“What happened to her?” he asked softly. “The last I heard, she had reclaimed the throne.”
“She did,” I said. “However, a Dark Avenyts put a charm on her leaving her like this. Her intelligence, her personality, are just not there.”
Oddfrid reached for her hand and pulled it toward him. Her sleeve fell back to reveal the charmed bracelet. “This must be the culprit. It’s quite a bundle of twisted threads. Far beyond my ability.” He turned troubled eyes in my direction. “I can see a powerful curse on her already, which is why the charm.” He gently lowered her hand. “Dark Avenyts, you say? That’s impossible. What really happened?”
Spraggel brought Cabrina forward. “Oh really. Take a look at this one.”
Oddfrid turned unbelieving eyes toward the girl and then shook his head. “Her curse is indeed extremely complex, but I can’t say for sure it’s a Dark Avenyts.”
I frowned. “Maybe we should let her possess you so you can see for yourself.”
He took an involuntary step back. “No, I don’t think that is necessary.” He sighed. “Assuming I were to help, what exactly do you want of this old man?”
“We need you to open a portal for us to the Kuiojia Empire. We have spoken with a myst user there who says he can remove the charm.”
His eyebrows went up in surprise. “That’s quite the distance. I haven’t done a long-range portal that far since...” he paused for a moment, looked up at us, and then seemed to think better of what he was going to say. “Since before you were born.”
Spraggel stepped forward. “You’re the only wayfarer left in the kingdom. Without your help, we’ll have to make the trip overland, and you know how dangerous that is, even in the best of times.”
He considered us for a moment. “I can’t open a portal into the empire. No one can. It is protected by their huge myst barrier, which stops all curses and portals. The best I can do is place you at its border. And even then, it will take at least three portals with a minimum of one day rest between. Which means I have to come with you at least that far.”
I grinned. “We would be most appreciative. If you can get us to the borders, we’ll figure out something from there.”
He glanced again at Zofie. “I can’t believe she’s all grown now. I remember when she was just a baby in her mother’s arms. Seems like it was only yesterday.” He sighed and looked back to me. “I assume you’re in a hurry?”
I nodded. “We have one more item we need to collect before leaving. And I’m praying it won’t take that long.”
He paused and looked at each of us in turn. He finally gave a deep sigh. “I’ll help you. Just this once.” He glanced at Zofie. “Come back this evening and be prepared to leave immediately. In the meantime, I’ll start making preparations and review my maps. Short-range portals are very forgiving, but long-range ones are not.” He grinned. “I’ve got to be sure I don’t accidentally put us inside a mountain.”
I agreed a little research might be a good idea.
CHAPTER TEN
Family
It was early afternoon when the carriage slowly drew to a halt at the next stop in our journey. Although I longed to stretch my legs, I didn’t immediately move. Instead, out the carriage window, I examined the footpath we had stopped beside and the house beyond—farther up the hill and barely visible through the dense trees. It was little changed since my last visit. Unlike Oddfrid’s, this path was well-maintained. It was even marked with a small wooden sign, expertly embellished with the picture of a goat and the owner’s name.
Lauremarius.
It was my family’s home.
Cabrina impatiently shoved her head beside mine to also see out the window, and I realized I was blocking the others from exiting. I glanced back to see Fumiko giving me a curious look. I think she sensed my hesitation. With a sigh, I steeled myself and opened the carriage door.
As we were leaving Oddfrid’s, I had tried to persuade him to speed up our travels by opening a portal for us to my family home. But he had refused, saying it was too dangerous. He had no beacon to affix the far end of the portal. Instead, he gave me a round crystal orb about as large as my palm, which would open a return portal to his front yard. He made it clear that it contained only enough myst for one trip, so to use it carefully, and not leave anyone behind.
So, we took the carriage to the next destination. One which I was not looking forward to. My step-father’s house.
I would always think of it that way. Mother had been forced to sell the horse stables shortly after my father had died. He had been the one with the business sense, so when he wasn’t there to take the reins, it quickly went downhill. So after a brief courtship, she threw in her lot with my stepfather, Mellen Lauremarius. I guess he was a decent fellow in his own sort of way. He was always nice to Mother, but he and I never really hit it off. It likely had something to do with the way he reacted to my curse, treating me like some kind of diseased person. But it was home. I tried to make the best of it and get along with my new step-sister.
But I guess over that first year, my bad luck had pushed my stepfather just a little too far. I would never forget the late-night conversation I’d overheard when he thought I was asleep. Mother was already well into the pregnancy of what I would later learn was my younger sister. He was quite blunt about it and demanded that she find somewhere else for me to live. It wasn’t long after that I was apprenticed to Master Spraggel.
I was a little bitter about that. Not so much at my stepfather, but with my mother, Octavia. She hadn’t protested one bit at his demand. It was probably the reason I had visited only once since I had been apprenticed and that had been at my baby sister’s first birthday. She was seven years old now.
As we walked the winding path up the hill, the house came into better view. The structure itself was nothing fancy being partially dug into a sharp rise in the land behind it. The house’s flat roof was topped in soil and built to be an extension of the hill. In warmer times, both the hill and the top of the house would be covered in green grass. I grinned. The goats loved it up there. I remembered my first visit and my amazement at the goat looking down on me as I walked in the front door.
But there were no goats in evidence now. They were likely in the barn atop the hill to protect them against the cold and perhaps even predators. Especially the two-legged kind.
We were nearing the house when a woman atop the roof stood up. She was in her mid-years wearing a plain dress and heavy coat. What hair peeked out from her cap looked to be tinted with gray.
And she was aiming a small crossbow at us.
“Halt!” she called. “State your business.”
Fumiko immediately reached for her sword, but I held out a hand to pause her.
I took a step forward. “Hello, Mother,” I said.
She blinked at me in surprise. “Coren? Is it you?”
“Indeed, it is I.” I opened my arms toward her.
She lowered her weapon, but the look of surprise didn’t leave her face. “I can’t believe you’re here. It’s been so long.” She glanced at the others. “I had heard you were doing well.”
“May we approach?” I asked.
She put her weapon down and stepped back, disappearing from our sight atop the roof. But she reappeared around the side moments later and came forward to give me a fierce hug. “It’s good to see you after so many years.” She gave a short laugh. “You’re taller than me now. And from what I’ve heard, a knight. I would never have believed it.” Worry crossed her face. “What about your curse?”
I smiled. “Under control for now. I’ll tell you about it later.” I extended an arm toward the rest of my party. “Mother, let me introduce my friends. You remember Master Spraggel. This lady here is Fumiko, and the one just behind her is Cabrina.” I didn’t give any further explanation about Cabrina—hoping Mother would accept it as part of the queen’s business.
Then I indicated the silent Zofie beside me. “And this is the one I’m engag
ed to, Princess Zophia.”
A look of horror came over my mother. “You brought her here! The princess?” Her voice squeaked. She fell to one knee before Zofie. “I’m sorry, Princess, I didn’t know you were coming. I would have prepared better.”
“Mother,” I said sadly. “She can’t answer you.”
My mother gave me a questioning look from where she knelt.
I sighed. “She’s under the influence of a charm that’s robbed her of her will. We’re on a mission to break her out of it.”
Mother slowly stood and looked at Zofie more closely. Her eyes flicked between us.
Suspicion suddenly crept into her voice. “You aren’t running from one of the lords, are you? We can’t protect you, Coren. We lost almost everything....”
I touched her hand. “No, it’s nothing like that. We need an ancient artifact, and when I cast for it, it pointed me here. I need to talk with Docila.”
Mother nodded her head toward the house. “She’s inside.” A look of concern on her face. “And please don’t fight with her. She’s had a rough time recently.” Her voice dropped. “A really rough time.”
I wondered what had happened but decided not to press it. Docila and I had butted heads the moment our households had merged. She was a couple of years older than I and thought she ruled the kingdom, while I, being an only child, had a slightly different opinion. I think she was one of the reasons I was apprenticed off so young.
We turned toward the house. The front door burst open, and a child of about seven, wearing a thick coat too big for her, ran to Mother and stood bashfully beside her. She turned big eyes toward us.
I squatted down beside her. “Hello, Floria.”
The girl looked up at Mother.
“Go ahead,” Mother urged. “You can talk to them. They’re not soldiers.”
“Hello,” she said timidly.
I grinned. “I’m your big brother, Coren.”
She digested the information but made no further comment. I couldn’t blame her. I hadn’t seen her since she was a babe.
I felt something brushing on my leg and looked down to see a rather large cat rubbing against me. I smiled. I scooped him up and scratched him behind the ears. “Hello, Mischief. I see you’re living up to your name.” He purred loudly and made sure I knew I was not to stop.
“Coren,” said Spraggel behind me. “I hate to rush, but we do have an appointment later.”
I put Mischief down. The cat gave me a displeased look before turning and sauntering off.
I stood and nodded.
Mother took Floria by the hand and turned toward the house. “Mellen has gone to try and trade a goat for some grain. The problem is that while most are more than willing to take the goat, they have little to offer in return. And the ones that do, are more likely to slit your throat than part with their coin.” She gave a soft chuckle. “Which is why I’m watching the path. We had a run-in with some people that thought our goats were free. We had to change their minds rather forcefully.”
Fumiko looked around warily. “Coren, I should probably wait outside.”
Mother shook her head. “No need for you to stay out in this chill. Come inside where it’s warm.” She turned to her child. “Floria, go watch for us.”
The young girl nodded and ran toward the back of the house. A few minutes later, she reappeared standing on the top of the roof. She knelt there, scanning our surroundings. It broke my heart that things had come to this in the kingdom.
Inside was the simple dwelling I remembered. It even smelled the same with hints of spices, bread, and simmering stew. It only had one room where the cooking, prepping, and eating occurred. And overhead was a loft where everyone would sleep, as well as another door which opened atop the hill.
In the middle of the room rested a large table with the preparations for a meal scattered across it. And behind it was a stone hearth with a crackling fire and an iron pot hanging from a hook over it. Docila stood before it with its glow framing her. She stood behind the table like one would a shield, and she did not seem inclined to come out from behind it.
She had matured since last I had seen her. Like her father, she was tall with blond hair and light-colored eyes. She wore a simple earth-colored dress with a shawl of a slightly darker hue around her shoulders. Her expression was tight—of one terrified of something yet having nowhere to run.
“Look who showed up on our doorstep,” Mother said proudly.
Docila quickly searched our faces. “I don’t...” Then she locked on me. “Coren?”
I grinned and nodded. “Hello, sister.”
She stayed where she was. “What are you doing here? We can’t take any more bad luck.” She sounded accusatory. “Aren’t you with the princess now? Her knight even?”
Mother looked at her and frowned. “Be nice. He has the princess with him.”
A look of fury came over Docila’s face. “Get out!” she yelled and grabbed up a cooking knife lying on the table. Fumiko reacted immediately and put herself in front of Zofie.
I held up my hands. “Wait! We just want to talk with you.”
Docila came slowly around the table, moving with a pronounced limp. “That’s what the soldiers said. They were the king’s soldiers. But when I wouldn’t tell them where the goats were hidden, they hit me.” Tears came to her eyes. “And when I tried to get away, they hit me some more, and tore my clothes... and... and...” She turned away and rubbed at her eyes with the heel of her hand. “I have no use for royalty. Leave me alone.”
Mother shouted, “Docila. Put the knife down. These people had nothing to do with that.”
Docila looked at the knife, seemingly puzzled why she even held it. She set it carefully down on the table and then turned to tend the fire with her back to us.
Mother pursed her lips. “Forgive her. She’s had it rough.”
I gave her a questioning look.
But Mother shook her head, her eyes pleading. I guess the soldiers had done their worst to Docila. And the wounds were still raw—especially the emotional ones.
Damn Wynn. Not only had he bankrupt the kingdom, he had also stolen its soul.
I looked to Zofie, standing silently beside me. What would Zofie do? Her heart was ten times bigger than mine and always knew just the right things to say. I considered her a moment. Then perhaps she should say it.
I turned to everyone else. “Mother, would you show my friends the goats. I bet they would love to see them. Since I’ve seen them before, I’ll take a moment to talk with Docila.”
Fumiko shot a puzzled glance my way. Spraggel, on the other hand, gave me a brief nod of approval and dropped a hand on Cabrina’s shoulder. “I bet you’d like to see the goats, wouldn’t you?”
The youth grinned. I thought she was going to jump up and down.
Mother froze for just the barest second, then she caught on. “All right, everyone. Like my son says, we have the finest goats this side of the mountains.” And she began to lead them out.
Fumiko reached to take Zofie’s arm, but I shook my head. Fumiko gave me a puzzled look but went out with the others. A moment later, the door closed, leaving just the three of us alone.
I tugged on Zofie’s arm and she followed. I guided her to a bench beside the table and seated her there. She sat with back straight and blank eyes staring straight ahead.
“Docila,” I said. “I have someone I want you to meet.”
My stepsister looked up from bruising herself with the fire. Her eyes were damp, and they flicked from me to Zofie. While Docila watched, I took off my companion’s mittens and cloak, leaving her in just her regular travel clothes of shirt and pants. I placed her lifeless hands into her lap and sat beside her.
Docila took in the whole scene. She rose, and frowning in disapproval, limped around the table to stand over us. She studied Zofie a moment before waving a hand in front of her face. Zofie didn’t even blink.
“What’s wrong with her?” Docila asked.
&
nbsp; I reached for Zofie’s hand and held it up to show her the bracelet encircling her wrist. “This charm is robbing her of her will. Those behind it are trying to stop her from saving the kingdom. I’m doing my best to get the charm off without it killing her.”
Docila frowned. “Would serve her right. All the royals, playing with us like we’re insects.”
I shook my head. “Not Zofie. She was trying to figure out a way to feed everybody. She’s been begging the neighboring rulers and lords to please share. But they’ve all turned their backs on her. She fears that they are merely waiting for us to grow even weaker so they can attack us.” I kissed her hand before returning it to her lap. “She spent every last piece of gold in the treasury buying food, not to mention selling what was left of her jewelry. She thought it might help a few extra days.”
Docila looked troubled. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because she needs your help. The price for getting the curse off her is something called the Griffin’s Key. And when I used a myst device to search for it, it pointed me to you. Do you know anything about it? I think I can safely say, the fate of the kingdom depends on us finding it.”
Docila sat down beside me. “I have no interest in helping her kind. The lot of them can burn in the Creator’s darkest hell for all I care.”
I shut my eyes in frustration. What could I say to get her to help me? I glanced at Zofie. Even with no expression, she was beautiful. But what I really loved was the wonderful person inside. How could I make her see that?
“Did you know,” I said abruptly. “She keeps a small stuffed dog on her bed.” I chuckled. “It’s completely worn out. She says her mother gave it to her the year before she died as a Day of the New gift. And...” I could feel my heartache swelling. “She loves picnics. She and I tried to have one just a few days ago in the family crypt no less. She did it to remember her parents, trying to stay connected to them. And...” I could feel dampness coming to my eyes. “Did you know she can complete my quotes? She’s the only person I know of that can do that. I’ll say the first part, and then she’ll complete it. And I can do the same for her. It’s unnerving and wonderful at the same time. And... and...” I looked up at my sister with tears in my eyes. “I love her, Docila. I know you and I have had our squabbles, but please... help her. Every time I see her like this, my heart breaks just a little more. She means everything to me.”
Assassin of Curses: (The Coren Hart Chronicles Book 3) Page 14