Page 44 of Fate's Sweetest Curse
His eyes crinkled. “That wasonetime, fourteen years ago.”
“I’m adding it to the rules,” I said. “No throwing food.”
“Not sure I can agree to that.”
We both smiled; then our smiles faded. I fished the blindfold out of my pocket and ran the fabric through my fingers, just to have something to do with my hands.
“Fifteenyears ago,” Noble mused, correcting his estimate. “Happy birthday, by the way.”
I glanced up. “You remembered.”
“You’re hard to forget.”
Willa’s voice echoed in the hall outside, greeting the guard.
I lifted the silk scarf toward my eyes. “Well, I’m pretty sure we already broke rule number four, but happy birthday to you, too.”
“Big year,” he remarked.
Noble’s birthday was in a few days. Twenty-nine. Just like me.
I paused. Lowered the scarf. Met his gaze. Without considering my words, I asked, “Do you think your Fate will become fixed when you turn thirty, even though it’s blank?”
Noble’s eyes widened. I’d caught him off guard with my question—I think I’d caught myself off guard, too. Back in Waldron, I never did get the chance to confront him about his blank visions in the Mirrors of Fate.
Don’t trust anyone who doesn’t show a future, Mariana had warned us.
No matter the awkwardness between Noble and myself, I would never not trust him. But seeing him here…whywashe here? How had he met Phina? Why had she involved him in the study?
Idris and Anya had created their blank futures by entering the Well of Fate—an extremely dangerous journey that had almost gotten them killed by monsters. I couldn’t imagine Noble—or anyone—braving such foes unless forced. Idris had all but dismissed the theory that Noble could’ve gone to the Well. Which meant that blank Fates had other causes, too.
Did his Fate have relevance to this study? I would’ve thought it unrelated if it weren’t for seeing Mariana in that alley.
Noble took a step toward me. “Hattie, have you toldanyoneabout—”
The door to the lab opened, and Willa stepped through, a broad and easy smile on her friendly face. “You rang?”
With Willa’s entrance, our thread of conversation was severed. Considering our new rules, I wasn’t sure we’d get another chance to discuss the mystery. And based on the way he was still staring at me, he didn’t want me knowing any more than I already did.
Which, of course, just made me want to prymore.
“Did you have a fruitful first day?” Willa asked me, either oblivious or impervious to the awkwardness between Noble and myself.
I hiked my satchel higher onto my shoulder and—sparing Noble one final glance—placed the blindfold over my eyes. “I did,” I replied, offering my elbow to my escort.
“Those lemon cookies were excellent, by the way,” Willa informed me. “Did youadd a hint of rosemary?”
“Someone must have taste magic.”
“Close,” Willa said. “Scent magic.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed them,” I said, ignoring the watery ache that spread through my chest as the knight led me out of the lab, leaving Noble behind.
16
Cursed Things
Hattie
