Elena stood outside Darius’ study with a tray balanced carefully in her hands.
Resting on it was a steaming cup of chamomile tea she had brewed herself, hoping it would ease the headache she knew he was nursing.
The scent of dried herbs drifted up with the steam, warm against the cold air that lingered in the hallway.
Muffled voices carried through the thick oak door.
They were angry and frustrated.
She couldn’t make out every word, but she didn’t have to.
Her father had gone to speak to Darius not long ago.
Knowing him, he had most likely threatened to pull out of the alliance.
Knowing Darius, he was probably in there with his Beta trying to find a way to save both his pack and that insufferable witch.
Elena quietly pushed the door open, leaving only a small gap as she peeked inside.
“You can’t just send the mother of your child away, Darius,” Nicolas said, frustration clear in his voice.
Of course they were talking about that horrid witch.
“The pack can’t afford to lose its fertile lands, Nicolas,” Darius replied, dragging a hand over his face.
His voice sounded tired, edged with irritation.
“You know what Frisk is threatening.”
Nicolas folded his arms across his chest.
“And what about the child?”
Silence settled over the room.
Even from where she stood, Elena could see the exhaustion written across Darius’ face.
He looked as though the weight of the entire North had been dropped onto his shoulders.
Good.
Maybe now he would finally realize there was only one sensible choice.
Her.
She tightened her grip on the tray before knocking softly against the door.
The two men looked up at the same time.
“Darius?” she asked gently.
“I…
made you some tea.”
They both fell quiet at the sight of her.
Nicolas glanced at Darius, who gave him a small nod.
The Beta understood immediately.
Without another word, he walked past Elena and quietly shut the study door behind him, leaving the two of them alone.
“You could’ve knocked, Elena,” Darius said with a sigh as he rounded the desk to stand in front of her.
“What do you want?”
His tone made her jaw flex.
There was no warmth in it.
No fondness.
Just exhaustion.
She forced the feeling down and stepped towards him with a soft smile.
“I made you some tea.” She placed the tray on his desk, the scent of chamomile slowly filling the study as thin wisps of steam rose from the cup.
“You look exhausted.”
His eyes lingered on her for a brief moment before another weary sigh escaped him.
He rubbed at the bridge of his nose as though trying to ease the headache that had settled there.
“I can’t send Aurelia away, Elena.”
He lowered himself into his chair, his shoulders slumping slightly under a weight she couldn’t see.
Elena remained where she was, her fingers slowly curling into her palms as she waited for him to continue.
“But I can move her out of the manor,” he finally said.
“I’ll have the annex prepared for her.
Elena stared at him.
Did he truly think that was enough That she cared whether the witch slept in the manor or a few buildings away?
No!
She wanted Aurelia gone.
Gone from his home.
Gone from his life.
Gone before she poisoned everything Elena had spent years building.
Her nails dug painfully into her palms, but she didn’t let a single emotion reach her face.
She had spent too many years learning how to smile through disappointment to let herself break now.
Throwing a fit would only make her look insecure, and insecure women never kept powerful men.
So she smiled.
“I understand, Darius,” she said gently.
“I’ll speak to my father.
I’m sure he’ll understand too.”
Relief flickered across his face so quickly he probably didn’t even realize it.
That alone made her stomach twist.
He really thought she had accepted this.
He really thought moving Aurelia into another building solved the problem.
Elena lowered her eyes, hiding the coldness that flashed through them.
The annex.
If the witch moved there, she’d simply be farther away from Darius’ protection.
And that was an opportunity to not waste.
___
When Aurelia heard she was being “moved,” she had expected some old, dusty warehouse barely fit for living.
She hadn’t been too far off.
The annex sat a short distance from the main manor, hidden behind a line of frost-covered trees.
It looked more like an abandoned bungalow than somewhere a person was meant to live.
The stone steps leading to the porch were cracked, the paint had long begun to peel away, and dust coated every inch of the inside.
The moment she stepped through the doorway, the stale smell of old wood and neglect greeted her.
“I thought the maids had cleaned this place up.” Nicolas’ voice came from beside her as he looked around the house with a slight frown.
He had led them here after assuring her it was a wonderful place to stay.
Perhaps he simply had a different definition of wonderful.
“I’m sure a few spells can fix it up,” Diane said, already rolling up her sleeves.
It wasn’t even about fixing it.
Aurelia was annoyed because that idiot of a man had actually thought moving her here was a good idea.
She turned to Nicolas, ready to voice every single one of her complaints, but the words died on her tongue.
He was standing rather awkwardly beside Clover.
Clover, for her part, had shifted a small step away from him, refusing to meet his eyes.
A faint blush lingered on her cheeks while Nicolas suddenly found the floor very interesting.
Aurelia’s eyes narrowed.
Something was going on between those two.
She could feel it.
But if Clover hadn’t bothered telling her, then asking now would be pointless.
Turning away from the strange tension between them, Aurelia watched Diane wave her hand through the air.
Silver light spilled from her fingertips, washing over the old bungalow in soft shimmering ribbons.
Dust vanished from the furniture, the cracked walls mended themselves, and the faded paint slowly brightened until the place looked almost new.
“There.” Diane placed her hands on her hips with a proud smile.
“Much better.”
Aurelia couldn’t help smirking. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
It would’ve been just as easy for her.
If she still had her magic.
Before the thought could linger, Clover stepped forward.
“It still needs flowers.”
She raised both hands.
Thin green vines began creeping over the stone walls, weaving through the wooden beams before bursting into clusters of pink and purple blossoms.
Their sweet scent quickly replaced the stale smell that had filled the house only moments before.
The three witches giggled.
“You witches really are something else,” Nicolas said with a chuckle.
“I’ll leave you three to settle in.
I have a few errands to run.”
They waved him goodbye before stepping fully inside.
With only a few simple spells, the annex no longer felt abandoned.
It almost felt like home.
“At least now you don’t have to worry about those servants,” Clover said as she looked around with satisfaction.
Aurelia nodded absentmindedly before lowering herself into one of the chairs.
From the corner of her eye, she caught Clover looking at Diane.
A look passed silently between them.
Clover gave the slightest nod.
Diane sighed.
Aurelia frowned.
“Is something wrong?”
Diane scratched the back of her neck, suddenly finding it difficult to meet her eyes.
“We’re leaving for the isle tomorrow, Aurelia.”
The words stole the air from her lungs.
So soon?
She had known this day would come.
She just hadn’t expected it to come this quickly.
Clover stepped forward, her expression softening.
“High Priestess Asteria summoned us back.”
Aurelia felt her eyes begin to sting.
Once they left…
That would be it.
The last people who still made this place feel familiar would be gone.
The last connection she had to the only home she had ever known would disappear with them.
“This can’t be happening.” Her voice came out much smaller than she’d intended.
Barely a whisper.
The two women exchanged a glance before kneeling in front of her, each taking one of her hands.
“Aurelia…” The way Diane said her name made something inside her chest tighten.
She looked up meeting her sister’s eyes were already wet with tears.
She wanted to cry and beg for them to stay but she couldn’t.
She couldn’t selfishly take them away from their island home.
She blinked back her tears and smiled down at them.
“I will miss you…
So much”
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