Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1) (14 page)

She stepped onto the staircase, and her sisters immediately lined up behind her according to age. When she reached the bottom step, light flared up in front of her. But she couldn’t tell initially where the light came from, until she looked around more.

The light was from a forest. Thea walked on, awed by the sight around her. The trees were silver, and then gold, and finally, diamonds. They glittered like a thousand miniature suns. It was beautiful.

She stopped abruptly as she reached the edge of the forest. Before them stretched a lake.

“We are not late. The princes are not here yet.” Sybbl stood next to her, looking out over the water.

“They come,” Esmay said. She pointed, and Thea could see small, bobbing lights upon the lake. Silently, they all stood and watched as the lights grew larger.

Thea saw that each light was a lantern hung over a small rowboat, large enough for just two. As the rowers came closer, she could they were all splendidly dressed, just as she and her sisters were. When they were nearly ashore, all of her sisters took several steps back, almost as one.

Thea stepped back also, rather belatedly. Her sisters were beginning to spook her. She looked closely at them. None showed any real animation, just calm. No sign that this was in any way unusual.

The boats crunched along the shore, and the men leapt from them, each moving to one of her sisters. She started as one landed in front of her, executing a perfect bow.

“My lady Thea, I am honored that you chose to join me this evening.” He stood and she stifled a gasp. It was Roderick, a prince she knew from summer visits. His kingdom was nearly a week’s travel from Gallivas. He was a handsome man, and he held out his hand to her, invitingly. Tentatively, she took it. He grasped it and led her to the boat, helping her to step in and be seated.

“How do you fare, my lady? We have all been most anxious for your arrival.” Quicker than she thought possible, Roderick had the boat back out on the water, rowing easily. She peered around him. In the distance, she could see a castle. She just knew it would be the castle from her dreams. She felt sure the hall would be the same as well.

“My lady?” Roderick interrupted her musings. “You do not seem yourself tonight. Is there something I can do for you?”

“I do apologize, my lord. The heat seems more than usual,” she pulled out her fan, and fanned her face. She was sweating, but it was not from the heat. She didn’t think he’d notice.

Roderick looked around. “I do not notice any excess heat, but I will be glad to bring you a cool drink once we reach the castle.” He smiled as though that solved everything.

“That would be pleasant,” she replied. “My lord, where do you stay when you wait for us?”

“The castle, of course. It’s our home,” he said as though she ought to know this.

Thea couldn’t respond. She knew where his home was, and it was not this castle in a forest under her bed.

This was the curse. She sat back in the boat, weighted by the surety of her knowledge. All her dithering prior—none of it had the certainty that this did. She and her sisters were cursed to travel underground. Attended by, if Roderick were any example, the perfect courtier. Polite, charming, and shallow. No substance.

But how had Catrin gotten twelve men to journey here? She’d been preoccupied with her own woes the past week but she knew that none had brought news of Roderick being missing. Given Sybbl’s comment about princes, plural, earlier, she guessed the other eleven men were princes also.

Twelve princes going missing would cause comment, no matter how far apart the kingdoms were. That would be on her agenda tomorrow—to discover if any gossip had reached their court, or if her father had any information.

“We have decorated the ballroom for your arrival,” Roderick said. “I do hope it will meet with your approval.”

She looked at him. This was not the Roderick she remembered. He tended towards being a studious, serious young man. He was the heir. She could remember from their visits that he was considered a wise and thoughtful prince. Her father was fond of him, for all their differences in regards to how to rule a kingdom. This eager to please courtier bore no resemblance to the real Roderick.

Based on what she’d seen from her sisters, she felt that the princes were no doubt enchanted as well. The thought of how powerful a sorceress would have to be in order to manage this nearly overwhelmed her.

If this was indeed the curse, how long would this go on? How could she make it stop? Maybe Isobel was right. Casimir becoming engaged to another would show him to no longer be hers in any way.

Panic rose. The enormity of this nearly overwhelmed her... She forced herself to breathe deeply, and focus on the present. She couldn’t do anything while stuck in this boat, and making a fuss probably wouldn’t get her anywhere.

The castle loomed over them. Like everything else since she’d stepped under her bed, it glittered with lights and beauty. Nothing here looked evil or even uninviting. Everything was lovely.

All too soon, the boat landed below the castle. Roderick jumped out as before, and pulled the boat further ashore. He secured it to a post, and then held out his hand to Thea.

“My lady, I am eager to begin the dancing!” He helped her out, and then tucked her arm through his, moving her along.

Thea felt as though her head spun. The interior was beautiful, and once they had entered the ballroom it was as she remembered from her dream. As her sisters and their escorts entered behind her and Roderick, she tried to get a glimpse of them.

All were princes she knew. All were chatting with her sisters and, unlike earlier, her sisters were most animated and talkative.

Her attention was pulled from observation to Roderick.

“What do you think, my lady? I am most anxious for your opinion.”

She looked around, and seeing his face, forced a wide smile. “You have outdone yourselves, my lord. We are grateful for your efforts.”

He laughed, and spun her around. “Let us dance, my lady!” Immediately, the music began. Thea knew before she looked that there were musicians at the head of the ballroom. Just as in her dream.

That meant that there had been no dreams, but only this half-awake state. That would be why she had on a dancing slipper when she woke, why her feet and legs hurt. Why she had a bloody foot. As Roderick whirled her around, she could feel the ache of her injured toe. The court physician had treated it with a salve and wrapped it. She could tell that it would not hold up the entire evening.

All around her, she could see that her sisters laughed and chatted with their partners. After what seemed an eternity, she was forced to beg off dancing.

“My lord, my feet are nearly worn,” she said, trying for a laughing tone. “You are most vigorous.”

He beamed. “Allow me to get you some refreshment while you rest, my lady.” He led her to a seat along the wall of the ballroom. She, her sisters, and their partners were the only people in the vast ballroom, but the noise sounded as though the room was full. She gratefully sank into a seat, watching Roderick. He moved as though he were avoiding other couples and people. What did he see that she did not?

She felt someone sit down next to her. When she looked over, she saw Catrin. Her mouth fell open. Catrin, too, dressed for a ball. She looked beautiful, and completely composed.

“So you’ve woken,” Catrin said mildly.

“I have. What is this?” Thea struggled to maintain her composure.

“I warned you. If you did not give him up, you would curse yourself, and those around you share in the results of your actions.”

“You did not warn me of any such thing. Nor did you tell me you planned to kill anyone.”

“I killed no one.” Catrin did not take the bait. “I did warn you not to speak to anyone. You chose to ignore me, as you did with my request that you release the Prince Casimir.”

“But—”

Catrin cut her off. “I am not responsible for your choices, Princess Thea. I have been kind and have given you fair warning of what could come. You have made your decision as to how to act.” She shrugged. “You may be a queen one day. One would think your father would have taught you to take responsibility for your actions.”

She smiled at Thea, and Thea resisted the urge to shudder. Once, when she was younger, a trader had brought a fish to court to offer to her father. He called it a shark, and it had rows and rows of teeth that showed when the trader opened the mouth. Thea remembered that the open mouth was a hideous facsimile of a smile. The same smile adorned Catrin now.

“I do take responsibility for my actions. I did speak of it before Archibald. It was you that had him killed. I did not make the decision that he would die. You did.” Thea turned from Catrin, her face stony. She had thought to be more conciliatory, but Catrin blaming this solely on her infuriated her. “This is your doing, Catrin. You decided the punishment, as it were. I did not. You decided that teaching me something meant innocent people had to die. I accept that believing you to be nothing more than a talented madwoman killed someone ten times your worth. I will never forgive myself for his death.”

She looked at Catrin. “Can you say the same? You slough the responsibility of this onto another, even though you were the designer of this. So do not speak to me about accepting your actions. You do not understand the meaning of the phrase.”

Catrin was unruffled. “Being angry at me will not change that your words killed a man.”

Thea started. Catrin was quoting her own thoughts to her. Could she read minds? She resisted the urge to shudder.

“Why are you here?”

“I wanted to see what you thought of my creation. Lovely, is it not?”

“Why are you doing this? To what end will dragging my sisters and I down here, not to mention these poor princes, serve?”

“It’s served me well thus far,” said Catrin, laughing. “Your life is decidedly more difficult, is it not? I will be honest, Thea. I don’t know how this will end. I chose this because it amused me. What happens next will be on you, and the actions of others. I like to see what happens when something is set in motion.”

Thea was aghast. “This is a mere game to you?”

Catrin looked directly at her. Her eyes were dark pools. “No, it is not a game. It is the culmination of years of building towards this point. You made it easier, being just like your father.”

“Given what you are, I can see why my father would not care for you either.” Thea crossed her arms, wondering where Roderick was. She didn’t want to talk to Catrin anymore. As she looked hopefully around the ballroom, she noticed that no one else seemed aware of her and Catrin sitting off to the side. Her sisters were thoroughly engrossed in their partners.

Catrin didn’t seem bothered by her statement. “If you are proud of that, so be it. I will not argue the point. You’ll do as you wish.” She shrugged.

“Is this the curse?” Thea decided she was done wasting time wondering. She’d nearly driven herself mad wondering what part of life was being affected. Since Catrin sat next to her, she might as well take advantage of it.

“It is. You and your sisters, due to your arrogance and selfishness, are cursed to dance here nightly. Until the curse may be ended. How are you feeling this week, may I ask?” Catrin gave the shark smile again.

“We are fine. How we are is none of your concern, given your desire to negate it.” Thea snapped. “How may the curse be ended? You said I need to give up Casimir. He is….” she took a breath. She didn’t want to say what she was about to say. That would make it real. “He may be interested in one of my sisters. If they should end up betrothed, I have given him up. Correct?”

“Oh, no, Princess, it’s not that anymore. Your refusal to give him up put this into motion. Now things are different.”

“You evil old woman! You don’t even keep the rules you set yourself!”

“I make the rules. That’s the way it is.” Catrin smiled, obviously enjoying Thea’s anger.

“What now? What must I do in order to placate you?”

“You’re much feistier this time, Princess Thea. I could almost like you.” Catrin actually sounded admiring. “It doesn’t change what you are, but I must say you keep surprising me. I like that. I will tell you what—I will allow for a way out for you and your innocent sisters.”

“You didn’t have an end in mind?” Thea couldn’t believe it.

“No, I didn’t. I told you. Things are set in motion, and I work from there. The addition of others into my plans changes things. I prefer to act after those in play make their moves.”             

“This explains why you lead a solitary life,” Thea muttered.

“You have no notion of what kind of life I lead.” Catrin responded with a hint of anger.

“No one would want to share it with you,” Thea said, her voice nearly a jeer. A part of her felt she was putting her hand in the shark’s mouth, but Catrin nettled her so.

“Be that as it may,” Catrin said, reining in her temper, “We are discussing how you might have a chance of ending this curse.”

“What must I do?”

“You cannot do a thing. This curse can only be ended by someone other than you or your sisters.”

“What? We can’t tell anyone. How will someone else know to end the curse?”