In the face of Karin’s despair and regret, Freya’s reaction was a cold glare “are you serious right now?” she asked her coldly.

Karin just shook her head “you really aren’t even remotely human, are you?” was the only response she could offer.

“No, I’m not. Just like you’re not. We save that crap for the mortals. That’s why they’re called mortals, after all” Freya told her with the same ice. To which, Karin just looked down sadly once more “you know, if you’re going to be this pathetic, I can always be Karin from now on myself. You can go back and tell Baron that you have no further use” she told her pointedly.

On that comment she looked back up at her “the whole point in me being Karin is that I know what it would take to make Haven fall in love” she reminded her.

“Good job. Now he’s past all that bullshit and just wants to fuck you nonstop. I think I can handle that” Freya returned.

That was when Karin allowed her own glare “I’ve put four years into this. I’m the one who needs to uphold the act and you know it” she returned, trying to convince herself as much as her companion.

“Fine, then uphold it” Freya stated forcefully “just as long as you get over your daddy issues and remember the end goal” she reminded her in the same cool tone.

“He was already asking me why Marcus didn’t make me his heir” she informed with a bit of force returning to her voice at such a step toward that goal. She then added “what if I just kept up the act?”

“Isn’t that what I just told you to do?” Freya scoffed.

“No, I mean, even after he names me heir. What if I just stay here and be his heir?” Karin offered.

“You mean have him name you as heir, then just play act your life out as Karin ‘til he finally dies on his own. Because that ‘died of natural causes’ thing really happens to our kind a lot” Freya added sarcastically.

“He’s starting to trust me now. If he named me heir, then I could still stay here, as Karin, and support him until I finally am Prince” she offered.

Freya just laughed loudly, which caused Karin to narrow her eyes back at her “assuming you could ever keep up this act for that long, and assuming I’d just want to keep helping you do so for fucking centuries” Freya began with a scoff “that’s not the point of any of this. The point is that you be made heir, and then immediately become Prince and give the throne to Baron. That’s always been the plan. And I somehow doubt that Baron has any interest in changing it so you can live out your fantasy of having your daddy’s love again after all” she added coolly.

Karin was quiet for another long moment before continuing “so, I make him love me and trust me enough to name me heir… and then I immediately let him be killed?” Karin returned sadly.

“That’s what you signed on for, darling. If you want out of your contract now, you’ll have to take it up with Baron. I’m sure he’ll understand” Freya returned with the same cold sarcasm. As Karin was quiet for another long moment “so, you gonna play your part like a good little girl now, or….” And she just left it at that.

When Sean had returned home from the meeting, he found Claire waiting in their bed with a book in hand once more. Upon seeing his expression, hers immediately turned to one of concern “something happen tonight?” she dared, almost afraid of hearing the answer to that question ever, all things considered.

Sean simply sighed as he moved to the bed, and laid back against his pillow, a hand at his hair again “it appears our Prince may be in love” he stated quietly.

“Ok, odd” Claire replied as she set the book aside “but is that honestly what has you looking so worried?’

“Not specifically” Sean continued distractedly.

“I’m not the mind reader Sean” she chided him.

Sean swallowed a bit at that comment, but quickly moved past it “him being in love is just…odd. Like you said. But what I’m really thinking about is what I told him tonight.”

“What did you tell him?” Claire asked warily.

Another sigh “I did what you wanted. I told him I really didn’t want to be Prince. And I told him about the next part of the prophecy” he added more quietly.

She simply swallowed again “and what did he say?” she dared.

“He was mostly speechless. Plus the other Primogen started arriving right after, so…” Sean just shook his head.

“Well, how did he seem to take it though?” Claire pressed with her own worry.

“He’s older than me. I can’t read him quite as easily as everyone else” Sean reminded.

“I’m sure you could tell just by his expression though. Couldn’t you?” she hoped.

“He didn’t look overjoyed. But that could also be because of the prophecy rather than just me throwing my birthright in his face” Sean sighed again.

“Are you telling me now that you do want to be Prince after all?” Claire asked him shakily.

“It’s not so much that I want to, as that I’m also scared of what happens if I don’t take it” Sean sighed heavily again, obviously very torn about his impending future; especially if it really were to be one he had to even attempt to endure without her, which he knew he could not.

After a long moment of silence, Claire finally blurted out “I think I want to go back to England.”

That statement did do well to catch Sean as he immediately looked over at her “England?” he repeated, trying to get his head around that suggestion “with Aidan?”

“Well yes, with Aidan, but not because of Aidan” she assured “remember; it wasn’t really me” she had to remind.

“Yes, I’m quite aware that it wasn’t you” Sean mumbled as he slowly pushed himself into sitting up again “but I can’t help wondering how close the two of you became during our last estrangement” he finally dared to broach that subject.

“He was my friend Sean; when I needed one. Given, he was a friend who has had intimate knowledge of me in the past. But I wasn’t even in that kind of space at the time” she assured.

“But now you want to go back to England with him?” he asked again.

“I want to go back to England to get away from all of this. That’s the reason” she explained.

“So you think we can outrun a prophecy just by moving?” he had to know.

“At this point I’m ready to try anything, Sean” Claire answered with a bit of desperation easily coloring her tone.

Sean sighed again “and who would be Primogen then?”

Claire just scoffed “let Karin have it. Haven obviously trusts her already.”

Sean looked down again in thought as she watched him, wishing upon wish she could read his aura right then “and what happens if we leave him and then… then the daughter murders the father?” he swallowed hard “could you live with that?”

Claire sighed sadly at his words “and how are we going to stop it if we stay here either?”

“I don’t know, Claire” he admitted sadly.

“From what I can tell, we can’t stop any of it anyway, can we?” Claire replied with defeat “so why should we bother even trying to do anything or avoid anything at all, right?”

“I don’t know, Claire” he repeated again.

“If there’s any chance at all…” Claire just shook her head “and if we really believe there isn’t a chance to change anything; me and Haven should just go take a nap on the beach tomorrow morning, shouldn’t we?” she bit out, her emotional distress since hearing the prophecy quite apparent.

“Claire…”

“What Sean?” she asked with further urgency “those are the only two choices. We either just fucking give in to fate, no matter how horrible; or we try anything at all we can think of to change it” she told him forcefully.

“I still don’t know how going to England would change anything though” Sean admitted.

“If you’re not here; you’re not Prince here. And if we’re not here, we don’t have to endure any more of the serpent and Awsha and Taylor and all of their bullshit. And that sounds pretty damn good to me” she finished with finality as she headed out of the room in a huff.

The next evening, Claire and Aidan were both waiting on the dock with their belongings at their feet. Claire tried to keep her eyes glued to the horizon while Aidan did give in to continuously looking back at Haven’s home where Sean was inside speaking to Haven about their imminent departure.

“I can’t imagine that’s a fun conversation going on in there right now” Aidan’s voice broke into Claire’s attempts to distract herself from her worries.

“I’m just wondering if Sean is going to even be coming with us” she stated sadly.

“You don’t honestly think he’d stay behind, do you?” Aidan returned.

“I’m the one who wants to get away. He thinks it’s his duty to be here for Haven. Not that us being here managed to stop the first part. So why would it stop the second either?” Claire added quietly.

“But you think you can stop the third and fourth?” Aidan had to ask, to which Claire simply sighed in frustration.

Though her worry increased exponentially as the ship came into view before Sean had exited the house again. When it finally dropped anchor is when that door to the house finally opened. Though Claire was somehow still afraid to look back for fear that either it would not be Sean at all, or that he would only be exiting the house to bid them farewell.

Still refusing to look back as he approached, some tiny trace of relief touched her face as she felt Sean’s own luggage being dropped to the dock near their feet. Finally she let herself speak, though her eyes were still averted “you mean Haven isn’t going to hate you for leaving, after all?” she managed to ask.

“After how hard he’s tried to make sure you and I remain inseparable; I’m pretty sure he understands that I have to try anything I can to keep you safe” he told her as he reached over to take her hand in his, gently squeezing it.

That was when she found the strength to look up at him “and are you gonna hate me for making you leave?”

“I love you, but that is the stupidest question you’ve ever asked me” he told her with a teasing smile.

She attempted a small smile, but had to speak again “I know you don’t think this is the right thing to do though; To just run away. That’s never been the way you deal with pain. I’m the escapist, after all” she admitted, her guilt over her decade of addiction still buried close to the surface.

“You’re right. I don’t generally think this is the right thing to do. But I honestly have no clue what the right thing would be, so… if I can’t settle for doing the right thing for Haven, I can at least do the right thing for you” he told her softly as he moved to cover her lips as the crew members began loading their belongings onto the ship.

Aidan just let out a chuckle at their interaction “something funny?’ Claire asked as the kiss ended.

“I just don’t know why you two ever pretend to be upset with each other over anything ever. You’re ridiculously in love” Aidan told them with a slight scolding tone as he moved to board the ship with another slight chuckle.

“You really should send him to his room without supper” Sean smirked down at her. He then squeezed her hand again as the two started toward the ship and their attempt at outrunning fate itself.

As the three of them boarded the ship, two sets of eyes watched them from the upstairs window of Haven’s home. Freya just chuckled as she looked up at Karin with a grin “well, I think we can safely say we just won this round” she smirked.

“Pardon?” Karin asked as she looked back down at the blonde girl.

“Haven’s lost all his friends. Poor Prince” Freya returned insincerely as her eyes moved back to the ship.

“And now I’m Primogen” Karin replied, though there was a sadness to her tone.

“And soon you’ll be heir” Freya smiled again “and then the real fun will begin. Too bad Haven won’t be alive to see it” she added with another satisfied laugh as she moved away from the window where Karin only wiped at her eyes once more.