ElijahLast night was a mistake.At least, that was what I kept telling myself as I sat in my study, staring blankly at the paperwork spread across my desk. The words blurred together, the numbers meaningless as my mind repeatedly wandered back to Agnes—her scent, her touch, the way she’d felt benea
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “No,” she said after a moment. “There is only one fated mate for each person. But…”“But?”She tilted her head, considering for a moment, and then pulled one card from the deck. “I sense something strange about your bond. A tangle somewhere in the invisible red thread tha
AgnesThe following day, I found myself in the library during my break, the old book on spells and curses tucked away discreetly in my bag. Somehow it felt heavier today, as if the missing pages added weight to it. I needed answers, and Gertrude was the only person I trusted to help me find them.Th
AgnesAva looked like she’d just seen a ghost, and I knew I had struck a nerve. No matter how little Ava and I got along, and no matter how many years we had spent barely even speaking to each other, I knew the look on her face when she realized she’d been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed
“If you remember anything else,” I said, turning to leave, “you’ll let me know.”She didn’t respond, and I didn’t wait for one. I had what I needed—or at least, as much as I was going to get from her.Back at home, I spread the book out on my bed, flipping through the remaining pages in search of cl
AgnesThea and I spent an afternoon the following weekend in the kitchen, the air filled with the sweet scent of rose petals and the sound of laughter. Honestly, it was the most fun I’d had in weeks, maybe even months. Thea was practically bouncing up and down with excitement as we laid out all the
When we were finished, the liquid inside the bottle looked just like that: liquid. The last part of the ‘spell’ felt a little silly, but Thea seemed to enjoy it.“It’s so pretty,” she said, holding up the bottle to the light. “Do you think it’ll work?”“Maybe,” I replied, chuckling even though I kne
Agnes & ElijahAgnesAs I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out the fabric of my knit dress across my thighs, Thea came bouncing into my room with more energy than I thought possible. She had picked out a sparkly dress of her own that was probably too extravagant for a simple dinner out, but n
AgnesThe scent of garlic and tomatoes greeted us as we stepped inside the house later that evening. Elijah was already at the stove, stirring a pot of what smelled like spaghetti sauce with the white sleeves of his button-down rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms. He looked up as
“Thea, sweetheart… We’ve talked about this before. I would love nothing more than to be your biological mother. But…” I swallowed hard. “I’ve already had you tested. You’re not my biological daughter, no matter how much I want you to be.”Her face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “But wh
AgnesThe following morning, I stood in the design department’s fabric storeroom, surrounded by endless bolts of luxurious materials. How long had I been in here? Minutes? Hours?The sketches for my new dress were complete, and the patterns were cut, but I still couldn’t decide on a color. After the
When we came together, it was like a dam breaking—intense, overwhelming, leaving me trembling in his arms. My chest heaved as I caught my breath, and Elijah held me close, his lips pressing soft kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, my lips.His touch was gentle now, a stark contrast to the ferocity of
AgnesI followed Elijah up the stairs, our fingers intertwined and our footsteps soft and quiet. The house was silent around us, save for the faint creak of the steps and the distant hum of crickets beyond the windows.But then there was my heart, pounding so hard against my ribs I thought for sure
“I’m glad,” he said softly. “You both needed something good after yesterday.”I leaned against the island, thinking about the sweet evening with Thea. “She called me her hero, you know. For coming to save her.”Elijah smiled. “Well, you were.”I shook my head. “I don’t feel like one after that incid
AgnesI rushed toward Elijah, my heart hammering in my chest. Even in the dim light of the entryway, his black eye was startlingly obvious—a dark, angry bruise circling the socket. He was slumped against the door, looking exhausted, but he straightened when he saw me, grimacing slightly from the eff
“Just like yours,” she said happily.“Just like mine.”Next came hair braiding. Thea sat on the floor between my knees as I gently worked through the tangles of her dark hair, separating strands for a French braid. My fingers moved automatically, muscle memory from years of doing my own hair. I humm
AgnesI pulled into the driveway around seven, exhausted after a long day of sewing, designing, and avoiding Maria’s knowing glances.The bathroom incident with Elijah had been the talk of the design department by lunchtime—whispers and stifled giggles following me throughout the afternoon. I’d buri