It's mid morning by the time I stumble into the inn's infirmary. The smell of alcohol and licorice is strong, the row of white beds neatly untouched; all except for one.

I can imagine nobody in the underworld would need medical help as they are all demons or witches with their own herbs to heal themselves— nobody except for my father.

"Viola." He croaks, sleepily rubbing at his eyes as my heart twinges with grief at his sensitive state. I'm a really shitty daughter.

He gives me a smile as I shuffle closer to his bed, fidgeting with my fingers and toes— toes of which I'd stuffed back into the slippers I'd worn to the ball.

"Hey dad." I smile softly and lean toward, gracing his forehead with a small kiss.

"How are you holding up? I see they bandaged your eye-?" I trail off as he moves to sit up, wincing slightly. I help him up carefully and bring the cup of water next to his bed up to his mouth. Metal straw, nice for the underworld sea turtles huh?

He drinks slowly, but I'm as patient as ever, chest aching at the state of my old man. That's what torture at the hands of the king of the underworld will do to you.

Once he's done taking his slow sips he leans back, a slight twinkle in his visible eye.

"You came for me." He says gruffly, trying to pretend he was stern— but a small grin threatens to break out onto his face. His beard has been growing out and there are bruises littering his arms from what I can see; I attempt to smile and come up with a witty response, but all I can manage is a watery smile as my eyes well up with tears.

"If I hadn't—" my voice breaks and so does my composure as I'm attacked by too many emotions at once. My father brings his arms around me as I begin to cry, overwhelmed with such force I'm left shaking.

I hadn't felt grief this strong this entire journey— why now?

"I don't know why I'm crying right now—" I start to babble like an idiot, wiping away snot that's now clinging to his shirt. I cringe away.

"Sorry." I hiccup as my dad smiles at me warmly.

"Never apologize for your emotions, buttercup." He kisses my forehead softly, his eyes also beginning to well up with unshed tears. He blinks them away frantically, but I grab onto his hand to let him know it's okay.

"I'm so proud of you." He says sadly. "And so sorry that you had to do all of this for your old man."

"Much more than a frozen lake and soccer ball, huh?" I giggle through my crying, still being cuddled onto him— which was probably doing more damage to his weak body.

I inhale and smile slightly at the scent of joop cologne wafting up my nose. It's like he could wade through sewers and roll in cow shit and his cologne would still remain fragrant; lucky.

"I met Claire." I whisper to him. He smiles gleefully and nods.

"She was in here with me earlier. I—I can't believe I've missed so much of her life." He says, in a slight dejected tone. I hum, grinning up at him.

"She's got a boyfriend." I smile wickedly.

"Snitch." He flicks my nose as I cackle.

"I hear you do too." He sighs as I tense up.

"Well not really—" suddenly I'm blushing. It was like I'd gotten caught red handed with an entire hand in the cookie jar. How was I ever going to tell my father that the demon he'd imprisoned so that I'd survive had swiped my V-card and then told me he didn't believe in mates? And oh yeah, Callence may or may not be seducing me, him and Kilian are brothers and I'm a whore. Ta-da!

"I've also heard that you used one of my spell books to set your boyfriend free." He raises an eyebrow with me even as his voice is still gentle.

I sigh along with him.

"I just wanted to know mom and Claire." I sit up slightly and begin to fidget with my fingers.

"Speaking of that... I met Mahtu." I mumble. He furrows his eyebrows as I raise mine.

"The groovy witch?" I try to refresh his mind as he smiles slightly.

"Ah, Mahtu." He says.

"Yeah, and I have a couple of questions." I say narrowing my eyes as he grunts.

"Don't you always."

My jaw drops as I stare at him. He snorts as the corner of my lip begins to tilt up.

"Cheeky shit." I mumble as he bats arm in response to the language, I wickedly chuckle.

"Is— is Mahtu the one who discovered the prophecy?" I ask sobering up instantly. My dad blinks slowly and then sighs.

"No, she wasn't. I discovered a long time ago— much longer than Mahtu was born." He says solemnly as now it's my turn to blink slowly.

"You're forty seven." I state.

"You were so close on all of my birthday cake candles— just add a one in front." He says sheepishly as I bite the inside of my cheek trying to figure him out.

"You mean to tell me— you're immortal?" I stare blankly. Am I immortal? He grins at me.

"No, no. I just age at a slower pace. Like turtles." He sighs and continues on.

"I discovered it long ago when I was working as a warlock with Briar... Callence's mother." He winces. "Before Kilian murdered her."

This time, my mouth drops.

"Okay wait—" my mind is tenderly trying to process this information, but it feels like trying to shred a piece of paper with a cheese grater.

"You knew Callence's mother? And Kilian killed his—" I stop in my tracks, not wanting to spill the beans that they're half brothers; the knowing look my father casts my way is enough to tell me he already knows.

"Knew her?" He chuckles coldly. "She was my best friend. We were raised together, and we were supposed to be at each other's weddings. I was at hers, but— Fate is a fickle thing, Vi." He says, almost too sad. Losing a lifelong friend will do that to you. Kilian did that.

"Why did—" I clear my throat slightly. "Why did kilian kill her?" I ask, fearing the answer. I know his father made him do things, but I was dreading hearing it from my own fathers lips.

"Because of me." He says grimly. "Once I discovered the prophecy that would end king Kaiden, Kilian went on a killing rampage. Said he wouldn't stop until he found the girl—he wanted to kill her. It wasn't until I met Mahtu, ofcourse, that I realized he was looking for my future daughter this entire time. He wanted to end someone else that would be important to me." My dad starts to choke up, but clears his throat in an effort to keep emotion at bay.

Ofcourse, the reason Mahtu went to meet my father in the vision was to warn him. To tell him it was going to be me.

It's an effort to not let my rage unfurl at the hurt he'd caused my father. Maybe he was forced to kill those people. To kill briar.

"Dad," I chew my words carefully. "Kilian only killed people because king Kaiden forced him to. It broke his heart—" I start to say, but my fathers harsh laugh cuts me off.

"You're too young to know vi, but that demons blood lust was like no other. He killed for pleasure, there was no forcing on the kings part. Trust me, I saw it firsthand." He sighs lowly.

"He would've killed your mother if he knew she would one day carry you." He says solemnly.

"I had to trap him, and I'll do it again. For good." He says as my back goes rod straight.

"Did I miss a page, or?" I trail off, looking at my father in confusion.

"He's changed dad." I say defensively as my father shakes his head.

"Just let your old man do this vi. I can see what he's doing— Callence is—" I cut him off immediately.

"Oh, you mean the man that you betrothed me to without asking?" I say sarcastically as he winces.

"No, Mahtu did that herself." He says slowly. "She binded you two when you were a newborn, because it was fate." He swallows.

"You and Callence are fated mates. "

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