Chapter 13

"We still do not know one-thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us." -  Albert Einstein

As the hours set in, Dorian paced around his studies. Sleep had tried to comfort him, but he would snap awake every time and fight it off. Seraphina's absence was troubling him, making his blood and body cold as ice at the thought of her getting harmed by the forest. He wanted to race over there, find Seraphina, and take her back with him to safety.

Elvina was watching Dorian pace as she smiled, skipping over to him to hug his thin frame.

"Dorian, that challenge was just to test her. I was doing it for you. I didn't want you to jump to any conclusions so fast just because of some fated pairing! You know sometimes that stuff can be rather faulted!" Elvina hugged Dorian's torso, comforting his tense and freezing body. But he had snapped, grabbed her arms, and shoved her away. A gasp from Elvina and a puzzled annoyed expression was soon replaced with a scared one. Dorian was beyond furious now. The levels that Elvina had made him reach in his anger had made her start to beg for his forgiveness.

"You were doing this for me? For me!? No, you were not, Elvina! You were only doing this for yourself because you can't accept that I even had a fated pair. If Seraphina wasn't human regardless, I know damn well you would have given her hell if she was out kind! You would've tortured her with everything you had to try and drive her away. But you went beyond that. You've pushed her into something that we'd be able to survive in. But she can't! She's human!"

Elvina watched as Dorian blew up even more. He swore and raised his voice more than she had ever seen him. The gentle-eyed and shimmering-tongued man that she knew, had become an enraged beast of fear, sorrow, and hatred.

"All you do is think of yourself! Every girl that would come up to me, would scare them off moments later. Because of you, always you! Elvina, I do not like you and never will! I'm thankful that you are not my fated pair! I would loth you until my death!"

A knock cut his curses at Elvina short, tears streaming down her face but her startled expression never changed. A guard had come at request for the king to see his son about Seraphina's decision. Dorian looked at Elvina and glared, muttering under his breath that he did not want to see her when he returned. With that, he disappeared out of the doorway with the guard to his parents' chamber.

~~~

"Seraphina choose this of her own free will son," The king was laying in his bed, his wife beside him. The queen's eyes were red and slightly swollen. She had been weeping for Seraphina, praying for her safety as the night was passing. Dorian consoled his mother, a sad smile to her but a heartful reassurance that he wasn't truly alone in this bitter hatred for the challenge.

"Father, I know she did but I can't help but worry. She's human, it'll be more of a struggle for her than it would've been for any of us. The odds are fair to her."

"Dorian," the queen spoke quietly to her son. She met his eyes and gave a sad smile, "We must trust in Seraphina's capabilities. The door wouldn't have allowed her into our realm if it didn't believe she wasn't worthy enough. And to that, she is your fated mate. She is strong and can pull through. Just wait and allow the days to pass until then."

Dorian couldn't accept it, but he gave a nod to his parents as he exited their room so they could rest. His shoes thumped heavily at the velvet carpet, his whole body was exhausted from the adrenaline. But the fighting thoughts of his mate being harmed were what kept him awake.

In a few hours, the sun would break its way through the tall trees, but that was too long away. Not fast enough and not short enough to ease Dorian's shaking mind.

"I have to help her. I must."

"No, you won't." Dorian turned his head and spotted Rowan outside his bedroom door. He leaned against the corner wall, looking exhausted and ready to crumble if given the chance.

"Rowan, what are you doing?"

"Here to stop you from your stupid plan to be a savior for your damsel. You know the rules and you know Seraphina instructed you not to interfere with this. She took on the challenge herself. Don't make her upset already with your impulsive ways."

Dorian stood in front of his friend and didn't say a word. As much as he wanted to rescue Seraphine, Rowan was right, he would have to wait it out. He'd have to believe that she'd be fine.

"If she can stand up to brutal bitch Elvina with a stone shield of a face, then she won't allow the forest to take her out either. She's proving to everyone that she is just as strong as we are, even if we aren't the same people."

"Alright. Alright fine. But I still despise this all and once this is all over, things with Elvina need to be handled at once so in case she tries to bend her side of the deal."

Rowan let out a strained chuckle and patted his friend's shoulder. Elvina would be dealt with without a second glance. Everyone was ready to jump onto Elvina once Seraphina returned.

"Now get some rest, you look like the molded fruits, Dorian. In the morning I'll be finding out more about Seraphina so we have a clearer picture of her. Well, I'll try my best to at least."

Dorian opened his bedroom door and stopped, "What about her friends?"

"I'll find a way to get a message to them." Rowan gave a thumbs up and strolled off down the hall away. Tomorrow, the day would be busy as ever.