The vampire's personal witch

d, her curiosity

witches used to live peacefully within their own boundaries, keeping to themselves. They had no need fo

ign to her that she could barely imagine it. "But... the union..

changed. He craved power, and he saw weakness in the old ways. He turned the witches into something dark, something cruel. Now, they hide in their fortr

Bats? I've seen them... but I always th

d them to carry messages, so they rely on those bats to stay connected. The forests around the uni

er. "I never knew... I never saw anything outside those walls, not until I

haven't you? The witches made sure of that. But not everyone is like them, Seraphine. T

d been so narrowly confined to the horrors of the union that it was difficult to believe th

ity," Seraphine said quietly, her

witch, of course-I was a merchant, trading goods with them. I saw how they lived before the darkn

, what are you now?" Her voice quivered, b

way. But not of the same things." She paused, her gaze flickering to Seraphine's face as though w

e barely a whisper. She had only ever heard of vampires in whispers and cautionary tales-the b

s. Not all vampires are the monsters you've heard

n't think there were others-people like you, or even anyone who would help me." She pulled the blanket tighter ar

eraphine closely. "I didn't want to scare

ing. But a vampire..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked down at her hands, wringing them together. Her mind raced back to the cruel words the w

. "You've lived in isolation for so long, trapped by those who should have

eyes. "But why... why help me? Why wo

s never could. You're strong, Seraphine. Stronger than you realize. I've met plenty of peo

, her surprise gr

itches feared you for a reason, and it wasn't because you were weak. The

r mind. "But I couldn't even cast a spel

powerless. There's a difference. And I believe that

her life, someone was telling her she wasn't useless. Someone believed in her. The thought w

d learned, was a

lieve, if only for a little while, that she might have a future outside the cruelty of the witc