"Alright, spit it out," Elias demanded. "What did you tell Addison's daughter?"

Elias didn't waste time. He went straight to the point. He had all the patience in the world for Adeline, but when it was about her, there was none.

Elias had walked all the way from the castle to the Magician Tower, each step of the way, instead of speed walking here. He didn't need her to expect his presence and conjure an excuse.

"If only you were as obsessed with ruling as you are with that rose," the older woman murmured.

She sat in a fancy chair by the window, sipping a cup of tea. From here, she could see everyone that entered and left the castle. Her long, white hair elegantly flowed down her back. As one of the oldest Pure-Breds in the entire world, she could remain youthful forever. But it took too much of a toll to maintain her beauty, thus she opted for this appearance.

There were times her beauty would glimmer and her youth was revealed. She aged like fine wine, the older she grew, the more beautiful she was.

"Grandmother," he growled.

"Oh my, are we calling each other by useless titles now? Alright, I suppose I'll go back to calling you Little Brat," the older woman mused.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw something interesting. A rat was hurrying down the backdoor leading to the palace.

She simply turned a blind eye to it. Someone will get rid of the rat later. She had no doubt the ill-tempered King would become an Exterminator soon.

Letting out a small sigh, she continued to sip the tea.

"Don't glare at my tea as if you're going to poison it, and if you are, use the most lethal one please."

Finally, she lifted her eyes to her irritating Grandson. His scowl reminded her of her unruly son. Like father, like son, they were obsessed with their wife. Well, that is, before his father nearly murdered the entire family.

"What is it?" she teased. "Don't tell me you'll throw a temper tantrum, Little Brat."She checked her wristwatch. "If so, you should've told me in advance. I would've prepared some priceless vases, lovely picture frames, and more furniture for you to smash."

The older woman touched the small locket, engraved with the initials of her name and her late husband's. D.L for Dorothy Luxton. It had been so long since she used her maiden name, that she had forgotten it.

Seeing his less than amused expression, she let out another wistful sigh. Dorothy missed the days he would accompany her in mischief. Perhaps she spoiled him too much.

"Alright, alright." She gestured for him to take a seat.magic

Elias pressed his lips together. His Grandmother was sipping tea, not knowing how much she had shaken up the innocent Adeline.

"What did you tell her?" he commanded in a low and dangerous voice.

"Now, now I didn't teach you to threaten people, especially after you barged into their place," his Grandmother chided. She motioned towards the empty seat beside her.

Ignoring his aggravation, and how easily he could snap her neck, she continued to drink from her teacup. It was sweet, yet bitter, much like her life.

She remembered when Elias was just a snot-faced baby. She snickered at the memory of when she could tease him and he could do nothing but brood and sulk.

With a loud and impatient sigh, Elias plopped down on the chair. He crossed his legs and leaned back on the chair as if he owned the entire world. He didn't wear a Crown, but his presence implied his great importance

"Sit properly, and don't cross your ankle over your knee, you damn brat!" Dorothy snapped at him.

Elias was definitely making sure Adeline would be nowhere near this cursing Grandmother of his. He didn't need someone else to corrupt her.

Adeline was a blissful daydream and he wished to protect her from every nightmare.

"This Magician Tower is getting old," he suddenly commented. "Like the person frequenting it."

Elias lazily glanced around the stone interior. There was wooden furniture of high quality in it, and not a spackle of dust. He didn't understand his Grandmother's need to remain in the past. But she did hold this useless place dear to her heart.

"It'd be a shame if the tower crumbled," he wistfully said. "And take centuries to repair."

His Grandmother merely smiled in response. Her grandson, as unruly and brute of a man he was, entertained her. It was why Dorothy stuck around for this long, but also to watch the entertaining show that would soon unfold.Dorothy would be in this tower, with her cup of tea and plate of biscuits, as history repeated itself.

"From Summer to Autumn, the world goes on, and you're stuck in the past when everything was bright. When will you give up on Addison's daughter?" she softly uttered.

Elias did not respond. He merely stood up and grabbed the bottle of wine in the corner of the room. He uncapped it with sheer strength and took one of her empty teacups. He quietly poured the wine into the teacup and sipped it like it was nothing.

"I can still envision your future of regrets, filled with ashes and sins resting on your heartless body. A bottle of ancient wine beside you and a lifetime of regret… She has always appeared in your daydreams, blinding you from reality," she vaguely stated.

Dorothy enjoyed talking in circles, so that her grandson would be forced to use his brain more often. He was too smart for his own good. Someone had to force him to do mind games, and she took on that role perfectly, with her encrypted messages that always confused others.

"But she is not someone that will bring this empire prosperity," Dorothy gently said.

Sometimes, Dorothy wished she did not marry into the Luxton family. Unfortunately, it was too late to regret the marriage. She had been with them for as long as she could remember.

Dorothy communicated with the High Heavens, though they were snobby and rarely spoke to her. But when they did, it was of short prophecies or warnings of danger.

For some reason, they favored her, much like how the Heavens favored Addison before she rebelled and fell in love with the Crown Prince of Kaline. She went against her fate, and in return, he went against his.

Dorothy continued rubbing the locket in between her thin and leathered fingertips. Whenever she was lost in thought, she'd play with it. This was the last memory of her husband.

"Don't go on about the Golden Rose nonsense," Elias scoffed. He had enough of Easton whining about every blonde and green-eyed woman he has come across.

The Golden Rose was just a fable passed down in fairy tales. It spoke of a mysterious woman with strange, but useful abilities.

Whoever embraced the Golden Rose will gain a sudden burst of strength, those that consume her blood will become the strongest in the world, and whoever deflowered her will be granted immortality. Some even said her grounded bones could fertilize the most barren of land.

The Golden Rose was something that everyone searched for, Crown Princes and foreign Kings alike. If killing one woman brought so much benefit, no one would hesitate. After all, the Golden Rose was nothing more than a sacrificial lamb.

"Is it because you know she's not the one?"

Elias froze.

"Ho ho, it seems for once, my genius grandson is confused."

The temperature dipped. Dark, creatures loomed in the shadows. In an instant, his great mood soured.

"What are you talking about?"

Dorothy leaned her chin upon a propped up arm. Her lips spread into a large, cunning smile.

"Kaline and Addison lied to you. Adeline was not born on Halloween, she was born a minute after it. She is not the Golden Rose, meant to usher an era of light into the Empire of Wraith."