The dark keyhole was a startling contrast to the pale skin surrounding it. In fact, it would have been more obvious if not for the mottled bruises still peppered over my body.

I stared at her blandly. "I appreciate the sentiment." After inspecting the bruises and still finding them slightly tender to touch, I had an idea. "What about you?"

She tilted her head.

"Can't you heal this?"

After a pause, she floated forward and ran a icy hand down the back of my neck.

I shrugged the clothing back on properly. "Well, it was worth a shot."

She flashed a smile, exposing her canines, as if this somehow amused her.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. A strange sense of foreboding overcame me as I stared at the bruises peeping over the collar of my nightgown.

"I never would have guessed the mother also had magic." I murmured more to myself than to anyone else.

I glanced up after being pulled from my thoughts. "I'm sorry?"

She floated up over my head and descended beside the mirror, facing me.

My body refused to move. It was quiet. "...Meaning?"

I didn't want to make assumptions. But if I was interpreting her correctly, that meant Edythe's mother hadn't been acting alone.

I could feel my hands tremble as I slowly raised them to stare at my palms. Before I had come to take over this body, just what had Edythe gone through?

Another darker thought entered my mind like a quiet whisper in the middle of space. A sinister thought that was making this body remember things before I had come into ownership of it.

Who gave her this curse? What was their purpose?

The trembling continued as my body rejected where my mind was going, as if some trauma was forcing it to reject any thoughts relating to before I had first awakened in the snow. Then another thought made my mouth become dry.

Were they still alive?

I swallowed. I didn't know. All memories before my awakening were not accessible to me. I had no idea.

I was blind.

With shaky hands, I crossed my arms and desperately tried to ward off the negative thoughts.

It's fine. You're protected here. The novel never mentioned Edythe experiencing anything particularly awful while living with her father.

I stilled. But it never mentioned her brothers either...

I shook my head. As much as this scared me, there was literally nothing I could do. I could either dwell on this and let it consume me, or focus on the present and face that situation if it ever comes to pass.

If...

With determination, I turned away from the mirror just as I heard the door bang open in my room.

There was movement before Rounen suddenly charged into the bathroom.

He didn't even knock.

"Bones!"

Before I could process what was happening, he picked me up and enveloped me in a surprising hug. "I won't leave you again, I promise!"

He sounded sorry as well. I almost felt bad for him, but perhaps a little guilt would help build his character.

"Rounen, you're crushing her." Lucius was leaning on the door frame, looking cool despite the concerned look on his face.

Were they...worried about me?

Rounen pulled back and looked guilty again. "I'm sorry!"

So many apologies. Today was weird.

After he finished making sure that I was completely okay, Rounen then passed me to Lucius who—to my utter disbelief—placed his forehead on mine and closed his eyes momentarily before pulling away.

"Your fever is gone."

I couldn't believe that he had just done something that I only believed to be possible in the cliche romance movies I used to watch. It was a completely different feeling experiencing it for myself.

"In fact," Lucius continued, unaware of my inner thoughts. "You're quite cold. Do you need warmer clothes?"

I almost forgot about the dark god watching us from only a few meters away. It almost scared me how used to her I was already.

"I'm fine brother!" I smiled. My face was already becoming so hot that I was positive more clothes wouldn't help.

After reaffirming that I was well enough the traverse outside the walls of my room, Lucius and Rounen decided to take me to the library. Somehow, they'd managed to pick up on the fact that I enjoyed the library. When we arrived and I saw the pillows and blanket prepared in advance at the centre of the library, I was actually touched. Who knew these kids actually cared for their sister?

While they sat me down on the pillows, they then pulled out some books which we read together. It was only when Lucius chose books on advanced mathematics and physics equations, and Rounen chose books about war tactics and devices used to torture prisoners of war, that I realised perhaps their approach to comfort wasn't entirely...conventional.

It went on like this for the next few days and then those days turned into weeks. As I slowly became more comfortable around them, it eventually reached a point where I was in the library by myself and felt almost upset that they were late.

Something's off.

Whatever it was, it was enough for me to know that they wouldn't skip out on our time together without good reason.

Finally, at lunch, I had fallen asleep on the pillows in the library and woke up to find myself being picked up by one of the brothers' maids.

My recollection of being carried through the corridors was somewhat hazy until I was finally brought in a formal lounge area.

When I saw Kael sitting on one of the lounges, I was immediately shocked out of my dreary state. It was the first time I had seen him in weeks.

Nyx mused, floating towards Kael.

Nyx's appearances in my life were sporadic. My time with the brothers bored her, and she instead chose to 'relax' somewhere else. A place I was sure wasn't in this dimension.

In new situations like this, she liked to make an appearance an suss things out for herself.

I tried to avoid direct eye contact with her, lest I give myself away. The last thing I needed was to be labelled as a freak.

As I was lost in my own thoughts, the maid then placed me down between Rounen and Lucius.

Rounen looked upset. "I don't want to leave Bones."

I was shocked. What conversation had I just entered in on? They were leaving?

"Well, we can visit her on the academy breaks." Lucius was staring at a letter in his hands. Judging from the wax seal at the bottom, it seemed important.

"Every DeVillanova requires formal education. That is non-negotiable."

Kael's words, although powerful, didn't seem to be as suffocating as before.

Nyx gave me a wink as she majestically floated in the background.

It was true. It did feel easier to breathe in Kael's presence. It was comforting somehow.

Nyx picked some imaginary lint off her shoulder.

I rolled my eyes internally.

Rounen slumped his shoulders in defeat. "You also have to promise to bring her to visit us."

Kael's face was emotionless, but his next words surprised me. "Only if you excel in your studies."

Rounen's eyes lit up. "I promise!"

I was surprised. Did Kael just use me as leverage in order to ensure Rounen didn't slack off? After seeing the smirk on Kael's face, I was positive.

After further discussions, I found out that this was different to the magical academy that every noble (whose possessed magic) entered when they turned fifteen. It was one for younger nobles. A more formal education covering politics, law, philosophy, history and even a minor specialisation in spellwork. In other words, the fundamentals of a noble. Worse still, it was an academy only for men. Women were educated separately at this age. That was why the magical academy was such an amazing opportunity, as it was not biased in terms on gender. Only magic. It was the most elite.

The academy Rounen and Lucius were attending was something 'compulsory' for all noble boys.

And the cherry on top was that they would be enrolled for ten years.

Ten years.

It was the same as school back on earth, except they graduated at fifteen, young enough for them to be specially trained into the their noble role at home and receive a proper social debut.

Yet, most nobles went on to receive an 'honours' education at the magic academy. Attending this academy was a social debut in itself, and it also ensured connections to many businesses and social opportunities after graduation.

Still. Ten years. And I could only see them during their academy breaks, or if Kael ever felt so inclined as to 'visit' them.

I was surprised by how upset I was over this. Although I was at a point where I felt Kael wouldn't kill me on a whim, I still was very much opposed to the thought of being alone with him for (most of the part of) ten years.

The fear was real.

It was only as I continued to listen to them that I realised that they would be leaving very soon.

Too soon.

"How much longer do we have?" Lucius's hands were balled into fists. I was touched by how much they didn't want to go. Our connection was so much more than I could have ever hoped for.

Somewhat shyly, I reached out and placed my hand on one of his fists. He seemed surprised as he looked down and saw me holding him. His eyes softened and he moved to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. It was so tender that I felt my heart twist.

"Don't worry, we'll visit you lots Bones. I'm sure they would be willing to give us more time off if we...negotiated." He said that word as if he was covering up his true intentions.

He looked up at Kael expectantly.

Kael's response was the same. "Only if you excel in all your studies."

Again, using me as leverage.

Yet, I was surprised he was even allowing it. Perhaps me being here was working to his advantage.

Lucius held eye contact with Kael. "It's a promise."

At that moment, I truly felt that they were leaving. It was final.

I barely had any time to mentally prepare before it finally came down to the moment I saw their luggage being loaded onto the coach, as I watched in despair from the steps by the front doors.

It was too soon.

Even as Rounen and Lucius came over to hug me again, I was desperately trying to think of some way to make them stay.

Finally, all that left my lips was a hateful plea.

"Don't go."

I was disgusted by how much emotion I was showing, but I couldn't help it. I was powerless.

Rounen grinned, his upset expression becoming resolute as he ruffled my hair. "We'll be back before you know it!"

There was no slow motion. There was no music in the background to emphasise the greatness of this moment. There was no sound as my heart broke in my chest.

No.

They left. Right before my eyes, they hopped on the carriage, waved their final goodbyes as the servants loaded the final pieces of luggage and the coachman whipped the beautiful black horses into motion.

It was too quick.

One moment they were there, then they gone.

...

Then it was seven years later.