It came as no shock to any of the Winthorpes that Seraphina did very well on the admission exam and was invited by the board to attend Andon University in the autumn. Her admission letter came with a pamphlet informing her that the first year would be an introduction into professional academics before the newest students could choose their area of interest in their second year. Seraphina would be following a wider range of classes to determine what she was truly going to pursue, which seemed perfect for her since she had not quite determined where she wished to focus her studies yet. 

Time slipped away from her rapidly after her acceptance letter had come and Seraphina was happy that she and her mother had had the foresight to get all of her dresses made in time for the first semester.

She was spending copious amounts of time with her family and friends before going off to university on her own. This would be the first time she ever left home without her family by her side and she feared she would miss them too much. What if she felt so homesick that she quit and returned to town on her first day? That would be utterly humiliating. 

She was thrilled to finally be going to school, but part of her wished she could take her family with her. Seraphina did suspect that made her a bit of a coward. 

“Sera! Sera!” Two little demons ran down the split staircase on either side of the entrance hall and almost crashed into their older sister as they flew down. 

“Sera, look.” Her little sister handed her a ribbon. “Take this with you to remember me and always wear it in your hair.” 

“This too!” Said the other twin, not wishing to be outdone by his partner in crime. “It is a candle, so you don’t get frightened in the dark.” Her brother shoved the item into her hand. 

“Thank you very much.” Seraphina said solemnly. “I shall keep these close while I’m away. They shall be my charms of good luck.”

Daisy and Gabriel shouted over one another, each of them swearing that the idea of giving her a farewell gift was theirs. Seraphina couldn’t help the little smile playing on her lips as she watched them. Oh, how she would miss them.

The twins were a handful, notoriously loud and wiggly, always at each other’s throats, but they were also curious and kind and smart. With only six years of life, they proved themselves incredibly clever and wise at times. And they were Seraphina’s favourite people. She would miss spending the majority of her time with them—witnessing all the trouble they caused around the house.

“Mother says you should be careful of boys, Sera.” Daisy whispered loudly. 

“No, she should not.” Said Gabriel, offended, glaring at his twin. 

“Yes, she should! Mother said so.” Daisy shrieked.

Seraphina clapped her hands twice to get their attention. “Do not worry, I shall be careful of both boys and girls whilst I am there. Your sister is a very smart person, no one shall hurt me.” 

“A girl wouldn’t murder you, a boy would!” 

“That’s a lie, Daisy. A girl could kill her too.” Gabriel said, fuming. 

Seraphina sighed. She would be leaving tomorrow morning and all this talk about murder was not making the thought of being away any easier. Her mother’s fearful nature was beginning to affect her.

No one in the world vexed James as much as Seraphina Winthorpe did. There was a very fine line between the hate and the undeniable attraction he felt for her. 

She was beautiful, no one could deny that. Her personality, on the other hand, would drive the most patient of people to suicide. He did not understand how her lovely parents had spawned such a brat. Seraphina embodied everything James abhorred. Spoiled, self-righteous, ignorant, he could go on listing her terrible traits for hours. 

If it wasn’t for his bond with the rest of the Winthorpes, he would be sure to avoid the little menace at every turn. 

Unfortunately, his own parents had put it in their minds that their son would marry the daughter of a Duke and heighten their standing in society. As if they weren’t already a part of the aristocracy. Ludicrous. 

The notion that James should need Seraphina of all people to help him with anything was absolutely inane. 

As it were, his father was prattling on about how beautiful the witch was, and how beneficial such a marriage would be for the Woodburys. 

James wished to speak up and tell his father that his plans were never going to come to fruition, but he knew the obstinate Charles Woodbury would refuse to listen to him. After all, he was worthless to Charles and Helena Woodbury unless he did what they told him to. These were their own words, spoken to him only a week prior. 

“Are you listening, James?” His father’s gruff voice pierced through his thoughts. “I shan’t repeat myself again, boy. Your mindlessness is costing me time and money, both of which you have not been able to contribute to this family, to my great disappointment. Gallivanting off to that horrible school of yours, wasting what little time we have to save ourselves from destitution.” 

James refrained from scoffing or making any sort of remark that would incense his father even further. He only knew all too well what Charles Woodbury’s bitterness could lead to on any given day. 

His father sighed and massaged his temples, looking as if he were a mere second or two from combusting. “How many times have I told you to win her over? It shouldn’t be difficult, James. The girl is a dolt, for goodness’ sake!” Charles huffed, glaring at his son. “If you cannot do this, I shall deem you to be as dim-witted and useless as Miss Winthorpe herself.”

If this conversation did not make him feel so horribly, James could have almost laughed at his father’s words. It was obvious to him that Charles Woodbury didn’t know Seraphina Winthorpe at all. The girl, as infuriating and awful as she was, was a far cry from being dim-witted. If anyone could match his own regard for knowledge with the same ferocity, it would be her.

Seraphina had never allowed him to forget it either. Ever since their childhood, she had been able to beat him in all chess matches, knew two more languages than he did, and outsmarted him in the arts and history. He only ran ahead of her in the sciences, which she was truly horrendous at, to his utter delight.

Seraphina’s parents had always encouraged her hunger for knowledge and aided her in any way they could. Society might have forbidden women from getting a formal education, but that had not phased the Winthorpes, who had encouraged Seraphina to learn on her own until the University finally opened its doors for everyone. 

But, of course, Charles Woodbury wouldn’t know this. Try as he might, he barely got along with the Winthorpes. He had always envied the Duke and Duchess and pushed James in the direction of their daughter to elevate the Woodbury name. He had never been satisfied with being a mere Viscount, his ambition to raise himself up in society taking over every thought and every action of his for the past three decades at least.

“You shall sweep the wench off her feet like the knight of her dreams or I swear upon my mother’s grave that I shall disown you, James. Do you hear me?”

James dug his nails into his skin to keep from shouting. “Yes, Father.” 

“Good. Make sure to follow through, I shan’t allow failures or disappointments in my family.”

James wished to tell him precisely what he thought of his rotten family, but decided against it for his own sanity.

As soon as he left the house, he felt somewhat better. Woodbury House always felt stifling and suffocating, he truly abhorred being there. 

He was tired of his parents pressuring him to marry Seraphina. He knew better than to believe her even the slightest bit interested in anything related to him, let alone marriage. Besides the fact that Seraphina had been utterly smitten with Kit Everton for years, she had never tolerated James’ presence in the first place. They had grown up together, and even as children, Seraphina had made it clear that he was not her friend. That sentiment had never changed for her. His parents would have to see that eventually. Seraphina was never going to choose James. 

And he would rather die than to choose her.

The Winthorpes’ Estate wasn’t too far from his house and James decided to spend his last day in town with them, as they were the family he would always choose over his own. 

As soon as he stepped into their bright hallway, he heard two childish screams of delight right before the owners of said screams charged at him. 

“James, I missed you so much!”

“But I missed you ever so much more!” 

“Where have you been?”

“Why has it been so long?”

“Have you found yourself a wife?” 

The little Winthorpe twins shouted loudly, not allowing him to address any of their concerns. 

“Seraphina is going to unersity tomorrow. Are you leaving too, James?” Asked little Daisy.

“Daisy wishes to attend, but mother said she’s not allowed.” Gabriel said in a loud whisper. Which immediately prompted Daisy to hit him. 

“Well, you cannot attend either!” She told her twin, a hand on her hip as she glared at him. 

James sighed and crouched down. “You shall both be attending soon enough. Just give it a few years.”

“Truly?”

“How soon?”

“Well, of course it does depend on how much you study and whether or not you listen to your parents at all times.” 

“I do!” 

“I listen very well. But I hate books. They tell me to read all the time.” Grumbled Gabriel. 

“Well, you could choose to remain ignorant, of course, but I would advise against it. Books teach you about the world.”

“I would rather see the world with my eyes.” Quipped Daisy.

“You can do that when you’re old enough.”

“But I’m six. I’m not a child anymore.” 

James smiled down at her affectionately. “Nothing wrong with being a child, Daisy. You’ll have plenty of time to grow up and do all the things you wish to do when you are older.”

“And to find a husband!” She said. 

James grimaced. He did not want to think about little Daisy on the marriage mart quite yet.

He pulled both of them into an embrace before standing up. “Well then, where are your parents?” 

“They’re not here.”

“They went to see Mrs. Blueleaf.”

“She’s horribly sick.” The twins informed him, finishing each other’s sentences in a way that equally fascinated and amused him. 

“But Sera is here.” Gabriel whispered, his hands shielding his mouth as if revealing a deep, dark secret.

“She’s in her room, having a conversation with Dr. Sniffles.” Whispered Daisy. 

James raised an eyebrow at that titbit of information. 

The twins nodded solemnly. “Do you wish to see her?” 

James shook his head. That was the very last thing he wished to do. “That’s quite alright. How about I read the two of you a story instead?” 

“But James!” They both whined. 

“Daisy, Gabe!” Shouted Seraphina from upstairs. “You’re being too rowdy. I can hardly hear myself think.” 

James gestured for the twins to be quiet, but the little demons took that as their sign to screech at the top of their lungs. “James is here!”

“And he wishes to see you!” 

James groaned and contemplated turning around and running out the door before Seraphina spotted him.

“You know,” Daisy said quietly. “If you marry Sera, you’ll be our brother in lol, mother said so.” 

“That is not going to happen.” He whispered back, horrified. “Put such ridiculous notions out of your mind immediately.”

Her bottom lip quivered in a fit of mock dramatics she had picked up from her sister. “Do you not wish to be my brother?” 

“What are you doing here?” James glanced up to see the eldest Winthorpe sibling standing by the balustrade. Unsurprisingly, she was looking down at him with an expression of absolute disgust. 

James could not help the grin that slipped on his face. It truly was too easy to get under her skin. “I came to pay my favourite twins a visit.” 

“Well, now you’ve visited with them. Off you go then.” 

“Seraphina!” Screeched the twins in horror. 

James had to hide a smirk. Something about her extreme dislike for him fuelled his desire to irritate her so much more.

Seraphina descended the stairs and James had to look away before he fell into her trap. She was bewitching as always. Ready to lure him into her lair of deceit with just a glance. 

He would not give into her. He’d sooner marry that insufferable Kit Everton himself than let himself fall for this girl. 

Her raven black hair and deep brown eyes would not sway him. Neither would the beautiful blue dress she wore. She looked breathtaking, curse her.

No, he refused to fall in love with the girl who haunted his every dream.