Assassin of Curses: (The Coren Hart Chronicles Book 3) Jessie Eaker (best reads txt) 📖

and suddenly broke free, running right toward us. Simultaneously, the men holding Fumiko yelled. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Fumiko was no longer there.

Lilith didn’t even pause. She ignored the approaching Zofie and instead stabbed at empty air. But the blade seemed to find flesh.

The image of Zofie vanished, and I saw that she had never freed herself. It had been an illusion. While beside me, a bit of shadow solidified into Fumiko. She had done it. Created the distraction I needed to get in close.

But the cost. I grimaced at the sight.

Lilith’s blade had pierced Fumiko’s chest and stuck out of my friend’s back.

She grabbed Lilith around the waist and pulled her closer, causing the blade to slide deeper. Blood came from her mouth. “Hurry,” she whispered.

A surprised Lilith tried to extract herself, but I grabbed her arm. “Your curse, to my curse,” I shouted.

A blue glow enveloped my hand and gradually spread up her arm, reaching for her heart.

It’s working! I thought.

Lilith’s eyes narrowed in anger. “How dare you.”

The blue glow creeping up her body slowed and then stopped.

Lilith’s mouth curled up into a confident smirk. “You’re not skilled enough to unseat me. I’ve had many years to perfect this.” With a shrug of her shoulder, the glow began to reverse itself.

Inside my head, Abe howled in pain. I can’t hold her! he shouted. She’s so strong!

Lilith started to shove me away. But I fought to keep contact, refusing to let go.

Suddenly, I found myself in a world of all gray—the world of curses. To my left, I saw Risten in some kind of cage. She was lying on her side—naked and curled up into a tight ball. I could see dark bruises all over her body. I somehow knew these were not physical, but more a reflection of the mental abuse she had taken at Lilith’s hand.

In front of me, two of the line figures were locked in a struggle. I recognized one of them as Abe. But the other was new to me. In its large round head was a cluster of lines emanating from a central point. Each of the lines was capped with an arrow pointing outwards. I instantly recognized the symbol.

It was for insanity.

It was Lilith’s symbol.

The curse reached forward and grabbed Abe’s arm. With a quick snap of her wrist, she broke it off and quickly stuffed it inside her head. It flowed into one of the existing lines.

Abe cried out in pain, and my mouth fell open in horror. She was slowly eating him.

Help me, he cried.

But I didn’t know how. I ran toward them, but I couldn’t get any closer no matter how much I ran. All I could hear was the sound of Lilith’s laughing.

A new voice spoke to me. Use the key, it said.

I turned to see yet another stick figure kneeling on the ground. Inside its head was a symbol I had just seen. It was the rising sun.

On the ground in front of the curse was a sleeping Cabrina, her head resting on the curse’s bent knees.

“Hope?” I asked.

She nodded. Use the Griffin’s Key. It’s the only way.

Instantly I was back in my body, struggling with Lilith. I felt along my attacker’s side, and tucked inside her belt, my fingers brushed the Griffin’s Key. I had time to wonder if I could do it.

Please, oh, please work.

I grasped it and said the word. “Unlock.”

The key exploded with light and enveloped us both in a blinding white glow. I heard a voice inside my head. What do you want to unlock?

I didn’t hesitate.

“Lilith.”

The Dark Avenyts looked at me in horror. “No!”

The white light went out. I felt more than heard a vibration, which ran through both of us, becoming more and more intense. Abe’s blue glow continued to recede, and I feared it hadn’t worked.

Then the blue glow’s movement gradually slowed and finally stopped. I heard Abe groan in the effort. The vibration turned into shaking, and I began to feel power grow, like a thunderstorm in the distance. It was coming, and it was powerful.

The blue glow on her arm began to advance upwards. Slowly at first, but gradually moving faster.

“No!” Lilith screamed. She struggled to get free.

The shaking turned into a low rumble, and I felt the ground moving. I began to fear that the building might fall on our heads. Abe groaned again, and then his glow accelerated, racing toward her heart.

“No!” Lilith cried, frantically trying to break free. “You can’t!”

The blue light became brighter, and the power continued to grow. I could feel a myst working like none I had felt before—so much power. The floor began to heave, and I felt lightning in the air. Our hair came alive and stood up on its own—tiny sparks began to fly from us to the ground.

Finally, the blue glow reached her chest, and Lilith gave a death scream.

The pent-up power suddenly released. A giant bolt of lightning, from Creator knew where, struck all three of us, and we were flung apart. I sailed off the ground and landed hard on my back, hitting my head on the stone floor.

I lost consciousness.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Last

Wish

I gradually became aware of the world around me. Fleeting thoughts ran through my head, but I couldn’t seem to grasp them. I heard weeping, which seemed close and yet very far away. For a moment, I thought it was my mother. It sounded just like her crying when she first saw my father’s body. I was only twelve at the time. I remembered watching this woman who was the model of a strong heart, the center of our home, the rock