Descendants Academy: Young Adult Urban Fantasy Belle Malory (highly recommended books .txt) 📖

“Pretty much sums it up,” I said, nodding. “Anyway, back to the brothers. They claim the cure is found through death and destruction, just as the curse reads—”

“Ah, hold up.” Ione said, reaching for the popcorn. “Isn’t that what we’re trying to avoid?”

“I’m getting there,” I said, tapping my fingers against the book’s cover excitedly. “The brothers went about it in a roundabout way. They went to the Underworld in autumn, stayed for the same length of time as Persephone did, and ate the same fruit. When they returned to earth, the curse was broken. Their stay in the Underworld symbolized their deaths, hence destruction, and their return to earth in spring symbolized their rebirth. Boom, problem solved.”

I looked between the two of them, but their expressions remained skeptical. “Can you find me the passage?” Xander said.

I handed him the book. “Page seventy-two.”

He flipped through the pages, reading through everything I just told him. I grabbed a handful of popcorn, stuffing it in my mouth, thinking about what this could mean. If Riley and I went to the Underworld, stayed there for six months and found this so-called fruit, maybe we could be cured too. Not only that, but maybe I would get to see my mom.

Xander slammed the book shut. “Nah, it’s no good. Let’s keep looking.”

“W-what?” I said, nearly choking on my popcorn. “But this is it—this is the answer we’ve been searching for.”

He shook his head. “Did you forget the Underworld is full of monsters, demons, and Hollows, Sheridan?”

I had forgotten that terrifying detail, but that was beside the point. “You lived there for three years, Xander. I think I can handle six months.”

“Yeah, but I spent those three years imprisoned, and they were the worst three years of my life. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.”

“I also don’t want to murder my sister,” I pointed out. “Or wait for her to murder me.”

“Nope. No way,” he said, continuing to shake his head. “This is the worst idea. Petra would come after you. She would never let you pull this off.”

Feeling helpless, I looked to Ione. “Do you agree with him?”

She pressed her lips together, considering it. “It’s a better option than dying on the Curse Breaker’s table.”

I grinned, happy she had taken my side.

Xander let out a frustrated breath. “Come on, Ione. Don’t you remember the way I was when I returned?”

“Of course I remember,” she said, like it was a stupid question. “Xander, I cried and cried at the sight of you, half-starved and covered in scars.”

I could only imagine how Xander must’ve looked after being tortured for three years.

Ione tilted her head as she spoke. “But like you said, yours were different circumstances. What if there was a place where Sheridan and her sister could hide out? We could ask Daddy—”

“No!” The force in Xander’s voice shook the entire house. He stood and went to the French doors that looked out onto the beach. He placed his hand on the knob. “Don’t ever mention him around me again.” With that said, he left and slammed the door behind him.

Ione let out a small sigh. “Well, that didn’t go over well.”

I swallowed, feeling really bad about starting family drama. “Yeah.”

“It’s not a bad plan, Sheridan,” she said, watching his form disappear down the beach. “But it’s going to be difficult for Xander to handle. After everything he went through…”

“I get it,” I said, understanding.

She looked over at me. “I have a few connections, within our family. I could talk to them, see if they could find a safe house for you down there, somewhere Petra would never find you.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Xander won’t like it, but it’s better than the Curse Breaker’s table. Not much better, but desperate times…”

I knew about that all too well. Desperate measures and I were becoming good friends.

28

I found Xander sitting on the beach, staring out into the moonlit horizon. Resting his elbows on his knees, he looked as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Hey,” I said, tucking the skirt of my toga under my legs. I plopped down next to him.

He glanced over at me. “Where’s Ione?”

“Asleep,” I said, scrunching my toes into the sand, still damp from the retreating tide.

About a mile away, the sound of music and laughter carried along the shore, proving once again this was the island that never slept.

Leaning over, I nudged Xander’s shoulder with mine. “I have a request.”

“Oh yeah?” He raised a brow, looking amused. “What’s your request?”

“Can we take a beat away from all this curse stuff? Since I met you, it’s been one doom and gloom revelation after another, and I think we’ve met our quota. We’re officially maxed out.”

One corner of his mouth curved. “All true, damsel.”

“Then let’s let it go for now, or at least until we’re back at Arcadia.”

“What would you like to talk about in the meantime?”

“I don’t know. Anything.” I grinned. “Tell me your favorite color, if you feel like it. I don’t know anything about you.”

Since we met, Xander and I had never had a normal everyday conversation. Everything always revolved around our pasts, around this curse, and his oath to my mother. I didn’t even know who he was outside of that.

He stared hard at me for several seconds.

For a second, I thought he would let it all go. For a second, I thought he might actually tell me about himself. But I should’ve known better.

He let out a breath, all traces of humor disappearing from his face. “We’re not doing that, Sheridan. Go back to bed.”

I blinked. “Why not?”

“It’s as you said—you and I are allies, not friends. We help each other because we’re tied to each other. We talk about what we need to talk about. That’s it.” He steered his attention back to the ocean, dismissing me entirely.

My heart pounded in my ears. His words had done what they’d intended, cutting me straight to the bone. I kept forgetting all of