Page 81 of Cursed By Gold

She looks puzzled but does as I request without argument. I watch her closely as she slides open the drawer and freezes. Even from across the room, I see her breath hitch and eyes widen. Gently, reverently, she lifts out the bejeweled golden crown and carries it over.

"Why...why does Rose not have this?" Scarlet asks softly. I can see the struggle on her face to contain further questions.

"Because I made a mistake." I take a slow breath before continuing gently. "I must know something, Scarlet, and I beg you to answer me honestly. Was it you who broke into the palace to steal this crown? Twice?"

Shock flits across her delicate features. She stares down at the glittering crown cradled in her hands, conflicting emotions warring on her face. I hold my breath, praying I have not made a grave mistake in my suspicions.

“I promise, you will not be punished. I just need to know.”

Finally Scarlet lifts her gaze to meet mine directly. "Yes," she admits in a near-whisper. "That was me." Then, before I can react, she reaches out and lays her hand softly upon mine.

I freeze, stunned. Her warm, living flesh does not harden to gold at my touch. She is immune to the curse. Which can only mean...

"It really is you," I breathe. "How did I get so lucky that the one who can help me control the curse is also the one I want at my side?"

Scarlet's eyes shimmer with relieved tears even as she nods. Overcome with emotion, I clasp both her hands in mine tightly. For the first time in over a decade, I feel the skin of another. And not just anyone - the woman fate herself intended for me.

I pull her onto the bed beside me and reverently caress Scarlet's face, still barely daring to believe this is real. She leans instinctively into my touch, eyes drifting closed. My thumb gently traces the silken skin of her cheekbone. I haveforgotten such tender intimacy could exist between two people. It overwhelms me.

"I thought I might lose you before we ever had the chance to share this," I admit raggedly. "When I saw you walking down that cathedral aisle..."

Scarlet's eyes fly open, filled with sorrow and regret. "I never wanted any part of that," she says fiercely. "Greystone and my stepmother forced me into it. I despised every moment in that monster's presence."

I smile sadly and draw her closer until our foreheads touch. "I know. Forgive me, I did not mean to imply otherwise. You showed such courage facing him."

She lets out a shaky breath, tension slowly leaving her body. We stay that way in silence for a time, simply reveling in each other's presence and the knowledge that we are both safe. I gently stroke her hair, still hardly able to believe she is real and unharmed. She silently traces the golden tattoos that cover my body. Her fingers brushing over my skin giving me thoughts that I shouldn’t have but are only natural considering I haven’t felt anything this tender in so long.

At length, Scarlet pulls back to meet my gaze. "I need to be honest with you about something else as well. I know."

“About what?”

She waves her hand around the room. “About your curse. With us being together now, is it over?”

I shake my head wearily. "No, I fear it remains. I was never going to have it disappear. I was sixteen and foolish. In my arrogance, I thought curses were only tales told to frighten children. I thought I could outsmart them by asking for a way to increase my riches in the kingdom without taking from my people. To give them a better life." I give a hollow laugh. "How wrong I was."

I look down at my hands, which have brought nothing but suffering.

“But that doesn’t fit what Fairy Godmother said,” Scarlet mutters to herself. A look of concern and confusion on her face.

“Who?”

Her eyes widen when she realizes that I heard her.

“She’s a sort of mentor to me. Someone who was there when they looked for a solution to your curse. It was her who cast the spell for you to gain control over it. Wait! She never said it would be broken. The curse will be controlled, not eliminated. Could you do me a favor?”

I look at Scarlet curiously. "Of course, anything for you."

She scans the room, eyes landing on one of the golden blankets folded at the foot of the bed. "Try turning that back from gold to fabric," she suggests.

My eyes widen in surprise. In all these years under the curse's influence, it had never occurred to me to attempt to reverse its effects. I had assumed items transformed to gold were lost to me forever.

I focus intently on the glittering blanket, my foot stretched out to touch it so I don’t have to let go of Scarlet, calling up every ounce of willpower and picturing it as soft woven wool once more. I gasp as the metal ripples, then begins slowly reforming into pliant cloth. Within moments the blanket is fully restored, looking as if it was never touched by my curse.

I shift just enough to reach out a trembling hand to grasp it, almost afraid this is a dream that will shatter at my touch. But the blanket remains blessedly warm and pliant. I clutch it close, overwhelmed by the simple pleasure of feeling something soft once more. My eyes burn with emotion.

After a moment I become aware of Scarlet watching me with a tender smile. There is no judgement in her gaze, only warmth and understanding. Embarrassed to have been so undone bysomething so mundane, I try to subtly brush the moisture from my eyes.

Scarlet's hand covers mine, stilling it. "It's alright," she says gently. "You have endured so much loneliness with grace. Do not hide your joy now that we can share this burden together."

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