Chapter 86

**MAE POV**

Mihai took us all to his office, and didn’t say a single word the entire time, until he had made sure we were all inside and the door was locked. Luthier and I’m guessing his son, Dren, took a seat on one side of the desk, whilst Mihai walked around the other side.
I walk around the desk, following Mihai, and decide to sit on his knee, knowing that being close to him would keep him calm. It always does.
He smiles when I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling me a little closer. I don’t think he fully believes what I said about the witch, but he’s willing to give me the benefit of the doubt, and that is worth more than any diamond he can give me. It means that he trusts me. He trusts that I will not lie to him.
I kiss the side of his head, laying against him, wanting to be even closer, and I never want to let go. I thought that witch would be the end of us all. But luckily, she was there for me, to tell me what I was, and not because she wanted us all dead.
We were very lucky today, she spared us, all of us, all because my mother was one of them. It seems like they really do take care of their own, even if they let her die.
Luther clears his throat, gaining both mine and Mihai’s attention, “Mae, this is your brother, Dren, he was waiting here for us when Mihai and I walked out of the woods, Dazed and without you.” He gives a little huff, “we didn’t even realise you weren’t there, it was like there was a haze over our minds. We didn’t even know when you stopped following us.”
Of course they didn’t know, they were more affected by the spell than I was, they couldn’t have fought it even if they knew about it.
But I could, and it makes me believe the witch a little bit more, maybe I am actually one of them.
Maybe I do have my feet in both worlds.
But what does that even mean? Am I in even more danger from the council? It’s just another reason for them to want me dead.
Another reason for them to destroy my life.
But it is also another thing that I can use to back against fight them, whatever power I have, I’m sure it’ll be useful.
I hope so anyway.
“That’s ok.” I say, “you were both under her spell, you couldn’t have stopped it, but I felt the magic, it was like a humming in the air.” I say softly, thinking back to my conversation with the witch, “I called out to the witch, and she answered, she told me I was one of them, and that my mother was one of them.”
Mihai tightens his arms around me, “you are sure that is what she said?” He asks, “did she specifically say that you were a witch?”
I nod, sighing, “it’s bad news isn’t it?”
My father and Mihai go silent, staring at each other as though they are having some sort of private conversation, and it’s driving me insane.
Why can’t they just tell me how bad it is?
I don’t need protecting. I’m a big girl. I can handle it.
Dren leans forward on his chair, “There has never been a Nati who has also been a witch, not in any of the history book.” He says, his voice cold, “but there are stories.”
“Stories?” I ask, giving him my full attention, “what kind of stories?”
Mihai goes to speak, but I silence him, concentrating on my brother.
“Having your feet in both worlds is one thing, but it all depends on what power you have, and how valuable that is.” He explains, glancing at Luther who nods at him, “the more powerful your witch side is, the more blood your Nati side will need. But it isn’t just that, because no one has ever seen anything like you they’ll fight for you. Everyone will want you on their side. It will be a blood bath.”
A blood bath. I’ve heard that before.
“What should I do?” I ask Dren, “Do I just hide it?”
He shakes his head, and my heart sinks, “you cannot hide the fact that you are a witch, because once the woman you met in the woods comes to you, and shows you exactly what you are, it will consume everything. It will change you, and it will be noticeable.”
Great. Fucking fantastic.
I can’t believe this. It’s always something. And it is never good news.
“So.” I say coldly, clearing my throat, “Then what is the plan?”
Mihai pulls me closer to him, as though sensing my sadness through my anger, he can always yell, even when I can’t.
I know that he wants to help, and I appreciate it, but unless he can promise that everything will be ok, his words will do nothing to help. There is nothing he can do to comfort my mind. Not right now.
“We have to contact the Nati council.” Luther says, sounding as though he didn’t even want to consider it as an option. “We have to ask for their help, we can’t do this alone, not anymore.”
“They’ll make her work for them.” Mihai growls, “we have to think of something else.”
“Hundreds of Nati lords will fight for control over her, she is unmarried, that means she is free to choose, all the men will come, and they will shower her with gifts.” Luther says, “but none of them will want her for the right reasons, they’ll want her for her bloodline, and for the chance that any female children will be the same.”
“Then I will marry her and put a stop to it.” Mihai says, his voice void of any emotion, “no one will take her from me, won’t allow it.”
Isn’t that the sweetest proposal ever made? I mean shit, he knows how to make a girl swoon.
Luther looks at me, “what do you think Mae?”
I turn to Mihai, “I’ll marry you, but only if it is truly what you want.”
He smiles at me, “having you as my wife would be like a dream come true, though I wanted to do things differently.”
That’s makes me feel a little bit better.
But am I really ready for marriage?
I turn to my father, “How long will it take to organise?”
“I can have a good wedding prepared within 8 days or so.” He says, turning to Dren, “call the family, I want them all here.”
Well, I guess this time next week I’ll be married. Whether I choose to be or not, whether I want to or not. It’s the only choice.
It’s the only way to keep me safe.
I lean into Mihai, “can you take me to bed?” I ask, “I’d like to be alone for a while.”
Mihai looks concerned, but he nods, holding me in his arms as he stands, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He tells Luthor and my brother, walking out of the office.
“Do you really want to be my husband?” I ask him, suddenly nervous as he climbs the stairs with me in his arms, “because you don’t have to.”
“It was my choice.” He says, looking down at me, “and becoming your husband will be the best thing that’s happened to me in over a hundred years.”
I smile at him, “maybe afterwards we could go away for a few days, just the two of us.”
He nods, smiling back at me, “we do need to have a honeymoon.”
I laugh a little, and lean into his shoulder, tired and a little defeated, I get to marry the man that I love, but I don’t get to do it the way that I wanted.
This isn’t how I imagined myself deciding to tie the knot. It wasn’t even on the cards a few months ago.
Things have changed so much in such a short time, and I’m struggling to cope, I never knew my life would Come to this.
I never thought I’d lose one family just to gain another, and I never imagined I would kill my brother just to survive another day.
I need a break for all of this, I need time to just be myself again, before I lose my mind.