Page 12 of Cursed

An hour.

I wanted to defy him. I wanted to refuse—

But I knew that if I did, I’d be dragged to his study in whatever I was wearing.

I looked down at my filmy nightgown and shuddered. Lucian had seen enough of my body already— I had no intention of encouraging him or hastening his appetite for our marriage.

Every day I worried he would announce our wedding date and make it all real.

An icy chill swept through me.

Maybe that was why he had summoned me.

A low moan escaped my lips, and I pushed myself off the window seat.

I paced the carpet with frantic steps.

It couldn’t be.

It was too soon.

My mother had only been dead for a month…

No—

Had it been that long?

How much time had passed since her death?

How long had she been in that tomb…

An image of Julia’s rotting face, her teeth bared in anger, forced its way into my consciousness and I recoiled in horror.

No. No. No.

I staggered toward the fireplace and grabbed onto the mantle to steady myself as my heart pounded strangely in my chest.

Deep breaths. You’re fine.

No.

I wasn’t fine.

Nothing was fine.

Nothing would ever be again.

But I had to pretend.

I didn’t have a choice.

How else was I supposed to survive here?

Hunt— or become prey.

That was what Titus had said.

A threat and a promise at the same time.

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