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

upon which we all stood, brought to her knees in racking sobs.

I forced my eyes open. My head was turned to the side, and not too far away, I could see someone’s back. Between us, a sword lay discarded, its blade painted with blood.

Where was Lilith? Did we stop her?

I knew I should be feeling panic, but I couldn’t seem to get my brain to connect with my body. I smelled something burnt, and I tasted soot in my mouth.

I heard voices. Feet stomping. And that awful sound of crying continued. I knew I had to move. I sat up, and the world spun. I felt every hurt I’d ever received across my body. I put a trembling hand to my head and tried to steady myself. I saw Lilith—or was it Risten now—laying sprawled out across from me, still unconscious. Her men were trapped inside a barrier, and I saw Cabrina standing beside it. Her expression was grim.

Who was crying?

“Abe?” I asked.

I did not receive an answer.

“Abe?” I asked more forcefully.

Still no response. Could curses be knocked unconscious?

Someone’s crying.

I finally turned toward the sound. It came from the person with their back to me. I knew them. Who were they?

I noticed men and women standing around us. Guards. But they were in a different uniform. They looked sad.

Why wouldn’t the crying stop?

Mother had cried for hours. I remember telling her I was sorry. That I didn’t mean to fall in the river. That I didn’t mean for him to come after me.

But she ignored me and continued to wail.

I managed to roll myself onto all fours and then crawled over to the person with their back to me. As I crawled, my bruised brain gradually noticed other details. The person was kneeling—leaning over someone lying on the floor before them. As I got closer, I could make out the face of the person on the floor.

“What do you mean there’s no healers close by?” yelled someone in anger. I didn’t recognize the voice. It was a man’s voice and not someone I knew. I saw the kneeling person press their hands on the chest of the woman lying down. Her hands were covered in blood.

Through her tears, the person kneeling yelled. “Why won’t the bleeding stop!”

I looked up at the person kneeling and realized who it was. I was both thankful and sorrowful at the same time. Zofie was unharmed.

The princess was kneeling, pressing down hard on the person’s wound.

I turned to the one that had fallen, and as I stared at her, my bruised brain gave me her name.

Fumiko.

She lay unmoving, deathly pale, her chest soaked in blood.

Zofie noticed me beside her. She wiped her tears on her sleeve and tried to compose herself. “Quickly, Coren. Curse her. Transform her into something... anything.”

“Abe?” I called again. But there was no reply.

Awareness of the situation began to return.

“I... I... can’t,” I said. “Abe’s not answering. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“Try anyway,” she demanded.

So I did, but nothing happened. I felt utterly helpless.

I could see Zofie’s tears had resumed. They rolled down her cheek and then dripped onto Fumiko’s chest, mixing with the blood.

Fumiko groaned. She opened her eyes and looked at us both. Her mouth moved, but no words came out.

“Don’t talk. We’re looking for a healer,” said Zofie, never letting up the pressure on her friend’s wound. She tried to project confidence, but the tears betrayed her. We all knew what was coming.

Fumiko tried to lift a hand, and I took it in my own, squeezing it tightly. Fumiko searched my eyes for a moment and then Zofie’s. To my surprise, I felt myst gathering.

Zofie and I were instantly sucked into something like a memory, but yet it wasn’t. It felt more immediate. Like she was sending her thoughts directly to us.

What I saw was Fumiko standing, dressed in a fine gown and her hair now long and pulled back in an elaborate style. She was smiling at us. Fumiko’s eyes slowly flicked from Zofie and then to me. She gave us a deep bow.

“Thank you,” she said, as she slowly righted herself. “While it was short, my time with you was the most enjoyable of my life. Never forget. I love you both.” I felt the vision begin to get blurry, like she was losing focus. “And Coren, you are too trusting. But I thank the Creator that you are.” She looked to the side, and I could see a bright light in the distance. “I have to go now. My love is waiting for me.” She turned back to us and smiled. “As I’ll be waiting for you.”

I suddenly found myself back in my body. I watched helplessly as Fumiko seemed to look at something in the distance, give a gentle smile, and then take her last breath.

Zofie bent over her body and sobbed uncontrollably.

I looked at my hands, which were now tainted with Fumiko’s blood. As the tears flowed on my own cheeks, I realized this blood would join my father’s. I had caused someone else I cared for to die. I couldn’t help but wonder when it would end.

A short while later, as Zofie’s sobs softened and my own tears grew less, an older man entered the room. He appeared thin and frail, but at the same time, had a spark of intensity in his eyes. He wore several layers of fine robes and carried himself with authority. His escort was a dozen well-armed guards, and of course, Spraggel.

As we continued to kneel beside Fumiko, my master came to stand beside us and laid a hand on each of our shoulders. He said nothing because he knew there was nothing that could be said.

The unfamiliar man went to Fumiko’s other side, and