Awake - Book One of the Spinner's Curse

Chapter Twenty-Four: Cursed

Chapter Twenty-Four
Cursed

　

　

　

　

Days, minutes, hours?

They all seem to meld together into one massive canvas of pain. At times I feel close to wakefulness, hearing people speaking over my head, angry shouts that make the purple win out over the yellow, only to be soothed again by a calm voice. I struggle against the magic swirling through my body, desperate to be rid of the pain that plagues me.

It is a long time before the pain begins to ebb. I can feel a hand squeezing mine. In the distance I hear Phillip arguing with someone. “I can’t leave her, not like this. Ryler will understand. He’s my friend Rosamund. He knows how long I‘ve waited for this.” I struggle within myself, trying my best to open my eyes.

Rosamund’s voice glides into my thoughts, a sweet, sticky tone that feels thick and heavy on my ears. “She’ll be fine, Phillip. It’s been two days. How long do you expect Ryler to wait? You promised him you’d help him find Jo. You can’t keep him waiting. He helped you find Rory, now you must keep your word.” Her voice catches on my name, so slight I could be imagining it.

Phillip sighs and releases my hand, letting it fall to the bed with a soft thump. I expect him to tell Rosa he’ll stay with me, but the words don’t come. “You’re right,” he whispers so quietly I almost miss them. “I’m not being fair to Ryler. I need to help him find Jo.”

The bed shifts as Rosamund sits beside me. Her elbow rubs into me as she leans closer to Phillip. “It’s the right thing to do, Phillip. As a prince, it’s your responsibility to keep your promises.” There is a tinge of harshness in her voice, a message within the words. I want to open my mouth, respond, but before I can, Phillip speaks.

“Rosa, speaking of promises, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you…” He trails off and I can feel the tension in the room. It chokes me, and I hold my breath. Is this the same thing he wanted to tell me earlier? “Now that I’ve found her…brought her home…things are going to change.”

There is a pause where none of us breathes. “They’re already changing…I want…We can’t…I’m going to marry Rory, Rosamund. While I’m in Eldia I’m going to talk to my father, tell him my plans. I just…I needed to tell you first.” Rosa sucks in a soft breath and her hand falls back to the coverlet. Her nails scrape my skin as she pulls her hand back to her side.

“I see,” she whispers. Her voice is soft with pain, and it makes my heart ache. Phillip continues, unaware of the pain he’s causing my sister.

“It feels so strange, finding her,” he shifts on the bed again, and his hand trails down my cheek, so soft it tingles, “I was beginning to think she was dead…” He trails off as his hand meets my hair and he strokes it in silence.

“Me too,” Rosa whispers, before she rises from my side and pads out of the room.

* I come to full awareness sometime later, the colors finally fading into the distance. My limbs are finally mine to control although they are still weak. Claudette is sitting on the end of my bed, a set of knitting needles held expertly in her tiny hands. She glances up as I rise from the covers mounted on top of me. “You’re awake!” she exclaims happily before jumping down from the bed and running to the door. She pops her head out into the hall. “She’s awake!” She yells.

Footsteps pound down the hall towards my room, “Rory!” William and Henry bound into my room and onto the bed with me.

“Is the curse lifted?” They ask in perfect unison. I clutch my head as a wave of dizziness hits me. The twins look at each other. “Are you alright?” I nod, biting my lip so they won’t see the lie.