Page 313 of Cursed Evermore

"Fret not, child," the Seer murmured, her tone soft but carrying the weight of eternity. "The road will be cruel at times, but worth it in the end, no matter what awaits." She gave Elariya a gentle smile before straightening. "Now, I must speak with your Lord in private before I take my leave. I look forward to our next meeting, Elariya Grayson."

"And I with you, my Lady," Elariya replied.

She stepped back, the golden glow still lingering faintly on her wrist like threads of sunlight. I caught her hand before she could turn away and pressed my lips to her knuckle. Her eyes met mine, and in that brief moment the world narrowed to the two of us.

Reluctantly, I released her and she continued toward the door, her skirt whispering against the stone. When the door closed behind her, the silence in the Hollow Room shifted. Heavy. Expectant.

I looked back at the Seer. Her gaze was no longer softened by warmth but sharpened with something weightier—grave truths she had held back until now.

Things she hadn't wanted Elariya to hear.

"I'm guessing this is where the hard truths come in." I sighed.

"I am sorry, my boy."

I nodded once, my face grim. "Go on, then. Tell me what you didn't want her to hear."

"These are truths meant for you alone." Her eyes hardened with resolve.

"Fine, give me the worst thing first." I might as well take the blade to the gut and get it over with.

"You have chosen her, Wolfe Nightblade. Bound her to your soul as mate and more. But... she may not always choose you."

The words split me open worse than any wound of flesh. My chest constricted, shadows rippling restlessly around me. "I'll never accept that." The growl scraped raw from my throat before I could stop it.

Her gaze didn't waver. "Love is no chain, my boy. You may give her your eternity, but her heart is still hers to offer or to withhold. You must be prepared to bear that truth."

The thought of Elariya slipping from me by choice tore through me. "No. I'll fight to make it the truth."

"That is not how love works." Her voice was gentle, but it fell like a stone into the silence.

My hands curled into fists. "You just told her she'd remember everything when she locates the ring." My hands curled into fists. I clung to that hope with everything I had, refusing to let her steal it from me.

The Seer dipped her head, her silver charms whispering against each other. "Indeed. But we do not know how long it will take you to reach that stage." Her eyes locked on mine. "It could be weeks, months... years. And with each reset, Elariya is changed. Every life lived shapes her anew. Even with the aid of her journals, she must feel those moments herself. That is why there are no guarantees she will love you as she does now."

Her words slashed deeper than she could ever know. My chest heaved. The thought of never having another chance to win Elariya’s heart was unbearable. "I just found her. And she is mine. My mage. Nothing can take that away from me."

"I am sorry. There are some things even you cannot change. This is one of them."

I shook my head hard, as if I could fling her words from me. "You don't understand. I don't care about anything else. I just want her.Only her."

Her lips pressed into a sorrowful line. "That choice may not be yours, Wolfe Nightblade."

The burn in my chest flared hotter, restless with fury. "Fine. Then what's next?" I forced the words out, sharp, final. I couldn't stand another second of this.

"Wolfe—"

"I said, what's next?" The snarl snapped out of me, cutting through the Hollow Room.

The Seer stepped closer, her presence pressing into the air with quiet gravity. Her hand rose, cool and steady, brushing against my cheek.

"Your determination has always impressed me, Wolfe Nightblade," she murmured. "I have faith in you. But hear me. This truth, if it comes to pass, will break you. It will destroy you in ways no blade ever could."

"Then let it break me." The words bled out of me, sharp with love and fury alike. "I love her. That has to count for something.I have to believe it matters. In three hundred years I have only loved one woman. That’s her."

Her hand lingered against my cheek, her eyes gleaming with newfound admiration and pride. "Then hold fast to that love. May it shield you and give you the strength to always gain what you seek."

I gave her a curt nod, nothing more. But inside, my vows cut deep. I would never stop. Never stop fighting, never stop trying until Elariya chose me as fiercely as I had chosen her.