Page 40 of A Monarch's Fall

“Gross,” I said, just the thought of being with anyone other than Selene was repulsive, and the idea of sharing her, seeing her be with someone else, filled me with a sort of anger, one that felt shameful to be so upset by just a thought and tasted a lot like jealousy. But Selene was mine; I’d never share her.

He laughed louder. “Do you despise all males, or was it just Oskar?” he questioned.

“Maybe it’s just you,” I answered.

“Ouch,” he said, gripping his shirt over his chest. “You wound my ego.” He laughed.

I could see an old stone brick building coming into view.

“Remember our deal, Percy,” he said, low enough that I could only just hear him. I couldn’t see anyone around to be eavesdropping, and the sound of the gravel beneath the tyres I was sure would make our conversation difficult to hear even for a pureblood vampire. It seemed overly cautious, but I nodded my understanding.

The mansion that we neared was covered in climbing ivy, dark brown stone peeking through, and mosses decorated the ground level; dead ferns lined the earth around the mansion. It was as if the mansion were a part of the surrounding forest.

“We have arrived,” Arvid announced as we came to a stop directly outside the large red entrance doors. I could see two more carts parked further to the side of the building.

The drive was short, but the air had chilled my cheeks, and my lips felt numb. Selene would have offered to fix my discomfort with a kiss. The emptiness in my chest stole my breath from me, as the weight of how much I missed Selene found me in that moment of longing. But I couldn’t allow myself to be crushed by her absence. I had to push on; it was the only way I would make it back to her.

I took a deep breath to ready myself, but as I stepped out of the cart, I felt a sudden wave of nausea - anxiety trying to rip its way out of my stomach.

“I don’t –” I began, my voice catching in my throat.

It was like I was only just then realising what was happening.

After so long, after forever, I would be meeting other Flores witches, not just my coven, but from Arvid's words, my family.

It had only ever been Father and me. No one else until Rosemary. Had they — the Flores coven — always known of me, or was my new ability what led to my discovery? Why did Father never speak of them? Why did my mother never write of them? What would they think of me?

Arvid’s hands came down heavy on my shoulders as he stood behind me.

“No need to be scared, Percy. You’re about to be with your people,” he reassured me while gently but firmly pushing me forward.

My legs felt weak and numb, each step was odd and disconnected from myself as I neared closer and closer to the red door. The red colour seemed ominous, surrounded by all the greens and winter browns and starkness of the forest.

Before we had even reached the entrance steps, the door opened.

To my shock, Mable smiled brightly from the entrance. Her hair was braided like when we first met, but had grown much longer in the months since the summer. Her green eyes shone warmly.

“Percy, child, welcome home,” she greeted me.

“Hear that, Percy, you’re home,” Arvid said mockingly beside me.

When we reached the top of the steps, Mable stepped out and held her hand up.

“I’m sure you can understand the significance of this homecoming, Lord Halvorsen. This is a private greeting for witching kind only,” she told Arvid.

Only then did Arvid remove his hands from my shoulders. I turned to look at him as he held his hands up as if in surrender.

“I do feel that my hospitality is often thankless,” he said, offended.

“I assure you that is far from true, and I apologise if it seems so. But this is a special event,” Mable reassured him.

Arvid only hummed.

“I suppose I will see you around, Percy,” he said.

“Wait,” I said, turning and unthinkingly grabbing his elbow. I was scared to be left alone. Arvid was rude, pretentious, conniving, and untrustworthy, but he was my only link to Selene, and somehow that made him feel safe and familiar. However wrong I knew those feelings likely were, the loss of his presence felt like the loss of anything familiar I had left.

“I assure you, you have nothing to fear, Percy,” Mable said, stepping forward. “I know you must be anxious. This is new for you. But you have my word that you are safer here than you have been in many months.”