۞ V ۞

Six days before Annika's 21st birthday

۞۞۞۞۞

IT WAS PAST 3 AM WHEN DONNA FINISHED giving all the food and drinks for the orphans, both kids and grown-ups who were also hungry in this festival night. And she's still silent after the bomb Lewis had thrown at her. Not just silent. Donna was thinking, trying to come up with a reason why all that shit happened.

Lewis stayed with her until the end, just as he went back with her to take the wooden trays back to Karl, not just to help her, but to make sure she was okay. The boy was feeling guilty for having hidden that from her, but both him and the other orphans feared how she would react. Since she would be taken by the Devil in a week.

"Donna? Are you freaking out?" He asked carefully after they left the bakery once again.

She licked her lips, "In my mind? 100%. If I was losing my shit literally, I would probably have burned the whole village. It almost happened once. But I'm better at controlling myself now, even though my magic is still very hard to tame and way too dangerous for everyone but me."

Donna stopped at a stand of books that was there all the time during the festival and looked through the books. "Your silence is killing me, Donna," he blurts out.

"Do you like books, Lewis?"

Did that shock her that much? "I do. A woman who took care of the orphanage taught the older of us how to read and we thought the youngest as well."

"What are the best stories, Miss Jane?" Donna asked the woman, who she was familiar with because it was the owner of the library, and Anthony's grandmother, the boy she kiss and… harmed accidentally. Thankfully Karl came to the rescue and healed the burns, or it would been bad.

The old woman pressed her lips and looked through her books, doing her best not to asked if Donna was doing fine, or to show her worried she was for the doomed Lady. "We have The Lost Ruby, The Empire of Gold, Escaping from the Green Witch, The Enchanting Pie, Emerald Ring. Those are all adventures, and all ages can read them. Sweet Devilish Temptation, A Love for the Princess, Breaking Her Curse, The Devil's Love Potion, are romances for adults."

"Do you read romance, Lewis?"

The boy blushed, "I do."

"Choose two romances for you, as you became an adult two moons ago, you will be able to read it. Miss Jane, I'll also take all the five books that are for all ages." She turned to Lewis, "So, what romances will it be?"

Something I can dream with you. "I want Breaking Her Curse, and A Love for the Princess." After all, she is kind of cursed, and she is technically a Princess if you take her mom's title. "Thank you, Donna."

A nod, "I…" She licked her lips, "I'll take the other two adult romances for me."

Well, they were written for her. The woman thought, But I never thought she would read them. "So, five books for all ages and two romances for the boy. And you will want both Sweet Devilish Temptation, and The Devil's Love Potion, right?" She repeated just to make sure Donna had heard the titles right.

"Yes. Maybe they will lessen up my fear for my end in a week," she exclaimed, making both finch with sadness for the Lady. "Wrap all of them as presents, except the two I'll be taking for myself." Then she handed a small bag of gold for the old woman, and after a moment, she got what she asked. "Is Anthony okay, Miss Jane?"

The woman smiled softly, "He's fine, darling. You don't have to blame yourself for what happened anymore!"

Donna caressed her braids, "I can't help it."

"He's totally fine, darling. Remember that the burns were all healed by Mr. Tyrone. My grandson is perfectly as he was before the accident happened. He's engaged now, to Lady Carla Montag, Miss Montag's youngest daughter, do you remember her?"

"Yes. I saw her twice or thrice when I was buying one of her mother's dresses. She's very pretty. It makes sense that he went for a Water magic wielder after what happened," she mocked herself. "And with a normal type of beauty, safer option."

What a tormented child. If she had more time… "Do not be unkind to yourself, Donna."

Who's this Anthony? What happened? "You are the most beautiful, Donna," Lewis said firmly. "Don't compare yourself to other girls. You are unique, and that's amazing. It sets you apart from the others and give you an even greater glow."

Donna smiled at him, "You are too cute, Lewis. And don't worry, Miss Jane, I'm not being unkind to myself, I'm simply being self-aware. I do find myself beautiful, I have a good mirror at home. But I know I'm dangerous to you!"

"Ah, child. I'm sorry, but that family of yours did a terrible job raising you," Miss Jane held her hand softly.

She pressed her lips together, "They didn't raise me, I was always ignored and invisible to them. A burden that they always had to care, but for a limited time. The sooner we got to my deadline, the least they cared. I can't complain since I always had my nanny with me, and she did her best. To my father, the only value I ever had was my Royal blood, but that became useless the second my mother sold me to the Devil when I was in her womb!"

Those fucking pieces of shit. Both the old Lady and Lewis thought the same at that moment.

"Donna, darling, don't think about that right now. Use your last week with us the best you can. Stay far away from these people. It'll be a waste if you spend time there. You have people who care about you here in the village!"

I know. That's why I'm here every night. "I know, Miss Jane," she smiled at her. "I'm fine. I thought I would be more scared now, but I'm not. Somehow, knowing how my life is going to end, eases the burden I've been carrying. I never let my half-siblings or Gwendolyn step on me so carelessly, or without a fight. I won't be doing that now!"

"You will be missed by us, darling!"

I'll miss you so much. "By all of us," Lewis sulked.

Inhaling deeply, she smiled at them, "I know. That kind of gives me more strength than I already have. Well," she took the packed books and put inside one of her spatial small bags, then put the two Lewis chose for him in another and handed both to him. "Keep it with you, Lewis. They are enchanted and can fill a big amount of stuff inside. It'll be useful for you and the kids."

Oh, is he one of them? "Are you one of the kids she has been helping, boy?"

He blushed and nodded, "Yes, ma'am. I'm Lewis, the leader of the orphan kids. It's good to meet you!"

"Likewise, boy!" She smiled at him and turned to Donna again, as she finished putting her two books in the magical bag. "Those braids look amazing on you, darling."

Donna blushed, "Thank you, Miss Jane. Raye is the best at those braids, and at cooking too. She's good to me."

"I know. Her and Grover adore you a lot!" So, do I.

"Yes. I adore them as well. Now I'll be going, Miss Jane. Send my apologies to Anthony again. I hope you sell more books during this festival. You have the best in the village!" Blowing the old woman, a kiss, she ran, and Lewis ran after her. She only stopped when they reached the other side of the park, where they sat on a water fountain. "I read fast. When I finish these, I'll give them to you!"

He blinked, "Are you sure?"

"Well, I'll soon be as good as gone, and they will be staying on my chambers accumulating dust. So, yes. Giving it to you will be the best. I'll also give you all my shelves full of books that I've read and there are staying frozen back in my room. Most are stories that can be ready by all ages, but there is a handful that I'll give to you, since they are R-rated, for adults," she watched as the water rose and fell.

Fuck. I'm really going to miss her. "Can I ask you something personal, Donna?"

She nodded, already knowing what it was, but still with her lilac eyes on the fountain. "Ask me anything!"

"Who is Anthony? What happened between you?"

I felt his jealousy before, it's quite cute. "Anthony is Miss Jane's grandson. Two years ago, we had a mutual crush on each other, since I always met him on his family's bookstore or in their stand in the festivals."

Lewis tensed up; I don't like it. "How did he look?"

"Two inches shorter than you, slim, light brown hair, dark brown eyes, pale skin. He was… well, average. But he was cool to talk to and he liked books. He also didn't look at me weird or judged me for simply breathing! That's why I had a crush on me, I wasn't used to being liked like that!"

So, he wasn't good looking. "Will you call me petty if I ask you if I'm more handsome than he was?"

Donna burst out laughing at his daring tone, and her laugh made his heart flutter more. "Well, I'm petty, so I'm not really one to judge. But yes, you are more handsome than him, because you are handsome, and he was just very average, Lewis."

She thinks I'm handsome. Donna thinks I look good! "I'm good looking?" He asked shocked, blushing hard.

That made her laugh more, "Yes, kid. You are. Very good-looking. You are very tall, and you will still grow a lot taller, your body has a beautiful shape and the more you hone your strength and magic the more you will sculpt it. Your dark green eyes are an eye-candy, and your almost black hair, in a very dark tone of brown also makes you more beautiful than most. Plus, you have a tanned skin, and that is more appealing to me than pale or white skinned people." She scoffed, "And my skin is white."

"I like you, Donna!" He blurted in a peak of courage.