Page 10 of The Ballad of the Vampire Prince

She hisses and backs away from Rhianelle. “Stay away from me!”

I’ve never seen such fear in the witch’s eyes. Not even in the future when we sealed her. The enchantress merely gave us a smile then.

I’ll see you soon.

But right now, she is staring at Rhianelle like the girl is the reaper at her deathbed.

The girl turns to me. Her voice is as soft as midnight rain as she tells me, “It’s going to be all right.”

Lilith’s lips move rapidly, chanting sorcery from the vilest of dark scrolls. The Rhunhraefn strikes like a serpent, ready to deliver a fatal blow. Nel draws her sword, the blade glowing as brightly as the sun itself.

The plumes of light banish Lilith’s wicked spell, devouring it like the light of dawn murdering the shadow of night.

Lilith crawls to the corner like a retreating spider. “Who are you?”

“I am Rhianelle Wiolant.”

I open my eyes.

Instead of the human town of Caerfyrddin, the elven city of Windhaven greets me with its white pavilions and tall spires.

What the fuck just happened?

Vampires don’t dream.

I shake my head and walk to the bed. The elven queen I married lays on the mattress in her deep slumber.

I remain there for a long while, watching the way her silver hair is spilled all over the pillow, counting her heartbeat and breathing.

Did I just fantasize myself getting saved like a helpless damsel? By this little fawn, of all people?

I mentally laugh at myself. How absurd.

The amusement fades and a sombre emotion takes hold of me. I pity this bright little thing. Her fate was sealed the moment she met me.

She will die in three years. Or less.

I’ve made it as damn clear as I can without sugarcoating the truth. Recalling back that moment in the bath, perhaps I should have found a better way to reveal the dreadful tiding.

I brought this damnation upon her.

Pain circles my heart over the memory of her freeing me from the labyrinth. If only she had never met me, Rhianelle could have lived a blissful life without worry.

I have not been kind to her either.

She bared her soul to me, and I use that to humiliate and hurt her. I suddenly regret my hostility to her during those early days. I was angry at the universe. I ended up lashing out at the only person that showed me kindness. The girl who reached out her hand and pulled me from darkness.

“Give me a chance.”

The girl said that a week ago. She truly believes she can break the spell. Sometimes I wonder where she draws that kind of confidence.

Maybe her credence is not entirely unfounded. I’ve done many things that prompt her to use the Rhunhrafn and yet Rhianelle remains untainted and completely pure.

Her lips part and the girl mutters something in her sleep. A single tear drops from the corner of her eyes.

I reach out to wipe it with my thumb.

What the fuck am I doing?