Page 120 of The Unbound Witch

“They say the former queen was a clairvoyant.”

She waved a hand, disappointed. “Everyone knows that.”

“Yes, but did you know she used that skill to bind my power? She’d heard the Harrowing would strike me and tried to save me.”

“Yes. Yes. She took you to the pedestal used to split the Grimoires, the one in the heart of the castle, and cast upon you, splitting her own power in the process and binding you to the Grimoires because she’d had a vision. This isn’t news.”

“Yes,” I said, trying to keep my face from reacting to that last piece of information, should she detect the trap and stop answering questions. “She lied to my mother. Told her she was simply hiding my spells so I would resemble a silenced witch. But as you and I know, she had much bigger plans for me. It’s interesting though, don’t you think? The final piece of the puzzle?”

“Mmmm quite so. But do tell me what your thoughts are first.”

I smiled, stepping forward as I lowered my voice. “The seven that cast the Harrowing… ghastly.”

“Six and a half, if you ask me. A shame the way it all worked out, honestly. To think she knew and still didn’t save herself.”

“I know,” I said, shaking my head. “I just don’t understand why she would have done it.”

“I wondered the same, for a while. Witches aren’t known for their generous hearts. But the queen was a different kind of witch. Like you in many ways.”

My heart dropped into my stomach as she spoke. Concealing my surprise, I agreed. “I believe she knew of my connection to her son, and that’s why she agreed to save me. And when she died, so unfortunately, the magic she’d used to bind our power slowly began to fade.”

“Fortunately for you, the Grimoire’s collective power is concealing those markings. The death spell is a hideous mark on the skin.”

“So, I’ve heard.” Using the careful clues throughout our conversation, I decided to throw myself to the wolves and make a guess about the final piece of information I’d needed. If I was wrong, Meliora would know I’d baited her, but if I was right, we could end the Harrowing. “I also heard when the witches killed the queen, they had to cast the Harrowing curse with her bloodbeforeshe drew her final breath. Imagine if Bastian had seen that. Did you know he was supposed to be riding with his parents on the road that day?”

“Of course. His own stubborn will saved his life as he insisted on riding behind them. Was that your story?”

“I didn’t think anyone knew that Bastian had seen his parents murdered by the coven leaders. You really do know everything.”

She rested her head on her palm. “It’s a curse in its own way. Tell the wish she may come forward now.”

You mustn’t tell them.

Pushing away the voices in my mind, the voices that sounded more and more like those foreign sounds of the Grimoires than my own thoughts, I waited as Kirsi floated into the room behind the wraith that hadn’t let her come before.

She avoided eye contact as she came to my side, and I wondered if she’d heard any of it. If she knew I was destined to die. If she’d heard the answer we needed to save the witch she loved.

“Tell me who killed me,” Kirsi blurted out, no pretenses or attitude.

“It is time for you to leave this room, Raven Moonstone. I do hope you mind the voices and not your conscience.”

48

KIRSI

The door behind me clicked shut and I wondered how often it had been opened, if ever. The wraiths on the ceiling of the cave descended, as I’d expected them to. Moving like a school of fish, they circled the room, far more curious about me than they were of a witch.

“Do you see the stone on the ground below you?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Yes. And no. I’m not going to perform for you either, so you can get that thought out of your head. I look like you. I thought I felt like you. I’m told I … smell like you. But the wraith I released was right. I’m not like you. I am different. I can lift that stone and throw it across this room. I can hold a beautiful witch in my arms and whisper promises at night. I can feel more than sorrow, curiosity, and anger. I can feel my heartbeat. I can feel happiness.”

“It is impossible,” she said, surging forward to circle me like a hawk. Without warning, she pushed herself through my body, wracking me with a thousand years of sadness and anger before she moved away, eyes wide with wonder and intrigue. “You are different. Only just. But different all the same. Can you smell? Or sleep? Can you taste the delights of this world?”

“I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine. And if you ever do that again, I’ll spend an eternity trapping every fucking wraith I find in a salt circle for amusement.”

“Ah. I spent about ten years of my youth convincing witches to do the same. It gets boring. As all things do.”

I couldn’t help the twitch in my mouth. She’d been stuck as a ghost since dirt was discovered. Her twisted mind could probably have conjured a better threat than mine, damnit.