She walked barefoot on the sand, following the shoreline until Larkmont came into view. Her gaze lingered on Soren’s private wharf, where several sailboats were docked, all too big for one girl to manage alone.
But a witch?
With the right spells, a strong enough witch could sail one.
Rune’s gaze lifted to Larkmont. Cressida was in there. Cressida, who kept dozens of spell books in the room she was staying in.
All Rune had to do was sneak inside and find the right one.
FORTY-EIGHTRUNE
THE PRISTINE HALLS OFLarkmont were quiet and still. As Rune crept through them, veiled byGhost Walker, she overheard two guards talking about Soren’s trip to the capital, saying his fleet was ready to sail for the New Republic.
Had Cressida and the other witches he’d given sanctuary to joined him there? It would explain the empty palace.
If Cressida was in Caelis, her spell books would likely be with her.
Am I too late?
Rune quickened her pace. Arriving in Larkmont’s guest quarters, she walked up to the witch queen’s suite and pressed her ear to the door. She heard no voices or movement within, so she opened the door and slipped inside.
Marble columns held up the bedroom’s high ceilings, and the lavish furnishings announced that only privileged guests ever slept here.
No breakfast tray sat on the terrace, waiting to be collected. No clothing was strung about. Nothing was out of place.
Is she already gone?
A breeze from the next room brought a whiff of old magic. Rune followed the scent, hurrying through the archway, passing the private bath, and entered the parlor meant for retiring in the evenings.
The open windows let in a breeze. It ruffled the curtains,sending sunlight flickering through the quiet room. The air smelled strongly of blood and roses—a telltale sign Cressida had used this room for casting. Rune’s gaze snagged on a packed suitcase lying on the sofa as if waiting for someone to collect it. Next to the suitcase sat a leather book bag.
Hope flared in her.
Cressida must have left her things to be packed and brought to the capital for her.
Rune opened the bag, pulling out the spell books to look for sailing spells strong enough to help her guide a large ship on her own. The first book consisted of elemental spells, and while some might be helpful—changing the current or tide; calming a strong wind or changing its direction—they weren’t what she needed.
Rune pulled out the next and skimmed its pages, recognizing several love spells. She tried flipping past them, only to end up in a section on lovecurses. None of which were useful to her.
Rune was about to toss the entire book aside when the memory of Gideon stopped her. His brand burning beneath her palm, growing hotter by the second. The way he tore away from her, trembling with pain.
It happens when I touch you.
Fury curled like smoke inside Rune.
She stared down at the book on her lap. Instead of setting it aside, Rune flipped back, searching for the spell Cressida had used to hurt Gideon.
She found it soon enough:
TRUE LOVE’S CURSE is an Arcana spell. It prevents a victim from being with his true love by inflicting pain whenever he touches her skin to skin.
The words made Rune dizzy.
They’d both assumed the spell kept Gideon away from Rune, specifically. But this was something else. This was intended to keep Gideon away from his true love. Which meant…
It happens when I touch you.
Swallowing the strange lump in her throat, Rune kept reading.
