The days that followed were filled with tension, each passing moment heavier than the last. Aelina's presence in the palace was no longer a mere nuisance; it was an obstacle. Despite her sweet façade, her every action seemed calculated, as if she were playing some unseen game with Leorick and Seraphine as pawns.
---
Aelina had taken to holding private healing sessions with Leorick. At first, it seemed innocent enough. The young girl had studied the sacred texts on curses and potions, and her methods appeared more refined than Seraphine's. But there was something about it that didn't sit right with Leorick. Every time he sat down for one of these sessions, he found himself feeling weaker, more drained.
Seraphine had noticed it too. "You don't look well," she remarked one evening, her brow furrowed as she assessed Leorick's pale face.
"I'm fine," he replied, forcing a smile. But the truth was, he wasn't fine. Something was off. He had begun to lose more energy after Aelina's treatments than he had after weeks of struggle with the curse.
Seraphine had always been gentle, patient, taking her time with each step of the treatment. Aelina, on the other hand, was swift and efficient—perhaps too efficient. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her methods than she was letting on.
---
One night, when Leorick was alone in his chambers, he received an unexpected visitor. A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Your Majesty," Aelina's voice floated through the door, as sweet as ever. "I need to speak with you."
Leorick opened the door, not surprised by her late-night visit. Aelina had a way of appearing whenever she pleased, her innocent demeanor disarming his better judgment.
"Come in," he said, gesturing for her to enter.
Aelina stepped inside, her white robe shimmering faintly in the candlelight. Her eyes, however, were anything but innocent.
"Your Majesty, I must confess something to you," Aelina said, lowering her gaze in what seemed like embarrassment. "I'm afraid I've done something... unforgivable."
Leorick raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."
"I may have... hastened your healing a little more than I should have," she confessed, her voice trembling, though her eyes glittered with a hidden delight. "But it's only because I wanted you to recover quickly. You deserve to be free of the curse."
Leorick's heart skipped a beat. "What did you do?"
Aelina stepped closer, her tone dropping to a near whisper. "I've been using a stronger, more potent potion than the one prescribed by the healers. I thought... I thought it might work faster."
Leorick froze. He knew enough about magic to understand the implications. She had tampered with the treatment, pushing him beyond the limits of what his body could handle. The damage could be irreparable.
"Why would you do that?" Leorick's voice was low, dangerous.
Aelina looked up at him, her innocent expression back in place, her lips curling into the faintest smile. "Because I care about you, Your Majesty. And I know what you need."
The words hung heavy in the air, and Leorick felt a chill run down his spine. It wasn't care she was offering—it was control.
---
The next day, Seraphine confronted Leorick in private. Her usual calm demeanor had given way to concern, and her eyes, once full of warmth, were now clouded with worry.
"I don't trust her," Seraphine admitted softly, her fingers trembling as she held a letter from one of her sources in the capital. "Aelina is not who she appears to be. I've heard rumors about her—about her family, about her past."
Leorick frowned, his mind racing. "What do you mean?"
"She's not just a healer, Leorick. She's been trained in dark arts. They say her family has ties to forbidden magic, the kind that can manipulate time and fate itself," Seraphine explained, her voice tight with worry.
Leorick's heart sank. He had known something was wrong, but he hadn't considered the possibility that Aelina was more dangerous than he had imagined.
"We need to stop her," Seraphine insisted. "She's using you. Her treatments—they're not meant to heal you, but to keep you dependent on her. And once she has you under her control, she'll do anything to keep it that way."
Leorick stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in. "I'll confront her. She won't manipulate me any longer."
But even as he said the words, a nagging doubt lingered. He was already feeling weaker, and Aelina's influence seemed to be growing. Could he stop her in time?
---
The next night, Aelina made her move. She appeared at Leorick's chambers once again, but this time her demeanor was entirely different. The sweet, innocent mask was gone, replaced by something darker, more calculated.
"I think it's time we discussed your future, Your Majesty," Aelina said, her voice cold and sharp.
Leorick stood his ground, though every instinct screamed at him to retreat. "What do you want from me, Aelina?"
Aelina smiled, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "I want you to accept the inevitable. You and I are bound, Leorick. It's in the prophecy. You may not remember it, but I do. You need me—more than you need her."
Leorick's breath caught in his throat. "You're lying."
Aelina's smile widened. "Am I? Or are you just too stubborn to see the truth? You see, I'm not just here to heal you. I'm here to save you from a fate you cannot avoid. But first, I need you to make a choice. Her... or me?"
Leorick's pulse quickened. He could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on him, but something in his heart told him to trust Seraphine.
"No," he said firmly. "I will not choose between you and Seraphine. This ends now."
---
Aelina's smile faltered, just for a moment. Then, with a barely audible sigh, she stepped back.
"Very well, Your Majesty. But remember, the longer you wait, the worse things will become. You will need to choose, whether you like it or not."
As she turned to leave, Leorick knew this wasn't the end. The battle for his heart, his fate, and his life was only beginning. And the stakes were higher than ever before.