The Iron Seer

Chapter 16 - Cursed Heart

Ash turned and stalked out of the empty cavern, and after a moment I ran after him. "Ash!"

When he didn't turn, I reached out a hesitant hand to grab his shoulder, but then thought better of it and fell into step beside him instead. His posture was stiff, and rather than his usual smooth, fluid grace, he strode forward as if he couldn't see what lay ahead - and didn't care to.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He didn't respond.

I glanced behind us at Rowan and Narissa - only to see Rowan. Narissa must have disappeared, again. The prince shot me a smirk, the color of his eyes barely visible in the dark. I slowed my pace to speak with him.

"So, Ash didn't tell you about his little... curse, then?" Rowan asked, looking supremely entertained.

"What curse?" I asked.

"Well, it was a long time ago, so he may have forgotten, but..." His eyes slid toward Ash, and that knowing smirk pulled his full lips even wider. "... I don't think that is the case."

Panic made my heart beat faster as my mind whirled. A curse. A Druid priestess. I knew that the Druids were an ancient human race. That was what I'd read, anyway. Grinding my patience away between my teeth, I said, "Did this Druid priestess put some kind of curse on him?"

We had already reached the main cavern, but Ash was nowhere in sight. He'd left me alone with his brother, something that he would never do unless something was very wrong.

"Oh, yes," Rowan purred, crystal-clear blue eyes dancing with mirth. "And the best part is... He appears to be worried about it. With you." He chuckled, then cocked his head as he examined me."You must really be something special. Who knew my brother could be so sentimental."

I would get no straight answers from Rowan, none that wouldn't make me want to strangle him or rip out those sparkling blue eyes to feed to Sage's wolf.

Even if I hated him, it didn't change anything, I reminded myself. He was still a prince. What I needed was to find my prince. Ash had to tell me what this curse was, because if it involved me - and I was sure it did, as Rowan had implied - then I deserved to know how.

***

Ash was leaning against the wall in the room he'd been using for sleep. This was good - if he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be here.

I didn't announce my presence, because I knew he'd heard me even before I opened the door. Crossing the room, I sat down on the edge of the thin mattress that covered the large, plain but sturdy wooden frame of the bed. I tried not to think about the person who had slept here not long ago, and where they were now - ashes and cinders at the bottom of the fire pit. Instead, I studied Ash.

His eyes were closed as he slumped against the wall. As calm as his mask was, I knew that there was a violent storm of emotions inside, a battle he was waging against himself. His armor was his weakness; his mask was so completely without flaw, not a single shred of emotion or softness in his features, that I knew there was something off. If his reaction to the mention of the Druid priestess hadn't convinced me, his complete and utter stillness now did.

"Tell me about the curse," I said quietly.

His eyes opened, and his mouth curved up at the corner in a mirthless smile. "The curse," he mocked, his voice dripping scorn. "The old woman had no more magic than any other mortal fool. There is no curse, Ariella."

He was avoiding the answer. Whether the curse was real or not, it meant something. Something that was scaring him. "Was this curse... something about me?"