Once again she was staring at him. Probably judging him. Yep, he was the one addicted to sex. With a sigh, he looked away, straight at the rows of guests. The witch, Grateful Knight, was in the second row with her husband, Rick, a young boy bouncing on his hip. That must be their son, Lucas. Cameron James was there too. Nice of him to come, given he’d been the one in the tux at the altar with Laina only a few months ago.
Why was this taking so long? The familiar crawling feeling had begun again, like an army of ants rushing beneath his epidermis. He scratched his wrist. A breeze rustled the trees overhead but he was melting inside his tux. Rocking onto his heels, he tugged at his collar.
Anxiously, he twisted the serpent ring on his finger and a wave of nausea came over him. Everyone was clapping. Why was everyone clapping? Oh, his sister. Artemis had announced the happy couple as officially married. Jason put his hands together in a delayed clap.
A buzz started in his ears, growing loud enough to drown everything else out. At first, it was white noise. Then the buzz took on a familiar rhythm, words he’d hoped had gone away came flooding back into his head.Come to me. Come to me.Nickelova’s voice haunted him with every throb of his cranium. Louder and louder. It stabbed into his gray matter, constricting his vision.
Laina and Kyle walked down the aisle to whoops and howls of celebration. He was supposed to do something. Silas nudged his elbow and he realized he was supposed to follow. He fell into step, working his way up the aisle between the chairs.
The voice grew louder and faster.Come to me. COME TO ME. Jason pitched forward, grabbing his head as a lightning strike cut through his brain. He moaned.
“What’s wrong? Jason? Jason!” Silas was by his side, but there was nothing his brother could do. The horizon tilted and his cheek slapped the white cotton runner. A woman screamed. Silas bent over him, shook his shoulder.
But Jason couldn’t respond. All he could see was Nickelova’s face. All he could hear was her voice.Come to me.And all he could see was a road, a river, and a space between two mountains. This time he recognized the road. Route 9. And that was the Stone Eagle River winding under it. He could go to her. It would be easier if he’d go.
His eyes rolled back in his head and his back arched off the soft cloth runner, and then, mercifully, there was nothing.
Selene reachedJason’s fallen body about the same time everyone else did. At the back of the impenetrable crowd, she craned her ear in his direction for any information on his condition.
“His vitals are normal,” Grateful Knight said. That’s right, she was a nurse as well as a witch. “There’s nothing physically wrong with him. This is something magical, Silas.”
There was a swoosh and the crowd parted slightly, giving Selene a view of the witch and her glowing purple sword. Grateful Knight was no ordinary witch. She was a Hecate, a demigoddess with an immortal soul charged with policing the supernatural. Selene gasped as she lowered her weapon toward Jason’s body, causing his skin to illuminate.
“When Nightshade touches him, he lights up like a lightbulb,” Grateful said. “What the hell?” The tip of her sword glided down his arm, moving as if of its own volition. It stopped at his finger. Selene leaned forward to get a better look. The sword tip pointed at a serpent shaped ring. With a short jab, Nightshade’s tip connected with the object.
An ear-piercing shriek emanated from the jewelry. The silver dropped from Jason’s skin and inched away through the grass. Grateful raised her sword above her head and stabbed the silver serpent. With a shriek, the worm disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“What was that thing?” Silas asked.
“Whatever it was, it was enchanted with very dark magic.” Grateful returned to Jason’s unconscious body, the sword glowing to life again. “It isn’t just the ring, although I’m sensing it was exasperating his condition. There’s something inside him. It’s like… It’s almost as if…”
“He’s been cursed,” Gerty said.
“Yes, cursed.” Grateful nodded. “Do you know who might have done this?”
“I do,” Gerty said. She glanced at Silas, Laina, and Kyle, the last of whom was rubbing his new wife’s shoulders in a way that seemed to be the only thing propping her up.
There was a long pause, followed by frantic whispering. Selene strained to hear, but the whispers drifted away on the spring breeze. Artemis stepped beside her, a look of supreme concern on her face.
“It appears you were correct about Prince Jason’s aura,” the older woman whispered. “There is more amiss than a simple vice.”
She was interrupted when Silas spoke. “Let’s move him somewhere safe. Somewhere we can assess him properly.” The crowd parted and Silas hoisted Jason into his arms.
Laina placed a hand on her stomach, whispering something to Kyle over her shoulder. He nodded in agreement. “Bring him to the cabin. It’s closest.” There was an exchange of whispers between the royal family and Grateful Knight, and then all of them scattered.
Selene let out a deep breath and slumped her shoulders as the group disappeared into the woods, following the pathway back to the parking area.
Artemis cleared her throat. “It has been a long day, sister. I wonder if you might accompany the royal family and tend to their spiritual needs. I must rest.”
“Yes,” Selene said with enthusiasm. “I’d be happy to.”
“Very well. Remember, the goddess is Jason’s hope for recovery.” Artemis handed her the box containing the Fireborn Primary Alpha artifacts, the same ones she’d used to bind Laina and Kyle just moments ago. Selene gazed at the sacred chest in wonder, honored to be trusted with it. Artemis graced her with a confident smile. “Break this curse, sister, then see if you can help the man.”
7
“Artemis sent me. I’m here to help.” Selene ignored the slight shake of her knees and raised her chin in an effort to convey competence.
To her relief, Princess Laina allowed her inside the small cottage and led her to the bedroom where Jason had been laid out atop the bed’s patchwork quilt. The crowd she’d seen before had thinned considerably, with only Silas, Laina, and Gerty surrounding Jason in the small room. It was clear the royal family wanted to handle Jason’s condition discretely.
