Page 55 of Straw and Gold
Morella’s face beamed as her brother checked the adjustment, the balance, and the strength of her wings as he pushed down, trying to collapse them. Her strength held and she laughed lightly.
“I can fly much longer, too, in my shift,” she said softly, grabbing her brother’s hand.
“How long?” he asked.
“Almost an hour.”
A gargled sob left his chest. “An hour?”
She nodded, grinning ear to ear. I’d never seen her light up like this. Her cheeks beamed as she took both of his hands. “I don’t tire like I did before. I feel stronger. I feel…powerful. I was going to tell you, but I wanted you to see for yourself when you came to visit—as a surprise.” She nodded to Fedir. “He figured out it was the iron in my blood.”
Fedir held up both of his hands. “It wasn’t me, Your Majesty. King Killian read through our medical books until the early hours of the morning, searching for what might be your condition. I only confirmed his findings and set about researching which foods you should eat.”
Morella’s eyes pierced me then. I hadn’t told her it was me; I’d rather be left out of it.
Korven finally spoke again. “You’ve done this for my sister?”
I held her gaze, subduing my racing heart as she looked at me with…too much hope.
I nodded once, crossing my arms, unwilling to trust the steadiness of my voice.
The Cursebringer dropped her hands, storming the last few feet between us in a flash. I hadn’t time to react as he reached up, pulling me into an embrace. He slapped my back heartily, his arms tight around my shoulders.
I didn’t know what to do or how to respond.
“Thank you,” he said. He squeezed tighter. “Thank you for doing what I could not.”
My chest rumbled and I cleared my throat, my sanity hanging by a thread. I unclenched my arms, returning this unasked for hug, patting at his back gently.
I managed to reply, “You’re welcome,” before I caught Morella’s eyes on me as she swallowed hard and let the tear fall down her cheek.
CHAPTER 27
Morella
“I still can’t believe it,”Korven muttered as we sat atop the western tower roof, peering out into the setting sun.
I leaned my head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around me. “You didn’t know what it was. No one knew.”
“I should have researched somehow. I should have called for more physicians.”
I shrugged. “You were helping raise me and had at least a dozen doctors poking at me since I could walk. No one figured it out and it’s not your fault or anyone’s.”
His voice went soft as he kissed the top of my head like he did when I was a child. “I’m sorry, Morella.”
“Don’t be.” I squeezed his hand, a smile lifting my lips. “If my life hadn’t been hard like it was, we couldn’t be here now, like this. I’d be off doling out those odious curses and you’d be off in some random woman’s bed instead of at home with your Seraphine and Avici.”
“What if you had been happy as Cursebringer?”
I laughed. “You know I hate those curses. I cannot stand how our mother is still under hers, and what about Seraphine? You could have lost her to one. I’d rather be queen of a distant kingdom than do what you do, brother.”
He shrugged. “It isn’t so bad. And as for our mother…”
I lifted my head. “Have you heard from her?”
“No,” he sighed. “Wherever she’s gone, she hasn’t sent word.”
It had been almost a year without any news of where the Ravenfae Goddess had disappeared to. But this wasn’t the first time she’d left the Brackish Wood. The last time, she returned seven months pregnant with me and no story to relay to her people or her son.
