb.¡± she teased, making him scowl at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to be naive and young, and another thing to be a pain,¡± he muttered, as usual, avoiding any questions about his younger years. The man was a mystery.


    She looked over when she smelled burning plants, seeing Blaise was lightly roasting the vines in his hand with a small fire in the other. It seemed that he was taking the mission seriously, focusing on keeping his magic under control. When he put his mind to it, Blaise was a highly capable warlock, even Calla could see that. It was nice that he had been working on his anger as slowly as he had been. If anything, it seemed she was a positive influence on him.


    It seemed that Blaise felt her staring as his face was growing red with a blush, him keeping his eyes down so as not to be distracted. The sight was kind of cute and made her smile warmly at him.


    Finally, it seemed they had collected all they needed, Marick moving over to collect the items and place them in a jar while Raven helped Gwydion down from the tree as the man¡¯s hair had gotten caught during his climb down. Of course, Raven took that time to mock his brother for his choice of hair length when he did.


    ¡°There, now we can head back, right?¡± Blaise asked, looking up at Marick as the man closed the jar and set it in a bag around his shoulder where the other items were. Marick¡¯s purple eyes fell to him before he gave a nod. It seemed even Marick shared the desire to head home, not that he was much of a people person.


    ¡°Blaise, help me get your mentor from the tree. The idiot¡¯s hair is all tangled in this branch.¡± Raven called, making Blaise look their way. He grumbled.


    ¡°Of course he did. Why not just cut his hair?¡± Blaise asked as he walked over. Gwydion shot a dark look.


    ¡°If either of you takes a knife to my lovely hair, I will curse you forever!¡± he exclaimed, making Raven laugh and Blaise roll his eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, hang on,¡± Blaise said as he climbed up to where the hair was stuck and started to untangle the mess. In the end, he just cut the branches just to get Gwydion down and allow him to pick out the items himself. With that done, Blaise sighed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head home, Calla.¡±


    However, he paused, looking to where she had been only a few minutes ago. She hadn¡¯t been that far from where Marick was. Just a few steps away by the treeline. Now, she was nowhere to be found. ¡°Calla?¡± Blaise called. That caught the other¡¯s attention as they looked his way before looking around.


    ¡°Love?¡± Gwydion called, eyes wide as he searched around them. Raven looked worried but soon looked angry.


    ¡°Who could have¡­? She was just with us!¡± Raven said as the group looked around. Blaise¡¯s eyes went from confusion to panic. He rushed over to the treeline to look around.


    ¡°Calla!¡± Blaise called before movement in the trees soon made his blood boil. Wolves. Wolves had snuck up, using the trees, knowing that the warlocks wouldn¡¯t sense them if they kept their energy low. He growled and took off into the forest after the movement that he was.


    ¡°Blaise! Wait!¡± Gwydion called but Blaise was far too focused on reaching Calla to hear him. He had made a vow to keep her safe, there was no way he could stand by and think logically about the possible trap he was running into while she was in danger.


    Calla struggled against the arms of the male wolf as she looked around in terror. It looked to be about 20 young wolves between the ages of 16 to 23 who all snarled or snickered as she was dragged over. They looked ready for a fight, excitement on their faces as she looked between the different faces of the men and women. She had been watching the others as they moved about to help Gwydion when a hand and arm had wrapped around her, pulling her back against someone. Her eyes had widened as she tried to struggle before she was pulled back through the brush and trees swiftly, trying to scream for the others, who hadn¡¯t noticed she was taken. It was a male who had grabbed her, but he didn¡¯t seem to be the one in charge as he dragged her through the group towards someone in the center of the little camp. It seemed the group had been out here for a few days, the charred remains of a large campfire in the center area with a few tents or blankets resting around.


    As she scanned the area, there was something that caught her eye. The orange orb of a walking cane was in the hands of a young female wolf who glared at her as they moved passed. Was that? No, surely they wouldn¡¯t have taken his cane.


    However, she didn¡¯t have time to powder that as she was violently tossed to hit a tree nearby, making her cry out in pain before she scrambled to try and get away, only to be grabbed by the larger wolf male. His fingers dug into her flesh as he pushed her against the tree.


    ¡°Yep,¡± he sneered as he sniffed the air. ¡°There is no mistaking it. This is his bitch.¡± Calla trembled in fear as she looked up at the intimidating male before her. ¡°That fucking firebug will come running in no time and this time the warlocks will not get involved.¡±


    There was a giggle before a female wrapped her arms around the male before Calla. ¡°You know his powers won¡¯t work if he¡¯s made. Why not mull his precious little non-magical mate? If he sees her mangled, he¡¯ll really be baited into a fight.¡± Calla¡¯s eyes widened at her words, even more so as the male smirked, eyeing Calla.


    ¡°...We¡¯ll keep that on the table. She¡¯s a cute little thing. I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin her unless it comes down to it.¡± the male said. Calla trembling in fear. She wanted to scream, wanting the others to find her. ¡°After the boy dies, I¡¯ll keep his mate for my own pleasure.¡±


    Calla tried to glare at him. ¡°D-Drop dead! Blaise won¡¯t lose to any of you!¡± she said before her eyes widened as the female attached to the male growled. She swiftly moved to slap Calla hard across the face.


    ¡°Who gave you the right to talk to the future alpha that way, you whore!¡± she yelled, the male grabbing the female and pushing her back.


    ¡°Enough!¡± the male growled, the other wolves looking antsy as they moved about, waiting for orders from the man. The alpha sighed. ¡°Honestly, if you weren¡¯t so willing to please me¡­ just held onto the shiny thing you wanted and shut up.¡± Calla held her face, the sting of her slap radiating heat as tears fell from her eyes. The male scanned her before smirking, reaching out to pull her to him. ¡°I like the sharpness of your tongue, but keep it up and I¡¯m not holding her back. By a good little slut, will you? I want you to scream for your man.¡± He gripped her arm tightly, pain running through her body as she let out a scream. He could almost break her bones with how strong his grip was. Tears were in her eyes which closed tightly.


    ¡°Blaise!¡± she cried, trying to get away only for a few of the wolves to laugh, no one caring about the pain she was in.


    Suddenly, there was a yelp of pain that came not from Calla but from the female werewolf nearby, making Calla open her eyes at the familiar energy she felt. However, the sight before her didn¡¯t make her feel less at ease. She had been right, the cane the female had been holding had been Aro¡¯s. The cane that had been in her hands was now held out and in the hand of the golden-haired man that stood before her, facing away from the others. She didn¡¯t realize what had happened until the smell of blood hit her nose, making her eyes widen in terror.


    The female¡¯s eyes were wide in horror as Aro reached out and touched her chin to keep her focus on him. The cane slipped from her hands with ease. Whatever spell that Aro had done, the outcome was that the paling female had a massive hole through her chest where the orb of the cane pointed towards.


    Aro let out a sigh, leaning down to the female. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take things that don¡¯t belong to you,¡± he said calmly, his words laced with ice that made Calla shiver. With that he let go, the female dropping lifelessly to the ground. A snarl nearby snapped her attention to the alpha male that had been hurting her as he turned his full attention to the sharply dressed warlock that now stood among them. However, the mix of panic on the faces of the werewolves around her was clear. They were pissed but as Aro casually brushed himself off, they seemed to shift on their feet as if trying to determine if it was a smarter idea to run or fight.


    ¡°Why you-!¡± the leader of the group of wolves yelled, his anger building only to get cut off as Aro seemed to turn towards their direction but looked past him to lock eyes with Calla. It was as if none of the wolves were even there as Aro closed his eyes with an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°Little lamb, you seem to have a habit of getting into trouble with magicals,¡± he said calmly as he took steps towards her. Calla¡¯s body felt cold, not sure what to fear more. The leader of the wolves moved between them with a low snarl in his throat, gripping her arm tight enough to make her make a sound of pain.


    ¡°You have no business here! Leave or you will die!¡± the leader snapped angrily, his words seemed to pull the other juveniles to shift on their feet again but look much more aggressive. Oddly enough, Calla noticed Aro stop but his eyes were focused on her, scanning her lightly before he finally acknowledged the wolf before him.


    Aro¡¯s mouth twitched into a smirk. It was clear he didn¡¯t find them intimidating but there was something else in his eyes that she would have explored more if it wasn¡¯t for the fact she was terrified of what was going on around her. It almost looked as if he was silently seething in anger at the sight of cuts and bruises on her body.


    ¡°Oh, but you are mistaken. This is my business. You see, I just said that you filthy creatures shouldn¡¯t take things that don¡¯t belong to you, especially things that belong to me.¡± Aro said, twirling his cane before moving to tap his chin with a coy smirk, making Calla shiver as his orange eyes met her blue ones again. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at sharing my toys, including that cute little lamb.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you on about? This human reeks of that one¡¯s scent! It¡¯s clear he has mated with her!¡± one wolf yelled, though it seemed that Aro seemed disinterested in whatever he said, which only angered him more.


    ¡°So I would say it is in your best interest to hand her over and then I might consider not making you all into a nice fur rug,¡± Aro said darkly. Calla was more than sure he was being completely honest with his threat. However, it seemed to go over the heads of a few of the wolves, including the one who had spoken up about Calla not being Aro¡¯s.


    There were angry growls from the wolves. ¡°Don¡¯t tell us what to do you damn fairy! This isn¡¯t your territory! Leave before we alert the clans!¡± the wolf to the left of Aro growled. Aro frowned before he just sighed, fixing his hat.


    ¡°And this is why I prefer cats¡­¡± he muttered before his eyes met Calla¡¯s again with a serious expression. He signaled her to close her eyes as he smirked, raising his cane as some of the more aggressive wolves rushed him. Calla looked terrified but closed her eyes just as she saw the orange orb glow. There was a scream of pain and cries of agony before Calla felt a hand take hers and she was pulled into following someone.


    She opened her eyes as she heard loud howling from in the distance to see Aro pull her into his arms, turning just in time to dodge an attack by a fully shifted wolf that stood about the same height as a timber wolf. Calla let out a cry of fear, clinging to Aro as he raised his walking cane to send a blast of dark energy toward one of the multiple wolves that circled them.


    ¡°Calla!¡± a voice yelled as a fireball hit a wolf headed towards them, causing the wolf to let out a shriek in pain. Blaise rushed over, eyes widening at the sight of Aro. ¡°What are you-?!¡±


    However, the conversation was cut short as Aro sent a dark spell past Blaise to take out a wolf behind him. ¡°A little busy,¡± Aro said calmly. Blaise growled before turning to cover Aro¡¯s back as the other wolves circled them.


    ¡°Blaise!¡± Calla exclaimed, tears in her eyes as she saw his energy flair. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I tried to scream when I was grabbed but-!¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Blaise asked, using the fact that his magic was fire-based to keep the wolves at bay for now.


    ¡°N-No¡­ I-!¡± she started before she was cut off.


    ¡°She has multiple cuts and bruises on her body from what I saw briefly,¡± Aro stated calmly, though sounding slightly disappointed by that. Blaise shot him a glare as Aro raised his cane to attack another wolf that charged through the wall of fire. Aro smirked at the glare and shrugged. ¡°I figured I would say something before you thought I did something. I¡¯m not one to take credit for other people¡¯s work.¡±


    Blaise growled at him before focusing on the danger around them. ¡°Shut up, Aro,¡± he grumbled, to which Aro just smirked with a wink down towards Calla.


    ¡°You would think he¡¯d be a bit more grateful,¡± Aro muttered towards her, making Calla give him a slight scowl, only to soon look fearful as she hid her face into his chest as a wolf lunged at them. She heard a yelp of pain before feeling Aro shift on his feet, meaning that the wolf had been taken care of.


    In a swift motion, Calla felt him take off his coat and tossed it to blind one of the wolves before touching his shirt with his cane. She watched as it shifted, the backing seemingly disappearing much to her confusion before his eyes locked with hers. Aro smirked at her reaction.


    ¡°Hold tight~!¡± he said as he wrapped his arm around her. With a scream, Calla wrapped her arms around his neck as he jumped up into the air to dodge another attack. However, before she would have expected them to fall to the ground again, her attention was grabbed by a flash of light. Opening her eyes, she looked up as he wrapped both arms around her before a look of shock and awe filled her expression. Delicate, and brightly colored butterfly wings flapped gracefully, keeping them airborne as a smirk seemed to dance across Aro¡¯s face. The sight seemed to catch Blaise by surprise as well though the man didn¡¯t have the luxury to keep his eyes off the wolves for too long. A loud howl echoed through the treeline, making Blaise let out a curse under his breath. The wolves had just signaled an attack to the nearby clans, meaning that they were about to get into some serious trouble.


    Aro¡¯s eyes glanced in a direction with a slightly annoyed look before his eyes returned to Calla¡¯s, his smile returning. His hold tightened before he smirked, looking back towards Blaise who was still keeping the wolves back. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest of this to you,¡± Aro said, Calla¡¯s eyes widening and a cold feeling sweeping through her. Blaise¡¯s eyes widened as he turned towards them.


    ¡°Aro!¡± Blaise growled just in time before Calla had to hold tight as the feeling of a fast breeze whipped around her. She opened her eyes to see Aro seemed to be flying off with her. Her eyes widened before she started to struggle.


    ¡°N-No! Let go of me!¡± she exclaimed, only to hear Aro laugh at that.


    ¡°You wish for me to let you go? I would look down before making such a demand,¡± he said. Calla looked down only for her eyes to widen in fear at the sight of how high off the ground they were. Instinctively, she clung to him, trembling as she whimpered. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked up at him.


    ¡°A-Aro, please! Please don¡¯t leave him to die. W-We have to go back!¡± she cried, hating she was pleading with a man who clearly didn¡¯t care. She heard Aro give a hum at that, weaving through the trees.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. The boy is far too stubborn to let me fly off with you. If anything, he¡¯s probably already taken out half the forest and is on his way in our direction.¡± Aro said calmly before something seemed to catch him off guard. One of the wolves had jumped into the tree and jumped at them. Aro let out an angry sound of pain as the two were knocked from the sky, moving himself to keep Calla from hitting the ground as they fell. She let out a scream, clinging to Aro as they finally rolled to a stop but Aro grunted as he hit a tree hard. ¡°Damn¡­ mutt.¡±


    Calla¡¯s eyes widened in terror as she struggled to get up, hearing a growl from the wolf as it got to its feet. She panicked, looking at the wounded Aro and the wolf. ¡°W-What do I do? What should I do?¡± she said in her fear, tears falling from her eyes. Aro grunted, attempting to get up, but he had oddly taken most of the hits on the way down from the trees and ground. Calla looked around frantically before her eyes fell to the walking cane nearby. She trembled as she got to her feet, facing the wolf as she stood between the approaching man as he shifted to his human form and Aro. The male wolf let out a snicker. It must have been a sight, a non-magical girl trembling, crying, and trying to look as if she would be able to do anything to stop him or even protect the magical behind her.


    ¡°You¡¯re brave, I¡¯ll give you that, girly¡­¡± the wolf said with a dark grin on his face. He took deliberate steps towards her. He sniffed the air before licking his lips. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll keep you rather than kill you. The scent of that warlock will leave you after a few nights of me making you my whore. You¡¯re pretty enough that no one would question it. I assure you, wolves fuck a lot harder than that boy could. You can fight me all you want the first few times. It won¡¯t take long before your body craves me having my way with you.¡±


    She tried her best to glare at him, taking a step back. ¡°D-Drop dead! I¡¯m no one¡¯s whore!¡± she exclaimed, only for the wolf to laugh at that.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯m gonna love breaking that spirit. Now I see why the Abyss dweller is interested in you.¡± The wolf laughed. There was a chuckle from behind Calla as she hadn¡¯t noticed Aro had used the tree to get to his feet until she had backed up against him. The sight seemed to piss off the wolf as he growled at the sight.


    ¡°A special little lamb, isn¡¯t she,¡± Aro said before reaching around to take hold of the cane in her hands. ¡°Too bad you¡¯ll never know.¡± Calla¡¯s eyes widened at that, feeling the flow of magic around her like it had been with Blaise during training. Water, she had to feel as if she was surrounded by water. Calla closed her eyes tightly, feeling his power flowing through her and into the cane. Aro¡¯s power was incredible, even with this, she could feel how much stronger he was as an elite. Wave after wave of his power flowed around her as she heard the wolf let out a scream. She didn¡¯t want to see what was going on, just keeping her hands on the cane. The waves of power soon stopped and Calla¡¯s legs trembled as she refused to open her eyes, barely able to stand as she fell back against Aro. The area was silent and no one seemed to be moving.


    ¡°...Interesting¡­¡± she heard Aro mutter as if something had surprised him. She sniffled, opening her teary eyes, about to look up at him before she heard someone call for her.


    ¡°Calla!¡± Blaise¡¯s voice called. She looked up to see him running towards her, a glow of red on the horizon. Had he burnt down the forest to reach her?


    ¡°B-Blaise!¡± she cried out, about to pull away only to be stopped by Aro, holding the cane against her and leaning in to whisper into her ear.


    ¡°You keep getting more interesting, dear.¡± he purred into her ear, making her blush deeply and shiver. ¡°I left you something in that tree by the cottage. If you need to reach me for any reason, feel free to reach out.¡± She was spun around before squeaking in surprise as he placed a deep kiss, dominating every inch of it before pulling away.


    ¡°FUCK YOU!¡± Blaise yelled as he attempted to hit the blonde. Aro laughed at that, dodging the attack before giving a bow.


    ¡°Maybe later~!¡± Aro sang before turning, the extent of his wounds showing. His clothes were torn, his wings damaged as they disappeared. He was bruised and bloody, which had a part of Calla worried about him. Aro gave a half-wave. ¡°Bye-bye now!¡± With that, he disappeared.


    ¡°Blaise! Calla!¡± a voice called. Blaise growled but moved to hold Calla close.


    ¡°We are here, Raven!¡± Blaise called, Calla looking up at him before seeing the others rushing towards them. Marick seemed to scan the trees as if looking for something, almost as if he knew that Aro had been in the area.


    Gwydion rushed to the two of them, looking more like a panicked father than anything else. ¡°You¡¯re both wounded! What happened? Let me see?¡± he said frantically as he seemed to poke and tug at both Blaise and Calla. Blaise growled and swatted him away.


    ¡°Not now Gwy! If you haven¡¯t noticed, the damn forest is on fire.¡± Blaise said, holding Calla closer to him. Raven just sighed at that, looking towards the encroaching red sky of the burning lumber.


    ¡°Yes, we saw. Great work, Blaise¡­ the council will love this report of this one.¡± Raven muttered, Blaise about to protest before he was cut off.


    ¡°I can sense Aro¡¯s magic in the area. If anything, they will blame him for this mess.¡± Marick said calmly, his purple eyes falling to Calla as he scanned her slightly. A strange look was in his eye, one of curiosity, but nothing he was going to address right now. ¡°For now, let¡¯s head back to the cottage. We have what we need.¡±


    The others nodded at that, all not willing to stick around for any reason at this point. Surely the wolves would ask for blood for what had happened, ignoring the fact that the juveniles had been the reason behind the attack to begin with.


    It was on the approach to the cottage that Raven seemed to pause. ¡°Marick,¡± Raven said after a moment, making the others stop to look back at him. The dark-haired man had a serious look on his face. ¡°We should move the cottage to the other realm.¡± Calla seemed surprised to hear that, eyes wide as she looked between the two people in power within the coven. Raven¡¯s gray eyes narrowed at Marick. ¡°I know we have discussed this in the past, but with Calla with us now and with Aro aiming for her, relocating the cottage to the estate land would be the best way to keep her safe.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Marick said, almost as soon as Raven finished. His answer must have been a shock as Calla noticed the look of surprise on everyone¡¯s face. Marick¡¯s expression was calm as he nodded, turning to head inside. ¡°I¡¯ll send a formal letter to the council tonight to combine our estates. As soon as we get the permits, we leave.¡± With that, he walked in, leaving the four others watching after him.


    ¡°I¡­honestly didn¡¯t expect him to agree so fast,¡± Raven said before he sighed and shook his head. He turned to look towards Blaise, looking between him and Calla. ¡°While Marick and I deal with the logistics of the merger, Calla and you are welcome to stay at the estate. Gwy, you bring them there tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°W¡­Wait! Are you sure?¡± Blaise asked, taken aback as he looked towards Raven. Raven just smiled and waved it off.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t break anything while you three are there on your own.¡± he teased, Blaise grumbling at that but nodded, the group soon following Raven back inside the cottage.


    Calla groaned as she awoke the next morning. It felt different, waking up not only in the other realm but in a different home. Raven¡¯s estate was stunning, the guest bed that became Blaise and Calla¡¯s room was soft and comfortable. The estate felt like an extension of the cottage but it didn¡¯t change the feeling of being in a new place once night fell.


    She turned over to see the still asleep Blaise next to her. She couldn¡¯t help but smile, leaning in to kiss his cheek before pulling away. Not wanting to wake him, she slowly got out of the bed, pulling her nightdress back on. She gave a small yawn as she moved towards the mirror in the room to brush out her hair. As she did, she took notice of the love bite on her neck, blushing softly as her fingers moved to touch it. Blaise was always so careful with her that she was surprised that he had even gotten so into last night to give her a mark. She was glad, meaning he was getting more comfortable with sleeping with her.


    Turning to head towards the wardrobe, Calla paused, feeling a strange feeling inside of her. She made a confused face, looking down at her hands. She felt an energy flowing through her body, though a lot fainter than that of Blaise¡¯s power. Still, it made her confused and slightly afraid. That fear only grew as suddenly a white light began to glow from her hands, strange energy flowing around her.


    ¡°B-Blaise?¡± she called, looking as the light became glittery sparks that danced around her whole body. She heard him give a groan and the sound of the bed creaking as he began to sit up.


    ¡°What?¡± he called, still not fully awake. Calla¡¯s eyes were wide as she turned to him, her hands up as the sparks of energy flowed around her. Her blue eyes met his as he suddenly went from tired to wide-eyed.


    ¡°What¡­.What¡¯s happening?¡± she asked with fear in her voice.


    Calla¡¯s relationship with Blaise has increased.


    The other realm and other secrets await! Blaise''s story continues in chapter 20.