Page 60 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“You are just as reckless as the great love you speak of,” Orym grumbled, staring at me through sleep-heavy eyes. He said nothing else before turning over and going back to sleep.

TWENTY-TWO

CAMILLA

I sighed, my headache growing as the shards of the medallion continued to fight me. Hilma watched, half-asleep. She sighed a fraction louder, her hand cupping her cheek and her brown hair curling around her shoulders.

She was years younger than me, but for some reason, Nismera had stuck her with me while I was working. I still had no idea why the first thing Nismera demanded from me was to restore the million or so shards of this broken medallion, but I couldn’t question it. Even if my gut told me how wrong it was and my magic whispered for me to stop.

“Well, at least you sealed a few pieces,” she said, smiling lazily at me.

“Attitude doesn’t help,” I retorted.

It was a few pieces to her, but it was more than that. I had been at this since I arrived. When they first brought me this project, I’d said no, and a guard had twisted my wrist until it snapped as Nismera watched. That was the first time I realized how alone I was here. No one cared, not even Vincent. He just stood by, but . . . I did find a pack of ice in my room later when I got out of the bath. He never confessed to it, but I knew Kaden wouldn’t have left it. Sighing, I placed my hands on the table. It had been months since I’d arrived here, and I still had so far to go with this.

Hilma shrugged, holding two fragments as she tried to piece them together like puzzle pieces. I raised my head as Tessa and Tara laughed as they cleaned up the aftermath of a spell gone wrong from another task they had been assigned. I watched them for a moment, envy rising in me. Tessa could never keep her hands off Tara, always a touch or kiss away. They had found love and happiness in this hellhole, and all I’d found was spiraling hopelessness and depression.

A few days after my little outburst, they had been assigned to this workshop. It made me wonder if Nismera had sent her strongest witches to watch or help me. It was probably both.

I sighed, not really caring. I had no idea what would happen to me once I fixed this medallion. Would she make me her own personal weapon? Would I spend eternity here? Or worse, she’d learn of my snooping and kill me? I wiped a hand across my face. It was late, and I couldn’t think about this anymore. I would play along while I fixed this damned medallion and searched for a way out.

“I’m done for tonight,” I said, and every head turned toward me. Tessa and Tara squealed, happy to be able to leave. Hilma jolted, almost dropping the pieces she was fiddling with.

“Already?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes. I’m burned out.”

It wasn’t a complete lie.

“You should probably work on keeping your energy up and not sneaking off with the High Guard.” Hilma winked.

“What?” I all but stammered.

She looked confused for a second as the guards at the door snickered. “Kaden?”

I let loose a breath. Right. That stupid ruse we’d agreed on while we both tried and failed to find out what that blood was for. So far, we had learned nothing. Even sneaking back into that room proved ineffective. The bodies had disappeared, and the room looked spotless. A part of me thought he truly didn’t care. I only saw a fraction of true emotion when he was with his siblings. He was evil. I had to remind myself that he wasn’t on my side. No one was.

“Yeah,” I said and stood up, pushing my chair back against the worktable. “I’ll try.”

Hilma smiled as she gathered up the shards of the medallion and headed out. I shuffled after her, the guards at my sides leading the way to my room. I forced myself not to look toward Vincent’s door and wondered for the millionth time why he was avoiding me. He was probably wrapped up in Nismera. The guards paused as we reached my door, and I slipped in, closing it behind me. I flung myself on my bed and wrapped my arms around my pillow, letting my eyes drift shut.

MY FEET WERE SILENT ON THE STONE STEPS. I SLID MY HAND ALONG THE wall to stabilize myself. Chanting rose as I drew closer, and I gasped as I saw the massive room. There, in the center, was a dark pool. It rippled as if eels swam beneath its inky surface. Several hooded figures surrounded the pool. The faceless forms raised their hands, and bright green magic sparked from their palms, strings of magic connecting them until they formed a glowing circle above them.

A scream curdled my blood. Two forms near the edge of the room dragged another faceless, shapeless figure. I squinted as one lifted its hand above the pool, and the room shuddered.

My hands grasped at the wall, trying to keep myself upright. The pool stilled, but then, at the center, bubbles broke the surface. There were just a few at first, small pops, and then hundreds all at once. A form rose from the middle of the dark pool, and my heart started to pound. I took a step forward, trying to see better. A hand slammed down on my shoulder. I spun, the scream dying in my throat. A thin figure glared at me with the same double set of eyes, white and opaque.

It pointed behind me and whispered, “From one, all will rise.”

I bolted upright, drenched in sweat and my hair clinging to my face. I screamed for real this time, seeing a shadowy form staring at me from the corner of my room. Magic flared in my hand, illuminating the room in emerald green. The only thing there was a dresser with clothes hanging from the drawers. I dropped my magic and laughed at myself before wiping my eyes. Nothing was there. My hand fisted in the material of my dress at my chest as I tried to catch my breath. I was just dreaming.

“Just a dream. Not a premonition,” I repeated to myself, even if I knew how wrong I was. “Just a weird dream and not a shadow figure in my room. Just lack of sleep.”

As I lay back down, I repeated it like a mantra, pulling the silk dress away from my ankles.

A groan sounded from the hall, and I turned toward it. It definitely was not a groaning shadow figure. I thought maybe I misheard, but then I heard another low moan. Disgust raced through my veins. If I had to listen to Nismera and Vincent again, I’d rather rip my own ears off. I raised my hand to speak a noise-canceling spell when another groan came through the wall, this one followed by a hiss. That sounded like pain, not pleasure.

I was on my feet quicker than I could think and at the door. I grabbed my necklace and spoke a small incantation as I slipped out the door, glancing at the empty hall. Vincent was definitely back if no guards stood by my door. Good. I hurried across the hall and opened his door.

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