Page 186 of Castings & Curses

CHAPTER21

Cristian

I stood among the shadows,hidden from the world’s prying eyes, as I watched Sage exchange vows with another man. My chest clenched with an ache that seemed to sear through my soul. I had known this day would come, but seeing it unfold before my eyes was a torment I could never have imagined.

Her radiant beauty, enhanced by the soft moonlight, was a bittersweet sight. I couldn’t tear my gaze from her, even as every fiber of my being screamed in protest. She looked resplendent in her ceremonial robes, yet I knew her soul was just as torn as mine.

As the ceremony progressed, I saw the pain flicker in her eyes, mirroring the agony that twisted in my chest. I knew the sacrifice she was making, and it made me want to destroy something. She was giving up her heart’s desire—us—to protect her family and her coven, and to protect me from exile. Yet in my anger and frustration, I felt the dark hunger of a vampire stir in my soul. Why should I be merciful to a world that had shown no mercy to me?

And then the weight of the artifact drooped my pocket, a reminder of the hope and desperation that had driven me on this journey. The stone held within it my vow, my love for Sage, her love for me, a fusion of energies that could break the curse that hung over us all.

Yet, despite that knowledge, I felt powerless. The sacrifice that I had made was now unnecessary. I had given up my vineyards to a shocked and pleased Mirea, and Sage was marrying another. But the pain of losing my land was nothing compared to a life without her.

I wanted to rush forward, sweep her into my arms, and tell her that we could find another way to fight against the curse. But I knew I couldn’t. The counsel and the coven were stronger than we could ever be, and we couldn’t fight them all.

In the distance, the priestess spoke words of unity and commitment, binding Sage to the man who would be her husband, the man who would lie with her, who would father her children, who would take care of her and become the center of her life. With each vow they exchanged, a vise tightened around my heart. But I remained rooted to the spot, unable to tear my eyes away.

I couldn’t help but wonder if she sensed my presence, if she knew that I stood amid the darkness.

When the ceremony had finished and the celebration commenced, she stole a glance toward the path that led from the revelry. Without a second thought, I stepped out of the shadows.

“Sage,” I whispered as she approached.

Her eyes widened with relief as she reached me. “Cristian.” She breathed my name, her voice a melody that caressed my soul.

I took the artifact out of my pocket and held it between us before she could come closer. If she embraced me now, I think the sorrow would shatter me. “Here is the key to breaking the curse.”

A tear escaped her eye, glimmering like a star in the moonlight. “This is it, then?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“It is,” I affirmed, taking her small, warm hand in mine and placing the stone in her palm. I covered it with my own hand. “With this artifact, we can free all witches and vampires of the curse.”

Her grip tightened on my hand, the stone tight between our palms. Her eyes locked on to mine with a fierce determination. “We made the ultimate sacrifice, but it will not be in vain.”

Gazing into her eyes, I found my courage as she had found hers. She truly was the strongest, bravest person I had ever known. I could do nothing now but honor what we’d done together and be brave as well.

With our hands clasped, we activated the ancient artifact, and a surge of energy enveloped us. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that this union was only temporary, yet we held on to each other as we once had in the moonlit glade, surrounded by the pure glow of our combined magics, cherishing the precious remaining seconds.

As the curse began to lift, I felt a profound connection to Sage, as if our souls were weaving together for one last dance. A ribbon of memories spooled before my eyes, the love we shared spanning lifetimes. In that fleeting moment, we were truly one.

Then, just as swiftly as it had begun, the spell was broken. Sage stepped back, her eyes glistening with tears.

“I will find you,” I promised, my voice choked by my own sorrow. “In the next lifetime, I will find you, and we will be together…” I held her gaze, my heart swelling with love and longing.

“I will wait for you,” she vowed, her voice unwavering, her huge green eyes shining. “No matter how many lifetimes it takes.”

With one last lingering touch, we reluctantly parted ways. I sank back into the shadows.

“I will find you, Sage,” I whispered, watching her go to her new husband, surrounded by her family in the light of torches. “No matter the obstacles, no matter the centuries that stand between us, I will find you, and we will be together once more.”

EPILOGUE

Astride his fractiousstallion at the edge of the woods, Radu Mirea stared at the scene of revelry before him. Tonight, the witch Sage Hawthorn had bound herself to a brown-haired stranger from another village. Yet Radu knew that her heart belonged to another man: his enemy and rival, Cristian Lazar.

So, he thought with a sly smile, Lazar had lost her too, along with his vineyards. Mirea hummed along with the tune being played to celebrate the marriage, but he was pleased for an entirely different reason. It made him happy to see Lazar denied his heart’s desire.

He loosened the reins, and his horse surged forward, trotting along the woods’ edge and snorting softly, champing at the bit. The beast was nervous any time they rode too near the village. It didn’t like anything unnatural, such as witches or—Mirea cast a gaze up at the dark silhouette of Ravenscroft—vampires.

Mirea chuckled to himself. What a fool Lazar had been. Given the ultimate power of immortal life, he’d squandered it and now was trapped in that useless pile of rubble. Mirea hoped he’d spend many hours staring out from the parapets, watching the villagers making Mirea rich by bringing in the bountiful harvest Lazar had worked so hard to produce. And even though Mirea had little use for it, he wanted the castle too. He wanted everything—he wasowedeverything, because of what Lazar’s father had done to his family.

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