Page 47

Nerida frowned. “While it is not unheard of for one to encounter mirror images of people, I have never heard of it changing their roles from this world. For instance, if you encountered your mother in the other world, she should still be the same person you know over here. While I do not know exactly who or what these iterations are, I can tell you that unlike others you meet in these new worlds—these mirror images are not real. That is probably a result of the Curse knowing too much about you – the Trials are supposed to be a one-off journey. It is unnatural that a person is exposed to this kind of magic for such a prolonged period, and no doubt it is starting to have hazardous effects.”

“That sounds about right,” muttered Serena, and the queen winced.

“I am very sorry, it seems that while the woods did strengthen my cloaking spell, they also strengthened the effect of the curse Lore has cast.”

“What of the other people we encounter that are unrelated to us?”

“Some of them are probably exactly who they say they are. But if you are in situations where you are meeting these odd mirror versions, then some of these might be people the curse picks to act in certain roles. No doubt they return to their normal lives once you leave. In the usual way of things the second option does not occur, mostly because the scepter would never snatch people’s free will.

This is why the Spirit Wand is not a good conduit for the magic of the Trials, without the crystal’s balance, its power is too volatile, too susceptible to turn dark. ”

Serena thought of Gerda and Kay, and how they had already lived their version of the Ice Queen tale—they must be the ones whose lives remained the same, whereas people like Cara were no doubt being controlled by the curse to play a part in its morbid little play.

She once again felt a flash of anger at the way Lore’s curse was using people in such a callous way.

“Your best hope is still to complete the Trials and find a way to reunite the scepter. There is no other way to defeat him.”

“And if I cannot?” asked Serena.

“Your curse will be lifted regardless, but there is no guarantee that Lore will leave you alone after that.

Knowing him, it will just increase his resolve to chase you.

Also, be forewarned that Lore feeds off anger and sorrow.

So even when you pass his tales, he still gets stronger with each one.

That is why it is important for you to locate where he has put the wand and reunite the scepter.

But you must do it after the last fairytale, for we have no idea what the curse he has cast on you can do, and it is entirely possible that it has a corrupting effect on the Wand that will interfere with the process.

Good luck to you both. May the scepter light your way.”

And then she disappeared.

“So, nothing has changed much,” said Grim sometime later, pacing the room while Serena sat at the window, her knees pressed to her chest.

“Except now we have no guarantee that Lore will leave us alone even if we pass his trials,” she replied quietly.

He paused his pacing to look at her, concern etched into his forehead. He crossed the room and kneeled in front of her.

“Hey,” he said softly, “it’ll be all right. We’re going to get through this together. ”

Nodding mutely, she leaned back into the window as Grim sat beside her.

She was tired, so tired—of Lore’s games, Nerida’s secrets, of the spirits and the wands and the scepters.

More than anything, she wanted back the time that Grim and she had spent looking for the book.

She wished they had never been able to find it in the first place.

A sharp pain stabbed her in the chest, and she gasped.

Grim’s head shot up at the sound. “Serena?”

She could not speak, doubling over with pain. Her chest felt like it had been stabbed with a hot poker, and she clawed at it to get the burning feeling out.

“Serena? Serena!” Grim’s voice was panicked now, as he grabbed her hands and pulled her upward to look at him. “What’s the matter?”

She could only whimper, placing a hand on her chest, mindless with pain.

He gently removed her hand and lay her back, unbuttoning her dress, pushing it aside.

There was a sharp intake of breath, and she looked down and saw what had alarmed him.

The rose that Lore had branded on her chest had grown dark, inky branches with thorns, and they spread across her chest like black veins under her skin.

“That bastard,” said Grim with fury. “I’ll kill him for this, immortal or not. Serena, do you have anything that could help you with the pain for now?”

Nodding weakly, she gestured for him to pick her up.

He carried her in his arms toward the cabinet where she kept all her medicines, and there she picked up the pale green pain relief tonic she had brewed with willow bark and rosemary.

She drank it in one gulp. Immediately, a coolness spread through her chest, although the pain did not completely recede.

“Thank you,” she gasped out. “You can put me down now.”

He did not .

“Why is the curse acting up already?” he asked tersely. “We’re supposed to have more time.”

“I assume this is just a warning because the end has grown closer.” She was still a little lightheaded from the pain.

Grim noticed her wince and headed toward her bedroom despite her protests.

Opening the door with one arm, Serena still easily ensconced in the other, he proceeded to dump her into bed.

“You should rest,” he insisted. “It’s been too long and too tiring of a day.”

She grabbed onto his sleeve. “You’re leaving?” she asked beseechingly.

A smile crossed his face. “I was just going to close the door.”

Heat bloomed across her cheeks. “Oh…I see.”

He closed the door with a snick. “Come on, Princess, scoot over.”

“I’m not a princess,” she grumbled, but moved over anyway.

He got in, and she giggled at how the bed seemed dwarfed by his presence. Shyly, she pulled his hand closer, and he responded by enveloping her in his arms. Laying her head upon his chest, she closed her eyes and let the beat of his heart calm her down.

“You know,” he said conversationally, “lying down like this would give a man ideas.”

“Really?” she asked, her heart speeding up at the implication.

“Oh yes, when a pretty girl snuggles this close and puts her head on your chest just so, well, I just think she should be careful of what she’s doing.”

She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him, her cheeks aching from the wide smile on her face.

“What else should she be careful of?”

“Well, for starters, don’t get into bed with a man while your dress is still unbuttoned. ”

She looked down, remembering how he had opened the front of her dress downstairs. Her breasts were almost spilling out, covered only by pieces of her hair. Her movement had caused the sleeves to droop off her shoulder as well, and Grim very much looked like he was enjoying the view.

“Well,” she said, almost shyly, “maybe the girl doesn’t want to be careful, what then?”

His eyes darkened, and he caught her chin in his hand, drawing her closer until their noses were touching.

“Then the man must step up and give her what she wants,” he whispered, and then placed his lips on hers.

It was different than the other times they had kissed, soft and slow, like they had all the time in the world.

His hands slowly slid down the sleeves of her dress further, until the fabric was pooled around her waist. She buried her hands in his hair and stroked it, feeling the soft silky strands.

Their lips moved in tandem, like a dance of two lovers meeting after a lifetime of separation.

One of his hands was now on the small of her back, pushing her even closer to him while the other crept up her thigh, hiking her skirt up her leg.

She gasped at his warm hands on her cold skin and moaned against his lips.

His hands traveled further up, and she felt mindless with pleasure.

They pulled apart for air, and she was struck by the yearning and naked lust she saw in his eyes.

He looked at her in a way no one had ever looked at her before, as if she was everything he had ever dreamed of, as if he had never seen something or someone so beautiful.

He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, and she pressed her face into his warm hand.

“You’re perfect,” he whispered.

And for the first time in her life, she believed it .

Tugging at his shirt, she lifted it slightly.

Understanding what she wanted, his eyes grew wider and then his shirt was gone in a flash.

He drew her closer then, her bare upper body touching his, causing a pleasant shudder to run through her.

She snaked her arms around his neck, and this time, he crushed his lips to hers, his hands tightening in her hair as if he could not get enough.

Their limbs were entangled, and her back hit the bed as he pushed his weight on to her, smothering her in his heat.

Her dress was discarded completely now, and Grim had skillfully made quick work of her drawers as well.

The only things that covered her were the sheets and the body of the man on top of her.

Liquid heat ran through her veins; she felt dizzy with pleasure as his hands and lips stroked and worshipped her, and she latched her fingers back into his hair.

As his hands touched her, her skin prickled from both the pleasure and the chilly air, and her breath hitched, her back arching.

His lips traveled to her neck, and he whispered in her ear, “Would you like me to show you just how beautiful I find you?”

“Yes.”

And then he did.