Page 33 of Between These Broken Hearts (Cursed Stars #2)

“I have something to discuss,” I blurt, “before everyone leaves?”

The room goes quiet.

“Of course,” Brie says. “Tell us.”

“I’m going to find another way to get back what I traded. Just like Karmyn said I could.”

Brie’s eyes are still sad when she nods. “Do you have any idea how to do that?”

“The goblin who helped me when the ring had me stuck in sleep? She said something about the bargain not being complete. They

need my immortality for Mordeus but he can’t take it yet because it’s not available. Not until the moment I turn eighteen.

She said only a fool would give in so easily to a bargain that’s incomplete. I didn’t know what she meant, but after talking

to Karmyn, I think she was referring to my deal with the witch. The one I made for the ring.” I look around the table, at

the faces of so many people who care about me and don’t want to talk about what I traded for that ring. “So how do I get out

of a bargain with an Eloran witch?”

Remme shakes his head. “You’re asking the wrong question.”

“Then tell me the right one.”

“The question is, how do you get out of a bargain with a faerie witch.”

“We’re sure she’s fae?” Skylar asks.

“I can’t imagine any realm where Erith would’ve entrusted a ring that powerful to a human,” Natan says. “I’m confident.”

Remme nods. “And getting out of a deal with a faerie is much more complicated.”

“Could we just track her down and kill her?” Skylar asks.

Remme shoots her a look. “Why are your solutions always so violent?”

She shrugs. “I like to keep things simple.”

“Usually that would backfire,” Natan says.

“What about going over her head?” Pretha asks. “Is there a more powerful faerie that she answers to—someone who could overrule

the deal?”

“We’d have to know who she is to find who she might answer to,” Kendrick says. “But I’m all on board with this line of thinking.

Find a way out of the bargain and you don’t have to give what you offered.”

“What about Mab?” Skylar asks Brie. “She’s some relation of yours, right?”

“Mab can’t interfere,” Brie says, “and after speaking to her when I was trying to reunite the crown and the throne, I never

assume her solutions are the best.”

Natan drums his fingers on the table. “There are two tried-and-true methods of getting out of a deal with a faerie: trick

them or offer them something they want more.”

“We know that Erith and Mordeus are working together, but we don’t know how this witch works into the equation,” Remme says. “Is she working for Mordeus or Erith?”

“Does it matter?” Kendrick asks.

Remme turns up his palms. “It does if we need to offer her something she wants enough to let Jasalyn out of the deal.”

“So we have to start by finding the witch,” I say. I look to Kendrick. “I plan to leave for Elora in the morning. You can

come with me if you want, or I can do it alone.”

My sister stiffens. “We can send someone else. I can’t keep you safe in Elora.”

“You tried keeping me safe inside this palace and I was miserable for three years.”

Abriella flinches as if she’s been struck. I pull in a fortifying breath and make myself continue. “You can’t protect me.

I know you want to. I know you would lay down your own life if you believed it would keep me safe, but this world doesn’t

work like that. And even if it did, don’t I deserve a chance to believe I’ve done something good ? I don’t have much time left, and the way I see it, I have two choices. I can languish in my room and contemplate the atrocities

committed by my hand or I can help the two best people I’ve ever known rule their kingdoms. That’s no choice at all.”

Abriella’s gone pale, but when Finn places a hand on top of hers, she seems to breathe again. She looks to him and they hold

eye contact for several beats. They can’t communicate mentally the way Misha can with others, but they are bonded and tethered

and completely aware of what the other is feeling. I’ve watched them have silent conversations more than once.

Finally, Abriella breaks the silence. “I would rather you send someone else, but I respect that you need to do what is right for you. And I agree that we need to find this witch. If Karmyn and Jasalyn’s goblin friend both see a way out of the bargain, then we need to find it. Quickly.”

“I’ll go with her,” Kendrick says. “I’ll help her find the witch, and I’ll keep her safe.”

Brie’s eyes soften. “Thank you.” Then she straightens and surveys the table and claps her hands. “We all have work do to.

No sense in sitting around here any longer.”

Chairs scrape against the floor as everyone stands and slowly disperses toward the door.

“We’ll leave at first light,” Natan is telling Kendrick as we all flow out into the hall. “There’s an open portal just north

of the swamps that we can reach in five hours on horseback.”

“My goblin would take you,” my sister says, coming to walk beside us.

“We only use goblins when it can’t be avoided,” Natan tells her. “They already know too much, and we don’t want their movements

getting back to the Seven.”

“That’s fair,” she says. “What about the Eloran portal in my Hall of Doors? It’s not nearly so far to ride.”

“That would be amazing ,” Skylar says, but Brie’s attention is on Kendrick. She knows who’s in charge of this group.

“Thank you,” Kendrick says. “That would help a great deal.”

Abriella flashes me a weak smile. “I’m trying to be supportive,” she says, “even if every instinct is telling me to stay here

and protect you.”

“I know,” I tell her.

With a nod, she disappears into thin air.

“Gods, I want to be able to do that,” Skylar says.

Remme grunts. “Eat your vegetables like a good girl and maybe someday you can.”

Skylar makes a vulgar gesture that makes the whole group laugh.

“Pack light,” Kendrick says. “I don’t know how long we’ll be gone, but we can get anything we need while there.”

Anticipation hums in my veins at the idea of another adventure with this group. Whether the next five days are my last or

the precursor to an entire immortal existence, I know one thing for sure: I don’t want to spend them locked up in my room

at the Midnight Palace.

“Skylar?” I call when she turns down a hall away from the group.

She spins, her brows shooting up. “What’s up, kid?”

I pull my hair up, holding it loosely at the crown of my head. “Could you fix my hair like you did last time?”

Her eyes light up. “The princess is back in her fancy palace with her fancy servants, and she wants me to do her hair?”

I scowl. “I could call someone else, I just thought—”

“Don’t you dare. They’ll try to do some spell to grow it all even or something. My way suits you better. Way more badass.”

I arch a brow. “You think I’m badass?”

“I’ve never met anyone who’s fought a Cerberus and lived to tell the tale. If that isn’t badass, I don’t know what is.” She

waves her hand. “Follow me.”