Chapter 18 Some things are better left unsaid
Silence filled the healer’s chamber after Dona said those words.
The air hung still, almost refusing to move, as if the entire room was trying to process what she had just said.
Hazel blinked countless times before she spoke.
“Get married”?
Her voice cracked a bit in shock and disbelief, wondering why Dona was suddenly talking about marriage.
“Dona, now’s not exactly the best time to talk about…”
“I’m serious”!
Dona interrupted, her voice very weak, yet firm.
“A binding ceremony like marriage creates a stronger bond of loyalty and protection around the couple. It could give you and Kael an upper hand against her”.
Kael furrowed his brow.
“That only works if both people share the same energy signature, and are equally willing to bind, if not, it's nothing but just a ceremony. Hazel and I…”
He stopped mid-sentence, noticing Hazel’s expression.
She looked pale. Not sick pale, but shocked pale, as if something just connected in her mind.
“Dona…”
Hazel said quietly.
“Did you see this in a vision”?
Dona hesitated, her lips parted but no words came out. Then she nodded slowly.
“I didn't exactly see you both getting married, but I could see her making her way in victoriously and the only thing that forced her back was when Kael held your hand. Which only means being together would make you stronger”.
Hazel crossed her arms, uncertain whether to laugh or cry.
“You mean Rave is affected by my love life”?
Dona didn’t smile.
“I… don't know about that, but I'm sure she’s threatened by your bond. And if she’s threatened, it means you’re closer to something she doesn’t want you to reach”.
She said and Hazel nodded.
“You're right, that explains why she separated me and Kael five years ago”.
Miguel shifted from where he stood by the door, his jaw clenched tightly. He had been silent through the entire conversation, trying to ignore the pounding of his heart.
'Marriage'.
The word echoed in his mind like a drumbeat.
It was absurd to him, Hazel marrying Kael was already a fact of their lives, and yet hearing it again, hearing the urgency behind Dona’s voice, made his chest twist in something unexplainably.
Kael finally spoke.
“We were going to get married anyways I guess we'll just have to push it forward".
He said and Hazel nodded.
“Rave is not wasting any time trying to get whatever it is she wants so I don't see any reason why we should waste time either”.
Kael stared at her, unable to read what was in her eyes. He knew it wasn’t love, at least not in this moment. It looked more like desperation or fear wrapped in determination.
Dona watched them both, silently, as the healer’s words replayed in her mind.
‘I saw you in my head, but your eyes were green.’
She shivered. Green eyes were the mark of corrupted magic, the kind witches could never cleanse once tainted.
Hazel's twin has definitely gone way beyond redemption. She was deep in evil and just like her name 'Rave' entails, she might be dancing with death more than they know.
“Alright,” Kael said finally, his voice calm but resolute and Hazel turned to him.
“It's settled then, we'll get married tomorrow”.
Hazel turned to him, startled.
“Tomorrow”?
She asked with her eyes opened wide and he nodded.
“The sooner, the better”.
He said and moved closer to her.
“She gave us a gift, don't you think it's polite to return the favor”?
He said and she smiled lightly before she nodded.
Miguel’s fists tightened at his sides. He said nothing, only bowed slightly and walked out, muttering something about informing the guards to prepare for the ceremony.
When the door closed behind him, Kael moved closer and gently touched her face.
“I'll protect you Hazel. You and our son, I promise to protect the both of you”.
He said and she nodded.
Later that night, the mansion was more busy than usual.
Everyone was preparing for the sudden wedding, servants running around in the hallway, trying to get everything ready and perfect before tomorrow as they knew any mistake could cost them their neck.
Hazel sat by her balcony, staring into the dark garden below. She could still see faint traces of black feathers scattered under the moonlight, the remnants of the ravens that had died earlier.
She couldn't seem to put her mind at rest as she kept feeling something very horrible was on it's way.
Unable to relax, she slowly opened the door, trying not to wake the tired Dona and the fast asleep Lucian.
She walked back to the garden, looking around and hoping she finds something, anything.
But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find anything. She sighed and turned to leave but got startled when she saw Miguel standing right behind her.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that”.
She said quietly.
He didn’t respond right away. Instead, he moved closer and studied her face.
“You’re really going through with it”?
Hazel nodded. “I have to”.
Miguel stepped closer.
“You don’t have to do anything”.
He said and held her hand in his.
“Come with me Hazel, let's go far away from here”.
He said and she immediately pulled her hand away from him, looking at him from head to toe is shock.
“What do you think you're doing”?
She asked and he sighed.
“You don't even love Kael anymore. Do you really want to get married to him after how much he hurt you in the past”?
He asked and she smirked.
“Fancy hearing this from you Miguel”.
She said and moved closer to him.
“Let me remind you in case you've forgotten”.
“You… are… his… beta”.
She said, poking his chest with her finger.
“His best friend”.
She added even more firmly before moving two steps backwards and folding her hands across her chest.
“You want to give that up and run away with me? Do you have feeling for me”?
She suddenly asked and his eyes twitched a bit before he swallowed, causing Hazel to smile as though she had gotten the answer she needed.
“Don't".
She said looking at him seriously, and he just kept looking at her without saying a word.
“Don't fall for me Miguel, I'll never return your feelings”.
She said and without waiting, she began to walk away.