73__The faults in our fate.

*Viktor clenched his jaw as he placed his left hand behind his head, inspecting the cut on his side.*
*Damon stood behind him, his shocked expression visible in the mirror.*

*“So...” said Damon unsteadily. “What you’re saying is that... Kamilla... she was the girl you killed? You remember everything?”*

*Viktor couldn’t shake the heavy feeling out of him. His heart felt like a rock that had sunk down to his guts.*
*“Yeah,” he murmured, swallowing his emotion.*

*Damon released a heavy breath, pacing around Viktor’s shadowy bathroom. The sunlight that managed to filter through, lit a few streaks across Damon’s face as he looked up at Viktor with wide eyes.*
*“And that’s why you want to send her away, right? Because you think you might hurt her again.”*

*Viktor lowered his arms and stared at himself in the mirror. On the outside, he was the most beautiful of his ancestors. His looks were ethereal. But on the inside? How was he any different from his merciless father?*
*“I don’t think...” he told Damon, his voice quiet, weighed down by his depression. “I* know. *Damon, I pushed her off that cliff.* I *pushed Kamilla off that cliff and she could have died. She’s faced constant danger because of me and she deserves none of it.” Raising his hands, Viktor pushed his hair back and clutched the nape of his neck, studying himself. His entire soul was rejecting the words spoken out of his mouth, but Viktor forced them out. No matter how much he hated the thought of her away from him, Kamilla deserved her freedom. “Get her as far away from me as possible.”*

*Damon sighed and pressed his fingers to his eyes. Slowly lowering them, he gave Viktor a look. “Wait... Viktor, you told me the bond had been broken.”*
*A muscle ticked in Viktor’s jaw, but he remained silent.*
*“And yet,” continued Damon, his voice filled with equal amounts of confusion and suspicion. “You’re clearly still very bound to Kamilla. Are you hearing yourself? Never before have you cared about any woman this way! And now, you don’t even have the forced bond to blame for it. You love her—”*

*“Just...” Viktor gritted his teeth and released a shuddering breath. “Just do as I say! I am very aware of my emotions, but I think I’ve been selfish enough when it comes to Kamilla.* *This decision is for* her *good. Being away from me... is for her good. I need her... but what I am, she does* not *need.”*

*“Are you insane?” Damon asked, shaking his head. “If she’s still bound to your soul after the bond was broken, why would you send her away? Are you trying to* torture *yourself?!”*
*“I know—”*
*“I don’t think you do, V!” Damon told him. “You know very well that our souls seek only one mate for our entire lifetime. And you’ve found yours but you’re deciding to separate her from you?* Willingly?! *Do you understand the amount of pain and torture you’re going to experience from being separated from her?”*

*Viktor spun around on him, eyes flashing with fury. “You don’t think I know that?!” he growled. “You think just because I’m going to feel a bit of pain I’ll keep Kamilla with me, knowing very fucking well that I could hurt her?! And she knew about it! Kamilla knew that I killed Emma... she knew she was Emma! But she didn’t tell me.” He shook his head. “Fool. Why did she stay here knowing what I did?! She’s going to always do that, she’s going to ignore what I am just to stay close to me and that... is dangerous!”*

*Damon closed his eyes in frustration. “Viktor, you’re not a freaking creature, you’re a Vampire King who has total control of himself! The incident with Emma happened after you’d fought Rena and her sister! You were weakened and most importantly, you were a kid! I couldn’t even control my shifting until I was twenty years old! What happened on the cliff was just a result of remembering the incident with Emma and being furious at Rogan! It. Was. A. Mistake!*”

*Viktor ran a hand up into his damp hair and clutched it as he released a breath. “Damon. Do as I say. That is an order.”*

*Damon’s jaw clenched and, for the first time, he found himself furious as Viktor. Gritting his teeth, he gave Viktor a sharp bow. “Yes. My* King.”

**********************
Rogan sat on Diana’s throne, one leg thrown over an arm of the throne.
Diana clutched her gown in fury and glared at him from where she stood before her throne. “Get off my throne right now, Rogan!” she snapped. “I’m sick of men coming in here and disrespecting me! First Viktor, now you!”

Rogan sighed and relaxed deeper against the comfortable chair. “Quite yapping, Diana. Ask your aunt why she had me brought here and maybe I’ll leave.”

Diana scoffed and crossed her arms, looking at him with sharp eyes. “Come to think of it, you and Viktor are nothing alike. Despite all your good looks, no woman could stand your disgusting attitude! At least Viktor’s charming.”

Without opening his eyes, Rogan raised an arm and pointed at the tall windows in Diana’s throne room. “They’re the highest in the castle,” he murmured. “You’re not Vampire enough to be able to teleport nor fly, Diana, so don’t push me.”

Blinking at her cousin’s threat, Diana nervously tugged at her gown, knowing very well that Rogan’s quietest words were sometimes his scariest and truest. Suddenly the doors behind the throne silently opened and Diana saw Ursula come out.
She frowned at her aunt, surprised at her outfit. The high-necked, long-sleeved black dress was Ursula’s Enchantress gown which she hadn’t worn for decades.
Diana opened her mouth to say something, but Ursula held a finger to her lips, silencing her.

Diana raised a brow, glancing at Rogan whose eyes were still closed, a deep frown line between his brows as he lounged on her throne.
Ursula walked silently up to stand behind the throne and Diana watched with wide eyes as Ursula produced a little gold dish out from behind her back. It sat on her palm, glinting in the light as pure gold did.

Lifting her other hand over the rim of the dish, Ursula picked up the magic substance with her fingertips and reciting the spell she’d worked all night to create, sprinkled the dust over Rogan.

The moment it touched him, Rogan’s eyes snapped open, but before he could react, Ursula sprinkled more over him and Rogan found himself unable to move.
When she saw that he was properly restrained, Ursula moved around to the front of the throne, withstanding Rogan’s glare as he looked up at her in annoyance.
Finishing her spell, Ursula sprinkled the last of the substance over him. She felt her strength leave her, but held on firmly.
She no longer had the might to carry out such powerful spells, but for Rogan, she would do it twice. Ursula would not rest until she healed Donna’s son of his darkness.

“What are you doing?” Rogan demanded.

Ursula lowered her arms and looked down at him. “The restraint is only for a moment, to make you contain your anger.”

Rogan’s jaw clenched. “Ursula... what are you doing?”

Ursula felt her insides tremble at his dark tone but held firm. “I’ve bewitched you. I stayed up all night making that spell. I’m very weak at this moment, thus the restriction to hold you back.”

Rogan’s brows rose and his eyes closed in disbelief before he opened them and focused his gaze on Ursula. “You did... *what*?”

“Your anger *must* fade,” she told him with determination. “I know you no longer see anything worthy in life, Rogan. You wish simply to await death and be free. However... I’ve bewitched you to not die.”

Diana gasped in surprise, watching as Rogan’s entire face slowly went slack. If this were anyone else, he’d laugh. But this wasn’t anyone. This was his aunt, Ursula. Ursula, the greatest enchantress in all of Cassius. And she was telling him that she’d just taken away the only thing he desired.

“You did... what?” Rogan asked in a disbelieving whisper. “Ursula... what?”

Ursula swallowed her fear. It was alright, soon she would die anyway. She was old, she might as well do something meaningful before her death. She tried to help Viktor and Kamilla recognize each other’s souls and heal from their past pain, but that failed. She wouldn’t give up on Rogan.

“You’ve hurt too many people because of your grudge. The spell is powerful, Rogan. You won’t be able to break it. Ever. You will remain alive, living in your misery and hatred... until you overcome it. When you heal from your hatred and your pain and your darkness... *that* is when you will be free and lose this life that so burdens you.” She lifted a hand and placed it on his forehead. “From this day, so be it.”

**********************

Kamilla’s fingers curled into the covers around her as she stared up at Damon. ‘W-what?”
Damon could barely look at her. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head to her, showing his affection, respect and regret with the single gesture. “I’m sorry, Kamilla,” he told her. “King’s orders.”
Demetrius released a disbelieving breath. “Wow. Viktor really is something.”

Kamilla swallowed, her insides quivering from the sadness that had flooded her heart. She couldn’t even consider all that had happened in the past few months, all the danger and confusion she had experienced. She could barely even remember what had happened a few days ago at this moment.
All Kamilla could think was that she would no longer be with him. Viktor was sending her away even when she wanted to be with him. “Is it... is it because he’s mad at me? He’s mad that I knew about Emma, right? I dreamt of it and didn’t tell him. I lied to him and said I didn’t know.”

Damon pursed his lips. “That’s not it, Kamilla.”

Kamilla nodded. “It is... it has to be!” Releasing a shaky breath, she started moving the covers away to climb out of bed. “I-I’ll talk to him. Where is he? Let me speak to him—”

Seeing her quickly get upset, Damon held her shoulder, stilling her on the bed so her struggles ceased. “Kamilla, please do not get upset. You are not completely well yet,” he told her.

Releasing a breath, Kamilla put a hand to cheek. What? He wanted her gone? Just like that? After everything they’d gone through together, he wanted her gone?
Kamilla bit her bottom lip in frustration. What was it? Did he still find himself monstrous? Was he afraid for her? Or did he really just want her out of his sight? Either way, it wouldn’t have taken much for him to at least tell her himself!

Who did he think he was? Did she ask him to protect her? What if she wanted all the danger in the world?! What if she didn’t care if she died a hundred times, as long as she lived again to be by his side? Bloody chauvinistic neck-sucker!

Clenching her jaw and fisting her hands, Kamilla pulled up her knees and wrapped her arms around them as she glared at the bed. Her chin quivered so she clenched her jaw tighter, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat.
“F-fine.”
Damon blinked. “Huh?”

Kamilla looked at him, her eyes bright with tears. “Fine. I’ll leave.”
*******************

Demetrius and Grace were looking at her with sad puppy eyes as Kamilla stood on the front castle stairs, breathing the fresh air to calm herself as she looked out over the Kingdom of Onyx. Lowering her gaze, she looked down at her black combat boots, leaning her foot back on the heel as she waited for Damon to come out.

“I’m going to miss you, Kamilla,” said Grace for the tenth time.

“Me too,” said Demetrius. “You were the first person in the history of this castle to ever cook with me in the kitchen, my Queen.”

Kamilla smiled sadly at them, her heart secretly wailing in her chest, but Kamilla was determined to not let it show. If she let out one tear, it would be the end of her.
“I’ll miss you guys too,” she told them. “Tell the Legion I apologize for not saying goodbye.”

Demetrius nodded, just as Damon came hurrying out.
“Kamilla!” he called her from the hallway. Kamilla looked at him with raised brows and Damon waved her in. “Come here for a second, please, my Queen.”
Kamilla blinked. “Huh? W-why?”
Damon waved her in again. “Just very quickly. Please, I don’t know how long he’ll be there!”

With a confused nod, Kamilla left her bags and hurried in after Damon.
She frowned in puzzlement as he led her though the castle, her heart arrested by nerves. What was going on? Could it be that Viktor wanted her to stay?
They reached Viktor’s throne room and with a nod at Kamilla, Damon pushed the doors open.

Kamilla looked into the room with wide eyes. It was brightly lit, Viktor’s tall black-gold throne at the front. None of the darkness she’d seen that other night was anywhere in sight.
Kamilla’s gaze was fixed on the man who sat on the steps before the throne. At the sound of the opening door, he lifted his head and focused on her.

Kamilla’s breath caught as he slowly stood, his mouth curving in a smile as his blue eyes sparkled at her like the waters of the Caribbean ocean.
“My lady,” said Charming gently, bowing politely.
Kamilla felt her chin tremble, her heart aching in her chest. This was nearly too much to bear. “Charming...” she said as she walked slowly up to him.

His eyes were bright, Kamilla saw none of the cloudy sadness that would linger here and there in his gaze.
“Are you leaving?” he asked her.

Kamilla swallowed hard again and nodded.
Charming smiled. “Me too.”
Kamilla’s mouth parted. “R-really? How do you know?”

Charming rubbed a hand across his chest. “I feel it,” he told her. “I’ve never felt this way before. This, right now, feels like a dream. I am certain, my lady... that this is the last time Viktor will ever alter.” He smiled. “He’s finally okay. He doesn’t need me anymore.”

Kamilla bit her bottom lip in an effort to hold back her tears, but failed when two fat drops rolled down her face.

Reaching out, Charming wiped them away. “Don’t cry anymore, Kamilla. Smile as you deserve to. You, my lady, are a treasure,” he said with a bright smile. “I’ve been blessed to know you so I thank you, Kamilla. For helping him and... for everything.”