After I finished my work, I suddenly realized that I was supposed to be heading towards Samil's apartment. I wasn't too eager to see Samil's face. That was not how I imagined the day after our first night together. It felt awkward and upsetting. I went outside the TVM's headquarters and started walking. I didn't know how far I walked, but I found myself in the park. Natural surroundings quickly helped me put my mind at ease, for a bit at least.
I was walking through the green lanes thinking about what I should do now. I needed to talk to someone, someone who could understand me as a woman and me as a witch. I had one possible choice. I called Grandma.
As soon as she answered the phone, she put Kira on the speaker, so they could both listen to the news. I told them briefly about my quarrel with Camilla, and how I got the list of spies working for Artois. I finally said that I slept with Samil, but that I couldn't even name that thing we had, a real relationship.
“Mr. Borda… are you sure that you want to do this? You have already given my Grandma a mansion. I have paid me a lot for the pain medicine… I don't think I deserve more from you…” I explained feverishly.The Chairman chuckled, looking confidently into my eyes.“Kass, you are our family's savior. If it wasn't for the fact that I want you to become Samil's wife, I would like to adopt you. I even discussed this case briefly with Amara,” he stated as if the things that he was saying were completely obvious.I stared at him in disbelieve. He seemed to absolutely disregard the fact that his precious grandson was still engaged to Camilla Artois. Even if I had Arlo Borda's full support, Samil's decision stayed the same. Furthermore, it was dangerous. Mr. Borda's support put me in the spotlight, and I certainly didn't want to become a target for both Camilla and Victor Artois. Not to mention, I couldn't even imagine Samil's un
I stood there looking at the Chairman with my mouth opened. My mind went blank, and it took me a while to comprehend what his words meant. I felt like I was locked inside a bubble, because suddenly I couldn't even hear the surrounding commotion properly. I gazed at everyone else. They were clearly arguing about the Chairman's decision. I could sense that looking at their angry faces and furious gestures. I smiled wryly, observing the indignation in the eyes of all three of them. I could also see how Mr. Borda laughed at their hateful words. Suddenly, my bubble burst with the roaring sound of Samil's voice. “She's incompetent! She is merely a talentless producer of a show that's not even aired properly, but put on an online platform, and you want to put her on the board?! You want someone like her to decide who is in charge of the company that our family has built for decades?!” he fumed pointing at me. The Chairman walked towards him and slapped his face. His
I kept staring at Samil in disbelieve. I used to dream of hearing the exact words he said, but at that moment I hesitated.“Why…? Why would you want to do it now?” I asked still processing what had happened.“You said it yourself that it is a curse. Why would I want a curse on my body?” he smiled.“The seal really is a curse, but it is also a powerful tool. It protects you from witchcraft, and gives you strength…”“But it can also take you away from me, and I don't want that,” Samil interrupted my explanation, “Besides, if you stay by my side you can protect me from other witches' magic, right? As for the strength, I workout every day. I believe their won't be anything wrong with my strength even without that seal,” he smirked.I gazed at him cautiously.“Are you sure…? You are still healthy, you could live for years before making this decision,” I c
We spent the rest of the road in silence. I guessed neither of us knew how to react or what else to say. Soon after, we arrived at the mansion's main entrance. Only then did I could see how greatly the possession suffered after the attack that happened during the last ritual. I got out of the car and started looking around anxiously. Perhaps I was paranoid, but I kept wondering what were the chances for any of those people from before to find out about our plans for that night.“Relax,” Samil grabbed my hand, “There is an army of people guarding us from a distance. If they spot anyone on the road, they will immediately intervene,” he claimed confidently.I sighed knowing Samil wasn't a person who would take unnecessary risks, but my overwhelming restlessness didn't disappear just because of his words.We walked inside through the corridor leading to the hall where the energy core was. On our way, we had to walk through pieces of the wall
We hardly talked on our way back. The atmosphere was depressing. Samil still seemed to be mad at me for mentioning anything about his mother, and I was upset because I was unable to break Samil's seal. Finally, we drove into the city. It was time to talk about another delicate subject…“Please, take me to the White Rose Hotel,” I said, hesitantly glancing at Samil.“A hotel? Is that where you spent last night?!” he asked, annoyed.“Yes. What did you expect? Did you really think that I would obediently come back to your apartment and wait for you as if nothing had happened? I was hurt, really hurt…” I stated, trying not to raise my voice.“I already told you why I acted that way,” he grunted.“You did, yet it didn't change anything. Besides, I learnt my lesson. Staying in your apartment was wrong from the beginning,” I sighed.“Why?!” he burst out.&l
I was staring at Jason in disbelieve. There was no way that I would give him my new address. I didn't even give it to Samil.“H-how did you know that I moved here?” I mumbled bewildered.“I sort of saw the address when you wrote it… when you talked to the agent,” he admitted hesitantly, “I guess, I should have let you know, but I just needed to talk to you. Can I come in?”I smiled nervously, then took a deep breath. I also wanted to talk. I thought that I might as well say what I wanted to say now, instead of waiting until Monday.“C-come in,” I stuttered walking back into the salon and waiting for him to follow.I turned around and slightly leaned my back against the sofa, looking at him. He closed the door, then came close to me and hugged me.“I missed your scent these last few days,” he whispered.I flinched and gently pushed him away. He didn't yield and pulled m
In the lobby on the ground floor of the Sirio Corporation's building, I got my temporary pass. The security guards started glancing at me suspiciously as soon as they found out that I was the Chairman's specially invited guest. They all began acting cautiously around me solely out of respect for the Chairman. It felt a little awkward. I was taken to the top floor, where the Chairman's office was. I was given a seat in the small conference room right next to his office, and some incredibly polite secretary asked me to wait.The door of the conference room where I was sitting was slightly open. I could see people passing by in the corridor outside. Suddenly, I heard Samil voice. I quickly ran towards the door and glimpsed through the crack. Samil was discussing something with another man. That other person was older and had a firm expression. Moreover, there was something spiteful in his gaze. I looked at him closely and finally recognized him. I saw his photos more than a few
I was unable to tell when Samil's men appeared on the spot. The attackers were also multiplying, and soon there were about forty to fifty people shooting each other on the streets. The shots were coming from every side, and the Chairman and Samil's men were at a disadvantage. They were standing in an open space. It was a perfect place to trap and kill people one by one, and so the enemy was doing. The Chairman's bodyguards and Samil's men were falling down, painting the street in terrifying red. I clenched my teeth still petrified, staring helplessly at the bloodbath in front of my eyes. Some of the Chairman's people finally managed to move the seriously bleeding Chairman to a safer spot across the street. Two men carried him while four others were making a shield around them. Watching the scene finally made me break free from overpowering fear.“Move! You idiot! You need to move! You practiced making a bulletproof, magic shield before! It's time to use have to use it!&
Samil had never left my side on our way home, whether it was while we were on the ship or flying in the Bordas private jet. He kept asking me if I was ok. He did it so often that I started to find his concern over my health annoying. He wasn't the one that had been bothersome during our trip. Chris, Elijah and all the other men from Samil's army were coming one by one to apologize for trying to burn me at the stake. Although, I kept repeating that it wasn't their fault since they were controlled by magic, but recalling everything they had done while being compelled wasn't exactly helpful in recovery from their moral hangover… Despite the fact that I knew that it was all over and that I and everyone was safe, those horrifying moments were coming back each time I closed my eyes. Once I tried to get some sleep, I woke up screaming, but then Samil would hold me in his arms and tell me that there was nothing that could ever threaten us anymore. The warmth of his body was soothing
Suddenly, I heard nothing but crackling fire from the light of the torch. I hesitantly opened my eyes. Samil threw his torch at the bottom of the pile, yet it barely touched the wooden branches. The pile didn't start to burn. All it caused was a bit of smoke that was coming from one side of the pile. My heart was pounding frantically while my tears kept falling down my cheeks."Samil…" I mumbled, looking into his eyes.He raised his head and gazed at me. His expression was slightly different from before. It wasn't as blank as if his consciousness started to resurface again…"I love you…" I called softly, praying that it would be different this time, that my calling would finally reach him.He stared at me in silence, then slowly turned his head to look around. At that moment, he stopped resembling a mere puppet. It was like one of his strings had been cut. I could see him clenching his teeth. I gasped, desperately hoping that his reac
Ezzura had cast a spell that filled the entire island, including the irresilient to her magic Samil. She compelled everyone. Now, they were all her own army that obeyed her unconditionally…I guessed, she clearly wanted to torture my heart before she would burn my body, doing everything she could to break me. She picked a beach as a place where I should be burned at the stake, and she told Samil to take me there. I didn't have any strength left to resist. He tossed me over one shoulder like a bag of sand, and then he carried me out of the witches' castle. I tried calling his name, but he didn't react at all, as if he had become an empty shell that once had been someone who loved me…"I have to admit that your magic is extraordinary," Ezzura chuckled while walking to the beach. "Can you see how easily I had changed everyone into my puppets? Your magic in this life is even stronger than the one you had as Immara."She kept glancing cheerfully, admiri
For a few seconds, I was unable to open my eyes. I heard a continuous, high-pitched sound in my ears. It covered all the other sounds I could hear, and disturbed my focus. Finally, I forced my eyelids to open. My vision was slowly coming back… I was lying on the floor in the middle of the witches' courtroom, trying to comprehend what had just happened. I nervously lifted my upped body to sit and look around. When I did, I gulped. All the witches from the group of the eldest were dead. Their bodies were lying motionless on the ground. Some were covered in blood, some looked like they were electrocuted. It was a massacre, and I was sitting in the middle of it… Suddenly, I saw Ezzura nonchalantly walking around the hall, gloating over the victory. I flinched, then I clenched my teeth. My previous visions, Immara's memories, the feeling of betrayal, they all came back and filled every inch of my body. I instantly raised my hands in order to attack her, but… nothi
"W-what?" I murmured nervously, gazing at Sister.She avoided my stare. She must have known from the beginning that I was the incarnation of her younger sister, the one she told me about. Now, the fact that she claimed that she didn't remember her name and told me to call her "Sister" made me grit my teeth. Why couldn't she tell me?! Even if she wasn't certain if I remember my past life, couldn't she tell me that I look exactly like her late sister?! I felt confused and betrayed, and the most disturbing fact was that I had never recalled having an older sister in the memories of my past life…"Oh… I can see that she didn't tell you, did she?" Shelta chuckled coldly. "She had been told to gain your trust and kill you, but once she had learnt that you were sisters, she disobeyed the orders. She even decided to trick us to save your life, but you had to die even after you had lost your powers…"My head started to spin. I glanced at Sister. I co
There was a road outside the forest. It led straight to the witches' castle. It looked like a fortress. It had high stone walls around it, and an enormous iron gate at the front. Samil walked at the front. Sister and I were right behind him, and the rest of the soldiers marched in formation, moving towards the gate while constantly fighting off the witches. Finally, we forced the witches to run back to their castle. They ran to the gates, banging on them and desperately crying to those in charge to open the entrance. Yet Mahala and the rest of the witches in charge were deaf to their pleading voices. They would rather let them die at those gates than open them. I gave Sister a signal, nodding my head, and we hit those witches with our magic, making them fall into a coma."Chris, get the explosive to blast those gates," Samil ordered."Understood," Chris replied, then abruptly turned around to get the bombs ready."Wait!" I called out, "There's no need for that.
It was dawning when Sister finished her story. We managed to drink three bottles of wine, but certainly we didn't have to worry about getting drunk or having a hangover. Lack of sleep couldn't bother us either. That was the upper side of being a witch.After the whole night of talking, we used a few spells to improve our looks. Then I made us breakfast, and we were ready to work on making the cor inane for Samil's men. Chris showed up after 10 AM and brought the clothes and other things for Sister. Then his men delivered thousands of crystals, some for the amulets and some to make a powder that can be used on bullets. There was a lot of work ahead of me and Sister.For the first time, I was glad that Samil wasn't around. I felt more at ease then. I didn't have to worry about my boyfriend's peculiar behavior. I wasn't sure if he'd act the same way the next time he and Sister met, but I'd rather not think about it at the time...Sister was friendly towards everyon
I was exhausted from too much thinking. I was anxious, but I had to pretend that everything was all right in front of Sister. I didn't want her to jeopardize our alliance right before that big fight. It was something I couldn't afford. I wished Sister goodnight while wearing a perfect smile. I saw her casually lying in bed and closing her eyes. I wished I could fall asleep as peaceful as she did.I tossed and turned in bed, hearing my pounding heart. I was terrified. If Sister's magic wasn't effected by the power of the seal, it could mean that her abilities were far beyond mine. It could mean that Sister's magic was great enough to defeat the demonic power within the seal, and as far as I was concerned, no witch had ever done it. How could I consider myself as a witch from the prophecy then?I wasn't that arrogant to think of myself as the most powerful witch in the world. I had never craved for power. I just wanted to feel confident about winning, and now I was becom
Samil took Sister and me to my apartment. While driving, he turned out to be surprisingly considerate towards Sister and even sent someone to get clothes, shoes, and other basic stuff for her to accommodate comfortably in her new environment. Perhaps I should be glad that he was helpful, but I couldn't help it. It just bothered me more and more. I tried not to show it, yet keeping a smile on my face was no longer possible. Unlike me, Samil was… smiling. He was smiling towards Sister. I had noticed it a few times, and it instantly brought chills to my spine. He'd never been so submissive to me, and now, Sister said a single word, and he immediately made a phone call to get her what she wanted!I felt completely left out in a conversation while we were in the car. If I had been an outsider, I would have thought that she was Samil's girlfriend, not me. I didn't like it in the slightest. I kept telling myself that there were more important things to handle, things concerni