The garden had sprung to life since the curse was lifted. There were flowers in bloom and butterflies fluttering around. All the plants seed to be reaching for the sun, soaking up the rays. Everything was so vibrant and colorful.
The floral scent almost swept off my feet and I leaned heavily against Soren.
There was a small table for two in the center of the garden patio and I realized we had the whole garden to ourselves. Food had already been laid out and a waiter poured champagne into glasses.
Soren held my chair out for and I sat down. I’d never been treated like this before. He sat down across from and musicians ca out and started to play so slow, romantic music.
I reached for the champagne and Soren quickly raised his glass.
“A toast,” he said, smiling warmly at .
Giggling, I raised my glass too.
“What are we toasting?” I asked.
“You, Mila. A toast to your bravery and determination. If not for you, this village would still be trapped in darkness and I... I would still be living a boring life,” he said. He winked at the last statent.
The rest was really sweet.
We clinked our glasses and I took a sip. The bubbling drink tickled all the way to my stomach.
I was so impressed with the presentation of food on the table. Soren had put a lot of planning into this. He even picked out a al that he sohow knew I would like.
We ate and sipped champagne until we were completely full.
Sighing, I leaned back and rubbed my belly.
Soren stood up and held a hand out to .
I arched an eyebrow.
“Ti to work off that al,” he said, bouncing his eyebrows.
Slowly, I took his hand. He pulled up and held in a close embrace, guiding in the steps of a slow dance.
I smiled and rested my head on his chest, listening to the heavy thump of his heart. It was racing, just like mine.
Glancing up at him, I saw that he was looking down at .
I blushed but held his gaze.
“This is an awful lot of trouble you went through, just to have lunch with ,” I said, nodding to the romantic setting around us.
Soren smirked. “It was no trouble at all. Besides, this way, you get to see the impact of lifting the curse.”
“I know but... you could have just asked. It didn’t have to be so fancy,” I clarified.
“Ahh...” Soren released my hand for a mont.
He touched my face, his fingertips warm on my cheek, then he took my hand again and twirled away from him. He pulled back and held even closer.
“After everything we’ve dealt with, I thought we both deserved a quiet, peaceful al. And you... Well, you’re worth it,” he said sweetly.
I shook my head and tried to pull away. I wasn’t worth all this! After helping my foster mother kill witches and running away when I was a child. I was lucky to have broken the curse. It wasn’t talent.
Soren held firmly and pressed against him. He gave a deep, aningful look that I felt straight into my soul.
My heart lted and I sighed, resting my head against him again.
Maybe... maybe he was right?
“Boss?”
Payne’s voice cut into our mont.
Soren released and I quickly stepped back. Whatever I had felt in his embrace faded quickly.
Soren waved Payne over.
“We’re ready,” Payne said, nodding.
I noticed he didn’t look at .
“Ready for what?” I asked.
Soren nodded to Payne. He turned to and took my hands in his. My hands disappeared inside his strong palms and fingers.
“Mila, I’ll be away for a few days on business. I want you to go back to the rogue zone with the rest of the group. I’ll et you there in a week, okay?” he said calmly.
I nodded and gripped his hands in mine. I didn’t want him to leave. Whatever he had to do was probably important, and might even have to do with helping get revenge, but I would have rather gone with him.
“Good girl,” he said, chucking my chin.
Without another word, he left in the gardens with the musicians playing a romantic tune and Payne.
I watched as Soren walked away. We hadn’t known each other that long but sohow, I had allowed myself to get attached to him. I was so used to him being there to protect , steady , and guide that seeing him leave made feel... empty and hollow.
I felt like as he walked further away, he was taking a piece of with him.
“Mila, are you ready? We should get on the road while it is still early,” Payne said.
I looked at him and noticed that he still wouldn’t et my eyes. He didn’t seem unfriendly or like he was mad at . More like he was trying to hide sothing from . I knew how to read people well.
Whatever he wanted to hide, I’d figure it out now that I knew he was hiding sothing.
“Can I go get my things?” I asked. “I’ll et you in the lobby in ten minutes.”
“Sure, we’ll be waiting,” he said with a nod. He glanced at quickly and then left the garden.
Well, whatever was going on with Payne could wait.
I went back to my room and collected the box. There was a fireplace in the room so I tossed so crumpled paper in it and lit a fire. As soon as the flas licked up, I tossed the box and my mother’s letter into the fire.
While it burned, I packed the spell book and my other belongings back in my pack.
It didn’t take long for the fire to burn down. I poked around with a fire poker to make sure that the box and the letter were nothing but ashes.
I was a little sad to see the letter and the box go. The letter had been written by my mother, in her handwriting. It was safer to burn it, though. I didn’t want anyone to find out that she’d dismbered and hidden the artifact pieces.
With a sigh, I grabbed my bag and headed down to the lobby. As grateful as I was that the curse was broken, I was looking forward to moving on. I’d spent days in Miltern. Normally, I didn’t hang around anywhere that long. At least, not since I’d run away from Saboreef.
Payne, Ashley, Dr. Lee, and several of Soren’s followers were waiting for in the lobby.
They didn’t say much as we headed out of the hotel and followed the main road out of town.
I was happy to remain silent and watch Miltern blossoming with new life. Silently, I prayed to the Moon Goddess to protect them and shield them from future harm. They’d suffered enough and deserved a chance at happiness.
Outside of town, there were a few vehicles waiting to take us away from Miltern. Dr. Lee and Ashley got in one and I joined Payne in another. The rest of the followers filled up the remaining vehicles.
On four wheels, we sped out of Miltern pack land.
I kept my head down and remained silent.
Payne didn’t try to strike up a conversation and I was grateful for that. He seed just as content to keep quiet. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. The way he stared out the windshield, it was like he wasn’t really seeing anything, just completely zoned out.
I worried he might crash but he didn’t seem to have a problem driving.
Sothing was seriously bothering him. I always thought Payne was better at hiding his emotions. Either he wanted to know that sothing was bothering him or he wasn’t trying to hide it around .
We drove until the sunset and then Payne stopped to make camp.
We’d made it back to the desert and a sharp wind indicated a sandstorm was brewing.
“Everyone, set up the ergency shelters ASAP,” Payne ordered. “I want them up before this storm hits.”
Imdiately, the others got to work pulling gear from the vehicles and setting up tents.
Payne didn’t give anything to do so I wandered through the little camp and kept an eye on the sky as clouds rolled in and the winds picked up.
The first ti I t Soren had been during a sandstorm. I got to his inn and sought shelter from the little bullet-like grains.
My heart ached and I clasped my hands over it. Why was I missing him so much? I couldn’t figure it out. I’d never missed or longed for anyone like this. My thoughts drifted to Soren and where he might have gone.
I kicked the toe of my shoe into the sand as I considered the possibilities.
Had he run off to collect the artifact parts so soon after I asked for his help?
I knew he was doing it to help get my revenge but with how quickly he took off, I couldn’t help but wonder if his eagerness was more about getting his hands on the artifact rather than helping .
Less than twenty-four hours after he learned the secret inside the box, he’d abandoned .
My heart sank with disappointnt.
Payne was helping with one of the shelters and I sauntered over to him. If anyone knew where Soren had really gone, it would be him.
“Where did Soren have to run off to so quickly?” I asked conversationally.
Payne glanced at quickly and looked away just as fast.
“If Soren wanted you to know where he went, he would have told you. Since he didn’t, you’ll have to ask him when he gets back.”
He wasn’t harsh or rude, just professional.
Sighing, I turned away from him and found myself face to face with Ashely. She had her arms crossed and was glaring at .
“Why do you need to know where Soren went?” she asked snippily.
“That’s between and Soren,” I replied, shaking my head.
“Whatever you think is between you and Soren–”
“Ashley, help with this tent,” Payne interrupted her with an exasperated sigh.
Ashley glared at . She pushed by to help her brother.
It didn’t seem like anyone in the camp really wanted there, so I walked away from the shelters into the desert.
The sun was setting fast and soon it would be completely dark.
It was nice to be alone and have so quiet, especially after all the driving. I didn’t know why Ashley had it in for . It could have sothing to do with Soren but he always blew that off when I brought it up.
Why had he taken off and left with these people?
Crossing my arms, I scoffed at myself and tilted my head back.
Why did it matter? Even if he was going after the artifact, it would help get revenge. That’s what I wanted! As long as he helps, the artifact is his. It had only ever brought my family misery and I didn’t want anything to do with it.
No matter what I told myself, disappointnt still lingered.
Was it silly to hope that I actually had a place in Soren’s heart? Was he just putting on a show or did he really want ? Was it all about the artifact?
My heart was slowly giving itself over to him and I was getting lost in that feeling. I didn’t know how he felt about , though.
Snarls and growls cut into my thoughts.
I whipped my head around to the camp and heard the sounds of fighting. Soren’s n were under attack!
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