Chapter 25 25
Odette's Pov
Astrid kept glancing at Aaron's way as we ate our breakfast, while he and Ivan spoke informally with each other, which surprised me. Ivan was willing to help Aaron as they were already speaking of how to win this war. I only feared he would ask for something in exchange. Something bad.
“You should stay here until your father is buried, Aaron.” Ivan said.
“Ivan, can you stop talking about death and eat breakfast like a regular person?” Astrid scoffed.
“Of course not,” Ivan laughed. Then he banged his fist on the table, startling me.
“We will have a party here tonight to celebrate your return. I hope you can attend once you are well-rested, my lady,” he said and everyone looked at me.
I didn't want to say no to our host so I nodded shyly.
“Amazing. Astrid, why don't you take them to a nice room. I am sure they would like to rest.” Ivan said.
I was so tired, but as I laid on the bed next to Aaron all I could do was ask questions.
“You seem to know Ivan pretty well,” I began.
“Yes. He was the first friend I made.” Aaron recounted softly. From the way he sounded, it was true.
I laid on my side and faced him. “Why does he call Scar?”
“While we were growing up, we gave each other nicknames,” Aaron smiled. “I called him Donut and he called me scar. I stopped calling him when we finally grew up but I guess for him some old habits die hard.”
“Hmm.” I nodded before continuing. “His sister is beautiful.”
“She's pretty.” He said respectfully and turned to me. “But not as beautiful as you are, darling.”
My cheeks heated for a second and I smiled. Then I remembered where Ivan mentioned something and asked. “You saved Astrid. When was that?”
Suddenly, all the air whooshed out of the room and his face fell.
Oh my. Did I say something wrong?
“I'm so sorry if it came out wrong,” I apologized. “I was only…”
He sat up and I joined him. “It was right after Nina died…”
“Your first wife?” I asked curiously.
He nodded. “Astrid had visited for the holidays to see her sister and that night, I was… I didn't know how it happened. I lost control and when Nina tried to stop me, I…” he paused and so did half of my brain.
Astrid came over for the holidays to see her sister. Her sister was Nina? That meant Ivan was his brother-in-law?!
Aaron continued. “I remember punching the wall continuously and blaming myself. I didn't see Astrid run over. She almost tipped over the edge while trying to stop me. I got her out in time.”
Suddenly, everything made sense. Why Ivan would easily agree to help someone with a reputation like Aaron. He was his brother-in-law. Well, my ex brother-in-law. It made me wonder if Ivan was happy that Aaron had taken another wife after his sister's death.
“I'm tired. Let's get some sleep.” Aaron said, snapping me from my thoughts.
“Okay.” I nodded softly.
I let him pull me closer to his chest and whispered ‘goodnight’.
Aaron had lived with the guilt of killing his wife when it wasn't his fault. It made me feel like a villain for not telling him the truth.
I closed my eyes and tried to close but it eluded me.
I tossed and turned and it made Aaron groan in his sleep so I stayed frozen stiff. My mind reeled with questions. Questions that I nodded answers to. So the moment his arms pulled just a fraction away from me, I slipped away.
Sitting up, I swung my legs down off the bed and stood up on the neat sapphire blue carpet that covered the ground.
The whole room was decorated in white and different shades of blue. The walls were a light blue while the doors and the window frames were white. The curtains were a beautiful turquoise adorned with blue crystals at the tips and framed the enormous glass windows that showed a clear blue summer sky.
I looked back at Aaron, who was sleeping peacefully on the royal blue satin sheets. He looked more beautiful than ever while asleep. I slid into a simple dress, put on Aaron's coat and my shoes before exiting the room.
I walked through the halls, not knowing exactly where I was going but I needed answers.
I froze when I heard a female voice behind me.
I spun around to find a middle-aged woman wearing a deep-blue gown that fell past her knees.
She looked exactly like me — curly red hair, diamond eyes and skin as pale as the moon.
I took a step back. “Who are you?”
“Who I am doesn't matter,” the stranger stepped forward. “It is the answers you seek that matter.”
“What do you know about the answers I seek?” I snorted.
She smirked. “I know you’re feeling guilty about keeping the truth from your mate and I know you want to save his life before the day of the Blood Moon.”
My heart dropped. “How did you know?”
“I know a lot of things, Odette.” She smirked.
I reeled back a step. “Stay back.”
“Don't you want to know where the Witch of Delacroix is?” She asked, making me freeze.
“What?”
“She is here in the North,” the stranger smiled. “And I can take you to her.”
“You're… you're lying…” I stuttered terribly.
“Suit yourself.” The woman turned and began to walk away.
Part of me didn't want to believe her while the other half wanted to give you everything and follow her.
I remained there for a few seconds before I followed her.
“Wait!” I ran outside to what looked like a garden.
The air was crisp and cold and the sky was dark.
“Where are you?!” I called out to her.
I finally saw her standing by a fountain and ran to meet her.
“Change your mind?” She grinned.
“Yes!” I caught my breath. “Where is she? Where is the witch? I need to save my husband.”
“Her location is easy. She's here in the North.” She smiled.
“Where?”
She pointed at the fountain and I looked. The clear water was staring back at me.
I looked back at the woman and frowned. “I don't see her.”
She grabbed my hand and pointed at the water. “Look at her.”
The woman she was pointing at was… me.
I woke up with a gasp and looked around me. Aaron was still sound asleep and it was still day.
Cold sweat cracked up my back and I hugged myself. The witch of Delacroix was… me?