Shadow Witch

Chapter 31

I felt short breaths hitting the side of my face, it tickled my cheek as my hair lightly touched my skin. Opening my eyes there was a small boy with black hair curled up next to me. It didn't take him long to open his eyes after me.

"Your awake." He smiled widely, this was not the same poise boy from Cain's castle.

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"You were sleeping for a long time, papa said not to bother you. He said you wouldn't wake until you were ready."

I eased my way into a sitting position. I was back in my old room. The cloak from Cassius was hanging on the side of my bed. There were also some herbs in a bowl on my nightstand, though they seemed to be old. I felt the bed shift.

"I'm going to go tell Papa you are up."

He started out the room before I could protest. Though even if I did, I was still quite confused about what happened. I remember the battle, and my father, then Cassius; but what I had done, I thought it might have killed me. I quickly got out of bed and changed, noticing that my clothes were different from what I was last wearing. I put on a light deep green dress.

I walked through the halls slowly, I felt strong but unsteady on my feet. I don't know how long I was out for but feeling as I do I fear it was for too long.

I reached the dining area and saw my father sitting there, patiently waiting for me. The boy was also sitting there talking to him until he noticed me. I walked in and sat at my seat across from my father. A plate was then presented in front of me, but instead of the usual disgusting meat pies, there was fruit and bread. I started to dig into the food.

"That was pretty silly of you, you know you could have died."

"It was a risk, I admit, but I wasn't going to let anyone be a casualty of your games." I turned my gaze to him, but he just returned it with a smile.

"Well as long as you're aware." He started to eat his food, but then he noticed my gaze turned toward the boy. "This is Sai, yes he is the same curse you re-birthed."

"Why is he here? Don't you usually take care of them?

"He is your responsibility, and he's been keeping me company since you decided to sleep for so long."

"And how long is, so long."

"You know how things are different down here, you will just have to wait until you return to find out."

"So, I can leave?"

"Of course."

He was being very passive, possibly too passive. "How did I get here?"

"I brought you here of course. You passed out in his arms. I told him the only way you would survive is if you came home to rest, so he passed you over, and voila here you are, alive."

He wasn't wrong, my Shadow self would heal faster keeping me alive until my magic was able to revive, making me stable again; but how long did this take?

"I'll leave after I'm done."

"Can't even spend one day with me?" He was being quite dramatic.

"I fear I have already missed enough time. I have to return." I looked at Sai, before returning my attention to my father. "You will just have to take care of him for a little longer."

"If you insist."

"What is going on here? You're not fighting about me leaving, and now you're going to do what I ask? What's your game?" I stood so fast my chair fell behind me.

"No game," He smiled, "I promise, I am just doing what I promised."

"And what did you promise?"

"Ah, that I do not have to say. It would be between me and your King, Master, lover, whatever it is he is to you."

"Fine! At least tell me why you gave Eleanor such a powerful curse."

"My dear what makes you think I did it?"

"I hunted for your curses until I could not feel or find anymore. Either you created him brand new or I missed it."

He smiled, "Ah, well it would be the latter in that little spiel of yours. You know I don't make those anymore. Someone found him, and handed him over to that woman."

"That would mean a very powerful witch would have had to find him to be able to just hand him over to be used by a mediocre vampire. Or they were still in control of it while she had him."

"Seems like you have a running theory though sadly I can not help you, my dear, you're the only witch I know of that could make a contract with Sai."

"Seems I better get to the surface faster than I thought. Goodbye father, please don't visit again." I left hopefully to never see him again, doubtful; but whoever this witch was I would have to find them. Who knows what else they were planning.

It didn't take me long to get back to my room. I threw my cloak back on before heading to the door. He made a pact with Cassius that I am certain, and I'll just have to beat some sense into him for thinking that was a good idea.

Once I reached the door they opened without any issues. Once I reached the other side of the bridge I moved to the surface. In a few seconds, I was standing on green grass under a blue sky with white fluffy clouds. It was warm on my face. I took a deep breath in, smelling the summer air. It was just turning Spring when I left, so a few months wasn't too bad.

Cassius' manor was just ahead, and I walked up the path towards it. Everything seemed the same, there were guards that were at their post. Once they spot me, they looked surprised, but they didn't move.

Someone was coming out of the front entrance. At first, he looked like Cassius but then it was easy to tell he was not, he was too slim to be him. Once he stopped and his eyes fell into mine, I knew who it was.

"Aviana!" He sprinted to me, reaching me in a blink, engulfing me in a hug.

"Lucas!" I was able to get out, even though I was being crushed.

He pushed back giving me some space to breathe. "When did you get here?"

"Just now, I was just walking up the path."

"I haven't been around, so I thought..."

"Aviana!" We both turned to see a girl running towards us. She was petite with long light brown hair. It was Nova, and by the length of her hair made me worry I was gone far longer than a couple of months could have grown.

She crashed into me forcing me to try and keep us both upright. Her hug wasn't as tight as it usually was, and that's when I noticed a pronounced belly.

"Nova your pregnant?"

She pulled back "I am!" She was smiling. "I saw you from the window. We were having a quick meeting."

"We?"

"Oh, well you see..."

I saw Eric and Cassius walk out of the entrance. Now I see, I smiled back at her. "I guess I should have seen that one coming." She was grinning from ear to ear. She was happy and that made me happy. "Nova, how long has it been."

"Three years." I heard Cassius' words. They hit me like lightning, that couldn't be possible.

"That can't be true." I stumbled backwards, trying to take in the enormity of the news. "I should be dead if that's the case."

"He promised to keep you alive."

"And what was the deal you had to make for it?"

He just smiled a bit, "I'm sure you have a lot of questions and are curious about a lot of things, come inside and we will try to answer as many as we can."

He turned and started heading inside. Nova wrapped her arm around mine, and Lucas put his arm over my shoulder. I'm sure whatever has happened won't be anything as shocking as what I just pulled off. The enormity of power should have killed me, but I lived. Maybe, someday, I could overpower my father.