Cursed

by Christina Bauer

  Rowan stared at me, his green eyes turning intense and dark. It felt like a life age passed before he spoke again. “I’d say you were teasing, but Necromancers aren’t known for their practical jokes.”

  Here it comes. Rowan was certain to think that I’d snapped and gone insane. Not that I blame him. Some small part of me was hoping that I had. It would certainly be easier than capturing the Tsar.

  “Are you sure it wasn’t an illusion spell?” asked Rowan.

  “Positive. There’s no doubt in my mind that I met the god and goddess.”

  “I see.” Rowan’s rugged face stayed maddeningly unreadable.

  “And I saw their powers even before the Sanctuary Fair. Oni and Yuri—I mean, the Lady and Sire—have been intervening in my life for some time now.” As if on cue, my little scarab beetle flittered into view. I couldn’t help but smile. “There you are, little thing. I haven’t seen you since the Midnight Cloister.” My scarab began crawling around the spell-box. “This is the beetle that I told you about. It should never have gotten past Viktor’s wards and into the storehouse.”

  Rowan leaned in for a closer look. “This creature has magick, no doubt about it.” His features still didn’t give me a clue what he was thinking. Would Rowan back out of our partnership?

  “Plus, consider how your spell brought me to the desert in the first place. You said that you thought that the Sire had a hand in it.”

  Rowan examined the spell-box carefully, but didn’t reply. He wasn’t leaving, at least. I took that as a good sign.

  “In any case,” I continued. “This is why I wanted you to understand who they really were before opening their spell-box. I don’t think there’s anything dangerous inside, but who knows what’s possible with deities? Everyone’s heard the story of Pandora. And your King is nearby, too. I wouldn’t want to risk his safety without your consent.”

  Rowan set the spell-box down and glared at it as if it would evaporate under the strength of his gaze. I worried my lower lip with my teeth. Here is where everything could fall apart. And in all honesty, that might be best for Rowan. I’m the one who’s running out of time, after all. Another, better chance may come up for him.

  “I realize how this all sounds,” I said. “If you want to back out of our partnership, I understand.”

  “Listen to me carefully, Elea.” Rowan lifted his gaze until it locked with mine. An intensity shone there that I’d never seen before. “We’ve been after the Tsar for years. Nothing worked until you joined our circle. If you say it’s the Sire and Lady, then that’s who it was. If you tell me that this spell-box is safe, then it’s safe.” His deep voice reverberated through me. “Open that container whenever you wish, Elea. I’m staying right here.”

  My heart swelled. Rowan trusted my judgment. Together, maybe we could handle whatever this mission threw at us.

  With steady hands, I pried the wooden lid off the container. What I saw left me speechless.

  Two rings sat inside. Both had flat surfaces with prongs for holding a stone. A second beetle crawled about between them. This scarab was the perfect match to one that I’d found in the Midnight Cloister. I had trouble pulling in my next breath.

  This couldn’t be possible.

  Those look like mating rings.

  The new scarab fluttered over to rest on Rowan’s shoulder. The man’s features were back to being unreadable again. Damn.

  I worked hard to keep my face calm as well. When I was at the oasis, Laurel had told me all about mating rings and bonding animals. She wore a ladybug band because she was bonded to Orion. The Sire and Lady said this spell was for both Rowan and me. What exactly did that mean? Did the Sire and Lady expect me to marry Rowan? Sleep with him?

  Suddenly, I found it impossible to meet Rowan’s gaze. “I don’t know what to say. The Sire and Lady said this was some kind of magick that they made up called a leveling spell. But it looks like something your people do, not mine.”

  More awkward silence followed. The air inside the tent felt thick with tension. At last, Rowan spoke again. “Did they give you a time limit on this spell?”

  Excellent question. Being married might not be so bad, so long as it was temporary. “They said the magick would last from sunrise to sunset on a single day. For that time, our weapons and spells will be equal to the Tsar’s.” I shifted uncomfortably on my rug. “Is that how these rings are supposed to work? Laurel said that hers didn’t have any magick at all.”

  “Laurel and Orion are warriors, not mages, so their rings are more symbolic. It’s different with those who have magick.”

  “Laurel and Orion aren’t mages? But you call them Casters.”

  “To my people, everyone is a Caster and carries their own kind of magick.” Rowan set his scarab on his palm. “This is definitely a bonding animal.”

  I wasn’t sure I liked that name. “How does that part work?”

  Rowan lifted his brows. “You really don’t know?”

  My insides squirmed at the look of disbelief on his face. What I don’t know about relationships is a lot. “I’ve studied your battle spells, Rowan. Mating rituals never really came up at the Cloister.”

  “Fair enough.” The edges of Rowan’s mouth curled up into a gentle smile. The knots of worry in my shoulders loosened a little. “When two Casters are ready to be mated, their bonding animals simply find them.”

  “Let me guess. Those animals then turn into stones for the rings.”

  “Correct. It’s all part of the ceremony.”

  “And this bonding can happen with a Caster and Necromancer, too?”

  “Oh, yes. It’s the magick of the Caster people as a whole that makes the ritual work. We’ve never had a Caster-Necromancer mating that resulted in hybrid magick, though.” He picked up one of the bands and examined it. “There are many layers of spells on these rings. That must be how the leveling spell works.”

  “So, we go through a ceremony to get married for a day. That’s it.” I can do that. I think.

  Rowan rubbed the edge of the ring with his thumb. “We’ll say a few words and trade bands. That’s all. It won’t take long. We should do it right at dawn, though, so the leveling magick stays at full potency.” He gave me a sly look. “Or were you thinking of doing something else?”

  The image of Rowan’s naked torso suddenly popped into my mind. Damn. I really was going crazy.

  “No, not at all.” I said quickly. I scooped up the spell-box and set it aside. “Now that you know what the magick can do, we need to work on our plan.”

  And have no more naked thoughts.

  “Sounds like you have a strategy or two in your head,” said Rowan.

  “Yes. The first thing I need is to cast again without alerting the Midnight Cloister. To do that, I need you to destroy a certain snake ring that they’re holding.”

  “It has your magic on it?”

  “Yes. One of the Sisters made it when I arrived. It has to be destroyed or they’ll be able to track me forever.”

  “Won’t be a problem. What else?”

  “Once we activate the leveling spell, we’ll both need to cast some invisibility spells so we can get into the Cloister.”

  “Makes sense,” said Rowan. “The question is, what will my people be doing during all this?” Rowan leaned over, popped his head out the tent flap, and whistled.

  “What is it, Rowan?” asked a woman.

  “Can you send Rex over here when he’s free? We need to talk things through for tomorrow.”

  “I’ll bring him straight away.”

  Rowan closed the flap, leaned back on his elbows, and kicked his long legs out in front of him. He didn’t seem particularly concerned that his King was stopping by. “No one knows the schedules like Rex. He’s a master schemer.”

  My body felt like it had been dipped in ice. “Your King is coming here. To this tent. Right now.”

  Rowan leaned fully back and laced his fingers behind his head. “Is that a problem?”

&
nbsp; I couldn’t believe he had to ask that question. “I’ve never met a King before.”

  “Well, you’re about to meet a Tsar, and that doesn’t seem to bother you in the slightest.”

  “Mostly because I plan on sending him into exile versus having an actual conversation with the man.”

  Rowan sat right back up. “Exile? When did that plan change?”

  I needed a memory spell to keep track of everything, it was happening so quickly. “It was one of the conditions of the Sire and Lady’s help. I must transport Viktor to their tent at the Sanctuary Fair.”

  “And you believe they can actually do this?”

  “I didn’t when I thought they were Oni and Yuri. But when they revealed themselves to be divine, I changed my mind. After all, Viktor’s just a person. They’re two deities. I’m sure they can keep him secured.” At least, I’m fairly certain.

  Rowan drummed his fingers on his knees. “I doesn’t matter, I suppose. Either way, it frees my people from the Tsar’s control.”

  “You’ve said something like that before. Why wouldn’t you want Viktor dead?”

  “Whether Viktor’s alive or dead, my Changed Ones will stay transformed. The process was physical as well as magickal. Right now, I’m more worried about ending your curse. What happens to you if Viktor’s sent away?”

  “The Sire and Lady will free me from the curse.”

  “And if you kill Viktor instead?”

  “It must be exile. If I so much as attempt to kill Viktor, then I’ll be sent into the flames.”

  Rowan scratched at the scruff on his jawline. “I don’t like this, Elea.”

  “There was no other way to secure their help.” I didn’t add this, but the pair seemed oddly protective of someone as evil as Viktor.

  “Don’t misunderstand,” said Rowan. “I realize you had no other options. It doesn’t mean I have to like it, though. All this places far too much risk on you.” The way he spoke, I sounded like the most precious Necromancer in the realm. I liked that more than I should have.

  The tent flap opened and a man in Caster leathers stepped inside. He had the same rough body shape as Rowan. Genesis Rex. I’d never seen an actual King before, and my mouth hung open for a few seconds before I caught myself. Rex limped leaned over to embrace Rowan. “Hail and well met, nephew.”

  “And also to you, Uncle.”

  Rex turned to me. “And you must be Elea.”

  “Your majesty.”

  “Call me Uncle.” He reached behind his head and began to unbuckle his helm. “I hope you don’t mind if I take this damned thing off. It itches like crazy, and my nephew assures me that you’re not an assassin.” He gave me a smile that was so dazzling, I thought I might have seen his teeth actually sparkle.

  “I don’t mind at all,” I said. My voice was far breathier than I meant it to be.

  “Watch it, Uncle.” Rowan turned to me. “My esteemed relative is a terrible flirt. Consider yourself warned.”

  Rex removed his helm, revealing an older version of Rowan. The King had a strong jawline and rugged features. His once-brown hair was now mixed with gray. He limped over to my side and sat down. I remembered how Rowan had said that Rex had survived an assassination attempt, but ended up with an injury to his leg. I hope it didn’t hurt too badly.

  Rex rubbed his palms together. “I take it we’re here to plan a murder.”

  “We’ve downgraded it to a permanent exile, Uncle.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “That was my doing,” I explained. “It was the only way to get the magick we needed.” I watched Rex carefully, wondering if he was the kind of person who’d lose his temper over a change of plans.

  “Well, whatever stops that bastard Viktor from trying to control my people, that’s all that matters.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. While Rowan was intense, his King was incredibly easy going. The chemistry worked.

  Rex gestured to Rowan. “Where are those plans you found?”

  Rowan reached into his leathers, pulled out some folded sheets of parchment, and carefully unfolded them onto the rug. “These are maps for the Midnight Cloister.” He pointed to different areas as he spoke. “It has a square layout. Guarded wall. Four white towers, one on each corner.”

  Rex nodded as he looked things over. “And the main entrance?”

  I pointed to the appropriate spot on the map. “You’ll come in through the gate here. It’s right beside the Basilica.”

  Rex rubbed his chin in an endearing movement that reminded me of Rowan. “We’ll start the day at the main gate. The Examination Ceremony will be held in the Basilica.”

  At the words ‘Examination Ceremony’, the muscles in my neck and shoulders bunched up. That ceremony was when the Tsar planned to drain Nan and the other new Sisters. “You know that examination is a sham, right? He kills the Sisters.”

  “Oh, we’re well aware,” said Rex. “We’re happy to get a chance at him in any venue. We’ve spent years trying to pinpoint when Viktor would be at a certain place. Must have sent him a hundred requests for an audience. All of them were refused. Finally, my clever nephew figured out that Viktor would be at the Midnight Cloister and also found you to help… All in the same day!”

  Rowan gave me a gentle smile. “It was a good day.”

  My heart warmed. “Thank you, but I’m not sure I follow. The examination is dangerous. Why risk it?”

  “Viktor respects one thing,” said Rex. “Power. He didn’t want to meet with us because he didn’t think we had enough magickal ability to find him. Well, imagine his surprise when we tracked him down. I sent a request for a meeting on a particular date and time.” Rex was quite a storyteller. His face positively lit up as he spoke.

  “And then, what happened?” I asked.

  “Oh, you should have seen the letter Viktor wrote back. The man was enraged that we found him. No doubt, he accepted the request for an audience just so he could discover out how we tracked him before he killed us all.” Rex started to pick something out of his back teeth. The man was quite a character.

  Rowan met my gaze and half-rolled his eyes. It was like teasing the King was our little secret.

  “Back to the map,” said Rex. “The Basilica is a death trap. Our people can’t go in there. I say we attack while everyone is here.” He pointed to the courtyard between the main gate and the Basilica. “Lots of room for attack animals.”

  I didn’t know much about Caster animals, but I did know about the various levels of mages. Casters had a similar system to Necromancers. “What level mages are you sending?”

  “We aren’t sending any at all, outside of myself,” said Rowan. “Viktor’s killed off all our mages. We’re trying to train new ones, but it will be years until they’re ready.”

  “And we’re training women, too,” huffed Rex.

  Here was that strange belief that Caster women couldn’t be mages. I leveled Rex with a withering glare. “Afraid of some competition, Rex?”

  The King stared at me, open-mouthed. “Well, you see… I…”

  Rowan gave me a sideways glance. “I knew you wouldn’t let the title of ‘King’ go to your head, Elea.”

  I met his sideways glance with one of my own. “It’s a little frightening that you know me so well already.” Our stare held a little too long, so I went back to examining the map. “Moving on. We attack in the courtyard, right?”

  “Yes,” said Rowan. “All the Casters there will be warriors. No mages.”

  “Laurel and Orion will be there, too?” I asked.

  Rex shrugged. “They’re excellent warriors, if that what’s you’re worried about.”

  “It’s not that,” I said. “They just got mated, didn’t they? This mission is incredibly dangerous.”

  “They’re warriors,” said Rowan firmly. “This is their job.”

  “Looks like you’re worried about them,” said Rex. “Perhaps it would be better to have another mage present.” Based on the pouty e
xpression on the King’s face, I think he had a pretty good idea who that mage should be.

  “No, Uncle. I’m the only mage who’s going. You’re staying here.”

  I couldn’t believe Rowan was so forward with his Uncle. They were like any other family. At least, the little I remember from when I had one myself. Rosie was always complaining that I told her what to do.

  “But this is our first chance to strike back at that bastard.” Rex pounded his fist onto the palm of his hand. “Do you have any idea how many of my friends I’ve seen tortured and turned into Changed Ones?”

  “You’re too valuable,” said Rowan simply. “It’s out of the question.”

  This conversation had the sing-song tone of something that the two of them had gone through many times. I wanted to get back to the plan to send the Tsar into exile. “And what about the Royals? Do we need to worry about them?”

  “I wouldn’t give them a second thought,” said Rex. “Gaspard has no magick. If he stays around, he’ll be sentencing himself and his people to death. He’ll run at the first sign of danger.”

  “In that case, I say Rowan and I transport in here.” I pointed to the Basilica. “The guards never patrol the roof and it’s covered with skeleton statues. They’ll provide some nice cover for us.”

  “I like that idea,” said Rowan. “After that, we can attack Viktor once he reaches the courtyard. Elea sends Viktor into the care of the Sire and Lady, and we’re done.”

  Rex narrowed his eyes. “What plans do you have for Linden, eh?” I was pleased that the King was concerned for the imprisoned Caster.

  “He’s in the Mother Superior’s study.” I pointed to the right spot on the map. “Once we’re rid of the Tsar, I say we go directly to Linden and get him out.”

  “Agreed,” said Rowan.

  “What do you think?” I asked the King.

  “I like the plan,” said Rex. “But I’d rather be there in person.” Rowan opened his mouth, but Rex waved him off. “I know, I know. I’ve been seen on the road travelling here and that’s a key part of the mission. But this is our first encounter with the Tsar. I don’t like the idea of a double in my place.” He glared at Rowan. “I might be critical to the team, you know.”