Page 58 of Cursed Evermore

He was right over there, and the panic on his face was palpable. Father was riding hard, away from the thing chasing him.

“Father!” Emotions overwhelmed me and my heart soared. I made a move to rush toward him, but Arielle grabbed my arm.

“No, don’t. It’s only a memory. It’s not real, but you mustn’t disrupt it.” She tightened her grip on my arm before letting go again.

With my heart beating in my throat, I turned back to watch my father. Then I saw my past self on my horse riding toward him in the distance.

As soon as he called to me, the dark vortex appeared behind him like a maelstrom, massive, monstrous, horrific.

I heard and felt my past self scream for him, but he didn’t hear me.

Arielle kept an eye on my father. Then she gasped and waved a hand abruptly into the air. The mere movement froze the scene before us, even the spreading vortex.

“What did you do?” I gasped. “ What?—”

“Shhh,” she cut me off, then made her way toward my father, who was frozen in time.

I followed, my gaze switching between Arielle and Father.

She rushed across the clearing toward him, her lips parting with another soft gasp as her eyes locked on his left hand, frozen mid-motion. There, on his finger, sat the very ring she’d asked me about.

She was right. The moment you saw it, you knew.

Silver, etched with runes and dragons coiled around the band. In the center, an oval gemstone—deep crimson—glinted like fire in the sunlight. Exactly as she’d described it.

“Blessed Mother,” Arielle whispered, echoing my own silent plea to the great mother, then she went very still, her bright blue eyes fixed on Father with an intensity that made my skin prickle. “It’s Halsilmêre, the Ring of the Kings.”

She moved her hands again in another gentle wave. The scene unfroze, but she slowed it down, drawing out the torturous memory.

The vortex stirred awake, ravenous and cruel, and swallowed my father whole before my past self could dismount my horse.

I watched myself race toward him, screaming for him. But then…

Through the swirl of malicious shadow, a spark of red surged out of the vortex and struck me in the head.

I dropped to the ground.

Just like that. I collapsed, motionless, and the vortex closed.

I stared at the version of me lying there, stunned.

That red spark. I’d never noticed it untilnow, but that was what had sent me to the ground and maybe…

Blessed Mother. Could that have been what gave me the curse?

I’d always thought I’d gotten too close to the vortex. But it wasn’t that.

Somethinghadcome out of it.

The memory faded before us as quickly as smoke. When Arielle turned to me, her eyes were wide with a knowledge that made my stomach drop.

She reached for me, her fingers brushing the side of my face.

“You’re cursed,” she whispered. It wasn’t a question. Sheknew. “Your memories are cursed.”

“Please tell me what’s happening?” I pleaded, desperation tearing at my insides.

Arielle searched my eyes with that knowing look in hers. Then she stepped back. “I have to go.” She started walking away.