Page 20 of The Prince's Curse

“Where is the witch? Tell us what you know,” Julian said. God, this could change everything.

“She’s in—” Kova’s voice trailed off as if someone had grabbed his throat. “She lives in—” With a vicious snarl, he rattled the chains and said, “I can’t.”

“So you’re useless,” Paris said.

“Paris,” Julian said sharply. He pulled up Kova’s sleeve to reveal the glowing marks. They were searing hot to the touch. “Could you kill Armina Voss?”

Kova let out a bitter laugh. “I wi—” Another terrible, pain-filled cry, and he gritted his teeth to grind out, “I would never hurt her.”

“She can control you from far away?” Paris asked, suddenly on alert.

“Not precisely,” Kova said, shooting a pleading look at Julian, as if begging him to understand.

Sasha nudged him. “This happened when we met before. He can’t speak poorly of her. The marks hold him back.”

Kova nodded eagerly and bit out, “Yes.”

“If I unchained you, would you kill me?” Julian asked.

The other man relaxed and said, “No. I don’t have orders to kill you.”

“And you stopped yourself from killing Shoshanna before,” Paris said.

Kova nodded. “It’s not mind control.”

Paris nudged his shoulder. “I have an idea. Come speak to me and Sasha.”

“Just a moment,” Julian said. The others slipped out of the kitchen, and he heard Paris rambling about sending Kova back to where he’d come from.

He knelt so that he was on eye level with Kova. What would Eduardo do? He had briefly mourned Kova, a loyal soldier. But would he welcome his return? Would he forgive a traitor, even under such terrible circumstances?

To his credit, Kova held his gaze. His face was a bruised, bloody mask of grief. “I am truly sorry for the pain I caused you all. I meant to trade myself for Lucia. It was the only path I could see.”

“And she betrayed you,” Julian said.

Perhaps the witch could lash his tongue, but she couldn’t keep the anger from his face, the sheer rage trembling through his entire form.“She extended my contract, as was her right,” Kova bit out.

“I understand why you did it,” Julian said.He’d tried the same play, but Armina liked watching him suffer too much.

“I know. She wanted you to see her die. I was different, I suppose,” Kova said, shaking his head.

A lump swelled in his throat. “What’s Scarlett like? Can you tell me?”

At that, Kova smiled sadly. “She’s been raised to believe you killed her family. That’s made her harder and colder than before. But I see still see her in there; there’s something so bright and joyful in her trying to get out. She’s loyal…very competitive. She—” He caught himself and shook his head, though it seemed as if he’d reconsidered, rather than been held back by the witch.

“What is it?” he asked.

“She thinks of Armina as her family. Her aunt,” Kova said. “It sickens me, but I think they actually care for each other.”

Dread pooled in his belly. “Is there any chance of saving her?”

“I don’t know. I tried to tell her to run, but—” Another terrible groan. “But that’s not what my mistress wants.”

“I hate this for you,” Julian said. In the distance, he heard Paris calling for him, but he hesitated.

Kova met his eyes. “Is she safe? Is she…is she happy?”

His heart ached. “She misses you,” he said. Though Kova felt no physical pain, there was sheer agony in his eyes. “She has her own place that’s well guarded. Human security day and night, and she spends a lot of time with the court. Dominic keeps an eye on her, like he always did. She spends a lot of time with Shoshanna. They have a special connection since she broke the curse.”

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