Chapter Seven The Curse of True Love

Chapter Seven

The Curse of True Love

Samara

I woke to something tickling my nose.

When I opened my eyes, I found three pixies staring back at me. I startled for a moment, surprised by their presence, and rose to my elbows, but they also seemed surprised and darted back, their small wings whirring behind them. They had large eyes and long pointed ears, both seeming too large for their small, delicate faces. Each of them wore a tattered-looking dress made of oak leaves. One wore the cap of an acorn as a hat.

"Hello," I said, though I was slightly apprehensive, wondering what sort of mischief they might intend, but before I could say anything else, the fox leapt into the air and captured them in his mouth.

"Fox!" I shrieked. "Let them go!"

I scrambled after him. I wasn't sure what I intended to do, perhaps shake him until he opened his mouth. I grabbed his tufted tail, but I wasn't prepared for the bed to sway. I fell forward, and he slipped out of my grip.

"Fox!" I growled as I followed him over the edge of the bed, where I found him crouched down, his mouth vibrating, as if the pixies were fighting to get out. "Spit them out!" I said.

The fox opened his mouth, and out flew the three pixies. I could hear their high-pitched voices but understood nothing as they zipped around my head before darting off.

Finally, in the quiet, I put my hands on my hips and glared down at the fox.

"That was horribly rude," I said.

He coughed, and blood sprayed the floor.

"Fox?" I asked, taking a step closer and kneeling.

He coughed again and then sneezed, shaking his head before sitting back and looking at me.

"If you think that was rude, then you don't know pixies," he said.

He licked his paw while scrubbing his face.

I studied him for a few seconds more before letting my attention drift to my surroundings. In the chaos of waking, I hadn't had time to think about where I might be, but now I saw that I was in a tree. Sunlight streamed in through the surrounding branches where round beds hung, some small, some large.

I had never seen anything so strange.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"We are in the Kingdom of Larkspur," said the fox. "In the palace of Cardic, the second brother."

"Lore's brother?" I asked.

"Unfortunately," replied the fox.

"Why?"

"Who can say what the Prince of Poison was thinking," said the fox. "But I suspect he thought you would be more comfortable sleeping in a bed than on the forest floor."

That was…thoughtful given that the last thing I remembered before drifting off was his anger. I lifted my hand to my hair, touching the comb the goblin king had given me.

"Keep it, wild one," said the fox. "You will need it."

I wanted to ask why exactly I would need a comb but decided against it. I was rarely ever given anything, and I did not want to throw away the gift from the goblin king anyway, even if it did upset Lore, which I still did not understand.

Would I have been such a terrible choice ? he'd asked, but was it that he wanted to be my betrothed or that he wanted to ensure I would journey with him to the wishing tree?

Speaking of the Prince of Nightshade…

"Where is Lore?" I asked.

"Either dead or alive," said the fox. "Which, I do not know."

The fox's answer was unhelpful, but I suspected he knew that as he rose and trotted off down the hall. I followed him, entering what I guessed was the main entrance of Cardic's castle. It was beautiful. The walls were carved with intricate designs, with careful attention to the windows and doors, which were framed with leaves and flowers. A set of stairs was carved into the trunk, spiraling up and around. I craned my neck, wondering how far they went and what might dwell on the other levels of the palace, but dizziness overwhelmed me. I looked down, where the fox waited at my feet.

"Does Lore have a castle?" I asked, curious.

"He does," the fox confirmed.

"What does it look like?"

"I am certain I do not know," replied the fox.

I was surprised.

"If you have never been to his kingdom, how did you meet the prince?"

"We crossed paths while he was hunting. When he took aim at me, I asked him not to kill me, and in exchange, I would help him obtain his greatest desire."

I did not need to inquire after his greatest desire, because I already knew.

"Breaking the curse," I said.

The fox said nothing.

We continued down the adjacent hall. I considered shouting Lore's name, but that did not seem appropriate inside a castle, though neither did wandering around its halls without permission.

I paused at an open door to look for Lore but instead found rows of shelves that were packed from floor to ceiling with books. They were beautiful too, leather-bound with gilded spines. I had never seen so many. I took a step toward the room but stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong, wild one?"

"I don't want to intrude," I said, "or make anyone angry."

"They are just books," said the fox, skipping ahead.

I looked down the hall to see if anyone was coming before I stepped into the room. It smelled earthy and rich, and as I walked down one of the many aisles, I read the gilded titles and recognized none. I wondered what kind of books they were, if they belonged to the mortal world or the fae.

I started to reach for one, eager to hold it, to breathe in the scent of its pages, to read a story that would take me far from this place, when I heard a noise from somewhere in the room. It sounded like silverware clanking, which was odd given that this seemed to be a library.

I pulled my hand back and crept down the length of the aisle until I came to the end of the shelves, peeking around the corner to find a man sitting at a round table before a large set of arched windows. He looked like Lore but also didn't.

He was in the middle of biting into some kind of tart when he looked up at me, his eyes a stunning shade of amber.

When he saw me, he froze for a moment and then decided to bite into the tart anyway.

"You must be my brother's beast," he said as he chewed.

"I am not a beast," I said, stepping out from the cover of the shelves.

"I was talking to the fox," said the man. "Though perhaps I should be talking about you."

I did not know what to make of this man who was like Lore but also not.

"You must be Lore's brother," I said.

He rose from his chair and bowed, still holding the half-eaten tart in his hand.

"I am Cardic," he said. "Prince of Larkspur, the second brother."

My brows furrowed. "Why did you say that?"

"Say what?"

"Introduce yourself as the second brother?"

"Because the number designates our place in line," he replied. "Lore is the third brother, in case he did not tell you."

"To be king?"

"No, our father chose a different method for that. When we were together, it established who would eat first, who got the best horse, the nicest clothes. Everything other than the crown."

"And now that you are apart?"

"It reminds us of our resentment," he said, then gestured to a chair beside him. "Please, sit."

I hesitated and looked down at the fox, who was sitting patiently at my feet.

"Where is Lore?"

"Don't worry. When he discovers you are not in the bed where he left you, he will come looking for you. In the meantime, you should eat. I hear you have quite the journey ahead of you."

I shifted closer to the table. "You know about our journey?"

"Oh yes. You are going to break my brother's curse," Cardic said, though he was far more amused than I expected.

I sat down slowly. Cardic poured tea and then slid the cup and saucer closer to me.

"You…do not sound like you believe he is cursed?" I said.

Cardic held up a bowl in one hand and a pair of silver tongs. "Sugar?"

I hesitated, assuming he was ignoring my question.

"I…yes," I said. "Please."

He dropped a cube into my tea. "One or two?"

"One is plenty," I said. "Thank you."

"There is milk too," he said.

"Thank you," I said again. In the quiet that followed, I poured milk into my tea and stirred it with a polished spoon. Cardic was choosing pastries from a tiered tray.

"Do you like warm apples?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, thinking it strange that the Prince of Larkspur was serving me.

After a few seconds, he handed me a plate he had piled with fruits, sweet breads, cheeses, and meats.

"Thank you," I said again.

It was more food than I had ever seen in my life.

"You're welcome, beast," he said.

I looked down to see Fox again at my feet, and I bent to pick him up so that he could sit in my lap and share my food.

Cardic scowled. "Rats do not belong at the table."

"He is not a rat," I said, my tone bordering on terse. "He is a fox, and he is helping us on our journey."

The prince's mouth quirked. "Ah yes, the journey," he said. "To answer your question, I believe Lore thinks he is cursed."

"So…he isn't cursed?" I asked, confused.

Cardic shrugged. "Who is to say where love is concerned?"

"Love?" I asked.

"You do not know? He is cursed to be hopelessly in love with a woman who does not know he exists."

I could not describe the feeling that twisted through me, but it was violent. I dropped the piece of bread I'd just broken off. The fox was quick to devour it.

"What?"

"I see you did not know," said Cardic.

"He said he looked too long at an enchantress," I said. "I thought…I thought you could not lie."

"He isn't lying," said Cardic. "He fell in love at first sight."

"Why would he…not tell me?" I asked, but what I really wondered was why he would almost kiss me beneath the elfin hill. Why had he spoken of admiration while he carried me to Cardic's kingdom so I could sleep in a soft bed?

"Because he is embarrassed," said the prince.

Well, that made two of us.

"Who is she? This woman he loves. Is she truly an enchantress?"

"None of us know," said Cardic. "But he has loved her for the last seven years."

I sat quietly as pressure built behind my eyes. I realized it was ridiculous. I had not known Lore for long, but he had been kind, and I was so alone, I'd let him stir up feelings inside me that I should have kept locked away. This was just another reminder that no one would ever love me—and how could they? As my brothers had often said, I was nothing.

"Eat, beast," said Cardic. "I know you are hungry."

But I did not feel so hungry now.

"Do you know much about the wishing tree?" I asked.

"I know as much as anyone," he said.

"Can more than one wish be made?"

"If you can manage to pluck another apple from the tree," said Cardic.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"They say it is guarded by a fierce raven with silver claws and a beak as sharp as a blade."

"Did Lore know this?" I asked.

"I imagine he did," said Cardic. "We all know it."

Except me. I wondered when he was going to tell me. More, I wondered what he expected of me when we reached the wishing tree. He had made it sound as simple as picking an apple. Now, that did not seem to be the case.

"Oh dear," said Cardic.

I shifted my gaze to his.

"Have I hurt your feelings, beast?" he asked.

"I do not think you care whether you have hurt my feelings or not," I said. "Much like your brother."

"That is quite a rude assumption," said Cardic.

I held his gaze. "Then tell me it is a lie," I challenged.

The prince narrowed his eyes, though a smile played on his lips.

"I see you have learned some things during your time in Fairyland," he said.

"Not enough," I said. I should have known to guard my heart against the fae.

"Well, this is quite cozy," Lore said from behind me.

I did not turn to look at him but gritted my teeth at the sound of his voice.

"You look terrible," said Cardic.

"Fuck you, dick," said Lore as he came to sit beside me.

I hated the awareness I had for him as he neared. Everything in my body went rigid—my back straightened, my thighs pressed together, and a dizzying heat swept through my body. I took a breath and worked to reel these feelings in, like yarn on a spindle, trying not to look at Lore, though it was impossible not to notice things about him when he sat right beside me.

The laces at the collar of his tunic were undone, exposing his chest, and his hair was mussed. It reminded me of how Michal looked in the morning after a night spent with one of the many women who warmed his bed.

A shock of jealousy tore through my chest, which only made me angrier.

There was an awful silence that settled between the four of us now that Lore had joined. He reached for a piece of bread. Instead of using a knife, he dragged it through the butter and then brought it to his mouth.

"Please continue," he said before he took a bite. "Do not let me interrupt your conversation."

I wondered how much he had heard but also decided I did not care.

"How did you sleep?"

It took me a moment to realize Lore was talking to me. I met his gaze reluctantly, growing frustrated by the look in his eyes. His expression was so tender. I had to wonder if it was all an act.

"Fine," I said, my answer short. I was too afraid to say more. I did not want my voice to quake or my eyes to water.

"Only fine?"

"What more do you want me to say?" I asked.

He studied me and frowned but did not answer.

Another bout of silence followed.

Cardic took a deep breath as if he were inhaling the most savory of scents. "Well, this is just lovely ."

"Shut up," said Lore, his frustration obvious and a complete change from only a few seconds ago when he had inquired after my sleep.

"You shut up," said Cardic. "No one invited you to eat with us."

The two brothers glared at each other, and a different sort of tension built between them. It made my heart race. I recognized it as the calm before the storm—the quiet that settled thickly between me and my brothers before one of them snapped.

"Why do you hate each other?" I asked, relieved when my question ironically seemed to ease the tension between them.

Both brothers looked at me, but I kept my eyes on Cardic. It was easier to look at him, despite the fact that Lore's gaze was burning me up inside, as always.

"What is there to like?" asked Cardic.

"Surely, you can find something you like about each other," I said, though I could not deny that I was finding it hard to decide what I liked about either of them at this point.

"Can you find something you like about your brothers?" asked Lore.

I glared at him. His question hurt .

"At this moment, I like them more than you," I said.

Lore's eyes widened, and I thought that he looked a lot like I felt.

Good.

Cardic chuckled. "Oh, you are a beast indeed."

Lore's mouth tightened. "We were not raised to be siblings like mortals," he said. "We were raised to see each other as competition, to fight for the top despite the order in which we were born. That is why we hate each other."

I stared down at my uneaten food.

"Wild one," said the fox, breathless. "You are squeezing me to death."

I released him, unaware that I had been holding him so hard.

The fox expelled a heavy breath.

Just then, there was a sudden disturbance as several pixies rushed in through the windows behind Cardic. The fox growled, but I held him close as they spoke in voices too high-pitched for me to understand, but I watched Cardic's and Lore's faces as they darkened with anger, and I knew something terrible had happened.

They both rose to their feet at the same time.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "What happened?"

They exchanged a look and then left the table.

"Where are you going?" I demanded, rising with the fox in my arms.

I followed them as they headed down the hall and entered an adjacent room.

"Mirror, show us the three villains the pixies have seen," said Cardic.

Three villains? I held my breath as the mirror rippled, and a scene formed before me of my brothers—Hans, Michal, and Jackal. They appeared to be walking through the Enchanted Forest, where I could not say, though I assumed they were close if the pixies were warning Cardic.

I heard Lore growl.

"Do you know these three mortal men?" asked Cardic.

"They are my brothers," I said and looked at Lore. "I told you they would come for me."

"Do not fret," said Cardic. "They will not get past my pixies."

"Pixies will not stop them," I said. "They have hunted in this forest for seven long years, and nothing has harmed them yet."

Cardic looked at Lore and then asked, "What changed seven years ago?"

"They came into possession of a knife," I said. "A blade so sharp it could cut through bone."

As I spoke, I was unable to tear my eyes from the mirror as I watched my brothers stomp through the forest, their expressions equally terrifying and bloodthirsty.

Lore stepped in front of me, blocking my view.

"That's enough, Mirror," he said, and the image vanished.

I managed to hold his gaze.

"I will not let them hurt you."

"You cannot promise that," I said. "You cannot promise unless they are dead."

"I would have killed them before, but you begged me not to," said Lore. "Are you saying you have changed your mind?"

"Lore," I whispered, my eyes filling with tears.

Do not make me decide , I wanted to say.

"Your brothers might be hunters, but they are terrible at hunting you," said Cardic. "My pixies were able to lead them west. For now, they are ahead, and you are behind."

That gave me little relief. What happened when they discovered they had been deceived? I knew Jackal well enough. He was making a list of everything that was my fault and assigning an appropriate punishment.

"Perhaps, beast, it is time you become the hunter and they become the hunted," said Cardic.

"If they die, many will suffer," I said.

"And if they don't?" asked Lore.

"Then only I will suffer."

"Are these people you are trying to save worth all this pain?" asked Cardic.

"No," I admitted. It felt terrible to do so, but no one in that town had ever tried to save me, though they knew how horribly I was treated.

"Then why do you care if they live or die?"

"I care because I will be blamed," I said. "I care because if I am blamed, the people of Gnat will destroy my home."

I cared because my home was where my mother and father had lived and the only place where I could still feel their love, despite all the bad that had happened since their deaths.

The brothers were quiet for a few moments, but then Cardic was the first to speak.

"Perhaps it is good that you are going in search of the wishing tree," said Cardic. "By the time you reach it, I hope you will find the courage to wish that your brothers no longer exist."