Page 15 of Heir to a Curse

“Like most history, actually,” I said. “How did that turn to a curse? The prince and the general?”

She let out a huff of breath. “That’s a bit foggy. Something about the heir to the dynasty having a power which had kept him and the family safe for years. He refused to use it to protect his family after his love was gone. They locked him away. The clan slowly died out, unable to control his power. And cursed him for his betrayal.”

“But they betrayed him first. Separating them, and sending his lover off to die,” I pointed out.

“They don’t see it that way. They would have been protecting the blood line of the clan. Probably have arranged a marriage for him. The clans of power treated their children a lot like cattle. Choosing who they married and bred with to create more power and control.”

“I don’t think the world has changed all that much for the rich,” I said. Sofia had two loveless marriages arranged by her family. I had always wondered why she hadn’t pursued something with Mr. Yamamoto whose own wife had passed almost a decade ago. But perhaps it was a class issue. “I guess being a peasant myself, I find it all very sad.”

She nodded. “Very much so. I’m glad I got to marry the man I love.”

“Too bad that didn’t break the curse of the house,” I said.

Madison laughed. “I hadn’t thought of that. But we never lived there, and neither of us are from their line. Hitori is not even from the same continent. His family has only been here forty years or so. I believe Sofia recruited his dad after meeting him while she was visiting her father’s family.”

“I don’t have much of a chance of breaking their curse either. No one knows where I’m from,” I pointed out. While I wasn’t completely European, I knew my mixed blood had a dozen some continents, though I’d suspected India rather than China. “Maybe I should do one of those DNA things? Find the missing link to break the curse,” I joked.

“I think the curse is more the failure of the family than anything specific to blood. It was normal practice to marry off their kids, but to lock him away? That sounds horrible. It was considered punishment back then, to exile those they didn’t kill. Usually reserved for women. I know of a few men who met that fate. Often drove them insane. Or at least that’s what legend says.”

“The world is filled with so much interesting and terrifying history. I think I need to do some reading up on the Chinese.” Maybe Sofia had some good books in her library. I’d have to check it out.

“If you find the prince’s history, let me know. It’s always fascinating to make connections. And the elders who might have heard more are often tight-lipped. Let me get all this stuff worked up and you can decide what you want to keep. We have the truck open today, and I know Hitori is on a light day, so we can have everything delivered in a few hours.”

“Really? That’s great.” I followed her to the counter. Nearly ten grand and a crying wallet later, I was headed back to the house, mind whirling with thought about the history of Sofia’s family. She’d never mentioned the clan war, or the general and the prince. I wondered how much was true, and how much was years of retold stories, distorted for excitement. My mind kept drifting back to the memory of the face in the pool. The prince or the general? I’d thought it a woman because of the long hair, but wasn’t that how people of old wore their hair? Without aguanwouldn’t his hair just have flown free?

I shook my head. Thoughts too scattered and fantastical for the work I had ahead. What was wrong with me? Curses, forbidden love, ancient China? It was all something out of a movie, and I was a simple contractor with little knowledge of his bloodlines. I really had to get my head back on the job. Even if the house was mine now, history with it, there were people counting on me to make it home.

I pulled back into the long drive of the house, mind still wandering, but finding the RV parked ahead of the dumpster. A handful of my guys wandered back and forth from the open side door to the kitchen, throwing things away. A few of them waved as I got out of the truck. Jerry appeared a few seconds later, at the bed of the truck to help me unload.

“The girls did the cabin first. Not much in there, so it was easy. They are working on the shrine now,” he said.

“You left them in the haunted shrine all by themselves?” I teased.

“They’re okay. I fixed up the fountain stuff. Got that cleaned up. Added a small solar panel to the roof.”

“Thank you. Wasn’t it weird that it was working? I thought you took it apart yesterday.”

Jerry paused to look at me. “It wasn’t working. Ididtake the pieces of the pump with me yesterday, so I could match parts. You okay, boss?”

“It was on when I went in there this morning. The fountain full of water.”

“There was no water in it when we got here. And since I took the control apart, it couldn’t have been working. Maybe you dreamt about it?” Jerry offered.

“Maybe.” Definitely not. I’d been awake.

“Haunted,” Jerry added, loading up his arms to carry stuff inside.

“Apparently,” I said, grabbing a bunch of piping. “Catch me up on the demo. How goes the morning? No ghosts in the walls, right?”

“Not yet,” Jerry said.

“Thank God for small favors,” I said.