The Cursed Girl, #1

by Maria Vermisoglou

  “Go. Run.” I shoved them, and Alec reached for Jasmine’s hand, but it was too late. The floor split and opened in the middle, and Jasmine was caught on the other side.

  “Jasmine,” Alec yelled.

  I moved back, and once I was far enough from the opening, I ran and jumped across to the other side.

  “What are you doing?” Jasmine yelled, her face paling. “You could have been safe.”

  I took her hand. “I can’t just watch when people need help. Except evil people, but you aren’t evil, are you?” She shook her head. “Excuse me, but I have to hold you,” I said and held her as the floor began to disappear. She cried and shouted, but before the floor collapsed completely I jumped and grabbed the edge of the floor where Alec was standing.

  He kneeled to help us up, but I made him take Jasmine’s arm, and he pulled her up. The piece I was holding onto wouldn’t hold much. I tried to hold on, but my hand slipped and the piece broke. I expected to fall, but I didn’t. I looked up and saw Jonathan had caught my arm. “Let me go,” I said.

  “No.” His voice was strained from the effort of holding me. “We are not done, and you are not leaving me this time.”

  This time? Oh. He must be referring to the time where I almost died. “Let me go or we will both fall.” I didn’t know how the floor was still holding our weight, but I didn’t expect it to last much longer.

  “Better together than apart,” he said, and I blushed.

  I had heard of a couple who had died together because they protected each other until the very end and would never let go. I felt the floor vibrating. No, I couldn’t let him fall too. He had a whole life to live, and I couldn’t let him fall. I wouldn’t let him fall. The piece of floor he was on came loose and he fell. Holding hands, I felt the darkness covering us, but I didn’t want to fall. In a last attempt to save us, I unfurled my whip and I felt it catch something above us. Whatever it was, I hoped it would hold.

  “Why are you carrying this thing?” Questions even before death. “Were you hoping to hit someone with that?”

  And stupid questions even in this situation—unbelievable. “No, I was hoping to do something like that. I saw someone do it and I wanted to do it also, but no opportunities.”

  He laughed. We were about to die and that sound was a little out of tune in this black hole. “Well, you got to use it and you saved us.”

  “We are not there yet,” I said. Someone tugged on my whip, and I felt myself and Jonathan rising a little higher from the darkness. Inch by inch, we were pulled higher until we were out of the hole.

  People cheered, but there was a job to be done still. Ritta was holding my whip since she had pulled us up. She gave me my bow and whip and told the boys to get away from here. We shot arrows and secured the whole area.

  “It’s safe now,” she called.

  “But how?” Alec hugged me.

  “Um, something secure. It’s secure for now, but I wouldn’t press my luck by staying here,” I said in a low voice and went outside.

  If a royal had saved the day, everyone would have cared more, but since a peasant saved the day, they don’t care much. Once I was safely outside, I found a place to sit. I felt dizzy and hot. The air was cold and relaxed me a little.

  “Are you all right?” Jonathan asked. I had no idea how he had gotten away from all the people. “Your friend Ritta has quite a sharp tongue. Kind of like you sometimes, but her words cut like a knife. I came to apologize. I am sorry. I was so concerned about the people that it didn’t occur to me that the palace might be damaged too.”

  I smiled because he was concerned about his people; others wouldn’t have helped them that much.

  Jonathan hung his head. “And to think I was thinking about bringing them here before we finished, but Alec said it would be hard for them to move over and over.”

  “No one can blame you because you took care of them, except maybe some royals.”

  “Only you see it that way apparently, but it’s all right. Over time, the hole will be repaired.”

  “You are lucky you are so pleasant; otherwise, they would think you wanted to kill them.”

  He smiled that arrogant smile. “Fortunately, I have my good looks and a pleasant disposition.”

  Heavens. I was going to hit him one of these days. Not today though, I was out of energy.

  “What? No comment?”

  I shook my head and it hurt. “No, I am too tired to argue.”

  He looked at me and put a hand on my cheek. “Tired and sick.” I arched an eyebrow. “You have a high fever. You are burning up a little.”

  Where did this fever come from? Special delivery?

  A man walked up to us. “So, you are the girl who saved my daughter.”

  “I am.” I didn’t even bother to get up. I was tired and probably sick as Jonathan was saying.

  “Thank you, I must express my gratitude. You can ask whatever you want from us...”

  Is he serious? How about the moon? Don’t make me laugh. “Do you think I saved your daughter’s life because I wanted some reward? I save people because I want to help them and they deserve to be saved. My only reward is to see them fine and happy again.” I stood.

  “Ritta. We’re leaving.”

  “How?”

  “I called Sunshine but I don’t know if she will hear or obey.”

  A few minutes later, Ritta said, “She’s here, under the balcony.”

  She sensed my intentions. That’s not that far from the ground.

  The man had recovered from the shock of me rejecting his offer and talking to him like that. “You are ungrateful.”

  “No, I am saving the offer for another day.” It was true because he owed me now and forever or maybe Jasmine owed me.

  The man tries to respond, but Jonathan interrupted him. “I would be careful of how I talked to her.”

  “Who is she? A royal?”

  “No, she is something much better than a royal or a peasant.”

  The man seemed confused. “Who is she?” He asked Jonathan, and not me, and that angered me.

  “She is a hero. She is above everyone else.”

  I smiled because at that moment he gave me power. A hero was someone respected and a hero could talk however she wanted without the fear of being killed because she just talked. People had begun gathering outside; I guessed they could smell action like rats smelled raw meat. The man turned to me finally. “Who are you?”

  “I am Eva.”

  He paled. “You... you are the healer?”

  I stared at him and waited for that to sink in. I was famous in England too. Imagine that. Maybe that was why I got more letters than usual. I wasn’t working much with people, but letters came every day from people asking for medicines and healing items. I received at least twenty letters a day.

  “I am sorry if I have offended you.”

  Too late. “You still owe me whatever I want. Next time I would be careful if I were you. Have a good night,” I said, ran, and jumped off the terrace. I heard the people’s cries, and Jonathan shouted, “Eva!” I landed gracefully on the horse and then sat behind Ritta who spurred the horse into motion. I looked up and saw a lot of people. Many were clapping and laughing, but what I saw most clearly was Jonathan shaking his head under the moonlight.

  We went to my mother’s house and she was not asleep yet. She touched my forehead and made me eat some soup while Ritta told the story. “It seems like exhaustion to me rather than a cold,” my mother said.

  Exhaustion? Why? I did what I have normally done for years, except now I have drawing as a job. What changed? The war obviously was a major change, but maybe hanging out with Jonathan and Alec was a change too. I had never had human friends before. My mother put me to bed and she smiled. “You are thinking too much again, Eva.”

  “But I don’t understand what changed. I do what I did all those years...”

  She laughed. “No, dear, you didn’t do all these things. You saved people in the war and
you helped people with your herbs for more than a year. You changed your way of life from going to the market and short walks to work to long walks and missions to save people. It’s not a small feat.”

  “My friends have nothing to do with this?”

  “Of course not. I would say they improve your life. You were... rather lonely for a long time. It’s a good thing.” Midnight came to my bed and licked my hand, and I petted her. “Eva? I think we should go... away,” my mother said, and seeing my expression, she continued before I could speak. “Just for a small amount of time, like... a vacation.”

  “But why? It’s not even summer yet.”

  “No, but if we stay here, you will continue working since you can’t say no to people asking for help or turn down an order for a drawing.” I sighed. “Why don’t you write to your friend in Italy? We can go there first and then we will see.”

  I tried to argue, but I couldn’t. The prospect of seeing Alicia and Italy was irresistible. I was sure Ritta and my mother would love Italy. “What about the pigeons that come?”

  “We can take care of them. You are not the only one that knows of herbs here.”

  Maybe I should have hired an assistant. “Fine...”

  She smiled, kissed me, and left me with Midnight. “You will like a vacation, won’t you?” Meow.

  Vacation

  The next day, I wrote to Alicia. I went to my house and put a sign on the door: ORDERS ARE TO BE DELIVERED NEXT MONTH. HERBS CAN BE DELIVERED BY PIGEONS FROM THE CAGE.

  I went inside the house and started packing. I didn’t have many things, and I just took the necessary: clothes, some rope, herbs, of course, and some blankets. I was putting them in a bag when I heard a knock at the door. “Hello,” Jonathan said.

  “Don’t you have work to do?” I scowled at him.

  “No, some people are inspecting the palace for further damage, and Alec is with his lady friend, so there is not much use for me there.”

  I laughed. “Not much use for you there?” He was the king. I looked at him and his expression was odd—sad but concerned.

  “Are you leaving?”

  Maybe that was bothering him. “Just for a while.”

  “Because of your sickness?” His brow creased.

  “It wasn’t a sickness exactly, just exhaustion.”

  “Oh. And where are you going?”

  “Italy with my mother and Ritta.”

  He nodded but seemed sad. Why? Was it because I was leaving? “I thought you would go for the summer there.”

  I was surprised he remembered such an unimportant thing. “Yes, but my mother thought it would be better for me there now.”

  “I am sure. What’s the cage with pigeons for?”

  “Didn’t you read the sign? For people to take them for herb deliveries.”

  “And why some are pink? Are they sick?”

  “Do you think I would put sick pigeons for people to touch?” I laughed and he looked ashamed. “They are my mother’s. She always thought that you can’t get a bad message from a pink pigeon, and indeed she has never received a letter with bad news from these.”

  He smiled. “Did she paint them?”

  “Of course not. They are a special breed only born in the north, I think. I prefer white pigeons. She goes with love and I go with peace. I don’t like pink, and in a war, pink can be mistaken for red. Not a good thing.”

  “How does Midnight feel about them?”

  Now he cared about Midnight? I guess he had learned his lesson. “Not interested. She knows I need them, and since she is getting more love from them, it’s all right.” He laughed again. Why did I like hearing that sound?

  A fluttering of wings drew my attention to the window. A white pigeon with a letter in its mouth was at the window.

  “Work again?”

  “I don’t think it’s work.” The pigeon landed on my shoulder, and I took the letter while feeding it. “It’s from Alicia. She is fine with us passing by. She sends her regards to you and Alec.”

  “You will give ours too. When are you leaving?”

  Was it my imagination or did his voice shake a little? “Tomorrow.” His face paled. “If you need anything you can write to me,” I said.

  He nodded and stared at me intently. “Thank you. It will be a little lonely without you.”

  I remembered yesterday when he told me that it was better to fall together than apart, and he had the same look on his face. I tried to joke. “What? You thought you were the only one that gets to leave?”

  He smiled, but I felt it was halfhearted. His aura was making strange lines, but they were slow like a toy that is unwound. “Time to go to Alec and his lady friend.”

  I thought she had left. “What? She didn’t leave?” Maybe she wanted to get to know Alec better, but staying was a little unusual.

  “No, and I have to be polite and everything while the palace is a mess and probably falling apart.”

  “If you need somewhere to go, you can stay here if you wish. I will leave the key somewhere where you can find it.”

  He smiled brightly at that. “Thank you. I doubt it will be needed, but thank you. Where will you leave it? Won’t others find it?”

  “Just in case you need somewhere to stay, and no, it will be somewhere where your stupid brain can find it. Other people don’t have stupid brains. Woodpecker.”

  “I am not a woodpecker.” He scowled.

  “You have not grown much with your character.”

  He snorted. “I have mounted. I am not a woodpecker anymore.”

  “I guess not, but I haven’t thought about an animal yet.”

  He looked at me and I fell again into the two deep blue lakes that were his eyes. “Fine. Tell me when you get back.”

  “It might be a long wait,” I retorted.

  “How long until you get back?”

  “A month.” He paled even more and was now as white as a sheet. Did he love me that much that he was sad just because I left for that amount of time? That was insane. I knew he loved me or liked me, but I just cared about him. I couldn’t marry him. I just wanted to be sure before I opened my heart to anyone.

  “Well, I will wait then for the animal, but I expect something good.”

  “Don’t count on it.” I laughed and he left.

  Ritta came later and said, “It’s like someone died in here.”

  I looked around and noticed Jonathan’s aura was still here. How was that possible? I tried to erase it, but it didn’t seem to go away. Strange.

  “What’s this?” Ritta asked, touching the aura.

  “It’s Jonathan’s aura, but why won’t it go away? He left, and it should have gone by now.”

  She shrugged. “Maybe his feelings kind of integrated with the house?”

  “That’s ridiculous.” I threw my hands in the air. “His house is the palace, and he has been living there since he was born. Why would this house mean something good to him?”

  “Something you said? Because you see that? It doesn’t do shapes or anything, but at this point”—she pointed at a particular spot—“it’s rather frozen at a particular moment, and it’s a happy moment.”

  “He was rather sad because I left. The only moment he was happy was—oh. The key.”

  Ritta raised her eyebrows. “What key?”

  “I kind of told him I would give him the key to the house because I thought the palace was a little dangerous right now.”

  “That would do it.”

  “What now? How do I get it to go away? I can’t just let it stay here. A demon might sense it.” A gold aura attracted demons, especially when it was in a witch’s house.

  “I think you should get him to come here again and make another happy memory, and then it will go away, or”—she had a cunning look on her face—“you can tell him to sweep his aura from your house.”

  “Ritta.” She laughed and I laughed too.

  That night I dreamed, and it wasn’t one of my prophetic dreams. I don’t d
ream like normal people do, but when an aura was frozen in a nice moment, I could dream. I dreamed of me and Jonathan. We were running in a meadow with flowers and laughing. I could hear his laugh crystal clear, and his hair shone under the sun.

  I woke up and made some breakfast for Ritta and me. Mother would eat at her house and then come here, and we would leave together.

  After an hour, we were set. My bags were on Sunshine, and Midnight had taken her place on the saddle. Ritta went outside to help my mother put her bags on Sunshine while I stayed inside to make sure we had everything. Now how do I get Jonathan to come here and take his aura back before we leave?

  “Eva.”

  Startled, I backed a step away. “Where did you come from?”

  “Sorry to have surprised you.”

  “It’s all right. We were just leaving. Do you need anything?”

  “No, just saying goodbye.” His voice was low and he shook his head. How did he know what time we were leaving? “Will you go by horse?” He pointed at Sunshine.

  “Kind of.”

  “Will it hold you three?”

  I laughed. “No, silly. The horse is for the things. We will walk.” His eyes widened. What now? I looked behind me, but there was nothing there. “You will walk to Italy?”

  I slapped my forehead. “Of course not. Maybe you haven’t woken up completely. We will take the boat.”

  “Oh. Right.” He smiled apologetically, and I laughed.

  “So, did you have nice dreams today?”

  “Not... really. Why do you ask?”

  “Since you are a little distracted, you must be still caught in them.”

  “No, I usually don’t dream about pleasant things.”

  How did I get him to be happy now? We went outside of the house and I saw his aura has surrounded the house now. That wasn’t good. “I don’t remember my dreams usually. So I dream when I am awake, and that’s how I draw. I put my imagination to paper.”

  He smiled a little. “Alec gives his regards and wishes you a pleasant trip.”

  “Thank you. Oh. The key is inside one of the pots.” I pointed to the pots of flowers on the windowsills. I feel his mood instantly lift. This emotion clashed with the previous one, and the aura disappeared completely.