Chapter 65
CHAPTER 65
VALARIC
D amar paces back and forth across the study like a caged snowcat. “I don’t understand,” he murmurs, more to himself than to me. “We’ve missed something. But what?”
It has been two nights since Juliet passed the test to break my curse. There has been no sign of the witch and the enchanted rosebush is still in the garden.
Frustration surges through me as I glance down at my hand. The long cut across my palm is already beginning to heal after I sliced it to summon Talindra. The last time I tried to contact her in this way, she appeared immediately.
It’s the reason I insisted Juliet leave the room. I do not want the witch anywhere near my ashaya. But the fact that the witch still has not come is disturbing.
There are only two reasons for her not to answer my summons. “She could be dead,” I offer. “Or she could have changed the rules to ensure she never loses her hold on me.”
If she’s dead, then there may not be a way to completely break my curse now. But if she is not, I’m worried it means she has something even worse planned for me and my bride.
I walk to the covered window and carefully pull back the edge of the dark-green velvet curtains. Squinting my eyes against the early morning dawn looming on the horizon, I study Juliet as she stands on the balcony. Her head tilted up, her eyes closed as she faces the faint sunlight.
Damar halts beside me, careful to remain in the shadows. “I doubt she is dead. The witch never expected her curse to be broken. She meant to torture you until the end of your days. Or hers.” A deep frown creases his brow. “We need a plan. If you want to keep Juliet safe, we must kill the witch. It is the only choice that makes sense.”
Doubt wars with fear as I study my wife. I cannot bear the thought of losing her. “Blood witches are powerful and dangerous beings. What if we fail?”
“She may be a witch, but she is also a Goblin made of flesh and blood.” Damar’s eyes turn black with anger. “A foul creature to be sure, but a creature, nonetheless. Anything that bleeds can be killed.”
I hold out the spelled dagger the prince gave me, the handle strangely warm in my palm. But then again, Oathrend is no ordinary blade. “We could use this, but we must first find a way to get close enough.”
“We could use a shade stone,” Damar mutters to himself. “It’s the perfect way to trick her.”
While it sounds good in theory, I wonder if it would even work. Shade stones change the appearance of the wearer, disguising even their voice and their scent. But Talindra is powerful. Surely she could see through this type of magic. “You do not think the blood witch would sense it?”
“Do you have a better idea?” Damar arches a brow.
I shake my head. “Where can we find one?”
“I’m not sure.” He scrubs a hand over his jaw before he stills, his eyes sparking with something akin to hope. “But I believe the Incubus might know.”