Broken Vows

Sweet Distraction

The spring ball was more than three weeks ago, and I haven't seen Hadeon again. I'm starting to think I never will see him again. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a message from him arrived. To my great disappointment, I haven't received a single thing from him. My mind immediately jumps to everything that could have happened to keep him from seeing me again. I hope he isn't in any trouble or hurt. I also hope that Cadmus didn't find Hadeon and scare him away. Cadmus has shown up a few times briefly and was all too happy to tell my mother everything that happened the night of the Ball. She was just as curious as Rana and Cadmus about this mysterious man that quickly stole my heart. I wish I could tell her more about him, but I feel shattered. All I can think about is him.

The only thing that seems to help at all is studying. Keeping my mind focused on my studies keeps me from drowning in my feelings about Hadeon. So that is what I'm doing: sitting alone in the rose garden, pouring through spell books and studying ruins.

"Why are you alone, Princess? Someone could steal you away." Haddon's voice sends the most beautiful chills down my spine.

I look up to see him sitting cross-legged on the low garden wall. His black cotton shirt and pants are a stark contrast to his pale features. In the light of day, he looks even more handsome.

"What is it, Princess? You don't look happy to see me," he says when I don't respond to him and go back to reading my book. He had me worried. I don't know if I'm happy or not that he seems completely fine.

"I'm happy that you seem well and unharmed," I reply coolly, still looking at the page of ruins in the book on my lap.

"Oh, you are upset with me, Princess." Hadeon smiles a little as he slides off the wall and joins me on the grass. He slides the book gently out of my hands to look at it briefly before closing it and setting it aside.

"I am truly sorry, Princess. I would have been here sooner if I could have been. Especially because you missed me so much." He places his finger under my chin and tilts my face up to look into his eyes. Any anger I had quickly fades as I look into those eyes.

"Don't be angry with me, Princess. I came just as soon as I could, I promise," he whispers. The light breeze had the scent of roses swirling around us.

"I'm not angry with you," I admit. "I was worried something happened to you. I was worried that I wouldn't see you again."

"Oh, you can't get rid of me that easily." Hadeon drops his hand and picks up another book out of the pile of books I have.

"You have been hard at work studying, I see. That's a good girl. The next Supreme needs to study hard." He shoots me a playful wink as he flips through the book.

"How do you seem to know so much about me, and I know nothing of you?" I remark, trying to quell my blushing.

"I'm not anyone important like you are, Princess. I knew just who you were the moment I saw you. Everyone told me the next Supreme Witch was the most beautiful woman anyone has ever laid eyes on." Hadeon picks up another book and looks through it.

"Have you mastered these yet?" He asks, holding up the book of shifting spells.

"No, I haven't mastered them yet. Not many witches can shift easily," I respond, crossing my arms defensively.

"Well, you are not most witches, are you Princess? If I can do it, I would think you could as well," He retorts a little smugly but smiles playfully.

"You cannot," I quip and take the book from his hand.

"You doubt me, Princess?" He asks in a hurt tone. He pouts a little.

"I do," I smirk at him, teasing him further.

"Choose your favorite animal then," he says, leaning closer to me.

"All right: a crow." I smile. I know he can't possibly be able to shift himself. Shifting objects from one thing to something completely different is difficult enough. He might be able to shift objects, but he cannot shift himself and certainly not into an animal.

"What will you give me when I prove you wrong?" He raises a blonde eyebrow and smiles devilishly at me.

"I have nothing to give you." I shrug, flustered and feeling my cheeks heat up at his smile. I don't have anything with me to give him, anything he could want anyway. I feel a little like we are playing some sort of childish game, but it has me smiling nonetheless.

"I want a kiss. You will owe me a kiss," he smirks, looking like he already won. He places a long slender finger on my lips before I can argue with him, still giving me his devilish smile. I can't kiss him. I shouldn't even be alone with him right now.

"Just one little kiss, Princess." He's just a little closer now, and I feel so drawn to him. He removes his finger.

I reply softly: "All right, a kiss then."

I turn away, trying to hide the blush on my cheeks, but he turns my face back to look at him. I meet his eyes, and he gives a little half-smile.

"Good. Now your wish is my command, Princess." He stands up and walks a few paces away. I'm watching him closely, trying to see him mutter some spell or anything that could give me a clue as to where he is drawing his magic from. Witches and warlocks can perform simple spells without reciting them. Still, for something as complicated as shifting into an animal, he would have to say the spell and draw on a great deal of magic.

Hadeon stands still, and I can see the shimmer of the air around him, almost glowing icy blue. Still, he never utters a sound, only smirks at me as the glow and shimmer intensify. As he stretches out his arms to his side, his black clothes turn to feathers, and his body smoothly morphs into a large crow. I cover my mouth with my hands to stifle my gasp of surprise. I didn't believe he could really shift, but he did so effortlessly. I need to know how he can control his powers so easily. I even struggle to control mine most of the time.

I stand and start walking toward the large black bird, hardly believing my eyes. "How did you do that? Even mother has to say the spells out loud to help focus her magic. How is it...?" I trail off as the bird suddenly takes flight.

"What are you doing, Willow? Who are you talking to?" Cadmus comes into view. He is more than a little confused and even sounds a little worried.

I turn, and he indeed looks worried. He's been here several times in the past three weeks wanting to look in on me. I know his heart is in the right place, but I wish he would relax. He couldn't find out anything about Hadeon.

Hadeon wasn't on any guest list, at least not under that name. No one seems to recall ever knowing anyone with that name or meeting anyone with his description. I know that is making Cadmus crazy.

"I was just studying out here," I remark, gesturing to the stack of books.

"And who were you talking to?" Cadmus looks around the garden to see who I could have been speaking with. He even sniffs at the air, and I hope the smell of the blooming roses hides any sent of Hadeon.

"I was just thinking out loud trying to figure out a spell." I feel a little guilty not being honest with Cadmus, but I know he will be angry with me if I tell him the truth. He would then try to find Hadeon. I don't want Cadmus to ruin whatever this is. I also find the idea of keeping it a secret a little thrilling. I'm not ready to share it yet.

I can tell he doesn't believe me entirely as he looks into my eyes for a long moment. He lets out a long sigh as he hangs his head. It's clear that something other than me must bothering him; he looks like he hasn't slept in days. I’m really beginning to worry about my friend.

"Cadmus, what's wrong? You look so tired, and it can't just be all this silliness from the Ball." I move to him and tilt my head down so he has to look at me. We used to tell each other everything, and now we seem to just keep secrets from each other.

When Cadmus looks at me for a brief moment, he has a look of loss and sadness, but I don't know why. I'm only more troubled and worried for him. His once-bright smile has become forced and tired. When he turns from me and begins to walk away, I just can't let him leave without talking to me. I have to know what is troubling him. I feel like my heart is breaking for him.

"Cadmus, please just talk to me. You're my friend, and I want to know what is bothering you so much. Please," I plead with him grabbing his arm. He turns to look at me, and the pain in his face is breaking my heart even more. "Please talk to me, Cadmus?" I beg.

After a moment of Cadmus studying my face and looking at my hand holding his arm, I pull his arm. He reluctantly follows me to a bench at the edge of the garden. I sit down and pull him to sit with me. He hesitates a moment but finally sits with me and props his elbows on his knees, covering his face with his hands. When I place a hand on his shoulder, he drops his hands and finally speaks.

"I found her, Willow," He mutters, and for a fleeting moment, I'm confused; then it occurs to me he found his mate. Then he should be the happiest man alive right now, not one of the saddest.

"Well, that's wonderful news, right?" I prod, wanting him to just tell me what happened already.

"It would be if she knew." He sighs and buries his face in his hands again.

Now I'm baffled; she should be able to feel the mate bond even if she's not a dragon.

"Why doesn't she know Cadmus? She should feel the bond, shouldn't she? Have you spoken to her?"

"She would if she was a shifter as well, but she isn't. She has already given her heart to another, it seems, and no, I have not told her,” Cadmus mumbles through his hands.

"I talked with the elders, and that's the only thing they can come up with to tell me why she feels nothing for me."

"Have you talked to her? I still don't see how she couldn’t feel anything. I mean, she must, right? That's how those things work, isn't it?"

"Yes, but sometimes when you aren't the same, it takes longer for the bond to even become present. Sometimes, if the other is human, they may not feel it at all. It doesn't happen often, but it does if they have already given their heart to another. So, I can only assume that she is in love with another." Cadmus drops his hands and looks at me. It's clear his heart is broken. He found his mate, and she's human and in love with another; I can't help but feel sad for my friend. I also wonder if I know her.

"I still say that you should go and speak with her. It may save you some heartache. Perhaps she does feel something for you and just doesn't know what it is she's feeling. She must feel some sort of pull; she just has to," I muse.

"I suppose, but I think she would reject me. I don't know if I'm strong enough to go through that. Even for a dragon, breaking the mate bond is a pain like no other. It's been all I can do to keep Victor under control for this long." Cadmus looks out across the garden, and his eyes are lost and vacant. I know he's not really seeing the garden as he stares out, lost in thought. More than likely, he's having an internal argument with his dragon Victor.

As I sit with my friend, the large black crow perches on the low garden wall doesn't go unnoticed by me. I don't think Cadmus is as aware of the bird as I am, but still, I can't help but smile at the crow. I stand up and move in front of Cadmus, causing him to blink a few times. Once he's focused on me, I pull him to his feet.

"Come on, I think you should stay for dinner. You look like you could use a good meal." I smile, trying to distract him from his thoughts. He helps me collect my books as we leave the garden, the crow watching closely all the while. I see the bird fly and circle the castle before flying towards the woods.