Page 5 of A Curse of Breath and Blood (The Mind Breaker #1)

4 AELIA

A pounding at my door pulled me from my slumber. My head throbbed. The young commander stirred in his sleep next to me. The sight of his lush lips and bare chest brought flashes of the night we shared. I ran my hands over my face, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Fuck . Why did I do this again? I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the better of me.

“Aelia! C’mon!” Roderick’s deep voice overflowed with annoyance.

Pulling myself from the warm bed, I donned my fur-lined cloak. Hands shaking and head throbbing. I needed something to take the edge off. A little willow bark should do the trick. I pulled some from the tiny box next to my bed. The sweet, earthy taste calmed my aching head.

I heaved open the heavy door. Cold air blasted me in the face.

“Don’t you know rest is important for a lady’s beauty?”

Roderick looked around. “I don’t see any ladies here.”

I scrunched my nose at him.

“We need to go before the sun gets too high,” Lucius said.

Roderick peered over my shoulder at the commander in my bed. “Late night? ”

“That’s none of your business.” Leaning against the door, I blocked his eyeline. Both women and men fell at Roderick’s feet.Although I couldn’t deny… in a past life, I would have invited him to join us.

“I don’t need your dregs, Aelia.” A small smile pierced his lips. His teeth gleamed like pearls against his ebony skin.

Lucius broke the silent staring contest between Roderick and me. “Enough, you two, let’s get going.”

“What about breakfast?” I said, my head already feeling lighter.

“Some of us rose at dawn and ate then.”Lucius scoffed.

“Some of us were busy then.” Motioning to the sleeping man in my bed. “You can’t expect me to ride with an empty stomach.”

I wanted to make them work for me.

“You’ll be fine, Aelia. It doesn’t look like eating has been a priority for you in some time.”

Running my hands over the sharp edges of my hips reminded me of the woman I used to be. “Look, you can either get some breakfast or spend the morning hearing me complain about how hungry I am.”

“Trinity be,” Lucius huffed, pointing a long finger at me. “I’ll get something from the pub. But when I get back, you better be ready to go.”

“Oh, I’ll be ready,” I said, shutting the door in his face.

Across the room, the commander stirred in his sleep, reaching for a body but finding none. His eyes fluttered open upon feeling the hollowness beside him.

“I have to go,” I whispered. I hated to admit it, but this young man had wormed his way under my skin. Maybe it was his naivety or the fact I was avoiding meeting Caiden, but for some reason, I wanted to stay with him.

“Don’t go,” he murmured into my neck. The heat of his breath harsh against my cold skin .

“I wish I could.” I peeled myself from his arms. Something made me want to linger longer. Perhaps because of the night we shared? Or the ghost from my past who waited outside my door?

Emotions swirled through my heart as I dressed. Rage, lust, and jealousy all mixing to create a perfect storm of confusion.

I closed my eyes and breathed deep, settling my mind, before laying one last kiss on the commander’s supple lips. “It’s time for you to go.”

He dressed without a fuss. “It was nice to meet you.” His brown eyes showed an earnest longing.

An ache clawed at my heart. Get a hold of yourself, Aelia.

“Goodbye,” I said, running a gloved finger down the commander’s stubbled jaw.

He reached for me longingly, but our love story had come to an end. I watched from my window as he disappeared into the crowd buying their daily bread. What must it be like to live such a simple life?

I gathered my things, braided my hair, and applied black kohl around my eyes to keep the winter sun from blinding me. By the time Lucius and Roderick returned, I donned my fur-lined leather cuirass.

“Mercenary work pays well,” Roderick said, picking up one of my expertly crafted weapons.

“Business has been good.” I laced up my knee-high boots.

Lucius handed me a sausage roll. The greasy smell made my mouth water. I devoured the savory treat.

A bitter wind spilled in through the door as Roderick carried my saddle bags out. I tightened my cloak around my neck and headed into the snowy street behind him, taking one last look at the bed the commander and I shared, wanting to stay in this moment forever. Afraid to move forward but not wanting to look back. As soon as I stepped outside the door, my life would change. No longer hiding in shadows but forced into the light.

We rode in tense silence until the sun sank low in the sky, casting its pink and gold light across the snowy planes.

A terse silence hung in the air until I could not bear it any longer. “So, tell me about this wife of yours?” Ever the glutton for punishment—part of me hoped she proved awful. Part of me hoped she embodied everything Caiden deserved. Everything I wasn’t.

“Why do you care?” he mumbled under his breath.

“I don’t. But I can’t stand this silence,” I lied while my heart flipped in my stomach.

Caiden’s body stiffened. “Why don’t we make a deal? I don’t tell you about my life, and you don’t tell me about yours.”

“Fine by me.” I shifted nervously in my saddle. “So, what’s the plan for getting the invitation?”

Caiden’s gray mare bobbed her head happily as we made our way down the snow-covered road. A wind blew from the west. Caiden fiddled with the reins. “The Court of Sorrows is near. I’ve already sent word we’re coming for a state dinner.”

I took a deep breath.

“I wrote to Queen Nysemia to inform her we are on an emissary trip from the capital. She has agreed to host us. I will seduce her while you extract the location of the invite from the mind of Theon, her consort. Then you will give the information to Lucius, who will steal the invitation.”

I barked out a laugh. “Tell me you’re joking. She’s never going to be alone. Nysemia is smart. Smarter than you, Caiden. She’s going to know something’s off.”

“Do you have a better plan?” Caiden snapped.

“Well, I used to be a diplomat. I know Nysemia is a member of the Wild Courts, beholden to the Alder King. She’ll want to impress him. She’s likely to invite him to her party. And since he’s a recluse who hasn’t left his forest in five hundred years, he’ll probably send an emissary. That’s who we’ll want to target…” I straightened my back to my full height. “That’s who I will target. I’m sure you can figure out who that is.”

“The Alder King holds the reins to the continent’s deadliest army, and you want to go poking around in one of their minds?” Lucius glowered at me through darkened eyes.

“I’m sure that’s Gideon’s plan. We’re the last two telepaths on the continent, as far as I know. My sister could just be an excuse to get close to the Alder King. He’s charming, and someone with my sister’s alleged gift is hard to resist.”

Caiden rubbed his temple while his mare plodded along. “Lucius, see what you can find out. See who their emissary is.”

Lucius nodded.

Night descended upon us as we continued our journey. Desolate trees rose from snow-covered copses, concealing malevolent creatures within.

A prickling at the nape of my neck put me on guard.

If the others noticed, they did not say.

I pushed it out of my mind. You’re losing it, Aelia.

A twig snapped in the woods.

“Did you hear that?” My eyes searched for the source of the sound.

“Probably just a deer,” Roderick said.

“I think?—”

A supernatural scream ripped through the silent night.

I sucked in a breath.

Caiden and his men unsheathed their swords. In woods such as these, banshees lurked, enticing travelers toward their demise, exploiting their most profound fears.

“Keep moving. They won’t leave the woods,” Roderick said, scanning the trees for anything suspicious .

Night closed in on us, darkness emboldening the creatures lurking at the edge of the forest.

I gripped my sword.

Eyes settled on us, waiting to strike.

“We need to make a run for it,” Caiden gathered the reins of his horse. “The nearest town is a few miles up the road. When I say so, we run.”

Frigid air burned my lungs as I braced for Arion’s gallop.

“ Aelia ,” a familiar voice whispered in my ear.

Baylis’s voice. But was it real?

Holding up a shaking hand, I couldn’t be sure this voice wasn’t from the withdrawal.

My heart leapt into my throat.

“Did you hear that?” My voice trembled.Arion danced in circles beneath my seat. The horses’ eyes rolled white with fear.

“Whatever it said. Don’t listen to it.” Caiden’s words were firm as iron, yet the voice endured.

“ Help me! Help me! I’m here. ”

“Shut it out. It’s not real.” Lucius reached for my hand from his horse.

I built a wall of stone in my mind.

Razor-sharp claws tore at my defenses.

I shut my eyes and shot back at the creature with my power, crushing its mind in a vice of my own making.

It hissed and wailed, letting out a deafening shriek. The horses reared, throwing us to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of me. Gasping for breath, the world spun around me.

Another deafening wail came from the forest.

We cowered in pain.

“Make it stop!” Roderick yelled.

Out of the woods crawled the husk of a woman. Ghostly white with black hair, tattered rags hung limp from her skeletal body. No eyes, just two black holes, stared back at me. Her erratic movements made my skin crawl as my soul tried to escape its mortal coil—banshee.

She crept on all fours like a spider, contorting her frail body in unnatural ways.

With a shaking hand, I reached for my sword. But I was too slow.

The banshee seized the opportunity.

Scuttling toward me, her jagged fingers gripped my hair.

A hot scream ripped through my lungs.

Tugging me backward, I fell to the ground.

Pain rattled through my mind, hardening the breath in my chest. I gasped for air.

“Help!” I called out, but the banshee ran at a pace the men had trouble keeping up with. Rocks and branches bruised my body as she dragged me deeper into the thick forest, ripping my hair from my head. The pain blinded me more than the darkness.

I grasped at anything to slow her down, but the small brush slipped through my wet fingers. Deep snow made it impossible for me to dig my heels in. Her rotting flesh brought acid to my throat. Gripping the hilt of my dagger, I thrust it into her abdomen, twisting through the aged flesh and bone. Howls of pain mixed with the sound of metal on bone echoed through the silent forest.

She released my hair and I scrambled to my feet.

Baring her rotting teeth, she sat back on her haunches, preparing to launch her decaying body at me.

A guttural screech rippled through my lungs, unleashing a rage long dormant—monsters didn’t scare me.

Just try to kill me, you bitch.I know you can hear me.

She lunged with all of her might, knocking me to the ground, jagged nails clawing at my face. I held her wrists to block her attacks, but the tips of her nails still scraped against my lips, drawing blood.

Thrusting my boot into her abdomen, she tumbled backward, hitting her empty head on a rock.

Pinning her down with my mind, I searched for any humanity left in her, but found none. No kernel of the person she had been. Not even an ancient memory of a life long gone.

Writhing in pain, she tried to free herself—scraping her claws wildly at my face. But decades of decay weakened her addled mind.

The hate in her hollow eyes dimmed as I slid my dagger into her side once more. Brittle bone cracking against cold hard dragon steel.

Her body spasmed as the last bit of life faded into oblivion.

Sinking to my knees, I let out a breath. My muscles still twitching. Whether it was from the withdrawal or the fight I did not know.

Caiden and Roderick trampled through the woods after me.

“Thanks for the help,” I said sarcastically, pointing my dagger coated in the banshee’s black blood at them—my chest heaving from the ordeal.

“You managed on your own.” Caiden leaned over to catch his breath.

Weary from the attack and the dust thinning in my blood, I hung my head between my knees. The cold earth sent a chill up my back.

Roderick handed me a handkerchief.

I wiped the dirt and blood away. Scratches seared my face. The sting of my screams still burned in my lungs. “We should bury her,” I said, tonguing the cut on my lip. The banshee had been human once. It seemed like the right thing to do.

“The longer we stay here, the more unwanted attention we’ll attract. Digging a grave will only make it easier for others to track us,” Roderick said, touching the banshee with his boot.

I leaned down, saying a silent prayer in my mind. “Ammena, keep you,” I whispered to the body whose soul had left eons ago.

Another branch snapped deeper in the wood. My skin twitched with the urge to flee.

“It’s time to go,” Caiden said, hurrying me along.

Deep roots spread like veins underneath the snow, making our path treacherous as we trudged toward the road.

“Thank the Trinity you’re okay.” Amolie brightened at the sight of my bloodied face. Mixing a lightning bug potion, she hung them around our horses’ necks, lighting our way to the nearest village.

A clammy sweat dampened my brow. While the others rode ahead, I snorted a pinch of dust to keep myself from withdrawal. An instant high buzzed through my head. Only a little dust remained in the bag. I’d need more soon.

We stopped at a small inn on the outskirts of Oakton, a mid-sized city on the border of the Winter Kingdom. The men stayed in one room while Amolie and I bunked together.

“Banshees,” Amolie said, changing into her nightshirt. The raven tattoo on her shoulder glistened in the candlelight. “I should have given you this earlier.” She tossed a pendant of pink salt toward me. Salts had special uses in magic. Pink salt for protection, white salt for pulling a clarifying spell, and black salt for summoning. The magus never used salt for food, only for magic. Choosing to enchant their food for taste.

“Thanks,” I said, putting the pendant on. A light pulse vibrated through my chest—the salt pulling the negative energy from my body.

“How are you feeling?” Amolie asked as we settled in for the night .

My hand quivered as I undid the laces on my boots. “Do I look well , Amolie?”

She shrugged, her curls forming a halo around her round face. “No, that’s why I asked.”

I slid into bed. The cool sheets and plush mattress calmed my ravaged body. “I haven’t been well in a very long time.”

“I had to tell them, Aelia. I knew you would want to know about Baylis.”

Staring at the ceiling, I let my anger fade. “I know, Am. You always mean well.” I rubbed my tired eyes. “I’m so foolish. I should have known Gideon would go after her.” A single tear trickled down my cheek.

Had I overlooked the obvious because I’d been too high to realize it or had I been willfully ignorant the entire time? Not wanting to see what was right in front me. A pit opened in my stomach. I knew the answer, but I didn’t have the guts to face it.

“We all thought she was dead,” Amolie said.

“That might have been better than whatever is happening to her now.” My chest tightened at the thought of my time in Ryft’s Edge. How Gideon had charmed me—wormed his way into my heart—into my mind. And now he was doing the same to my sister.

“I know you’re scared, Aelia. But we’ll save her.”

I sobbed silently to myself. “Why is my life like this? What did I do to offend the Trinity in such a way they sought to seek revenge on me like this?”

“I don’t think Ammena meant for any of us to lead an easily life.” She twiddled her short fingers anxiously. “I never dreamed when I crossed the black sea ten years ago to marry the high wizard, that I’d be back here again.”

“I know what you mean.” I messaged my temples.

“I know you do… That’s why we get along so well, you and me. We ar e cut from the same cloth.”

“Bonded through trauma,” I snickered.

“It’s true, though. I never thought I’d find a friend again—and then slowly, I got to know you. I learned all your weaknesses, your triumphs, your joy… and your sadness. I saw a reflection of my own pain.”

A lump grew in my throat at Amolie’s vulnerability. “You’re too good to me, Am. I don’t deserve a friend like you.”

“You deserve more than you think you do, Aelia.”