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"Derek is all I have left, Xavier I already lost my father and I lost Lucas too… I can’t afford to lose Derek I won’t have a reason to live if I lose him I would rather die"

Xavier was taken aback and I could tell that he was hurt I knew he cared about me "Vivienne, I know you love your family I admire that about you, but you have to open your eyes and start living for yourself at some point You have people who care about you and have been loyal to you these past years – not just Derek or Gregor or Lucas Liana, Sofia, me… We all care what happens to you, but it’s not even about that There’s a reason you’re alive, a reason I’ until you’ve fulfilled that reason Live for you, Vivienne, because da for"

Xavier gently brushed a loose strand of hair from my face He leaned over slowly and I was sure he was about to kiss me I pulled away and shook my head

"I can’t, Xavier" I stepped away fro his eyes ure out a way to stop Eo I needed space I needed time to think Because as much as I hated to adet away fro I lived the past five centuries for my family, and never for myself Xavier’s words echoed in my head Live for you, Vivienne

I had no idea how to do that, because I really had no idea who I was anyan to throb I ran and ran and ran until I ended up back at The Sanctuary, ready to stab Emilia with a wooden stake, only to find myself frozen and unable to move the moment I lifted the stake in the air

Emilia’s eyes shot wide open and a ht ofto be a lotwhat she was talking about I tried with all e

"Don’t bother, Vivienne You won’t be able to move" Eive me the blood They were too alarured I could still wait another day while they discuss what to do with me I didn’t need the blood to heal All I needed was The Sanctuary This is my temple, is it not? My power as a witch comes fro me I tried to speak but I couldn’t evento creep into every bone in my body, but I didn’t have control Corrine, where are you?

"You er, but you know me" Ee you once kneas transformed into the woman of Derek’s wildest dreams, his ultimate ideal Nowith Sofia He belongs withas she walked around the bedroon, because if she was confident enough to tell et rid of me

"I waited hundreds of years before my transformation was complete I waited until the time he would wake up and find that he’s supposed to be with ht that redheaded spitfire into the island and took everything away fro, Vivienne I really should punish you for that"

Suddenly, I understood what Xavier was trying to tell ht then and there that I did valueto lose my life for my family and I realized why I hadn’t actually lived it I didn’t have a life of my own, and at that moment, I desperately wanted to have one, but it see to co me If I could actuallywith terror at what she was saying, but I could only watch her, wondering what she had in mind for me

"It’s a shame I can’t kill you, Vivienne I love Derek and I know that if I ever harivehis love forhis love for you? He doesn’t love you, you crazy bitch

She brushed her fingers over my cheekbone and the moment her skin touched mine, I saw a vision that revealed to me who Emilia really was She was no ordinary vainal vahter Terror took over as it sank into me how much of a threat she really was to Derek

"No, I won’t end your life, Vivienne But I can always do the next best thing" She grinned before snapping her fingers

The sound hadn’t even registered indown in the et out of the bed, but I couldn’t Instead, I found e to fall asleep, a battle I kneas about to lose What has she done to ure it out As I drifted off to a deep sleep, I knew that she cast the sao, and right before I lost consciousness, two thoughts circled in my mind…

Will I ever wake up?

Emilia is one of the inal witch She is Cora

Chapter 20: Sofia

I was snuggled against Derek on his living rooainst his shoulder We were both exhausted, because we just spent hours searching for Vivienne and failing to find her I was sure that Derek had already scoured every single nook and cranny of The Shade to find his twin, but only got frustrated when there was absolutely no sight of her anywhere Nobody saw her at all

"I feel so bad about not hearing her out," Derek ers over my hair "It’s Vivienne She doesn’t freak out like that for just no reason"

I didn’t voice out hts in fear of how Derek would react, but Vivienne had been in pretty bad shape back at hunter territory The hunters had been brainwashing her in order to try and extract infor the location of The Shade She was far too loyal and too intent on protecting her faed to block out all inforot anything froht to me at Hawk Headquarters