When they understood that my mind was made up—that I was going to walk away from their world—do you want to know the strangest part, my friend? There wasn't a single doubt in my mind about how much the three of us loved each other. My heart was completely shattered, and they tried their best to convince me not to leave, but at a certain point, I could tell they were actually proud of my decision.
When we landed in London, the King's own security detail escorted us under umbrellas to the waiting cars. They drove us straight to a heavily fortified, walled palace. Calling it a safe house didn't do it justice; it looked like Dracula's castle in all its Gothic glory.
Killian turned to me and said, "Take a few hours to think things over, then come down to the dining room. If you still want to leave us, tell us exactly how you want to handle it, and we'll talk to our father to protect you from the legal fallout of breaking the contract. It won't be easy, but we'll find the best way to handle it."
"My mind is already made up," I told him, deliberately avoiding his eyes. If I looked at him, I knew I'd be lost.
He replied, "Okay, then. I can tell you for a fact that Lucius and I are on the exact same page. You're one of the brave ones. You're the only person I know who entered our world and chose to leave it entirely on her own terms. Give us a moment to speak with our father, and then we'll call you down."
I went up to my room, but barely two seconds later, while I was sobbing face-down on the bed, Lucius walked in. He was visibly upset. He sat down right next to me and brought his face agonizingly close to mine without saying a word. I kept my eyes fixed on the wall, even as I felt his intoxicating cologne and his warm breath brushing against my neck.
"Aren't you going to say something to me?" I asked.
But he stayed silent, forcing me to turn and look at him to understand. He was so close our lips were practically brushing. He pulled back just a fraction and caressed my face, as if trying to memorize my features one last time. I took his hand and kissed it, but he gently pulled it away, almost as if he were trying to shield himself from me, and walked out.
When they finally called me down, dinner was already waiting on the table, prepared by a stunning maid in her early thirties who wore a nametag that read Margot. I wanted to say hello, but she immediately hurried away with her head bowed. Right before stepping out, she caught my eye behind the brothers' backs and signaled for me to meet her in the kitchen, pressing a finger to her lips to tell me it was a secret. I wanted to follow her right then, but Killian stopped me.
"We spoke to my father," he said. "We need to know what you want, and we'll tell you if it's possible."
I couldn't hold back my tears, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. I choked out, "The best thing would be for me to go back to Mary Garden as soon as possible. Today, if it's doable. Don't you think?"
"My father asked us to stay here together for two days," Killian explained. "The media is in an absolute frenzy over your story right now, and the empire's PR team is trying to get everything under control. They're mapping out strategies. Check your phone. Ursula and Dr. Pierstein are the ones tasked with drawing up the agreement to dissolve the contract. God, I'm going to miss you so much."
That dinner felt exactly like a wake. I kept my eyes fixed on the wall, and the two of them didn't even speak to each other. When I finished, I thanked them and went up to my room to grab my phone. Right at the end of the grand staircase, Margot stepped out from a corner to intercept me.
"Follow me," she whispered in a flawless British accent.
She walked with perfect, poised posture, leading me down a corridor lined with ancient portraits. We stepped into a room packed with medieval swords and suits of armor. I was dying of curiosity about this woman; she looked like she had been plucked right out of another century.
Finally, she stopped near the window and pointed out toward the expansive grounds. "I'm Margot Robbins. Thank you for visiting me. Look down there—under that oak tree is my mother's headstone, right next to my grandmother's and a few other family members. I'm the third generation to serve in this palace. The Longfields have been the most generous owners we've ever had. Ever since they bought the estate, everything has been wonderful for the staff. I brought you here to tell you a secret, one you must keep entirely to yourself."
And in that exact moment, as if a vision were taking over, I saw my Carol in her face. I smelled her unmistakable perfume. Even her voice shifted into Carol's familiar tone as she whispered to me:
"The secret is: there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Keep going exactly as you are. And dear God, if you've decided to go back to Mary Garden, that is perfectly fine—but enjoy your life, and do it with joy! I don't want you locked away in there, staring at my headstone and my beloved daughter's headstone all day long… Look for beauty. Time is so short, and you have so much laughing and loving left to do. I love you, my Carmilla, and I always will."
I collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. I dragged myself back against a wall, watching as Margot's face shifted back into her own. She looked at me, completely bewildered, and asked, "What happened? Did I say something out of line?"
Stuttering, I replied, "No… I don't think it was you."
She smoothed her hair down and said, "Please, don't say a word about this to the young masters. Every woman in my family has it. One of my ancestors was burned at the stake when she was only nineteen. We've been hiding ever since… We're mediums, not witches. By the way, who is Clara? While I was just in that trance… I saw her force her way into my mind to see what all of this was about. I tried to push her out, but I couldn't. She asked me to say hello to you and warn you that she'll be seeing you soon. She must be incredibly powerful, I have no doubt about that. But be careful, miss. If someone like her is keeping tabs on you, it means you're meant to do something big."
"Clara is a psychic. I don't know how she does what she does… Thank you for the message," I replied.
Margot gave me a small bow. "You're very welcome, miss. Please remember: not a word of this to the masters of the house."
As we walked out of the room, I couldn't help but ask her how it worked. She explained that spirits ask her for permission, that they realize she has the ability to hear them. They don't speak with actual voices, but rather project images into her mind. She told me that in my case, she realized a good woman desperately wanted to speak with me because the moment she looked at me, an image of her own mother flashed in her mind, followed by a memory of her mother talking on the phone with a boyfriend, looking incredibly happy to hear his voice. That's how she knew. The spirit asking for permission was my mother figure, and she wanted to tell me something that would bring me happiness.
I asked her, "What about evil spirits? Don't they scare you?"
She smiled and replied, "I've never seen one. They aren't allowed out to pass on messages… No, of course not. That only happens in the movies."
I lay down on my bed and thought about Carol. I swore to myself that I would live life to the absolute fullest, that I would take her advice. Even if my heart was in pieces over how much I was going to miss Lucius and Killian, I would move forward. I knew I could do it. When I turned on my phone, I saw a barrage of messages from Ursula.
She told me excitedly that Mr. Longfield and she were seeing each other every other night in private. He was actually leaving his residence and walking all the way to her room. You have no idea, girl, how much happiness that brought me. At least I had helped someone else. Her final message read:
"Are you leaving us? Tell me everything. Lawyer Pierstein and I will figure out the best solution. Longfield is ruthless in these matters, but I asked him to leave it in my hands. Everything is going to be fine. I will be forever grateful to you."
I texted her back, saying it was a personal decision, that this world just wasn't for me, and that I wanted to go home. I added that the brothers had been wonderful to me, but that I was terrified—terrified of myself—and preferred to leave before I ended up hurting someone.
I took a warm bath, and when I finished, I said a prayer for Carol. Suddenly, everything felt so much clearer. I slipped on a short, loose, floral dress and ran down the stairs with a bright smile on my face.
I found both of them in the dining room and announced, "I'm more than happy."
Killian looked up. "Did you change your mind?"
Still smiling, I told him, "No, my departure is a done deal. But since we have to stay here, and given that I'm trapped in a castle with you two—and the fact that I love you both to madness—we are going to have some fun with the time we have left!"
Lucius stood up abruptly, looking completely exasperated, and stormed out of the room. But Killian just grinned, brushing his long, gorgeous hair to one side.
"What the hell," he laughed. "I thought you'd never say it."
He rushed over, sweeping me off my feet and tickling me. He cradled me in his arms, carrying me effortlessly as he said, "Get ready, because there's a place in this castle you're absolutely going to love."
He pressed a hard kiss to my lips before setting me down in front of a massive wooden door at the end of a dark corridor. When he threw it open, we stepped into a breathtaking, fully glassed-in greenhouse filled with hundreds of plants and vibrant flowers. I kissed him right next to a cluster of white roses, and he gently slid the neckline of my dress down to kiss my breasts with such raw passion that I started to tremble. I begged him to take off his clothes, to let me see him naked one last time, but he wouldn't let me go. His powerful, consuming mouth held me captive. When he finally pulled away and obeyed, I just stared at him for a few seconds. Every mole, every single muscle imprinted itself onto my mind forever. He slipped his thumb into my mouth, and I completely lost myself in his eyes as I leaned down toward his massive manhood, ready to trace every inch of it...