I laughed, trying to break the tension. I never was a sucker for romance, anyway. Until I met Seth. He knew how to make me laugh, how to make me cry, how to make me love him. Not that he made me cry ever, but the point was that he could.

I never suspected anything.

“Lil, this is it. They - your people - want me dead, and I don’t know why. You have to tell me. You can’t keep me in the dark anymore.” Seth’s blue eyes, a rarity in Verendetta, were serious. We were standing in the lobby of my inn, Walking Inn Circles. The decorations were all purple, my favorite color.

“Knowing will only put you in more danger,” I warned, staring into his eyes. In a world with no sun, light colors were impractical and sometimes dangerous.

“But at least I’ll know why I’m in danger,” he countered. He had a point. Maybe it was time.

I took a steadying breath. “I am an elf. Stop, just don’t say anything until I’m finished.” His face registered shock, but I couldn’t pause. Not now that I’d started. “My older sisters left for the elven castle, leaving me behind to deal with a sick guardian. My guardian vanished and werewolves attacked, biting my younger sister. I was angry. I left for the capital and joined forces with the empress to eliminate the elves.”

“Empress? I thought women couldn’t rule Verendetta?” Seth seemed to be taking the news pretty well, although he was completely bewildered.

“They can’t. Alexia rules through her husband. Anyway, I was wrong. I’d rather not be here, but there isn’t a way out of this situation. So I’m stuck.”

“What did they want you to do?”

“Start up this inn. And watch for people who seem like they don’t belong.”

Seth rubbed his chin. “I see.” He smiled at me. “Did you really think that would chase me away? Besides, is that so dangerous in and of itself?”

“Well…” I shifted my feet uncomfortably.

“Lily. You have to tell me more. Everything you know. Please.” He grabbed onto my shoulders and kissed me. I was in heaven for a minute before he pulled away.

I sighed. “When this person comes, she wants me to contact her and bring them to her. She has this grudge against this place called Earth. Her mother lived there before being transported here. She got married here and had Alexia, but when Alexia was five, her mother left her to go back to Earth. Alexia wants revenge.”

“How do you know all this?”

“Because I turned in her mother.”

Seth recoiled, a disgusted look on his face, but I knew I had to press on. Even though it was hard. “She killed her, I think, but she still wants more. More what, I don’t know.”

Seth reached out a hand. “It’s alright. Really.”

The sad part was that I believed him as I sank into that safe spot in his arms.
***
I shouting voice got me out of my sleep. “Lily! Agent sixty-seven! Wake up already, you idiot!”

I groaned. Estelle. “Watch who you’re calling idiot, Princess. You’re the one who buys six dresses a day,” I said as I got out of bed and got to my mirror. Estelle truly was ridiculous.

“Ha, ha,” said Estelle through the mirror communication. “Anyway, have you seen your boyfriend around lately?”

“Last night,” I said running my fingers through my hair. Whenever Estelle contacted me, it meant one of two things: that something went wrong and I needed to fix it, or she needed me to kill someone. Either of which, right now, I did not feel like doing. “Why?”

“Because he ran off towards Na Vavo Vu Forest. To tell the elves. We’re done for if they know everything.”

“What?” I shouted. Na Vavo Vu was the elven forest. It was extremely dangerous and I couldn’t imagine what he went there. He would be killed, for sure!

“Yup. Right after you told him everything about us. Thanks a ton for that, by the way. And if you’re wondering how we found out…mind your own business.”

My mind was going in a million different directions. Why did he go? Was it something I said? Was he no longer interested in me?

“Anyway, we want you to check his room for any signs. Then, find him. And kill him.” Estelle sounded satisfied by that.

“No,” I said, my mind going foggy. Kill Seth? Who was she kidding? The room was spinning around me and I had to sit down.

“Yes.” Her voice was hard, cruel and uncaring. “You will, or we’ll be killing you…and Taylor and Tatiana.”

My two younger sisters. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This couldn’t be happening. “Alright,” I croaked, thinking maybe I’d buy myself some time.

“We’re sending Vaneera with you. You know, so you don’t mess up again.” Estelle had a way of rubbing salt in a wound, for sure.

I didn’t say anything. Couldn’t say anything. Vaneera was one of the two Vampire Princesses, and while she was kinder than her sisters, if I didn’t kill Seth, she would. I turned to say something to Estelle, but she had gone.

Numbly, I walked to Taylor and Tatiana’s room. “Taylor, Tatiana?” My sisters didn’t know about my deal with the devil. I wanted to keep them oblivious for as long as possible. “I’m going to go away for a few days, take care of the inn for me, will you?”
They responded cheerfully, obliviously, and I headed to Seth’s room. It was completely empty, save for a note.
Dearest Lily,

I’m so, so sorry about the trouble and pain I’m causing you. I know that Alexia will probably send you after me. I was sent to get as much information about Alexia and Estelle as possible. I am an elf, too. Unfortunately or fortunately, whichever, you got in the way. I’m sorry. I love you.
Yours truly,
Ristan, also known as Seth

That was when I broke down. I folded the note carefully and sobbed. I cried over what I had lost, over what I had done, and over what I still had to do.
***
“Are you ready?” asked Vaneera. She had a very snobbish air that really bothered me. I suppose she knew that I loved Seth…and that I had to kill him. My big, puffy eyes and red nose may have given me a stupid and downtrodden appearance, too, I imagine.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Vaneera gave me a sympathetic look-maybe first impressions were wrong-but started riding off. “Not very smart of him, heading off during the full moon.”

I stiffened. “I’m sure he had his reasons.” In Verendetta, the full moon was when vampires, werewolves, witches, and some mermaids could come out.

“Yeah, but had he waited two more days, it would have been only you riding out after him, and we both know that you wouldn’t have been trying that hard to catch him.”
I didn’t answer, only stared at her. Vaneera was pretty, no one could deny that. She was the youngest, around sixteen or seventeen, maybe. She was wearing a pure white dress that looked cream up against her even paler skin. Her sword was pure white, too. I knew she could play with people’s minds and make them do what she wanted. Basically, if I refused to kill Seth, she could make me without ever lifting a finger.
***
“There he is,” said Vaneera, pointing to a distant figure on horseback. My gut clenched when I realized that it must be Seth. “I’m not taking any chances. I’ll let you say what you want to say to him, but you will kill him, do you understand?”

I nodded mutely. There was going to be no resisting Vaneera. There wouldn’t be a chance for Seth. For me. I rode towards him slowly, until a prick in my mind forced me to ride faster, to gain on him.

“Lily!” Seth looked at me from atop his horse, slowing down so I could catch up. His face radiated joy at seeing me again, although he should be turning around and running. “What are you doing here?”

“Seth, run.”

“What?”

“Vaneera, the vampire princess, has me under her control. I can’t do anything. I-I…”

He looked at me for a moment before grabbing onto me and kissing me. “I knew I was taking my life in my own hands,” he whispered. “I love you. Don’t feel bad.”

Even as he said this, I felt my hands drawing the knife out of my belt and pressing up against his throat. I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I needed to stop!

But then it was over. He fell off of the horse. I was too shocked for tears. I couldn’t look. I wouldn’t look. I knew I would block this forever.










EPILOGUE
It was four years later that I met Seamus. Funnily enough, he was one of the people I was supposed to be looking for. And I protected him. Started a war over it, actually. I wasn’t about to let it happen again. We’re not finished, it isn’t over. But this time, I can only pray for a happy ending.