Chapter 16 - Alysa

"He what?" she whispered, her fingers clutching the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Alysa's world had shattered with a single phone call. Her brother's voice, usually so steady, trembled as he delivered the news. The words echoed in her mind, each repetition amplifying her shock.

Aleksander's sigh crackled through the line, repeating the words he had said seconds earlier. "He's going to prove his feelings for you, Alysa. With a witch oath."

The news hit her like a punch to the gut. Alysa blinked, her breath snagging as the words settled in. She sank onto the nearby couch, her legs suddenly too weak to support her. A witch oath. The most binding, potentially lethal form of magic. And Cassius had agreed to it. Because of her.

No, this can’t be happening.

The room spun, but her thoughts whirled faster. Cassius had made the decision. He’d put his life in the hands of ancient magic—magic that could end him if he wasn’t telling the truth.

Her mind swirled with questions. How could he? Why would he? The words Aleksander had just thrown her way echoed in her ears, filling the silence like a ringing bell. She hadn’t even had a chance to speak to Cassius yet, hadn’t been able to ask him why he’d do something so drastic.

Emotions crashed over her like relentless waves. Fear clawed at her throat, threatening to choke her. Hope, fragile and unwelcome, flickered in her chest. And overwhelming guilt, a crushing weight that threatened to pull her under.

This is my fault. I’m the reason he’s risking his life.

The thought burned through her mind, inescapable and damning. She'd gotten drunk and spilled everything to Marcus in a moment of weakness. And now Cassius was putting his life on the line.

Alysa's stomach churned as she remembered that night at the bar. The burn of whiskey, the comforting haze of alcohol dulling her pain. Marcus's concerned face as she poured out her heart, revealing the lie that now threatened to tear everything apart.

I should have kept my mouth shut.

How could she have been so reckless? Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them away, biting the inside of her cheek until the metallic taste of blood grounded her. Cassius was now walking into the jaws of death because of her loose tongue.

This is all my fault.

Her stomach twisted painfully, and she forced a breath into her lungs. If only she'd kept her mouth shut around Marcus. Now, Cassius would pay the price for her loose tongue.

Alysa replayed that night in her mind over and over. She had been drunk, yes, but not blind to what she was doing. She knew Marcus’s feelings for her—how he hovered at the edge of her life, waiting for a chance.

And I gave it to him on a silver platter.

She paced the room, her steps quick and unsteady. Her mind raced, replaying every moment, every choice that had led them here: if she hadn't agreed to be Aurora's nanny, if she hadn't let herself hope, even for a moment, that Cassius could care for her.

The weight of responsibility pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe. She'd set this in motion. Her actions, her words, had brought them to this precipice.

If he dies because of me…

The thought was too horrific to complete. Alysa's eyes stung with unshed tears. She blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back.

Hope warred with fear in her chest, leaving her dizzy and off-balance. If Cassius was willing to risk everything, did that mean his feelings were genuine? The possibility sent a thrill through her, quickly followed by a wave of self-loathing.

How can I even think about that when his life is at stake?

She knew the consequences of a broken witch oath. Death. Swift and merciless. The magic would consume him, leaving nothing but ashes. Alysa shuddered, the image too vivid in her mind. The fear coiled tighter around her chest, squeezing the breath from her lungs.

Yet a small, traitorous part of her clung to hope. If Cassius truly loved her, the oath would prove it beyond any doubt. No more uncertainty, no more questioning his motives.

But at what cost?

Alysa's thoughts spiraled, torn between desperately wanting to believe in Cassius's love and terrified of the price he might pay for it.

The sound of a car pulling up snapped Alysa out of her tumultuous thoughts. Her heart raced as she peered out the window, confirming her suspicion.

Cassius was home.

She moved toward the door, her steps hesitant. What could she say? How could she even begin to apologize for the mess she'd created?

The front door opened, and Cassius stepped inside. His face was drawn, tension evident in the set of his shoulders. When his eyes met hers, Alysa's carefully prepared words evaporated.

"Cassius, I'm so sorry," she blurted out, her voice thick with emotion. "This is all my fault. I was drunk and stupid. I never should have—”

"Alysa." Cassius's voice was gentle but firm as he cut her off. "You have nothing to apologize for." His eyes focused intensely on her, but there was no anger, no frustration. "Don't concern yourself with that, Alysa. What's done is done."

She shook her head, frustration building. "But if I hadn't told Marcus—”

"This isn't about what you said to Marcus." Cassius moved closer, his blue eyes intense. "This is about proving the truth. To everyone."

Alysa's breath caught in her throat. There was something in his gaze, a determination that both thrilled and terrified her.

"You shouldn't worry about me," Cassius continued, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "I'm not scared."

Alysa's brow furrowed. "How can you not be? Cassius, if the oath… if you're…" She couldn't bring herself to say the words.

Cassius reached out, his hand warm on her arm. "I'll come through this, Alysa. The witch oath will prove what I've been too stubborn to admit, even to myself." His voice softened. "I truly love you."

Alysa’s throat tightened, and she blinked, her vision blurring. The words hit her like a physical blow. She stared at him, searching his face for any sign of doubt or deception. But all she saw was unwavering certainty.

He can't mean it. Can he?

"Cassius…" she started, unsure of what to say.

He stepped forward again, his hand cupping her cheek, the warmth of his palm sending a shiver down her spine. “I know,” he murmured, his voice soft, tender. “I spoke true when I declared my love for you. That’s the only truth that matters. And the council will see that.”

She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust in his confidence, in his certainty. But the fear gnawed at her, a relentless beast that wouldn’t let go. She leaned into his touch, savoring the moment, but her heart screamed that it wasn’t enough.

What if he’s wrong? What if he’s lying to himself?

The thoughts circled in her mind, refusing to quiet.

He squeezed her arm gently. "I know it's a lot to take in. But you don't need to worry about taking care of Aurora tonight. I want to spend the evening with her. I've been neglecting her of late."

Alysa nodded numbly, watching as Cassius moved toward the nursery. “Cassius…” Her voice was barely a whisper.

He didn’t respond, didn’t hear, and was already moving toward the door. As the door closed behind him, a chill ran down her spine.

He's acting like a condemned man.

The thought hit her with brutal clarity. Cassius's calm demeanor, his insistence on spending time with Aurora… it all pointed to one horrifying conclusion.

He doesn't expect to survive the oath.

Alysa's legs trembled, and she sank onto the couch. Her mind raced, trying to reconcile Cassius's words with his actions. He'd said he wasn't scared, that he truly loved her. But if that were true, why was he behaving like a man facing his last night alive?

She sat there, frozen, as the minutes ticked by. The sound of Cassius's low voice drifted from the nursery, punctuated by Aurora's delighted giggles. It should have been a heartwarming scene. Instead, it filled Alysa with dread.

Unable to bear it any longer, Alysa rose and crept toward the nursery. She paused at the doorway, her heart clenching at the sight before her.

Cassius sat on the floor, Aurora cradled in his lap, his smile soft, his blue eyes alight with love. He was reading to her, his deep voice soft as he recited a fairy tale. The little girl's green eyes were wide with wonder, her tiny hands reaching out to pat the colorful pictures.

Tears pricked at her eyes again, but she didn’t dare move, didn’t dare disturb the moment.

As Alysa watched, Cassius paused in his reading. He gazed down at Aurora, a look of such profound love on his face that it took Alysa's breath away. Gently, he pressed a kiss to the top of the baby's head, inhaling her scent as if trying to memorize it.

The intimacy of the scene made Alysa feel like an intruder. She started to step back, but a floorboard creaked beneath her foot. Cassius's head snapped up, his eyes meeting hers.

For a heartbeat, Alysa saw something raw and vulnerable in his gaze. Then it was gone, replaced by a gentle smile. "Hey," he said softly. "Want to join us?"

Alysa hesitated, then shook her head. "I don't want to interrupt," she murmured, retreating from the doorway.

As she moved away, her mind whirled. That look in Cassius's eyes… it had been filled with so much emotion. Love for Aurora, certainly. But there had been something else. Regret? Fear?

What is he hiding?

Alysa paced the living room, her thoughts a tangled mess. She'd spent months convincing herself that Cassius couldn't possibly have feelings for her. That their fake relationship was just that—fake. A necessary deception to protect her from an unwanted marriage.

But now, faced with the possibility that Cassius truly loved her, Alysa found herself questioning everything she thought she knew.

Had she misinterpreted his actions all this time? The gentle touches, the way his eyes softened when he looked at her… had it all meant more than she'd allowed herself to believe?

Or was this all an elaborate act? A final, desperate attempt to save face and preserve the alliance?

Alysa's head ached from the constant back-and-forth. She wanted so badly to believe in Cassius's love. But the stakes were too high. What if she was wrong? What if she let herself hope, only to have it ripped away?

The sound of Cassius's footsteps pulled her from her spiraling thoughts. She turned to see him emerging from the nursery, quietly closing the door behind him.

"Aurora's asleep," he said, his voice low. There was a softness to his features, contentment that made Alysa's heart ache.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Cassius moved closer, and she had to fight the urge to step back. To protect herself from the intensity of his presence.

"Alysa." His voice was gentle, coaxing her to meet his gaze. "Are you alright?"

The question nearly undid her. How could he be asking about her well-being when he was the one facing a potentially lethal magical oath?

"I don't understand," she whispered, the words escaping before she could stop them. "How can you be so calm? Cassius, if the oath… if you're wrong…"

He reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek with impossible tenderness. "I'm not wrong," he said, his voice filled with quiet certainty. "I love you, Alysa. And tomorrow, the oath will prove exactly that."

Alysa's eyes burned with unshed tears. She wanted to believe him. Gods, how she wanted to believe. But doubt and fear still gnawed at her.

"Then why does it feel like you're saying goodbye?"

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with accusation and hurt. Cassius's hand fell away from her face, and Alysa immediately missed its warmth.

He took a step back, running a hand through his hair. For a moment, he looked lost, vulnerable in a way Alysa had never seen before. Then his expression hardened, resolve settling over his features like a mask.

"I'm not saying goodbye," he said firmly. "I'm making sure Aurora knows how much I love her. Just in case."

The admission sent a chill through Alysa. "In case of what?" she pressed, even though she dreaded the answer.

Cassius's jaw tightened. "In case something goes wrong," he said quietly. "The oath… it's unpredictable. Even if I'm telling the truth, there's always a risk."

Alysa felt the blood drain from her face. "But you said… you were so sure…"

"I am sure," Cassius insisted, taking a step closer. "Alysa, I love you. I know that with every fiber of my being. But I'm not naive. Magic is dangerous, and I have to be prepared for every possibility."

The room spun, and Alysa gripped the back of the couch to steady herself. Everything she'd feared, everything she'd tried to deny, came crashing down around her.

Cassius moved toward her, concern etched on his face. But Alysa held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, just… don't."

She couldn't bear his touch, his comforting words. Not when he might be torn away from her at any moment. Not when it was all her fault.

Cassius's face fell, but he respected her wishes, keeping his distance. The space between them felt like a chasm, impossible to cross.

As the silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words and conflicting emotions, a single thought crystallized in Alysa's mind. It echoed through her, growing louder with each passing second.

If he is really spending his last moments with those he loves, why not spend any with me?

The realization hit her like a physical blow. Despite his declarations of love, despite the risk he was taking for her, Cassius had chosen to spend what might be his final hours with Aurora. Not with her.

Alysa's heart clenched, a dull ache spreading through her chest. She wanted to be understanding, to recognize the bond between father and daughter. But a small, selfish part of her couldn't help but feel hurt. Rejected.

As she stood there, torn between her warring emotions, Alysa realized that no matter what the witch oath revealed, things between her and Cassius would never be the same. For better or worse, everything was about to change.

And all she could do was wait, her heart in her throat, for the dawn that would bring either a new beginning or a devastating end.