by Larisa Long
I look at Blist and then the shifters who peer into my room. “I need to talk with Professor Sway.”
Chapter 7
I rush out of my room and to the elevator.
“Zalia?” Blist tries to step in front of me, but I keep going. “Zalia, talk to me.” He steps in front of me and stops.
I have to stop or I’d run into him. I close my eyes and hope I’m not shaking as much as I think I am. “I have to talk with Professor Sway.”
“Why?” One of the shifters asks behind me.
“We’re part of this.” Blist takes my hands. “We’re your family. Talk to us.”
I think about the final curses. I know they weren’t written by B cubed. They had to be written by either the King or Queen or both. “Fae it all. Fae everything.”
I don’t realize that I’ve screamed that out loud until Blist steps back.
“Get the professor. Now,” he says to one of the shifters. He returns his attention to me. “Talk to me.”
I shake my head as Curse Number 35 haunts me. I can’t risk Blist, but I can’t leave him out. I point at Elevator. “We can talk in there.”
Blist follows my line of sight. “Okay.”
Elevator immediately opens the doors, and Blist and I step in. Elevator closes the doors.
“Elevator, I’ve learned about all the curses.”
He clears his throat. “Can we speak openly in front of the dark blonde haired, green eyed, best smile ever shifter who becomes a golden jaguar?”
Blist steps back as he looks at me.
I shrug. Don’t know where he got that description. “Yes, I trust him completely.”
“Okay, I will too.”
“Can you do your thing and make this a magic free zone?”
Elevator sighs. “Only for you.”
“Can you not open the door until Professor Sway is here?”
“Anything else?”
“Can you not allow anyone else on besides Professor Sway?” Then I remember. “Except for Beira?”
“Who?” Blist asks.
“B3.”
Elevator sighs. “You ask much, Zalia. But yes.”
I close my eyes and lean against the elevator and think. I see curses 27 through 35 in my mind. I grab my shifter necklace and run my fingers over the outline of the jaguar. No wonder my shift outline didn’t show up.
I open my eyes to see Blist watching me. His eyes show the worry I know he’s feeling. His expression is tense.
“Tell me what is happening.”
I smile at him. Only Blist would give me the space I needed to just sit with things without hounding me for the big reveal. “I truly love you, Blist.”
His expression softens a bit but then tenses. “I love hearing that, but why are you saying that to me? It’s not a goodbye, is it? Because that’s not going to happen. I swear if you—”
“No,” I say quickly. “Shifters are dramatic, aren’t they?”
He nods slowly.
“Just saying it to say it. I didn’t say it enough when I first felt it.”
“Making up for lost time?” Elevator says.
Blist glances around the elevator. It’s all shiny walls and buttons. “Don’t know where to look.” He leans closer to me. “Does Elevator have eyes or a face?”
“Shifters …” Elevator grunts.
Suddenly the doors open to Professor Sway and B3. As soon as I see her, I recognize her. “Curse Number 27. I’ll never remember you.”
Beira smiles. “Good to see you again, Zalia.”
She and the professor step into the elevator, and Elevator immediately slams the doors shut tight.
Beira is completely different than her sisters. She’s taller than they are, and her expression is genuine. Her eyes show depth. “Huh. Didn’t know one of B cubed could be good.”
She laughs. “I’m a good witch, Zalia. Always have been. Always will be. I’m sorry for what my sisters have done.”
I nod.
Professor clears his throat. “When Liam found me and said to meet you were in Elevator, I contacted Beira immediately.”
Beira nods. “We knew you’d either remembered the curses or found out what they were.”
“Faeries helped me.”
Beira studies me and then looks at the professor. “You’re right. She is powerful. Faeries normally avoid witches and especially shifters.”
I chuckle and glance at Blist.
“Tell us what you know,” Professor says.
“Faeries gave me the list after they transcribed it.”
“Wait,” Beira stops me. “Did you give them something in return?”
“Recipe for special cocoa.”
She breathes easier. “Glad you know the rules.”
“I didn’t know that one.”
Both Professor and Beira jump as if they either hadn’t noticed Blist was there or had forgotten.
“The list only included curses 1 through 26.”
Beira nods and glances at Professor Sway.
“I asked them, and Rella took out some liquid and dropped it onto the paper.”
“Then it formed.” Professor takes a deep breath. “You know? You know everything?”
I nod as my stomach clenches and my head pounds. “27. I’ll never remember B3.”
Beira looks down at the ground.
My head pounds even further as if something very small and very angry is pinching my brain.
“What about your special crystal?” Blist asks.
I shake my head. “I’ve used it too much today. It needs to rest. Abusing crystals will get me banned from them for life. I don’t want to take advantage.” I know I have to continue. Part of the curses says that no one can help me unless I know. I don’t want to think anything bad about B cubed. Just because I don’t want to feel any more pain, but I can’t help it. I see them in a restaurant. They’re teeny, and trolls order them put into a sandwich. They spend eternity being digested. I cringe as the pain in my head triples.
“Worth it.” I lean back and grab the elevator for support.
Blist sighs. “Curse number 6. Thought this was a magic free zone, Elevator?”
“Sorry, some of the curses are more potent than the others,” Elevator grumbles.
“Just breathe, Zalia.” Beira breathes with me like she’s coaching. “You’ve got this.”
I take several deep breathes because I need to continue. “30. I’ll never remember my father is the oldest brother.”
“The true heir and actual king,” Professor Sway says.
“31. I’ll never remember I have an older brother.” I close my eyes because the pain is almost unbearable. “32. I’ll never remember my parents sacrificed themselves to protect their children.”
I don’t look at Professor Sway who I’m sure is saddened by hearing that. “33. I’ll never remember the King tried to kill my brother.” I take a deep breath. A few more left. “34.” I open my eyes to look at Blist. “If anyone tries to help me, they won’t live long.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
I tighten my grip on the elevator bar behind me.
“Now, back to the ones you skipped.” Blist studies me.
“So clever.” I squeeze my lips together and wish I could force the words out without having to say it.
“You can tell us.”
I look at the Professor and Beira. “Do you know?”
They glance at each other. “We only know of some. Others we had to guess,” Beira says.
“Numbers 28, 29, 34,” Blist reminds.
I cringe. It feels like my brain has detached itself from my skull and is now being kicked about. “28.” I breath heavier. “If I remember the curses or reveal all of them, it may kill me.”
“Stop.” Blist shakes his head. “Then don’t tell us.”
“29 is just a variation on the theme. If it doesn’t kill me …” I motion to myself. “Then it will cause so much pain I’ll wish it had killed me.”
; Blist steps forward. “Enough. That’s it. We don’t need to know the last one.”
I give him that look. “Come on, Blist. You already know. Everyone already knows.”
He raises one eyebrow, and he allows a partial grin to reveal itself. “You know what kind of shifter you are?”
I nod.
He steps closer. “Then don’t say it.”
“Okay,” I raise my voice. “I have officially revealed curses number 1 through 36 with the exception of curse number 35.” I wait, but my body feels like I’m being sliced and diced from the inside out. An alive autopsy. “Since I haven’t revealed curse number 35 and …” I lower my voice to a whisper. “Since everyone already knows … Then curse number 28 and 29 can fae off. They won’t be needed.”
I wait and look up. I don’t know why. We all look up to the right and then the left. Then, the pain starts to drip out of my head, flow down my arms, and seep out my fingertips. I shake myself off. “Fae that hurt.” I take a deep breath. “I can breath again.”
“Those curses weren’t written by my sisters.”
“No. They’re not smart enough.” I cringe but remember the loopholes. “They were written by the King or Queen.” I don’t hesitate. “I know they’re your parents …”
She holds up her hands to stop me. “They were never true parents to me. Never. I found a family in one of the realms.”
I remember that the King talked of visiting. “Does the King see you?”
Beira looks at me as if I’ve become a gnat. “No. Never. I found a real family who loves me.”
I look at Blist. “So did I. What about my parents?” I shake my head. “Sorry for the whiplash.” I look between Blist and Professor. “Are they …”
The professor looks down. “I’m sorry, Zalia. They’re gone.”
Of course they are. I think I always knew that. Hope is great until it’s obliterated completely leaving nothing but hollow.
Elevator lets out a wail which scares us all to death.
“It’s okay.” Professor Sway looks at me. “Elevator was very close with your mother.”
I pat Elevator. “Sorry, Elevator.”
“I knew,” he sobs. “I just knew it.”
“My brother?”
Professor Sway glances at Beira and motions for her to tell me. I brace myself for the worst.
“Zephyr is—”
“Zephyr?” I say that name again in my head. “I remember that name.”
“He’s in another realm. He’s had to move so many times.” She moves to take my hands, but I step back. “Sorry, I forgot. Cannot believe I am related to them.” She takes a deep breath. “It might take a bit to find him. We have to be careful. The royal spies are everywhere. If they find out he’s still alive.”
“He’s the King, isn’t he? Zephyr?”
They both nod and then weirdly bow to me. “Technically, with your brother out of the realm, you would be the ruler.”
I step back as my stomach starts to revolt again. I hold up my hands to stop them. “Please don’t talk about that. I’m sixteen.”
“And a half,” Blist reminds.
“Well, that makes the difference right there.” I throw him a dirty look which he deflects.
“My parents. My brother. He’s the heir. He’s the King. Please don’t mention anything else about me being …” I grab my stomach. “I am cursed. Literally. I can’t touch anyone because they’ll catch on fire. I’m a hybrid witch shifter, and witches and warlocks hate me with every fiber of their being. Now, I can technically say that’s one of the curses, but I don’t know… maybe I’m hateable by my own kind. Truly despised.”
Blist shakes his head. “Nope.”
“By one of my kinds?”
He continues to shake his head. “Impossible.”
“So, what do we do now?”
Professor bites his lip. “As hard as this is to say. Nothing.”
“We can’t do anything different,” Beira reminds. “We can’t let anyone become suspicious until Zephyr is located and returns.”
“I’m afraid of what the King and Queen will do.”
“So am I,” Beira says. “Even when they’re not cornered they act with unconscionable cruelty.”
“Continue to go about your business,” Professor says. “Leave it to us. Once Zephyr is found, then I’ll contact you and we’ll go from there.”
“Will Zalia have to take over?”
I look at Blist as if he’s just turned inside out. “Take over?”
“I mean once Zephyr is found and before he returns.”
The professor glances at me before resuming his study of the floor. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Hope?” My stomach churns again. “Here I thought the rune test next week was my biggest threat.”
Elevator clears his throat. “I am being summoned to the … witch and warlock floor,” he spits out with such contempt I shudder. “They will get suspicious if I do not arrive in the next seven and a half seconds.” Elevator opens his door to reveal shifters and vampires all waiting for us.
We step out. The shifters and vampires stare at Professor Sway and Beira and lob a thousand questions to them. Blist and I use the confusion to slip away and make it to my room.
Chapter 8
I sit on my bed and try to think about everything.
Blist casually sits down in the chair and flips open a book. “Okay, you have the basic runes down and the history, but we need to go over the magic of the runes. Which I find ironic since—”
He stops when he sees that I’m just staring at him with probably the blankest expression I’ve ever used. “This is the best thing, Zalia. Trust me.”
“We’re really going to study runes?”
He nods. “You’ve got a good rune tutor to study with.”
“Runes?”
He nods. “We can’t let anyone else suspect.” He points to the door. “I love shifters. I love everything about our kind. Our history. Our lore. Everything, but some are ruthless with gossip. They feed on it like it was a thigh bone.”
I cringe. “Is that a good thing?”
Blist’s eyes shift just a bit.
“Are you hungry or just tempted by the idea of a tasty raw thigh bone?”
He shakes his head and closes his eyes so they can return to normal. “I’m fine. It’s a shifter thing.”
The door flies open as Vax stands there. “Sorry, knew you wouldn’t be doing anything fun.” She points behind her. “What the fae is going on?”
Blist shrugs.
“Oh,” I say too loud which scares even myself. “Professor Sway reminded me that my entire grade is counting on the rune test next week.” I throw in a few sighs and a pretty convincing eye roll. “Blist is helping me since runes pixie me off.”
Vax nods slowly.
“Yeah, but who was that girl in the elevator?” Liam shoves himself past Vax who shoves him back.
“The girl?” I look at Blist.
“With Professor Sway?” Blist shrugs nonchalantly. “Just a new student. Possibly transferring from one of the outer realms.”
“Huh,” Liam thinks about it. “She’s hot.”
“If you say so,” Vax curls her lip. “Smelled like witch.” She looks at me quickly. “Not that all witches stink. And you totally don’t.”
I nod as Liam ushers her out of the room. I open my eyes wide as I look at Blist. “Do witches have a certain stench?”
Blist stifles his laugh. “Warlocks do.”
“Really?” I try to think of what they’d smell like.
“Death.”
I look at him. “Seriously?”
He nods.
“I guess that makes sense?” I try to figure it out. “Good witches are connected to nature. Warlocks are connected to … yeah, that makes sense.” I hesitate to ask. “Witches?”
“Witchlocks who haven’t declared smell like fear.”
“And shifters would know what fear smelled l
ike?”
Blist nods again.
I won’t ask how. “Good witches?”
He smiles. “Depends on their specialties.”
Well, my gifts are botanicals and crystals. And sometimes potions if they aren’t pixied with me.
“You smell like flowers. A hybrid rose coincidentally. And fresh like …” He tries to find the right word.
“Mold? Mildew?”
“Like a spring field filled with hybrid yellow and red roses after a rain.”
I think about that. “Weirdly specific.”
“It’s the best. Since I was five, I’ve gone to bed thinking of you, dreaming of you, and waking up with that scent in my room.”
“My smell?” Okay the conversation has taken a detour to weird land.
“To fresh flowers after a rain.” He smiles thinking about it. “Since you’ve been cursed and can’t sleep during the week, I hoped you’d snuck into my dorms.”
“Ew.” I make an exaggerated face. “Who’d do such a nefarious thing?”
He laughs and leans forward. “Please tell me. Tell me I didn’t imagine that.”
I hope I’m not blushing. “I only did that a few times,” I admit.
He narrows his eyes and stares down to the floor like he’s trying to figure out exactly when.
“Did I say a few times?” I grimace. “I left out a few hundred thousand times.” I shrug. “The curses didn’t let me sleep from Monday through Friday evening. Once I’d read everything three times.” I roll my eyes. “Thanks curses. I’d wander the hallways, set various spells to harass the cousins, return some of the warlock torment and then perhaps wander down to the underground dorms just to make sure everyone was alright.”
Blist’s green eyes sparkle as he takes me in.
I get lost for awhile in him, but then I think about everything. “But not since last year.”
“Why?”
I don’t like to be reminded. “The wolf shifter.”
“Wolf shifter?” Blist frowns. “Masimu? I told you that was just a one time thing.”
I throw a pillow at him. “Not Masimu. The other wolf shifter. I won’t say her name.” I won’t.
“Her?”
I nod. A wolf shifter who transferred in from one of the shifter realms decided Blist was her chosen mate. Of course, I found out later she did that only to make her real mate jealous and it was a thing they did. It still hurt to think of Blist with anyone else. Hurt? Did I say hurt? I meant devastated. That was when I was terrified of losing him before I knew I was part shifter.