Cursed With You

Your Loyalty Is Unsurpassed

The last thing Raffin remembered was Jacina slowing the horse as they entered the forest. Raffin tried hard to fight his drowsiness as the steady, quiet rhythm of the horse's steps lulled him to sleep. But it didn't seem to work. When he opened his eyes, he realized that his head was resting on Jacina's shoulder. He sat up and released his hold on her.

"Good morning, Young Prince," Jacina teased. "Did you sleep well?"

Raffin ignored her. He looked around. They were still in the forest. By the bright sunlight filtering through the gaps between the leaves, the morning was over. Not far ahead, he saw the last line of trees.

They left the forest and entered a meadow. Jacina brought the horse to a trot over the less overgrown ground, a testament to the road it had once been. The meadow led them to the hill where Lunaris, the capital of Slorista, lied. The city fortress still stood, though it had been abandoned for hundreds of years. The iron frame of the gate was still intact, though the wooden parts had been destroyed.

They entered the gate. Jacina's shoulders lifted as she took a deep breath. Raffin couldn't imagine how she felt. Returning to her home after 250 years to find it dead. Most of the buildings still stood, but many had collapsed. Moss covered the walls, and wild plants grew here and there.

"What happened after Magus Arozal imprisoned me?" she asked as they moved up the street between the dilapidated buildings.

"All the kingdoms in the north were after Slorista's gold mines," Raffin replied, remembering his history lessons. "They knew it was near Lunaris, but they couldn't find it. They went after the nobles and the council who were running the provisional government in Slorista. But even they couldn't understand how the gold mine had disappeared. Chaos ensued. The nobles were the first to leave. The council lost control and fled. The surviving citizens also left the city. No one came back."

"And the gold mine?"

"It remains a mystery to this day."

"Was Ostelux also after Slorista's gold?"

"No, we didn't. Ostelux was busy rebuilding Stratham after...."

"My army slaughtered it."

Jacina spurred the horse after saying that. Raffin wrapped his arms around Jacina's stomach before the horse's speed threw him back. It wasn't long before they reached the top of the hill where Slorista's palace stood. Unlike the other buildings, the palace was untouched by time. Magic had kept it intact.

"Strange," Jacina muttered after they dismounted. Her brow furrowed at the palace in front of them. "I commanded Magus Naphiane to make this palace inaccessible. And I felt the spell. But there is another spell that makes this palace..." Jacina tilted her head to find the right word. "Asleep."

She stepped towards the closed gate. The moment she touched it, a ripple of wind came from the spot she touched, spread over the fence, into the forecourt, and at last into the palace building itself. The gate creaked open of its own accord.

"Strange," Jacina repeated as she stepped through the gate.

Raffin calmed the horse, which had whinnied in alarm when the magic wind blew. He took the reins and pulled gently, tying it to the fence. Then he ran after Jacina, who was already halfway across the forecourt decorated with flower gardens. When they reached the bottom step, the palace doors opened. They both stopped. Jacina was preparing a magic flame in her right hand, while Raffin's hand was at the hilt of his sword.

A girl about their age, dressed as a maid, stood in the doorway. She had beige skin and red hair. The girl smiled when she saw Jacina.

"Your Majesty," she called. "You're back."