Page 29 of Cursebreaker

But what neither Morana nor the Underling general know is that in underestimating me, they’ve given me an advantage.

I smile, slipping Owen’s playing card into my pocket. “Something like that.”

Soft pink light filters in through the cracked door of the railcar when Will’s knuckles brush my cheek, stirring me from a deep, dreamless sleep.

“Good morning,” he murmurs, his warm, deep voice crackling like the dying embers of a fire.

I sit up, capturing his hand in both of mine. “You’re awake!” I search his face for any sign of an attack, but find only pallid skin, sweat, and the faint traces of dark, pulsing lesions squirming beneath his freckles like shadowy worms. My pulse calms as I take in the rest of my surroundings to find Margaret, Jack, Henry, and Gabriel are all awake and unharmed.

Will grins, revealing his dimples, but his eyes are glassy with unshed tears. “I’m sorry for scaring you,” he says, his expression turning serious. “Henry told me about the card.”

A pit forms in my stomach. “It’s nothing to worry about,” I whisper. “I have a plan.”

There—that familiar intelligent gleam in his eyes, that glittering amusement. “Why am I not surprised?”

The metal door groans as Gabriel opens it halfway. “Nearly there,” he says, his voice gruff as he flicks a glance at Will. “If we wait much longer, we’ll be too close to base camp.”

Will dips his head, moving as if to stand, but his legs tremble beneath him, a cord in his neck bulging as he attempts to get to his feet. I grit my teeth and lift him as I rise, positioning myself under his arm for support.

“Would it kill you to ask for help?” I say, teasing him with words he said to me when I first arrived at Bludgrave all those months ago.

He half-coughs, half-chuckles as he plants a chaste kiss on my forehead and whispers, “Thank you.”

Gabriel clears his throat.

Will’s lips twitch as he gestures at the dry, barren landscape whizzing past the open door. “After you.”

I don’t have time to think about whether I like the idea of jumping from a moving train or not. One by one we leap, first Jack, then Margaret, Henry, me, Will, and finally, Gabriel. I land hard on my right side, and a sharp pain shoots up my elbow. Will rolls expertly, but he stirs up a cloud of red dust as he attempts to scramble upright, and when Jack and Henry quickly haul him to his feet, even Gabriel winces, as if he were contemplating offering his assistance as well.

The six of us regroup under the cover of a large cluster of rocks where the tracks curve, concealing us from view.

Will, still wheezing for breath, notices me rubbing my elbow and inclines his head, his hand outstretched. “May I?”

I hesitate, but his crestfallen expression breaks my resolve. “Sure,” I say with a small smile.

Slowly, gently, he places his hand on my right forearm, and not only does the pain in my elbow relent, but the tension in my shoulders, neck, and back fades at his touch. Warmth flows through my veins, settling the constant churn of my stomach and easing the throbbing sensation at my temples. At the brush of his fingertips, I feel strong. Healthy. As if I had never been bruised, or broken, or ill. As if I had never been cursed.

“Thank you,” I murmur as he withdraws his hand.

His eyelashes flutter, casting dark shadows on his pale cheeks. “Of course.”

Meanwhile, Margaret checks Jack for any signs of injury while he brushes the dirt from her shoulders. Henry favors his recently healed leg as he leans against a boulder looking sullen, and Gabriel takes a swig out of his canteen, not bothering to hide the fact that he’s scrutinizing Will’s and my every movement.

I take the compass from my pocket, the scorching white sun reflecting off the polished gold face.

“No need.” Will cups his hand over his eyes to survey his surroundings. “I know this place. If I remember correctly, there’s a cave nearby, just over this ridge,” he says. “It’s a bit of a trek, but it will be good shelter for the night.”

Gabriel looks at me, brows raised, as if waiting for me to give an order contrary to what Will’s just said. But how can I argue with Will? He knows the Burning Lands better than anyone—he’s spent ample time along Hellion’s border. Gabriel’s knowledge of the abandoned manor and the train schedule were the result of information he picked up spying as a Bloodknight. Will’s knowledge comes from lived experience.

I gnaw on the inside of my cheek even as I lift my chin, attempting to inject some of Mother’s authority into my voice. “Why not head for the Burning Lands now?”

Will wipes sweat from his forehead. “We’ll have just missed the changing of the guards. Tomorrow at dawn—that’s our best shot to sneak through the barrier while the patrols are switching shifts.”

Gabriel’s eyes narrow. “What about tonight? Slip through under the cover of darkness?”

Will shakes his head. “Underling activity is more volatile after the sun goes down. We stand a better chance at escaping the Burning Lands with our lives if we wait until morning.”

I look between the two of them, tapping my fingers on the hilts of my daggers as I consider Will’s proposal.