Page 24 of Black Hearted (Cursed Fae #4)

Before you begin this task, there are two vital truths you must understand:

First, the curse will not relinquish its hold without a fight. As you undertake your journey with the intent of ending it, the curse will rise against you with all its might, seeking to hinder your progress at every turn. Come for the curse and the curse will come for you.

Second, when you drink the contents of the vial, your life force will be the price paid to end the curse. This is the ultimate sacrifice.

We honor your courage and selflessness, sweet princess of Spring.

With deepest respect,

The Wise Ones

But I didn’t have time to dwell on that—if I even truly knew how I felt about it—because the letter also said I’d have to give up my life to end the curse.

A single tear slipped down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away.

End my life before it truly began? No marriage, no children, none of the dreams I’d always hoped for would come to pass. Not seeing my sisters grow or ever seeing Dawn, Aribella, and Isolde again or watching how their lives would flourish once the curse was over—I would miss all of that.

But I’d save hundreds of thousands of lives in the process. As much as it felt like my heart was breaking, I knew this sacrifice was worth it.

I nodded to myself, rolling up the note. I couldn’t show it to anyone. If my mother or Zane realized what I’d have to do, they’d try to stop me. But my life wasn’t worth more than anyone else’s.

I’d simply have to make the most of the time I had left. Yes, that’s what I’d do. And I’d take comfort in knowing that the curse would no longer threaten my people or their descendants because of the choice I was making.

I wiped my cheeks again, ensuring there was no trace of tears, and stepped out of the tent where my mother and Zane were waiting. Their gazes shifted to me, and I forced a smile, pretending everything was fine.

“The note was from the Wise Ones,” I said, and Zane’s eyebrows shot up.

“The Wise Ones?” he asked.

I nodded. “Do you know who they are?”

“I do,” he replied. “The Wise Ones are unseelie fae who reside in my world. They’re the oldest among us and can foresee the future.

They’ve guided my brothers and the princesses this far.

We only have the Shadow Heart and what was hidden within it because of their direction.

They’re the ones who told me I needed to come to Faerie to help you destroy the curse. ”

I sucked in a silent breath. Foresight was a gift I’d only read about in books. I couldn’t fathom having that kind of power. If what Zane said was true, that meant they’d seen my fate and knew I’d have to die to end the curse.

Another wave of sadness crashed into me, and I swayed on my feet.

Zane quickly reached out to steady me. His gaze filled with concern. “Are you all right?”

I took a deep breath and forced another smile. “Yes, I’m sorry. This is just a lot to take in.”

He nodded like he understood, but the concern didn’t leave his eyes.

“What did the note say?” my mother asked, breaking her silence.

“Zane and I must venture alone to the Tree of Transformation.”

My mother’s face tightened with worry. “The Tree of Transformation? Alone? That’s dangerous.”

She had no idea how dangerous. The note warned that the curse would try to stop us the moment we began our journey.

The Tree of Transformation was located in the dead center of our realm, within the uninhabited lands between all four courts, an area we called the Savage Lands.

Our courts were like spokes on a wheel, and in the center of those spokes lay wild terrain that no court claimed.

It snowed one second, only to turn scorching hot the next.

Droughts would last for months before the sky opened, and torrential rain flooded the land for days on end.

It was as if the curse itself lived there permanently, never straying outside its boundaries.

We’d always suspected that’s where the curse began, in such an inhospitable place.

It was also rumored to be where the curse was born.

“What do we do once we get to the Tree of Transformation?” Zane asked.

I swallowed hard. “We use the black crystal you brought, place it in the tree,” I said, tapping the vial in my pocket along with the note. “And then I use my power to heal the tree and the curse,” I lied.

It was a plausible answer. I did possess rare healing and rejuvenation magic, after all.

My mother nodded, seemingly satisfied with my explanation, but Zane had a look about him—a look that said he wasn’t entirely convinced, and I wondered whether he would ask for more information later.

We might be mates, but I didn’t know him well enough to predict how he would act.

And now I would not have time to find out. My heart ached at the thought.

“And you’re sure we can’t come?” my mother asked, gesturing behind her to her guards.

I shook my head. “Not according to the note.”

Her brow pinched, and I could tell she wanted to argue, but before she could, Zane spoke up. “I promise I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.” He placed a hand over his heart. “I’ll protect her with my life.”

My mother stared at Zane, her gaze assessing him. Minutes seemed to stretch into hours before she finally nodded, albeit reluctantly.

“Very well. But I’ll hold you to that.”

Zane gave a sharp nod, and my mother released a weary sigh that turned into a yawn. “I’m exhausted. Lorelei, I’ll have the men put some bedding in the tent for us so we can sleep. You and Zane can leave at first light.”

“Thank you,” I said, meaning not only for the tent but also for trusting Zane and me to complete our task.

She gave me a warm smile, then turned to speak with her men. Before leaving, she told Zane that Captain Lace would have a bedroll ready for him.

Zane stepped closer, lowering his voice. “What is the vial of liquid for?”

I cleared my throat, searching for an answer he would accept. “It boosts my power.”

“And what am I needed for?” he asked. “Did the letter mention me?”

It did. It said he was my mate—a mate I would never have a long, happy life with. And I knew it anyway, I had felt a connection between us and I wanted to say it, but I didn’t.

“I think you’re meant to protect me as I travel to the tree,” I replied instead. “It said the curse will … try to deter us. Come for the curse and the curse will come for you.”

His brows furrowed, and his gaze bore into mine, making my stomach do flip-flops. “I can do that. I will protect you.” There wasn’t a hint of fear or hesitation in his voice.

Why did life have to be so cruel? As I stared at him, I had a sudden urge to run my fingers through his brown hair, to feel its texture, to press my lips to his and discover if they were as soft as they looked.

But I forced myself to look away. What was the point?

I cleared my throat, and Zane shook himself, as if coming out of a trance. “I’m tired. I think I’ll go see if that tent is ready yet.”

“Right. I’ll be here in the morning,” he said, pointing to a spot in front of the tent’s entrance.

That night, when I fell asleep, all of the doors appeared before me—Father’s, Mother’s, my sisters’, and Zane’s.

I walked over to Zane’s door and laid a hand against it, tempted to spend more time with him. But I decided to stay in the darkness, alone. There was no point in deepening our relationship. It would only hurt more when he lost me.