Page 71 of A Dream of Stars and Curses

I feel her jumping onto my chest, apparently still determined to make breathing difficult for me. ‘Don’t you?’

‘Of course I don’t. Wouldn’t I know if—’

I stare straight up. I might not know if I can do magic, but... my unconscious would know, wouldn’t it? My parents didn’t raise me to fling spells around or do the less flashy variety that Kate practices, but if I did have that kind of magic, if I was one of the Veiled...

My unconscious would know.

‘What can I do? No one taught me any spells.’

Mischief does her kitty equivalent of a shrug. ‘I don’t know.’

Thank the stars she’s here.

‘No time to learn like the present, though, right?’ she purrs.

Mischief begins to fade, and for a moment I’m worried the wall is doing something to her, but everything else is fading, too.

I’m waking up.

‘Fuck. Quick, Mischief! Is there anything you can tell me?’

She reaches for me, but her paw goes straight through my leg. ‘I’m sorry, Esta. The information is hidden even from me. You’ll have to find your own answers.’

I swear again.

And then my heavy eyes open to Chiara’s basement ceiling.

It’s a blessing that Chiara isn’t here when I wake up. A part of me—okay, many parts of me—were worried I’d awaken to her teeth in my neck again, but the room is empty except for me and my blood. I’m amazed I can’t smell it, but I’ve probably got used to it now. Which isn’t great in itself.

I don’t know how long I have. Chiara could be on her way to me right now, and I’ve no guarantee that she won’t just kill me then. Maybe she’s found another plaything and needs the basement. I doubt she’ll get rid of me that quickly, but who knows what she’s thinking? I’m not taking the chance.

I gingerly turn my head to the left, away from the bite. The small movement sets my whole neck on fire. How am I supposed to get up and walk around, maybe run for my life? I’m more likely to pass out before I reach the top of the stairs.

But I can’t stay down here. Mischief is right, there’s always something I can do, even if I don’t know yet what that is. I just know I’m done feeling sorry for myself. Right now, I’m going to get out of here. I can acknowledge all the fire in my neck once someone finds me and takes me to the hospital. And if I bleed out before then...

Well, then I guess I’d be dead either way, so I may as well take the risk.

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