Wivior had left after giving Elvira yet another steamy kiss. He had promised to return soon and wake her up with a sweet kiss on her lips and some sensual pleasure down on her lady parts.
Ezra had provided her with a gluttonous meal, and now she had a food baby belly. Not even overindulging could help her fall doze off because her mind was all over the place.
Elvira tossed and turned on the creaky wooden bed.
The fire-like enormous eyes were staring directly at her before they teleported out of there kept flashing back in her mind. It reminded her of the reptile man she had met outside the wizard's safe house. He could be cursed, but how could he have so much power? What did he do to Everard? Was he the one who took her necklace? Why did he never try to see her again? And what did he know about her curse and her father?
Her thoughts then flew to her family. Hopefully, Charlotte would have reached her uncle and delivered the message safely. She needed to warn her uncle Eldritch about Agror as soon as possible. However, she wasn't sure how to balance her family life with her new complicated romance with a wizard.
She could lose all her family and friends. Her mother, Lilith, would most definitely put her behind bars to develop a romantic relationship with a wizard. Was she ready to risk it all for Wivior? How far was she willing to go to make him hers? She didn't know that for sure. However, the craving for him was growing stronger with each passing day.
Without awareness, Elvira dozed off and entered the dream realm. She was standing in the same forest clearing where she had just left the little girl, but instead of the giant cage, bright-colored flowers were blooming in the damp green grass.
"It's not real! It's just a dream!" Elvira said out loud.
A cracking sound came from the direction of the trees, and the branches were trembling. Her breathing became heavy, and sweat dripped down her face. Was the beast roaming freely in the forest? She created a smoky black magical barrier around her and observed every movement in the trees. The creature that came out of there was not a beast. It was Wivior.
She broke the barrier and put her arms behind her back. Even though it was a dream, she still felt frightened to have revealed her magic to him.
"This isn't a dream!" began Wivior in his usual kind manner.
Elvira lifted her eyes in shock. "You saw my magical barrier, didn't you?"
"I did," Wivior said with the same handsome smile he always wore. "I know you are a witch, Elvira. It doesn't matter to me who you are. I want to be with you. We'll make our families accept our love."
Before she could respond, he pressed his lips onto hers and gave her a hungry kiss. Dream or not, Elvira couldn't resist his hot mouth and breathtaking kisses. She kissed him back harder and got lost in his arms and mouth.
Amid their steamy make-out session, Wivior suddenly pushed away. His features were gloomy.
"What happened?" she asked. "Is it bothering you now that I am a witch?"
"It would never bother me, Elvira. And we'll forever be together, "he reassured her. "But there is so much that you need to do first."
"Do what?" she asked.
Wivior lowered his eyes and began to walk away. Elvira tried to grab his arm and waist, "What can I do? Tell me!" He slipped out of her grip and disappeared into the trees within seconds.
Elvira ran around the forest. "Wivior," she screamed, but he was nowhere to be seen. He had finally accepted her. He was finally hers. Her heart was whole again. Then where did he go?
"Wivior, just tell me what to do! I need you! I want us to be together!" Elvira yelled and lowered herself to the ground in tears.
"I'll tell you what to do." A beastly voice echoed in the forest. Elvira turned around. A flock of birds fled from the direction of it.
"You can find a cure. The wizard boy can be yours. And you can have anything else you desire!" it spoke again.
"How?" Elvira demanded fearlessly.
"Kill Agror! Find what he hides. It's the only solution to all your problems," the voice repeated several times.
Elvira woke up, gasping for breath. Her body was abnormally hot and covered in sweat. She pushed the bedcovers aside and got up. Running her fingers through her hair, she tied them in a bun. It was an oddly specific dream about her life. Was her mind playing games with her? Or was it a message from the reptile man?
The heat was unbearable, and her mind was about to explode. She made a run for the door and exited the hut.
The chilly and moist air outside instantly cooled down her body. Everything was dark and silent there. Through her peripheral vision, a golden light came into sight. She turned her head to inquire. Quinn was sitting near a small fire with an object floating on top.
"Join me! I am cooking a rabbit with the finest seasoning," said Quinn. The skinned animal was hanging in the air, changing sides and cooking on its own.
Elvira didn't want to, but she had no choice. Maybe it was a splendid opportunity to talk and relieve her doubts about Elvira's identity.
She walked towards the wizardess.
"Feeling better now?" Quinn asked with a friendly grin once she was close enough. It was creepy as hell! Warmth neither suited her character nor her threatening face.
"Yes, I am! Thank you for asking," said Elvira.
"I am sorry for ruining your private time with Wivior," began Quinn. "Being close to him must have been helping you to heal."
"Don't worry about it. I understood the urgency of the moment."
"Of course, and it wasn't like it was your first time with him," Quinn commented cheekily.
"No, it wasn't," answered Elvira. Wivior wanted Quinn to see them as madly in love. So it couldn't be their first time. "However, each time with your lover is equally pleasurable and important." She had to let that out of her system. He was finally in her arms. They were locked in passionate kissing and some sensual touching. If only their clothes had come off, too, before they were interrupted! She wanted to make love to him for hours straight, but now she was forced to wait because of Quinn.
"I understand," said Quinn with a mischievous grin.
"How? Is there any man in your life?" Elvira dared to ask. Quinn gave her a questionable look. "Or woman? Or anyone?"
"There was a man. Not anymore," said Quinn bluntly.
"Was it Wivior?" Elvira instantly regretted letting those words out of her mouth.
Instead of glaring at her, Quinn looked amused. "Wivior and I are the two ends of a magnet that repulse each other. I am into manly men with a realistic view of love and life. Wivior is a hopeless romantic who turns a blind eye to everything wrong with his romantic partner. He likes women with pretty faces and dressed-up bodies. You'll be surprised to see the useful man he becomes when not in love."
"How do you know so much about what he likes and how he is in love?"
"You're not the first woman he has ever loved," answered Quinn.
Elvira pouted and rolled her eyes. What a womanizer he was!
"What was she like? The woman he loved before me? I want to know more about his past. He doesn't enjoy talking about it."
Quinn sighed. "I think we have a lot to talk about. I was going to take a stroll through the rainforest after dinner. Want to join me?"
"Sure," Elvira answered. Quinn was acting friendly, and it was a golden chance to learn more about Wivior and his past lovers. Also, it wouldn't hurt to take a peek at the monster.
Quinn moved her hands, and the cooked rabbit fell on a plate near them. "Have some."
"I had a lot to eat in the evening. I am full." Elvira rubbed her belly.
"Suit yourself," said Quinn, and began eating straight away. She took huge bites without taking the help of a knife once. Spicy seasoning stained her mouth, and her fingers were a mess. It was like watching a predator in the wild devour its prey. Quinn certainly had no table manners.
After eating, Quinn at least had the decency to dispose of the bones by vanishing them via magic.
"Let's go!" A loud and nasty burp came out of Quinn's mouth. Her magic created a fire torch for them out of a fallen tree. She grasped it in her hand. "A little something to see better in the forest."
They began their journey toward the forest. It was silent, pitch black, and all doors were closed. Yellow light peeked through the windows of only a few huts, and there was no light in the wilderness except the moon. The people of the town were terrified to step outside. The beast locked in the woods was horrifying, but those people had more to fear.
"She was a princess. Looking her best to attract men," began Quinn. "She had Wivior wrapped around her little finger, and he did everything to please her. For several years, everywhere Wivior went, she just had to go. They were all over each other all the time. One time, I found them..."
"She sounds like a horrible attention-seeking whore. I know she left him for another man the day he was banished," Elvira exclaimed.
"She did. Hearing about their relationship must have made you mad. I understand jealousy because I was once in love, too."
Was Quinn in love? Difficult to picture!
"What happened then?" asked Elvira.
Quinn deliberately crushed leaves underneath her spiky boots. "He died in a war. He was a good man, and he died with honor."
"I am so sorry," said Elvira. Quinn's face softened the moment she mentioned him. He must have meant a lot to her.
"Don't be! We had the most wonderful decades together, and no man can certainly take his place. This world is a wretched hellhole with cruel, twisted individuals, but I know he is in a good place now." Tears shone in Quinn's eyes. "He was a good man, followed the rules, fought for his people, and died at the hands of a warlock. He must be in a special place now. I know that for sure."
Quinn looked more vulnerable and emotional than when she talked about getting tortured. She was parted from her lover by death, and it was heart-wrenching! Maybe Quinn was not as awful as she portrayed.
"I am sure," said Elvira, placing a comforting hand on Quinn's shoulder.
Quinn wiped her tears off with a sleeve, and her expression stiffened. "Is your family accepting of your relationship with Wivior, a wizard?
"They don't know about his true nature. They wanted me to wed someone from human royalty," Elvira replied.
"They'll learn to like him once he proves useful to them. Also, I know he likes you more than any of his ex-lovers."
Elvira's mouth curved up into a smile. Was she more special to him?
Quinn then continued to talk about her life and her friendship with Wivior. The wizardess wasn't a terrible person. Also, her life was quite interesting to learn.
"Do you want to see the beast of this land?" Quinn asked once they were inside the forest.
"I do," Elvira answered immediately.
They walked towards the clearing. The cage was right there, unlike the dream. Elvira's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. A majestic jet-black creature was inside it. Its head almost touched the top, and its width was more than half the size of the cage. Its eyes were shut, making its size the only visible aspect in the moonlight and their fire torch.
"It's sleeping, but if we get too close, it will wake up and try to hunt us," said Quinn.
"What is this?" Elvira couldn't get her eyes off its majestic size.
"The work of a dark, powerful witch or warlock. I reckon they had something equally sinister planned when they cursed me in prison," Quinn whispered.
"You are lucky to have survived and found a cure for it," said Elvira.
"Indeed! Being tortured, imprisoned, and cursed taught me a lot."
"I learned something fascinating but didn't believe it to be true back then?" Quinn spoke with an air of mystery.
"What?"
"The witch imprisoned in the cell next to me told me about a teenage witch that survived a wizard ambush because no one could sense her magic," said Quinn.
Elvira's eyes bulged out. Her heart was palpitating, and it was hard not to express her shock. "Is that possible?"
"Let's find out!" said Quinn. Her hand illuminated with white energy, and Elvira fell to her knees inside the beast's cage! Two gigantic golden eyes with small pupils were staring at her. She couldn't move. Before there was time to think, a claw with fingers like swords came at her. It could shred her into pieces with a single blow.
She closed her eyes, let out her magical energy, and pictured herself outside the cage. Luckily, she teleported before its claw could pierce her skin.
Elvira was okay, but Quinn's face was red with anger. She now knew her secret! She knew all along. Her kindness was all a plan to lure her out into the forest!