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

“You don’t...” I broke off as I caught something out of the corner of my eye. But turning toward it, I didn’t see anything. I shook my head and mumbled. “I thought I saw something.”

And then I did see it—a single tiny flash of pale yellow light. I looked closer and saw a speck bobbing in the air flying gently toward us. It briefly glowed again. A firefly? In the middle of winter?

I snorted and turned back to my companions, preparing to point out the oddity. But Fumiko’s expression stopped me cold—her eyes were wide, her spoon paused mid-way to her mouth, and her pale skin seemed even paler. The spoon began to tremble.

Zofie noticed it too and put a hand on her friend’s arm. “What’s wrong?”

The firefly continued its approach. Suddenly, Fumiko stood, upsetting her chair and knocking her soup bowl to the floor where it shattered. Fumiko looked like she would run if only her feet would allow it.

The firefly paused in its flight at the foot of the table and slowly bobbed up and down. “Your highness,” it said. “My humblest apologies for interrupting your meal. This messenger requests an audience.” The voice’s accent was similar to Fumiko’s. It was the gravelly voice of a man, and from its tone, one used to dealing with nobility.

Captain Milner quickly stood and drew his sword while I felt Rourke gathering his myst.

I smiled. They weren’t the only ones with weapons now. I had my curse. And he was unlocked. For the longest time, most of Abe’s capabilities had been sealed under a passphrase, which I had only recently been able to figure out (with a lot of help from Fumiko).

“Abe,” I whispered. “What is that thing?”

Looks like a firefly to me, came his booming voice inside my head.

Zofie glanced in my direction, hearing Abe’s side of the conversation.

I hid my mouth behind my hand. “I can see that. There must be a charm or curse on it.”

I don’t smell a curse, but it might be a charm since fireflies don’t usually talk.

I was still getting used to Abe’s new abilities. “Can you show me?”

I don’t have anything better to do.

My vision changed. Over my normal view of the world, I saw a glowing web stretching across the room—multi-colored lines in varying levels of intensity and complexity. I looked at Zofie and could see her familiar network of blue lines and the bright glow of her curse mark. I also saw similar lines on the other humans in the room. But when I looked to the firefly, it seemed enmeshed in a tiny dark green web with a single line stretching off into the distance.

The view wasn’t much help. I was still trying to figure out what the colors and glows meant. And although he would never admit it, Abe was at a loss to assist. I really wished his creator had left some sort of reference to help me.

I sighed. It must be a charm because it didn’t have a glow like a curse. Which meant it was not a Dark Avenyts, although that didn’t mean it wasn’t dangerous.

Zofie stood. She leaned forward and put both hands on the table. I could see the irritation on her face. “This is a grave breach of protocol. Normally, visitors petition for an audience, and then only to appear at court. Not in my dining hall.”

“My humblest apologies, Princess Zophia Olwenna Xernow. My name is Tusita Yonge, and I am the Imperial Advisor for his Brightness, Emperor Huang. I am speaking to you through this avatar from his palace in Xiangwei City. I am contacting you this way since time is of the essence. I can provide the necessary validation of my identity should you need it.”

Zofie looked puzzled. “The Kuijia Empire? What does the empire want with us?”

The insect flew a little closer. “His Brightness has commanded we contact you. We have heard the Dark Avenyts have once again appeared in our world and are seeking out the ancient artifacts which protected us. A lot of knowledge has been lost since we last fought them, but as you’re likely aware, the weapons of that conflict were spread across the world to prevent any one kingdom from gathering too much power. The Kuijia Empire was entrusted with one of them. For a thousand years now, it has been locked safely away in an impenetrable vault. But no vault is perfect. We recently ascertained that they know we possess one of those ancient artifacts. We fear that if they can access the vault, they may be able to open it. And this artifact is a most powerful one that must be protected at all costs. The emperor has decided that the best strategy is to hide it once again.”

Zofie looked puzzled. “So, why do you need us? Why not just move it.”

“To do that, we need the key to the vault. And your ruler of the time was entrusted with it. We would like for you to give us the Griffin’s Key.”

Zofie and I exchanged a glance. That was the second time today someone had mentioned that artifact. It was the same one Lilith had been asking about. What was this thing?

Zofie shook her head. “That seems risky. Wouldn’t it be better to leave it in place?”

“We considered that but felt it safer to move it.”

“And what does the artifact in the vault do?”

The firefly continued to bob up and down. “We’re not sure what its purpose was. That information has been lost. But we do know it was a most important artifact and is somehow connected to all the others.”

Zofie stared at the firefly for a moment. I had a good idea of what she was pondering. It seemed odd that they wouldn’t even know what they were protecting. Then again,