Cursed

by Christina Bauer

  Marlene slid into a throne-like chair made of gold. “What do you think of my study?”

  I paused before her and let my mouth hang open. It was important that I continue to play the country bumpkin. “It’s very pretty.”

  “How dull of you to say.” Marlene drummed her nails on the armrest. “You’ve heard we’re having guests this weekend… The Tsar, the Vicomte, and even Genesis Rex.”

  I slapped on my best ‘simple farm girl’ grin. “Does that mean we’ll eat something other than marrow pudding?”

  With any luck, it means I’ll get my chance at revenge.

  Marlene pursed her lips. “That’s all you have to tell me?”

  “What else do you want me to say?”

  “Something that doesn’t sound brainless. Sophia was many things, but she was no fool, especially when it came to Ada. If she left her little pet with you, then the two of you must shave plotted together for the child’s welfare.”

  So, that’s what this is all about. Marlene wants to know if Sophia and I planned to help Ada escape. Gods-damn it. Marlene knew Sophia too well, and I’m not that fine of a liar. How will I convince Marlene that I have no escape plans, especially when Rowan is waiting outside the back gate right now?

  I straightened my shoulders. “Sophia asked me to look out for Ada. I agreed. That’s all there is to it.”

  “You’re lying.” Marlene held up her hand. “Don’t bother to deny it. You’re trouble.”

  The room seemed to heat up by ten degrees. I’m trouble? I blinked my eyes innocently. “I don’t understand.”

  “I should give you a mark. Then, you’d have to tell me or die.”

  Her words sent a pang of panic through me. “No. You entered into a magickal pact with Sophia. You can’t give me a mark until next season.” At least, I hope that’s how it works.

  Marlene’s brown eyes shone with rage. “Don’t tell me what I can’t do. I’m a Grand Mistress Necromancer. I can break magickal agreements like that.” She snapped her fingers.

  Sweat broke out along my forehead. Could Marlene have given me the mark all along, but only held out to watch me suffer?

  Every bone in my body felt heavy with dread. Leading me along only to give me the mark anyway… That’s precisely the kind of game Marlene would play. I worked hard to keep my features unreadable. “I’ll say it once more. Sophia asked me to watch out for the child and I agreed. It was a gesture of kindness and nothing else. There are no further plans.”

  Marlene leaned back in her chair. “Do I have your word on that?”

  “Absolutely.” My legs turned wobbly beneath me. I needed to get out of here and to the back gate. “Is there anything else you require? I’m due in the storehouse today.”

  “No, you may go.”

  I’d never been happier to leave a place in my life. I turned on my heel and sped toward the door.

  “Stop there,” said Marlene slowly.

  That icy feeling returned to my skull. I paused mid-step. And I was so close to the door.

  “Come to think of it,” said Marlene. “I do have one more item for you.”

  I returned to my place before her throne. Although it wasn’t far away, it still felt like one of the longest walks in my life. “Yes, Mother?”

  “I’ve changed my mind. You’re far smarter than you let on… And clever girls always have plans. Let’s see if we can’t find some way to share it, eh?” A low moan sounded from behind one of the cabinet doors. My breath caught.

  “Who’s in there? One of the Sisters?”

  A nasty smile rounded Marlene’s lips. “No, that’s is something else entirely.” Marlene snapped her fingers. “Guards!”

  The main door flung open. Four warriors in black armor marched into the study. My mind sped through options. I could run and maybe meet Rowan, but the chances of getting through the Cloister without being captured were slim.

  The boot falls of the guards thundered in my ears. Their hulking bodies fell upon me. One man yanked my arms behind my back with such force, his metal armor tore through my robes and skin. Pain shot across my shoulders. Two others knelt on either side of me, gripping my ankles to hold me in place. The fourth one grasped my chin and held my gaze toward one of the cabinets. That moan sounded again, and it was definitely coming from the bureau right before me. What was in there?

  Marlene slowly eyed me from head to toe. “You’re afraid.” She licked her lips. “Now, that’s what I like to see.”

  By the gods. She’s toying with me.

  “Shall we bring out someone to talk to?” Marlene stepped forward and unlocked the cabinet. Another moan sounded from inside.

  Oh, no.

  Marlene grinned. “Last night, you became acquainted with the creatures that turn Novices into Sisters. You’re about to meet their maker.” She let out a low whistle. “He’s very good at causing pain.”

  I wriggled in the guard’s grasp, but couldn’t move. Every cell in my body wanted to flee.

  “Sophia and I have no plans,” I said quickly. “I’m telling you the truth.”

  “And I don’t believe you.”

  My vision clouded over with panic. What kind of monster gives birth to bone creepers?

  The cabinet door slowly swung open. Little by little, a man in ragged Caster leathers crawled out. With jerky movements, he rose to stand before me. Every muscle in my body froze. This can’t be happening. The man’s left arm had been torn off and replaced by a single great centipede.

  He’s a Changed One.

  It’s just how Rowan told me it would work. The Tsar kidnapped this poor Caster and attached part of the mage’s familiar to his body. Horrible. And now, he was going to change me as well.

  That can’t happen. I must escape and end my curse.

  “Don’t do this,” I said, panting. “You’ll break your magickal vow with Sophia and for what? Nothing. I don’t know much about Necromancy, but there must be some kind of price you’d pay for that. The Tsar arrives in three days. Can you afford for your powers to be weakened?”

  “So Sophia told you about our little deal, eh? What else did she babble about, I wonder?” Marlene pointed to the Caster. “Slave, give this Sister my mark.”

  “Don’t do this, Mother.” Rowan was outside. I was so close.

  The Caster stared at me with vacant eyes. His face was covered in stubble, dirt, and scars. Words burned on my tongue, but I couldn’t say any of them.

  I’m your ally.

  I’m here to kill the Tsar.

  Set me loose or I’ll suffer in fire.

  But I couldn’t speak any of that. Instead, I tried to put all my fear and promise into a single request. “Please.”

  If the Caster heard me, he didn’t show it. His blue eyes were soulless and empty as his long arm slithered across the floor toward me. I’ve seen my share of insects on a farm, but nothing compared to this. The Caster’s limb was a line of gelatinous goo with red organs pulsing under the clear skin. Hundreds of tiny legs click-clacked against the wooden planks as the limb closed in on me. My chest felt so tight, I couldn’t breathe.

  Bit by bit, the arm wound its way up my leg. I groaned and thrashed as the tiny insect pincers bit into my skin as it crawled up my torso. The guard held my chin still as the insect’s face stared directly into mine. It was gooey with all-white eyes and needle-sharp teeth. Cold breath brushed my mouth. I choked back a scream.

  No, this isn’t happening. No.

  Little by little, the creature opened its jaws and a bone crawler appeared. The tiny centipede wriggled inside the larger insect mouth like a tongue.

  “See that?” asked Mother Superior. “How would you like that deep within you?”

  I thrashed in terror as the bone crawler squirmed closer. “Make it stop!”

  “You want it to stop? Then, tell me. What do you really have planned?”

  “Nothing! You’re insane!”

  Marlene tapped her lips in a casual motion. “I suppose… I believe you.�
� She snapped her fingers. “Enough, Slave. Take it back.”

  Both the bone crawler and the centipede slid back to its master. I slumped in the guard’s hold, barely able to stay upright.

  “There, now.” Marlene checked her nails. “I’m glad we cleared that up.” She waved to the Caster. “We’re through with you. Go.”

  The Caster slunk back into the cabinet, his insect arm dragging behind him. I watched him leave and sobbed. Everything here was impossible. This poor Caster’s life. My escape. What had I been thinking to start this journey in the first place?

  Marlene sneered at me. “Sniveling little fool.” She waved at the door. “Guards, take her to the storehouse. This one must work for her keep.”

  As the guards dragged me away, I began to regain my focus. The haze of terror faded into a new realization. I was going to the storehouse by the back gate.

  There was still a chance.

  It was late morning by the time I stumbled into the storehouse. Two thoughts echoed through my mind.

  Rowan. Escape.

  With any luck, Rowan was still waiting for me. We’d had already agreed that my scarab would signal him to meet me at the gate. As long as that back door was open, my escape should be pretty easy. I could simply walk out with Rowan. That Caster was a powerful mage and could easily handle things from there. All I needed was an opened door.

  But what if it were closed? I pictured the massive wall that surrounded the Cloister. I hadn’t seen it since I was first left the wagon, but I knew what it looked like.

  Tall. Heavy. Lined with guards.

  I swallowed hard. The gate had better be opened. My worries had me so distracted, I barely noticed Nan rushing over.

  “Are you all right, Elea?”

  “Fine.” My voice sounded dreamy and strange, even to me. My morning with Marlene still had me all jittery. What other Changed Ones were hidden around here? For that matter, what else did Marlene have planned for us in general?

  Escape and you won’t have to find out.

  The four guards who’d been following me all morning leaned against a nearby wall, right alongside the four Marlene had already sent off with Nan and Ada. I’d hoped the extra warriors might move on with their day, but no such luck. Now, we had eight guards to keep an eye on only three of us. That wasn’t going to make my escape easier.

  Nan stepped closer. “There’s been trouble at the gate, Elea. One trader or another has been complaining all morning.”

  Thank the Sire. That was probably Rowan. “Is it still open?”

  Nan nodded. “Sure, it’s always open on delivery days. There are piles of packages out there for you to bring in. Better get going.”

  I glanced around, looking for Ada. I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. “Where’s the little one?”

  “Busy, just like you should be.” Nan tossed her head, making her long braids shake. She poked me in the center of my rib cage. “Enough slacking off. You think because you get special time with Marlene you can shirk your work? Ada and me’s been dealing with them traders all morning.” If I hadn’t been watching, I might have missed her wink. “Get moving. Now.”

  That wink told me all I needed to know. Nan realized that I was up to something. Clever thief. I decided to play along with her act, since it was the perfect way to throw off the guards. “Stop complaining.” I wagged my finger at her. “If you’d had the morning I did, you wouldn’t be rushing out into more trouble, either.”

  Nan sniffed. “Just get to work.”

  I hesitated for a moment. It felt wrong to leave without any goodbye, but a teary farewell would only alert the guards. “Fine. I’ll go.” Turning on my heel, I stomped out the door.

  Chapter Seventeen

  As the crow flies, it was a short walk to the back gate. It didn’t feel that way, though. Every step seemed to take longer than the last. Plus, Marlene’s four extra guards stayed right behind me. That was a concern.

  I opened my mouth, ready to summon my scarab to alert Rowan. I couldn’t very well walk through the gate and then stand around like a fool if he weren’t there. And Rowan wouldn’t be able to loiter around and wait for me without attracting attention, either.

  I closed my lips and fast. If I summoned the beetle now, what would the guards think? It wasn’t worth making them suspicious. Scarabs weren’t native to this part of the desert.

  Gods-damn it. I’d hoped to summon the scarab while I was alone and walking toward the back gate. Instead, it looked like I needed to rely on my alternate plan, which required me to play-act and lie. Those two skills were discouraged in the Zelle, and it was amazing how often I used them now that I’d left.

  At last, I reached the stone wall and wooden door. Another worry got added to the pile.

  The back gate was closed.

  Three more guards stood before the locked wooden door. I spied two warriors and their Captain. While all the other guards wore black armor, the Captain’s chest plate was imprinted with a pattern of white bones. A half dozen more fighters paced along the top of the wall. This was just like when I’d first arrived at the Cloister, only this time, there were even more guards and a closed gate.

  I paused a few yards away and tried to look bored. “Greetings.”

  “Greetings,” said the Captain. Around him, the other guards paced the wall or talked casually in low tones.

  “I’m here to get a delivery.”

  “Gate’s closed.”

  “I can see that. When will you open it?”

  “Not sure. There’s been trouble on the other side all morning. You’ll have to wait it out.”

  I sucked in a shaky breath and started up my act. “Look here, I’m not staying by this gate one moment longer than I have to. I heard all about the plague-sign out here.”

  At the mention of the words ‘plague-sign,’ everyone froze. The Captain whipped off his helm, which is something his kind rarely did. He was gray-haired and dark-skinned with long jowls and steely eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  None of these guards had magick. And if there was one Necromancer skill that the Forgotten valued, it was our ability to spot a plague. My kind had trapped the first bone crawlers centuries ago. Since then, we’d killed every other insect that had taken up the disease.

  “Plague-sign.” I looked at him as if he were insane. “Beetles. They’ve infested the sands back here. Everyone’s talking about it.”

  The Captain’s jowls shook slightly. “I haven’t gotten any reports.”

  I coughed into my hand to hide my command. “Now.”

  My beetle burrowed up from under the sands, unfurled its tiny wings, and fluttered toward the sky. I thought they’d watch with mild concern. After all, these warriors had always acted pretty tough.

  The guards went berserk. Everyone scrambled toward the front gate.

  I worried my lower lip with my teeth. I’d wanted to distract the guards, not make them lose their minds. I laced my fingers behind my neck and groaned. With this much fuss, Marlene would be alerted sooner rather than later.

  The Captain started barking out orders to his men. “Get back to your posts! There’s no plague here.” I couldn’t help but notice the warble in his voice, though.

  Some of the guards turned back to the gate, while others shoved their way in the opposite direction. A few fights broke out, along with lots of shouting. Things were quickly spiraling out of control.

  That’s when I heard it. Rowan’s deep voice rumbled from the other side of the wall. Yes. The air became thick with magick. My gaze focused on the Captain. Did he realize a spell was being cast?

  If the Captain noticed the spell-work, he didn’t show it. He paced along the base of the wall, shook his fist, and threatened his men.

  Rowan’s voice grew louder. I stared at the locked wooden door. For a moment, it rattled on its hinges.

  Then, it burst.

  A wave of termites spilled out onto the sand. They spread out, eating through any splinter of wood
that remained from what was once the back gate.

  Some guards saw this as an attack. Others believed that a plague was definitely upon them. More fighting broke out. Someone tackled the Captain. This was my chance. I dodged the battling warriors and slipped toward freedom.

  Rowan stood framed in the open doorway. I wasn’t the kind of person to sing for joy, but at this moment, I was considering it. Thank the Sire. He wore a long black cloak with the hood pulled low. He began another incantation, but there was too much yelling to pick out the words. My limbs felt charged with excitement. I raced toward Rowan with all my strength, reaching him just as he finished his latest spell.

  “Rowan!”

  He glared at me from under his hood. “I said dawn, Elea.”

  My mouth fell open. “I may hate you right now.”

  After that, things began happening so quickly, I could hardly keep track.

  The Captain rolled over, spat sand from his mouth, and glared right at me. That wasn’t a good sign. My distraction had run out, it seemed. “Lock down the Cloister,” he cried. “Summon Marlene.” He gestured toward me. “And kill her.”

  The guards got organized again and began moving at double speed. Some raced back to the Cloister. Others notched arrows into their bows. Still more rushed toward Rowan and me with their long-swords out. Alarm rattled through me. I grabbed Rowan’s hand. “Run!”

  Suddenly, the sky darkened. I looked up to see birds and not just any fowl, but crimson falcons. More of Rowan’s spell-work. The man could be grouchy, but he did know his magick. The falcons swooped in and attacked the guards.

  Rowan whistled and a cart careened around the side of the wall. It was an open affair with a flat bed, just like the ones that were used for deliveries. Clever. It wouldn’t have drawn suspicion from the guards, unless they looked too closely at the pair of fierce gray stallions at the bit. Those two animals were built for racing, not pulling loads. The horses galloped up to us and then stopped so quickly, the wagon tipped up its back wheels before settling down with a thud.

  I climbed onto the wagon’s bed, careful to press as much of my body against the sides as I could. That would provide some cover from the arrows. Rowan leaped onto the driver’s bench and grabbed the reins. “Hyah!”