A Shade Of Blood(67)

“What was the sun like?”
She smiled at the memory. “Warm. Hot. Everything the moon isn’t. Our first few days back in Cancun, Ben and I couldn’t stay out of the sun.”
Ben again. Jealousy reared its ugly head once again. “What became of him?” I dared ask.
“I’d rather not talk about him if you don’t mind…”
I nodded.
The rest of our walk continued in silence until a familiar sight came to view.
“The Sanctuary!” Sofia exclaimed, excitement lighting up her eyes as she bound forward. “I want to see Corrine!”
The Sanctuary, befitting its name, was located southwest of the island. The white marble structure, with its large round pillars and domed roof, was originally built to honor and house Cora, and later became home to every other witch who succeeded her. One of its chambers also served as my mausoleum during my four-century slumber. Surrounding the structure were lush gardens, complete with a labyrinth, a gazebo and a fountain.
When Corrine saw Sofia, delight showed in her eyes, but she didn’t seem the least bit surprised that Sofia returned, almost like she was fully expecting Sofia to eventually come back.
“Sofia!” she exclaimed. “It’s good to have you back.”
It was one of the few times I remembered seeing Corrine smile since I first met her.
She gave me a curt nod to acknowledge my presence. “Prince.”
Sofia’s hands found mine. “I’d like to speak with Corrine privately.”
“Of course. Go ahead. I don’t mind.” Liar. I minded. Now that she was back, I wanted to be around her as much as I could. Sharing her with someone I didn’t fully trust didn’t exactly thrill me. Still, I gave in to her request. I found myself alone, sitting on a bench by the fountain, waiting for what felt like hours for her to return to me.
I marveled at how the Sanctuary’s pure white marble façade seemed to glow under the light of a full moon. It was quite a sight to see, but the price paid for such a lavish structure lessened its value in my eyes. Here at The Shade, everything beautiful and worthwhile comes at a price.
I shifted my focus from the witch’s temple to what was straight ahead of me: Sofia was walking along the stone pathway leading to the gazebo. I’d already been there for what felt like an eternity, so seeing the women walk out, though they appeared to be completely oblivious of me, was a relief.
Sofia locked arms with Corrine as the older woman spoke to her. I could only guess what they were talking about, but that didn’t bother me as much as seeing them walk side by side. The sight brought about a strange nostalgic sensation largely due to Corrine’s uncanny resemblance to her ancestor, Cora. It felt like I was watching two of the most important women in my life conversing with each other.
Sofia’s emerald gaze found me. That’s when it struck me. Sofia saved my life. Ashley meant to drive the stake right through my heart. Her eyes left me for a moment as she nodded and thanked Corrine, who gave me a quick, harried glance before heading back indoors.
That left me, Sofia and the numerous unanswered questions between us. Finally. I have you to myself. I stood up and approached her as she took steady strides toward me. The moment we reached each other, she took my hand and held it tight. We walked forward in silence, away from the Sanctuary and headed for the woods that would eventually lead to the Vale, the island’s town.
I dared catch a glimpse of her. Illuminated by the moonlight, she was quite a vision to behold. Her eyes were downcast, focused on the ground. She stopped walking and made me face her with a squeeze of her hand on mine. I found myself suddenly anxious when she said:
“Your few hours are over. We have a lot to talk about.”

Chapter 34: Sofia
 
Walking through the woods, along the familiar gravel pathway that led from the Sanctuary to the Vale, I found myself bothered by the things Vivienne told me – about how Derek was veering towards his dark side. I witnessed that first hand with the scene I walked in on upon my arrival. The conversation I had with Corrine further heightened my anxiety over Derek when she confirmed the things that he’d been up to during my absence – how he seemed to be gearing everyone up for war, the census, the ban from all further abductions and what that could imply…
I didn’t know what to make of all the things I’d been told and I felt unsure about what I was supposed to be doing at The Shade. What impact did Vivienne think I could have here?
My eyes were beginning to moisten with tears as I looked up at Derek. I needed to talk about what happened. I wanted to understand him again, because the time I spent away from The Shade felt like a giant rift between us.