by Kaylin Lee
I saw a cluster of snowy boulders in my mind’s eye, then a slim shaft that formed an entrance to a tunnel.
Go to the crater, fool. Go now or die.
I grabbed for the crystals under my dress, but when I wrapped my hand around the first crystal, nothing happened. I wasn’t the one who’d been cursed, was I? “It’s the shawl,” I managed before it wrapped around my face, muffling the words. “The shawl is cursed!”
The fabric filled my mouth, stealing the words and making me choke. Go up, go now. You must. The shawl urged me through the tunnel like it was being tugged by an invisible wind, never losing its grip on my neck.
I had no choice but to go along or be strangled.
A hand gripped my foot, halting my progress through the tunnel. The shawl tightened around me, cutting off my breath, but the hand yanked hard, pulling me out of the tunnel until I collapsed on the floor of the cave. “Mmph!”
The shawl sent a slap of angry, tingly magic over my face. Go out, go up. Find the crater.
It shoved me backward, knocking my head against the rocks at the tunnel entrance.
A firm grip on my shoulder kept me down, preventing me from entering the tunnel again. Hands covered my face, yanking at the shawl.
A rush of cool air greeted me as the shawl was ripped away, and I gasped for breath.
But the enchanted shawl smothered me a second time.
“Damian, grab this end,” Si said urgently. “Pull. Harder!”
The scarf shifted and cleared from my face.
Anton yanked me sideways, preventing the shawl from reaching me as it tried to jump away from Si. We cowered together against the entrance wall.
Si grabbed the shawl with both hands and wrestled it to the ground.
Puffs of silver sparkles shot out of the fabric, lashing Si’s face with blasts of magic.
He roared with pain but held on, pinning it to the ground with his shoulder. “Basil, tell me you’ve got something!” he shouted.
His younger brother appeared with a glowing suffio ember in one, gloved hand and the metal box from his bunk in the other. “We’ll do it like we used to.” His face was pale, but his words were quick and confident. “This will contain the blast.”
“You sure it will contain it?” Si flinched as the shawl sent out a blast of silver magic, barely missing his face.
Basil fiddled with the box’s clasp, his movements jerky. “No. But it’s worth a try.”
“Then hurry up.”
Basil set the metal box on the ground beside Si and dropped the suffio ember inside. He lifted a cinderslick vial. “I’ll put the cinderslick drops on the shawl, so the blast doesn’t start until it’s in the box.”
Anton pushed me aside and yanked the vial from Basil’s hand. “I’ve got it. Stay back, kid.”
At his words, the shawl shot a blast of magic at Anton.
Was the curse aware, somehow? Could it understand their plan? I shuddered at the thought. I’d never heard of such a thing from Ella.
Anton failed to dodge the blast and grimaced as the invisible force left an angry, red welt on his cheek. “Enough of that, you crazy piece of fabric.” He opened the vial and dumped several drops of cinderslick on the shawl as it flailed under Si’s body.
Its movements grew wilder, like it knew what was about to happen.
“Basil!” Si shouted. “Get that box over here.”
The quiet boy darted forward fearlessly, shoving the box right beside the cinderslick-drenched shawl that writhed under Si’s shoulder.
“Get back,” Si said.
Basil threw himself backward as Si grabbed the metal box with his free hand, then shoved the shawl fold by fold into the box. Silver sparkles shot out of it, leaving red welts on his hand and face, but he didn’t let go. His jaw tight, he crumpled the end of the shawl and stuffed it inside, slammed the lid shut, and flipped the clasp.
The metal box rattled angrily on the ground as Si crawled toward me. “Get down.” His voice was raw. The boys hit the floor. He reached me as I dropped to my knees then threw his torso over my head. “Alba, I’m so—”
BOOM.
Chapter 24
“I’m sorry.”
“You said that already. Three times.” I nudged Si’s arm playfully, but he wouldn’t look up from his scanty bowl of victus. “Si, please. Don’t blame yourself. Lady Althea and those monsters she serves are the only ones to blame. And anyway, they failed, thanks to you.”
Si shook his head, his lips turned down at the corners. “I’m still the idiot who gave it to you,” he said under his breath.
His brothers had already finished eating, but from the anxious glances they kept sending our way, no one had yet recovered from the terrifying encounter with Althea’s cursed shawl.
“You thought you were helping! I was cold, and you found a shawl. Of course you offered it to me. Anyone else would have done the same thing. If I’d been the one to find it outside, I would have put it on without a second thought.
“That was probably Lady Althea’s plan all along.” I shivered then rubbed my hands on my arms. Without suffio embers in the hearth, the cave was freezing. “It never would have occurred to me that an inanimate object could be cursed the same way a person could.” I bit my lip, remembering the training I’d gone through after the Asylian government taught the whole city how to use obcillo crystals. “I think that curse was different from the others I’ve seen.”
“Different how?”
The curses we’d practiced on at the Mage Academy took a moment or two to take effect, giving us time to break them with the crystals. And though the tingly magic from those curses had been painful and uncomfortable, it hadn’t been anything like the rage-filled slaps the shawl had sent over my face. I’d gotten the distinct impression that if I didn’t go where the shawl wanted, it would have simply killed me. “It was stronger,” I managed. “A lot stronger.”
Was that the kind of curse that had taken hold of my sister?
I shook off the thought and focused on Si’s worried gaze. “You said I’d always be safe with you. You gave me your word, and I believe you. Maybe I can’t trust much out here, with Althea and the Masters after me, but I do trust you.”
An odd look came over Si’s face. He opened his mouth as if to speak then shut it.
I suddenly wanted to know exactly what he was going to say. “Si—”
“Here.” He shrugged out of his jacket and slid it over my shoulders, holding it in place until I pushed my arms through the long sleeves. He rolled up the sleeves until they came to my wrists, sending shivers up my arms every time his callused fingers brushed my skin. His eyes held a glint of humor I hadn’t seen since the shawl came to life earlier in the evening.
“What’s so funny?”
He finished rolling the second sleeve, released my arm, and settled back in his chair. “Looks great on you.”
I glanced down at the thick jacket. It was stained with mud and far too large for my frame. I straightened my spine and gave him my favorite, most-beautiful-girl-in-Asylia smile. “I know.”
When he smiled back, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he looked satisfied about something. Considering the fact that he must be cold without his jacket, I couldn’t imagine what that might be.
“You warm enough now?” His voice was gruff, but his eyes continued to crinkle with quiet humor.
The jacket was not only thick enough for a snowy winter, but it was still warm from his body heat. “Perfectly warm.” I fingered the collar. “Thank you, Si.”
“I just want to show her. I’ll be fast, I promise!”
“Drew …” Damian followed his youngest brother over to me. “If we take any more breaks, you’ll be finishing this lesson at midnight.”
Drew held up a large, thick book, its cover and spine so worn, the title was no longer legible. “Look, maiden. It’s the story of Princess Felipa.” He pointed to colorful etching on one page. The pink-robed girl had pale skin and dark hair like mine
. “You’re far more beautiful than she is, and Princess Felipa is the prettiest one in this whole storybook.”
“Oh! Um …”
He nodded decisively. “Just wanted to make sure you knew.”
Beside me, Si shook with silent laughter. I gave him a subtle kick in the shin. “Why, thank you.” I tugged on the end of my braid as I recalled the horrified twist of Lady Althea’s face when Alaric introduced me. She’d already been working for the Masters, but it probably hadn’t helped when he’d told her I was the most beautiful girl he knew.
Envy was a nasty poison. I’d seen it in my own heart in my friendship with sweet, kind Lady Caterina, and clearly, the same poison had done its work on Lady Althea too.
“But Drew,” I added carefully, “the other maidens in the book might not appreciate you making such observations aloud.”
Drew cocked his head. “You know these girls are not real, right? Just imaginary. These are just stories.”
“I know, I know. I’m just …”
Si snorted, but I ignored him. “Consider it part of tonight’s lesson, how about that? Instead of pointing out who’s the prettiest lady, you can give each one a specific compliment. Girls enjoy that. And they definitely don’t like to be compared to one another.”
Drew nodded, his eyes wide. “Really?”
“Yes. Really. That’s important.”
“So I’ll give a compliment to each one, instead.” Drew held the book up to Damian, looking delighted. “We have a new lesson, Damian! C’mon. Let’s try to finish it before bed.”
Damian laughed and ran a hand over his face. “We’re supposed to be practicing reading, kid, not looking at pictures of all the princesses.” He shot me a look of mock annoyance. “Thanks a lot, Alba.”
When the two were settled at the bunks again, Si leaned toward my ear. “Nicely handled, Princess Alba.” He smiled slowly, showing his dimple and making my chest feel funny. “But I still think you’re more beautiful than any of the other princesses.”
“Si!” I felt my face heat. “Weren’t you listening?”
“Someone’s coming.” Anton shoved his chair back.
Something rustled in the tunnel entrance. Si shot to his feet and joined Anton by the tunnel.
“Who goes there?” Si’s words were loud and clipped. “Identify yourself, or get an arrow in the face. Your choice.”
“Don’t shoot me, you bloodthirsty kids.” The voice coming through the tunnel was weathered and raspy. “That’s no way to welcome an old man.”
Si and Damian glanced at each other, then broke into identical grins. “It’s Crazy Edward.”
Damian nodded. “Got to be. He’s the only one who knows how to find the entrance.”
“C’mon in, you old menace.” This time, Si’s holler was tinged with humor. “You’ve taken enough arrows to the face by now. We’ll go easy on you and aim for your feet instead.”
The raspy-voiced man in the tunnel cackled. “You’ll eat those words when I get to yours, Si.”
Si frowned, but Damian chortled and clapped Si hard on the back. “You brought that on yourself, brother.”
There was a long, scraping rustle from the tunnel. I hung back, huddled in Si’s jacket, as the boy’s jostled with their older brothers for the best view of the entrance. An ancient-looking pack appeared first and thumped onto the cave floor. It was followed by an elderly man with weathered skin and long, scraggly white hair. His clothes and skin were surprisingly clean, but his skin held more lines than the bark of a tree. “Who’s first?”
The brothers glanced at each other, suddenly wary.
“What’s going on?” I edged closer to Si, trying to ignore the fact that I probably looked ridiculous in his jacket. “Who is this man? And who’s first for what?”
The old man glanced between me and Si, his raggedy mustache twitching. “Sounds like you’re going first, Si.”
Si harrumphed, his brothers laughing and slapping him on the back as he approached the table. “This is Crazy Edward,” he said to me. A touch of red colored his cheeks. For some reason, he began to undo the buttons on his shirt. “He’s here to work on our tattoos.”
I nearly choked. “What?”
“And start ours,” Anders piped up, appearing beside Si and beaming. “We’re thirteen. It’s tradition.”
“Thirteen?” I crossed my arms. Crazy Edward was right. “Si, you can’t be serious. This isn’t safe.”
Si continued to undo his shirt buttons, a touch of a smile on his face. “There’s more to life than being safe, Princess Alba.” He stripped off his shirt, revealing a muscular upper body covered in intricate, black designs.
I couldn’t help it. I stared, the argument slipping from my mind like a silky dress. “Mm-hmm,” I mumbled. “Safe.” Leaping stags and whishing arrows covered his chest and collarbone. “Doesn’t it … um …” I peered closer, amazed at how the tattoo seemed to be part of his skin. “Hurt?”
“Yeah.” His breath tickled my cheek. How had I gotten so close? “But it’s worth it.” He turned slowly and showed me his back.
I gasped as I took in the enormous, antlered stag that covered his entire back, its knife-sharp antlers stretching all the way up to his shoulders, its neck ending at his waist. “It’s incredible,” I managed.
The muscles in his back quivered and shook, like he was holding back laughter. “I know.”
I pressed my hands to my cheeks, suddenly aware that everyone was watching my embarrassing fascination. “Well … ah … Anyway. Very interesting. I’ll just …” I shuffled backward and stumbled over a chair.
Edward steadied me with his weathered hand and beamed. “The stag’s almost done,” he said proudly. “One of my best. Glad you appreciate the craft.”
I swallowed. “Appreciate. Yes, um … of course. The craft.”
Si flipped a chair around and sat in it backward. Edward sat behind him and pulled a sharp-looking needle from a pouch.
“Make yourself comfortable.” Damian tugged me away from the table. “He’s going to be a while.”
I let Damian lead me over to the bunk area, where I sat beside him and half-listened to him continue Drew’s reading lesson. Edward began his work on Si’s back, and Si endured the needle without a grimace. I knew, because I couldn’t look away. How was it possible for one man to be so fierce, so hard, and yet have a dimpled smile that tied my stomach in knots?
My fingers twined in the end of my braid as I studied Si.
The stubble on his jaw was shorter than yesterday. He must have shaved while he was out. I’d been too distracted by the exhaustion in his eyes to notice the change until now. His hair curled around his forehead and ears, begging to be smoothed back.
I brushed my fingers over my braid. Beautiful, kind girl. Appreciative man. He’d called me beautiful, but what did that mean? Noticing my beauty was no special revelation. Scores of men had called me beautiful, and none of them had loved me. I’d felt the locket heat then cool a dozen times at the Mage Market. Perhaps his comment had been nothing but a passing observation.
“—listening? Alba? Hello, Alba?”
“Hmm?” Someone was calling my name. I tore my gaze away from Si and found Damian studying me with a concerned frown.
“Are you well? You look a little flushed.”
The heat in my face intensified. Thanks, Damian. “I’m fine, I’m fine. What did you want?”
“Drew wants to read to you.”
Drew held up the book and nodded vigorously. “I can do the whole first line by myself!”
“That’s wonderful! Please do read it to me. I’d love to hear.”
He read slowly, his young voice halting but excited.
Focus, focus, Alba. Don’t look at Si. Don’t look. Don’t look. Don’t—
I looked. Si met my eyes from the other side of the cave, a smile tugging on his mouth. He raised an eyebrow but didn’t speak.
Face burning, I refocused on Drew and tried not to picture Si’s smile a
s Drew finished his reading.
“Check it out.” Si appeared before us, apparently done with the tattoo. He showed us his back. The shading on the stag was stronger now, giving the image a stunning, lifelike depth. “He’s done. Like it?”
“It’s fine.” Damian rolled his eyes. “Put your shirt on, Si. Or Alba’s face will never be a normal color again.”
I kicked Damian’s foot. “What are you—”
“Nah. Uh-uh.” Si turned to face us, a satisfied smile on his lips. “I don’t think I’m ever putting that shirt back on.”
“Si, you’re not acting like a gentleman,” Drew said primly.
For a moment, Si looked shocked. Then he shrugged back into his shirt and did up the buttons, his cheeks slightly darkened. “You don’t get anywhere being a gentleman,” he muttered, avoiding my gaze. “But no one listens to me anymore, do they?”
“My turn.” Anders bounced on his toes as Si buttoned his top button. “I want a—”
“Hold on, hold on.” The wizened artist leaned back in his chair. “Where’s your twin?”
A quiet, ashen-faced Basil edged out from behind the other boys and stood beside Anders. “Here, sir.”
“I’ll hear your requests together.” Edward peered at Anders, his expression indecipherable. “You stay with your brother, hear? Never leave him behind.” The rebuke was quiet, but it pierced the silence like a knife.
Anders flushed and lowered his eyes. “Yes, sir. I mean, no sir.” Basil nudged his arm. “I won’t leave him behind, I mean. Sir.”
Humor glinted in Edward’s eyes. “Good, good. And you were saying? What is your request, son?”
“A bear. The biggest one you’ve ever made.” Anders’s face lit up with excitement again, his rebuke apparently forgotten. “Because I’m a hunter. And I’m gonna be the best hunter there is.”
Edward sipped the hot coffee Damian had made for him, then he nodded at Basil. “And yours?”
“I just want a n-n-name.” Now it was Anders’s turn to nudge his brother’s shoulder. “Selena,” Basil added after a moment. The word was barely more than a whisper.
“What was that?” Edward leaned closer to Anders, his expression curious.
