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

She waved me off. “About a year ago, his representative contacted me about it. However, I only confirmed what he already knew.” She leaned forward. “But that doesn’t explain why you’re here. Something else must have happened.”

I sighed. “When we exited our last portal, it was a trap. Risten Brightmare, Zofie’s cousin, has been possessed by a Dark Avenyts named Lilith.” I looked down. “She’s been trying to stop us.”

Kaleefah nodded and rubbed her chin. Another gesture that didn’t seem entirely natural for her. “Which means this Lilith is trying to get the key for herself.” She sat up straighter. “Oddfrid must have realized this and thankfully made it very difficult to follow your trail.”

I hesitated but went ahead and revealed our suspicions. “That’s the third time she’s found us. We’re afraid she’s somehow tracking us.”

Kaleefah shrugged. “She will not find you here unless we allow it.”

Fumiko spoke up for the first time. “But hasn’t that happened already? That one,” she pointed an accusing finger at Cabrina. “She’s got to be reporting where we are.”

“Possible. But she is not the one revealing your location.”

Fumiko leaned back in surprise. “Then who?”

The elder looked over her shoulder at her daughter and said something in a hissing language that I was sure my human mouth could not replicate. The girl jumped up, immediately ran to the side of the room, and just as quickly returned. To my surprise, she placed a hair comb in her mother’s hand.

The elder rose and then moved to kneel behind Zofie.

Fumiko and I both jumped up in alarm.

Kaleefah gave us one of her unnerving smiles. “Do not worry. I will not harm the princess.”

Under our watchful eyes, she carefully took down Zofie’s hair, spread it out, and began to gently comb through it.

I couldn’t contain myself any longer. “What exactly are you doing?”

She didn’t look up from her task. “Combing her hair.”

I blinked in puzzlement. The next question was forming on my lips when Kaleefah stopped, and with her other hand, plucked something out of Zofie’s hair. The elder smiled.

“This is what’s revealing your location,” she said. “It’s called a myst louse.” She placed something on what would be the palm of her oddly jointed hand and held it out. All I could see was a tiny black dot with little fibers coming from it.

“Is it alive?” I asked.

Kaleefah shook her head. “No. It’s just a tiny seed that likes to stick to things. Just perfect for someone wanting to put a locater charm on it and place it on the person they want to track.”

Her daughter appeared beside her with a tiny clay pot, and Kaleefah carefully put it inside. The young one covered it and then quickly left the hut.

The elder gave me one of those unnerving smiles and then began to quickly refix Zofie’s hair. “My daughter will use coals from the fire to make sure it is destroyed.”

“You’re a myst seer, aren’t you. That’s why you could see it.”

She nodded, her deft fingers making quick work of the braid.

“But where did she get it from? Could Cabrina have done it?”

It only took a moment longer for her to finish the braid and recoil it atop her head, again placing the flower in her hair.

“She could have gotten it from anywhere. They are easy to place, and unless you know what to look for, difficult to find.” She looked at Cabrina and stared at her a moment. “Did you place it on the princess?” she demanded.

The youth shook her head.

Kaleefah’s eyes drew down. “Do you lie to me? I am of the eighth cothe,” she said sternly. “You will obey.”

Cabrina’s eyes went up in shock. She jumped up immediately and prostrated herself in front of Kaleefah. “No, mistress, I didn’t do it. My directive was to place the bracelet charms on the princess and Sir Coren. Nothing more.”

“What is your directive now?”

“I have none.”

Kaleefah held out her hand. “Unlikely. I must read you.”

Cabrina hesitated.

Kaleefah shouted. “Now!”

The youth shivered and looked up pitifully from her place in the dirt. “You won’t hurt her, will you?”

The elder’s downy hair gave a quick vibration and then she froze. Their exchange had been so intense, the sudden stop was unnerving.

Then Kaleefah seemed to soften, giving the youth one of her toothy smiles. “No child, I will not hurt your host. Nor will I hurt you. On that, you have my promise.”

Cabrina gingerly placed her hand in Kaleefah’s, who grasped it tightly. The two stared at each other for several heartbeats, and then the elder let her hand go. The youth stood silently and returned to her place.

Kaleefah turned to me. “It is as she says. She did not place the louse on the princess. She also really doesn’t have any directives. That is unusual, but not unheard of.”

I stared at Kaleefah with wide eyes. “You’re a Dark Avenyts?”

She rolled her eyes. “Hardly. I have what you humans refer to as a Light Avenyts. I have always thought it humorous that you refer to them as being dark and light, depending on how they go about perfecting you.”

I held up my hand. “Wait, you mean to tell me there is more than one kind?”

She considered my question. “More than one kind is not really the correct way to think about it. It’s more of a thought pattern. An idea. A difference in opinion. Both of which fulfill their basic purpose.”

“Which is?” I asked.

She smiled. “To make the hosts better.” She paused and looked at each of us in turn before finally continuing. “Of course, better is subject to interpretation.”

No one spoke as the information sank in.

I licked my lips. “So which one have we been talking to? The Avenyts or