I’ve never been much of a cook. Honestly, I didn’t even know where to start. The kitchen in the magic tower was intimidating, with shelves packed full of ingredients I’ve never seen before, enchanted utensils that twitch and hum with magic, and a stove that looks like it could incinerate me if I turned the dial the wrong way. But I wanted to try... for Hael. I thought maybe I could surprise him for once. A home-cooked meal, simple enough. At least, that’s what I told myself. I pulled out the book I found in the blackmarket. I had it tucked behind some jars of dried herbs—a noblewoman’s guide to simple dishes. Perfect, right? Wrong. Everything quickly spiraled into chaos. I tried to measure ingredients, but the spoons seemed to grow larger as I scooped, and by the time I was done, I had way too much of everything. Flour puffed up in a cloud around me, and somehow the sauce boiled over without warning, sizzling in the pan like it was mocking me. After what felt like an eternity, I had something resembling food on a tray. It wasn’t pretty, but it was done. I looked down at the mess I had created—smudged counters, flour-covered floors, and a faint burning smell—and shook my head. I pursed my lips in disgust. Cooking wasn’t my thing, clearly. But maybe Hael wouldn’t notice. Or maybe he wouldn’t mind. He’s always so patient with me. Balancing the tray in my arms, I went back to our room. As I pushed the door open, I saw Hael seated at his desk, the soft glow of magic lingering around his hands as he scribbled into one of his many books. His silver hair was tied up in a loose ponytail, a few strands falling in front of his face, catching the light from the nearby lantern. He looked peaceful, lost in his work, but the moment the door creaked open, his eyes snapped up to meet mine, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Orenya," He said, his voice warm as ever. "What have you got there?" I swallowed, suddenly nervous. "Uh, I made food." He raised an eyebrow and stood up, closing his book and moving toward me, all his attention focused on me now. My heart fluttered. He always had a way of making me feel like I was the only thing that mattered when he looked at me like that. "Really?" His excitement was genuine, his eyes sparkling. "I didn’t know you could cook." I laughed awkwardly, setting the tray down on a small table by the window. "Well, I never said I was good at it." Hael didn’t seem fazed by my warning. He sat down and glanced at the plate of... well, whatever it was. I could see the hesitation flicker across his face for a split second, but he hid it quickly, giving me an encouraging smile. I sat down beside him, watching as he picked up a fork. "You don’t have to pretend it’s good," I said, feeling my cheeks heat up. "It’s probably awful. I don’t know what I’m doing in the kitchen. Nobles don’t exactly grow up learning to cook." Even at the cafe, everyone always told me to stay at the counter. He chuckled softly, that familiar sound filling the room with warmth. "I’m sure it’s not that bad." Then, he took a bite. I waited, my eyes fixed on his face, searching for any sign of distress. He chewed thoughtfully, but his expression didn’t change much. Finally, he swallowed and met my gaze with a twinkle of amusement. "Well?" I asked, biting my lip. "It’s... definitely unique," He said carefully, trying not to hurt my feelings. But I could see the truth in his eyes. I groaned, sinking back into my chair. "It’s awful, isn’t it?" Hael set his fork down gently. "How about you leave the cooking to me from now on?" He gulped the remaining of what was in his mouth but I could see how much effort that took him, "And the kitchen staff is there to help if you ever do want to cook." I felt embarrassed. "Yeah, I figured that out. Guess I’ll leave the cooking to you from now on." He reached over and took my hand, his fingers brushing against mine, sending a warm tingle through me. "I’ll do the cooking if needed," He said with that charming grin of his. "But I appreciate the effort. Really." I looked back at him softly. To whatever magic Einar did on you, I’m ever grateful for that. I nodded back at him, "Say," "How did you use my Holy Power?" I asked "Through the mark I left on you." He pointed at the nape "I also used to when you called my name trying to summon me. When I was in Hollow Woods alone. I used your mark, used your mana, to summon myself back." That’s why my nape felt like it was on fire that time too!! "I see," It made sense. Well good thing I called him, he would be dead otherwise. He pulled on my hands, making me stand up from my seat and then he pulled me towards himself, making me sit on his lap. "Did you decide on a wedding date?" His words made my heart flutter, but it was immediately followed by a sting of horror. Why? Because we had an unsolved problem still lurking between us. "Hael..." No matter what, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was impossible not to think about it, "Winter is here," I placed my head on his shoulder, "And there has been no word from Delphi or Einar." I was anxious, it was always on my head Hael wrapped his arms around me, "We still have time-" "Not much!!-" I was going to say a lot of stuff when Hael’s communication device began to beep and glow just like before. He had it on the shelf and we both stared at it for a second. I lay there, helpless on the cold fae stone altar that has astronomical colors, my wrists and ankles bound by vines that felt like steel. No matter how hard I tried to move, I couldn’t. The vines around my gut pressed tighter, holding me in place as though I was nothing more than prey caught in a trap. My shirt hung open, exposing my skin to the bitter air, but all I could think about was the cold dread building in my chest. It was an open altar, right in the middle of wisteria trees that were in full bloom. I could see the white pillars around the altar, some ancient text inscribed in them. Her nails hovered above me, sharp and glowing an unnatural yet beautiful blue. The tension was unbearable, the wait more agonizing than the cut itself. I felt it coming before it even happened—the first slice, clean down the middle of my chest. The pain!! It tore through me like a white-hot blade, a searing line of agony that stole my breath. My body tried to flinch, tried to writhe away, but the vines tightened, mocking my futile efforts. Tears streamed down my face, and I bit down on my lip, desperate to stop the scream clawing its way up my throat. But then her other hand followed, and I felt her nails sink deeper, parting my flesh, cutting through muscle. My heart pounded violently beneath her touch, each beat sending waves of excruciating pain through me. I couldn’t hold back the tears, couldn’t control the way my body trembled. I wanted to scream. I wanted to beg her to stop. But all that came were choked, broken sobs. I bit down harder on my lip, tasting blood, my teeth grinding as I tried to keep silent. Her fingers wrapped around my heart, and I could feel it—feel her holding it. The coldness of her touch spread through me like poison, as if she was gripping my very life between her cruel fingers. My heart hammered, panicked, and every throb only made the pain worse. It was like my own body was betraying me, driving the agony deeper with each beat. Then, I felt it. Her nails sliced through the veins. The sharp, brutal pain ripped through me, so intense I thought my mind would shatter from it. It wasn’t just physical—it felt like she was severing something deeper, something that tethered me to life itself. "I’m going to remove your heart now," She said, her voice as cold and emotionless as the pain was all-consuming. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. My entire world was collapsing around the sensation of her fingers digging into my chest, gripping my heart like it was nothing more than a trinket she could rip out. I tried to scream, but the sound caught in my throat, my mouth open in a silent, broken cry as she tugged at the core of my being. This content belongs to NoveI-Fire.ɴet I was drowning in the pain, and there was no escape. There was nothing, Nothing but the crushing agony