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

hawk-like intensity. The young lad would occasionally glance in her direction, but then quickly divert his eyes in the ‘I want to look at you, but I’m too embarrassed’ way youths do. And her attention wasn’t helping. I could almost see the boy’s nervous sweat.

Spraggel opened the door, the chill air drifting in around him. “That’s why I’ll leave dealing with her to you.” He grinned mischievously and then slipped outside.

I couldn’t help but smile. I guess I had helped create the situation. I had forbidden her from speaking to anyone, or we would further restrict her movements. It looked like she was dying to talk with him but was trying to honor our agreement. Or at least the letter of it.

“Breakfast does sound good,” I said and went to Zofie and helped her stand. I pulled a few bits of straw from her hair. I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

I turned toward the young girl. “Want to come with me, Cabrina?”

Her eyes flicked from me to the boy and back. She knew she had to come with me, but didn’t want to leave.

I motioned her over. She gave me a curious look but quickly rose and came up to me. I bent and whispered in her ear. “Do you want to talk to the young man?”

Her eyes went wide in surprise. She nodded.

“You’ve done what we’ve asked, so I’ll let you for just a moment. Just remember not to embarrass the young lady inside of you.”

She nodded. “She’s the one that wants to talk to him, but she’s too embarrassed. I don’t think I’ll ever understand humans.” She shook her head. “You have to talk with someone to find out if they’re a suitable mate, yet you’re afraid to talk to them because they might be.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll understand one day.”

I smiled. “If you ever figure it out, please explain it to me.”

She grinned. Then she almost skipped over to where the young man was bruising himself with cleaning the animal’s pen. “Hello,” she said.

He didn’t pay her any attention. Cabrina went to stand in front of him, so he had to notice her.

“My name is Cabrina. What’s yours?”

He shook his head and made an exaggerated shrug. He then said something in his language which none of us understood.

I sighed sadly, realizing she was going to be disappointed.

Cabrina gave him a puzzled look and then looked toward me.

“He doesn’t speak our language,” I said.

“Can you teach it to me?” she asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know this one. Besides, it takes a long time to learn a language, and we won’t be here that long.”

Cabrina’s face fell. Then surprisingly, she looked to the side, which meant she was having an internal conversation with the girl inside. She suddenly smiled and refocused on the boy. She reached out and grabbed his hand. He looked up at her in surprise before a bright violet light gathered around her.

My eyes went wide in shock. “Don’t!” I yelled, dropping the bag I held and starting toward her.

But she didn’t stop. Instead, she whispered, “I curse you... with myself.”

The violet glow intensified, nearly blinding me and enveloping both her and the boy.

I touched the restraining amulet around my neck, the words to activate it forming on my lips.

The glow hadn’t even faded, before the boy whispered in perfect Ellish, “I curse you... to return.”

The violet glow flared again, once more enveloping them.

“Bind!” I yelled. Her hands instantly went together at the wrists, and she fell to her knees.

“Oww!” she wailed. “What did you do that for?”

“You cursed him!” I yelled back. “I thought I could trust you.”

She looked up at me angrily. “It was her idea. Not mine. Besides, I was only there a moment.” She lowered her head. She sniffled and spoke more quietly. “Can you loosen these up a bit? They’re hurting her.”

Behind me, I heard the boy saying something. “What just happened?”

I turned to face him, and he was looking at me quite puzzled. “I’m sorry. Our companion is a myst user, and she did something she wasn’t supposed to.”

He looked down at his hands. “I felt something in my head for a moment. Something hot. It was really strange.” He gave me a puzzled look. “So both of you actually can speak my language.”

Then it hit me. I shook my head in disbelief. “I’m not speaking your language. You’re speaking mine.” I looked to Cabrina. “You gave him our language?”

She looked up from where she knelt. “Of course I did, you stupid human!” There were tears in her eyes. “How else was I supposed to talk to him? I can perfect people, so I perfected him. You said I could talk with him, and she told me to do it.”

“She?” I asked.

“You know, the Cabrina inside. Talk to her if you don’t believe me.” And suddenly, Cabrina’s expression changed. I instinctively knew I was talking to the owner of the girl’s body.

“Don’t b-b-lame No-name,” she said. Her stutter was worse due to the excitement. “It’s my fault. I’m the one that told her to do it.”

I blinked in astonishment. “She’s doing what you tell her?”

The youth shrugged. “W-w-why wouldn’t she? It’s my b-body, and she has no other d-directives. She’s tried to give control to me several times, but I’ve... refused.” She looked down. “I don’t stutter if she talks.”

I considered her for a moment. “Release,” I finally said, and Cabrina’s bonds let go. She sighed in relief and sat up, rubbing her wrists.

I looked up at the boy, who was concerned, but unsure what to make of our exchange. “Everything is all right now,” I said. “Consider the ability to speak our language a gift. Our companion wanted to talk with