"Until I told you everything."
A nod, "I had a breakdown after you left because it was too much, but it was better than smoothing things out. It had been centuries since I had last seen Cosmos too, and I thought he had fallen into Meredith's talons. Seems like I was right. But I'm glad he raised you. He may be a rude brute, but I couldn't think of anyone else to do such a good job as the one he did on you, kid. I'm also glad you met Naël's spirit and he gave you hope."
"You lost too much," I hugged her and she hugged me back. "But I'll try to help you with father. Can you imagine, you as my step-mother? Or foster-mother. Second mother, whatever. He's blunt, but he allowed me go help him out finding someone that fits his type. The someone is you!"
Her amber whiskey eyes widened, "He asked your help?"
I tilted my head, "More like I offered, he accepted it."
"He hates me, Hel. I'm sure he does."
"I doubt that," I scoffed. "Now, he thinks you hates him. So, let's walk before running. Besides, I have a feeling he's attracted to bickering, I got that from him for sure. So, uh, just annoy the hell out of his arse."
Bell burst out laughing, her cheeks red, "What's with you playing cupid? And how do you have such a good eye for it?"
"It's a gift," I grinned, trying to ignore Oli's feelings that are all flooding inside me. Nothing good. "I'm hungry, let's eat. I want the recipes by the way. Let's go, I'll pay some vampire food for you."
"If you're paying," she beamed, "who am I to refuse?"
Self Sabotage by Maggie Lindemann began to play on the market as I got up. "I love this song. Oh, by the way, you told me that day that you only drink O- blood type, right?" I grinned. "Father is an O-, I've heard vampires always prefer their mates blood type over all the others, even if they don't know that."
Her cheeks blushed again, "You bloody sly serpent, stop giving me hope," she crossed her arm on mine. "So, is your boyfriend only that big in height or…" She gave me a dirty look.
"Oh, no. He's all big. Everything in him is frighteningly huge."
{"Why are they so interested in my size?"} He gasped.
It's your fault for being that tall. It messes with the mind.
{"So, now you're talking to me?"}
I'm not.
Clenching my jaw, I felt my face burn hard.
"Did he heard your saying this?" She laughed out loud.
"Ugh… yes," I mumbled.
"Awesome."
✵ 𖣔 ✵
Я Твоя by Nazima, one of my favorite Russian songs, began to play as we passed by a dark witch's tent, and something made me halt on my step, like there was something calling me to go inside. Instantly, for the first time since I arrived in Belladonna, I undid the Serpent's Lock on my palm to allow me to feel the spirits around, and though it was overwhelming at first, I quickly put myself back on my feet. It's not as overwhelming as the spirits in the crypt, so I can handle this much.
I saw about seven female spirits surround the witch's tent, and I could tell they were all dark witches too. Given the similarity, they might even be of the same family, perhaps all guarding their daughter or sister that is inside the tent. And they were all looking at me with interest.
My thoughts and Oliver's only get to each other's when we are in a certain distance from each other, and as I'm not hearing him complaining, he must be either out of the underground city market, as I could tell he was here somewhere before, or in the farthest way from me, still in here. Like when I'm in my dorm and he is in his tower.
"Are you seeing them too?" Bell whispered, arm crossed with mine while she drinks a big cup of O- blood I bought for her.
"You can see spirits?"
She winked, "You know what I am. It comes with it's perks."
Oh? Demigoddess stuff then. "Yes, I'm seeing them."
The spirit that looked like the eldest of them turned to me, {"Come inside, black winged-serpent, our child will take a look at you. She's skilled in mating bonds and foresight,"} not ominous at all.
Nodding, I went inside with Bell behind me, feeling like the witch inside was calling for my very soul. A witch so powerful I could feel the power overflowing from her. Pure dark magic. And when I got inside, I met a female that looks to be around 27 years old, pale skin, siren black eyes, long black eyelashes, long straight black hair, straight black eyebrows with sharp edges, thin straight high-bridge nose, high cheekbones, small normal ears, wide full lips tainted blood red, serious and stern look in her sharp eyes, sharp collarbones, a black down-the-shoulders dress with long sleeves and sharp long nails polished in black.
Gothic in a holy way.
And it was needed one look at her that I knew. My body knew. My soul knew. I can't mess with this one. She is stronger than me.
"Sit down," she said softly but intimidatingly.
We both did that without a second thought, probably because Bell must have felt the same thing I did. "Good morning, Miss," I said, trying my best to be respectful.
"Morning, Hel," slowly, her lips curled up in a pure smile. "I've heard that's how you prefer to be called." Then she turned to Bell, "And you, Bell. Am I correct?" We both nodded. "No need to be scared of me, children, I mean no harm," her eyes fell on me, "especially not to someone as precious as you, Your Majesty."
Bell choked, "Your Majesty?" She gasped.
"You didn't know?" The witch asked her with the pure smile that was actually scaring me more than Meredith ever did. "Hel is a direct descendant of the Royal line of black winged-serpents. Wielder of the Crown of Chaos. Protector of Emerald Sky City. Ruler of the Kingdom of Maelie. Directly from the Miralanthor Royal bloodline of the wielders of nothingness."
She turned pale on my side, "You are a Royal? Why didn't you tell me? That sounds like something important," she chuckled.
I licked my bottom lip, "I'm still coming in terms with it."
"She is not simply a Royal. She is a Queen," the witch pointed her black nail at my ring. "She wears the Royal Ring of the Wielder of the Crown of Chaos, and the necklace. Two of the Royal artifacts."
My eyes widened, "H-how do you know all of that, Miss?"
"I am acknowledgeable. I know lots of things," still with the pure smile on that makes her look as holy as a saint, even though she smells like pure danger. "You can call me Haya."
"Miss Haya," sounds weirdly familiar. "Are you from the old world back where my kind was still thriving in power?"
To my dismay, she nodded, "I am not the oldest, but I am one of the oldest dark witches in the world. My appearance is young because I bathed on the fountain of youth more than once."
Bell gasped, "The Fountain of Youth exists?"
"It's in Vegas," I remembered the epiphany I had weeks ago.
"How do you know that?" Bell chuckled in surprise.
Haya answered for me, "It's something the black winged serpents do. They just know lots of things," this time when she looked at me, her eyes beamed with something warm and unsettling kind. "I am sorry for all the misfortune you went through because of the dragons in power, my child. The scars that go way beyond marks on your skin, the cracks on your soul, every trauma you carry… if I could make it all disappear, I would."
As weird as it sounds, I feel my heart warm.