Hurricane (The Badlands Series) Book 5

Chapter Six: Cursed

Emlyn woke up and her head was still spinning with last night's events. She came downstairs to see everyone freaking out, Sarah was the most erratic with her hysterical crying. Something wasn't right.

"What is going on with you guys?" Emlyn asked, and they all started shouting at her at once.

"My horns been crystallized I can't do magic!" Mystic pranced back and forth panicking.

"I'm starting to look like an actual demon! My skins turning black! My hairs falling out!!" Ginger panicked looking at herself in Horrace's wine glass.

"I'm afraid I've lost my vision..." Horrace mumbled snatching his glass back.

"I can't heal at all, I got a paper cut this morning and I can't heal it!!" Stella said, and Bob was next.

"I actually feel fine." He said, but he wasn't fine, he looked like an ordinary man. Regular gray suit and tie, no makeup, no tutu.

"Are you kidding me?? That is nothing compared to what I've been stuck with!! I'm being forced to carry a fetus I don't want!" Sarah yelled hysterically.

Emlyn watched as they all started going at each other's throats. She didn't know what to do, they were all cursed and losing their minds. She covered her ears to block out the noise, she could feel irritation begin to boil up onside of her.

"EVERY BODY SHUT UP!" Emlyn yelled and the room went quiet. They all looked at each other feeling a mix of guilt and embarrassment. "Look at all of you, this is what she wants! I don't know how to fix this, but we aren't going to fix anything with all of you screaming at each other and trying to fight. Now, if all of you are finished let's go try and stop the curse." Emlyn said, then she led them all into the library.

She spent countless hours trying to figure out what Camilla had done to them. There wasn't an answer anywhere in the pages. Emlyn was pacing now, deep in her own thoughts wondering what the point was of cursing them and not her. Did Camilla assume she was incapable of stopping her without them? Did she just think it... or was she right?

"Emlyn..." Sarah said quietly. She was by herself and she was looking around to make sure no one was listening.

"Yes?" Emlyn asked, she wanted to tell her to be patient, but how could she? Stealing the others powers was one thing, but forcing Sarah to carry a fetus eas another.

"If you can't stop the curses before I'm forced to have this...thing, I need your help to protect it. Camilla did it for reason, she's going to take it. Time moves differently here then it does in the real world. I'll be having this thing in roughly a week if not given a choice." Sarah explained in a low voice. Emlyn knew she was right, though she wasn't sure what Camilla could want with a baby, she could only imagine the horrors.

"I promise Sarah, I'll do everything I can. I can only imagine what she'd want with it." Emlyn said, and Sarah nodded. She went back and sat with Bob resting her head on his shoulder.

Emlyn looked at all of them, what could she possibly do. Camilla had made them all useless for a real battle or a journey. Would she have to take her on alone?

An idea struck her, and she approached Mystic. "Mystic can you take me to the portal?" Emlyn asked, and while Mystic was scared she'd do anything to end the curse.

"Of course."

***

Mystic and Emlyn crossed through the portal. The journey to it had been rough but they managed through the disastrous storm. When they arrived they found the portal was destroyed and wide open. The hurricane had broke through and was beginning to destroy the real world.

"Let me see your wand." Emlyn said to Mystic who was now in her human form.

Mystic pulled out her wand and it was crystallized the same as her horn was. "It's the same."

"As I suspected, the curse she used isn't from the fairytale world, it's from the real world. A curse from the fairytale world wouldn't cross over because magic doesn't work the same way there as it does here. However, a curse made here would cross over because the fairytale world is open to new magic from other places. It's the whole foundation of the realm." Emlyn explained, and Mystic looked at her like a deer in headlights.

"So uh what do we do?" She asked, and Emlyn sat her down.

"You stay here, I'm going to see if Lillian can help. Give me your wand." Emlyn said, and held out her hand. Mystic reluctantly handed it over.

"Be careful."

***

Emlyn arrived at Lillans and knocked on her door. Lillian answered surprised but then looked excited. "Oh your back so soon! Is Ginger with you?" She said looking over her shoulder excitedly.

"Uh no she's not, we ran into a problem I think you can help." Emlyn said, and Lillian's smile faded.

"Oh of course, come on in." Lillian said and stepped aside letting her in. Emlyn handed her Mystics wand.

"My friends have all been cursed, I believe the curse is from here. This is Mystics wand, it's been crystalized and she can't use it. I was hoping you'd know something." Emlyn explained, and Lillian took the wand to her witchy room.

She inspected it, jagger red crystals stuck out of the wand. "I've seen this before..." Lillian pulled a book off her shelf, it was called Venus. "This is an old story about how the universes were formed by Greek and Roman Gods, and everything else. They used to crystalize wands, and take powers at this school of magic called Venus, whenever a student would act up. I'm afraid it can't be reversed. The "curse" is on a time limit, it's kind of like being grounded. The max it can be done for is a week." Lillian explained.

Emlyn knew there was nothing she could do now. The whole point was to get Sarah's baby, but why? She knew one thing was certain she had to stop this hurricane and protect Sarah at all costs.