Page 185 of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash

Tabitha’s purple eyes gleamed, something sharp and unyielding burning in their depths. ‘The curse has kept me alive. When it is broken, I will finally rest here, in the Forest of Silent Cries.’

‘Why did you curse everyone?’ Mal’s voice was soft, but the question was laced with accusation.

Tabitha’s face twisted.

‘Because I was angry.’

‘But you killed Hadrian,’ Mal pressed, ‘you cast a love spell over him and—’

‘I did no such thing!’ Tabitha snapped, her voice dark with rage. ‘Hadrian and I loved each other. It was the Fire King who came for us. They murdered Hadrian and blamed me for it. So when I cursed them, I made certain they would suffer for what they had done.’

‘What do you mean?’

Tabitha smirked. It was not the smirk of a woman amused, but of a woman who held all the pieces to a game no one else had realised they were playing.

‘To break the curse, you must kill the Fire Prince,’ she purred. ‘But for it to work, he mustloveyou.’

Mal felt the blood drain from her face.

‘I made it so,’ Tabitha continued, ‘because a drakonian willneverlove a witch. Or a wyverian. And so the curse will remain. Everyone will fall into an eternal sleep, their bodies turning to dust, while the Fire Prince lives on—cursed to watch the world wither around him, never to die, never to sleep, always alone.’

Malcould barely breathe.

‘Ash Acheron wasn’t even alive when this happened to you!’ she choked out. ‘None of us were! You have cursed people who had no part in your suffering!’

Tabitha tilted her head, considering.

She did not care.

The realisation made Mal’s stomach churn.

She forced herself to shift the conversation, her mind screaming as she blurted, ‘Do you know why I have purple eyes? Why I have… powers?’

Tabitha’s purple eyes flashed with worry.

‘You have purple eyes because I gave them to you, Mal Blackburn.’

Mal took a step back.

‘Your mother suffered from terrible pains after her third birth. I slipped some of my magic into her tea. She was already pregnant with you—but she did not yet know. And so, my magic laced itself into your blood, altering you before you ever took your first breath.’

‘You… you created me?’ Her voice barely held together. ‘Does that make us… related?’

The thought burnt through her, corrosive, unbearable.

‘Yes and no.’ Tabitha’s tone was almost sad. ‘I was a little late in the creation process, but my magic gave you your eyes. Someone else created you.’

Mal’s nails bit into her palms.

‘Who?’ The frustration crackled through her words like a storm waiting to break.

Tabitha only sighed. ‘If you wish to know what created you, then end the curse.’

And then, she lifted the dagger.

The bone-white hilt glowed in the darkness, itsserpentine markings whispering of ancient blood spilt upon its edge. The white gemstone embedded at its centre seemed to watch her.

If she took the dagger, she would have to face the truth of what must come next. But if she refused… Ash would be doomed. Doomed to wander the kingdoms alone, watching the world fall into decay while he remained, untouched and cursed.

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