Page 53 of Curses & Keys (Curses & Gods #1)

My parents went to visit a nearby kingdom.

My sister and I have taken advantage of their absence to do all the things they usually forbid us to do.

Swim naked in the nearby lake. Ride horses bareback.

Invite our friends over for a party, so we can flirt with the nobles’ sons. It’s all been great fun.

My beautiful sister flashes irritated eyes at me.

I’ve been driving her crazy all night. Blond with blue eyes, she’s utterly perfect, and that’s not just me thinking it.

Pandora was created by the gods in their likeness.

Stunningly beautiful, they gave her all their best gifts.

Then they gave her to my parents to raise.

Most of the time I ignore her beauty, but tonight it gives me pause. “You truly are the most beautiful of creatures. All golden light. One day, you’ll marry a king and rule as his queen.”

Her irritation fades, and she laughs. “Promise?”

“Promise.” I sweep by and grab her hands in mine. Swinging us around in a circle, I twirl until we’re both dizzy. “I will, of course, marry the poor soul Father finds for me.”

She shakes her head. “I won’t let him. We’ll find you a handsome prince of your own. We’ll throw parties and visit each other all the time.”

We flop down on the stuffed cloths piled on the floor.

“I’m bored,” I say in a petulant voice.

“You’re always bored,” she reminds me with a laugh. “What do you want to do? Go swimming again?”

She knows I like to push the boundaries. I twiddle my fingers. “I want to go look at the vase.” I turn pleading eyes on her, knowing she’s going to say no.

“The gods gave it to Father and told him to hide it in the cavern. I wish you had never seen it. There’s nothing good about that vase,” she refuses, her voice dismissive. “I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

During the meal, I can’t stop thinking about the vase. After a bottle of wine, I stand and announce I’m going to bed. Pandora stares at me, then waves a hand good night. I sway from side to side. I’m drunk. I laugh as I leave the room.

One peek , I tell myself.

Making sure no servants are nearby, I open the painting at the far end of the hall, and step into the dark void.

Thankfully, Father keeps torches near the entrance, and I light one to take with me.

Down I go, into the cold darkness, my fingers trailing against the damp stone, helping me keep my balance.

When I get there, I set the torch into the wall and stand staring at the beautiful pink and gold vase with the shapes moving inside.

From the first moment I saw it, I’ve been fascinated by it.

Pandora, too, although she’ll deny it. I’m convinced the gods stored something wondrous in there. It calls to me. Like it knows my name.

“I knew it!” Pandora cries from behind me.

I shrug. “I like looking at it.” My hand lifts, and I trail a finger down its surface. “See, it’s fine.” I pick up the vase and hold it up to the light. “What could possibly be in there?”

Pandora marches over and takes the vase from me. “If the gods wanted it hidden from the world, there’s a good reason.” She puts it back on the shelf. “Let’s go upstairs before someone catches us down here.”

I grab the vase. “No, I want to look.”

She yanks it from my grasp.

Mathias roars, and the memory shatters. I open my eyes and stare at him in horror.

Clothes torn, eyes red, he shoves me away from him. Blood dripping from my wrist, I reach for his hand, but he shreds the rope and slides off the table.

Gatlin steps in front of me, while Jamison and Hawthorne try to capture Mathias. He flings them away and points at me.

Vibrating with rage, he stares at me in horror. “Pandora is your sister?”

I proudly lift my chin. “Yes.”

A deranged laugh escapes his lips. “Pandora. The one who opened all the portals into this world is your sister.” His voice breaks.

“She’s the reason I lost my daughter. The reason we’re all stuck here.

” Chest heaving, his ragged breaths fill the air.

“And my mate is her sister.” He thrusts a hand through his inky locks, tugging on them as if he’s mad and needs the pain to convince him this is real.

The world stops, held on a knife’s edge, ready to teeter one way or another. My inflection point. The moment when I can choose to do the right thing or continue to let this secret stay in the depths of the past.

But I’m not sure there is a choice. Not really.

The secret is eating away at my soul. It’s time to set the record straight.

For three thousand years, I’ve pushed everyone away because I didn’t want them to know what I did.

My silence condemned my sister. Supernaturals blame Pandora because they can’t return to their worlds and see their loved ones. No more.

Not one second of that night is lost to the haze of time.

“It wasn’t Pandora.” The four of them turn toward me, shock on their faces.

“I could tell you that in my drunken state, I felt bold. Invincible. But it would only be part of the truth. She grabbed the vase to keep it out of my hands. We fought for it. I won.” I give a derisive laugh.

“In triumph or defiance, I’m not entirely sure, I opened the vase,” I admit, a bitter taste flooding my mouth.

All these years later, I still can’t believe what I did.

“A bright light burst from its depths. The earth trembled beneath our feet. She screamed for me to put the lid on, but I kept fumbling. I couldn’t get it back on.

She stepped forward to help and disappeared right in front of me. Into a portal.”

A sob breaks free. “I’m the reason the portals opened, allowing supernaturals to pour into this world. The reason you lost your daughter. Not Pandora. Me.”

Tears roll silently down my cheeks. I look at Hawthorne. “It’s my fault you were pulled into this world.” My gaze moves to Mathias. “It’s my fault you can’t return to your daughter.” I shake my head. “And it’s my fault my sister is gone.”

Gatlin settles a comforting hand on my shoulder.

Hawthorne looks shattered. “I…don’t know what to say.” He moves closer to Mathias, his green eyes full of shock and betrayal.

I look over at Jamison. “The gods were furious. In one move, I opened the doors to this world. Let all the supernaturals in. Fae, Elven, demons, vampires, and more. They immediately imprisoned me and spent the next ten years waging war with the supernaturals, trying to force them out. Although I didn’t know that had happened until later. ”

Jamison’s eyes are blank.

“For my punishment, they gave me a choice,” I recall with a snort.

“I could either spend an eternity serving Hades or live here and spend an eternity protecting humans. Of course, I chose the latter. I hoped that one day, if I had enough time, I’d find my sister.

” Not once has my hope diminished. It’s in every curse I eliminate and every piece of the original vase I find.

Using the back of my hand, I swipe my tears away. “Honestly, they were happy with my decision. The gods had a treaty with the supernaturals, but they felt they needed to stack the deck. An unknown card dedicated to protecting humans.”

“A spy,” Jamison concludes.

I nod. “A couple of times, I slipped up. Exposed myself. They punished me. It wasn’t pleasant. I got better at hiding. For three thousand years, if people got close, I pushed them away. Until you four came into my life.”

Mathias scoffs.

I flinch at the sound but continue to keep my gaze on Jamison.

“The walls I’d so carefully built had no defense against you.

From the moment we met, I was intrigued.

By all of you. I didn’t want to hide the truth, but I was so afraid of how you’d look at me.

” The same way you’re looking at me right now . My heart breaks.

I look at Mathias and Hawthorne. “I’m sorry.

For thousands of years, I’ve regretted my actions.

Believe me. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t felt guilty.

And not only because I lost the person who mattered the most to me.

I’ve paid a million times over for this transgression, and I’ll gladly keep paying until I can see my sister again. ”

“This is why you took the deal, isn’t it?” Gatlin asks softly.

“It is,” I say defensively. “Please say something.”

Jamison stares at me, his eyes full of disbelief. “You knew this would destroy Mathias and Hawthorne. Yet, you continued to let them get closer and closer to you. We’re a family. We put ourselves on the line for you. Hawthorne almost died. I don’t know what to say.”

His words are shards of glass, slashing at my heart.

I glance at Hawthorne, and he backs away. “It’s a lot to process. I need time to think through all of this.”

Mathias sneers when I look in his direction.

“How could the fates pick you for my mate?” His voice is full of anguish and rage.

“My daughter…” A startled expression crosses his face, and he immediately creates a portal.

He steps through without a single goodbye and I raise a hand to call him back, but it’s no use. I let it drop to my side.

Hawthorne, his green eyes full of hurt, walks into the portal behind Mathias.

Pain spears my heart. Wrapping my arms around my body, I try to keep the pain from spilling out of my chest onto the cold tile floor.

Gatlin hasn’t said much. I brace myself and turn toward him.

There’s a sad look in his eyes. “I don’t care about Pandora or the portals.

As far as I’m concerned, this world needed more magic.

” He tilts his head, and I sense a “but” coming.

“You hurt my family. We gave you our…trust. We let you into our circle. I don’t know how we’re going to move beyond this. ”

“I get it,” I murmur in a sad voice. “But honestly, I don’t regret being here with all of you. Not for a second.”

Jamison’s blue eyes briefly close at my words, then open again. “I need time. Right now, Gatlin and I need to talk to Hawthorne and Mathias.” His gaze touches on Gatlin before moving to me. He opens his mouth, then shuts it and disappears into the portal.

Gatlin grunts. “Damn it. We’re not splitting up. Jamison…” Then, he too is gone.

“Too bad I won’t be here,” I say to the now empty room.

Tears fill my eyes, but I blink rapidly until they’re gone. The last thing I want to do is destroy their family. They’re right. I should never have let them get close. But I can fix it. If those panels are what I think they are… I need to finish this quest.

I rush to the safe and grab the two panels and stuff them into my backpack, then I call Charlie. “I need a portal home. Right now.”