Page 38 of Sunken Empire

Wanting to understand at least a small amount of what's going on, I waste no time moving to stand in front of it. There I find myself staring at my reflection. I look like normal plain Jane Rubi, but I don't. Leaning closer to the mirror, I spot a faint white design in the shape of my mates' talismans. A gasp slips between my teeth before I can stop it.

Whirling on her, I demand, "What have you done to me?"

She cackles. "Personally, I did nothing. You accepted your destiny the moment you accepted those pretty mer mates of yours. Magic of this magnitude always leaves its mark on the world. You just happened to be what they chose to brand. I'd apologize, but even you must admit the beauty in my work."

I try to recall the etiquette for dealing with a witch. Do I tell her I'd rather not have the blemishes on my body and risk offending her? Or thank her for them?

Sighing, she looks to the ceiling. "No need to overthink it, child. What's done is done. Now, I do believe you likely called for me to ask some questions, yes? We don't have a whole lot of time here, so we best make haste."

I want to argue again and tell her I didn't call for her, but as the thought crosses my mind, I realize I do have questions.

"Is the curse broken now?" I ask quickly.

Her lips purse together into a thin line, and her expression says she's debating on how to reply before she finally does. "That was another's magic that placed the bind on the people of the sea. Both she and her magic are tainted by darkness."

The last is said on a quiet whisper as she glances around like the walls can hear her. A chill creeps up my spine, and my eyes flick to the dark corners of the room.

In a whisper, she informs me, "During the wars of the sea people, they were so distracted by their own follies that none of them caught onto the darkness sweeping across this realm. It took root within those of the blackest of hearts and turned them to rot from the inside out. The curse was justified seeing as that's the only thing to stop the sea people from destroying the entire realm. What they didn't see was that their rulers were cursed even before that when that darkness buried itself within their bodies and mind. They say it whispers to you and makes you do horrible and unspeakable things. Unfortunately, when the witch who placed the curse lost her son, she became an easy target for the darkness, and it consumed her entire being. So, when she went to place the curse, the desired effects were tenfold. No one truly knows what it will take for the curse to be broken. The only way to find out would be to ask the witch herself but considering no one has seen her since the end of the war, that feat would be near impossible."

"But we thought we were onto something because when we mated, the princes got their magic back. I even have magic now," I admit just as quietly.

She's already shaking her head before I'm through talking. "I told you. The talismans were of my own creation. They were there to spare the princes their sanity, so they'd be able to rule once the curse is broken."

"How?" I ask desperately. "How do we find out how to break it?"

A nervous tic starts at the bottom corner of her lips. "It's said that when she was last seen, a spell or riddle of sorts spewed from her mouth only once. Then the only word she would mutter was the number four."

"Is there a way we can find out what she said?" I ask.

Again with another quick shake of her head. "I've tried more times than I can count to go back in time to that day. I've searched the memories of one present with her that day, but the darkness inks the memory out as though it was never there to begin with."

Devastated at the news, I take the seat across from her at the table. All of this was for nothing. The Zs may have gotten their magic back and acquired a mate in the process, but we're no closer to breaking this curse for their people today than we were when they pulled me here. Choking back the tears that are threatening to spill down my cheeks, I try to pull myself together for the sake of gathering more information.

Raising my gaze to the witch across from me, I can honestly say both her pride and sadness are written across her face.

"You're a lot stronger than I thought you were the day I helped your mother rescue you," she admits.

As flattering as that statement is, there are still questions and disappointment burning through my mind.

"What did you stand to gain from helping my mates?" I all but demand from her.

This time, there's no mistaking the despair in her voice. "The people of the sea weren't the only ones who lost something in the curse. They also aren't the only ones with the hope of finding happiness once all of this is over."

All of a sudden, she jumps from her seat, startling me so badly that I almost tip back in my own chair. The table rattles with our movement then groans as she leans across it to grab my wrist. "It's coming, child. We've only a few mere moments left here, and I don't know when I'll be able to find you again after this. Whatever you do, you and the princes must find a way to break this curse without letting the darkness get to you. Warn them. Make them listen. Once the curse is broken, find the others from the prophecy. Otherwise we're all doomed."

I open my mouth to ask the avalanche of questions that now brings crashing down on my head, but I don't get the chance to. The corners of the room where the dark has been hiding go pitch black, and the blackness starts to creep across the room. In a panic, the witch urges, "Go now, child. I can hold it off, but not for long. Heed our words here today. Now, go!"

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