We returned back to the Elijah's residence in no time after leaving from the dangerous mountains. I pulled my shirt off my shoulders while Callan stood behind me, waiting to survey the wound.

"Is it there?" I asked, a moment later.

He pressed his cold hand against my skin and traced a finger down. "Yes, there's only a little mark, it's like a scratch, nothing else."

I stared at the shirt in front of me that was entirely covered in own blood. Rolling the shirt, I tossed it aside over the bed and grabbed something new from the bag of clothes. Turning around, my eyes met with Callan's. He was still a little frustrated at all the events that had gone down since morning.

"It's going to be fine," I said, slipping the shirt on my self. "I'm going to be fine. You don't have to worry about me," My hands reached forward, and I positioned them over his shoulders, comforting him. A smile lined over my lips and I continued, "And it's just a matter of few days—maybe a couple weeks, but that's all."

"I know. It's just that seeing you hurt scared me." He admitted, his fingers playing with my hair.

I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace as care for me grew further more in his eyes. "It was an accident. We didn't know anything like such would've happened. The man stabbed out of the blue. Dion and Elijah were both focused on me and I went into a trance. Neither of us had any clue that someone from that coven was going to plunge a knife into me after they appeared trustworthy to us." I explained to him, as much as I could.

It was unusual of that man to stab me. I couldn't make sense why he had done it.

His expression softened as he listened to me, "I'm just glad you're okay."

"And I'll always will be, or at least until I can break this curse. I took your names in front of Alexandria, the least thing I can do is find a way to stop you all from dying for a century old curse." My words were sincere.

He nodded, and all of the anger was gone from him voice. Just like that. I leaned in and pressed my mouth against his for a chaste kiss while his hands fell over my waist, inching in closer till our bodies were touching.

When I pulled away, my heart fluttered, in a different feeling, one I never expected to have for anyone. "I love you, Callan." I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.

Callan's eyes widened with surprise and joy at my confession, the same confession I had kept buried for days now. His hands held me tighter, as if trying to keep me close to him forever. My heart skipped a few beats in the silence. It was the first time I had said it to anyone asides from my mother.

He pressed his hand against my cheek, letting his thumb rub softy over it. "You did not just say that, little witch."

"I did." My smile stretched.

His lips found mine again, this time with a fierce passion kiss that sent shivers down my spine. I melted into him, lost in the sensation. He pulled away and rested his forehead against mine, "I have loved you from the moment you called me to come to your room when you were hurt. You spent the night in my arms, sleeping and it seemed like that was only thing that comforted you. I didn't know you shared the same feeling."

I remembered the night clearly. It was an awful night and I needed help. It was the first time Callan had saved me with his blood after Elijah had nearly killed me with his magic.

"I do," I nodded, "And I'll always do."

"I will cherish your love forever, my little witch." He whispered, his voice filled with such tenderness and that love that it made my heart sing.

We laid down together on the bed, but didn't sleep. After a short while, I let Callan go as he had plenty of things on his list for the rest of the night—one was a meeting with Alexandria as she had called for him and Dion at the same time.

I feared if she was going to do anything to them, but Callan reassured me she couldn't even if she wanted to. They both had connections throughout the country and if they went missing, or killed, there was going to be an uproar, one Alexandria was surely going to avoid until Stephan Sven's death anniversary, until she had to kill all four of them to retrieve her magic.

"Get some rest, and I'll see you tomorrow. Don't do anything crazy until then." He kissed me on the side of my cheek before leaving the room.

Rolling over in bed, a new sensation overtook me, and I couldn't help but smile to myself. Taking a deep breath, I reached the light switch and switched it off. I needed the sleep, but there was one thing in my mind which continued to keep me on the edge.

It wasn't about Callan or Dion meeting Alexandria as I believed they could handle her—they had been since years. They were smart enough to not share any details about me to her if she asked them as she knew I was getting with both of them before leaving the court.

Mom was safe at Callan's place, far from the city. He had given me her location and promised to keep her away until this all was over.

The door creaked and my head rose from the pillow. My eyes fell over the silhouette forming at the doorway and I instantly became aware of who it was.

Switching on the lights, I sat up straight and met with Elijah's eyes. "Did I disturb you?" He asked.

I shook my head, "I wasn't asleep yet."

I moved a few inches further from the side of the bed as he neared me. My hand went over the empty space and he sat down.

His appearance was disheveled, his shirt unbuttoned and his hair tousled from the wind outside. The tattoos spread over his tanned arms and neck were clear. Even when we were safe, his posture was still rigid, and there was concern spread over his face.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," I leaned back against the headboard of the bed. "A lot better. Thank you." I mumbled to him.

His eyes narrowed and his whole demeanor of a sadist was gone in a matter of a few seconds. "You should be thanking Callan."

"Yes, but you saved me from that man."

"Dion killed him—"

I interrupted him, recalling the events that went down earlier, "Dion killed him, but he wasn't fast enough. You formed that barrier the moment you heard that man whispering the spell that could've killed me. You were the one who protected me in that moment, or else I would've died, just like that."

"I did what was necessary—"

It wasn't. I was teetering on the brink of death in his arms, stabbed and wounded when that man set his intentions to kill me with a dark spell, but it never reached me as Elijah created a barrier from soil and land the moment he heard those words leave from his mouth.

"Saving me wasn't necessary, Elijah. You could've let me die, but you didn't. And that's what I want to thank you for and also to apologize for calling you selfish."

A silence stretched between us for a few seconds before he rose up and fixed his posture. "Sweet dreams." He whispered, leaving the room. 

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