“What does the intent matter, if the result is the same? I’ve been too careless with my magic. Even now, my husband is paying the price for it. The least I can do is stop it from harming someone else. But don’t worry, headmaster. The curse will remain.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What, then, are you proposing?”
“An escape clause,” I answered. I couldn’t help the quiet smile I wore. “There is always another way.”
That night, I returned to the healing ward. The alterations I’d proposed to Princess Auravelle’s curse had given me an idea. A desperate one, but just in case…
Just in case, I stood beside Jax’s bed where he lay frozen in time, doomed to eternal slumber. Of the two of us, I was the one who was meant to be doomed. He was always meant to walk away.
I didn’t want him to walk away fromme.I didn’t know what my future would look like now that I was no longer a fairy godmother of the realm. I didn’t know if my new life would grow too boring for Jax, or if our feelings despite the trials we’d been through reallywereproof we’d live happily ever after. But it was worth the risk, loving him.
When I spoke, I kept my voice to a raspy whisper so as not to awaken Oasis and Omar, both resting in their beds on either side of Jax, their faces smooth where once they’d been strained by pain even in slumber. Just an hour ago, I’d sent a paper messenger to Safira, letting her know Omar was finally awake, if only for a short time.
Omar and Oasis both had a long recovery ahead of them. But theywouldrecover, even if they weren’t fit to raid ships any longer.
My heart fluttered as I pictured a new life for them and for me. One that had the man in front of me in it.
I bent down close to Jax’s ear. “I choose you,” I whispered, “over treasure, over glory, over status, over power, magic and my own foolish pride. I choose you every time, just like you chose me, even if I couldn’t see it.”
Then I shifted so that my hair fell over his face, a shock of color next to his graying skin that should’ve been a rich brown. I was ready to complete the kiss that our curse had so rudely interrupted.
For when all else failed, said the fairytales, true love’s kiss would save the day.
As I bent closer, Jax’s eyes fluttered open.
“Now here’s a welcome sight,” he croaked, the color rushing back to his wan cheeks. His brows bent in confusion. “You weren’t about to kiss me without permission, were you, wife? What villainy!”
I pulled back sharply, tears dotting my eyes. “Jax,” I breathed. “I wasn’t—I thought, before—“
Jax’s hands gripped my shoulders, pulling me down towards him as he lifted his head from the bed. Our lips met, sending a flush of heady feeling through my body. And while it wasn’t what broke the last of the Bride’s curse, it might as well have been.
It was a kiss that felt like my favorite thing in the world: magic.
Epilogue
KingVenetofEndergeistunfolded the paper messenger bird more carefully this time, reading it again.
I cannot undo the curse completely,the sorceress wrote,but what I can offer Princess Auravelle is a chance. If you will build a tower for her to keep her safe when the curse takes hold, I will grow an enchanted ring of rose briars around it, to keep out the unworthy who would seek her for her power. I will add other protections to the enchantment, too, to safeguard her mind from dark magic while her spirit wanders the dream realm. And she will not sleep forever.
When the time is right, true love’s kiss will break the curse.
King Venet sighed. “A chance,” he said to the admiral in charge of his fleet. “What more could I ask for?”
“Plenty,” the admiral, who happened to be his younger sister, replied. “But it looks like the best offer you’ll get. In the meantime, I got an offer of my own this morning.”
King Venet looked up in surprise. “What sort of offer?”
His sister read aloud:
“Sorceress Sofie Dar’Vester (formerly a fairy godmother of the realm) and Captain Alvyrjax Lucane (formerly Captain Bluebeard) send their greetings, and wish to advise you of their joint venture with the privateers (formerly pirates) ofCarabosse: Blue Mage Transportation Services. No sea is unnavigable. No cargo too large. Transport your loved ones with the safety of the good old days of runeships. Setting sail for the City of Nox in one year’s time.”
The king’s sister shook her head. “Can you believe this?”
But the king merely sighed. After the surprise he'd woken to this morning, he'd put nothing past that pair.
“It’s time to go home,” he said.
Jax
