Assassin of Curses: (The Coren Hart Chronicles Book 3)

by Jessie D. Eaker

  The bracelet flashed hot again, and I took reassurance from it.

  “No!” I yelled. “I won’t let you.”

  I looked around the room, and my eyes froze on the empty spot along the wall. What had Zofie’s voice said? Remember who you are?

  In sudden inspiration, I grabbed Docila’s hand and pulled her with me toward the empty section of wall.

  “What are you doing?” demanded the queen. “Admitting your guilt and trying to run?”

  “Guilty...” the chant began to rise around me again. I could feel the guilt starting to grow in me once more. Only this time, Zofie’s words warmed me. Know that I will always love you. Leaving the guilt with no power.

  I examined the wall.

  “Coren?” asked Docila, concern on her face.

  I released her hand and then slapped the wall as hard as I could. “I am the Thief of Curses. And in the name of Princess Zophia Xernow, I command this chamber to open.”

  And suddenly, a new picture appeared on the wall. I staggered back in surprise. It was a man dressed in plain clothes and giving me a one-sided grin. “Let him pass,” he announced loudly.

  My eyes went wide. While I did not recognize the face, I knew the voice. It was Dughall from the same vision I’d had when I saw Evelend. The original Thief of Curses.

  The one that had betrayed her.

  To my surprise, the figures on the mural vanished, leaving only the circular wall with its paint cracked and peeling. A moment later, the section of wall I faced disappeared, and I found myself in front of another arched entrance.

  Beyond was again nothing but darkness. I reached behind me and took Docila’s hand before stepping inside.

  A single light snapped on just ahead of us and provided enough light that I could make out another chamber about the same size as the previous one. A single cone of light illuminated a raised platform—just a step above the floor, roughly oval in shape, and carved out of the same stone as the walls. In the very center of the platform, a slender, cylindrical pedestal rose from the floor—almost a high table—made of highly polished white marble and elegantly carved in an intricate weaving pattern. I gasped. It was identical to the pedestal that held the Mirror of Bygone Tears.

  We moved cautiously forward, kicking up dust from the floor with every move. On the stand, resting in a shallow impression, was a silver cylinder about a foot long and a fingerbreadth thick.

  Is that the key? I wondered to myself.

  “What is it?” Docila asked.

  I shook my head. “I’m not sure. But I know we can’t touch it yet.”

  I moved to the side furthest from the door and had my suspicions confirmed. The pedestal had another part on the back, not readily visible from the front. A small square of marble extended out from it with the imprint of a life-sized hand carved from the stone. It looked as if someone had pressed it into the marble. But the real surprise was on the wrist of the impression. It was a symbol I knew quite well.

  “That’s your curse!” Docila exclaimed.

  I nodded. I pulled back the sleeve on my left arm, baring it to the elbow. “Stand back,” I said. “Last time I did this, it set off a trap.”

  Docila prudently moved closer to the door before turning to watch me. I aligned my hand and wrist with the impression and pressed down. The stone was cool to my skin and had a gritty feel from all the dust.

  Suddenly, my world changed. I was standing in a place of all gray: everything around me, as far as the eye could see, was a dull color—like a thick fog on a brightly lit morning. And it was deadly quiet—as if sound didn’t exist in this realm. My eyes widened in surprise. This was a place I had been in before.

  It was the place curses lived.

  Standing before me was a stick figure, arms and legs nothing more than simple lines. Its head was much larger than a human’s and perfectly round—a flat circle instead of a sphere. Inside the circular head was the image of a pedestal, so detailed I could make out all its intricate parts. And if I looked really closely, I could almost make out tiny gears moving along its boundary.

  The being seemed to be waiting for me. “I hoped to never see you, Thief of Curses,” it said, which was surprising since it had no mouth. “If you are here, then something is wrong.”

  “I’ve been told we need to move the Forever Nexus Shadow. And for that, I need the Griffin’s Key.”

  The being nodded. “Then take it. I’m tired of watching it anyway.”

  He turned away. “Wait!” I yelled. “Abhulengulus is broken. Can you tell me how I can fix him?”

  The being turned back. It gestured off to one side. “You mean them? I was wondering what their problem was.”

  I looked where he indicated and saw another stick figure standing a short distance away. Inside its perfectly round head was a stylized eye which I instantly recognized.

  Abe!

  He was beating on what seemed to be an invisible wall. But what utterly shocked me was the person beside him.

  It was Zofie.

  She too was beating on the wall and seemed to be shouting, but I couldn’t understand her.

  I ran to the wall and joined them in beating on it. But the barrier did not yield.

  “They’re trapped,” I said. “How do I release them? Would the key work?”

  The being shrugged. “I have not seen the like of this before. All I can say is that the key opens many things. To say more would go against my making. When the ancient weapons were sealed away, HE decided to separate the knowledge from the item. So while I have the key, I cannot tell you how to use it. I would give you the information if I could.” He gave a deep chuckle. “HE really was a bastard.”

  “Please!” I begged, resting my hands on the barrier and gazing at Zofie longingly. She was so close.

  He turned and waved me away. “Begone. My watch is done.”

  I suddenly found myself back at the pedestal. I blinked and looked around, pulling my hand away and rubbing my wrist. It felt numb.

  Docila was standing directly beside me. “Are you all right? You were standing there for so long, I was afraid you weren’t coming back.”

  I shook my head, trying to clear the jumbled thoughts. Zofie had been in the world of curses. But why there? I glanced down at the sealing charm around my wrist. How had this charm done that? I would have to talk with Spraggel.

  “I was talking with the curse on this pedestal,” I said distractedly. “He said I could have the key.”

  She drew back. “You can talk to curses?”

  I smiled. “I can steal them too?”

  She shook her head. “So you really are the Thief of Curses, just like the ballad said.”

  There was that stupid song again.

  I then reached out and wrapped my fingers around the silver bar. It was frigid to the touch, and when I lifted it out of its cradle, felt much heavier than it looked.

  I glanced around, half expecting something to jump out, but nothing did. That was a pleasant change.

  We left the way we had come in, with the light going out behind us and returning the ancient chambers back to darkness. It was almost anti-climactic as we climbed out of the hole and walked back to the farm. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that it could not be this easy.

  We stopped at the edge of the woods and searched for any sign of Lilith or Wort. But there was none. I took Docila’s hand and started forward, but paused. The charm on my wrist suddenly grew uncomfortably warm. If last time was any indication, then something was up. I scanned the area again but saw nothing amiss.

  Not seeing anyone, we made our way to the barn but found it empty. Where was everyone? My heart sank. Something must have happened. Fumiko wouldn’t have moved them without a good reason.

  “I’m going to go check the house,” I said to Docila. “Wait here. If I don’t come for you, go back to the ruins and wait for help.” I pulled out the Griffin’s Key and handed it to her. “Hold on to this for me just in case.”

  Her br
ow furrowed in worry, but she took it and nodded.

  I moved to the back of the house and found the door barred. Since we had left it open, it meant someone had at least been inside. I couldn’t argue with that. It seemed prudent to lock the doors.

  I moved to the front of the house and cautiously opened the front door, peering inside. Suddenly, the door was flung open and my eyes went wide.

  Lilith sat on the bench beside the kitchen table.

  And little Floria was sitting on her lap.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Goats and

  Cats

  “Hello, Coren.” Lilith gave me a wicked smile. She was braiding Floria’s hair. The little girl was perched stiffly on Lilith’s lap, and while unharmed, didn’t appear too happy.

  Spraggel sat nearby on a stool, calmly taking in the situation. I noticed his hands were tied in front of him. Having run out of places to sit, my mother stood horrified by the hearth. Her wide eyes were fixed on her youngest daughter.

  Cabrina sat huddled in the far corner. She was unbound, but her nose was bleeding, and her cheek seemed to be swelling. There must have been some disagreement between them.

  Wort, the small room making him seem unnaturally large, held the door while gripping Mother’s crossbow in his other hand. I knew there was no point in running. I wouldn’t make it two steps down the hill.

  But the worst, and no doubt staged for effect, was Zofie. She sat beside Lilith with a totally blank expression and held the kitchen knife pointed to her own throat.

  The odd thing was that Fumiko wasn’t among them. Either Lilith had already killed her, or she had managed to slip away. The latter more likely, I decided. If Lilith had killed her, she would be proudly displaying the body. Fumiko might be hiding somewhere nearby using her shadow ability.

  Those in the room watched in horror as Lilith calmly finished braiding Floria’s hair and tied it off with a pink ribbon. Her motions were slow and deliberate, calculated to instill maximum fear. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the rustling of Lilith’s clothes as she worked. In the distance, I could hear the goats bleating.

  Lilith patted the girl’s shoulder. “There now, that will hold better. You can’t go around with a loose braid.” She looked over to me and pulled the girl higher into her lap. She put her arms possessively around her. “You know Coren, the Risten inside is loving this. She’s always wanted a little girl. Someone she could teach all the things that her master taught her. Likely something to do with not knowing her own mother.” She shrugged. “Why you humans want to populate the world with little versions of yourself is a complete mystery to me. Perhaps if I perfect enough of you, I’ll figure it out one day.”

  “Let them go, Lilith,” I said. “It’s Zofie and me that you want.”

  She shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense Coren. Why would I let my leverage go? If I kill one or two of them, then it will ensure you assist me in order to save the others.” She put a finger to her lips. “I can’t kill Zofie since I might need her to unlock some of the artifacts, plus she’d be useful in getting to those troublesome Keepers. And you, of course, I can’t kill. We need to examine the curse you carry. It has some attributes that we might be able to incorporate into ourselves. Especially that ability to change luck.” She gently stroked Floria’s hair. “And this one is also off-limits. The Risten inside would become most troublesome should I attempt to hurt her.” She looked up at the others in the room and smiled. “But that still leaves me with at least three to use, not counting the eastern bitch.” Her mouth drew into a frown. “She dies regardless.”

  I wasn’t sure what to say. Dreadful silence hung heavy in the room. Cabrina shifting her position sounded painfully loud.

  Lilith glanced in her direction. “But one thing I don’t understand is why you have that unnamed one with you. She is of no value that I can see.”

  At the mention of her name, Cabrina shuffled nervously and continued to stare at the floor.

  Interesting. As Cabrina had suggested, Lilith doesn’t know about the charms linking us three.

  Despite the situation, I couldn’t resist digging for more information. This could be important. I held up my arm and pulled back the sleeve to reveal the bracelet charm. “It’s because of this,” I said. “Cabrina tricked us into putting these on, and it made Zofie as you see her.” I decided not to mention Abe’s silence.

  Lilith nodded in understanding. “That explains a lot. It smells of something Wynn would do. You’re no doubt trading the key to get the charm off.” She laughed. “I have to admit Wynn is a wily one.”

  I tried to keep my face impassive, but she picked up on some subtle hint.

  Her smile slowly faded. “It’s not Wynn, is it?”

  I just stared at her.

  Lilith gave me a smug smile and moved Floria to sit beside her. She gave the girl’s hair one more loving stroke and then slowly stood, leisurely stepping over to Cabrina.

  The older woman looked down at the youth for a moment before violently grabbing Cabrina by the hair and jerking her head back painfully. She howled in pain.

  I took a step forward but was instantly blocked by Wort with the crossbow pointed point-blank at my chest.

  Cabrina tried to pull herself free. “You can’t hurt me!” She blurted out. “If this body dies, so does Sir Coren and the princess.” She held out her own bracelet as proof.

  “It’s true Lilith!” I shouted. “Don’t hurt her.”

  Lilith turned her head in my direction and grinned evilly. “I don’t need to kill her. Isn’t that right, no name?” She gave the girl a shake to emphasize the point. “I’ll just root around in your host’s memories until I find the answer. And believe me, I will find it, even if I have to turn her brain to mush to do it.”

  “Please,” Cabrina moaned. “This girl has done nothing to deserve that.”

  Lilith’s eyes went up in shock. “Don’t tell me you’re empathizing with your host? I can’t believe you’re so foolish. It’s like these farmers empathizing with their goats.” She smiled evilly. “Just remember that sometimes, their goats become their next meal.”

  I got the impression she was saying that for the benefit of the person inside Cabrina. No doubt trying to stoke her fear.

  “Stop it Lilith!” I shouted. “I’ll tell you.”

  A confident smile spread across her face. “You’re so weak Coren. I knew it wouldn’t take much to persuade you.”

  She roughly released Cabrina and wandered back to the bench beside Floria.

  I was unsure how much Lilith knew, so I didn’t dare lie to her. “We made a deal with the Kuiojia Empire. We give them the Griffin’s Key, and they remove Zofie’s charm.”

  Lilith pursed her lips and nodded thoughtfully. “Which explains the trip to Oddfrid Vandobarre’s place. You need a wayfarer.” She looked up and tapped her lips in thought. “Risten inside has always wanted to visit the empire.” But after a momentary pause, she shook her head dismissing the idea. “Better not. Business first.”

  The charm around my wrist suddenly began to warm considerably. I folded my arms across my chest to hide my discomfort.

  Lilith leaned over and pulled Floria against her, giving her a hug. The woman smiled. “Enough of this. Give me the item you salvaged.”

  My face must have betrayed me again.

  “I know you’ve got it.” She gazed up at me smugly. “Of course, you’ll need to tell me how to use it and explain how it relates to the Forever Nexus Shadow.”

  The charm on my wrist continued to heat up. I could almost smell it smoldering, and I couldn’t let Abe burn through the bracelet. It would kill the three of us.

  I glanced around the room. On the far end of the table were two buckets of water, likely carried in that morning. They were still mostly full.

  I held up a finger. “Can you give me a moment?”

  Lilith watched with interest as I eased over to the buckets, pulled up my sleeve, and submerged my hand into
it up to the wrist. There was a hissing sound and instant relief from the pain. Lilith blinked in surprise and then broke out laughing. “Your curse is trying to break free of that charm by pulling an excessive amount of myst through it. Amazing! We’ve definitely got to examine him closer.”

  I leaned over the bucket. What was I going to do? I couldn’t let Lilith kill my family. And if she got the Griffin’s Key, it could give the Dark Avenyts access to a most powerful ancient artifact.

  I glanced into the unused bucket and saw how it reflected the light from the open door, mirroring the view of the wall and rafters.

  My eyes went wide. Scowling back at me was a dimly lit face in the shadows of the room. Fumiko! I tried not to let my excitement show. I slowly raised up and used my body to conceal my other hand. I pointed to the hostages in the room. Fumiko nodded.

  I sighed. It was time to bring out my deadliest weapon. Sometimes it worked well, and others, it just made things worse. But I had to try it.

  My big mouth.

  I turned to Lilith, keeping my wrist in the water. It was starting to bubble around the charm. “If I give you the key, what do I get out of it in exchange?” I asked.

  Lilith snorted. “How about the lives of your family.” She grinned. “And maybe a kiss.”

  I felt the heat on my wrist suddenly stop. It hit me that Abe hadn’t been trying to break free, so much as trying to change my luck. And he must have been waiting for something. But what?

  Cabrina huddled in her corner just beyond Lilith, staring at the floor. At Lilith’s mention of a kiss, the youth’s eyes came up in surprise. An idea began to form. Cabrina was fascinated with human courting. Could it be a characteristic shared with other Dark Avenyts? Something they didn’t understand and were intensely curious about?

  Only one way to find out.

  I wiped off my hand on a nearby towel and then stepped over to Lilith. I gently nudged Floria toward her mother before sitting in her spot. Lilith’s knife appeared in her hand as I leaned closer. I heard Wort shuffle a step in our direction, but she waved him back. He pointed the crossbow in my direction, signaling he was watching.