The Blind Witch
Chapter 27

There was another before you, one who I tried to fuse my soul with. But she was too weak, or I too strong. And yet, when I split my soul from hers, she was left with a sliver of my power.

Clarissa stirred in her sleep. Something was missing, someone missing. Her hand reached out, but there was nothing but an emptiness on the bed. She opened her eyes, but all she saw was darkness.

“Aiden?” She called out groggily as she sat up in the bed.

“I’m here, my love,” he said as he came into her view.

Aiden walked over to the bed. He cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her lips.

“What time is it?” She questioned after he broke their kiss.

“It is the morning,” he answered as he buttoned his shirt. “My uncle told me I am to report to the Leader Council. He said that I have been gone long enough.”

“Would you like for me to come with you?” She asked as she watched his orbs dance around. “I still have yet to go to court or to a council meeting.”

“I wouldn’t want you to bore yourself with politics,” Aiden shrugged as he smiled at her. “Plus, you would be a distraction for me.”

“What about when I am Queen?” Clarissa questioned with a frown. “You have spent years learning to rule, but not me. You can share the responsibility with me, you know? I can help you.”

“I do not doubt that you can help me,” he replied as he sat on the edge of the bed. He placed his hand on her leg, feeling her thigh beneath the cover. “I just worry about you. I feel-”

“Protective? Possessive?” She interrupted with a smirk.

“Yes,” he mumbled with a frown. “Yes to both of those things. I don’t want another man looking at you, and that is all the leader council consists of.”

“It sounds as if you need more women on the council,” Clarissa remarked as she crossed her arms. “When I am queen, I would want to see diversity in leadership.”

“Even though I feel all shall tremble before you, we don’t get a say just because we are the King and Queen.” Aiden sighed as he stood from the bed. “Now I have to go. I will see you for lunch. In the meantime, go out to the gardens. Stretch your legs a bit. You’ve been cooped up in this room for several days.”

Clarissa rolled her eyes and laid back on the bed, pulling the covers over herself in the process. Aiden frowned at her. Their powers as rulers were a sore point between the two of them. She could not fathom having a title with no power, but that was all Aiden had known. Yet she constantly challenged him, challenged the imaginary authority that was over them. But now that they were mated, he had hoped he could rein her in; keep her questioning at bay so she would fit in better. He leaned on the bed, hovering his face close to her ear.

“I will see you for lunch, and that sass of yours better be gone,” he said in a low growl.

“And if it isn’t?” She questioned, not willing to look up at him.

“Then I shall bend you over this bed,” he whispered as a hand rubbed over her bottom. “And I will make it so all that comes from your mouth is my name.”

Clarissa squeaked as she felt him squeeze her tightly. Her face went deep red, thinking about him touching her. She pulled the covers over her head, trying to hide from him. Aiden chuckled as he pulled away from the bed. Clarissa remained still until she heard him leave the room.

She sighed and sat back up. Perhaps she needed some time away from Aiden. For five days, they had been secluded in their room. No one visited them, and they did not leave. The only servants who came in filled the tub or brought food. It had been some time since she had gone outside. She was still too sore to train, but a walk would be nice.

For the first time in several days, servants came in to help her dress. Aiden had helped her, not wanting anyone else to touch her. It was not uncommon for wolves to become unbearably possessive after mating. The first few days after marking and mating is a time for connecting. A chance to grow emotionally with your mate. It was almost a biological need to not separate from one another. But Clarissa did not mind it. She loved Aiden, and he loved her.

She saw dark orbs swirling in a cloud when she left her room.

“Hello, Victor,” she smiled as she walked towards him. “I hope you had not been on guard duty this whole time.”

“On and off,” he shrugged as he looked over Clarissa. He reached up, gently touching her shoulder. When she did not flinch, he took her dress, pulling it to the side to expose her mark. “Does it hurt?”

“It stopped hurting by the second night,” she murmured.

“Did he hurt you? Other than the mark?” Victor questioned as he cupped her chin. He wanted to see her face, to see her expression when she answered him.

“No!” She gasped as her eyes went wide. She pulled back from Victor so she could turn her face away.

“You could tell me if he hurt you,” Victor stated as he watched her. “I would make sure he stopped.”

“I know, but I can also take care of myself,” Clarissa replied as she looked up at him.

She was surprised by his statement. She knew he was here to protect her, but this went beyond his scope of safeguarding. This was him being protective, as a father would be to his daughter. She could not help but smile at him.

“I know you can,” Victor sighed. “I just know how men can be, and it can be hard for a girl to tell her partner no sometimes.”

“I promise you will be the first one I tell if ever Aiden forces me to do something against my will,” she reassured him.

“Good,” he nodded. “I’m glad. Did you want to go outside?”

“What is the weather like?” She questioned as she began to walk.

“There is not a cloud in the sky, but it is quite warm out,” Victor answered as he followed her.

“Perfect! I have not been out in the sun in so long. I miss it.”

“I’m curious if you miss it or if perhaps your magic misses it,” he supposed as he thought aloud. “Inti did say that he plucked a piece of the sun and placed it within you.”

“I’ve never thought of it like that. I wonder if that is why I may have gotten stronger since my arrival. When I was a child, my human parents kept me inside all the time. It was only after being on the road for days on end that I was able to produce fire at the slave camp.”

Victor felt the sinking feeling of guilt hit him again. Time and time again, this guilt would weigh heavily on him. But then, he recalled what Anneliese had told him years ago. She had said that his abandoning Clarissa was all part of a plan he knew nothing about. Had the gods wanted him to send her away? Her magic was hindered in doing so. It was hidden. She was hidden and safe while with the humans. Had he raised her or any other witch, others would have known of her powers earlier. Perhaps she was meant to hide her magic until she was old enough to wield it?

“Why did Lydia not come to the bonding ceremony?” Clarissa inquired, pulling Victor from his thoughts.

“I don’t know,” he replied hesitantly.

“Nyx whispered to me this morning that there was one before me. It was Lydia, wasn’t it?”

"We believe so,” Victor nodded. “But she did not ever hear whispers like you. She was not born blessed by Nyx, even though she is a descendant of the Stardust. Lydia was born blessed by Frigg and only Frigg. They saw this in her Welcoming Rites. Nyx did not go to her until years later. One moment, Lydia is normal, then the next moment, she isn’t. They said when Nyx came to Lydia, it caused her a tremendous amount of pain. For days, she screamed, nothing able to soothe her. Lydia has never talked about those days. She is still haunted to this day by them.”

“I know when she was here, it was hard for her to be near me,” Clarissa whispered. “I could see how her orbs always pulled away from me. All other orbs will intertwine with mine, but never once did her orbs touch me. I also overheard Lydia tell Ophelia that her nightmares had intensified when she was here. I know I was the cause of it.”

“You didn’t cause it directly,” Victor assured her.

“It doesn’t matter; I know my very presence affected her greatly. I hate it, though. I owe her so much for teaching me everything that I know about my sight. But I also understand she probably only taught me because she loved my mother.”

“I hate that I agree with you,” he scowled. “Lydia did love your mother. Many people did.”

“Do you think she would have been surprised with the magic that I have? With the gods that have blessed me?”

“Your mother?” Victor questioned. “Most certainly. She had healing magic and I have shadow magic. The magic you are born with is not necessarily inherited, but it is rare for a witch to have magic that differs greatly from that of their parents.”

"Do you think the children I have with Aiden will have fire magic? Or dark magic?” Clarissa inquired curiously.

“Again, your magic type isn’t something you inherit. But I would not be surprised if your children have fire magic. But it all depends upon the gods.” Victor explained.

“Will I outlive my children?” She questioned as her voice became serious. She looked down as she furrowed her brows. “I am a pure witch; they won't be. I will outlive them, won't I?”

“Don’t think about it,” Victor answered pleadingly. “Do not dwell on it. They might live very long lives. They would have more witch in them than any other race.”

“I know I will outlive Aiden,” Clarissa continued as she stopped walking. “But, I sometimes think about what Nyx says to me. At my Welcoming Rites, she said my path is never-ending. She tells me that I am a creator, that I can level the Earth. She has asked me if I have the strength to defy the gods. Victor-”

“Stop!” Victor commanded as he took her face in his hands. “Don’t say anymore. You are going to get lost in the what-ifs. Don’t do that. Don’t get lost. Stay here; focus on the now. Focus on what is right in front of you. Don’t worry about what may or may not happen. Please. It will ruin the time you have with those around you.”

Clarissa could not hold back the tears that slipped down her cheeks. There was so much weighing on her heart. Every whisper from Nyx and Erebus added to her fears and trepidations. She felt alone in her world. She wrapped her arms around Victor, pushing her face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.

“Everything will be alright, baby girl.” He whispered soothingly. “You’ll be alright.”