"I had to," Ileus answered and extended his hand to pull her up.

She didn't take his hand and got up on her own. When she staggered a little, he came forward and caught her. She smacked him away. "Don't touch me!" Anger burned inside her chest. "You liar!"

He didn't speak a word, but still helped her on her feet and then left her.

For so long she had been trying to reach Adrianna and the key to reach her was right in front of her. Now that she came to think of it, "You wanted to trade me with Aed Ruad?"

"What? That's stupid!" he retorted.

"Then why did you come to Vilinski? It was definitely not to help me escape!" she lashed.

"Anastasia, you have to listen to me carefully."

"Listen to you? I'd rather jump off a cliff to my death!" Fury coiled in her stomach like molten lava. "Did you get the letter written by Aed Ruad?" she asked. "What is my price, Ileus? Huh? How much money have you asked for? Or is it something else?"

"Anastasia-"

"Just fucking tell me what were your plans? Why did you come to Vilinski a year back?" she lashed. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs.

Cool gusts of wind had started blowing around them. She shivered and the pain in her heart only made her shiver more. She whimpered and willed the tears to not come out-ones that were threatening to burst the barrage she was making. Energy inside her was again thrumming. She needed to release it. It prickled the tip of her fingers.

"Ana-"

"Don't call me Ana! You have lost the right," she yelled. "I am Princess Anastasia for you!"

He stepped closer to her. "Please, just listen to me," he took another cautious step. He caught her upper arms and his shadows swirled around him to envelope her.

Appalled by his touch, she brought her hands up. "Don't touch me!" White light exploded around her palms and when she slapped them on his chest, he flung some thirty feet in the air and crashed on the snow far from her.

His eyes became wide. Her magic was craving to explode.

As for Anastasia, she was so furious that she hadn't even realized what happened, her eyes flickering with silver sparkles behind the violets and her hair rose up in curls.

Kaizan and Seashell walked towards her but even they stopped a few feet away from her, not able to penetrate the wall she had built around her. The girl was furious as hell. Soft glow emanated from. It pulsed and then exploded. The next moment she was glowing like a star. The forest dazzled in her light.

"Damn it Anastasia!" Ileus grunted. If this continued, the whole Óraid would come to know about her presence. He got up and appeared right in front of her. "If you don't stop it, you will be exposed! Calm down." Despite her resistance and prepared for another assault, he wrapped his arms around her.

"I hate you!" She cried.

Regardless of her emotions, she allowed him because she wanted to be placated and he was the only one who soothed her... always. The darkness around him swaddled her and slowly her glow retrieved. She became limp in his arms. The dam she had built around her heart, shattered. With a loud sob, tears rolled down her cheeks. "You betrayed me."

"I can never do that," he replied. "Why are you crying? Please don't!"

She wiped her cheeks and said, "You are my enemy and I know you are feeling great seeing me miserable! Why do you care if everyone comes to know that I am a fae or now? Why are you being gentle to me?" She tilted her head. "Oh! I know it. You want me to lower my guard again so that you can trade me with Aed Ruad!"

"Why are you thinking about it again and again?" he said in exasperation. "I would never let that bastard touch you!"

"I am so tired of your tricks that I hate you." Tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"Please just stop crying," he said, totally worked up.

At that she punched his shoulder. She looked satisfied in doing that action, so she repeated it, punching and slapping and punching. "You took me out of Vilinski, only to give me back to him. He narrowed his eyes as he took her blows but he didn't stop her. "And the only reason you have come back was to sell me to that monster." When he didn't speak a word, and she ran out of energy, she gave him one slap on his heart and staggered on her feet. Immediately, he scooped her in his arms. With her safe and secure in his arms, he started to walk back towards Óraid.

She clutched his shoulders, feeling comforted, and feeling warm. "I am so piteous," she sobbed. "I shouldn't allow you to be near me. I need to get away."

He stopped and looked at her. "If you want to leave me, you can," he said in a low voice, "But you have to talk to me and listen to me. It is important."

She bit her bottom lip and then peered at him through her thick eyelashes. "You have one chance. If you won't be able to convince me, believe me Ileus, I will stab you with my dagger right in your heart."

"And I won't stop you," he replied with confidence. "And I think I am turned on!"

"Shut up!" she gritted. The man had to jest with her in this situation also. "I don't want to go back to the inn."

"Fair enough. We will go to a different place and talk."

"You can talk while we are walking," she said, adjusting in his arms. She was dying to nuzzle her face in his chest, to smell him, to feel his warmth.

He shook his head. "I think you need water or wine. First you are going to settle down."

"I will not take any beverage from your hand. You are going to drug me and sell me!"