[CANCELLED] Cursed: Mystreet x Reader

Chapter 24

Aaron's POV

Garroth writhed and squirmed the whole night. No one got much sleep. The fear of the wolves and the green-eyed lady returning, Garroth's leg, the complete isolation from the world in an abandoned lodge... It was a lot to take in.

But worst of all was the possible threat of Ena being near. The woman's eyes from earlier were too brilliant. They were too shallow and distant, while strangely, at the same time, flooding with fear. They looked too much like everyone else's when they were cursed. It was enough to keep anyone awake. 

I didn't close my eyes for a second. I couldn't risk the safety of my friends. I couldn't risk knowing they could be hurt again. 

The night dragged on, mostly filled with caring for Garroth or thinking. I sat on the couch furthest from the fireplace, facing a massive window in the back of the lodge. Snow drifted down, coating the trees and sticking to the glass. Aside from Garroth's occasional panting, the night was relatively quiet.

Quiet, but not peaceful. Not in the slightest.

A cold hand laid on my shoulder, making me jump. Lucinda stood behind me, and withdrew her hand quickly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she whispered. 

"It's alright. What are you doing up? You should be getting some rest," I replied.

Lucinda flung her leg over the couch and climbed over the back to sit next to me. "So should you. Why are you still awake? You should be sleeping so we can get some work done tomorrow."

I stared at her, then back out the window. "I'm not tired," I lied. I was dead exhausted but I couldn't leave everyone without protection if something were to happen. 

Unfortunately, Lucinda saw right through my lie. "Aaron, I know you're concerned for us, but you need to sleep," she said, grabbing my hand. I looked at her but she was watching the snow through the window.

It was quiet, and her hands were cold, but I felt more at peace with her here. We watched the snow. For how long, I couldn't say, but Lucinda's tears soon broke the silence. 

"Lucinda?" I asked, worried. My grip on her hand tightened and I reached for the other. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I still have nightmares about it. I'm still getting panic attacks in the middle of the night because she conditioned us the way she wanted."

I blinked. "What do you mean the way she wanted?"

She let out a sob again. "I was thinking about it a while back. Why did she give us those specific curses? It wasn't random, it couldn't be. She had to have a reason. And then I realized it was to weaken us."

"Wasn't she also cursed?" I questioned. Lucinda nodded as more tears rolled down her face. "An illusion, I think. But she knew what she was doing. Her mood swings made her more powerful than weak. She was miserable, sure, but she could have easily killed Aphmau with that hammer when it took over. A target cleared." 

Her face scrunched and she let out a wail and fell onto my chest, shaking and sobbing. 

"I don't know why! I don't know why she wants us gone!" she sobbed. My heart pounded in my chest and I rubbed her back, mostly in shock. It was hard to believe what I was hearing. Aphmau could have been killed.

A target cleared?

What does that mean? What does Ena want from everyone?

A thought struck my mind. "Lucinda... Wasn't she moved in before us? I mean, she even helped us move in..."