Uncle Felix

Esther

I sink into the throne, and I stay seated, staring at the walls and feeling lost.

“Penny for your thoughts, my queen?” My uncle Felix bows as he enters the throne room. “Seeing you on that throne makes me emotional. You belong there.”

“Don’t call me that, I’m not a queen yet.” I smile, relieved to see him.

“But you will be our queen in a few days. I can’t believe you are leaving me.”

I get down from the throne and rush to him. We hold each other in a hug and complain about how we are going to miss each other. Uncle Felix has always been more like my father more than my father has.

“Was Charles an excellent host?” He holds my shoulders, watching my face closely, and I instantly know that he would know if I lie to him.

“Uncle, I saw Charles drink human blood from the human until there was nothing left.” I wince as the memory comes to mind. “I didn’t want to judge him, but I couldn’t stop judging. How am I supposed to spend such a long time with someone when we don’t share the same values?”

“All he knows is human blood. You will drink animal blood in secret and let him drink his human blood. You know the rules and you know how hard it is to stop drinking human blood. You have the experience.”

“Well, we never killed anyone. We never drank until there was nothing left. Unless he did that to torture me.” I shake my head. “I can’t believe I’m going to spend an eternity with him.”

“I’m sorry,” he gives me a faint smile.

I hide my face in my hands. “My life is a mess. He hates my guts!”

“Are you sure?”

“I know that Charles acts all loving towards me around all of you, but he invited me to their castle to change my mind.”

He gasps. “About the wedding?”

I nod. “He hates this as much as I do. He also doesn’t want to disappoint his parents. It would’ve been better if we tolerated each other as friends, but we spent every moment plotting against each other.”

“So, he asked for you to visit so that he could torture you?” He growls. “You shouldn’t marry him if he’s going to make your life hell!”

“I don’t have a choice. You know that. Dad said he’d drag me to the altar.”

“Your father loves you. If you stand your ground, he will eventually forgive you.”

“I wish it was that simple. You have no idea how I feel, carrying this responsibility and this guilt," I swallow to get rid of the lump in my throat. "I’ve been carrying this guilt for more than 300 years. If I was a good daughter, had I listened...”

“Don’t say that! Stop beating yourself up.”

“No! I have to take responsibility for once. I wish I did things differently, and I wish I remembered my human life so that I’ll know how I made such a stupid decision.”

“Forget about that. You can’t torture yourself forever. Focus on the future.”

“Yay, that makes me very happy,” I say dryly. “Charles suspects that we don’t drink human blood. He had a buffet of people waiting for me, and I released them.”

He grimaces. “If anyone ever finds proof that we don’t drink human blood anymore, it’s over for all of us.”

“That’s what he wants. He wants to marry Joan, and he will not stop until he does.” I sit on the throne again.

“Did you tell your parents?” Uncle Felix sits on the throne on my right.

“No, they were concerned about poor Charles and the stress that I put him through for leaving without telling him where I was going.”

“I think you should let Charles go. It’s not safe.”

“But you know that my parents want the power, the army, the lands and the protection. Henry is going to come back eventually.” I sigh.

“It must be hard being a firstborn. You have this huge responsibility. What’s worse is you are the only one who is their biological child.”

“Speaking of responsibilities, I met Dominic.”

His eyes widen. "Are you sure? How sure are you?”

“I’m sure.”

“Didn’t you meet some imposter?” He asks.

“No.” I continue to tell him about the rogues and what I was injected with. I tell him a story about how I bravely fought Dominic and how I ran as I exited his penthouse. He watches me as I speak, his face completely blank.

“I'm glad you are okay," he exhales. "So, the silver had no impact? At least now we know. Did you catch his scent?”

“He smells like oud.”

My uncle stiffens but quickly recollects himself.

“Are you okay?” I ask him.

“I’ve never been better. This is the information that I, we need. So, the serum didn’t work?”

“Yes, I wonder what was in it.”

“I hope we’ll soon find out. We’ll take your blood for testing.”

“Uncle, why am I the only one who can trace Dominic’s scent? How am I supposed to kill him?”

“I think you deserve to know the truth,” he sighs. “You can kill him by rejecting him.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think you know what I mean.”

“No!” I vigorously shake my head. "That's not possible."

“I’m so sorry.”

“Are you sure?” I pace back and forth in the throne room.

“He is really your mate,” he gets up, his face not revealing any emotions.

“No! Don’t say that. How do you even know?” I ask him, my feelings caught between passion, fate, and duty.

“It’s a prophecy by a witch.”

“I think the witch is mistaken!”

“Esther...” He says calmly.

“He is our biggest enemy and our biggest threat. He can’t be my mate!”

“You felt the bond too, didn’t you?”

I break eye contact. Memories of me in his bed come flooding my mind, and guilt gnaws at me.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he gives me a faint smile. “Come, we need to prepare for the wedding.”

“Oh! It’s morning already?” My voice trembles.

“Yes, and Jane and your parents are in your room. They have just sent me a telepathy.”

“Do my parents know about Dominic? And Jane?”

He nods, making me feel a little hurt by how Jane denied it when I suggested that Dominic could be my mate.

“Do my parents hate me for this?”

“No, they know that you’ll do your duty and you’ll reject him when the time comes.”

“Am I going to survive after rejecting him?”

“Yes, but he won’t.”

“Let’s go prepare for my wedding.” I walk towards the door.

“I will see you at the wedding.” He gives me a faint smile. “No matter what you decide, I’m here. I wouldn’t want you to be unhappy.”

I smile appreciatively.