Page 66 of Secrets & Curses of Crimson

“Why ya want to be different?” He raised an eyebrow toward me.

I glanced over my shoulder at Thea walking toward the edge of the woods. Shit. She could sense me close by.

“Because I want to talk to a girl and see if she likes me, but I don’t want her to know it’s me.”

The boy studied my face for a long moment before smiling at me and looking over my shoulder toward Thea. She was getting closer.

“That girl?” he giggled.

“Yes. Will you help?”

He glanced over my face and smiled softly.

“I already changed you, but I have to be close, or it stops working.”

“That’s fi–.”

“What are you doing?” Thea’s voice was like a warm hug. I turned toward her, and her eyes glanced over my face. Fuck, I hope this kid really did what he said he would.

"My... grandson and I were looking for wildflowers.” The lie came off my tongue without thought.

She glanced at the boy as if he would protest before she relaxed, putting her dagger away.

“I’m sorry. I’ll let you be.” She turned, and I panicked.

“Thea, wait.”

Her shoulders tensed as she slowly turned toward me. She rested her hand on her dagger as if I would attack her. My heart broke at the thought of her thinking she was in constant danger. Her eyes glanced from me to my left, where I knew her soul floated. I couldn’t help the smirk on my face as she asked Wisp if I was athreat.

Whatever she picked up from Wisp made her relax. My body tensed as her eyes glanced over me slowly, as if she thought she might recognize me.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I’m Atticus,” I whispered. I looked around us to make sure no one else followed her. My marriage bond burned with the lie. “Sybil’s husband.”

“You’re Sybil’s husband? I’m sorry, I don’t remember.” She took an eager step toward me.

“It’s alright, I know. I had hoped you would wander into town so I could try and speak with you. You and I are not allowed to talk, so if we are caught, I will be killed.”

“Why would—wait, you know information about me?” My chest squeezed at how hopeful her eyes were. She just wanted answers.

“Yes.” I nodded. The boy shuffled away from me a little bit so that he could look at a bug crawling up the oak tree.

“Should we go somewhere else to talk?” She looked around, her eyes trying to see if there was any danger. I felt exposed out here, like they would find us, but we had no choice.

“We need to stay here. I’ll tell you what I know, and then we’ll go our separate ways like we never talked.” I kneeled to the ground behind a tree and smiled when Theaimmediately came over to me and kneeled next to me. “You know of your curse?”

“Yes, Cassius killed me and cursed me, but nothing more.” My need to tell her that I did it to save her almost slipped out. I bit my cheek to collect myself. I needed to remember that I wasn’t Cassius right now.

“The prophet?” I asked, and she shook her head.

“My father mentioned a prophecy in passing, but I know nothing about it.”

“A prophet came forward about eight years ago and told of a woman with great power, magic beyond anything the realm had ever seen. They spoke of how she would kill kings and crumble kingdoms. It was you he spoke of, and ever since, your father and that little shit from Kizar have been trying to keep you here to use for war. They want everything, Thea. They want control of the realm and will try to use you to kill the rest of the kings.”

“That’s what this war is about?”

I nodded.

---