Hopeless Magic (30 page)

""
"Let them go, we're safe for n-" Avalon stopped short before finishing his sentence and then doubled over, grabbing at his side.

I let out a scream of pain, feeling the same agonizing stab in my stomach. Before I could recover, another searing stab seized my leg and I reached down further, crying out again.

"
"What the hell?" Avalon yelled at the men still lying defeated on the floor.

"
One of them let out the cruel sound of malicious laughter. He could barely keep his head up, but the hatred in his eyes never softened. "The King's Curse!" he panted, struggling to breath. "We all have it."

"
Jericho let a string of curse words fly, kicking the man in the face and knocking him out. I screamed again, not believing that pain this 458/711

severe existed. I fell to the floor in agony, wishing for death or at the very least unconsciousness.

Avalon crumpled next to me, gritting his teeth, sweat pouring from his face.

"Lilly get on the phone with Amory, now!"

Jericho yelled at her as she fumbled around for her cell phone.

The stabbing was back, burning my insides and terrorizing every molecule inside of me. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, all there was was pain. The darkness started to close in and I welcomed it, whether this was death or sleep it did not matter. I had to escape the pain.

30.

The pain didn't stop. I was in and out of consciousness for what felt like eternity. I had no concept of time nor location; everything around me was a blur of agony. I could feel myself scream, but couldn't hear anything in return. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe I was wrapped in searing pain. My body felt like I was being ripped apart and I decided that was what hell would feel like.

The worst part was the connection I shared with Avalon. Everything felt amplified, our shared misery echoing off each other's consciousness. I felt his misery and wished for death.

In the depths of despair and the blackness of pain I had nightmares of all the people I loved being trapped in the same disease. Amory, Kiran, Jericho, Lilly.... all chained to the unrelenting torture that was the King's Curse. I couldn't help 460/711

them, I couldn't save them, there was only death waiting, but unreachable.

I knew we would die. I knew there was no coming out of the curse. Everyone had died from it.

And Avalon and I would be next. The hopes of the Resistance would rot with us. Kiran's love would fade away. I would become a whispered rumor of what once could have been. My brother, the great leader that died too young.

It didn't seem fair for Avalon. Someone born with his potential should be given the greatness in life he demanded. I was the lost girl, the girl who dragged my brother away from his destiny and into a meaningless duty, that would in the end, be his demise.

I was at fault. Avalon was an innocent victim of the crimes I had accumulated. If I had made up my mind.... If I had said yes to the Resistance....

If I would have stayed away from Kiran.... If I wouldn't have wandered off alone.... If I would have left Avalon out of the fight and let the Titans take me away.

461/711

I was to blame. And I would die because of my sins. I wanted to die, rather than face Avalon again. I would never be able to make this up to him if we survived and the alternative was too much.

Hold on
. Avalon demanded, through unquench-able pain.
You cannot give up. It's not over yet.

I couldn't respond, I couldn't use the energy to talk back. But I held on to Avalon. I refused with what little willpower I still held on to, to fade away. I found hope where there had been none and pushed it forward, making the smallest flicker of light in the dark abyss of agony.

But the darkness still came. The blackness found me and swept me away to unconsciousness. I tried to hold on, but in the end, the pain was stronger than what was left of me and I let go.

----

462/711

"Eden, Love," the whisper of a familiar voice called me from the nothing. "Come on, I know you're still there."

I felt the pain again, the hot rippling of tendons and fibers, of blood cells and enzymes, but it was lessened. This was not the seventh circle of hell, this was less, something had happened.

"Eden...." the accented whisper called to me again and this time I felt a gentle hand against mine.

I felt a warm hand against my hand, I felt something other than pain. I came further out of darkness, aware that I was better. I could feel the bed and the pillow my head rested on. I felt the blanket that covered me and wanted to throw it off, I was on fire and didn't need any extra warmth.

I could feel Avalon too, awake and in less pain.

He was breathing regularly and not screaming anymore. He was alive and in less pain and that was all I needed for the rest of my life; I just needed to know that he would be alright.

463/711

I opened my eyes, shutting them quickly again against the dim candlelight that felt brighter than the sun. Slowly, I opened them, realizing how desperate for water I was. I tried to lift my sweat-soaked head off of the pillow, but wasn't strong enough yet.

The whisper was there then, in front of my face and smiling. Kiran looked down at me like an angel, an exhausted and gaunt angel, but an angel all the same.

"Oh, thank God," he whispered again, and let out a long sigh, giving me the impression it had been a long time since he had breathed. "Amory," he called, "Amory, she's awake."

My grandfather ran into the room, pausing in the doorway as if to make sure, before walking carefully over to me. Kiran let go of my hand and allowed Amory to sit down next to me. He brushed the hair off of my forehead and looked at me in the ancient way he sometimes had, reminding me exactly who he was.

464/711

He reached over to the nightstand and picked up a glass of water with a straw. He held the water with one hand, while lifting me off of the pillow with the other so that I could drink.

"Slowly," he said in a low voice, but he didn't need to warn me. I was barely able to take one drink before the violent nausea washed over me.

"I'm alive?" I whispered, in a barely audible voice.

"Yes, my dear, you're alive," he smiled at me, looking very much like a grandfather. "I don't think it's wise to use your magic just yet, but you seem to be making a turn around."

"Avalon too?" I knew the answer, but I needed to hear it from Amory's mouth.

"Yes, Avalon too," he held me up again for another drink.

"How long?" was all I could ask with my dry and scratchy voice.

"Two weeks, Love," Kiran offered from the back of the room and I realized for the first time that this was not my bedroom.

465/711

"But how?" I wished they would just explain everything to me, I didn't want to talk right now, or maybe even ever again.

"At the mall you met some Titans?" Amory asked, gauging how much I remembered. I nodded, clearly remembering the fight and the first feeling of stabbing pain. He continued, "When you and Avalon took their magic, it was already infected with late stage King's Curse. The whole event was set up for you to take their magic.

From what Jericho says, I understand that you took two and Avalon took two and, Kiran?" He turned around before continuing, "I'm sorry to in-convenience you, but would you mind running down the hall and finding some cool cloths for Eden," Kiran nodded and turned to walk out the door, "Oh and also.... Would you mind finding Lilly and Sylvia? I'm sure they would be happy to know Eden is awake." When Kiran had left the room, Amory continued, "The two of you had a combined four different magics infected with the King's Curse inside of you. I thought," Amory 466/711

cleared his throat and shook his head as if to gain composure, "I didn't know how you would survive. Your own magic was infected with the awful disease and so when your bodies would try to heal themselves there would only be more pain.

Your magic is still recovering. Avalon woke up yesterday, and is doing better today, but you both need to be careful. I don't know what saved you or how you were able to both come out alive, I'm just thankful you did." He hung his head without looking at me.

"Just as long as he's ok," I whispered, closing my eyes again and wanting sleep.

"He said the same about you," Amory replied, the pride clear in his tone.

"Where am I?" I asked, remembering I wasn't in my house.

"The farm. We thought we could give you better care here, but nothing we did seemed to make any difference.

"What about.... Kiran?" I asked, dropping my whisper down even lower.

467/711

"We brought him in, hoping he could help you.

In the end, I'm afraid we only shocked him, but I think he was glad to be here. The boy cannot lose you, Eden, I am afraid of what will happen to him if he does," Amory patted my hand, before kissing my forehead and standing up.

Lilly and Aunt Syll were through the doorway seconds later, hovering around me in the gentlest of ways. I smiled at them both, the best I could; and accepted their offer to help me with drinks of water.

I was exhausted and still miserable from the leftover pain, but would never complain about anything less than the King's Curse agony again.

That was real pain. That had been true misery.

Kiran stood in the back of the room while they talked softly about nothing things that I found interesting. He just stared at me, an unreadable expression on his face, while Aunt Syll told me how they celebrated Christmas and Lilly talked about the Christmas ball I had missed, but Amory had made her go with him. He had to chaperone and 468/711

she just sat at the table wishing she was back here.

Eventually, when I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, even through their sweet chatter, they got up to leave. They said goodbye to Kiran at the door and he took the chair next to me after they left. He held my hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing me sweetly.

"I cannot lose you," he whispered hoarsely into the quiet room. My eyes were closed but his lovely words felt like medicine.

"You won't," I whispered back before finding the sweet surrender of sleep again.

----

"I just want to see that she's alright," an angry voice woke me later. Sleep was still heavy on my eyes and I could barely move. The pain had lessened even more, but exhaustion would be the next battle to fight.

469/711

"There she is. She is alright. If you really cared about her, you never would have let her out of your sight to begin with. Now please, leave," a second voice tried to stay calm, while clearly upset with the first voice.

"I want to see her," the first voice growled.

"Not while I'm here," the second voice sounded even more dangerous than the first and I heard the door close forcefully and then nothing else.

"Who was that?" I asked, my eyes still closed.

"No one, Love," Kiran sat back down next to me, reaching for my hands and holding them tightly.

"Don't you need to go home and sleep?" I asked, struggling to open my eyes. The candle had been blown out and the room was completely dark.

I couldn't tell if it was the same day or a different one from the first time I had awoken, but Kiran was still in the same clothes, looking worse than ever.

"No," he said simply but kindly.

470/711

"Kiran, I'm better now," I had more of a voice this time, but my throat still burned and my eye-lids were still heavy.

"I know," his voice broke with emotion before he continued, "I just have to know.... I just have to know that you'll stay better."

"Believe me, I will never get that sick again," I tried to smile. "And if I do, I'm just going to die. I can't do that again." I sighed, not joking at all.

"No, don't say that," Kiran knelt down next to me, his face close to mine. "When I said I couldn't lose you before, I meant it. I cannot live without you. You hold too much of me. I would never survive it," he was desperate and I believed him, I had no choice but to believe him, the same would have been true had the tables been turned.

"Besides," his voice lightened, "I need at least one male son before
I
can go off and die. I can't leave a kingdom in chaos." He smiled at me and I smiled back.

"Well," I cleared my throat, trying to cough away the fire, "then we better not plan on dying for a 471/711

long time. I am just not ready for the responsibility of parenting," I smiled bigger, finding my sense of humor and a little more of my health. I had no idea how I came out on the other side of the King's Curse, but I did. And Avalon did. And Kiran was by my side. All was right in the world again.

At least for now.

31.

I worked at listening to Ms. Devereux. I had the book opened to the right page, my brain thinking magically in French, and the right answer already in mind should she ask me a question, but I couldn't focus. I couldn't even pretend to look her direction.

I couldn't even blame my still weak body. I wasn't completely recovered yet from the King's Curse, and I was still afraid to use my magic fully. But I was at school and doing my best to not get behind, although I got tired quickly.

Avalon was the same way and together the shared fatigue seemed to double our symptoms.

Though none of that had anything to do with my inability to focus on French.

I wasn't alone in distraction. The entire class, even Ms. Devereux, was craning necks as best as we could to catch a glimpse of the king. Lucan 473/711

had arrived in Omaha with as much pomp and circumstance as is expected from royalty.

The school had been in a frenzy for a week. As soon as Christmas break was over and we had returned to regular classes, the announcement had been made. Lucan would be visiting Omaha and sequentially Kingsley.

Today was the day he toured the great halls of the exclusive Immortal prep school and everything was to go perfectly. Or so the teachers, staff and students had been told. But from conversations with Amory at home, I really had a hard time believing he cared at all.