Wysteria's Heart: A Rapunzel Reimagining

By RaShelle Workman

After escaping my lonely prison, all I wanted was to attend Gothel Springs University. Filled with humans and supernaturals, it seemed the perfect place to hide. Even with a magical spell protecting me, there are those who know what I am, and they will do anything for my blood. That's why I've always stayed away from vampires. My parents taught me how to slay them before I learned how to ride a bike.
But what if the man I'm beyond attracted to has become one?
I can't tell, and I don't want to because I want more of his kisses. I'm already half-way to falling for him. And with vampires, love is eternal.
__________
ETERNALLY ENTANGLED SERIES:
★ Eternally Entangled
★ Thoroughly Tousled
★ Infinitely Intertwined + the bonus short story, Tangled Christmas

• Language: English
• Publisher: Booklover Legion
• Release date: Sep 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005060862

RaShelle Workman

Booklover Legion brings together authors and readers who love: ya fairytale reimaginings, supernatural suspense, paranormal cozy mysteries, steamy contemporary romance, heartfelt romantic suspense, sweet romance, sexy ya science fiction, and paranormal romance.Authors include:RaShelle Workman ~ YA Fairytale ReimaginingsRachel James ~ Supernatural SuspenseBess Morgan ~ Paranormal Cozy MysteriesRuby Carr ~ Steamy Contemporary RomanceLayla Jones ~ Heartfelt Romantic SuspenseAnn Hardy ~ Sweet RomanceShelly Saber ~ Sexy YA Science FictionCaroline Asher ~ Paranormal RomanceBooklover Legion is a subsidiary of Polished Pen Press, LLC.

Book preview

Introduction

My first week of college, and I already had an embarrassing mishap with magical jungle juice. On the plus side, I also got my first toe-curling kiss. Too bad the guy with the amazing lips is off-limits. At least, he should be. 

After escaping my lonely prison, all I wanted was to attend Gothel Springs University. Filled with humans and supernaturals, it seemed the perfect place to hide. Even with a magical spell protecting me, there are those who know what I am, and they will do anything for my blood. That's why I've always stayed away from vampires. My parents taught me how to slay them before I learned how to ride a bike. 

But what if the man I'm beyond attracted to has become one?

I can't tell, and I don't want to because I want more of his kisses. I'm already half-way to falling for him. And with vampires, love is eternal. 

Eternally Entangled

ETERNALLY ENTANGLED BOOK ONE

Chapter 1

Escape

WYSTERIA

You must hurry, Wysteria. She will return at any moment. Leva appears seemingly out of nowhere, scaring me half to death.

I’d been gazing longingly at the view beyond my window.

High above the ground, inside my towering prison, I could see the green, green grass, the lush treetops, and the sparkling azure water that went on for as far as my eyes could see.

You startled the hell out of me, I say, my hand flying to my throat.

Sorry, not sorry, Wys. Now come on. My little pixilette best and only friend pats my cheek and flies into the room, hovering above the trap door.

Alright. Alright. I adjust my skirt while I move, working to find some courage.

Leva has enough for the both of us, though she’s probably only five inches tall. Sunlight from a hole in the roof envelops Leva’s body, causing her teal wings to shimmer.

Move like your butt is on fire, she huffs, putting her hands on her tiny waist. If you are still here when she returns, I won’t be able to stop her from doing something worse than she already has.

Okay. Sheesh. I slide on my shoes.

She lets out an annoyed sound. Maybe this time it’ll be forever. No more living in this tower with a window where you can see so much of our land. No more anything.

I push my extra-long blond hair off my face, going over the plan.

Once I’m out of the tower, I must travel through the thickets and to the beach where a boat will be waiting.

From there, I am to row until I reach the end of the realm.

The whole thing sounds ridiculous.

I can’t do this!

At the prospect of going alone, my insides quiver.

Leva, I can’t leave. Mother will be upset. I fan my face with my hand as a nervous sweat breaks out along my hairline.

Redyrin, Leva corrects. She isn’t your mother. She kidnapped you away from your real mother and father in the human realm. She doesn’t love you. She’s just using you.

I swallow down my fear. I know. I know, I say, even though I’m still trying to figure it all out.

I don’t remember my parents or the human realm.

I don’t remember anything at all before I arrived here. To my mind, never had I ever been outside the walls of my tower.

Not once in eighteen years.

At least not once that I can remember.

According to Leva, my real name is Rapunzel, and I don’t belong here.

Part of me is thrilled at the prospect of leaving.

I always dreamed of a life beyond my tower.

But the more significant portion of myself is dizzy with fear.

Can I abandon what I know?

Leva, come with me. Please. I can’t do this by myself. I need you.

Even though she hadn’t spoken to me once before yesterday - my eighteenth birthday - she’s been my companion and only friend for so long, I don’t want to be without her.

Very well, but you need to pick up the pace. She tugs on my hair, and I follow her over to the leather satchel, where she helps me pack some bread and cheese.

I want a change of clothes, but there isn’t any time.

Keep this safe, she says, picking up and handing me a clear bottle nearly as big as her.

At the effort, her wings and hair change from teal to tawny, the color of her eyes.

I take it, studying the contents, which look like water, except when it catches the light allowing me to see strange things, almost like stars shimmering within.

Hurry, she says, snapping me back to the task at hand.

I tuck the potion into one of my dress pockets and tug the bag over my head so the strap rests on my shoulder.

Leva’s pointy face pinches with worry, and her large eyes that seem almost too big for her face become cloudy with anxiety.

She drops onto the escape hatch in the floor and taps it three times with her fingers. The latch clicks.

You did it, I say.

Part of me hadn’t believed she could.

She’d kept her magic a secret from me all these years, too, probably because of Redyrin.

My mind is still reeling at all Leva has shared since Redyrin left last evening to hunt and forage our food.

As I follow the pixilette down the steps, I relive our conversation in my mind.

Even now, I sense the rightness of Leva’s confession.

But the knowledge doesn’t change the fact that I’m so scared my knees tremble with each step.

Am I really going to do this?

Go to another realm, the human one, and find my family.

My heart shouts with joy over the possibility, but my mind recoils.

What if it’s as Moth-Redyrin says?

What if life outside my tower is too much to handle?

My extra-long hair catches on one of the nails sticking out of a wooden step. Ouch, I cry, rubbing my head and working to untangle my hair.

My locks have never been cut. According to Redyrin, doing so will be detrimental, but sheesh, it’s annoying.

Your hair is obnoxious, Leva says, confirming what I already know.

She flies over and carefully unhooks my hair.

When it’s free, she speaks several words.

I guess it’s a spell.

Without stopping, I hurry after Leva.

Down, down, down all of the circular stairs. The turret is dark and damp, and the steps are covered in moss.

Redyrin did spells all the time.

She would wind some of my hair around her hands and then say words I didn’t understand. All sorts of things would happen. Paintings came to life and talked to Redyrin.

Our tower would be clean in seconds after a few words uttered from Redyrin’s mouth.

Strangest of all, whenever Redyrin began to look tired and her hair began to gray, she would whisper the words that brought youth back to her body.

Many times I asked Redyrin about my hair. She always said I was unique, and she needed me to survive.

At that thought, I shudder.

Would Mo-Redyrin die if I left?

I didn’t like that she took me away from my real parents, and I didn’t like that she kept me locked away in the tower, but she had been good to me in her own way.

I didn’t want her to die.

Wysteria, Leva says, frantic. She snaps her fingers, and a spark of magic snaps me out of my thoughts.

I study her, working to keep my eyes from crossing.

Before I can say anything, my hair, which has been dragging along behind me, is suddenly pulled away from my face and secured back into a braid.

Thank you, Leva, I say and sigh. One less thing to worry about.

At the bottom of the steps, I pull open the door. Leva flies out, but I don’t follow right away.

Will Redyrin die without me? I ask quietly.

Leva opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Like she changed her mind.

Probably not, she finally says.

Then under her breath, she adds, But it would serve her right.

I disagree. No, Leva. I can’t do that to her. I don’t move, debating whether I should go back up all of the stairs and just settle into my fate.

Leva’s face becomes bright pink, and she clenches her hands at her sides in fists, her body shaking. I thought she might burst.

Leva?

She lets out her breath and turns back to the tower, saying some words.

What did you do? I ask.

If she stays in this realm, she won’t die, okay? Leva says.

Thank you, I say, relief washing over me. Even though I don’t understand what the pixilette did, I trust my friend.

Whatever. It’s obvious Leva is upset with me, but I can’t help how I feel.

Humph. She flies away and disappears into the shadow of the trees.

I rush after her. Wait.

When I reach the woodland’s edge, I glance back, clutching my hands to my heart.

My tower is all I know, and the unknown terrifies and excites me.

Plus, I have a feeling there is still much for Leva to tell.

On the boat ride, I intend to get my questions answered.

Wysteria! Leva is irritated. To prove it, her wings and hair shift to deep green, the color of the leaves.

I’m moving as fast as I can, I say but pick up the pace, tripping over roots and rocks and whatever else is on the ground.

My dress snags on a bush, and I yank it away, causing it to tear.

Leva doesn’t notice but speeds along faster and faster until I’m running to keep up.

It isn’t too long before we reach the water.

The sandy beach is covered with white sand.

Driftwood and seaweed linger near the water’s edge, sending the smell of salt and wet wood into the air.

The water is so clear I can see the sand.

Orange fish dart around, searching for food.

Leva flies over to the boat. Help me untie the rope, she says.

I walk over and unwrap the thick rope, tossing it into the small wooden boat.

It seems too small for such a vast ocean.

This will get us to the end of the realm? I ask.

Yes, now climb in. Leva crosses her arms, waiting impatiently, her ever-changing hair and wings shifting to the same blue as the water.

Hurry, please, she commands, her eyes flitting along the landscape behind me, probably searching for Redyrin.

Lifting my dress, I carefully step in.

The boat rocks precariously, and I grab hold of both sides to steady myself.

The wood is smooth with a shine on it.

This won’t sink, right?

Definitely not. Leva clucks her tongue, frustrated I’m questioning her. I wouldn’t lead you to a leaky boat, Wys.

You’re right, I say, though I’m still not feeling very confident. Because what if there’s a windstorm? Waves could easily capsize this boat.

Or should I call you Rapunzel now that you know the truth? She studies me thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her lips.

No, please don’t. I prefer Wys, thank you. I sit and grab hold of the oars. I haven’t been out in the world, but I’ve read about it and know what these are for.

Very well. She touches each of the oars, and they begin to row on their own, making my hands unnecessary. And we’re off. She gives me a brilliant smile, suddenly much more relaxed.

I put my hands in my lap, watching the pixilette. She is daring and bold, and I want to be more like her.

First, I need answers.

Tell me why Redyrin stole me away from my parents? What’s the human realm like? When we get there, how will we find my family? Are there towers in the human realm? Why do -

Stop, you’re giving me a headache, she says, rolling her shoulder back and coming to sit on my hands.

First things first, she begins. The reason Redyrin took you is - She trails off at the sounds of a hundred banshee’s screaming.

It’s Redyrin. She found my tower empty.

Not good, Leva says and flies up above my head. Then she starts chanting words in rapid succession.

Two things happen at once.

The boat starts moving really fast. So fast, in fact, that the oars pull themselves into the boat.

The other thing is a glittering field falls around Leva, shrouding the boat and me.

Chapter 2

Through The Curtain

WYSTERIA

Don’t make a sound, Leva hisses. The boat is invisible, but if she looks just right or if she hears you, we’re done for.

Lev - I wonder why she didn’t do this in the first place, but don’t question my friend and rescuer.

Quiet!

I clamp a hand over my mouth but spin around in time to see Redyrin burst through the thicket, her eyes searching the beach.

Her pale and lovely face is tainted with fury, and I suck in a breath.

I’ve never seen her so angry.

The boat continues to speed along the water swiftly without making a sound.

In no time, Redyrin is just a dot against the shore.

A few moments later, I can’t make out her dark hair.

It’s another ten minutes before Leva finally relaxes her shoulders and sits on the edge of the boat.

It’s okay now. We’re far enough away. As she speaks, she glances back at the way we came and then nods.

It won’t be long now, but my magic is waning. You may need to row for a few minutes.

Sure, I say as the boat slows. That’s why she didn’t do it right away. She has magic, but it only lasts for so long before she has to recuperate.

I pick up the oars and place them in the water. But before I can begin, something dark appears, like a shadow in the water a ways off.

What is that?

Leva is on guard again and jumps into the air, flying near me with her hands out as though she intends to harm whatever is swimming toward us.

The shadow turns into a woman’s head and shoulders covered in long, dark hair. Hello, she says when she reaches us.

A mermaid, Leva says. Watch yourself. They can be vain creatures. If she feels you’re too beautiful, she may try to drown you.

Wonderful, I say without sarcasm.

Then I wave at the mer-fish-lady. Hi, I’m Wysteria.

The mermaid rests her hands on the side of the boat.

So close, I can see her scales and her skin. She is partially like me, but the rest is that of an emerald green fish.

I’m Ellora. What are you doing out here? she asks, her voice soft like the lapping of the ocean against the shore.

Don’t tell her, Leva snaps.

But I don’t listen.

We’re trying to get to the end of our world. I feel myself smile so big my cheeks hurt.

Other than Leva and Redyrin, she is the only other talking creature I’ve come across.

Mind if I swim along with you? she asks. Her jeweled eyes turn cloudy with sadness.

Not at all, I say, thinking her voice makes the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard.

I push the oars into the water and begin to row.

Ellora swims alongside, flipping her glorious tail, causing it to glisten in the sunlight.

Leva is ignoring me, sitting with her face turned in the opposite direction, but I can’t help myself.

Are there a lot of mermaids in this water?

Ellora gives me a strange look. Of course, there are. I am one of the thousands. My people live under the sea.

Her face crunches with curiosity. What’s it like to have legs and to be able to stick your toes in the sand?

I think that’s a strange question. I don’t know, I admit.

She lifts herself out of the water and peers inside the boat. But you do have feet inside those what-do-you-call-them? Shackles?

Shoes, Leva huffs. They are called shoes, Miss Mer-Person, and yes, she does have feet, but she’s been a prisoner in a tower. Now, if you don’t mind, we need to hurry.

Leva lifts her arms like she intends to speed up the boat again.

Wait, Leva. Don’t be rude, I say, not wanting to be done talking with the mermaid.

Are you going to the human realm? she asks, her lovely features blooming with interest.

Yes, I admit, surprised she knows that’s where we are heading. Have you ever been?

She shakes her head, and her eyes fill with tears.

No, but I long to. I want to be human like you and walk in the sand and dance and know what it means to fall in love with a human man.

That seems oddly specific, but who am I to judge? I have dreams too. Then I’ll come back for you. I promise.

You mean it? Ellora asks.

She tilts her head to one side as though she’s trying to decipher me.

I never break a promise, I add.

An enormous and beautiful smile breaks out across her face. She waves. Then I’ll be waiting. Good luck, Wysteria.

Ellora dives, her long and beautiful tail appearing before she vanishes beneath the water’s depths.

Goodbye, Ellora, I say, staring into the deep water until I can no longer see her.

Leva turns and flies in front of my face. Did you enjoy that? she asks, sticking out her tongue. Because we’re nearly there.

I want to ask her more about mermaids, but before I can, I notice we are nearly at the edge of the realm.

It’s like a black curtain has risen out of the ground and covers what lays beyond.

The winds pick up, and the clouds darken.

What’s happening? I dig the oars deeper into the water and strain to hold the boat in place, but it continues to chuck forward.

We’ve reached the edge, Leva shouts over the wind.

Her wings flap so quickly I can barely see them, and her hair turns white as snow while her body flushes scarlet from exertion.

What are you doing?

She doesn’t answer, but when the boat starts speeding along the frothy water toward the blackness, she doesn’t have to.

I know she’s summoned all of her power.

I pull in the oars again and clench my hands together, wishing to help in some way.

The closer we get to the blackness, the more scared I get.

There’s a drop-off in the water, like a waterfall. Steam seems to be rising.

Is that where we are going?

I don’t want to. It looks like we’re going to fall into Hell.

I hold my breath in anticipation.

Get the bottle ready, Leva shouts.

I fumble with my dress until I find my pocket and retrieve the bottle. Now what?

Don’t throw it until I say so, Leva says, her arms still spread out to her sides like she’s dragging the boat.

Okay. I grip the bottle tight, nervous about what’s going to happen.

A few seconds later, Leva drops her arms and lands on the seat beside me.

She looks exhausted.

Leva? I question. Fear racks through my veins.

Should I throw the bottle? I ask.

No, she says softly, obviously waiting for something.

We are so close. Any second we will go over.

With each ticking second, my fear rises.

And I decide I’ve changed my mind.

I don’t want to leave Redyrin.

Now, Leva shouts, her voice hoarse from all her effort.

For the briefest moment, my mind goes blank.

But then I remember what I am supposed to do and stand, throwing the bottle at the inky curtain.

The darkness swallows it, and I wait, letting out my breath in a huff.

The curtain starts to shake and open.

There is something on the other side.

Is that the human realm? I ask, picking up Leva.

Yes, Leva says and closes her eyes.

I cup my hands together around her to keep her safe from the spray of water as the boat is sucked through the curtain.

On the other side is a vast yellow country with mountains in the distance.

Before I can study our surroundings close up, the boat strikes the ground with a thud, and I’m sent flying backward, landing on the hard ground.

My breath is knocked out, and I suck in several times to catch it, rolling over and onto my knees, still holding Leva in my hands.

What the hell?

Directly in front of me are a set of dusty cowboy boots.

I glance up and into the face of a handsome man with dark hair pushed under a tan cowboy hat.

Where did you come from? He glances beyond me and at the boat, pulling his hat more firmly on his head.

He’s wearing jeans and a plaid shirt tucked in at the waist. In his other hand is a rope. There’s a sound, and a calf takes off running away from us.

I try to stand, not liking to be at a disadvantage.

Before I can, a bunch of images - memories - of a time before I was taken rushes back all at once.

Pictures of my real parents.

Their smiling faces.

The love they have for me.

My friends. One in particular.

A boy about my age with dreamy eyes and a sweet smile.

Emotion after emotion racks through my body, and my knees buckle at the weight of all I’m reliving.

It feels like I’ll die, especially when I see my parents lying on the floor in pools of blood.

Dead.

Then my heart seems to crack from my chest. My parents are gone, and I am truly alone.

Except, from the dark recesses, I see a man with golden hair the same color as mine.

He is hanging back, a shadow within all of the images.

As one after the other flicks through my mind, I notice the man and somehow know he is my brother.

I have a brother.

Unless he’s dead now too.

A moan escapes my lips, and I feel my body being lifted.

Chapter 3

My Deepest Desire

CHRISTOPHER

There are only so many ways I can try to forget what I lost, who I betrayed, and the gulf of loneliness in my heart. 

Women work the best - for a while. 

The scent of their skin and the taste of their blood - that is the drug I love the most. 

Sweet, erotic, and filled with hope and longing. 

But the problem is, after a while, the glorious haze of them dissipates, and loneliness consumes me once more. 

That is my state of being when I hear the first whisperings of the fountain of youth, and I know they are speaking about my sister. 

Even before Wysteria was taken, I knew what she was. 

Our mom and her dad knew as well, but they refused to listen to my pleadings to take precautions and keep my sister safe. 

Now they are gone. 

The room I lay in is extensive. 

Windows line two of the four walls, letting in the dark and starry night. The windows are open, allowing the scents of exotic spices to fill the air. 

Light curtains sway lazily in the breeze. 

A harem of women rests on one side of the room, and I lay on a four-poster bed on the other. 

The women believe I’m sleeping, finally satiated, so their conversation starts softly. 

Vampires will take over the world someday, one says quietly.

Why would you say that? They aren’t all like that one. 

I assume she means me and smile internally.

True, I guess. 

I think the world will be overrun by elves before vampires, another says, her voice quiet but intense. 

You might be right, the first says. Have you heard of the one they call Rapunzel?

Another woman answers. She vanished many years ago, but it’s believed she’s returned and is the living, breathing fountain of youth.

Don’t let Charming hear that, or he’ll eat her.

I flinch at the way she says my name - like I’m a monster, but then I decide she isn’t wrong.

Still, I won’t eat my sister. Not that they know that, though. 

The women continue to talk as I think of Wysteria. 

She is my mother’s daughter. 

I learned of her by keeping tabs on my mom over the years. 

She remarried a kind man who also possessed one of the most exotic of the seven magics, unicorn blood. 

He and my mom together were a remarkable combination. 

He was a healing balm for my mother’s soul, and when they were together, an immediate change came over her. 

She was a good mother to Wysteria, and I was only slightly jealous of the bond they shared. 

And then, my mom and her new husband were killed because of Wysteria. 

I trembled with anger at learning the news. 

By the time I returned to Gothel Springs, Wysteria was gone. Snatched without a trace. 

No one seems to know who took her or killed our mom and her dad, but I have my suspicions. 

After years of searching for Wysteria, I came to the conclusion she must be in another realm. So, to hear someone else talking about my sister being back? 

That is news, indeed. 

And no surprise, she is already in danger.

- the Sisters have spoken. This girl is the fountain of youth, one of them says.

I wouldn’t want to be her. She probably already has an enormous bounty on her head. Dozens are probably hunting her if someone hasn’t gotten to her already.

Isn’t it true her parents were hunters? 

Yes, they worked under the vampire queen, Snow White, as part of a supernatural task force. But they were brutally murdered. 

All of this, I know. 

It had been great seeing my mother do something good with her life. Working for the good of the humans and the supernatural community had brought her and me some peace. 

What exactly did the Sisters say? one of the women asks. 

My ears perk. 

The Sisters they speak of are a trio of witches. 

Some believe they are as old as the dragon, Abernathy, while others say they are directly connected to the Unknowns. 

I don’t care one way or another, but I am interested in what they said about my sister. 

Yes, tell us what they said.

I cannot. It’s forbidden. Go to their temple and find out for yourselves.

Speak, an older woman barks, and I flinch at the bite in her voice. 

She might make a good vampire one day, not that I would change her anytime soon. 

I’m still in trouble with Snow White for changing the half-elf and half-human kid, Austin, in Gothel Springs last year. 

The whole scenario surrounding the boy was somewhat regrettable. 

A crazy mishmash of coincidences, but since changing him, I’d grown to like the kid, probably because he reminds me a lot of myself. 

Thankfully, the vampire queen has a soft spot for me, especially since her daughter, Jasmine, and the girl’s beloved are somewhere in the realms, searching for Troy’s mother.

Fine. I’ll tell, but if anyone asks, you didn’t hear it from me, the woman says, and I cut away from my thoughts to listen. 

The women giggle and readjust themselves. 

It goes like this: The one who was taken shall be returned. Powerful supernaturals will seek her, all desiring the power she holds. For she possesses the greatest of all the gifts, the fountain of youth -

Why do supernaturals care about the fountain of youth? Aren’t they all pretty much immortal?

That is true, but imagine the influence a supernatural could have over humanity with the power to grant them eternal life and without the need to become supernatural. Not only that, but think what this girl’s power could give an already eternal supernatural. 

Her voice shudders as she speaks. They would become more powerful than any others. She sounds terrified, and I don’t blame her. 

To rule over humans is considered by many the greatest accomplishment. 

At one point, even I had such a desire. 

And this woman is saying my sister is the key? 

For the briefest moment, I allow old needs to resurface. 

Though it was years ago, there was a time when I craved power so badly I betrayed Snow White and everything I believed in for it. 

Thankfully, Snow forgave me. 

But, I worry about what seeing my sister again will do to me. 

Should I seek her out? 

I want to protect her, but there's a genuine possibility I could slip back into my old ways again. 

Shall I continue? the woman asks. 

Go on then. 

Knowing she possesses the greatest of all gifts, the fountain of youth, she will be hunted and condemned to a life of misery unless she accepts her fate and becomes the hunter, slaying those who seek to claim her.

The room is silent, except for their rapidly beating hearts. 

I hold my breath, reciting the revelation over in my mind, committing it to memory.

The poor dear. I feel sorry for her, one finally says. 

An angry fire builds in my chest. 

No one should feel sorry for my sister. 

I will protect her and help her, no matter the cost to myself. 

It’s the least I can do since I failed to protect her parents - my mother. 

With that determination in my heart, I wait until the last woman is asleep and rise. 

It saddens me to leave them, their supple bodies and warm blood freely offered, but I have a purpose once again, and my need for blood is satiated.

Yes, Sharra, the old vampire queen, had lied to me a long time ago. 

She told me she loved me, and I believed her. 

Mostly, I wanted what she offered, the power she promised. 

And then she stripped it away like I was nothing. 

Like a gnat, she swatted me aside. 

After that devastation, I was banished, and for a time, sought revenge. 

When the original vampire, Jasmine, got older, my needs changed, and I believed myself to be her true love. 

Regret fills my heart at those memories. 

That had been a dark time in my life. 

Now Jasmine is a friend, and her mother tolerates me. 

But one thing is certain. 

I refuse to allow myself to be swayed by power. 

Again, my needs have shifted. 

This time it isn’t about me. It’s about my sister. 

Okay, there might be a small piece of my soul that is hopeful. That maybe one day, I can have the same thing Snow and Jasmine have. 

I want true love. 

In silence, I sneak out of the room. Using my vampire speed, I dash through the streets, like a shadow, until I reach the edge of the sea. As I go, I can't help thinking about my deepest desire. 

It’s embarrassing, but it’s the truth, and I’ve denied it too long. 

Even as I stare out into the dark water and watch the waves amble onto the beach, a feeling enters my soul. 

My time is coming. 

My beloved is out there somewhere, and I will find her. 

I take in a deep breath, enjoying the briny scent, allowing it to fill my lungs. 

And I feel calm. 

It’s time I return to Gothel Springs and tell my sister the truth about herself.