Page 131 of Cursed

“I— I’m not dressed properly,” I protested. “He— Will you let me change into something… better?”

“That is not important,” she replied. “You have been summoned.”

The chill of inevitability settled into my bones as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood.

Each step I took toward the door felt unsteady and the floor seemed to tilt under me, but I tightened my hands into fists and forced myself to keep moving.

The woman turned, a tight smile on her face, and I followed her down the grand staircase and through the winding corridors that led to Lucian’s study.

My heart pounded a frantic rhythm in my chest that matched the chaos that swirled through my mind—what could I say to him? If I lied, he would know.

Panic rippled up my spine and settled over my shoulders.

As we approached the door to Lucian’s study, the flickering red glow from the orb that hovered above his desk flooded from beneath the door and stained the stone floor like blood.

I had seen too much blood.

The shadows on the stone walls of the house twisted and contorted into grotesque shapes, and I hesitated as I fought the urge to flee back into the safety of my room. The whispers of the grimoire writhed inside my mind like snakes.

I couldn’t escape them.

I drew in a deep breath as the heavy wooden door swung open.

As it always did, Lucian’s study enveloped me in its unsettling embrace. The dark wood paneling absorbed the dim candlelight and the red glow of the floating orb bathed the space in eerie light. The scent of aged leather and something metallic hung in the air, a reminder of the dark things that lingered here.

Memories.

Lost souls.

Betrayal.

I took a deep breath and the damp air clung to my skin as I stepped inside. The door creaked ominously behind me as it closed and shut out the world beyond.

“Ah, Avril,” Lucian’s voice cut through the stillness, smooth and velvety, but still with an undercurrent of predation that made my heart race. His gaze pierced through me, cold and assessing, narrowing with suspicion as if he were sizing up prey rather than a stepdaughter.

Or a bride to be.

The pulsating red light of the orb danced in his pale eyes and illuminated their glint with a sinister spark.

“Come closer.” The command slithered through the air and wrapped around me like a chain. My feet moved before my mind could protest, drawn toward him as if ensnared by his dark magic.

“You’ve been busy,” he said. The corners of his mouth curled into a smile that held no warmth—a predator savoring the moment before the kill. I could feel the weight of his scrutiny as it roamed over me, searching for cracks in my composure. My hands trembled at my sides, every nerve ending screaming for me to hide the scars, to shield the evidence of my reckless dabbling in dark arts.

“Tell me,” he purred as he leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin, “what have you learned?”

I forced myself to meet his gaze and battled the rising tide of fear that threatened to drown me. His presence was terrifying, and I couldn’t drag my eyes away from his. With every heartbeat, I fought against the urge to shrink away and show him the weakness that gnawed desperately at my insides.

“Nothing... nothing much,” I stammered, forcing the words through clenched teeth, feeling the heat of his stare intensify. “Just trying to understand more about the grimoire. There’s so much I don’t understand…”

“But you’ve opened it,” he pressed.

My finger tightened on the edge of my sleeves, drawing them tight over my hands.

“I— Yes,” I said after a moment. “I’m trying—”

“Trying?” His voice dripped with sarcasm and an amused glimmer flashed across his features. “A dangerous endeavor, especially for someone so inexperienced. Someone with such… pale magic.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry as desert sand. “It’s just... I thought it might help. No harm ever came from… reading a book.”

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