by Dawn Brower
“We might have been too late after all,” Lulu said. “The sickness is taking over.”
Elodie did not have time to ask what Lulu meant before the world started to spin. Her head became a massive whirlwind of scenery and then nothing but blackness. Peace finally filled her, and the cold no longer mattered.
Lost Not Found
Floating on air had to be the most wonderful
experience in the world. Elodie reached out and touched a cloud. Her hand went through it and came back holding nothing. She stared at her palm for several seconds. How was it possible she had touched one of the white fluff balls blanketing the sky yet felt not a thing?
She stared at the blue sky around her and quickly forgot about… Elodie blinked several times. Why couldn’t she remember what she’d been doing? It didn’t really matter. There were far more important objects she could entertain herself with. Hovering at the skyline and dancing in the sky held so much appeal. She could do those things for days and days and not tire of them.
“Ellie,” a male voice said.
She turned to see who was calling her. There was no one around her. Perhaps she had been hearing things. It certainly would not be the first time she’d done so. She was about to move on and see if she could go higher in the sky when the male voice called out to her again. “Down here, child.”
She frowned and looked below her. A man stood on the grass near a riverbank. Something about him seemed rather familiar. There was one way to determine why she felt a kindred for him. She had to go down and get a closer look at him. However, the sky called to her—she was torn. Should she glide through the sky a little longer or discover who the man was. Making a split decision, Ellie dove for the ground and landed lightly on her feet before him. She stared at him for several moments and took in his appearance. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes. His clothes were pure white with light silver threading along the collar of his tunic.
“It warms me to see you,” he said. “But you have to go back.”
“To the sky?” she asked. It had been wonderful and peaceful up there. “If you insist.” Elodie bent her knees to launch herself upward. He brought his hand to her arm holding her in place. She met his gaze and said, “But you told me to go back.”
“Not up there, dear,” he said sadly. “You have to find a way to go home.”
She tilted her head and studied him carefully. After a moment, it hit her why he was so familiar to her. Standing before her was the first man who had let her down—Jonathan Kendrick, former King of Zelnon. “Daddy?” she said hesitantly.
“Ah,” he said, then smiled. “You’re waking up from its pull.”
Confusion filled her in waves. Her stomach rolled and her head hurt something fierce. Something was banging at it with a hard object. When she found out who, and with what, she planned on returning it tenfold. “Why do I feel so bad?”
She should be asking him how he was standing before her, but it had been hard enough to push those words out of her mouth. Feeling better topped her list of concerns, but as soon as she cleared up her malady she’d be questioning his existence.
“The river monster dosed you with its magic,” he explained sadly. “It is trying to bring you into the fold, so to speak.”
Her body heated almost as if her blood was boiling on the inside and trying to find an outlet. Sharp needles stabbed her skin, and the pain spread down her arms and through her whole body. At that moment, she’d give anything to feel weightless again, or to erase any or all sensations. This torture was slowly killing her.
“Help me,” she begged. “It hurts so much.”
“I wish I could.” He frowned. “Unfortunately, I’m not really here. I’m a figment of your imagination.”
Wasn’t that her luck. She was completely and utterly lost and had no one around to help her find her way back. There had to be a way out of this mess. Her father might not actually be there, but he seemed capable of answering her questions. Maybe the river monster wanted her to know what was happening to her, and this was its way of communicating with her. That was terrifying to wrap her mind around, but she hoped, in a strange way, she was right. The more information she could gather, the better her chance would be of escaping. Otherwise she’d be stuck in this existence for the rest of her life.
“What can you do for me?”
“I can comfort you as the change takes root.”
That didn’t do anything for her. She didn’t want soothing of any kind, especially from a form that pretended to be her father. There had to be a better way to find the answers she sought.
“What change?” she asked.
“Your body is accepting the magic.” He tilted his head. “When it’s done, you will either be one with the river or dead.”
She didn’t like those options. “Would it be too much to ask for a third option?” Elodie clutched her stomach in her arms and bent over as a new wave of pain rocked through her. She bent over and lost the contents of her stomach. It took every inch of her strength to stand back up and face her false father. “Remember, I have to go home.”
“Right you are,” he agreed and then smiled. “There is one other possibility, but you won’t like it any better than the rest.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Why was it so hard to get a straight answer in Malediction? Now that she saw clearly, she realized that this was another trick the world played on her mind. The river had tried to destroy her, and it still might if she didn’t find a way to fight it.
“Tell me,” she ordered.
“The magic is a part of you now,” he told her. “It can’t be released. You have to keep it inside of you or the balance will shift.”
She scrunched up her nose. Why should she care about any of that? Having magic as a part of her sounded awful. “What happens then?”
“The world explodes and all who inhabit it will die.”
Well, that wasn’t an option either. For a moment, she’d hoped it was a way to escape Malediction and find her way home. She didn’t want to die, nor did she want magic taking root inside of her. Her choices were rather limited, and she had to make a decision fast.
“How do I accept the magic and not become one with the river?”
“You’re already doing it,” he replied. “You’re fighting the river’s pull. Your body is burning from the inside out as it lets the magic bleed into your soul. If you survive the process, you will have abilities you never imagined before.”
That was why she didn’t want anything to do with magic, and if she could find a way to dispense it, she would. Her fake father seemed to think it was the only way to survive. It sucked all around, but she had to keep fighting.
“How long will this take?” Sweat was dripping down her brow and chills started to crawl over her skin. She shook hard and goosebumps formed on her arms. The combination of hot and cold was overtaking her. Her teeth chattered as she said, “When will I know?”
“It is unknown,” he answered. “This has never been done before.”
Maybe death wasn’t so bad after all. Elodie stared at the ground and contemplated laying down and giving in. The pain would stop and she could be at peace. She started to close her eyes and let go, but her body began to rock back and forth. Small quakes rolled over her and shook her from the inside out. Explosions followed soon after and bright light flashed behind her eyes. She was stunned into silence for several moments, and then, as fast as it all began, it was over.
Elodie looked at the apparition that resembled her father and said, “Am I dead now?”
“No,” he replied firmly.
“Then where am I?” She glanced around her and realized she was still on the ground. The sky continued to beckon her, but she resisted the urge to float once again. “Why did the pain stop?”
It couldn’t be that easy. She had been ready to give in before the worst of the pain had taken over. In truth, a part of her still wanted to. Loneliness had never been a close friend of hers, and a c
ounterfeit father did not count as company.
“Someone cares about you very much,” he replied. “They are trying to help you battle the magic brewing inside of you. Time will tell if their efforts are for naught.”
“Who is helping me?” More importantly who had the skills to do it? She didn’t understand and she had so many questions… That seemed to be her status quo of late.
“Love is a powerful motivator.”
That was all he was going to say. She wanted to know so much more than that. She glared at her false father and said, “Tell me something more useful.”
She was about to ask him something else when suddenly she was ripped from that world and thrust into the reality of Malediction. His voice echoed on the wind as she left. Locate the three lost objects; otherwise, you will not be found.
* * *
Elodie was losing her mind. She and pain were becoming one with each other. Darkness filled every corner of her mind and wouldn’t release its hold on her. Voices echoed in the distance, and she had to concentrate hard to decipher them.
“When will she wake?” Cale asked. “I don’t like her color.”
“If she wakes…” Kalypso started to say.
“She will wake,” Cale bellowed.
He didn’t like that answer. Was he the one who cared enough to fight for her? Her imagination could have been making up that entire exchange with the replica of her father. Malediction liked to mess with her mind, and what better way to do it than present her with a person she missed terribly.
“Calm down,” Daire said. “Let them talk. If we want to help her, we have to understand what is happening to her.”
A loud crack echoed through her ears. Something was being smashed or broken. Boom, scrape, bang…
“Breaking the logs into a thousand tiny shards won’t help,” Daire said dryly.
“I don’t care,” Cale shouted.
Elodie wanted to smile. If her body wasn’t frozen in place, she’d have given into it. Cale and Daire were trying to save her. It was hilarious to think about—two men she barely trusted were to be her saviors. Her world was coming together in the strangest ways.
“None of it helps,” Lulu whistled. “Both of you are fools.”
Elodie was starting to think that bird thought everyone was an idiot. She had a high opinion of herself, but thus far she’d been helpful. Her knowledge could be what they were using to save her. If not for Lulu, both Cale and Daire might be dead. Kalypso was being helpful because of the bird. She was the glue that was holding them all together.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen to her,” Cale said. “They promised me if I left she’d be protected.”
What did he mean by that? Who had he made a deal with? He hadn’t wanted to leave her… She would make him talk when she found a way to wake up from whatever held her prisoner. In her floaty world, her father had said her body was absorbing the magic inside of her. So far, she felt trapped inside her own mind. If there was magic bleeding through her, she didn’t have a clue how to detect it.
“Now isn’t the time for regrets,” Daire said firmly. “And quit chopping that log. Throw it on the fire to help keep her warm. Can’t you see the bumps forming on her arms. She’s freezing.”
Silence greeted that pronouncement. If it was cold, Elodie couldn’t feel it. Her body was numb to everything around her. She had to take Daire’s word on that accord. Why couldn’t she open her eyes? Listening to them without letting them know she could hear them was so damn frustrating.
“There, are you happy now?” The popping of the log catching fire filled her ears. At least that is what she assumed it was by Cale’s statement. “Oh hell, you’re right. She does look cold. Do either of you know where we can find a blanket or something to warm her with?”
“Blankets we don’t have,” Lulu sang out. “Body heat to be offered if you’re willing.”
Was Lulu suggesting they all cuddle with her to keep her warm? That seemed—weird. There had to be a better way to give her the heat she needed to survive.
“She was so hot before, and now her skin is like ice. Are you sure she will be all right?” Daire asked.
Daire’s voice was so close to her. He must be right next to her. That had to be the reason she could hear him so well. Every other time, she’d had to strain to make out who was talking.
“She had to fight to live,” Kalypso said. “The magic running through her is strong. It depends on if she is more powerful than it is. Unfortunately, time will tell which one wins in the end.”
This all echoed what she had already learned. Why was she reliving it all? What did she have to gain from listening in to their conversation? Was her subconscious trying to tell her something? Perhaps she should continue to spy on their discussion and figure out what it all meant later. If she could laugh at the ridiculousness of that thought, she would have. It was not as if she could suddenly open her eyes and say ‘Boo, I see you.’ She had no choice but to lie there and snoop on them in silence.
The quiet around her started to make her nervous. Had they abandoned her? Why were they no longer talking? Oh gods, had she gone deaf?
“We all can’t help but worrying,” Cale said. “In our own way, we all care about her.”
“Even the crazy bird and the killer tiger?” Daire asked.
Cale chuckled lightly, “Even them. They are an unusual pair, aren’t they?”
Elodie rather liked them. It wasn’t every day that a bird and a large cat worked together toward a common goal. The way she saw it, they evened out her odds of beating whatever Malediction threw her way—if two unlikely animals could come together then anything was possible.
“No odder than you and I.” Daire’s voice had a strange edge to it. “We’re on opposite sides too.”
What did that mean? Opposite sides of what? Did that statement have something to do with Fiona or her? Damn it. If there was ever a time she needed her voice it was now.
“For the moment, we have a common goal. I can set aside my feelings for the greater good.” Cale said. “Elodie’s survival is more important than anything else.”
So not Fiona? Still, what was the differing side they were on? Did they have different ideas on how to escape Malediction, or was it more personal than that? She wanted to participate in this conversation. This was so irritating to listen to.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Daire said. “As far as the tiger—I can’t get away from her soon enough.”
Cale chuckled. “Try being strung up by flowers of all things. This world is dreadful, and I have a bad feeling it’s going to get worse from here.”
Hello! It’s already worse, you moron. Elodie wanted to scream at them both. She was frozen in her own mind. How much worse could it get?
“Be careful,” Daire said. “That’s a sure way to jinx us.”
The spiteful part of her couldn’t help hoping it was one of them that got the brunt of what decided to plague them next. This sucked royally.
“I don’t think it matters,” Cale said. “This is a curse world. We’re already climbing an uphill battle.”
Sadly, his words were true even if she didn’t want to admit it. By its very definition, Malediction was designed to damn them all. If they didn’t find a way home, they could die or worse. It was getting harder and harder for Elodie to focus on what they were saying. She didn’t want to get lost again, so she fought hard against the desire to fall back into the darkness. Warmth filled her and the numbness started to wear off.
“That’s the truth. This is a little slice of hell we have found ourselves in.”
“As long as Elodie survives, I’ll fight every step of the way. She has to return to Zelnon, or I fear she won’t have a kingdom to return to,” Cale said. “We have to figure out who enacted this curse.”
That was something she really wanted to know too. Who would do this to her and why? She thought it was Fiona, but that didn’t really make sense. Why would she do something so elaborate to her?
Wouldn’t killing her be more effective?
“Do you think my aunt is responsible?” Daire asked.
“I don’t know,” Cale said. “It would make it easier for her to rule. If Elodie is incapacitated, she could keep the crown longer.”
That was an angle Elodie hadn’t considered. She still believed it would be easier to kill her, but maybe Fiona was holding that card for a later date. Hell, how were they going to figure it all out?
“Get some sleep,” Daire said. “Once Elodie awakens, we can discuss it. She might have some insight to add that we haven’t considered.”
“You’re right,” Cale said. “The bird said it would keep watch next, and I’m tired.”
That was the last thing they both said. Elodie gave into the darkness and let her body heal. When she woke, she would have a ton of questions for them both. Who knew that a magic sickness would give her the clarity she needed to figure out what her next move would be?
Blind Man’s Bluff
Elodie’s eyes were gritty, and opening them proved near impossible. She gave up, left them closed, and tried to ascertain what was going on with the world around her. Her muscles ached something fierce and moving brought on even more agony. Memories flooded her mind of the weird floating world and the conversation she’d had with her false father. She tried to sit up, but fell back abruptly. Her breath was a painful rasp deep inside her throat. After several tries, she managed to wrench her eyelids upward. Bright light rocketed through her like gold floss threading the eye of a needle and stabbing her irises.
Elodie moaned and rolled to her side. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten, but whatever was left inside her stomach threatened to come back up. Misery had nothing on her—she was the epitome of anguish and torment.
“How are you feeling?”
She lifted her head and met Cale’s gaze. His dark hair was pulled back, but one lock fell forward and framed his face. Even his clothing somehow seemed to be more pristine than it had been earlier. It was perhaps her imagination because there was a small tear in one of sleeves. Maybe he was just…cleaner. Elodie closed her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath. It was painful to move in any capacity but she had to clear her mind. Her eyelids opened slowly and she looked at him again. No, there wasn’t any mistake. He was gorgeous. There was a calmness to him she hadn’t noticed before. That was what was different. He no longer had that blank face devoid of emotion. Everything was there for her to see, and she gloried in it for a moment. This Cale she didn’t have the privilege of seeing often. It made him that much more appealing and her heart ached because of it. How could he possibly look so damn good when her entire body was being ripped to shreds before him? “I hate you,” she gritted out.
