Page 95 of Cursed

A shimmering halo of pale violet light enveloped me, a barrier woven from the essence of my own magic that coalesced into a binding spell. The warmth surged forth, pushing against the coldness of her wrath, but I felt it—her anger was fierce and untamed and pushed back against the spell.

I had almost ignored the words scribbled beside the summoning spell—but I was glad I hadn’t.

“Foolish child!” she screeched. She lunged closer and her figure distorted, swirling in a chaotic dance of rage. “Pale spark— You’ve always been a disappointment! Do you think your weak spells can hold me?”

My magic surged forth, and the pale violet light thinned into a cord that was firm and warm against my palm. A whip.

Without hesitation, I drew my arm back and lashed out at her.

The spectral whip snapped out, and its light sliced through the dense steam and shadows around us. The crack of power echoed around the room, rippled the bloody bathwater, and sent a shudder down my spine. But even as I watched the violet light encircle my mother’s shade, I could feel the strain against my control—

Her form writhed within the grip of my magic and twisted like smoke as she let out a venomous curse.

“Betrayer,” she hissed. Pain or fury distorted her voice—I couldn’t tell which.

With another snarl, she twisted again, and I felt her power surge back at me. “Whore!”

My body protested and my bare feet slid on the marble tiles as the backlash of energy jolted my system. I braced myself, teeth gritted against the rising bile in my throat. My magic shivered on the edge of snapping, but I couldn’t let her break free—I wouldn’t.

There was one thing I was certain of: my mother was gone.

This shade—this monster—wasn’t her.

With an effort that scorched every nerve in my body, I drew on every ounce of power within me and tightened the bindings once more. “Obey my command,” I gasped. “I bind you to my will.” The violet light flared brighter for a moment before hardening into steely bands of iridescent magic that ensnared her wrathful form.

The spirit’s screech tore through the room as my will was forced down upon her. The sound was like grinding glass against stone, and I could do nothing but grit my teeth and cling to my control, pushing back against her fury with every shred of power within me.

“Obey,” I commanded again, pouring all my concentration into reinforcing the spell. Sweat ran down my face and stung my eyes, but I ignored it.

Her form distorted and writhed, impossibly slender, against the cruel bands of light that held her captive. A ghastly wail tore from her dark lips, wild and feral, a lament unlike anything I’d ever heard. The walls of the manor groaned under the weight of her torment, and for a brief moment, I almost felt pity.

Almost.

“Tell me what you remember about that night—” I pressed. “I saw— I saw you—” Desperation clawed at my throat. “Tell me who stole your magic— Magic that should bemine.”

She seemed to shrink slightly under my gaze, but her coal-black eyes held an eerie glow as she glared back at me.

“Betrayal,” she hissed. “This house is full of betrayal…”

She didn’t know… she didn’t know who had killed her.

The realization should have stopped me, but anger twisted in my chest. She had done nothing to deserve my pity. She had been the cause of all of this. She had brought me to this place. She had allowed Lucian—

All of my misery and pain—it was allherfault.

“You betrayed my father,” I snarled. “Why should your death be any different?”

For a moment, the rage in her eyes flickered, replaced by something colder—a disdain that wrapped around her like a cloak. “Dario? That pathetic traitor?” Her laugh was harsh and bitter. “The grimoireliedto him— Just as it’s lying to you.”

“Why did you do it?” I demanded. “Why did you betray your own husband?”

I had to understand. I had to know.

A thin stream of dark liquid dripped from the corner of the shade’s mouth and joined the water that streamed down her naked body. “Weak,” she said. “Pathetic.” She enunciated every syllable with a wet precision that made my skin crawl. But it was her smile that froze me in place. Blackened teeth, stained by the gore that dripped from her mouth. “You should know all about weakness, dear daughter.”

I fought back tears, refusing to let them fall. “I’mnotweak! I called you here. Me! You owe me answers! You owe me the truth!”

“Answers?” The shade’s mouth twisted and her fingers curled as she strained against the bonds of violet light that held her. “All you’ll find is disappointment. Your father’s weakness cost me everything… Lucian would have killed me. I would have done anything to spare my own life.” Her head tilted at a strange angle as she looked at me. “You’re just like him… And now here you are. Who gave you that ring, Avril?” I flinched and her lip curled. “A whore at Lucian’s side. The next Mistress of Withermarsh… Just as I’d feared.”

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