#Chapter 63 - A Severed Bond

Eloise’s POV

I laid in bed for days, allowing Nora and the other maids to help me with my day-to-day routines and activities. Although I was able to get up and do things on my own, my strength wasn’t what it used to be.

I pulled out the ancient mirror from my bedside table; a wave of emotions pulling my heart in different directions.

I was sad to not have Mona. She was encouraging and helped me strengthen my powers. In a way, she was my mentor and I would miss her guidance.

However, I was relieved that Mona was gone. She allowed hatred and revenge to consume and in the end, she wouldn’t get what she wanted.
I felt sorry for Mona but she got what she deserved.

I smiled as I placed the mirror down.

I’m just glad that Mona’s selfish desires wouldn’t come to light. Xavier would get to live a fulfilling life… even though I wouldn’t be apart of it.

That same night after I had used Life Magic to bring Xavier from the jaws of Death, my parents sent word for a family friend to come check on me.

She was known as the world’s first “Grand Doctor.” She dropped traveling the world to spread her knowledge to come back to Witches Land to help me.

Although, she already knew there was nothing she could do aside from make my remaining time on this realm comfortable. She came to the conclusion that I was to die on my 19th birthday.

I found it ironic that I was still going to die like how Mona said it would happen in the prophecy. It just wasn’t going to be in the same way it predicted.

I looked down at my wedding ring as a sigh escaped my lips.

Xavier doesn’t deserve to have a dying wife at his side… Especially now that I won’t live long enough to give him an heir to the throne.

I snapped my fingers, unsurprised with how little the flame I conjured up was. Plus, now that I can barely cast simple spells without it taking even more of my life force away, I’m useless to him.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. It opened slowly as Nora peeked her head inside.

I smiled. “It’s good to see you, Nora.”

Her smile was small but concerned. “My Lady… Lord Xavier is here to see you.”

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. In my heart, I wanted nothing more than to see Xavier. I wanted to take him into my arms and never let him go.

I wanted to feel the simultaneous hardness and softness of kisses.

I wanted to smell his pleasant pine tree smell.

I wanted to gaze into his lovely golden eyes.

But I couldn’t shove the feeling out of my head that I couldn’t get attached to him. I didn’t want my death to upset him.

If anything, I wanted to make him hate me. I wanted him to vow to leave me and never come back. It would be better so he wouldn’t feel guilty about me dying.

But I didn’t have the courage to face him… not now, at least.

“Nora… Please tell Lord Xavier that I don’t wish to be seen. Lie about me being sick or something. Just… I don’t want to see him right now.”

Nora was there when I performed the Life Magic ritual on Xavier, so she knew why I was so adamant on not seeing him right away. She simply nodded her head and left to go deliver the message.

Days passed and to my surprise, apparently, Xavier had made himself a guest at the castle. My parents ensured that Xavier knew it was forbidden to see me unless I explicitly requested for him.

It was shocking to see that he actually followed through with the rules.

I was grateful for his willingness to listen because it gave me the time to research books about a werewolf’s mate bond–and how to break it. The pain was supposedly going to be unbearable for the both of us but I knew that I had to do it.

And especially with the little amount of magic I had left within me. I knew I had to do it now before it would completely run out.

When nightfall settled around Witches Land, I made my way to my castle’s gardens and called for Xavier to meet me. Nervousness and pain welled in my heart but I knew I couldn’t back away from what needed to be done.

Xavier cleared his throat and when I turned around to meet him, a frown tugged down on his lips. “Eloise…” His voice was barely above a whisper.

“I’m glad to see you, despite how unwell you look. Are you doing alright?” Worry was heavy in his voice.

I took a deep breath and tried to contain the tears that threatened to spill.

Instead of answering his question, I steadied my voice and forced the next words out of my mouth.

“I’m calling for a divorce, Lord Xavier.”

Shock was plastered all over his face. “I-I don’t understand. Divorce?”

Xavier took a step towards me. “What happened, Eloise? Did I do something to upset you? Please, can we talk?”

I held out my hand to stop him. “Xavier… Please, I can’t do this anymore.”

“Eloise, please! What’s wrong? What did I do? I thought we were okay, I thought we made up before the battle…” Water began to well in his eyes.

“Eloise, please, I don’t understand what I did wrong but I want to fix it! Please, my dear. Please, let me make it up to you!” Xavier pleaded.

“Did Douglas come by? Did he threaten you? Did he threaten your family? I swear to the Goddess if he did anything–”

“Stop!” I yelled at Xavier.

His ramblings stopped as he held out his hand to me. Pain and confusion were painted across his handsome, chiseled features.

I stretched out my hand. Not to take it but to cast a spell. Pain shot throughout my body but I pushed through with a straight expression.

A golden aura surrounded the two of us as the magic pooled in between the space where our hands were. Seconds later, a golden rope materialized. It wrapped around both of our hands.

When I looked at Xavier’s face, pain and confusion were soon replaced by horror.

“Eloise… Eloise, please.” He began to beg again. “Don’t do this!”

My heart broke in pieces as he tried to reason with me.

Trust me, I don’t want this either. This is for the best, Xavier. I’m sorry.

With my free hand, I conjured a silver knife and held it above my head. The pain that rippled throughout my body was so intense, I thought I was going to pass out.

“Eloise, please!”

Shutting my eyes as tight as I could, I sliced the knife through the golden rope. It felt like I was actively getting my heart ripped out of my chest. I fell to the ground and began to cry.

Across from me, Xavier had also done the same thing. His hand was clutched to his chest as he snapped his head up at me.

I had never seen him cry before. The first and last time I’d ever see him cry was because I had hurt him in the worst way possible.

“Why?! Why would you do this to me?! Why would you do this to us?!” He voice trembled as he screamed.

I couldn’t even bring myself to lie about an answer. I just wanted everything to end.

“Did you ever even love me, Eloise?!”

I looked up at him as I straightened my expression. Despite the tears that fell down my face, I lied to him, making sure that my voice was strong when I answered him.

“No, Xavier. Our marriage was only supposed to be a contract, remember?”

Xavier screamed as he shifted into his wolf form. His ear-piercing howl shattered what was left of my heart.

I couldn’t control the coughing fit that came after he left, nor the blood that accompanied it. The weight of having expending most of my magic, draining my own life force, and breaking mine and Xavier’s heart, I passed out in the garden.

At this point, I’d rather Death come take me now…

Instead, I opened my eyes later that night and found myself back in my room. Although I was still tired and I decided to conjure my broken part of the rope.

I hugged it close to my chest and cried myself to sleep.

You deserve so much better, Xavier. Please know that this was for the best.