With a sharp motion, I clutched the grimoire to my chest, stood up, and rushed to the cold pantry. Goose bumps prickled my skin. The air was freezing. Or perhaps it was impatience, tingling in my fingertips. My apron suddenly felt too tight.
My dearest Lempicka,
If you are reading these words, it means you have become a true confectioner. And this, my beautiful apprentice, is proof that you are a far greater confectioner than I could ever be. Part of me had hoped you would never choose this path, that you would forget me, but the other… is immensely proud of you and of your courage.
I closed my fingers over the grimoire’s rigid cover, as if Nyla were whispering to me through the paper. Her gentle, steady voice carried a warmth whose absence suddenly felt heavier than ever.
I am sorry I left so abruptly, but you must know the truth. The evil sorcerer from whom I stole Aignan found us again. To protect you and him, I sought the Wish Witch. Never bargain with magic, Lempicka; its price is always greater than it appears.
The witch granted my wish. But in exchange for your safety, she bound me to her service for eternity. I will never return, my dear child, and for that, I am deeply sorry. My heart is forever with you both.
Protect your own, Lempicka. Doubt, fear, and insecurity allow magic to corrupt us. Do not weep for me. You and Aignan gave me the greatest joy a lonely soul could ever hope for.
As you know, Aignan is the result of that sorcerer’s experiments. He wanted to create an army of Cursed. Weaker Cursed, whom he could control and wield as weapons with sucremort. When faced with mortal danger, they would transform into a destructive being. At least Category Seven. But in doing so, he damned them. Once their task was completed, their transformation would kill them.
Never tell him this… unless your life depends on it.
I know how much you want to make others happy, but remember that your own happiness must always come first.
I closed the grimoire with infinite care, my tears spilling onto the leather.
“Nyla…” I whispered, pressing it to my chest. “You sacrificed everything for us.”
The witch’s poison had broken Nyla’s heart. Just as I had let the witch curse me and exploit Arawn’s cracks. Never again. I would protect those I loved. I froze for a moment in silence, until the kitchen door burst open under a frenzied assault of hooves and paws, nearly coming off its hinges.
“Lempicka!” boomed Aignan’s voice. “What are you doing? Open up!”
I shoved my grimoire into the basket of golden apples, opened the door, and before I could say a word, Éclair threw his arms around me in an awkward hug, Aignan barreled into me, and Chouquette leaped onto my shoulder.
“Careful with the pastry!” I cried, laughing despite myself.
My gaze caught Arawn’s, standing on the threshold. His breath was short, his figure taut, as if he had run all the way to the kitchen. He fixed his eyes on me for a moment, and then a smile slowly stretched across his lips.
And for the first time, the sun broke through the morning mist.
Part V: The Witch’s Castle
31
The first harvest of winter was a day of celebration. A moment of festivity, of laughter, of golden apples glittering under the last rays of the sun, promising prosperity for the year ahead.
ARAWN
“Are you truly certain of this?” I asked, leaning against a gnarled tree, tilting my head.
Lempicka didn’t move, but her feet dug deeper into the ground, where the first snow had begun to fall, melting instantly into the earth. She held her glass jar as if it were both sword and shield. Frost already gnawed at the grass, and the biting air turned every breath into a wisp of mist.
One cycle was ending. Another was about to begin.
Yeun, always so eager to offer his unsolicited wisdom, crackled. “This is a dreadful idea!”
“For once, I agree with the talking campfire,” grumbled the lamb, pressing a hoof against his mistress’s leg, ears pinned back. “Zelda outmatches you in every way. It’s too dangerous.”
I ignored them. I hadn’t invited them to this makeshift gathering outside the kitchen. My gaze was only on her. That new light around her heart, cleansed of the shadows that had smothered it for too long. A barrier had formed there. Solid. Brilliant. Unyielding.
“I will not let Zelda touch my soul,” she declared, stepping forward, chin raised. “She has no power over me anymore.”
I gestured toward the detached turret of the manor, floating above the frost-bitten ground. “Unfortunately, your companions will have to remain here. The weight of their curses is too heavy to carry.”
