Cursed (14 page)

“Elea!” Ada raced to the base of the stack I'd been climbing. “Come see what we found.”

Nan strode up behind her. “Any luck?” She didn't know what I was looking for, but she guessed it had something to do with getting out of the Cloister, so she'd been keeping Ada busy for me all day.

I hopped down from the stack and landed on the dusty floor. “Nothing.”

Nan patted my shoulder. “How about you take a break?”

“I really shouldn't.”

“You've worked straight through lunch and dinner.”

Ada pulled on my skirt. “And you have to see what we found.” Her face looked so bright and happy, I couldn't refuse.

“Show me,” I said.

Ada raced over to an open box that was about shoulder high to her child frame. She dug around into the contents and pulled out a handful of long feather quills. Her face looked so bright, it could have been shining. “Look at this! Can you imagine the birds these came from? They must be as tall as the Basilica.”

Nan chuckled. “I told her they were for writing, but she's more interested in the birds.”

“What else have you found?” I asked.

“Oh, all sorts of strange things,” said Nan. “Acorns. Sea shells. Barrels of ribbons. It's amazing, the things that Marlene pays good coin for. The woman's a magpie.” Nan lowered her voice. “How about you? Found what you need?”

“No.” I couldn't hide the disappointment in my voice.

“You want to tell me what you're looking for?”

I huffed out a breath. My heart told me to trust Nan, but I didn't want to draw anyone into this mess of my curse more than I had to. Still, I suppose it couldn't hurt for her to keep an eye out. “I'm looking for boxes with Creation Caster markings.”

“Casters? Why do you care about them?”

The more people who knew about my plans, the higher the risk that everything would get exposed. “I just do, Nan. Sorry I can't say more.”

“I get it. When I'm casing out my next house, I never tell anyone which place I'm after. Just invites trouble.” She winked.

“It's something like that.”

Ada pulled on my skirts again. “Hello.”

“Do you have something else to show me?”

“I know where there are red swirls.”

I dropped down to knee level, my eyes wide. “You do?”

“I didn't mean to listen in. People just forget I'm there and I hear things.”

“It's fine,” I said quickly. “You're not in any trouble. Where are the red swirls?”

Ada crawled up a stack of boxes, quick as a squirrel. She disappeared along the top of the wooden shelves. I wouldn't even know she was there if I didn't hear the occasional creak of wood.

“Where are you, Ada?” asked Nan.

“Over here!”

That little girl was fast. Her voice now sounded from the other side of the huge storehouse. Nan and I sped to a far corner where Ada stood holding a small lacquered box. The outside was polished white with red swirls. “What about this?”

My heart leapt in my chest. The contained had Creation Caster marks as well as the sun and moon symbol of Oni and Yuri. That was good. It meant that someone was sending packages in their name, which meant there was hope for Rowan's plans. “That's perfect, Ada.”

“It's one of my favorite boxes.” Ada opened the lid. “Look, rings!”

I practically tackled the little girl, I moved so quickly. Rings of power? What better things could she find? I lifted the box from her outstretched hands and sifted through the different bands inside. All of them resembled band that I'd seen on Laurel back at the oasis. There were always in pairs with matching stones that had been carved in the likeness of animals. I counted frogs, herons, and even pigs.

“The ones with peacocks are my favorite,” said Ada.

Nan picked up a pair of matching hawks. “These magick?”

My shoulders slumped. These were mating rings. According to Laurel, they didn't have any magick at all.
Useless.
I turned to Ada. “Do you know of any other boxes like this one?” I hated the pleading note in my voice. I should be able to control my disappointment more.

“This is the only one I've ever seen,” said Ada. “And I look around here all the time.” She pointed to the box. “Eew!”

A huge scarab beetle crawled over the tops of the rings. I almost dropped the box, I was so shocked. Where did that thing come from, anyway? It wasn't here a moment ago. As it crawled around the top of the box, the edges of its black shell glowed red with power.

Caster magick.
This little thing must have been someone's familiar. I leaned in for a better look, excitement coursing through my bloodstream. Casters shared energy with their familiars. There were about twelve different incantations I could try and tap into this beetle's power and break my manacles. The insect's back opened to reveal crimson wings as it fluttered out of the box and onto the dusty floor.

“We should kill it,” said Ada. She lifted her foot to stomp on the insect, but Nan held her back.

“No, I think Elea wants to keep it.”

Ada's eyes got big. “Like a pet?”

“Yes, but we have to keep it a big secret,” I said. “Can you do that?”

“Not from Sophia. I promised her first that I'd tell her everything.”

“What would you tell her?” asked Nan.

Ada shrugged. “Elea has a gross bug as a pet.”

I chuckled. “That's fine.”

The Basilica bells rang through the air. Ada bounced on the balls of her feet. “Time for bed! Before we go to sleep, we can all sit together and talk about all the things Nan and I found.” She slipped her hand into Nan's. “Is that right?”

Nan mussed the top of Ada's head. “That's a plan.” She looked at me. “I think Elea's not feeling well, though. She'll probably do something else though, am I right?”

“Yes, I want to play with my new pet.” The little beetle was leaning back on its hind legs and looking up at me from the floor. Its antennae twitched in my direction.

“I think it likes you,” says Ada.

Once a Caster died, they could give their power to their familiar so that animal lived on. It wasn't something Necromancers could do, but I'd read about this kind of spell-work before. Sometimes, the familiar would even choose a new mage to follow. I'd hoped the little beetle had picked me. There was one way to find out—I had to give it an order and see if it followed. I knelt known. “I'm going to find someplace quiet. I'll call for you when I'm ready.”

The tiny antennae bobbed up and down before the beetle spread its insect wings and took off.

“My goodness,” said Ada. “That might be a good pet after all.”

I watched the tiny creature flit away on its glowing wings. With any luck, I'd figure out a way to channel that power and soon. “I certainly hope so, Ada.”

I stepped into the cloakroom. This was one of the few places where the guards allowed us to go, but the other Novices and Sisters rarely visited. In other words, it was the perfect spot to try casting some spells with my new pet. If I could access the Caster magick in the scarab, then maybe I could break free from my manacles.

The cloakroom's maze of armoires offered many places to hide. I found a nice spot behind a particularly large set of freestanding bureaus. Sitting down, I leaned against the wall and stretched my legs out before me.

“I'm ready,” I whispered.

My scarab crawled out from under a nearby bureau and paused beside me. It perched up on its little hind legs and angled its antennae toward my face. Maybe it was my joy at finding some Caster magick, but the bug seemed sweet looking.

I couldn't wait to test out some magick with it, either. I began by reciting the basic incantations for unlocking. Nothing happened, but I'd expected as much. These were Apprentice Level spells, after all. Next, I launched into the Mistress and Grand Mistress forms of that magick. I threw my heart into every word, but nothing happened. Once in a while, my beetle would twitch its antennae at me, but nothing more. That wasn't good. Spells of unlocking were my best chance.

So, I tried them all again. And then, a third time. Still nothing. My forehead beaded with sweat. This had to work.

Maybe I needed a new approach. I tried spells for summoning, second sight, and detecting magick. Prying eyes, breaking walls, and raising the dead. I even recited ones for instant love, everlasting joy, and charming monsters. There was no response from my little insect friend.

Darkness grew heavier around me. Soon, the Basilica bells would toll that we needed to return to the dormitory for the night. I couldn't recite incantations around the other girls, though. If I was tapping into the scarab's magick, it had to happen here.

I pressed my palms against my eyes. What were the words for that incantation of greater joining? It was a Grand Mistress spell meant to repair something complex that was broken, like a millworks or a clock. It wasn't my first choice for a casting like this, but everything else had failed.

Soft footsteps sounded in the cloakroom. My torso tightened with alarm. I waved the little scarab off. The thing definitely had magick because it understood my intentions completely, spread its tiny wings, and flittered away. I leaned my head against the wall and pretended to sleep.

“Hello, Elea.” It was Sophia.

I slowly opened my eyes. “Greetings. You found me napping, I'm afraid.”

“No, I haven't.” Sophia flicked her fingers and an azure mist surrounded us.

I frowned. Sophia never began conversations with magick. “What's that?”

“Privacy spell. Marlene knows I cast these to talk to Ada.” She gripped her hands so tightly, her knuckles turned white.

“Did it hurt you to cast this?”

“Everything hurts me when it comes to Ada. Marlene sees to that.”

Because she enjoys Sophia's pain.
“I'm so sorry.”

“That's not important now. Ada told me about your adventures in the storehouse.” Sophia scanned the room. “Where is the creature?”

“I don't know.”
I had a good suspicion, though.

Sophia knelt before me. Sadness was etched into every line of her face. “Any progress on finding an escape?”

What was her game here? Did she really think I'd announce my plans to her? “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You misunderstand my intentions. I'm not here to trap you. I want to help you.” Sophia hissed in a pained breath and gripped her shoulder.

I could only stare at her in shock. Maybe Sophia had lost her mind. “You shouldn't talk to me like that. It's clearly hurting you.”

Sophia smiled, but there was no happiness in her wrinkled face. “I just came from my chat with Marlene.”

“The one she promised yesterday at dinner.” I could picture Marlene's hungry eyes as she threatened to give Ada the mark. “What happened?”

“We discussed Ada and the Initiation ceremony.”

I shouldn't be so emotionally attached to the child, but with Ada, I couldn't help it. “Is she getting the mark?”

“Not until next season, which is why I need to know about your plans. If you found some way to leverage hybrid magick, then you may have a real chance to leave here. If that's the case, then I want you to take Ada.”

It was foolhardy to answer her questions, no matter what kind of spells she said she'd cast. “We can't have this conversation.”

Sophia sighed. “I understand why you'd be wary, but this is no time to be cautious. You see, I made a bargain to protect you and Ada. Neither of you will get the mark, but it bodes ill for me.”

I didn't want the Tsar's mark, but Sophia shouldn't be making sacrifices on my account. I could take care of myself or live with the consequences. “What did you promise?”

“Nothing that wouldn't have happened anyway.” Sophia offered me another sad smile. “All I want is for Ada to escape. From where I stand, you seem to be her best chance.”

I sat up straighter. If Sophia told Marlene something that made me look suspicious, this could end in disaster. When I spoke again, my voice was low and serious. “Sophia, what exactly did you say?”

“I will give Marlene my life and in exchange, there will be no mark on you and Ada until next season. During that time, you will be her guardian. It's all set. You needn't worry for yourself, Elea. Marlene suspects nothing beyond the fact that you'll watch over the child.”

I raked my hands through my hair. This was undoubtedly a magickal agreement. “I wished you'd told me what you were planning to do. There might be other ways to protect Ada than losing your life.”

“No, this is the only way.”

“I can't believe that.” I lifted my wrists. “What if you can get these off me? Maybe we can team up.”

“I couldn't, even if I wanted to. Only Marlene can remove those.”

“Is there a key?”