Emma

Chapter Thirty-Four.

"We're not gonna find him," declares Thomas.

I sigh. He might be right. Where did he go? He couldn't have gone far. He was there, next to me. He talked to me, he told me-

"She will curse you"

He warned me. Father warned me Tatiana would curse me. Just like the Romanovs did.

Flashback

I keep on looking through the small gap between the doors. Olga keeps on laughing, her eyes staring at the poor staff boy while this same boy cries and cries. He screams the name of a woman repeatedly and won't stop saying how sorry he feels. What is Olga doing to him? The pain coming from the boy is so strong I can even feel it.

"Emma," I turn around to this voice and sigh in relief when I see my dad. "What are you doing?" He asks. When he walks up to me and look inside the room, his face goes from curiosity to repulsion in a snap. Papa grabs my arm and walks me to my apartments which is so far away from Olga's.

"Why did you bring me here?" I ask once we're alone in my apartments.

"You can't spy on them"

"I wasn't spying. This boy was in pain. He is in pain. Why isn't Olga or anyone else helping him?"

Papa sighs and closes his eyes for a minute. He sits on one of the couches and sighs again. "You have to promise not to tell anyone"

"I promise papa. What is going on?"

"The Russians have certain practices. They are very different from us darling"

"What kind of practices?" I ask, curious. I walk up to my dad and sit next to him.

"They curse people. It's how they like to spend their time. They like to see people suffer"

I am horrified. How could someone ever do that? Why would someone ever do that?! This is madness!

"We have to do something papa! Why do we let them do it?!"

"Because we have an alliance with the Imperial Family. We don't harm them, and they never curse us"

"But papa-"

"Emma, you must never, ever, do anything against the Romanovs. They'll curse you and it'll drive you mad. You'll lose yourself. Do you understand? Never hurt a Russian no matter what"

Flashback

"She cursed me," I sigh. I let my head fall back and shame starts filling my head. "She fucking cursed me"

I open my eyes and turn my head to look at Thomas. He doesn't seem surprised by my revelation. Why isn't he surprised? Did Tatiana curse him already?

"Why are you not surprised?" I ask.

"I understood she cursed you the moment you talked about your father," answers Tommy, avoiding my gaze.

"That doesn't tell me why you're not surprised"

"Because Tatiana cursed me," replies Thomas, finally laying his eyes on mine. "And it's because of a curse that Grace died"

"You said she was shot"

"I gifted her a sapphire that was cursed by a gipsy. And Tatiana told me it was cursed before she died"

"I am so sorry Thomas," I put my hands on his hand, but he quickly put it on the steering wheel, obviously not wanting any of my affection. I put my hand back on my legs and look out the window.