Page 15 of A Cursed Bite (Bound to the Enduar #1)

VANN

E ven without seeing the room, it is burned into my memory. It’s… impossible to believe she could hurt someone like that. That she took this man into her bed—and then tore him apart like some unfeeling predator.

Moving out of the house is a blur. Faol walks at my side, guiding me back to the throne room.

It is quiet. Chairs are positioned from another meeting, and a marble table is at the right foot of the thrones. I approach the table, laying Arlet down.

Gods only know how much time passes as Ra’Salore, Teo, Estela, Liana, and Fira trickle into the room. A few guards have been positioned around the back, and then the doors are closed and an uncomfortable silence hangs over us all.

Then an unexpected person joins the group. Thorne, the Elven Emissary. He doesn’t saunter in like usual, he walks with purpose, a frown on his face.

“What are you doing here?” I demand.

He looks at me and narrows his eyes. “I heard that Lady Arlet is not well.”

“Who the fuck told you anything? ”

Teo appears on the other side of the table and looks at me, his face guarded. He shakes his head at me.

“Vann,” he warns.

I suck in a hot breath. Thorne was important to the alliance with the elven rebellion, but that didn’t mean I had to like him.

Thorne holds up his hands. “I meant no disrespect, friends. I was with Ulla when King Teo came to tell her she was needed. I only wanted to offer my help.”

He looks back at Arlet, and I try to move my body to shield his view.

“What is wrong with her?” he asks.

Estela comes to my side. “Lord Thorne, we appreciate your concern. But she isn’t well, and we would appreciate it if you would allow us some privacy for a while longer.”

He hesitates, then bows with a flourish of his hand. “Of course. Whatever you say, My Queen.”

Then he disappears out of the room and the doors are shut tightly.

The silence returns, and I watch Estela stare at her friend in quiet horror. I note that Arlet’s hair is still streaked with drying blood.

“Vann,” Teo says softly. “Please tell everyone what you saw.”

I recount what happened, but my words clipped and mechanical.

When Lady Fira asks for the victim’s name, one of the guards steps forward.

“Lady Ulla informed us that it was one of the new arrivals from the liberated camps. Diego,” he reports. "Unmarried, but he has family in the residential section.”

I grit my teeth, but close my eyes for one beat, speaking his name to the gods in my mind, giving him the same respect I would offer any soldier.

Teo takes a deep breath.

“Lady Arlet is a member of the council, but she killed an innocent person. She will need to be punished.”

Estela steps forward. “Punished? We don’t know all the facts yet. If she did this, then something is deeply wrong. We owe it to her—and to Diego—to find out why.”

“While I do mostly agree,” I start. “I was there. I saw her holding the knife. I am sure that her body, cursed or not, caused that awful scene.”

Mother Liana joins me at the table. She’s draped in jewels, her presence almost as bright as Estela’s.

“I do not know how I didn’t see this coming,” she says.

No one responds for a second.

“When I was held captive in Zlosa, I spent time with The Six, a group of brujas ,” she starts. “I remember what the magic felt like. What I felt in that room was the same, oily and sticky.”

I incline my head. “Yes. Dark magic. I’ve seen it on the battlefield.”

Teo looks at me, nodding once in agreement. There was a demon god, one who some didn’t even consider an official deity, Abhartach. Many of the human witches had begun to worship him. He offered eternal life in return for gifting him souls.

The thought of Arlet sullied with his darkness was abhorrent. It couldn’t be true.

Estela looks up. “So when did a bruja come in contact with Arlet?”

The air shifts.

Liana approaches the queen’s side. “From what I know of this magic, we would be able to tell if there is a mark. Some sort of curse glyph.”

I grind my teeth as Teo and I are pushed away from the table. It is impossible to be parted from her in this moment, so I shield her from anyone else as they move around her nightgown, searching her blood-stained skin.

“Vann, can you find me a blanket to help cover her?” Estela asks.

“Ask someone else,” I manage. I don’t want to leave her alone again.

Estela and Mother Liana exchange glances, their unspoken language shifting between them in flickers of expression. Liana moves out of the room swiftly. When she returns, she holds a covering.

They drape it over Arlet, and then Estela continues searching her skin.

“Liana” Estela starts, no longer speaking to me. “I don’t see any bite marks or words.”

Mother Liana joins her, pulling back the hem of Arlet’s night gown, exposing a delicate, freckled ankle.

There, above her bone, is a small, twisting snake etched into her skin.

Queen Estela gasps.

“No…” She looks up, color draining from her face. “The witches in Zlosa had a snake.”

My breath hitches.

The black is deeper than shadow, absorbing every trace of light that touches it. It's like a void pressed into flesh. The more I look, the harder it is to tell where the ink ends and where the world resumes.

“That’s a tattoo, no?” Liana asks, voice edged with curiosity. “Like the ones the giants wear.”

“No, I’m sure. This must be the mark,” Estela says immediately.

My hands clench so tightly my nails bite into my palms. A chill rises up my neck, my vision sharpens.

“Curses are vicious things,” Liana starts. “If that is a mark, then it could be activated from time to time, putting her in a state of frenzy. It would be like a tool—one our enemies would use to get to you. They could kill you and Teo?”

Liana looks at Estela.

The queen stares at her, processing. Teo curses under his breath.

“Do you think a remnant of the giant court asked for her to be cursed? Or one of the witches? Or the elves? Gods, why must this be so complicated?” She rubs her forehead.

I stand frozen, seething. Someone used her—controlled her like a puppet and twisted her hands into a weapon. I want to rip them from this world for what they’ve done.

Mother Liana steps forward, her gaze sharp. She turns, gesturing toward the edge of the room. "Bring me a piece of quartz, I want to try to remove it.”

A guard hurries off, returning moments later with a long, pale quartz, cut smooth like a tower. It’s a stone known to draw out darkness, to force tainted blood to the surface .

Theoretically, it could pull the curse from her body.

Teo watches closely from where he stands, his expression unreadable, but I recognize that his mind is already turning. Calculating.

Liana takes the gem and steps toward Estela and Arlet. "Hold her still," she instructs.

The queen shifts, securing Arlet against her chest, while Teo stands at her back. Teo murmurs something to his wife, holding her shoulders.

Then, Liana presses the quartz stone to the tattoo, chanting something quietly.

The stone rests against her skin, unmoving, unchanging, but the crystals glittering in the walls light up.

A single, thin tendril of darkness unfurls from the mark, winding above the quartz and then vanishing.

Liana pulls back, frowning. “Damn. It is a curse mark. But it cannot be easily removed.”

Ra’Salore lets out a long breath, standing up. “All right. She is cursed, but there is also a casualty. Then let us do as the king asked and proceed with solutions.”

“Yes,” Teo agrees.

“I think we should start with the crime. She killed someone. We have not made any laws that dictate how to proceed when a council member does that,” Ra’Salore starts.

The words grind against me. I can’t be objective right now.

Fira shakes her head. “But this is a curse. You all scented dark magic. The report was that she was hissing and biting. Vann said her voice and eyes changed! If we punish her, then we would be punishing the wrong person and neglecting to castigate the one who did this to her . You do not blame the puppet for the master’s sins.”

Ra’Salore frowns and shakes his head. “But we do not even know who that is. Her hands injured a fellow council member and killed an innocent man.”

“I was not hurt,” I growl.

“According to our law,” Ra’Salore continues, “murder is someone taking a life that was not freely given. A life stolen must be accounted for. We all agreed that the guilty party must restore balance. So either, Arlet must offer her own life, or she must step down from the council and assume a life debt to his surviving family in whatever capacity they wish.”

Mother Liana shakes her head. “No. I agree with Fira. She did not know what she was doing. How can we impose such a harsh sentence on her?”

“How can the people trust us if we do not?” Teo interjects, breaking his silence.

Estela speaks up next. “It would be a greater disservice to everyone if we punish her without finding the person truly responsible.”

I grit my teeth. If only I had found Daniel. If only she had stayed with me over that man, maybe none of this would’ve happened. I could’ve prevented this.

"Lord Vann? You look like you have something to say," Teo says, picking up on my displeasure.

I exhale slowly, clenching my teeth. She was so private sometimes. Did she want me bringing up Daniel in front of everyone?

And yet… this is serious, and if I don’t help argue for a lighter treatment, she could wake up in prison, on the other side of the city. Alone and suffering.

"Could this have anything to do with Daniel?" I say, directing my question to Estela.

Her head snaps up, eyes narrowing. She tightens her grip on Arlet, her knuckles white where they press against the fabric of her gown.

"What do you know of Daniel ?" she spits the last word.

I straighten under her relentless tone. "The night of the ascension, he went to her house. I found him yelling and her crying." I pause. "Supposedly, he was taken to the prison, but when I went to see him almost two days later, he had been released. I still haven’t found him, but I have been concerned for a while that he would come to Arlet's house. And now… this ."

Estela's expression shifts—not fear, not worry. Rage. The kind that burns slow and deep. The kind that has festered for years .

"That filth," she murmurs.

Teo watches her carefully. "We don’t know exactly what he did yet."

She shifts, adjusting Arlet carefully before lifting her chin to face Teo. “But if he is to blame, we have to know. Send a guard to find him that we might question him.”

Teo places his hand on her shoulder. “Yes.”

I wanted to be in that room. They could argue over the leftover scraps.

“Lord Vann, you said that she told you to let her go? Was it because you were restraining her?” Fira asks, changing the subject.

I frown as I consider.

“I don’t think so. It was like she wanted to get out of the room.”

“Likely to get to the king or queen,” Ra’Salore insists.

He could be right.

“Does this have anything to do with the missive,” Lady Fira asks.

Queen Estela shakes her head. “The more I think about it, the more it seems impossible. I was in Zlosa when King Rholker forged an alliance with the elves. Arion hated the witches. He was disgusted by them, and this is their magic as far as we know.”

Teo watches, taking in all the opinions. “Is there a way to find out exactly who did this?”

Mother Liana gives a slight shrug. “Perhaps? If I can remove it, I can consult the gods.”

I suck on my teeth before continuing, my voice steadier this time. “So if we do not want to impose the law upon her, what can we do?”

“Some part of her killed someone. She needs to be put in prison," Ra’Salore says.

Fira glares at him. "Arlet has cared for our children and woven our clothes. While I understand the threat she poses in this state, she deserves more respect than what you are giving her. Put her somewhere better. I offer my own home, and we can restrain her against something.”

I nod my agreement.

Ra’Salore throws his hands up. “If what you say is true, she is not in control of herself when she is in that state. She needs to be restrained, because if she wakes up again she could kill. Do you want her to be killed out of self defense?”

The responding silence is tense.

“I understand this situation is delicate, for myself included, but Lord Ra’Salore is not wrong,” Teo says firmly. “In my experience, we need to demonstrate to our people that we will not put friendship over collective gain.”

Estela closes her eyes. “This isn’t solely about friendship. Arlet’s character is well established and we have evidence of her curse. I will not condemn her for actions she did not make, even though I do agree she is dangerous. I prefer her being under the watch of someone trusted. We can figure this out. We will figure this out. ”

She looks at me, but I notice Liana and Fira nodding.

“A prison cell is not so awful,” Faol says. “She can rest.”

“She’ll be humiliated! And her position will be undermined. Who’s to say she won’t hurt herself if we leave her alone? And is it right that we subject anyone in the prison to her curse?” I say. “I agree with the queen’s proposal that she be detained with one of us. I also offer my home. Anyone at risk can be temporarily vacated from the nearby houses.”

Ra’Salore frowns. “And go where? I have a wife and two children, plus a wolf. We can’t just move.”

I step into the middle of the room. “It won’t be a move, you will merely stay somewhere else for a few days. I will help you myself. Three days, please. We will fix this.”

Ra’Salore raises his brows, tilting his head to the side at my offer.

“So you will oversee the troops, go on hunting patrols without asking, tend to the king, and help our families move for a few days while also taking care of Arlet? You stretch your time too thin, Lord Vann. You cannot let your affection for her cloud your judgement,” Ra’Salore says.

I grit my teeth. “I will not be alone in watching her.”

“She will stay in my house,” Mother Liana says with finality after watching the discussion. “I am the only one with a chance of breaking the curse. I have spent months weaving protections over my home. It is safe. She won’t ever get as far as the palace. ”

Estela, Fira, and I voice approval.

Teo rubs the bridge of his nose. “And what of the mating ceremonies that are meant to take place tomorrow? Lirenne dropped off a report, and there are more than six. What do we do for them? How do we balance that alongside a funeral?”

Estela takes a deep breath. “You and I will speak to the family first thing in the morning. We will bring mourning offerings. Liana and I will oversee the ceremonies after.” She looks up at her husband. “We can make this work. And, as Vann says, if she is not healed in three days, we will take more extreme measures. But this is not so cut and dry as some might think.”

The ideas are reasonable, and I am satisfied with the solution. But a question lurks in my mind. “When you tell the family what happened, what will you say?”

I look back at Arlet, still dirty and covered in blood, and my throat tightens.

The queen straightens her spine, “We will call him a tragic, unnecessary casualty of growing tensions. We can confidently say the brujas magic did this, and those witches have been shown to collude with our enemies. Thus, they too can be considered hostile to us and our city.”

“Well said,” Lady Fira intones.

Teo considers all of the information. “Very well. Lord Ra’Salore, do you have anymore thoughts?”

The man in question shifts. “I don’t want to leave my home.”

“If you stay, and the king and queen accept our proposed offer, you will be at risk,” I say.

He frowns. “What of Sama? Svanna and Iryth will hate being outside.”

“I will help them, too. It will only be three days,” I reply. “Maybe less. Mother Liana is a resourceful Wise Woman.”

When I meet Liana’s eye, I glimpse a sliver of uncertainty. Strange. But she nods.

“Yes, we will sort this soon.”

Estela takes a deep breath. “If we do this, we will also be able to offer an explanation for Arlet’s behavior. Hopefully one that will not sour her image entirely.”

“It will be all right,” I grit out.

Everyone is silent.

“My King, My Queen, do you find this solution acceptable?” Lady Fira asks.

Estela nods enthusiastically, but Teo hesitates. He looks at his wife, and I can almost see the silent conversation they share in their minds, mate to mate.

Teo nods. “Three days. Let us fix this and find the infiltrator.”

Relief floods through me, and I look around.

"Can we get something to clean her up? She shouldn’t wake with—" I start when a small sound cuts me off.

All eyes snap back to Arlet.

Teo straightens, pushing his wife to the side and jerks his head for me to come. I take my position at the top of the table, cradling Arlet where Estela had been before.

The queen also tries to move, but her husband holds her back.

“You are my mate. I won’t risk you.” Then, to me he says “Vann, be at the ready.”

Arlet stirs in my arms, her crusted, bloodied fingers twitching, body shifting. My fingers curl around her shoulders, holding her down, just as a weak groan escapes her lips. Her face twists and scrunches as her eyebrows draw together and her chest rises abruptly.

A second later, a soft sob escapes her mouth.

"Arlet, I am here," Estela says, gently straining against Teo’s arms.

I want to say something, too. But I don’t.

Instead, I watch as she blinks awake, her delicate lids fluttering open to reveal her regular eyes.

“Vann?” she says. Her hand comes up to touch her face, but it is still crusted in red. She sees her hand and her face twists into a picture of raw, unfiltered horror.

"Gods. Gods, no. Please—please, no."

Her voice splinters through me, cold as ice, heavy as stone.

"Where is—?" Her words catch, her breath hitching. She bolts upright, looking around the throne room, and seeing, in full, the blood covering most of her body.

Fira and Liana gather round, as a guttural sound tears from her throat. Without thinking, I wrap my arms around her chest, and pull her towards me. I feel the sound ravage her small body. The screams turn back to sobs. She is shaking, breaking, unraveling.

It is the most awful sound in the world. I have heard it before. On battlefields. In burned villages. From families clutching their dead.

It is ancient. It transcends the differences between humans and enduares.

And we bear witness.

The women surrounding us touch her shoulders and legs, but no one speaks. We watch the destruction of a piece of her soul.

It doesn’t matter that my body surges with a frost that threatens to make me immobile.

I realize that perhaps losing my heart made me forget the purpose of pain. Perhaps this is the first time I have wanted to remember.

“Mother Liana,” Teo says behind her. “Put her to sleep. It would be a kindness.”

I don’t protest as she takes out a new crystal and does just that.