Page 113 of Heirs of the Cursed

“Oh, I know, my dear.” A wicked grin tugged his decrepit lips upward. “But when the castle gates open before me, the king himself will shower me with riches and titles.”

“You won’t touch her!”

“The price on her head is one that has no value yet. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure to sell her to the highest bidder.”

Her mother’s face contorted into a grimace of hatred. “Try to take her away from me and you will suffer the wrath of the goddesses.”

“I don’t fear the Triad.”

Naithea screamed as his fist connected with Iseabail’s stomach, pushing her toward the wall before she fell to the ground. Her mother tried to sit up, but the next blow to her face got her on her knees.

The impact split her lip and caused her nose to start bleeding. Iseabail didn’t stop to wail. In a maneuver Naithea had never seen before, she kicked Vandrad’s legs on his way into the room, who stumbled and hit the floor. His companions propelled themselves forward to stop Iseabail, stepping on her leg until her bones snapped.

The pain vanished from her face as she noticed Vandrad dragging young Naithea by her hair. The little girl struggled with Vandrad, raising her arms above her head to claw at his arms, but nothing was enough. She was too small, too weak.

“Mommy!” she called out to her with tears in her eyes.

Iseabail had to get up and help her, before it was too late.

If she was taken to the capital, Naithea would fall into the clutches of a vengeful king who would use her to his advantage before murdering her in cold blood and hanging her body on the walls of Camdenn.

They would find . . .

Iseabail stumbled and fell again.

“No!” she cried disconsolately.

And as if that cry had given the little girl back her strength, Naithea felt the darkness within her grow, summoning a monster she’d never be rid of again. A monster that had cometo save her, to protect her and the person she loved most in the world.

‘Take.’

‘Take.’

‘Take.’

Her magic exploded around her in particles of boreal light, like snakes that advanced at her command until they reached the men’s ankles. The green, blue and violet rays of light ascended their legs, paralyzing them.

The monster’s ghoulish laughter rumbled in her ears. While she’d abhorred that darkness within her, she now understood why it had spawned in the first place. She’d given it life out of love, to protect her mother.

With a silent command, Naithea’s power snapped the men’s spines, bone by bone, feeding on their pain and despair until it reached their necks.

Until there was nothing left of them.

31

Dawnfall

The rope binding Darcia’s wrists had been tied with several knots, refraining her to move. Her whole body ached as fear gripped her, but the one that burdened her heart threatened toend her. She tried to scream against the cloth that covered her mouth and burned her cheeks, drowning out her pleas for help.

Darcia opened her heavy eyes, and through her blurred vision, she caught glimpses of her surroundings. Everything was plunged into a darkness that overshadowed the broken ceiling, the highest tree tops and the moonlight beyond them. Yet the smell of ashes still hung in the air, burning her from within. She couldn’t be far from the circus, just enough to have survived the fire.

The sound of footsteps churned her guts.

She wasn’t alone . . .

If Alasdair had gotten to her, she was unable to see him.

But Darcia didn’t want to see, she didn’t want to live. Because Caeli was dead, and she’d been unable to save her. There was nothing left for her. The world had lost its charm, its kindness.

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