37. Sage
Sage
“What?” I said, trying to fight off what felt like the complete halting of the rhythm that was my life.
“I know very little about curses,” she said. “But I know that isn’t one.”
“It isn’t?”
I looked at Adrian, who was suddenly very interested in what could be at the bottom of his cup.
She shook her head. “Not in the typical sense. This is an ancient magic, one I don’t think anyone of this world would know how to break.”
“But the sirens put it on me, surely there’s some way to discover it from them?”
I felt like I was grasping at straws. Finally, it had felt like something was going to go right. That my entire family wouldn’t look at me like I was an outcast, or I had something wrong with me.
“The sirens placed the necklace, but their magic isn’t what holds it there. The stone itself decided you were its keeper, and until it needs to find a new one, I’m afraid you’re stuck with it.”
I could feel the bottom of my lip quiver. All of this was for nothing? But Adrian was so sure he could get it off, so sure he knew it was a curse.
I turned to him, still so focused on his teacup. “Did you know?”
“What?”
“Did you know she wouldn’t be able to remove it?”
“I… I genuinely thought she could.”
“But you said you knew. You were certain!” I could feel a tear start to stream down my face.
“I knew Maralda was powerful, and dealt in curses—”
“I know very little about curses,” Maralda helpfully cut in. “I specialize in healing and hallucinations, which is what I helped Tungesten with the previous time I visited.”
His eyes darted between us as I stared at him, waiting for some kind of answer.
“You told me she’d done things like this before. That you saw her.”
“I…” he took a deep breath, standing and coming towards me, though every ounce of me felt the need to draw away.
“Listen. I was… I just wanted to help you. And she is powerful. I wouldn’t bring you all the way here if I didn’t think that was true.”
“But you told me you knew it was true.”
“That’s because I wanted you to say yes!”
The sudden silence around his confession was deafening. “So you would just… say whatever you needed to convince me?”
“I…” he took a heaving breath. “At the time, yes. I might have been a bit deceitful, but I wouldn’t have kept going if I didn’t think it’d work. I’ve genuinely been doing all I can to help you.”
“No, you’ve done nothing but help yourself. This whole time it’s been about what you can get out of it.”
“It was for us both.”
“And this job was worth deceiving me?”
I can’t believe I’d been so stupid. I knew not to let myself trust my gut nor a man. And once again, both had let me down.
“I think I need a minute.”
I started to get up, but was quickly pushed back to my seat.
A complaint danced on my tongue before Adrian disappeared from in front of us, totally dematerializing.
“Adrian!” I called.
“He’s outside,” Maralda said, sipping her tea and telling me as if she was recounting the weather.
The banging on the door signaled she was right. “Sage, let me back in,” he demanded.
“Why did you do that?”
She shrugged. “He upset you,” she said. “No reason for you to go suffer the heat. Enjoy your tea while he stews, it’ll make you feel better.”
I felt conflicted. Adrian still stood outside, pounding away, pleading to be let in.
“He’s not like… hurt out there, right?”
It might have been a silly question, but I was mad, not bloodthirsty.
“Unless he decides to stay in the sun long enough to burn, he’s fine.”
I sat back and sipped my tea, admittedly feeling a bit less tense. Though the sadness was still there. I’d trusted Adrian, trusted him more than I’d trusted anyone, and he betrayed me. Did nothing but deceive me, just like the rest of them.
“I just don’t get why he lied,” I said into my cup.
“People lie for lots of reasons,” Maralda said, answering my rhetorical question. “I’m sure he had a reason in the beginning.”
“And you think that justifies him?”
“Obviously not,” she said. “I threw him outside, not you. I just think once you’ve calmed down, hearing the reason will help you make your decision.”
“What decision?”
She paused, as if I was asking something silly. “If you want to continue your relationship?”
“Oh, no,” I said. “We’re not… anything official.”
Her brows rose. “More interesting by the minute,” she huffed under her breath.
“Listen, child, whether you’ve named it or not, you’re something to each other.
Something more special than this arrangement you started with.
I’m not telling to forgive him, but really think about it.
Because whatever is going on, it runs deep. ”
I looked deep into my now empty cup, hoping maybe the remaining leaves at the bottom would give me the answers.
“And you don’t know anything about my necklace?” I asked again.
She shook her head. “I know that the power that forged it was created before the continent lines were drawn, and by a magic that I’m sure no longer exists.”
So I was just… stuck with it? Part of me knew how it would be. That whatever tied me to this piece of jewelry would keep us bonded forever, but I’d let myself be hopeful. At least hopeful that I’d be able to find some answers, but now it felt like I had to let it all go.
Another loud shift and a deck of cards landed in front of me. I looked at Maralda with confusion.
“I thought you could use a distraction,” she said. “And I don’t have visitors often.”
This woman was… odd, but I had to admit I liked her.
“Blackjack?” I asked.
“You’re on.”