The Prince Of Curses h.s.

Sixteen

I felt like I had been internally invaded and that something deep inside of me had been taken.

A piece of myself— missing.

A piece of a girl who knew nothing about the world but ingredients and recipes, kneading dough and mixing batter to help keep her family's business alive. To keep them from financially starving. That girl is lost.

I stared blankly at myself as Olesia brushed my damp hair. I had just come from the bathhouse but requested I return to my room straight away. This castle didn't feel safe, my room barely felt safe after what had happened last night.

My magic had started to replenish itself, I could feel faint tugs of it as the day went on.

Olesia smiled at me as she pinned half of my hair up, that untasteful brown piece of hair sticking out from the rest. The skin under my eyes was darker today. Mostly, I think, from exhaustion. Last night when I went to sleep, it didn't feel natural. I didn't dream, didn't move throughout the night, it was like I was stuck in a black void of darkness until Olesias entrance into my room woke me up.

I looked to my collar bones, the necklace Harry had given me a few nights before was still clasped lightly around my neck. I asked Olesia to take it off but she said she couldn't figure out how to undo the clasp. Although it reminded me of Harry, a small piece of me enjoyed wearing it. Having a literal piece of the universe on me was a gift I'd hold onto for the rest of my life.

My eyes lowered, trailing down my green dress to my exposed arm. My tattoo was longer, it now wrapped around my elbow and stopped at my lower forearm. Gold leaves trailed around the blackened vine. I don't know why it grew, and I was still trying to understand the purpose of it being there. I hated that part of my magic that I had released on Harry that day, marking him, unknowingly binding us together in some weird way.

A feeling of disgust washed over me.

I now understood what the witch spirits had shown me about Harry, about how dark and sinister he could be. All I could think about was how he had nearly suffocated me with magic— my magic. It felt like I was learning something new about him every day and I feared to see what he could do if he ever possessed his own magic.

A part of me never wanted him to have it again— another part wanted him to gain it as quickly as possible so the plague of him would be removed from this kingdom. I don't know who will take his place when he leaves, being that he has no heirs, but whoever they are, all I can hope is that they will be better than him.

Olesia finished with my hair, smiling down at me. I didn't return her smile, I didn't have it in me, not today at least. She walked away from me and I stood, no longer wanting to see the reflection of myself, a person I barely knew.

She walked over to the plate of food she had sat on the table earlier this morning. She pressed her lips together before looking up at me. "You didn't touch your food, I can leave it here for you if you want."

"Take it," I said with no emotion in my voice. I couldn't muster an appetite this morning, I had no desire for food.

I turned towards the window, watching as people walked into the castle to pay their tithing. Today the lower class was coming in, I could tell by the way they were dressed and the types of goods they were bringing.

I heard Olesia shuffle behind me, and soon after the wheels of her cart as she pushed it out of the room. When the door shut, I let out a sigh, alone and content in my room.

I pushed my windows open, feeling the fresh breeze lightly blow itself in.

I searched for my magic, trying to surface it so I could play with the draft, but it came out like a sizzled spark.

I sighed again, dropping to the floor and hugging my knees, watching the people below.

Hours must've passed as I stayed leaning against the window. My forehead pressed against the glass and my arms wrapped tightly around my legs. Olesia came by and dropped off lunch, leaving me to my solitude.

Every person that walked through the front gates I watched, analyzed, checking to make sure that they weren't my family.

It wasn't until the sun began setting and the last people were walking in that I spotted her. My mother, alone with a box of pastries in her hands.

I reached my hand up to the window, wanting to touch her, wanting to run and hug her. Her long hair was tied back, and she wore a light blue dress that swayed at her feet.

I wasn't surprised that my sister didn't come with her, I wouldn't have come back here if I were in her shoes. The way they stole me away, shouting at my sister as she tried to free me. My mother must've been terrified when she told her. 

I wish I was close enough to see her face, but my room was so high up that she looked like a tiny ant training along the earth.

I dared myself to try and shout at her through the window, but I decided against it. I watched as she walked through the front door of the castle, disappearing from eyesight.

My hand slowly slid down the glass. I squeezed my eyes together as they stung with tears. Tears that dripped down my cheeks and fell unto the skin of my knees.

It was then that a piece of me realized that I had to let my family go, even if it was momentary. I needed to focus on my magic, learn how to use it so I could figure out how to get out of here and take myself back to them.

I needed to be stronger.

And at that moment I released them, I released all thoughts and feelings of them. I released that hard feeling of guilt that stung inside my stomach. I released the feelings of hurt and betrayal of my mother. I released the warm feelings my heart got when I thought about my sister— when I thought about the bakery. I released it all.

I reached up and wiped the tears from under my eyes. 

It was time to get stronger.