Page 65 of Blood Curse

Bryony stopped striking the wall.

She grabbed the Crown with her bloody hand.

The silver points cut her fingers. She pulled anyway, forcing space between the metal and her scalp. Her face tightened with pain. A rough sound escaped her throat.

The pressure on my arm faltered.

“Don’t tear it free,” I said.

She pulled in a breath.

“I…”

The Crown clamped down. Blood ran into her hair.

The dagger pushed another fraction into my chest.

“You can stop the attempt,” I said. “Leave the Crown where it is. Take back the order.”

Her eyes found mine.

I could feel her fear. I didn’t need magic to recognise it. She had the spring behind her, the answer we had risked everything to reach, and one chance to keep it working.

All she had to do was let the command finish.

Bryony released the Crown.

She planted both feet on the bottom of the basin and forced her head upright.

“I revoke…” Her voice broke.

My arm jerked. The point entered far enough to draw blood.

“Bryony, look at me.”

She did.

“The spring can wait.”

Her expression cleared.

“I revoke the order,” she said.

The chain broke.

My hand opened. The dagger struck the rim and fell onto the grass outside the basin.

Elias kicked the wrapped cloth over it before dropping beside me. “How deep?”

“Barely through the skin.”

“Move your hand.”

I did. A small line of blood marked my chest. It wasn’t heartblood. The dagger had touched me, but Bryony had stopped it before it reached the place the curse wanted.

Mara stayed braced against the gate. “Can either of you hear another order?”

“I can hear the Crown,” Bryony said. Her voice shook, but it belonged to her. “It isn’t commanding anyone.”