Page 172 of Curse of Darkness
I just hope the fallout isn’t going to be catastrophic.
For anyone.
Lucere closes her eyes as if she’s silently walling away the pain in her heart, and when she opens them again, her face is smooth. Blank. Focused entirely on her sister.
“No.No.” Lucere hurries to the bed and clasps her sister’s face in both hands. She may think herself incapable of love, but it’s there in every line of her body. “Mery, wake up. Please wake up.”
“I’ve tried that,” Baylor says.
“This is my fault. This isallmy fault.” Lucere clenches her fists together, shaking in every part of her soul. “Adaia said I would pay for my treachery, and I have. I have lost everything. But not this. Please not this. Please not Imerys.” Tears stream down her face as she looks at me. “Fix her.Dosomething. You have the power now.”
I try.
Leaning down, I cup my hands over Imerys’s face, trying to weave strands of healing through her.
There’s nothing to heal.
“She’s not injured,” I whisper. “She’s merely… asleep. I’m so sorry.”
Lucere pales. “Cursed.”
Cursed.
One last parting gift from my mother.
“There’s still time,” I suggest. “She may wake tomorrow. Or the next day.”
But my heart knows the lie.
There’s an old tale about the sleeping princess of Somnus—cursed to never wake. The bards’ tales speak of a dashing prince breaking through an entire maze of thorns, and pressing true love’s kiss upon her lips.
In the tales, it breaks the spell and she wakes, but in truth, the kingdom of Somnus fell long ago, overgrown and choked with thorns and brambles. The entire kingdom is overwhelmed by them.
And the princess’s tower lies right in the heart of that maze.
Walled up, in order to stop the curse from spreading.
With the princess inside.
“Once this war is over,” I offer, “I will set the servants to searching for any sign of a cure or means to break the curse. Evernight’s libraries are at your service.”
“This war. This stupid fucking war.” Lucere dashes the tears from her eyes. “How I wish I’d never set eyes upon you or your mother.”
“Vi had nothing to do with this,” Baylor growls.
She bares her teeth at him as she shoves to her feet. “And you…. You swore you would bring Imerys back to me safely. Youswore. And I trusted you. You’re nothing but an oathbreaker.”
“I swore I would protect her with my own life if necessary.” Baylor steps right up into her face, towering over her. “And Idid.But not even I can sway the effect of one of Adaia’s curses.”
“I should never have trusted you with my sister, you filthy, wretchedbeast."
“That’senough.” I catch her wrist. For as much empathy as I have for her situation, Baylor has done nothing wrong. “Did you expect this fight to be easy? Did you truly think you could sit in Ravenal and wait for either my mother or me to emerge the victor? War is dirty, Lucere. And there are always casualties.”
I squeeze her hand, fighting the urge to protect Baylor, but also fully aware of her grief.
I know what it feels like to lose a sister.
“My offer stands,” I tell her as I back away. “Evernight’s resources are yours to use once you’ve worked your way through your grief. I know of a hexbreaker who may be able to break both curses. It helped with Lysander somewhat.”
