Cursed With You

Trust Me

"You changed your mind?" greeted Jacina from the darkness as Raffin arrived.

"I have no choice," Raffin grumbled.

Jacina's low laugh echoed through the tunnel. A moment later, she appeared near the bars. The yellowish glow of the lantern fell on her dirty, but still charming, face. The corners of her lips formed a triumphant smile. Raffin hoped there was nothing sinister behind the grin.

"You swore to help me remove the curse of eternal darkness after I freed you?" Raffin asked.

"I said that yesterday."

"How can I trust you?"

"And how can I trust you won't order another light wizard to imprison me again?"

Raffin doubted that there was a light wizard as powerful as Magus Arozal who could imprison Jacina again, but he didn't want to bring it up. Instead, he said, "A prince always keeps his word."

Jacina snorted. "Tell that to your ancestor, Lucius."

Raffin remembered Ferula's words that morning. Jacina was engaged to Prince Lucius before she killed him. How could something so important escape history? What had happened to them to turn their engagement into enmity? Though curious, Raffin would not ask that question. It was not the time.

"All right," he said. "We clearly don't trust each other. But you're my only hope, so I cannot help but take at your word. You may believe me or not, but I promise you won't come back to this place after you help me."

Jacina studied Raffin's face. The sharp look in her eyes seemed to see right through him, making him swallow.

"I trust you," Jacina said after a moment. "Now get me out of here."

Raffin traced the bars from one end to the other. He realized there was no door.

"What are you doing?" Jacina asked. Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"How do I open it?"

Jacina rolled her eyes. "Touch the bars with both hands."

"Oh."

Raffin put down the lantern and did as Jacina said. The bars shook for a moment before sliding down and disappearing into the ground.

"Finally," Jacina said with a smile. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and spread her arms. Purple lightning shot out of her palms and traveled up her arms, neck, and all over her body. They coiled and writhed like snakes. When she exhaled, opened her eyes, and lowered her hands, the lightning was gone.

"It's good to feel my magic again," she said as she stomped out of the tunnel. The darkness swallowed her body in an instant.

Raffin grabbed his lantern and followed her. Outside, Jacina looked up at the dark sky as if she could see the stars hidden behind the curse.

"The creatures have appeared, huh?" she asked as Raffin stood beside her.

"Yesterday."

"What time is it now?"

"Almost midnight."

Jacina nodded. She said nothing, but by the way she looked up at the sky, Raffin could see that something was bothering her.

"So how do we remove it?" he asked.

"With light magic of equal power."

"Equal to how much? Because this morning, all the light wizards in Ostelux combined their powers and still failed."

Jacina's gaze shifted from the sky to Raffin. "You need a thousand light wizards."

"A thousand?" Raffin's eyes widened. "That means we need every light wizard in the world."