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

himself. Early on, I had been given an amulet to wear that would dampen my curse’s bad luck, and in effect, limit Abe’s ability to protect me. One time, when I was fighting a monster and was just about to be eaten, the amulet got unbearably hot and cracked. And thus breaking the charm so Abe could help me.

I was puzzled. Did this mean that Abe was trying to break the charm? I certainly hoped not since that could kill us. I looked to Cabrina and was surprised to see her staring at two people farther down the wharf. One wore a deeply hooded cloak, while the other had a broad-brimmed hat pulled tightly over their head.

Up until a moment ago, the youth had been smiling, but now she looked disappointed.

“One of them has been perfected,” she said quietly.

My eyes went wide. Abe was trying to warn me.

“Fumiko, the two people approaching on the left.”

She nodded but didn’t look in their direction. She nudged me toward the barge. “I’ll guard Zofie. See if you can get them to follow you. Just walk slowly until the fighting starts.”

“Fighting?”

But in reply, she just gave me another nudge.

I took Cabrina’s hand and pulled her after me. “Don’t stare,” I admonished the girl. I expected resistance, maybe an attempt to escape, but she came willingly and simply looked down at her feet. Side by side, we walked leisurely toward the barge.

The two people approaching didn’t change their course but continued to walk at a steady pace. I could hear their measured steps scraping on the cobblestones as they drew near. One was quite a bit taller than the other, but the taller’s hood and the shorter’s hat hid their identity. I couldn’t even tell if they were armed. I released Cabrina’s hand and laid it on the hilt of my sword.

While still several paces away, we passed in front of them, and I thought they might rush us at that point. But they maintained their maddeningly steady pace and passed behind us.

Just as I thought perhaps we had made a mistake, I heard the rustling of a cloak. In one motion, I started to pull my sword and wheeled to face—a knife inches from my chest. From beneath her hat, Lilith smiled wickedly up at me.

Her companion threw back his hood and slowly drew his rather large sword. My eyes went wide when I recognized him. Lord Wort Dilyston. The cloak’s sleeves were large but seemed to strain to contain the man’s massive arms. I’d once thought them the size of small trees. Last we met atop Mount Eternal, he had been in Wynn’s employ and very nearly killed us.

“Hello, Coren,” said Lilith. She put a hand on the arm holding my half-drawn sword and tugged downward until the sword rested back in its scabbard. She leaned closer. “You’re too slow. You’ll never be a match for me in a million years. So be a good boy and don’t do anything stupid. I’m here for Zofie, but I’ll take you too if you insist.” She leaned forward. I could feel the point of her knife even through my clothes. “Now where is she?”

I grinned back. “Do you honestly expect me to tell you?”

Lilith shrugged. “One could hope.” Then she smiled. “But there are other ways.”

Her other hand shot out and grabbed Cabrina.

“NO!” yelled Cabrina. Suddenly, her shoulders slumped, and her head fell forward.

“What did you do to her?”

“She is of low cothe. Easily readable and will do everything I say.” She glanced in Cabrina’s direction. “Now why don’t you tell me where Zofie is? Or perhaps you’d like me to dig through your host’s brain to find it. I probably wouldn’t have to damage her too much.”

Cabrina shook her head and slowly raised an arm, pointing to the corner we had left Fumiko and Zofie. Lilith smiled and glanced over her shoulder. I followed the gaze—only they weren’t there.

Wort suddenly pointed with his sword. “She’s already on the barge. How did she sneak past us?”

Lilith cursed. She released Cabrina and shoved me hard to the side. I stumbled about to fall when Cabrina, of all people, caught me and steadied me.

“Sorry,” she whispered. Then she shoved me after them.

I broke into a run. Cabrina would likely take the opportunity to escape but saving Zofie came first. I ran after them. But to my surprise, the youth ran just behind me.

Up ahead, the bargemaster and his two crew were frantically casting off ropes. Zofie stood in the center of the barge, and Spraggel was helping her to sit. With wide eyes, he noticed Lilith and Wort running toward him and began to dig in his special pocket, no doubt looking for his long lost sword.

But where was Fumiko?

In answer, she leaped from behind a crate sitting beside the departing barge, planting herself between the attackers and the departing vessel. She held her sword before her in both hands, using a defensive form I did not recognize.

Lilith swapped her knife for her sword as she ran and raised it high. Fumiko held her stance, her expression emotionless. Just before they impacted, Lilith switched to another form, but Fumiko followed, swiftly altering her own to match, countering it perfectly.

Lilith stepped back in shock. She frowned and launched herself again, raining down blows only to have Fumiko counter each one.

Wort ran past the fighting pair heading for the barge. I leaped toward him in a flying tackle and knocked him to the ground. I tried to pin him from behind, but he was too strong. He threw me off, and before I could react, grabbed me by the throat and lifted me off my feet. Wort pulled his sword back to finish me off.

Suddenly, Cabrina was next to us, tugging on his massive arm. “Please Lord,