“I’m sorry about the mess…” I start, waving my hand in front of me, completely ignoring the fact that my heart is tumultuous inside my chest.

“What mess?” Nostra asks. Of course, the room is now tidy, his magic having sorted the aftermath of mine and Rhain’s lovemaking with one flick of his wrist. “I am a witch, we don’t do mess. Come and sit down, eat. Let me fill you in on a few matters.”

I raise my eyebrows, my cheeks colouring at the memory of Rhain and me making love on this very table. “Okay.” I sit down and pick up a piece of bread, cutting into the cheese and placing both in my mouth. Hungry is an understatement.

After we have eaten our fill, Nostra folds his hands in front of him and rests his eyes on me.

“For reasons they thought best, Rhain, Ezra and Devin have not told you everything you need to know about the prophecy. I can understand their reasoning and until this morning was in agreement in not telling you it all. But, knowing you a little better now, I think you would want to know everything, yes?”

“I would, yes.” Out of the corner of my eye I see Mr Tickle stretch, his back arching. Then he saunters over to me, leaping up onto my lap. I smile down at him, stroking his head. He is such an empathic cat. Just like now, Mr Tickle has always had a way of knowing when I am worried or nervous or sad and in need of comfort.

“There is something I must show you,” Nostra says, and with a quick flick of his wrist the table is cleared. Above us, words begin to form.

“This, Accacia, is the prophecy in full.”

The purple letters swirl about one another until finally they settle. I begin to read.

I stare up at the prophecy, reading it over and over, trying to make sense of it. I know now that I am one of the five sisters, that I am wearing the ring Nostra spelled on me as a baby. I’ve read it all, understand it. But one verse sticks above all else…

The words fade from my eyes, but I won’t forget them. “Three allied men. Rhain, Ezra and Devin?” I whisper.

Nostra nods. “Yes.”

“A love divided?”

Nostra sighs. “Love has always been the most powerful magic there is, Accacia. It is no surprise to me that it’s part of the prophecy and required to break the curse.”

“But three, all three?”

“Yes, Accacia. Why does this bother you so?”

“Because where I come from, being in a relationship with more than one person is frowned upon. It’s not the norm.”

“Then the people who believe that are fools. Do not misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with loving just one person, but equally, there is nothing wrong with loving more than one person. Love should not be confined to fit an ideal. Unless that ideal is what an individual is happy with. Besides, Accacia, you are not from there. You are from Ever Vale. Tell me, when you really consider the thought of being loved by three men, loving them in return and everyone being okay with that, what is stopping you?”

I look at Nostra, considering his words. “But what if they don’t… what if I don’t…” A sudden panic fills me. Maybe they were right not to tell me the full prophecy. Having that kind of pressure. What if I can’t love them, what if they can’t love me. Then the curse will remain, and we are all damned. “Love can’t be forced, Nostra. I’m not even entirely sure what love is supposed to feel like. My whole life has been spent in darkness trying desperately to figure out how to cure myself of this sickness, this curse, and now you’re telling me it can be broken by love. It seems so simple and so bloody impossible all at the same time.”

“Nothing is impossible, Accacia.”

“Yes, but it isn’t as simple as that. I am one person. The curse relies on five of us. Clover, my dearest, oldest friend, there is a great chance she will die alongside the rest of the fae because of the actions of the fae king. It is not as simple as loving someone and being loved in return, is it?”

Nostra shakes his head. “The prophecy forewarns of great danger. It would not be a curse if it was easy to break. But I find it interesting that the part you are most worried about is the part involving love.”

I don’t respond. Honestly, I’m not sure what to say. Although it feels like I have known Rhain, Ezra and Devin for years, in reality it has only been days. Days. Already I have undergone the Claiming with Rhain, joined with Ezra, and Devin and I have swapped a piece of our souls in the Binding, twice now. That in itself is a lot to handle, to take in. Since meeting Rhain in the carpark for the first time a few days ago my feet have not touched the ground. My head is spinning with it all; the curse, the prophecy, the brothers, Ever Vale, the queen, Clover and the fae. How, amongst all of that, can I even begin to sort out my feelings? I need time to absorb it all. To breathe.

“There is nothing you need to decide upon now. Ezra will wait until you are ready. If you ever become ready to be his wife. Rhain will keep his distance if you wish, although now he has claimed you that may prove difficult. Still, at least this time it won’t kill him.” Nostra laughs, then noticing the look on my face, stops himself. “Apologies, Accacia. That was insensitive.”

“What about Devin?”

“Devin already understands you, probably more so than the others because you have swapped a piece of your soul with him. He is already beneath your skin, is he not?” Nostra says, tapping a finger against his head.

“Yes, I suppose.” In their own way, all three of the vampires have indeed crept beneath my skin. Am I in love with them? I don’t know. Could I be? I don’t want to answer that question right now.

“If you want my honest opinion, I think you already know what it is you feel but you are afraid. Fear has its place, Accacia, of course it does. I would expect no less, given what you have come to understand, what you have been through. Ultimately you must do what you feel is right.”

“And what of them? I don’t like to feel as though any of this has been thrust upon them. Ezra and his wife, the love he had for her… Devin, Rhain. Love has to be reciprocated, at least where I grew up, that’s the way it is. That’s the way I need it to be.”

“Do they love you?” Nostra leans across the table and holds my hand. “I’ve known these men for a very long time, Accacia. They have been through a great deal of turmoil. They have lived under the rule of my sister who will do anything to extinguish such strong feelings of love whenever she is able to. I have seen her do it time and again. But love is stronger than her hate. To me it is obvious how they feel. Don’t give up on them yet.”

“I need time. Do I have that?”

Nostra pours me a glass of wine, sensing I need something to calm my frayed nerves. “The prophecy revealed itself some years ago. You have time,” he says.

“Then that’s what I wish for.” I take a sip of the wine. It is delicious.

“We can all work with that,” Nostra says, laying a key on the table. “I took it upon myself to build you a home whilst you were all in the Forbidden forest.”

“You built me a home in a couple of days?” I pick up the key, looking from it to Nostra.

“Well, when I say build, I mean…” Nostra flicks his wrist again as a tiny version of his house appears on the table in front of us. Except this one has a red door, with a rose engraved upon it. “Magic, of course. This is your home. Well, not literally. Yours is much larger than this and is located at the other side of the hamlet.”

I laugh. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“We haven’t scared you off then?” Nostra asks.

“You’ve scared me, sure. I’m terrified for different reasons, but I will not run. I want this curse lifted as much as anyone. I will stay,” I say.