Chapter Forty
VIOLET
Light shines against my eyelids. Squinting and blinking against the brightness, I push myself into a sitting position. Pressing the heel of my hand to my temple, I attempt to quell the thundering headache.
Everything feels different, yet as I look around my room, nothing appears to be out of place or changed.
Bear dashes from across the room and leaps onto the bed, sliding over the blankets and curling up on my lap. They are a bit too big and too heavy, but I appreciate the sign of affection, so I allow it. I pet the top of the demon’s head.
Strange, how they can look like every other wild demon, while managing to be rather cute at the same time.
The door slides open, and Iseul sticks her head in. Her face brightens when she sees me. “You’re awake.”
She turns to someone out in the hall, speaking too quietly for me to hear before entering and hurrying to my side. Her hands grip my shoulders as she looks me over several times with an expression of disbelief. When she’s satisfied, she drops onto the edge of the mattress with a heavy sigh.
“How are you feeling?”
Iseul doesn’t wait for an answer before her arms are around me, pulling me into a tight hug. Bear grumbles and wedges their way between us, becoming the center of the embrace.
Iseul pulls back. We share a smile.
Mine quickly fades. “My head is splitting,” I groan. “I feel like I nearly….” I trail off.
“What’s wrong? Do you feel like you’re going to be sick?” Iseul asks, noticing the change in my demeanor.
The pulse in my veins kicks up as everything comes back to me.
A demon. The one who cursed Joon and Arum. “The king, he—”
“Is dead,” she finishes for me, holding up a hand. “His body was found a few hours ago. We were there for part of it, but Imugi filled us in on the rest of the details… including your bargain with the prince.”
I hold my breath.
“He broke the curse,” she answers my unspoken question.
Iseul has mentioned the king and the curse, but I can’t help but notice that she has not mentioned Joon. He is not here—if he were all right, then he would be. I know he would.
I am afraid to ask. Afraid to know the truth. But of the two, not knowing is far more unbearable. “Joon?”
There are so many questions tied up in that one word.
Where is he? Is he on his way? Is he hurt? Is he…
No!
He can’t be—he broke the curse.
A knock on the door has Iseul jumping to her feet. She hurries to answer as if she can’t get away fast enough.
Once again, she exchanges a few words with someone I can’t see.
A moment later, she returns carrying a tray and sets it down on the bedside table.
Pale tea fills a small crystal pot with a matching cup beside it.
Next to that is also a shallow, wooden bowl containing something that resembles a dark broth.
Iseul hands me the bowl first and stands there, expectantly.
I hold it and return her stare.
“Drink.” She won’t tell me another thing until I do. She doesn’t need to say as much—it’s clear in her tone and body language.
I bring it to my lips and oblige. The mix of herbs combines to create an aromatic, earthy, yet bright flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
There are notes of things I don’t recognize, and I am instantly curious. It isn’t the worst medicine I’ve taken, but it is a bit too strong to be considered pleasant. By the time I hand Iseul the empty bowl to inspect, my headache is gone, and I make a mental note to ask about it later.
I wait for Iseul to answer my question. When she doesn’t, I ask again, “Where is Joon?” I can’t keep the desperation from my voice.
It only increases my apprehension further when Iseul’s gaze darts around, as if she is looking for someone.
“Why won’t you tell me? Is he all right?”
She looks down at the bowl in her hands. “We should wait for Mingi.”
“Tell me what happened,” I snap.
Iseul sighs and finally meets my gaze. “How much do you remember?”
I force my shoulders to relax. It’s still difficult to believe.
Closing my eyes, I try to find clarity in my thoughts.
“The king—” No, not the king. Not anymore.
I look to Iseul for guidance, but she only shrugs as if it doesn’t matter what I call him.
So, I continue, each word coming slowly, “He cursed Joon. Somehow, he figured out the final shard was inside me—he was going to kill me, before Joon…”
My throat tightens. I shake my head.
This… this isn’t right.
Removing the shard should have killed me. I try to sort through the haze of memories, but everything is too unclear.
If Joon broke the curse, then… then what?
“How am I alive?” I’m not entirely sure if my question is for her, myself, or Joon, wherever he is. “Joon couldn’t break the curse without killing me,” I say slowly.
“Do you remember anything else?” Iseul prompts.
Again, I shake my head.
She sighs, pressing her lips together as she decides what and how she fills in the missing pieces for me. “He encased you within ice as he took the shard. He made it part of the curse, but…”
“But?” I prompt when she trails off.
“His ice is different than the dragon’s. It…” Iseul trails off and is silent for a moment before continuing, “That alone should have killed you.”
My weakened heart. The shard. The ice. The shadouk. So many things working against me, trying to end my life. It is no small miracle that I am alive.
My throat goes painfully dry as alarm presses in on my chest like a heavy weight. But the feeling is stunted by a shocking realization—the strong, negative emotion that would typically set off an episode feels different. No sharp pain or pressure clamps down on my heart, only anxiety.
“Mingi and I talked about it,” Iseul adds as if sensing my distress.
“We think all those times he used his power to heal you when siphoning, somehow imprinted some of his power onto your soul. Enough that his magic couldn’t kill you.
Depending on how much, it’s possible you could be immune to some glamours. ”
I lack significant knowledge in the workings of magic, but the logic is sound enough to stifle some of my unease.
Considering I’m no longer injured, that must mean Joon freed me from the ice and healed me after breaking the curse.
Not being able to remember all the details leaves me theorizing in order to make sense of things, with no guarantee that I’m right about any of it.
“Then he is alive.” It’s not a question. It’s true. It has to be. Even if he’s hurt or trapped, I need to believe he is alive and well, trying to make his way to me.
Iseul swallows and licks her lips.
But… if that’s the case, where is he? Why is Iseul doing everything to avoid saying?
Another knock on the door interrupts our conversation. I scowl at whoever is on the other side as Iseul takes the opportunity to avoid telling me what I want to know.
A woman steps in and announces Mingi’s arrival.
Iseul rushes to meet her brother. They exchange hushed words. From my vantage, the two of them are either disagreeing or plotting.
I would like to know what they are talking about that they don’t feel the need to let me in on it.
Pushing the blankets off, I get to my feet, taking a moment to ensure I am steady. My muscles feel strong and rested. In fact, my entire body feels strong. I don’t remember the last time I felt this good.
I quietly make my way over to the siblings. The siblings are so engrossed in their conversation that they don’t notice me until I clear my throat. Iseul and Mingi startle and gape at me with identical expressions.
“You should stay in bed and rest. You’re not—” Iseul says.
I hold a hand up to stop her. “I have rested enough. Right now, I want to know what you are hiding from me. Where is Joon?”
Imugi’s pale form slips through the wall like morning mist. The demon’s eyes lock onto Mingi. “Sightings of the second dragon have sparked confusion and unrest. Speculation of a second curse is already spreading through the city. It is only a matter of days before it reaches every city in Arum.”
“Have the captains send their men to squash the rumor before it has a chance to leave the walls of the capital,” Mingi orders.
“What should they say?”
“Anything—whatever they must to ease the tensions for now. The threat has been handled and is no more.”
I push between Iseul and Mingi. “Second dragon?”
Imugi blinks twice. “Yes. In order to become one with a guardian, the Traitor King bonded with a higher demon.” They gesture to themselves with their tail.
“But they were greedy and did not care that their natures and powers were ill-suited. Even the most powerful will end up demon cursed with the wrong fit.”
Flashes of scales flicker in my hazy memory. Ash and rust.
I thought it was only the Traitor King’s demon. But had it actually been the dragon within him? If he and Joon were the two who were spotted, then—
My stomach tightens with desperation. “And Joon?”
“Their dragons fought,” Imugi says, confirming my theory. Frustratingly, there is nothing in their tone to hint at the outcome.
“There is time for talk when everything has settled,” Mingi interrupts. “We must focus on keeping the people at ease now.”
Imugi stiffens. They remain where they are, though they heed the unspoken command to stop talking.
I round on the two fae. Iseul stares at the floor, lips pressed into a tight line, while Mingi sighs and swears at the demon under his breath.
His reaction makes me think that I might stand a better chance at pulling the truth from him.
“Tell me what happened to Joon.” I clench my fists so hard, my nails dig into my palms. The sting grounds me, preparing me to hear the worst.
If Joon were fine, they would have said so.
He would be here now.
I would sense if he were hurt or worse. Wouldn’t I?
“There is nothing to tell,” Mingi says.
I take a calming breath, which does absolutely nothing to help.
Demons and saints protect this man because I will send him to the Otherworld with my bare hands if he gives me another non-answer.