The vampire's personal witch

to a halt and sat down to think things through. Looking around, she realized she was in a dense forest, with the union's clearing still visible in

nd, the air, the grass beneath her feet-it was all so wonderful, something she had neve

ark, and she couldn't sleep. Ants and bugs crawled all over h

hrough her veins, and despite the throbbing pain in her body from years of torment, she felt a strange, fleeting sense of freedom. The night was silent, save for the rustling of l

kin. Seraphine was utterly alone, lost in a world she had never known. Her fear began to creep in, replacing the brief sense of freed

care for me. No one wh

lurred from the fatigue. She stumbled, nearly falling to the ground, but she caught herself, gasping for air. Her body b

he heard i

e you al

no older than Seraphine herself. She had soft brown hair, loose and flowing over her shoulders, and

irl said, stepping clo

distrust she had developed from years of cruelty. But the girl seemed so genuin

ged to whisper, her voice hoa

eplied with a warm smile. "I

tion, but she saw nothing but compassion. Against her better judgm

eraphine, helping her walk. "You're

w and winding, but Lira seemed to know where she was going. After what felt like hours of walking, they arrived at a small ca

e. She hadn't realized how cold she had been until now. Lira helped her to

haven't you?" Lira asked sof

pressing down on her. She hadn't spoken to anyone in so

of something warm. "Dr

to believing kindness only to be met with cruelty. But Lira's eyes were so sincere. Slowl

ed," Lira said, her voice gentle. "You'r

just maybe, she had finally found someone who wouldn't betray her.

e and again to be a friend. Lira wasn't what Seraphine expected, though she wasn't quite sure what she had expected to begin with. Every day, Lira brought her food, warmth, and k

legs tucked under her. The flickering flames cast a soft glow over the room, i

ional, "the witches weren't always like this? They used to l