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“It was fucking weird, wasn’t it?” Kai said. Goodness, he was being petulant, but I liked it. Sometimes alpha posturing wasn’t all bad.
“I really do apologize. I am at a complete loss,” Aodin said with a groan, leaning backward onto the table. “The meeting was going so well, and he isn’t normally like that. I’m sure we’ll hear from them again once things cool down.”
“You know what?” Kai interjected, our bond telling me he was still much more worked up about the whole display than I was. “I need to go for a run.”
Oh, a run? More importantly, I got the impression it would be a wolf run. We hadn’t done that together since the palace, and the idea was incredibly appealing.
“Would you like to come with me?”
Those deep, chocolate eyes of his slid over to me, and I wanted to say yes so much so, but something about Oliver’s reaction gave me doubts I needed to address, and unfortunately, there was only one person on the island of Blath who I knew could help me with it.
“I think I’ve had enough wolf time today,” I said, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Gods, it was so wonderful to just be able to do something like that out in the open without worrying about someone seeing us. “I have some things I need to do. Could you swing by Oren’s? I’m sure he’d be happy to run with you.”
Kai gave a resolute nod. I loved that he understood my reluctance. He really was such a considerate mate. “That’s a great idea. I’ll see you later tonight, then?”
“Sounds great.”
He gave me his own kiss, then headed out. Aodin offered me an escort to the cottage, but I told him I wasn’t quite ready to head there and was fine on my own. He said his polite goodbye, then I headed out on my own to none other than Luci’s house.
“Hey there, child. I haven’t seen you in a few days. Got used to having you around here.”
I grinned at the older woman. If I was lucky enough to ever get to her age, I hoped I was like her. “Hey. I was wondering if you’d be willing to help me with something?”
“Of course, dear. But you know you can visit at times when you don’t need something, right?”
Whoops, that was a gentle reproach, but she was right. I couldn’t just socialize with people when I wanted them to do something for me. That was hollow and false. It was one thing when I had no choice but to distance myself from everyone I met, but that was a habit I needed to break.
“Sorry.”
“It’s all right, dear. I know you haven’t exactly walked the easiest road,” Luci said as she led me back into her house. I hadn’t been back since my curse, and honestly, the place felt just as much like a new home as Tove’s cottage did. “So, tell me what it is you need.”
“I was hoping you could do a magical scan on me. See if my curse is as contained as it should be?”
“All right, that shouldn’t be too hard. Come, sit in the kitchen and I’ll brew some tea.”
I wasn’t exactly in the mood for that, but I wasn’t going to turn the older woman down since I was already imposing on her. Besides, it wouldn’t be so bad to get to know her more.
Luci moved at her own speed, but I didn’t find myself growing impatient. I was actually enjoying just sitting in her old-fashioned kitchen, listening to her talk about her day and spell supplies, as well as the wild things she’d gotten up to during the party. It was nice, in an utterly banal way.
But eventually, our tea was drunk, and the snacks she brought out were eaten, leaving my hands in hers as she closed her eyes and started her scan.
It was fascinating to watch another healer do a diagnostic. I’d only ever been on the giving end rather than the receiving, and I could feel her magic working through me.
“Goodness,” she said when she was done as she sat back and fanned her face. “I thought you were shining brightly before when you were injured, but you’re practically blinding now.” She pinched her nose, and I got the feeling she was only slightly exaggerating. “Would have gotten a migraine if I stayed in there much longer.”
As amusing as that was, I could only manage a light chuckle. “What about the curse?”
“What curse?” I gave her a look, and she cackled. “Sorry. Let an old woman get her kicks in where she can. But to answer your question, as far as I can tell, that nasty curse you had is all tied up with your new curse, and it’s feeding off the… what did you call it?”
“Malignant Shadow.”
“Right. Well, the curse-eating-curse is indeed feeding on the Malignant Shadow, but this isn’t a permanent solution.”
I leaned forward at that, more than concerned. “What do you mean?”
“Eventually, this curse you’ve made is going to completely consume the Malignant Shadow… assuming you live long enough, that is. It’ll need to feed on something after that, so you’ll need to think of something to fuel it. Otherwise, it’s going to look to you. Whether that be your magic or your soul or your lifeforce, it’s not going to be pretty.”
I swallowed hard. I supposed I hadn’t really thought the whole thing through as far as I should have, because that possibility hadn’t even crossed my mind. “But if I were to actually kill the person who made the Malignant Shadow, that would take the new curse away with it, right?”
