By the time the mouth of the cave appeared, cleverly hidden by trees and moss so it would be easy to miss without the now-functioning compass, my slippers were back on and I was exhausted. Constant vigilance had that effect. Besides that, the walk to the cave took over an hour.
I glanced at the sun’s low position. “How far inside the cave will it be?”
“If it’s the same as last time? It’ll be close.”
I didn’t miss the way Jax avoided turning towards me when he answered—or how his eyes were locked on the path forward. I was surprised he’d even heard me.
The mouth of the cave was more like a crevice. Turning sideways to follow Jax, who barely fit, didn’t make it feel any less claustrophobic. The air itself was too close, heat and humidity hanging like a curtain, one that entangled me and made me panic. My heart raced, my breaths coming short and fast.
Jax never noticed a thing. He didn’t turn back to offer his hand, or even to be certain I still followed
When the passageway finally flared into a wide cavern, softly lit by fissures in the ceiling and back wall, I didn’t feel any better. The air was stagnant, like the pool of water collected on the sloping stone floor.
Beyond it sat the treasure chest.
It was too easy. Something feltwronginside this cave. It wasn’t just a curse, but pure chaos magic hidden in that small chest pushed against the back wall.
And itwassmall. Hardly worth the bother—hardly worth my life, or so many women’s lives before, or those ofCarabosse‘s crew.
I closed my eyes, wishing I could blot out the truth.
This little treasure chest meant more to Jax than I did.
And that was my last thought before icy claws sank into my shoulder and neck.
Chapter twenty
Jax
AsIsteppedintothe pool of water, the treasure chest almost close enough to touch, I felt as though I was dreaming.
In an instant, that dream turned into a nightmare.
Sofie’s piercing scream nearly stopped my heart.
I whirled, drawing a dagger to fight an enemy I could not hit. Fool! The allure of the treasure had bested me again, distracting me while I left Sofie vulnerable behind me.
By the time I locked eyes on the vengeful spirit, it was too late. Sofie’s blood flew from a gaping wound, spattering the cave wall.
“No!” I shouted at the spirit, my senses returning. “Take me instead!”
With a skeletal grin, the spirit obliged, leaving Sofie in a heap on the cavern floor as it shuffled towards me in the tatters of a gown. This was her—the hag Aoki swore he had seen.
The Bride was meeting me face to face at last. Ready toend meand this tortured, cursed existence of mine after so many years of anguish and pain.
What had I done? If I died, everyone left in my crew would die with me. But I couldn’t think straight. Sofie’s scream still echoed in my ears, still pierced my heart.
The spirit loomed above me, growing impossibly tall, as if distending the vertebrae that had once made up her spine.
Clearly, I was still befuddled by the treasure’s siren-like call. For as the Bride’s claws wrapped around my throat, I finally understood what should’ve been obvious:
This was no spirit, but a creature of flesh and bone. A woman who had once lived.
A bride, still in her lace gown.
The heels of my boots left the thin layer of water on the pool’s edge as she hoisted me, my neck creaking and straining. Yet her hand was not so tight against my throat that it would prevent me from speaking. I could’ve gasped or begged, but I said nothing, did nothing.
This was the fate I deserved. The fate my crew and I all deserved for putting treasure above my brides’ lives. I had offered my life for Sofie’s and meant it.
