Nate frowned before replying in a flat tone, "Well, Josh will figure out a way to wipe your memory of ever meeting any of us and everything you've learnt while being here." It was Eira's turn to frown. She wanted to forget what happened at the cemetery and her time in the dungeon but the rest, well..."What if I'm a witch but refuse to help?" She could hear her heart thumping in her ears while waiting with bated breath for his answer."Then let's hope Damien doesn't find out about anyone you love or care for."Nate's words resonated through her mind over and over again, rendering her restless. Eira couldn't get rid of the dreadful memory of the night at the graveyard and now there was a new fear; of what could happen if she tried to flee.For the first time in her life, she couldn't enjoy a hot shower. Even though the hot water trickled down her skin, tiny goosebumps formed out of a chill. Out of fear. Fear of the vampire. Damien.She didn't wish to hurt Arabella— directly or indirect

For Josh, it was a relief to be back.While away, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Eira. He had returned to see her in one piece and was glad. He trusted Nate enough to leave her under his supervision, but the tiny moments when he felt reasonably doubtful left his heart thrumming loudly. Nate may have changed over the course of years but his past still clung onto him like a scar, clear and a living image of the monster he once used to be.He was silently grateful to Trish for dragging Damien away. Josh couldn't trust that vampire's instincts for a single second. Not when it concerned Eira.Soon they were walking towards the dungeons located under the richly furnished Carters Mansion; built with stones and bricks and metal hundreds of years ago. Eira fell into uneven steps behind him, her shoulders drooping. Without even looking, he could sense the nervousness in her. To his dismay, Nate and Damien followed closely.They stood in front of a brick wall, dusty and unsuspecting. N

The candles burning placed on shelves around them provided enough warmth against the cold emanated by the black stone walls in contact with the ground's wet soil. The scent wafting from them tickled her nostrils pleasantly. In the meagre light, Josh's copper skin and dark brown eyes glowed alike."How does it feel like to do magic?" Eira raised the question and saw the corner of Josh's lips twitch. But they didn't form a smile as she had expected. It seemed as if he struggled to keep a straight face in response to her words. These actions made her feel more self-aware and wanting to keep a check on her mouth.He considered her with a gaze, his dark-brown eyes twinkled and then answered, "Everyone individual feels differently about magic. Some feel powerful, others feel happy. For me, it's liberating."She nodded briefly and wrapped her fingers around the while wax, bringing it closer to her.What would it feel like to her? Eira spared a moment to think about the question and then heave

Damien never realised when his body slipped into a slumber. Even as a vampire, there was only so much exhaustion his body could hold on. One minute he was talking to Nate and the next, he was dreaming. He had kept himself awake the previous night just to make sure the witch wouldn't attempt to flee. She hadn't. But she had done something worse.Damien dreamt of two people chasing each other in a chrysanthemum field. A boy chasing a girl. Their faces were unclear but he knew who they were. He knew he was dreaming, but it seemed too real to be just a figment of his imagination. His ears caught the merry sound of her laughter, causing his lips to widen into a smile. He was floating lightly, surrounded by the cool breeze blowing about.He didn't know how long it lasted— hours, years or only a minute but the scene vanished when Nate woke him up. His eyes didn't open until his ears comprehended the panic in Nate's voice."Look, what he's saying!" Nate said, fright evident in his big blue eye

Eira shuffled through the contents of wooden drawers in search of the town map. She found scrolls and folded papers but when she unfurled and unfolded each, none of them depicted the geography of their town. Only a few hours ago, Josh had demonstrated a spell to find the location of any person. They had used a map which was somewhat old but accurate enough. Eira recalled correctly that the warlock had picked it from that drawer itself. She moved further in haste, knocking down a jar in the process, to the next drawer and tried to pull it open with all her force but it was jammed. “Damn it!” She cursed and stomped her foot on the floor. It was hard admitting—but she was concerned about Nate. He had been kind to her. He had made her laugh when Eira believed she had lost the ability to smile again. He seemed like a genuinely good person and the thought of him being in danger disturbed her.Eira twirled on her heel and quickly scanned the workroom. Her eyes darted from the charts stuck