Page 69 of Beneath the Flames
“Because you’re trying to break the curse for him.”He knelt in front of me, and I wished I could squirm farther away from him.“If you break the curse, Kharos goes free.”
“I know, he told me that, but he also said it was worth the risk.Rhydian said breaking the curse would bring Eroth back to life, that it would help everything.”
His smile was a dark, cruel thing.“Rhydian has a nasty habit of lying, pet.”
My first instinct was to deny his words.I found myself wanting to believe the best of Rhydian.Even though he had kidnapped me and brought me here, he had still protected me thus far.He might have been unwilling to be forthcoming with me about a lot of things, but I hadn’t taken him for a liar.
Could Carrow be the one lying?Trying to confuse me?Or had I pegged Rhydian wrong from the start?An unexpected sadness made my bones feel heavy at the thought.
“Why are you really here, Carrow?”I finally asked.Though the potential answer frightened me, I dared to add, “Are you going to kill me so I can’t break the curse?”
The Prince of Nefaroth pushed up to his feet and stalked back to the fire.“No, pet.I’m not going to kill you.Not yet anyway.But youaregoing to do something for me.Something that will save Avalea.”
I waited, my gut sinking.
“You’re going to fail at breaking the curse—on purpose.These tasks he’s having you do, pretend you’re unable to do them, lie, fake it.Whatever it requires.”
“Why should I listen to anything you’re saying?Why should I believe you?”
Something about his words didn’t feel right, but I also didn’t know Rhydian well enough to tell which one of them was telling the truth.Would Rhydian be so bold as to release anancient beast to take over this world?Or was Carrow lying to me, trying to get me to fulfill his own selfish agenda?
I had no idea, and that left me scrambling over what to do.The roaring fire heated the cabin to an uncomfortable level.Sweat beaded on my forehead, sliding down my spine.
Carrow’s silver eyes sharpened.“You want to go home, don’t you?”
His reply was a shock, making my stomach sink while igniting a glimmer of hope.
“What?”
“Do as I say, and I will send you home.”
He said it like it was the easiest thing in the world.It couldn’t be that simple.
“But Rhydian said humans can’t leave Avalea.”
“Another lie, pet.”He rolled his eyes.“You humans are so gullible.Of course there’s a way for you to get home.Rhydian simply doesn’t want you to leave because then you can’t free the beast.”
I blinked repeatedly.Could Carrow be telling the truth?What if hewasn’tlying?Was there really a way for me to get home and Rhydian had lied about it to keep me here?At the mention of getting back to my family—and having it be a certainty—I felt compelled to believe Carrow.
I had to be sure though.“If you’re telling the truth, then how do I get home?I won’t agree to anything until I know for certain there’s a way.”
Carrow’s smile was a mix of irritated and obliging.“A portal.There is a portal that will send you back to whatever sad world you came from.My magic will allow you through.”
“Like the one he used to bring me here?”
Carrow nodded.
“Does Rhydian know?Does he know he could send mehome with his magic?”
Carrow’s hesitation was so brief that I might have imagined it.His fingers fiddled at his sides before he answered.“Yes, but like I said, he will do anything to keep you here.To break the curse.”
I blinked at him in surprise.Rhydian had been able to send me home this entire time?If he’d lied about being unable to send me back to Minnesota, was Carrow right that he was also lying about his true motives for breaking the curse?Or was all of this an elaborate scheme that Carrow was spinning to get me to agree to his plan?
“Why don’t you just send me home now?”I asked, the sudden desperation to see my family like a vise gripping my throat.
The shadows beneath Carrow’s eyes darkened, making his skeletal frame seem even more reaper-like.
“Because I will never miss an opportunity to bury Rhydian.”
