Page 13 of Cursed Evermore
“Yes.”
“How in the hells have I been down for two whole days?”
"Portaling must have taken a toll on you."
Gods, time was already so scarce to me. And I'd just spent two precious days I couldn't afford to loseasleep. As if things weren’t fucked up enough.
But what hope did I have? The determination that pushed me to cast the spell still burned in my chest, but I’d been wrong, so very wrong.
Gods, I needed air.
I slid off the bed. My legs wobbled as my bare feet touched the wooden floorboards but I managed to keep myself steady.
I hobbled over to the window and cracked it open. Resting my hands on the ledge I took a few deep breaths and gazed at the surrounding trees.
What now?
What was I supposed to do now?
I had twenty-six days left until I lost my memories again.
Twenty-six days would slip through my fingers like the sand in an hourglass, each grain carrying away pieces of myself I'd never recover.
Then there was Thayden to consider.
I’d known him all my life, but we had as much in common as a horse and a fish. There was also a cruel, sadistic side to him that I loathed.
Just before my father disappeared, I’d witnessed Thayden whipping a man to near death because he’d stolen bread to feed his starving children. My journals from the last few months contained records of similar instances. And even details of him killing his squire for being late with his armor.
Such cruelty was enough for me to do whatever I could to stop this wedding. People like Thayden didn’t change. They got worse.
As close as our fathers were, I knew my father would never force me to marry Thayden. Marriage was only being considered because the South had grown restless in Father's absence. My mother serving as regent was more than many lords could stomach. They'd been quiet at first, when they thought Father would return. Now their whispers of displeasure grew bolder. They didn’t want a woman in charge let alone a mage.
Our army was gone, so we had no way to defend ourselves if the other houses moved against us. And dare I say it… despite our high societal standing, we were just a bit better than the poor who lived on the streets.
That's why my mother had agreed to the marriage alliance with Thayden's family. His armies would protect Stormfell's borders, his influence would quiet the dissenting voices, and his name would give us the shield of a purely human bloodline.
Politics dressed up as marriage.
The perfect solution, if you ignored the viciousness that lurked behind Thayden's courteous smile.
In just a handful of weeks, I'd have his ring on my finger, his claim on my lands, my body, and my future. But how could I worry about marriage when I might have just unleashed something terrible? Who knew where the wraith was now?
Emabelle came up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I faced her and sighed, trying to look like I wasn't freaking out. I couldn't break down with Emabelle watching. It would only make me look weak.
“Try not to worry.” Although she offered a small smile, it did very little to conceal the apprehension in her eyes. “Nothing has happened yet. But just know that Blackthorne and Jameson will be watching us more closely. Forget them for the moment. You have more important things to focus on with the wedding coming up.”
Emabelle was eight months older than me, so she was already twenty-one. She’d taken that to mean she was wiser. Sometimes, she was.
In this instance, I wasn’t sure her advice would be the same when I told her about the wraith. Undoubtedly, she’d think I was so much more than reckless.
Right now, I wished that damn wedding and my marriage to Thayden were the only things I had to worry about. “It’s not that simple.”
“I know, but you can make it simple if you stay away from magic.” She tapped my shoulder and looked at me as if she truly believed that was the answer.
“Stay away from magic.” I almost laughed.Almost.
It was easier for Emabelle to say such things. She was a pure blood human. My cousin from my father’s side who didn’t have a magical bone in her body.
