The Cursed

Chapter Twenty Eight

Lilura

A pain shoots over my heart, as though it were being ripped out. The locket has been disconnected. I pull mine off and toss it across the opposite wall. Someone stole it off my creature.

I found the locket in an old trunk of Willa's, a torn page from some forgotten book with it telling how to awaken a beast. I naturally had to complete the spell.

And now someone on his ship wielded magic, despite no one having power. Then how? My possessions. There is residue power on them. Someone on the crew went into my chambers and stole a possession using it to, what? Summon me?

That's exactly what they're doing, a little voice says.

I need to set up protections, ground myself, and guard myself.

But it's too late, the voice says. I realize what they say is true. I feel a pulling from where the locket rested on my skin. There is a string pulling from the spot to the ship. The faint smell of salt begins to filter through the room. Then the pulling tightens, yanking on me to move. It becomes painful to resist, lighting a fire on my chest. I could stop resisting and go, but who ever summoned me wishes hand to me. But if I stay, I will be pulled apart. White hot fire spreads to my fingertips and toes. I need to go.

I close my eyes and let the sting yank me out of Willa's house to Everette's deck. I fall forward and land painfully on one knee. Two black boots greet me. I look up to meet Everette.

He looks sickly and aged behind the mere days I've been without him. His cheekbones have hollowed and his hair greyed. Even his eyes are duller, without a hint of green. He looks down at me, dissapointment in every part of his face.

"You," I spit standing to face him, "lied to me."

His face pales and he drops the locket the belonged to the beast onto the deck.

"Lilura? What is this?" He asks, holding his hands out to touch me. I slap them back with a wave of my hand that sends lightning across his palms.

"You! You knew your mother, the Queen cursed me, and yet, and yet," I say my voice rising louder, so one could now hear me clearly over the storm, "you didn't tell me. You sent me away because I was dangerous, and I blamed myself. I thought I hurt you, but I would've been fine. You would've been fine, if you told me the truth." I'm not sure what I'm saying is right, that I wouldn't have hurt him if I knew how I was cursed. But I know we wouldn't be here. I wouldn't want his blood on my dress and his head on a platter.

"You don't know if that true. I never meant to hurt. Alan and I thought it was best if-"

"Alepou was in on this? My fox and guard? You let him lie to me, his master?" I screech. I snap my fingers, summoning Alan, Alepou to me. The red head falls to the deck in front on my feet, cowering.

"He was not under your command given your state," Everette says in a hopeless attempt to save himself and Alepou.

"A state that I got out of without the help of anyone, and I regained my powers from by knowing my past. You had no right to keep secrets from me," I yell. Everette takes a step back from as lightning flashes overhead. "Alepou," I say turning to the cowering man, "I release you from this form." I wave my hand over him, as it passes his body shrink, his red hair spreads, and he returns to his fox form. I pick him up by the scruff of his neck.

"You failed me," I whisper to Everette, then set Alepou down. I can't kill my friend. Perhaps he was following orders, from the wrong person, but he will be the only life I will not take. Alepou scampers across the deck to a barrel just behind Everette, staring at me with unblinking eyes.

"I was going to have the beast kill you and deliver your body to me. But instead you summoned me, to," I conjure a ball of light and throw it to hover directly in front of Everette, "kill me I presume. But this way I can stare at you as your blood pours out of you, and you die in front of all your crew to die." The light inches closer to Everette, who somehow manages to to stay in place.

"You can't, you don't have it in you to kill anyone. You're sweet and loving, you could never-"

"Kill anyone? I have. The witch you sent me too, betrayed me. She lies dead in her house. You will join her in the afterlife," I say. The light still closing in on Everette, yet he does not move, but there's a flicker of fear in his dead eyes.

"Willa-Sage? Your magic has spoiled your mind, you aren't yourself," he says.

"I am more myself than I have ever been. My magic did not corrupt my mind."

"But Lilura-" I decide to end his ramblings, pushing the light towards him, I focus my energies on forming a barrier between us and his crew. This is the moment Everette sees I have changed and will not hesitate to kill him. He runs back, but hits the barrier bouncing backwards into the ball of light. It consumes him and lights his close on fire. His screams sound through the barrier, but no one but I can hear them as he collapses to his knees. The fire jumps around him and down his throat, burning his organs and his heart. With a final scream, he falls to the deck. The flames fade around his blackened and burnt form. Everette has died.

Alepou jumps from his perch and wraps himself around my ankles. I snap my fingers and bring us back to Willa's house. I need to prepare for the Queen's killing, a task more difficult given her magical skills and various guards, but I can and will be accomplished.