The Curse of Ormshire (The Beast Within Book 2)

by S. L. Perrine

  “Oh, my goodness, are you okay? What happened?” Renella asked the guard as he looked around at his surroundings.

  “I think so, Princess. I’m sorry. I don’t remember what happened.” He got to his feet with Renella’s help and looked around. “Is everyone okay?” he asked sincerely.

  “I don’t know. Do you remember where Rosella was before you blacked out?” she asked him sternly.

  “Yes, you were all looking at a bride’s veil. Your sister was standing right beside you. Why? Where is she now?” He looked genuinely confused and spun around.

  “We don’t know.” Renella left the guard to collect his thoughts and looked for Tabitha again. She found her questioning the people at a nearby table.

  “Someone said they saw her being dragged off by a castle guard.”

  “Was it one of my guards or one of your father’s guards?” Renella asked, fear filling her eyes.

  “They couldn’t be sure.” She looked around the town square for a struggle that had taken place, someone yelling… anything, but she came up short. Tabitha looked at Renella. Her hands trembled, and she looked as though she were about to drop to the ground. “What are you doing?” Tabitha asked her friend.

  “I don’t know, but if I have magia and I’m supposed to be all powerful, then I’m going to use it to find my sister.” Renella reached out a hand and held on to Tabitha to keep from falling over.

  “Renella.”

  A voice called for her, but she could not tell where it came from. Three horses rode into the square and Tyson leapt from one. Two guards were with him.

  “Renella, are you okay? You look ill,” Tyson called to her.

  Tabitha ushered her brother to his bride’s side. “She’s using her magia to find Rosella. She’s missing. All of our guards were knocked out,” she told him.

  “I came as quickly as I could. I was speaking to father and he was being short with one of his guards that interrupted us. He said something about Renella and the village. I rushed out of there before he even noticed I was leaving.” He ran a finger through Renella’s hair and tucked it behind her ear. “Renella, here, use me too. We can do it together.” He grabbed both of her hands.

  There was a blood trail. It led to a guard walking away from them, into the direction of the harbor. They could see Rosella hunched over his shoulder like a large sack, but she was not moving. Tyson pulled them from the vision and looked at Renella.

  “You good?” he asked her, and she shook her head. “I know where he’s taking her,” he said.

  “Okay, let’s go then.” Renella stood up. She felt the power between the two of them as they held hands. Her connection to her sister was strong, but not as strong as her connection to Tyson. The link between them had given them supercharged powers whenever they touched.

  They headed towards a part of the village Renella had never been to before; down the hill, with small homes lining the roads, and children scattered here and there, kicking a ball about. Tyson led them down another embankment and Renella noticed it headed to the harbor. The docks were clear of all but one boat; the very same boat Renella and Tyson saw the castle guard take Rosella to. As they approached the covered dinghy, Renella spotted the guard untying the ropes from the side of the docks.

  “Hey, where are you going?” Tyson questioned the castle guard. The man crooked his head up, and when he saw the three of them heading towards him, he quickly pulled the knot and jumped into the boat.

  Renella saw the skirt of her sister’s dress from under the tarp in the dinghy. A surge of energy whipped through her body and the tarp and guard went flying. The tarp landed in the water about fifty feet away and the guard landed back on the dock in front of Renella.

  “What have you done to my sister? Where were you taking her?” Renella raised her hand and the guard lifted slowly to his feet, involuntarily.

  “I don’t remember,” the guard muttered. He tried to look back over his shoulder at the boat, and Tyson and Tabitha went to Rosella’s side.

  “Oh, you remember, and you’re going to tell me. Or I’m going to split you in two and feed you to the fish,” Renella said. Her eyes glowed a bright green that blinded Tyson when he looked at her.

  “Renella, that’s not necessary. You don’t want to harm him,” he told her as he placed a hand on one of her outstretched arms.

  “Did Ourobus send you to collect my sister?” she asked the guard.

  “Yes, Princess. I’m sorry. Please don’t feed me to the fish. I was supposed to get you, but I grabbed too quickly. Please… let me go.”

  Tyson wrapped both of his arms around her and urged her to let him down. “This will accomplish nothing,” he said to her then. “If you kill him, you’ll be exactly what my father wants me to be.”

  She turned to Tyson and lowered her hand and her hold on the man. She turned her attention to her sister, who still wasn’t moving. Tyson laid her on the docks. Renella bent down to check on her. She could see Rosella breathing, but that was all. Her eyes were closed, her mouth had been bleeding, and there was a light bruise forming across her cheekbone, which meant she had been struck across the face. Renella wiped the blood from her sister’s mouth and face and looked to Tyson. The tears welled in her eyes and she felt powerless to help her.

  “Leave this realm. Come back, and I’ll kill you myself.” Tyson pushed the man toward the dock.

  Then Tyson and Tabitha managed to get Rosella on top of a horse and brought her back to the castle.

  Renella was not happy about her sister being a few hallways away from the man who was responsible for having her brutally attacked. She did not understand why Ourobus would have wanted his future daughter-in-law killed anyway. He was the one who arranged for the marriage between her and his beloved son. For what purpose, Renella had not yet figured out, but he obviously had meant for their union to benefit him somehow. None of that would have mattered in the end. They were destined for each other, regardless of his contract with her father.

  Renella sat vigil by her sister’s bed, waiting for her to open her eyes and speak with her.

  “Rosie, please wake up,” Renella urged her sister to no avail. The physician that had seen to her said there was nothing they could do for her. She had internal bleeding in her head from a blow. “I should have split him,” Renella later said to Tabitha.

  “Tyson is right, it wouldn’t have done your sister any good.”

  “It doesn’t matter. He should have to pay for what he has done.”

  “No, Renella, my father should have to pay for the terrible things he has done. He made that man do this. He’s a monster,” Tabitha said scornfully. The feelings a daughter might feel for her father were nowhere to be found within her.

  Tyson spoke with his mother about the events that had unfolded. When Sheree learned of the awful thing her husband had ordered, she didn’t seem very surprised. Sheree told Tyson she knew at some point, Ourobus would have changed his mind regarding his son’s marriage and do something spiteful. Although, she had not thought it was in him to order someone’s death.

  “He wants power for himself. He sees your position on the marriage has changed, which can only mean your happiness. With luce magia, happiness and contentment make a maga stronger. He knows he will need to defeat you in the end to gain that which he covets. He must believe ending her will end you. He would use your moment of grief to win that battle,” she said to her son with much ease. Tyson was aware she knew the man well, yet still she loved him.

  Tyson told Renella of their conversation. Renella did not want Tyson or Sheree to soothe her nerves or assure her that what happened was not her fault. She just wanted for her sister to open her eyes, and for someone to pay for the actions against her. She knew she would never see either, so she settled with help from her father.

  Renella sent word to the king, asking for him to send his healers right away.

  Chapter Eight

  Cherry Valley: Present Day

  “Are we really
going out there?” Tabby looked at me and for a second, I didn’t recognize her.

  “Tabitha Cole, what happened to the fearless girl that I once knew?”

  “She lived a hundred years searching for dead people,” she said with a laugh.

  “It’ll be okay, Tabby. The people here under the curse were not followers of our fathers. They were all good people once. I’m sure they still are.” Ty held his sister’s hand for a moment before letting it drop back to her side. “I’ll take the lead,” he said, heading for the front door.

  “No, we go out together. The three of us. If they see you alone, they might think you’re here to harm them. They need to know you’re not on Ourobus’s side.”

  He nodded at me in agreement and attempted to take my hand, but I pulled back.

  “I know you’re upset with me about your mother, but it will help them to see us…united.”

  I had to admit, he was right… on both counts. I was still angry with him about using my mother and then abandoning her in Pylira, but that would have to wait… for now.

  The three of us walked out of the front door, hand in hand, to meet the crowd. I could tell from the looks of the people in front of us that Ty was right. These were good people. I was still fuzzy on the appearance of the men, but again pushed those questions out of my mind. It was just one more thing that needed to be dealt with later.

  As the group came forward with their questions, it was clear they all had the memories of their former lives in Ormshire, but they also had their identities to contend with in Cherry Valley. I was at least given a glimpse of who I really was before regaining my full memories. These people had just been dealt a loaded hand.

  Among the houses were only five people. The wife of the village justice and her daughter; they lived alone in their current home. Then there was Lorna, her daughter, Emily, and her husband, Derek. Lorna and Emily, we learned, worked in Ormshire Castle. Derek didn’t seem to understand anything that was going on, even with Lorna trying to explain. Lorna seemed confused by his appearance once it was explained to them why they were all there. None of the people of Ormshire were given notice before the curse was set. All the Maga had woken up the next day with no memory of Pylira or the war amongst the realms. The men left in Ormshire woke and were very aware of what had happened. They also had Ty there to explain things. Of course, Ty found out that his father was aware of the curse beforehand. Ourobus had prepared for it in ways we still couldn’t comprehend.

  “I don’t mean to sound naive, but is Derek from Ormshire as well?” I finally asked Lorna as she gave up in her attempt to make him understand.

  “Yes, he is my husband.” Lorna appeared confused by my question.

  “Well, it’s just that we were told only the women with magia would be removed from Ormshire with the curse,” I said to her.

  “Renee…” Ty grabbed my hand and pulled me from the group. “Some men, such as my uncles, had healing powers. That may attribute for the men here,” he said as if he had just remembered. “The spell may have affected anyone with any kind of magia ability…even as small as healing.”

  “We should see to the rest of the town,” Tabby pointed out.

  “Oh my…” I gasped at the thought of the people of Cherry Valley and what must be happening in the little town.

  After Lorna invited the other woman and her daughter to her home for tea and cookies, we left them to see to the rest. As we walked down the four blocks in the direction of Ty’s house, we noticed the streets were all still quiet.

  “I don’t understand,” Tabby said finally at the lack of commotion. “I thought there’d be more.”

  “We should get back; talk to Hogarth and Gareth.” Ty walked faster.

  The house was as ominous looking as always. As I looked up, I thought I saw Hogarth in the window that would have belonged to the attic, but then remembered the outside was no comparison to how the construction was on the inside. The outside was less to be desired, given the run-down look of the building and the overgrown foliage around it, which had been left to wither and die. Ty had shown me how they used the energy of the plants around the house to energize their powers.

  I didn’t know if I expected anything different once we were in the house. Nothing there would have changed since we all already knew what was going on. What I didn’t expect to hear was the yelling and screaming. As we entered the living room, I saw Farlow holding Nolan from behind and Chris inspected a rather nasty laceration across Chase’s face.

  I instinctively ran to Chase’s side and put my right hand over the bloody area. When my hand moved, the cut was gone.

  “How did you do that in this house?” I looked up to see Hogarth standing in the doorway. Gareth came behind him even as Farlow released his hold on Nolan.

  “I’m not really sure, but it’s probably just my ring,” I said, holding up my hand for everyone to see.

  “Why are you two fighting?” Ty asked Nolan.

  “We weren’t fighting.” Chase stood and wiped the blood from where the cut had been.

  “Then what was that?” Tabby asked.

  “Chase was asleep on the sofa,” Chris started. “Nolan and I were in the other room talking with Farlow.”

  Nolan stepped forward then. “We heard him screaming from the other room and ran in here to see what was wrong.”

  “He just started screaming? In his sleep?” I had a hard time understanding how a nightmare would coincide with a bloody cheek.

  “Yes. When we got in here, he had that cut on his face and he was thrashing about. He stood up and hit me. I thought he was awake, but he wasn’t.” Nolan rubbed his jaw.

  “I grabbed him so he wouldn’t swing back,” Farlow explained.

  “Then he just dropped back onto the sofa. So, I went to see if he was okay, and they were yelling at me to stay away in case he got up swinging again.” Chris looked at Chase. “Then he came to. I was just seeing to the cut and was going to ask him what happened when you three walked in.”

  “I wouldn’t have hit you if I were awake. You know that, right?” Chase looked concerned that his friend might not believe him.

  “Of course, I know that, but what happened?”

  “It was your father.” Chase looked to Ty. “He wanted me to give you and Renee a message.” He looked down at his feet.

  Ty put his arm around my shoulder and I let him keep it there, afraid of what I was about to hear.

  “He said to tell you… He knows you’re together and he knows we don’t have the power to defeat him yet, but that he will see you soon.”

  “I thought this house was protected?” Ty turned on his uncles.

  “Not by fae magic,” Gareth said.

  The two walked away and left us alone in the room. At that moment, all eyes moved to Farlow.

  “The spy?” I asked him, even though I already knew the answer.

  I turned to leave the room, waving Tabby off as she advanced to follow. I needed a moment to think, and not more talking. I went to Ty’s room. The look of the entire house brought me back to my home. I realized I had thought of three places as home; my big, beautiful room at Hearthstone Palace, my dark stone-walled room at Ormshire, and the room of the little house in a small cul-de-sac in Cherry Valley.

  I didn’t think of the house in Cherry Valley as home any longer. It had been so long since I had lived in the palace, in Pylira where I grew up that I really could not consider that home either. It was where I felt most protected and loved, but my “home” had become where Tyson was… Ty. I didn’t love my room in Ormshire, and I didn’t particularly like being there as much as I had liked living with my parents. I did remember my love for Ty and how I felt when I was in his room with him on that last night together, before the curse. So, when I walked into his room—there in that house—in the world I didn’t feel comfortable in anymore, I felt like I was home.

  I was angry with him. My mother was with him before he had come to get me. He let her risk herself, and deep d
own, I knew that was her doing and not his. She would have been the one responsible for living away from father all those years. She would also be the headstrong person to suggest she stay behind in Pylira while Ty went on to find me and help me see who I was.

  But that didn’t mean I didn’t hold him a little responsible as well. I may have been harsh towards him, which should have been reserved for my mother, but it couldn’t be helped.

  He wanted to come with me; to follow me out of the room. I could feel it. No doubt Tabby had stopped him, or he would have been quick on my heels.

  As I looked around the room, my eyes settled, as always, on the portrait of us together. The locket was clearly visible, like it taunted me. Was there something else about it that I had missed? I decided against it and started skimming the shelves of books. A pale blue spine stuck out at me. As I placed my hand on it, a memory came. I didn’t black out. I was much stronger with the heart stone ring on, but it did snatch my mind and pull it backward in time.

  It was a nice memory, of a less troubled time. It was the last day in Ormshire that I remembered being carefree. Ty picked up the book before I could get my hands on it. It was surprising that he would have chosen to bring it, unless he thought it could have helped me remember in some way.

  He spoke to me, just for a minute, or at least I thought he had deep in my mind.

  Chapter Nine

  Cherry Valley: Present Day

  Oh, she was angry, that much I knew. I couldn’t just tell by the look in her eyes, but by the feelings deep within her. I felt it all. The link between us had been magnified the minute she grabbed my hands. I could feel every emotion she felt, and I was sure she could say the same for me as well.

  When she stomped out of the room, I knew enough not to follow. She needed alone time, and that I would give her… for now. She had so many questions that needed answering, but I had questions of my own about things we shouldn’t speak about in front of the others.