Everyone say "Vviticus, you're soooo smart and sexy" because I uploaded 4x today ;)

When I wake up, I'm on a cot.

Wait no, not a cot. Akoni's cot.

My head is spinning, and I hold back throwing up, even though I'm sure they already saw me puking blood, if my vision was any indication.

Killian paces around the tent until he notices that I'm awake while Akoni sits on the floor next to me. When he realizes I'm awake, he exhales in relief and kneels next to me.

"What happened?" I cough, tasting the metallic blood. "Why'd you leave the Archives? You should have waited for me to wake up."

"We did," Akoni says, his eyes narrowed slightly. "We waited three hours."

I cringe. That was a long time to be passed out. I could feel it even now, taking it's toll on me. My Sight is mad. This was a warning.

"The book," I change the subject quickly, not liking Killian's worried expression. "Where is it?"

Akoni looks to my hand, and when I follow his gaze, I'm surprised to see that the red leather book that burnt my hand and threw me into the bloody vision is locked in my grasp.

"I tried taking it out of your hand, but I couldn't," Killian frowns at the book. "Even when you were knocked out, you were gripping it too tightly."

Freaky, bad juju book.

I open the book, but the first page is blank. I turn to the next page, which is also blank. Turn, blank. Turn, blank.

I skim through the book, flicking through all of the pages. None of them have any writing on them.

Stupid, empty book.

"Worthless," I mutter, handing it to Akoni, who frowns at it. He too thumbs through the pages, seeing nothing.

"If your Sight told you to take it, it's not nothing," Akoni says, his face deeply perplexed.

I decide not to tell him that my Sight definitely gave me the vision to tell me not to read the book.

My Sight is pissing me off lately, intentionally trying to throw me out of visions I want to See, keeping me in visions I don't. I wonder if Killian is throwing off my Sight. Ever since I met him, my Sight has been more scattered, less predictable.

Less dependable.

More painful.

It feels like someone shoved a white-hot iron poker down my throat and through my eyes.

"We should start looking through the books," I suggest, peering at the tower of twenty or so books we borrowed from the Archives.

Killian frowns. "Are you sure you don't want to rest more? I can take you back to Crimson Shadow."

"No," I quickly say. "I'm fine. Great, really. Now, can someone please tell me more about vampires? You kinda dropped that bomb on me without much explanation."

Killian opens his mouth, but Akoni interrupts. "Killian, how about getting the Oracle some water? I'm sure she could use it."

Killian runs his hand through his dark hair in distress. "Right, yeah, of course. I should have thought of that, I'll be back," He mutters before disappearing.

Akoni's eyes harden. "You didn't tell him about the Curse of the Seer."

My throat gets even drier. "I didn't know he didn't know," I lie. Killian had no idea, I've known that since the first time a vision knocked me out. He was too confused, too surprised.

"You have to tell him," Akoni swallows thickly, his eyes sad. "You're not... You don't have much time left do you?"

I look down at my hands. "No," I answer finally. There is not much time left at all.

"You should tell Killian," Akoni pleads, taking my hands in his much bigger, more calloused ones. "The Curse of the Seer will get worse the more you use your Sight. You know that, Katrina. Killian would never have asked you to help him find those wolves if he knew that by helping him, you're speeding up your death."

I gulp. "I know. But he needs my help. I don't know what's happening to the missing wolves but... it's bad," I whisper. "They'd be better off dead than enduring what they're being put through right now."

I know this to be true, and it's why I keep pushing my Sight, even though it knocks me back harder and harder. These wolves are being tormented, I know it.

Once the wolves are saved, I can stop pressing my Sight. Live the rest of my days in solitude and peace, though there would not be many days left at all.

"Promise me you won't tell him," I squeeze Akoni's hands hard. "He'll send me back to my pack and those wolves will never be saved. Promise me this will stay in between us."

Akoni's face falls, his eyes filled with despair. "You're asking me to lie to my oldest friend. He will be destroyed if something happens to you."

Something will happen to me. Of that, my Sight is certain.

"Not lie," I amend, smiling slightly though I feel queasy. "Just not tell the full truth. I'll tell him eventually, I promise."

A lie. Killian will only find out if he finds my dead body. Hopefully, I would find the wolves and get out of Crimson Shadow before my Sight kills me, and Killian would never know that I've been being killed slowly since I met him.

Akoni opens his mouth, probably to argue, but Killian reappears. "Darling, I brought you-"

His eyes narrow into slits as he glares at Akoni's hands holding mine. He's holding a plate of food, and a jug of water, which shakes slightly in his hands as his eyes darken.

"Glad you two are getting to know each other," Killian says casually, but I detect an icy chill beneath his words.

Akoni rips his hands out of mine and stands up. "Why don't you watch after Katrina for awhile? I need to go for a run," Akoni says, and I detect nervousness in his tone.

"Are you sure?" Killian asks, his voice so calm and low it was scarier than if he yelled. "I don't mind giving you and my Seer some alone time."

Akoni muttered something about possessive Alphas before dashing out of the tent.

I scowl at Killian. "What the hell was that about, dude? He was just being nice."

"Yeah, he's only being nice because you're a Seer," Killian scowls back, sitting on the cot next to me, placing the tray on the ground. "It's a Viatoribus thing. They're... weird about Oracles."

"Weird?" I question.

Killian sighs. "Yeah, like they practically worship them. Being a Seer in the Viatoribus basically puts you at the same level as the Princeps Viatorem and the Ultimum Viatorem."

"Ah, so I have just as much authority as you?" I joke, nudging his shoulder, and he rolls his eyes.

"I never knew you desired power so much, my dear," Killian muses, a slight smile tugging on the corners of his mouth. "No wonder you have a crush on me."

My mouth drops open. "You... How did you know that?"

Killian's eyes widen. "You-I... Katrina-"

I burst out laughing. "You're a moron," I tell him, clutching my stomach from laughing so hard. "I don't like you, idiot. I can barely stand to look at you without vomiting."

Killian rolls his eyes. "That explains why you seem to get sick so much around me."

"You should really consider plastic surgery," I suggest, still laughing.

"I'll look into it," He mutters. "Seriously, are you okay? I know you said your Sight isn't anything to worry about, but you look really pale, Katrina. And you lost a lot of blood. You're lucky Seers are so revered here, or else Akoni might have shot an arrow into your heart for bleeding all over his precious Archives."

"I'm fine," I shrug nonchalantly. "Thanks for the food."

"And water," He emphasizes, handing me the jug. "I want you to drink every last drop."

"That's what he said," I whisper before taking a drink, and Killian's eyes bulge out of his head.

I choke on the water, and try to stop myself from laughing since I still have a mouthful of water, but ultimately fail, and spit water all over Killian.

Killian groans, wiping water droplets off his face. "At least now I know you're a spitter," He jokes, and we both howl in laughter.

"That's... That's not funny," I gasp through fits of laughter.

"Then why are you laughing, idiot?" Killian chokes out, still laughing.

"You're the idiot."

"No, you are."

"You are."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"No," Killian yells. "Ha! Told you that you're the idiot. I can't believe you thought that would work, dumbass."

I punch him in the arm. "Tell me about vampires before I kill you."

"Stop flirting with me and I will," Killian argues, and I roll my eyes and raise my hand to hit him again. "Okay, okay, calm down, woman," Killian raises his hands in surrender.

"Do they really drink blood?" I ask in fascination.

"That's what makes them vampires, you dumb sack," Killian rolls his eyes.

"Killian!" I whine, and elbow him. "Seriously! Tell me something interesting about them."

"Okay, okay," Killian grins. "One time, we killed an entire coven of them. They kept slaughtering too many humans in one area, and it was beginning to look suspicious. Vampires can feed without killing, but it didn't seem like they cared about stopping. So the Viatoribus and I stepped in, and we killed all of them."

"How do you kill a vampire?" I ask curiously.

"Holy water, a cross, and a mirror," He says seriously.

"Really?"

"Nah, I'm just messing with you," Killian laughs, and I scowl, digging an elbow into his ribs. "You can kill them a lot of ways. Rip off their head, tear out their heart, burn them alive. If you use a weapon, it has to be wooden in order for the wound to not heal."

"Are they as fast as werewolves?"

Killian shakes his head. "Faster," He cringes. "It's hard to kill them in our human forms. Much easier as a wolf, you're faster that way and can tear them apart with your canines. They're strong, too. If they wrap their arms around you, they can crush you easily."

"Seems like we're screwed," I mutter in defeat.

Killian's visage turns serious. "We'll get them back, Katrina. And no harm will come to you, I swear it. I'll protect you."

I laugh, nudging him. "So protective over your Seer," I tease. "The Viatoribus taught you well."

"I... They do love their Seers," He smiles for a moment, before it falters. "I was friends with our Oracle, when I grew up here. He was nice, liked that he couldn't see my future," He laughs slightly at this. "Said his head was too loud all of the time. That spending time with me was a nice break."

My throat tightens. "What happened to him?" I dare to ask.

Killian looks away. "He died young. A freak heart issue, we're not really sure how it happened."

The Curse of the Seer. He died from pushing his Sight too much.

Just like I would.

"I'm sorry," I tell him, and I am. Sorry he's going to have to lose another Seer.

I just hope that when my time comes, I'll be far away from Killian.

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