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

We walked on in silence until we came to the crypt entrance, guarded by a single heavy door. It had ornate symbols around the edges, some I recognized and some I didn’t. But the one in the center, larger than the others, was easy to make out. It was the crest of the Xernow family. The Griffin.

Zofie laid a hand on the door. “Gatekeeper,” she said. “It is time. Will you open for me?”

I noticed movement on the floor, and looking down, I saw the dust move and churn, settling into words.

PASSAGE GRANTED, XERNOW HEIR, they spelled out.

Zofie stepped back, and I reached for a myst lantern hanging on the wall nearby. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was the same Gatekeeper that had protected the secret entrance to the castle. Zofie had spoken to it and persuaded it to let us enter. That time, it had used vines to communicate its message. And when Zofie had gone ahead, it had grabbed my arm and given me a private message that I hadn’t understood. Something about the first Thief of Curses being a traitor and me having to make a choice. But as to exactly what choice, that was a little vague. I couldn’t see myself ever going against Zofie, so I was little worried about it.

As I lit the light and turned back, the words on the floor had once again changed. GIVE THEM MY GREETINGS.

I frowned. Even the blasted door knew what Zofie was up to.

With a puff of air that scattered the letters on the floor, the massive door slowly opened. Zofie stepped forward, and I quickly followed, holding the lantern high so we could see.

The passage got narrower as we encountered the first residents of the crypt. Zofie didn’t pause, instead moving slowly past them and deeper inside. The darkness stretched along the corridor before us, our passing creating a bubble of light moving deeper into the vast deepness. Large stone blocks had been set into the floor and walls, while along the sides of the wide tunnel, were person-sized sarcophagi. Over each of them were statues of men and women looking stately and wise. The figures were briefly illuminated as we passed, but the darkness behind us quickly swallowed them once more.

She turned and walked backward for a moment talking to me. “I guess I need to explain what we’re doing here. You see, after Mother passed away, my father and I started a tradition to visit Mother on her birthday.” She turned back around and resumed walking. “It just seemed more appropriate than visiting on the day she died since that was Wynn’s birthday. Every year, we would visit, just Risten, Wynn, Father, and I. We would lay out a small meal, setting one extra place for Mother. Then we would take turns telling of important things that had happened to us during the year, like Wynn losing a tooth, or Risten learning a new sword skill, or me, coming into my myst powers.”

“But a picnic?” I asked.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “If you’re going to be my husband, you’re going to have to learn some of our traditions.”

I shook my head. “I’m all right with family traditions, like how to decorate during the Day of the New or how one exchanges gifts. But Zofie, we’re going to have a picnic in a tomb?”

She suddenly paused and turned to me, planting a quick kiss on my lips. “It’s important to me. This helps me feel... connected. I wanted to share it with you, and hopefully, you’ll get to know my parents better.”

I took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I am honored you have included me.” I smiled. “Now, let’s say hello to your parents.”

She grinned, and we resumed walking forward. After a bit, I began to recognize some of the statues. Zofie had brought me here before when we were sneaking into the castle. It was hard to believe that it had only been a few weeks ago. It seemed like forever.

Zofie called over her shoulder. “Mother and Father are just up ahead.”

Then two things happened at once: Zofie abruptly stopped, while Abe suddenly shouted into my head.

Coren!

I winced at the loud booming. It felt like he had rattled my brain.

“What is it?” I asked.

There’s a Dark Avenyts ahead!

I nearly panicked. A Dark Avenyts? Here? In the castle?

Up ahead, I saw a shadow that didn’t belong. There was movement and then the gradual illumination from a small lantern. Slowly brightening light revealed a lone woman leaning against the sarcophagi of Zofie’s mother. She wore dark pants, a white shirt, and a leather vest topped off with a broad-brimmed hat. The light was too dim to make out her face, but from her posture, I knew in an instant who it was.

“Risten?” exclaimed Zofie in disbelief.

The woman ahead shifted and raised her head, catching enough illumination to reveal Risten’s smiling face. Only the expression wasn’t from the Risten I knew. It was from something else. Something which twisted her smile into a mocking sneer. It was the final confirmation of the tragedy we had seen through the Mirror of Bygone Tears. Even though it was Risten’s body, I knew it best not to even think of her that way. My experience with Fumiko had taught me how disarming they could be.

I also knew we were in deep trouble. If I pulled my sword, she would kill us both before it could clear the scabbard. Risten was that good.

Zofie raised her chin defiantly. “No, you’re not Risten. You might wear her body, but you’re not her.”

The woman nodded. “And she does have an amazing body. Unfortunately, a little short in the myst area—barely enough to sustain me. But, you can’t have everything.” She smiled. “To make things easier, call me