"You're a witch? Like casting magic with a wand type of stuff?" I asked her with raised eyebrows. Mrs Zulu, or better as Precious, nodded at me. I pursed my lips, wondering how I had missed all these years that a woman serving me food was a witch.

"Sorceress is a better term. I don't use a wand nor do I have a magic broomstick. I'm just a normal elderly lady."

"You live in a pumpkin-shaped house with a fairy, pretending to be a lunch lady at a science lab. There's nothing normal about this." I objected. I had so many questions for her but I needed to let her explain.

"My job isn't pretense. I love it and all of you who worked at the lab. You're the only family I have left." She said sadly, staring at her tea. "I was removed from my homeland when I was just a baby and was forced to grow amongst supernaturals because I was a magic bearer. I was their most prized possession, the one who could heal them and make any sort of potion they desired."

"So why are you here?" I asked her softly.

"I am hiding... From Silas." She told me. My eyes widened in surprise. Why could she possibly be hiding from Silas?

"Silas is a very evil person, Akielia. I regret ever making him your mate." Precious said mournfully. She shook her head in regret, making my heart loudly pound in my chest.

"You are the one who mated me up with the twins? How? Why?" I asked her loudly, putting the now empty cup of tea on the table.

"He forced me to, said he would murder me and you if I didn't do it." She said, her beady eyes brimming with tears. "He wanted to be king but the rest of the island refused so he orchestrated this plan to start a war between humans and supernaturals to pressure the leaders to assign a king by force."

What... What the hell!?

"But... There is no war between humans... There's a war against me!" I said, "why? Why did that happen?"

"His plan failed. He wanted me to make a human fall in love with him so it would wreak havoc between both kinds. After, he would be appointed king because he is the strongest to fight and then he would kill you after getting the throne and take over the world."

"And Sei? Where does he fit in this? He would never agree to this." I asked, my vision fading because of the tears that started forming.

"Sei was against it, so Silas made me feed him a poison that brainwashed him and his family. That's why Sei is always submitting to Silas and doesn't know how to speak properly." She was now weeping as she spoke. She regretted everything that she had done.

I regretted everything.

"So it was all a lie? Him saying he loves me. It was all just him using me?" I asked softly. I buried my face in my hands, tears streaming down my cheeks as the realization dawned upon me. Silas was using me and Sei this whole time. He was the bad guy this whole time. He is the one who needs to die, not Valedria. Valedria just fell for Silas' plan.

To bring me here and stir up a war with humans.

By getting my family killed, military workers... People highly recognized by the government. Their death would start a massive investigation... And war.

He knew that

Being trapped at the lab, he planned it out and somehow made sure I would be the one to look after him. That was his first step to getting me in love.

He knew that too

The sparks whenever we touched, he created that himself. It wasn't destiny or fate. It was made by him. Him touching me in my shower...

"Why did he touch me? Why did he sneak into my house and molest me?" I asked softly.

"He had to activate the potion... I had to put it in your food that night-"

"Oh my goodness," I breathed out, wiping my tears. "So Sei isn't even meant to be with me either." I looked at her with a glare. I hated her for this. I hated that she did this and kept it from me this whole time.

"Silas killed Sei's mate. She was a werewolf."

"And Sei still has no idea." I mumbled, shaking my head slowly. "Silas really planned this whole thing out. From beginning to end. What's supposed to happen now?"

"Well, you're supposed to be stuck here until the government realizes that supernaturals exist and they must find a way to get to the island and attack it."

I sighed deeply, placing my hand over my heart. It's like I could slowly feel the spark I had between them dying down by the minute. It was getting replaced by hate for Silas and pity for Sei. He didn't deserve to ever have his mate killed by his own twin.

"Who else is working with Silas?" I asked slowly.

"His mother is aware of his plan. I do not know if she has a hand in anything."

Of course that cruel woman is involved.

I squeezed my jacket over my heart, hearing and feeling it beating hard. "Did he make me fall for Alexander too?" I asked the question I've been dreading most. It didn't even matter to me that Silas didn't love me at all. Maybe it was because his spell had stopped working. My heart longed to hear that Alexander wasn't like him or Sei. That he wasn't using me or brainwashed into thinking he loved me.

"Alexander? Sapphire's boy?"

"Yes, he is also my soulmate. Is it real?"

"I never made anything for him, no one can do that either. It must be... Real." She said, her doe eyes widening slightly. "So it is so, you just reign Queen after all and he must be your King."

"Silas is so much stronger than him. How can we stop him?" I asked softly. I've seen Silas fight and I know now that he is one powerful entity. He does indeed top all creatures when it comes to strength and speed.

"He is strong, but not more than Sei. Sei is older than him by a few minutes. The difference that makes is more massive than you think." Precious mumbled. Her eyes lit up and she looked at her fairy friend. "Daffodil, get some rosemary and ingredients for a reversal potion. We're breaking Sei out of that spell."

"If anyone can kill Silas, it's his twin brother."

__✧__✧__✧__✧__✧__✧__✧__

I sat in silence, staring at two beautiful baby sparrows in a nest as they chirped loudly and looked around blindly. Precious had been working on the reversal potion for a while and that gave me a chance to go outside and look around.

The place we were in was perfectly secluded and quiet, only surrounded by tall willow trees and a small stream nearby. It was serene, and kind of creepy in a way.

I just needed time to think of this hell I've somehow found myself in. This needed to end and it had to end freaking now.

I'm sick of this.

I freaking hate Silas.

I hate him.

"How could he do this to me?" I whispered, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I left everything for him, for the both of them."

And this is what I get in return for my love.

"No one will kill him. Not bloody Sei. I will do it myself!" I hissed angrily, kneeling on the tall grass. I grabbed a fistful of it and took a deep breath, sniffling softly. My heart was more broken than it has ever been. Not even my parents or Damien could make me feel such a throbbing ache. Silas did this. All on his own.

"I hate you. I hate you. I'm going to kill you. I'M GOING TO SELL YOUR BLOOD AND ORGANS TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR A HEFTY PRICE!"

"Uhhh, is this a bad time?" Daffodil's soft voice spoke behind me. I froze with my hands in the air and grimaced. This was so embarrassing and awkward.

"How much did you see?" I asked her weakly.

"Enough to know that you're more hurt than you let out." She whispered.

"Wrong answer, what did you see?" I asked her again, fisting the grass again while refusing to face her.

"Absolutely nothing." She mumbled, making me nod. I stood up and dusted my pants, turning to look at her. She pouted and walked towards me, placing her hands on my shoulders.

"I'm so sorry, I know how much it hurts."

"How could you possibly know this? You've been heartbroken too?" I asked her. She looked way too sweet to go through pain like this. Any man would be stupid to use her.

"Look, Zuzu is done with the reversal spell. Before she shows it to you, I want to give you a gift to help make everything easier for you."

She held my hand and gently pulled me along with her, leading me away from her and deeper into the forest.

"Follow me."

How do you feel about what you just found out about Silas?

Do you still love him like before?