Page 71 of Potion of Deception (Potion of Deception #1)

NEVER SAID BEFORE WORDS

V iolette made a heavy step through the dense forest. Didn't matter how much she looked around, her eyes couldn't find anything that looked like a path. Instead, their way went through the tangled bushes and the tall trees.

Dante's coat was weighing her down and made her tired very quickly. Dante all this time strolled slightly ahead, without going far. The silence was hanging in the air until Violette got caught over a thorny bush.

“Will all our way be that…clogged? I don't want to complain but–” she broke off, waiting for Dante's voice to be out in the air.

“Be patient. We might find a path soon,” he said, treading forward. Not once did he look over at her.

A warm puff of steam left her mouth. The vampire suddenly stopped and turned her way, which she didn't notice until she staggered closer. She lifted her head and found his eyes.

“If you're tired you can just say it,” he said blandly.

“I'm fine,” she muttered and made her way past him.

“We can make a stop,” he continued.

“No need.”

“Nothing will happen if we take a break for ten minutes,” he insisted as he appeared shoulder to shoulder with her.

Violette raised her head to the stars and then trailed her gaze to Dante. She was silent for a while – she didn't want the vampires to catch up with them but if Dante was sure they could take a little break then perhaps, she shouldn't worry. In truth, she was longing to sit.

She sat on a log and raised her head towards, just breathing in and out. The cold air made the journey even worse, she barely could keep up with Dante’s pace.

Her eyes opened – the stars were sparkling bright as diamonds against the inky gulf, settling tranquil in her heart.

The pale moon shone with silver hue, emitting the space around itself.

As always Violette sought something else there, maybe a sign or moment of epiphany; the sight of stars while traveling all these nights was soothing her with a feeling of protection, even if it was a very weak glimpse of it.

“You like looking at the sky,” Dante suddenly released into the air.

Her head spun to him, his gaze directed at the stars. She didn't understand if it was a question or just a statement.

Steam released out of her mouth, her lips bent in a faint smile.

“My mother told me once, that dead souls go to the sky and shine among the stars, so I just…I just hope she’s there too,” she paused, her brows slanted, “watching me. I know it sounds stupid but it's nice to think so.”

Dante's voice brought down the silence almost immediately, “It's not stupid. ”

Violette shifted her eyes, watching him intently.

His head tipped towards the sky. “There are so many stars in the sky that you can't even count them. If you think about it – how many lives have passed since the beginning of time?”

She blinked, entranced with his face as if she would have watched a painted portrait. His silhouette majestic against the moonlit sky, too immovable, absolutely monumental. His eyes – inscrutable as if he was hoping to see something there as well but he knew he couldn't – it wasn't there.

“Isn't it sad, you can watch a million stars above your head forever, except one, the brightest?” Violette voiced, shifting her gaze back to the glittering sky.

Dante turned his sight to her. He stared at her for some time, then again at the stars.

“I prefer the moon over the sun,” he breathed into the air. “It’s different but more…familiar. We can see her shape, her shadows, different phases of her life, how it changes. How she changes. How her parts disappear just to come together again. How she rewrites herself every month – her rebirth.

“She lightens the way for travelers at night, which is way more than the sun does. The moon leads you through darkness.” His eyes sparkled with that precise sapphire hue that was always so quick to escape.

“She doesn't hide behind blinding light, letting us watch all her imperfections.

And to all others, she's never trying to outshine the stars' beauty.”

Violette found herself watching Dante with parted lips, completely mesmerized. A sudden tug inside her heart, quick and silent but the one that leaves traces. What he said made her feel some strange way of rue and dejection, but it was beautiful, all of his words made a perfect sense.

His eyes met hers.

“You stare again.” He smiled derisively.

“I am at a loss for words,” she confessed.

A soft chuckle slipped his lips. “Did I make you speechless after all?”

“Don't get used to it,” she frowned.

“I won't,” he said mysteriously and then straightened up, his shoulders tensing again. “We have to continue on our way.”

Violette slowly nodded, then hastily got up, shaking off invisible dust from her skirt but not the feeling that veiled over her soul. He was right, they had to go – soon all of it will convert into a past event of her life but now she should be worried about what will come next.

Finally their legs led them to the little path in the deep of the forest, between trees covered with a thin layer of snow. Dante seemed to slow down his tempo so Violette didn't fall behind, walking almost hand in hand. Somewhere far away a series of warm lights glistened – another little town.

A few hours passed by and Violette started yawning, her thoughts meandered aimlessly and her eyelids were only half open until she tripped over her own leg, drawing Dante’s attention.

“I think we need to stop,” he voiced.

Violette blinked, trying to shake the drowsiness from her shoulders.

“I think we can make a long one,” he suggested and made a few steps to the side. “I'll light a fire.”

Violette let out a weary sigh and stretched, nodding her head as a sign she heard him.

She found a little wooden stump to sit – it wasn't too comfortable but her legs howled in pain.

They were on their feet too long and her boots, despite being so pretty, weren't doing her a favor.

A quiet moan left her mouth as she stretched her legs forward.

In a few minutes Dante piled the brushwood in front of her.

“Let me,” Violette perked up.

She shook her magic wand and the pile of branches inflamed in seconds.

The chilling air caressed Violette's cheeks. She rubbed her hands and pulled the coat on her shoulders tightly. The further they traveled, the more wintry it became. The glistening snow cloaked trees with white lace and blanketed the ground beneath.

Dante settled down near.

A warmth crept to Violette's skin, her shoulders shuddered and shivers went down her spine. She sniffled, holding up her palms to the fire. She even might envy Dante for his ability to not feel the cold. She must admit – being a vampire had its own perks.

Her eyes trailed to his figure, sitting with a bowed head, his gaze locked on the blazing fire, brows drawn together.

She tipped her head thoughtfully. His strange mood bothered her too much to keep quiet about it.

“ You're not looking happy for a person who finally will get what he wants,” Violette voiced.

“Maybe because I am not happy,” his voice – sharp like a knife – cut the air. Even the trees seemed to shudder from this sound.

“Why not?” Her eyes widened. She didn't expect him to be that blatantly honest, her words supposed to be a joke.

“Why wouldn't you go…” he paused, frowning as if trying to figure out where she should go and what she should do, “somewhere?”

Violette immediately protested, “Don't push me away! We're almost done with our deal, it's probably our last time together.”

His eyes shifted to her but then quickly got back to the playful fire.

“Are you still trying to befriend me, Little Witch? Nobody told you it's a bad idea?”

“You told me, but you also told me not to listen to you.” She joyfully rolled her eyes and swayed .

“I didn't say that. I said you can't trust me.” A sullen expression wrapped his face as he raised his gaze only to meet her tender smile.

Violette couldn't say what changed since she discovered he was a monster, perhaps, her mind surrendered to her heart.

She couldn't lie – she didn't see him as such.

Was he narcissistic? Yes. Did he play on her nerves sometimes?

Also yes. He was controversial and hard to read.

But he wasn't evil. She tried to convince herself otherwise but it was hopeless.

Her faithful nature couldn't let her believe he was a cruel bloodthirsty monster.

“I’m just trying to give you a hand of help,” Violette kept trying. “You seem to be thinking about something and I'm offering you a chance to talk about it. I promise I won't think we're best friends forever after this,” she said sarcastically.

He looked at her from the corner of his eyes and smirked. It made her tilt her head, ready to listen to his most honest speech.

“I–” he started and for a second Violette thought he'd changed his mind, yet he continued after a heavy breath, “I want to take this mask off but I think, perhaps, I wasn't honest with myself when I said I am confident in what will happen next…” He wearily drew a line from forehead to jaw with his hand.

Then carefully looked at Violette waiting for her to get scared or angry, after all he assured her there's nothing to worry about just two moons ago.

But she just inquisitively stared at him, at his face.

“I mean,” his voice weakened, “I think about…” he reasoned if he should share this th ought and at last second changed the course of his thinking, “What if I'm actually what others claim me to be?”

Violette bit her lower lip. “You think you won't be able to hold on?”

He didn't say anything – only a sad confirmation in his eyes.