Hunted

Chapter 13 ~ Aria

TW! Self harm, blood

What the hell is wrong with me?

I let him kiss me again, and I liked it. I shouldn't be feeling this way, not after what he did to my father. He's a cruel, selfish, and arrogant person who only cares about himself. His mere existence should make my blood boil. He's nothing.

"Aria? Is everything alright? You seemed pretty upset," Willow said through the door.

Gods, won't they just give it a rest?

"Yes, I'm fine Willow. Go get some sleep," I responded through gritted teeth.

She seemed quiet for a moment before I heard her walk away. To take my mind off things, I spotted a bookshelf filled with potions and spell books. I smiled to myself. Father really loved to read, one of the many things we had in common. I walked over and picked the book with a shiny red cover. Enchantments of the Heart: A Guide to Emotional Potions and Spells, it read.

I flipped through the pages, curious to see what type of magic I could find. One potion immediately caught my eye: an anti-love potion.

This potion's purpose is to diminish the love in one's heart. The effects of this potion are irreversible. Only use if necessary.

The word irreversible echoed in my mind. If I made this potion and drank it, sure, I wouldn't have feelings towards Ryker, and I'd never have to worry about getting hurt again. On the other hand, I would lose any love I had towards my family, my friends, and my kingdom. Was this potion really worth losing everything?

I thought about it, pacing around the room. If I craft it, no one would get hurt by my actions again. What happened to my father wouldn't happen to anybody else. If I don't craft it, Ryker could use my feelings against me again. Everyone I love would get hurt, and my kingdom would fall to the ground.

Determined, I gathered all the materials to create the potion. Luckily, everything I needed was already in the room, so I wouldn't have to face anyone outside.

After I had finished crafting the potion, I poured it into a small vial, ready to drink. Just as I brought it up to my lips, I heard a knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I asked, annoyed.

Willow cleared her throat. "Aria, change of plans. We need to leave now. Jax was just informed that the guards are scouting the area tomorrow morning, so we won't be able to leave by then. Come on, pack up your things and meet us outside."

I rushed to get my bag, immediately placing the vial into one of the pockets. That way, I'd be ready to drink it if any feelings towards Ryker got in the way. I put the last of my father's spell books into my bag and opened the door. Willow was there waiting for me.

"Let's go. We don't have much time," I said.

We walked towards the stairs leading to the trapdoor above, ready to leave. As soon as we got outside, Ryker, Hugo, and Jax were there waiting for us.

"Shall we go, M'lady?" Hugo asked, offering Willow his arm.

She blushed, taking his arm. "I know a pub just a night's journey away from here. If we keep our pace, we should be there by midnight," Willow suggested.

I nodded. "Lead the way."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Are we there yet? I'm exhausted!" Hugo complained.

I groaned. "We've been walking for thirty minutes, is he always this needy?"

I felt someone chuckle right beside me. "Trust me, he's much worse when he's actually tired," Ryker responded, amused. I glanced at Hugo, who was lagging behind. "Although I have to admit, watching him suffer like this is quite entertaining."