The following morning arrived beneath clear skies and cool air.

For once, Rosaline had been awake before Lily.

The excitement of leaving the mansion again had made sleep nearly impossible after Xandros’ announcement the previous night.

She had spent far too much time wondering where he intended to take her and she didn’t have the opportunity to ask him because he went to his study after they had dinner and he walked her to the chamber.

Every possibility she imagined only made her more curious.

By the time she finished dressing, she was already waiting near the entrance hall.

The moment Lily arrived, the maid immediately narrowed her eyes.

"You look suspiciously excited."

Rosaline straightened.

"I am not, dear Lily"

"You’ve been standing by the door for fifteen minutes."

"I was stretching.... it’s good after breakfast."

"By staring outside?"

Rosaline ignored her.

Unfortunately, Lily looked unconvinced.

Before she could continue interrogating her lady, the sound of wheels crunching across gravel echoed through the courtyard.

Rosaline turned instantly.

The carriage had arrived.

And seated at the front was Seth.

The young man climbed down with the exhausted expression of someone who had spent the morning completing a task he did not enjoy.

Considering who he worked for, that probably described most mornings.

The entrance doors opened shortly afterward.

Rosaline turned automatically.

And immediately forgot whatever she had intended to say.

Xandros descended the staircase with his usual composed confidence.

Dark clothing with silver embroidery.

His grey eyes seemed to shine than usual...not that it wasn’t attractive before but it seemed different the morning and she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

He walked towards her with the same infuriatingly attractive appearance he always seemed to possess regardless of circumstance.

Rosaline quickly looked away before he noticed which he did.

His mouth curved slightly.

"You seem eager."

"I am not."

"You’ve been waiting by the door."

Rosaline froze.

Then immediately looked toward Lily.

The maid raised both hands.

"I told him nothing." Lily was quick to clear the air.

Traitor.... Rosaline thought.

He wouldn’t have known if she hadn’t asked a lot of questions.

A few minutes later, they were seated inside the carriage.

Unlike previous outings, only three people accompanied the journey.

Rosaline.

Xandros.

And Seth.

Lily had remained behind at the estate as she knew that in their journey...she wasn’t needed.

The carriage rolled steadily through the capital before eventually leaving the city behind.

Stone roads gave way to dirt paths.

Buildings disappeared and the forests emerged.

Tall trees stretched endlessly around them while sunlight filtered through dense branches overhead.

Rosaline spent most of the journey watching the scenery.

Occasionally she glanced toward Xandros.

Each time she found him already looking at her.

Which felt weird for some reasons.

After the fourth occurrence, she gave up pretending not to notice.

"Do you enjoy making people uncomfortable?"

"Only specific people."

"I don’t like that answer." She replied as she didn’t want to be those "Specific" he talked about.

"It wasn’t intended to be reassuring."

Rosaline sighed dramatically.

Xandros appeared entirely unrepentant.

Eventually the carriage slowed.

The forest around them had become noticeably thicker and Older.

The trees seemed ancient enough to have witnessed kingdoms rise and fall.

When the carriage finally stopped, Rosaline immediately leaned toward the window.

A small clearing stretched before them.

At its center stood what could only be described as a rundown house.

Dark timber walls leaned slightly to one side.

Strange charms hung from the roof.

Bundles of dried herbs swayed from wooden beams.

Wind chimes crafted from bones clicked softly against one another.

A black cat sat near the front door.

The cat stared directly at the carriage.

Rosaline stared back.

The cat looked smarter.

"I don’t trust that cat."

"It doesn’t trust you either."

Rosaline looked at Xandros.

His expression remained perfectly serious.

That somehow told her that the situation was serious.

The three of them climbed down from the carriage.

Seth immediately looked as though he regretted every life choice that had brought him here.

Rosaline noticed.

"You don’t want to be here."

"No."

"Why?"

Seth glanced toward the cottage.

Then sighed heavily.

"Because she’s here."

That answer explained absolutely nothing.

Unfortunately, before Rosaline could ask further questions, the front door exploded open.

A woman stormed outside.

"No."

The declaration arrived before greetings.

Before introductions.

Before anything.

The red-haired woman pointed directly at Xandros.

"No."

Xandros folded his arms.

"Good morning, Sarah."

"No."

"You’re repeating yourself."

"Because the answer remains no."

Rosaline blinked.

Then looked toward Seth.

Seth looked toward the sky.

Clearly he wanted no involvement in whatever this was.

Sarah descended the porch steps dramatically.

Her bright red hair reached nearly to her waist while amber eyes burned with irritation.

She stopped directly in front of Xandros.

Then pointed accusingly at his chest.

"You sent him after me." She accused Xandros pointing at Seth who turned away from them as he doesn’t want to interfere anymore.

"You disappeared."

"I was hiding."

"I know."

"You weren’t supposed to know."

Xandros looked unimpressed.

Sarah looked offended.

The exchange clearly wasn’t new.

Rosaline watched with growing fascination.

This was the first person she had ever seen openly argue with the Duke without fear.

Sarah finally noticed her.

The witch froze.

Her expression changed instantly.

First confusion.

Then curiosity.

Then confusion again.

Sarah stepped closer.

Very close.

Far too close.

Rosaline resisted the urge to retreat.

For several seconds, she simply stared.

Then she groaned.

A long suffering groan.

The kind produced by people personally betrayed by fate.

"Oh no."

Rosaline frowned.

"What?"

Sarah pointed directly at her.

"You."

"Me."

"You."

Neither woman elaborated.

Rosaline looked toward Xandros.

He looked suspiciously entertained.

Sarah dragged both hands through her hair.

"I knew I should’ve moved continents."

"You said that last time."

"I meant it."

"No, you didn’t."

"I absolutely did."

The witch looked ready to continue arguing forever.

Unfortunately, Xandros possessed considerably more patience than she did right now.

Eventually he spoke.

"Sarah."

The single word carried enough authority to halt her complaints.

Barely.

She folded her arms.

"What?"

"You know why we’re here."

Sarah groaned again.

The sound echoed through the clearing.

Then she pointed dramatically at Rosaline.

"She is the problem."

Rosaline looked mildly offended.

"Thank you."

"It wasn’t a compliment."

That made it worse.

Sarah circled Rosaline once.

Then twice.

Like a scholar studying a puzzle.

Her expression gradually became more serious.

The teasing disappeared.

The irritation faded.

For the first time since appearing, she looked genuinely focused.

Several long moments passed.

Nobody interrupted.

Finally, Sarah stopped moving.

Her amber eyes narrowed.

Then widened slightly.

Then narrowed again.

The reaction unsettled Rosaline immediately.

"What?"

Sarah remained silent.

"What?"

Still nothing.

Rosaline looked toward Xandros. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

The Duke’s expression had become noticeably colder.

He had noticed the witch’s hesitation.

That alone told Rosaline something was wrong.

Eventually Sarah exhaled.

Slowly and carefully.

Then looked directly at Xandros.

"I don’t like this."

The forest fell silent.

Even the wind seemed to pause.

Rosaline’s stomach tightened.

"What does that mean?"

Sarah ignored the question.

Instead she continued studying her.

Long enough to become uncomfortable.

Then finally she spoke.

"I know witches."

Her voice had become quieter now.

Serious.

"I know faes."

Another pause.

"I know spirits."

Longer still.

"I know cursed bloodlines."

Rosaline listened carefully.

Then Sarah pointed directly at her.

"And you are none of them."

Silence followed.

Rosaline blinked not understanding all those terms she said.

Xandros’ gaze sharpened.

Even Seth stopped pretending not to listen.

Sarah folded her arms.

"I thought perhaps she was a witch."

"She’s not."

"I can see that now."

Her eyes remained fixed on Rosaline.

Uneasy.

Thoughtful.

Troubled.

As though she had discovered something she did not understand.

And that bothered her.

A lot.

"What about her memories?" Xandros asked.

Sarah immediately looked irritated.

"Do I look like a miracle worker?"

"No." Rosaline answered on Xandros behalf

"Good."

The witch pointed at her again.

"Because I have absolutely no idea what happened to those memories."

Rosaline’s heart sank.

Sarah noticed immediately.

For a brief moment, sympathy softened her expression.

Only briefly.

Then it vanished.

"But."

The single word changed everything.

Xandros’ eyes narrowed.

Rosaline immediately looked up.

Sarah sighed heavily.

"I don’t know what she is."

The confession clearly wounded her pride.

A great deal.

"But whatever happened to her..."

Her gaze lingered on Rosaline.

"...it wasn’t natural."

The forest suddenly felt colder.

Rosaline swallowed.

Xandros remained silent.

Sarah looked between them.

Then pointed toward the cottage.

"I’ll need to examine her properly."

Rosaline blinked.

"What does that involve?"

Sarah’s smile appeared instantly.

And somehow...

it looked terrifying.

"Oh, now we’re asking the important questions." She smiled awkwardly.

"I need her blood." Sarah said.