Page 27 of A Castle of Broken Memories

“It’s a plan, then,” I said before anyone could offer an alternative suggestion. “Mari and I will scout the other rooms and report back when we’re done.” And I’d find a way to keep up with her if it killed me.

One of Mari’s little fangs poked out as she worried her bottom lip, a habit of hers I’d often teased her about. Mostly because I found her mini-vamp fangs to be ridiculously adorable. And sensitive. Gods, the noises she’d make when I ran my tongue over their tips…

“There’s something else we should probably consider,” Mariana murmured, her face scrunched up in thought.

I swallowed, forcing my own thoughts from the gutter. “What’s that?”

“Well, this castle has obviously fallen under some kind of curse, right? One most likely cast around the time the storm barrier first set in, cutting this place off from the rest of the forest and potentially eliminating an entire species of giants.”

“Potentially?” Calum interjected. “Do you think the giants could still be alive after all these years?”

Mariana shrugged. “I have no idea. But what I do know are curses. And the number one rule of any curse is that there’s always a way for it to be broken.” She frowned. “Only, that usually requires an understanding of the curse itself. Such as how it was cast and why.” She arched a brow in my direction. “I don’t suppose you’ve stumbled across any insights while living here?”

“No, I…” I didn’t know anything. Hadn’t tried to know. After I realized the front door was well and truly locked, my sole focus had turned to survival and hopefully finding another way out. Without the aid of magic, I wouldn’t have had much luck breaking the curse even if I had made any pertinent discoveries. But now Mariana was here, and Mariana had magic.

Magic that could break the curse.

Magic that could actually free us from this place.

Threads of hope stretched through my chest, knitting together in a growing ball of excitement while the others’ seeming lack of concern over being trapped in this place finally began to make sense. They weren’t just faking bravado, they truly believed they’d find a way out. I might actually see my home again. My family.

Feelings I’d stubbornly kept at bay until now washed over me in a tsunami of hope and pain and everything in between. This is really happening.

Mariana’s fingers gently brushed my jaw. “There are other ways of dealing with the curse,” she continued, her voice notably softer in the hushed room. “Assuming we can’t determine its origin. The magic is a little trickier to work, but if we could get our hands on some kind of magical artifact, it’s possible I could draw the curse out of the castle and contain it inside the object.” She glanced up at me, her gaze warily searching my face. No doubt worried I was going to completely break down and start sobbing. “Do you, um, know of anything like that? Jack?”

I cleared my throat, unsuccessfully attempting to smooth the roughness from my voice. “Not off the top of my head, but I know someone who might—Harp.”

“The enchanted instrument who moonlights as a stylist?” Tenebris asked.

“That’s the one.”

“Ooh, I can’t wait to meet her,” he crowed.

I blinked away the last of my would-be tears before throwing him a patronizing look. “Aw, sorry little buddy, but the ballroom is a bit far for you. Best stick to the plan and stay here where your babysitter can keep an eye on you.”

“Yikes. Someone’s cranky after not getting laid in over a decade,” Tenebris replied, raking his gaze up and down my person with exaggerated pity.

“Fuck you, Tentacles.”

He barked a laugh, one leg slowly crossing over the other. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“I’d rather take a stroll with the night wings, ass⁠—”

“Enough,” Mariana interrupted. She gave us each a long, hard look. “It’s been a long day, and we’re all feeling a little on edge, so let’s just go to sleep. You can pick your bickering back up tomorrow once we’re rested.” She nudged Tenebris’s side. “Now move. You’re sleeping on the floor.”

“What?” Tenebris pouted. “But I thought we were gonna snuggle.”

Mariana flipped him the bird. “Snuggle this.”

I chuckled, happily settling onto the hard-packed dirt floor while Calum shifted over to make room for Tenebris. Oh yeah. Those two are most definitely not together.

Which meant I still had a chance.

16

It was the longest night of my life. After we’d all claimed our sleeping spaces, Calum proceeded to ask Jack about the various beasties he’d encountered over the years, and knowing there were rooms where shadow snakes dangled from tree branches while they waited to wrap around your neck and choke you to death was more than a little unsettling. Add in the constant scritch-scratch of wings scraping the sides of the shelter and the knowledge that Jack was sleeping mere feet away from where I lay curled up, and it was ages before I was able to drift off.

And yet I still found my eyes popping open at the first streak of light.