by C. L. Bright
Beyond the
Black Mist
A Familiar Curse Story by
C.L. Bright
Copyright ©2021 C.L. Bright
All Rights Reserved
Cover designed by J.N. Sheats
Proofreading by Kendra’s Editing and Book Services
This book is a work of fiction. All characters and events are creations of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by federal law enforcement agencies and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Also by C.L. Bright
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Author’s Note
About the Author
Also by C.L. Bright
The Familiar Curse Series
The Spellcaster’s Trap
Sins of the Shadow Walkers
Acknowledgments
I want to thank everyone who helped me with this new series. I really appreciate my daughters for inspiring me to take a chance with this genre. They have been asking me to write books they can read for the last couple of years. I also want to thank Levenia for being my sounding board as I built this new world. My beta readers, April, Kari, and Yvonne, are amazing and really helped me work out the final bugs in these books.
Thank you to my fabulous cover designer, J.N. Sheats, who is also an amazing author. Finally, thank you Kendra for catching my typos.
Chapter 1
Dante
At least Juliet and Serena had gotten away.
I kept reminding myself of that as I laid on the cot in my prison cell. Around my ankle was a cuff with a spell to strip me of all magic. I’d never been without magic before.
The spell left me feeling weak. At first, I’d also had trouble focusing on anything, though that could have been due to the head injury I’d sustained during my capture.
With no windows, it was hard to say exactly how long I’d been locked up, but I suspected I’d been there five days. The lights inside the room remained at the same level day and night, so I was basing my guess on how much my wounds from the fight had healed.
My cell was one of three in this particular section of the detention area and the only one occupied. Outside of the cells was a small area for visitors.
I caught only glimpses of dim artificial lighting when someone entered from the outside corridor, leading me to believe I was in one of the belowground levels reserved for high-risk prisoners.
Shifting slightly, I cringed. I had plenty of new injuries, thanks to Nicolas. He wanted to make sure I suffered every day. Torturing any prisoner violated Azurean laws, but I hadn’t bothered complaining to the guards. After having lied about Juliet, my word was worth very little. I also suspected a lot of spellcasters didn’t care if my brother added to my punishment since they considered me a traitor.
I was well and truly screwed, but I didn’t regret my actions. Serena and Juliet would have fared far worse had Nicolas gotten his hands on either of them. I’d seen the way he’d looked at Juliet. He’d have hurt her and used her.
Nicolas had stayed away so far that day, but I suspected he’d be back to gloat after my hearing. The hearing would determine my punishment. My guilt wasn’t in question. All that remained was to determine the severity of my crimes.
Closing my eyes, I pictured Juliet as she’d been in her larger cat form. There was no question she’d used some of my power to take on her new form. I’d never experienced or seen anything like that before.
All my life, I’d been told a familiar could enhance a spellcaster’s magic. The spellcaster gave nothing in return, yet that’s not how my bond with Juliet worked. Some of Juliet’s power had entered me, but it had felt more like an even exchange that bound us together.
Somehow, our magic was woven together in a knot that I could easily visualize. I saw where the pieces connected me to Juliet. I’d lost my telepathic link to her—a fact that made me feel empty inside. My inability to touch her mind could be due to the dampening spell or the distance between us. The connection might have been temporary. I felt lost without it.
“Dante? Are you awake?”
My eyes opened, and I struggled to my feet at the sound of Laranissa’s voice.
“Hey.” It was all I could think to say to the only mother I’d ever known.
Since my arrest, I’d cared very little about what anyone thought of me. Only Nicolas had visited. Though it hurt, I wasn’t surprised by my father’s rejection. I’d been almost relieved when Ambrose and Laranissa hadn’t come. I didn’t want to see the accusation in their eyes.
Laranissa’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “Who did this to you?”
One corner of my lips kicked up. “You’re angry because I was injured during my apprehension?”
“I’m angry because something tells me part of this damage happened after you were apprehended,” she stated. “These bruises are new. Am I right?”
I shrugged and winced at the pain in my shoulder. “It doesn’t matter.”
She started to argue before shaking her head and taking a deep breath. “Why did you bring Juliet back here? They said you knew she was a shapeshifter when you brought her here. Why would you put yourself at risk like that?”
It struck me as odd that she referred to Juliet as a shapeshifter rather than a familiar.
“I found her in a trap, fully-clothed and in human form. I thought she was a witch.”
She nodded her understanding. “It makes sense that you assumed she was a witch at first, but you knew the truth before you brought her here.”
“I found out when I kissed her. The reaction between our magic was strange and intense. I’ve never felt anything like it. Juliet fascinated me, and when she told me she was from the Heathergate Refuge, I believed her. Juliet’s stepmother wanted her out of the way so her son could become the next leader. She stole Juliet’s bracelet and left her in a trap.”
I sighed when I saw the doubt in her expression. “I know it sounds crazy, but that’s what happened.”
“If Juliet’s stepmother wanted her out of the way, then why not kill her?”
“Likely for the same reason Nicolas didn’t kill me. Her stepmother sounds like the type who would want to inflict the most suffering. Having Juliet forced into slavery must have seemed crueler than death.”
I could pretend my brother hadn’t killed me because he loved me, but I wasn’t an idiot. Lar
anissa didn’t argue.
“And you’re sure she’s not a rebel?” she asked. “I don’t think you can count on her clothing to prove she’s telling the truth.”
“She’s telling the truth,” I insisted.
“You have so much faith in her,” Laranissa whispered.
“I would trust her with my life,” I replied.
“You did,” she reminded me. “She left you to deal with Nicolas alone.”
“It’s not that simple,” I argued. “She only left after I told her to get Serena to safety. When Nicolas attacked with the other spellcasters, Juliet and the shapeshifter with us could have made a run for it. Thanks to Juliet and the other shapeshifter, Serena is safe.”
“I hope you’re right about Serena being safe,” Laranissa remarked. “The hatred between our kind and theirs runs deep on both sides. It’s largely rooted in ignorance. Each side has their version of what happened, but not many know the truth.”
“Are you claiming to know the truth?” I asked. This was a side of Laranissa I’d never seen. She’d always avoided topics that could be considered the least bit controversial.
“That’s a talk for another time,” she told me. “For now, we need to find a way to get you out of this mess. Your father won’t help you because he believes your brother’s lies. Nicolas is telling everyone who’ll listen that you’ve known Juliet for months and that you’re a traitor who’s chosen to align himself with the rebels. According to him, you and Juliet were planning a rebel shapeshifter attack on Azuredale.”
I blew out a frustrated breath. “That explains why I’m still locked up. My crimes are serious, but I expected to be confined to our home until the hearing. At most, I thought I’d get house arrest after the hearing, but that’s not likely if the justice panel believes Nicolas. This is much worse than I imagined.”
“Are you regretting helping Juliet yet?” she asked, watching me with a strange intensity.
I shook my head, not needing to consider my answer. “I’ll take whatever punishment they hand down if it means Juliet and Serena are free.”
Laranissa nodded. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“You’re acting very out of character,” I accused.
“One of my boys is in serious trouble,” she replied. “I love you, Dante.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered. “You have no idea how much your support means to me. You’ve always been a mother to me, and I’m not sure I could handle losing your love.”
“That will never happen. I’m going to get you out of here,” she promised.
“It’s okay if you can’t,” I assured her. “Don’t risk yourself for me. Nicolas will find a way to make you pay for it later.”
“So, you think I should ignore the danger you’re in?”
“I think you should avoid putting yourself in danger to help me. When I decided to help Juliet, I knew I’d be punished if I got caught.”
She smiled and met my gaze. “Helping you is far from the riskiest thing I’ve ever done. Don’t worry about me. I know how to avoid getting caught a lot better than you.”
I had no clue how to take those strange words, and she didn’t give me a chance to ask for an explanation before she hurried out of the room.
Chapter 2
My hearing was delayed, and during my wait, Nicolas came by several times to interrogate me. Twice, he brought others with him to question me. Those times, he’d focused on trying to get me to tell him where he could find Serena. I wasn’t lying about not knowing where she was, but he was right to assume I wouldn’t tell him if I did know.
When Nicolas came on his own, I got a frightening glimpse of the madness he kept hidden from others. I felt certain he’d have helped me escape if I offered to lead him to Juliet. His obsession with her terrified me, and I took comfort in knowing that he had no clue where to find her.
Search parties had scoured the area where we’d met up with Alaric, but they’d found no traces of a settlement. Nicolas told me that in a rage-filled rant where he swore he’d have Juliet. That would happen over my dead body.
I had begun to wonder if Nicolas planned to beat me to death before my hearing when I was finally summoned.
By the time I walked toward the defendant’s table in cuffs, I was certain I had a few broken ribs, and my right shoulder had been dislocated. Though I’d managed to get my shoulder back into the socket, it still throbbed with my hands cuffed behind my back.
Based on the glares from those in attendance, everyone already believed the stories of my links to the rebels and hoped for a harsh punishment.
“Come and stand up here,” one of the judges commanded.
The five judges who would decide my fate sat at the front of the room, each in crimson robes. The justice panel consisted of three witches and two warlocks: Hattie Frost, Davina Stone, Lucia Brevil, Wade Denholm, and Jameson Drake. They’d been fair and listened to Serena’s side at her hearing, even going so far as to censure those who called her a traitor.
Not one looked at me with an ounce of sympathy, so I doubted I’d get the same treatment.
“Dante Verdugo,” Hattie Frost began in a grave tone. “You stand accused of conspiring with our enemies and plotting a rebellion. You are also accused of attempted murder and aiding in the escape of Serena Verdugo, who is accused of attempted murder. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“Yes, but I would like to first speak on behalf of my cousin, Serena Verdugo.”
“She’ll speak for herself when she’s captured!” Nicolas shouted.
“If you can’t remain silent, Nicolas Verdugo, you will be removed,” Jameson Drake warned. “Am I making myself clear?”
I caught Nicolas’s look of fury out of the corner of my eye and enjoyed the way he struggled to get his temper under control.
“Of course,” Nicolas replied with barely suppressed rage. “Forgive my interruption. I’m still having trouble accepting this betrayal from members of my family. My baby brother tried to kill me.”
“I understand,” Hattie told him, though she still sounded annoyed with his interruption. “Regardless of your emotional state, you will not turn this into a theatrical event.” Her attention shifted to me. “What is it you want to say regarding Serena Verdugo?”
“Serena didn’t try to kill anyone,” I stated.
“What would you call throwing a knife at someone?” she asked.
“She could have easily hit that warlock in the heart. My cousin didn’t want to kill anyone,” I insisted. “She’s also not a traitor.”
“Her actions say otherwise,” Hattie replied.
“I know it looks bad, but Serena wanted to help Juliet,” I insisted. “Juliet saved my life, and Serena felt she owed her.”
“There are some who claim the nāga attack was arranged to make your familiar look like a hero so she could gain the trust of others in Azuredale,” Lucia Brevil remarked.
“I’m not stupid enough to get bitten by a nāga to prove Juliet can be trusted. Even if you don’t believe Juliet saved my life, Serena believes she did.”
The panel all gave slight nods, and Hattie said, “We’ll take what you’ve said into consideration when we sentence Serena. Now, back to you. Why were you in that area the day of your alleged attack? Is it close to the rogue familiar settlement?”
“I don’t know if it’s near their settlement,” I replied. “It may be, but I’ve never been there.”
“I find that hard to believe since you knew where to meet one of the rebels,” Hattie scoffed. “Why would a rebel come out to meet you if you weren’t already working with them?”
“I saved his life, and he told Juliet that she could go to the area where we dropped him off if she ever needed help. How he found us, I’m not sure.”
“So, this rebel was a friend of the familiar you brought to Azuredale.” Hattie didn’t give me a chance to respond. “You admit to bringing a rebel here and pretending she was a witch to conceal her presence from other
s.”
“She’s not a rebel.” I let out a sigh. “You won’t believe me no matter what I say.”
“Try me,” she coaxed.
“Juliet really isn’t a rebel,” I insisted.
“Then what is she?” she demanded.
“She’s the next in line to lead the Heathergate Refuge,” I replied.
“And she just happened to be wandering around with no way to prove her identity?” Jameson asked. “Not only that, she had no bracelet.”
“I know it sounds crazy,” I agreed. “So does a rebel running around fully clothed. That’s how I found her in a trap.”
“That would be strange if it’s true.” Hattie didn’t need to say more. There was no reason for them to believe a word I’d said. “Your brother, Nicolas, told us you were going to claim the familiar was from the Heathergate Refuge. We sent messages asking if they had any missing members. All are accounted for. If the next in line to lead were missing, they would have told us.”
She could be lying to get me to confess. If she’d gotten the same information as Torrent, she’d have heard that Juliet had been killed while away from the Heathergate Refuge for the first time. That would give some credibility to my story.
The messenger she’d sent might have spoken to someone in on Juliet’s death. If they’d only asked about missing members, Juliet’s name might not have come up since they believed she was dead.
I couldn’t tell them what Torrent had heard since I didn’t want to get him into trouble. He was my best witness, but I suspected he’d be locked up with me if anyone heard that he’d been willing to help Juliet.
How could I possibly convince them of the truth to lessen my sentence?
I could think of no way to prove my innocence.
“Disappointed that we already checked on your lie?” Hattie asked.
I shook my head. “I’m not lying, but I’m not sure I have a way to prove that to you.”
She studied me before speaking again. “We’re going to take a recess to discuss all you’ve said. You seem sincere, but your story isn’t all that believable.” Her attention turned to the warlocks who’d escorted me into the room. “Take him back to his cell, and we’ll call for him when we’re ready.”