Cursed Read online

  That’s when I saw them in the crowd.

  Oni and Yuri. The mages of legend. Although they both wore purple cloaks with the hoods drawn low, I could tell that Yuri was the taller of the two and had a masculine build with broad shoulders. Oni’s golden belt highlighted her curvy form. Everywhere, the crowd bumped and jostled through the narrow walkways, but Oni and Yuri stood still as statues.

  I glanced over to Rowan. “Do you see them?”

  “I do.”

  “You’ve come for our help.” Oni had a velvety smooth voice with an accent that I couldn’t quite place.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Go to the purple tent.” Yuri spoke this time, and his voice was deep and gravelly.

  I frowned. There were only gray and black tents. What did they mean? All of a sudden, one of the tents shimmered as its color transformed from black to purple. Rowan and I headed toward the entrance flap.

  Oni held up her hand. “Only Elea,” she said.

  This wasn’t a surprise, considering how the two had insisted that they speak directly to me. Rowan wasn’t having any of it though. He strode up to the two mages and although Yuri looked well built, Rowan could have take on either of them.

  “No,” said Rowan. “I’m going with her.”

  I appreciated his concern, but I could take care of myself. “I’ll be all right.”

  “You can’t cast.”

  “And even if we both could, what good would it do us, if they are who they say?”

  “She’ll be safe,” said Yuri.

  I took his hand in mine. That sweet jolt of connection rolled over my skin. I knew it was weak of me to rely on touch, but I considered this an extreme situation. “Trust me.”

  Rowan rounded on Yuri. “I know she’ll be safe. Because we’re a team and we don’t go into dangerous places without each other.” His thumb rubbed a soothing arc on the back of my hand. It surprised me how much strength I drew from that.

  “No harm will come to her by our hands,” said Oni.

  “I don’t—” Rowan froze mid-sentence. The rest of the crowd poured around us, oblivious to anything but their own business. They’d placed a spell on Rowan. How powerful were these two?

  “Into the tent,” said Yuri.

  I started at Rowan for a long moment. His rugged features were fierce with protective rage. I didn’t want to leave him like this. I didn’t want to leave him, period. He was right. We were a team.

  “The tent,” repeated Oni. Her words carried the power of magick. “You know what’s at stake.”

  “Right.” My eternal life. I slowly untwined my fingers from Rowan’s. It hurt to lose the warmth and security of his touch, but there was no other way through this than to move forward. The Tsar arrived at the Midnight Cloister tomorrow. We couldn’t defeat him without some kind of hybrid magick.

  “You’re doing right by your people and yourself,” said Oni in her smooth voice.

  “I hope so.” I walked forward, took a deep breath, and slipped in through the open flap of the purple tent.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Once inside, I became enveloped in total darkness. The sound of my own breathing turned deafeningly loud. Magick filled the air around me, the ethereal energy tickling my skin.

  A pool of white light formed a few yards before me. Oni and Yuri stepped into the brightness. The hoods on their purple robes were still drawn low.

  “You desire protection from the Tsar,” said Yuri.

  “Yes, so I can murder him.” The pair flinched at the word ‘murder.’ How strange. I couldn’t imagine mages like these being squeamish when it came to destroying someone like Viktor. Perhaps they didn’t expect me to be so blunt about my purpose. “Does that surprise you?”

  “Somewhat,” said Oni in her silky voice.

  I wasn’t sure what kind of Necromancers they kept company with, but they’d better to get used to me. I wasn’t going to sugar-coat my purpose here. “Can you help me?”

  “We can,” they said together.

  Those were two simple words, but they lifted a boulder-sized weight from my shoulders. At last. I may actually get the power to kill Viktor on Sunday, break my curse, and avoid an eternity of pain. “How will you do this?”

  “It’s called a leveling spell,” said Oni.

  “I’ve never heard of such a thing.” And I knew every Necromancer spell that existed.

  “That’s because we created it for you,” said Yuri. “It will place you and your Caster on the same level of hybrid power as Viktor, but only for a short period of time.”

  There was a dismissive tone in the way he said ‘your Caster.’ It roused my protective side. “He has a name. Rowan. And what does he have to do with this?”

  “We will empower you to cast beside him at the same level as Viktor,” said Yuri. “It serves a purpose. You will be better matched against him.”

  Serves a purpose. I didn’t like how Oni and Yuri randomly pulled Rowan in and out of their plans.

  “You wouldn’t let Rowan into the tent, but you want to involve him?” I was surprised at the angry edge to my voice. Get back in control, Necromancer. I cleared my throat and organized my thoughts. “If you want Rowan to be part of this, then you should allow him in here. Now.”

  Yuri let out a long breath, and even his sighs had a gravelly rumble inside them. “You are in no position to make demands. If you want our help, then it must be on our terms.”

  My hands balled into fists, and I had the overwhelming desire to pummel them both. I held back, though. Yuri was right. My curse would strike me down tomorrow. The two of them were strange, but they were also very powerful. How did they get my scarab into the storehouse? If I were to live through this, then I needed their help.

  That said, I wouldn’t agree to any terms without understanding precisely what this made-up leveling spell could do. “Let’s say I share power with Rowan. How would that work?”

  “As a rule, the Tsar’s hybrid weapons are unstoppable,” said Oni. “Normally, his knives could slice through any armor that you’d wear. But with our leveling spell, those weapons would return to being ordinary.”

  “So if someone tried to strike me with a hybrid dagger, it wouldn’t slice through my armor anymore.”

  “Precisely,” said Oni. “But that would only be in effect with you and Rowan, and only for as long as the spell lasts.”

  “From dawn until dusk on a single day,” added Yuri.

  A spark of hope lit in my chest. “And what about Viktor’s magick?” I asked. “Will it be neutralized, too?”

  “Yes,” said Yuri. “Usually, any spell from Viktor is all-powerful. There’s no way to block or counter his magick. But for one day with our spell, you and Rowan will have the ability to cast with Viktor on an even level, too.”

  Another boulder-sized weight tumbled from my back. This worked not only for weapons but for spells, too. Next, I pictured all the guards and mages who follow Viktor, especially Marlene. “Will your spell make me as strong as Viktor against any other enemies?”

  “Not at this time,” said Yuri slowly.

  That was an interesting way to put it. Maybe this this something Rowan and I could practice. “Is this a skill I could gain one day?”

  “Perhaps,” said Oni. “But you must survive this encounter first.”

  The way Oni said the word ‘survive,’ it was as if she had already planned my funeral. “I’m well aware that my task won’t be easy.” This time, I didn’t bother to control the bitter edge in my voice. “But I hope to do more than survive. My plan is to rid the realm of a great evil, too. Viktor dies tomorrow.”

  Oni and Yuri exchanged another long look. Something about my wanting to kill the Tsar alarmed them. “Don’t forget,” said Oni. “We have conditions for our help.”

  “Go on.”

  “You must spare Viktor,” said Oni.

  I looked her over from head to toe. Purple robes, curvy body, and golden sash… Oni certainly appeared the s
ame as she did when I first saw her in the fair. So how had she transformed into a mad woman? “You can’t be serious.”

  “We forbid you from killing the Tsar,” said Oni. “You must not even begin to do so. We only wish for you to transport him into this tent.”

  I staggered a step backward. “Transport him. To this tent.”

  “So we may talk to him,” said Oni.

  My head was spinning. This was ridiculous. “You want to talk. To Viktor. The man who killed thousands of Sisters in the Midnight Cloister alone? Who turns peaceful Casters into killers? You can’t be serious.”

  “These are our rules,” said Yuri. “No murdering Viktor. Not even an attempt. You must open a portal and push him through.”

  “We exist on a magickal plane,” explained Oni. “Once he’s here, we will contain him in safety.”

  Sure, you can. These two may be powerful, but I wasn’t convinced they weren’t semi insane. After everything Viktor had done, I doubted that anyone could hold him captive, even Oni and Yuri. “That doesn’t help me. I’m under Viktor’s curse. Come tomorrow, I’ll start spending my eternity in flames. The only way I avoid that fate is to kill the man.”

  “No,” said Yuri, and his voice took on its roughest note yet. “If you transport Viktor directly here, then your curse will be broken. We can do this for you. But if you should try to injure the Tsar in any way, then your curse will come to pass, no matter what befalls Viktor.”

  Some of my excitement began to wane. What they were talking about flew in the face of all magickal logic. Kill the caster, kill the spell… It was the oldest rule around. How could sparing Viktor end my curse? Their ideas also made no sense in other ways, too. Some people deserved to be brought to justice. Viktor was one of them. I glanced around the darkness, wondering if there was an easy way out of this tent.

  Not yet. You’ve come this far. Hear them out.

  No matter how insane these two might seem, they were still powerful mages. I did believe that their spell might help defeat Viktor. “Do you have any more conditions?”

  “The leveling spell is an extraordinary amount of power,” said Yuri. “You must also pass a test so we can ensure you will use it wisely.”

  “A test.” This bargain was looking worse by the second. I couldn’t kill Viktor and I still had to pass a test? Perhaps there was a way to bypass all this nonsense. “So you two can break my curse. Can you end it now?”

  “We operate on a different plane of magick,” explained Oni. “The rules for us are… Strange.”

  “Strange.” Like the pair of you.

  “Ending your curse now is simply not possible,” said Yuri. “Even our power has limits.”

  I laced my fingers behind my neck, stared up into the darkness, and tried to think things though. There were simply too many questions marks about this pair. “I’m sorry to have wasted your time. I’ll go find my friend now.” Maybe Rowan and I could load up some more totem rings. The surprise attack idea still had merit, and Rowan had said something before about tracking down detailed maps of the Cloister. We’d figure out a new approach. “If you’ll excuse me—”

  “We know this appears suspicious,” said Oni.

  “You must believe us,” added Yuri.

  I raised my arms to shoulder level, palms forward. “All I want to do is leave.”

  “I see we’ll have to show her,” said Oni.

  “Agreed,” said Yuri.

  The two of them slowly lowered their hoods. I froze in shock. I’d seen Oni before. It was back in the cave when Rowan was helping me imagine the Lady of Creation. Oni didn’t just look like the Lady, she was the Lady.

  And Yuri… there was no mistaking the elegant lines of his pale face. He was none other than the Sire of Souls. Now that they were both uncloaked, the pair radiated a singular power and presence. Light and energy danced across their skin.

  I just sassed off to a god and goddess. What have I done?

  I grasped my hands together in supplication, just like I’d learned at the Zelle. “Forgive me. I had no idea who you were. It’s an honor that you wish to help me.” Petra would lose her mind if she knew how I’d acted.

  “So, you won’t kill Viktor?” asked Oni.

  “I won’t. You have my word.” Who refuses a god and goddess? They must have their reasons.

  “And you’ll take our test?” asked Yuri.

  “Of course.”

  The Sire and Lady raised their arms. Although they didn’t speak any incantations, the air around me became thick with magick. White clouds appeared, obscuring my view. When the mists settled again, Oni and Yuri were gone.

  Tristan stood before me in the pool of light. As shocked as I’d been to see the Sire and Lady, I was almost as surprised to see him. Here was the man that I’d thought was my best friend, and he’d actually sold me out for Quinn. Tristan looked whole and healthy in his Captain’s uniform. For the first time, I missed the fire. “Hello, Elea.” He shifted his weight and gave me an awkward smile. “I’m your test.”

  “You!” I got so angry, I couldn’t see straight. “You tricked me into taking on this curse to spare your blood brother Quinn. What could I possibly have to say to you? This test is ridiculous.” I craned my neck to yell into the darkness above. “Do you hear me?”

  Tristan stepped closer. “You have to listen, Elea. Everything I’ve done, it was only to protect and help you. If there were any other way, I’d have chosen that path. I meant it when I said that I loved you.” His expression turned haunted. “I have burned, day and night, these last five years, and all of it for you.”

  That tactic wasn’t going to work with me. I wouldn’t feel guilty over his poor decisions.

  “Don’t lay that pain on my doorstep. You refused the Tsar. That was your choice.”

  “I did it for you, Elea. Think. You’ve learned things at the Midnight Cloister, I bet. Do you know what those marks really are? I saw Viktor give out the first ones and… I simply can’t speak of them.”

  I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. “Can’t or won’t?”

  “Can’t. I’m under a magickal aegis. So is anyone else who learns what the mark really is. How do you think Viktor’s kept the truth a secret all these years?” Tristan’s voice turned pleading. “Tell me you know what the mark truly does.”

  “Yes. I know. Viktor uses it to drain Necromancers and kill them.”

  “And that would have happened to you, if you hadn’t gone to the Zelle.”

  I hated to admit this, but he was right. With my level of power, I’d have been drained, too. “You should have told me.”

  “I couldn’t. The aegis wouldn’t let me. Even now, I can’t speak the words about what really happens.” He moved closer until he only stood an arm’s breadth away. “I won’t lie. When Viktor took power, I was tempted to take his mark. I’d have been accepted into Viktor’s entourage. Do you know what that means?”

  A sick feeling crept into my stomach. “Power.”

  “I may have been able to join the entourage, but Viktor never would have taken you in. You weren’t trained. He’d have simply drained you, body and soul. I couldn’t let that happen, so I chose the curse. I meant what I said. I’ve burned for you, and I’d do it again to give you a chance to live.”

  His words were so sincere, I felt myself faltering. Besides, this was my Tristan. He could be a fool sometimes, but he always had good intentions. “You shouldn’t have done that. I might have gotten trained without the curse.”

  “Even if I could have told you the truth about the mark, would you ever have left Braddock Farm? Be honest with me. Be honest with yourself. Nothing but that curse would have gotten you trained. And now, you have a chance to live. More than that, you have a chance to give every other Necromancer in the realm a life, too.” He raked his hands though his long black hair. “You’re the last one left, Elea. Only you have the power to stand up to him.”

  His words inspired and frightened me in equal measure. “It
can’t come down to me. No one else has the magick to face Viktor? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  Tristan shook his head. “My sweet Elea. There’s still so much you don’t understand… So much I can’t tell you. You need to trust me. I did what I had to do, and now, you need to play your part as well. Listen to the Sire and Lady. Remove Viktor from the land. Can you do that? Can you trust us?” He stepped up and gently cupped my face in his hands. It was one of the most intimate touches we’d shared. “Trust me one last time. Please?”

  Part of me wanted to believe him, but more of me couldn’t get past the fact that I was cursed to burn for eternity. “You lied to me, Tristan. You were my only friend and you cursed me.”

  Tristan kept up his gentle touch. “I know, sweet Elea.”

  I gripped his wrists and held them hard. “And now, you ask me to trust you on blind faith? That’s not who I am. I take things in my own two hands and get them done.”

  “You’re right. That’s always been you.” He gave me a sad smile. “Welcome to the heart of the test.”

  Which is what this is all about. Trust and teamwork. Rowan had talked about this as well, back when we first spoke at the oasis. I gave Tristan’s wrists a gentle squeeze. At some point, I had to choose my allies. “All right.” I lifted my chin and spoke in a steady voice. “I’ll trust you, Tristan. I can’t say that I’ll ever forgive you for putting me under a curse without my consent, but I do believe that you had my best interests at heart.”

  “Good.” Tristan stepped back, breaking our connection. “You passed the test.”

  A haunted look returned to his eyes, and I knew that my friend was headed back to the flames. “I’ll find a way to free you, Tristan.”

  “And I’ll be waiting.”

  White smoke rolled in between us, covering up the sight of my friend. My heart sickened to think of the pain he was now going through. When the mists disappeared, the Sire and Lady were standing before me once more.