Page 69 of The Curse Between Us

“Oh, good,” Edric muttered, the words a thin thread of humor. “They’ve found us.” He raised an eyebrow at Zephyr, the wry smile on his face still managing to make Zephyr’s heart ache with affection. “I believe it would be beneath our kingly dignity to stand here and wait to be rescued, would it not?”

Zephyr shook his head, a half-smile tugging at his lips despite the weariness that still clung to him. “Quite,” he agreed, his voice rough but filled with an unexpected lightness. It was remarkable how Edric, even after everything they’d endured, could still bring levity to a situation.

With their heads held high, they strode out from the shadows of the tunnel and made their way toward the approaching riders.

As the party neared, Zephyr saw the familiar banners—those of Rafria and Eskarven, mixed together in a sign of unity. Drawing closer, he recognized Alec and Ollie in the lead. Their faces, though tired, lit up with clear relief as they spotted Zephyr and Edric. Alec’s horse surged forward, and before the horse had even fully stopped, Alec leapt from the saddle, his arms already reaching out to Edric.

“Thank the fates,” Alec said shakily, his voice filled with raw emotion. “We thought—” He paused, swallowing visibly, his face a mixture of relief and dread. “We feared the worst.” Alec’s eyes then flicked over to the marks on Edric’s neck, and his gaze turned suspicious as it settled on Zephyr. “What—”

“We’ll explain on the way,” Edric interrupted firmly, glancing at Zephyr with a quiet understanding. He looked at Alec, a tired but determined smile crossing his face. “Do you have horses for us?”

“Yes, of course,” Alec answered quickly, though he was still clearly trying to process the reunion. He pushed his hair back from his face as two of the guards moved forward, leading a pair of horses toward them.

Ollie, who had been riding just behind Alec, leaned forward in his saddle, letting out a low whistle as he caught sight of Zephyr. Without hesitation, he gave him a rough pat on the back. “Good to see you, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Sergeant,” Zephyr replied, still somewhat startled by the show of affection from the usually stoic Ollie. “Thank you for finding us so quickly.”

“Quickly?” Ollie scoffed. “It has been three days since you disappeared. We were beginning to lose hope.”

“Three days,” Zephyr repeated, his mind struggling to process the passage of time. He exchanged a look with Edric, who exhaled slowly, his mouth tightening at the thought of what they had endured in that time.

“And in that time—” Zephyr began, but Alec cut him off.

“Nothing,” Alec said firmly. “No disturbances, either here or in Rafria. We’ve had riders crossing the mountains constantly, along with groups searching for you. Other than your absence, it has been quiet.”

Edric muttered under his breath, “Well, we know why. Abyss was rather occupied, as I remember it.”

He turned to Zephyr with a wry smile. “I hope you have a plan.”

Zephyr swung himself up onto his horse, Edric following close behind. He turned to face Alec and Ollie, meeting their curious gazes. “Not really,” he admitted, his voice low. “But I know who will.”

???

“And so,” Zephyr concluded some time later, his voice low and steady, “Abyss is within us.” He looked at Edric, his gaze lingering on him as he remembered the way the black substance had slithered through his veins, winding its way into his very being. The feeling of it still haunted him, that unearthly presence, but he knew it was within both of them now. Together.

There was a long, stunned silence in the temple’s dimly lit hall, the weight of their words settling heavily over the assembled group of allies. Zephyr and Edric had shared their tale with their closest confidants—Alec, Eileen, Clara, Hadley—and now, it was clear that everyone was still processing what they had learned.

The air in the room was thick with questions, though they hadn’t yet been spoken aloud. Clara and Hadley had slipped into a whispered conference, their heads bent close together as the others, restless with curiosity and concern, began throwing rapid questions at Edric and Zephyr.

“Please,” Zephyr held up both hands in a gesture of peace, the weight of his own exhaustion and the pressure of Abyss still clawing at his mind evident in his voice. His left temple throbbed painfully, whether from stress, the overwhelming force of Abyss’s presence, or sheer fatigue, he could not say. It was probably a combination of all three. “I do not believe it is currently a threat. But we cannot hold it forever.”

Wilfred, who had been listening intently, now spoke up, his voice tinged with trepidation. “What if you can?” His eyes were wide, fearful. “What if you must? If Abyss could take possession of you so easily, what if it decides to remain?”

At the question, Zephyr felt Edric tense beside him. They had not considered that possibility. Abyss had maneuvered them into seeking it out, bringing Zephyr close enough for it to possess him. If that had been its intent all along, they hadn’t fully grasped the implications.

“No,” Hadley interrupted, her voice steady, but filled with an urgency that matched the gravity of the situation. She looked up from her quiet discussion with Clara, meeting Zephyr’s and Edric’s eyes with a steady, unwavering gaze. “I can see it within you. Like a fracture in your souls. It is dark and full of despair, but not triumphant.”

Edric nodded absently, his hand running over his forehead as though to rub away the lingering fatigue. “It screams constantly in my mind.”

“Mine as well,” Zephyr added, his voice almost a whisper. He could still hear it, the guttural hiss of Abyss reverberating inside his skull. “Is this a good thing?”

“Yes,” Clara responded gravely, her voice quiet but certain. “It seems we were wrong about the true meaning of the prophecy. There is a battle yet to come, but not of the sort we expected.” She met their gazes, compassion and pity in her eyes. “You, my kings, are the battleground.”

The weight of her words hit both of them like a physical blow. Edric’s posture stiffened, his unease now palpable. “What?” His voice held a note of trepidation, his gaze searching for clarity. “What does that mean?”

“You took Abyss into yourself through the force of your own will,” Hadley explained calmly. “Just as you expelled it, King Zephyr. We are people of the lands created by Plenty, and as its kings, that power is strongest with you. It was enough to wrestle Abyss into submission, but it will not be enough to hold it. For that, we need Plenty.”

A shiver ran down Zephyr’s spine at the mention of Plenty. He had heard its name whispered like a shadow of a forgotten memory, something both revered and feared. The realization that they were bound to this ancient force in a way they hadn’t yet understood filled him with trepidation.

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