Page 193 of Frost and Death
He is too far down this path of revenge.Thump.
Betina says, “Nikolaj still plans to ambush the king the day after the ball. But I know you can convince him otherwise.”
There is determination in her eyes, but I don’t know what she means. If he didn’t listen in the past, I don’t know what else I can do.
“I already told him to stand down. How else am I going to stop him?”
Betina opens the book, turning a few pages, then stops to read aloud. “All curses cast by Queen Asta of Axidoria were created and recorded as punishment for criminals instead of execution. Each criminal was promised a chance for the curse to be lifted but only through the queen, herself. Queen Asta left instructions for future heirs to lift curses cast on criminals if she dies before a criminal redeems themself.”
She stops and looks up. “It goes on to say, ‘For a monarch to know how to break a curse, they must read it alone. Then and only then will the rest of the curse be revealed.’”
I blink in disbelief as my mouth falls. “Did Niko ever hear about this?”
Betina shakes her head. “No. No one has checked out this book since your mother. It is prohibited from being read by anyone other than royalty.”
I arch a brow. “How didyouget your hands on it?”
Her cheeks deepen as she shrinks inward, pressing her lips tight and using the book to conceal herself.
“Betina?” I press, and she blurts her explanation.
“I may have spent a few nights with one of the keepers to learn where it was located, and Imayhave borrowed it.”
“Betina!”
“I know, I know!” She waves it off. “But how could Inotlook into it? If it is only readable by royalty, it has to have something! And I was right!”
Blinking in astonishment, I’m baffled she wasn’t caught. I press my head against the mattress in relief of one thing but not the other.
Betina, no doubt is expecting me to scold her more, yet I can’t be mad if she has answers that could help me not only with Niko but,finally, with Jerrick.
The thought sends my heart sputtering at the prospect of seeing Jerrick no longer burdened by his curse.
“I have to read a curse alone to see the end of it?” I ask.
She inclines her head. “And then it should tell you what the person needs to do for the curse to lift.”
I huff a startled laugh. “Thisentiretime, he really did need me.” I rake a hand through my hair, stunned by my mother’s choices and intellect. “We’ve been missing a piece of the puzzle.”
“Tove, you need to tell Nikolaj about his uncle when he arrives at the ball. You need to break Jerrick’s curse, come home, and help his uncle.”
I bite my lip, our argument still sore and heavy on my heart. A thickness builds in my throat, fearful of ruining my relationship with Niko all before I even had a chance to experience it.
“I don’t know if he will even listen to me. You didn’t see him, Betina. He was so angry.”
“He loves you,” she tells me as tears form and slip down my cheek.
I glance away, licking my lips as I try to think of a response and hate my own hesitation.
How will we win each other’s trust back?
“Don’t you still love him?” she asks.
I care about Niko. He has always been there for me. I have pined after him for years, yet when I needed him to listen, he let me down.
We have let each other down.
“I-I—”
