Her voice was soft. But it cut deep. Kindness or pity? Is there a difference in their eyes?
I wondered silently, keeping my doubts hidden behind a composed exterior.
"You think he was kind because of my scars? That it was pity?" I blurted out, my voice revealing more emotion than I intended.
Seraphina's eyes dimmed. "Your feelings for him will fade," she said gently, her tone reflecting the fleeting nature of her affection.
"He's probably frantic with worry by now," I muttered, my gaze drifting away. But even as I said it, I realised I was holding onto a version of Donte that might no longer exist. Seraphina cut through my uncertainty.
"Tilly, there's something crucial I must tell you." Her voice grew grave, the weight of her words heavy. "What would you do if an entire world depended on your decisions?"
I blinked as the enormity of her words sank in. An entire world?
This can’t be real. They must be mad. All of them were. But the urgency in her voice was impossible to ignore.
As the weight of her revelation settled over me, it took time to truly comprehend what she was saying. “I wouldn’t want that kind of responsibility. That’s what governments are for. Why are you asking me this?”
"Because you must make a decision, Tilly. A decision that could change all our fates. You know what I’m, talking about.”
She paused, letting the silence stretch between us before continuing.
"You must choose one of the brothers.
After everything that happened today. I don’t think so, but this wasn’t the moment to react. Be quiet and nod. That’s all I could do.
That is your true destiny. They cannot make the decision themselves—their desire for you blinds them. You’ve already seen what’s happened after only a day in your company.
They can hardly be blamed, of course. You’re beautiful. You have a pure soul. But only one can be with you, the one you bind to."
Her voice softened. The Elysium Bloodline will not wait forever, Tilly.
A chill crept through me. Elysium Bloodline.
Seraphina’s voice told me the bloodline had everything to do with the brothers, but the way she said the name felt bigger than just them. Here on Earth, bloodline phrases were usually reserved for political elites. The kind conspiracy theorists swore were pulling the strings behind the scenes. Hearing it here, in Sternwacht Manor, made those fantasies feel uncomfortably real.
I blinked, trying to process the weight of Seraphina’s words.
I thought of Cillian and how his gaze made me feel like I was already his. Then there was Torin, a whirlwind of rage and chaos. And Fionn, who gave me an unsettling feeling and would snap my neck at the blink of an eye. How could any choice in a situation like this be anything but forced?
Seraphina looked into my eyes.
"Have you decided?”
I felt a blush rise on my face. Had my expression given me away somehow?
“Of course, I haven’t decided. How could I? You say it will change everything, yet you expect me to know what to choose. You claim I chose wrongly with Donte, but now you want me to make the right choice just like that. That’s not how I operate. That’s not how people work. You find your other half when the time is right. And right now?”
I let out a nervous laugh.
“This is a lot to ask of someone who arrived here only hours ago.”
"Tilly, the time is right, but it's not with the one you thought."
Her calm demeanour, once soothing, now sparked a flicker of anger within me. It didn’t comfort me anymore it grated on my nerves, as if she were trying to lull me into compliance.
"Why are you and the brothers so desperate for me to make a choice? What’s so important about me that I must be with one of them? You’re an older woman. Why would you approve of what they’ve done? They kidnapped me. They stole me from my home. Is this what you consider acceptable behaviour?"
My voice rose, filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "I don’t understand. Why would they choose me? Isn’t there someone more suitable from their world?"
