We reached the end of the hallway and Leo pulled back the curtain to another section of beds. The first thing I saw was Lark sitting in a wheelchair, reading quietly a few feet from Chaz’s bed. Her neck snapped up when we entered, the book falling from her hands and into her lap at the sight of me.
“Rose! What—when did you wake up?”
“Just a little while ago,” I assured her. “Look, I’ll explaineverything, but first I—I think I can bring Chaz back.” The sensation was pounding in my bones again, and I didn’t have the patience to wait. Lark gaped at me as I ran to the bedside. Clenching my hand, I let out a breath, praying to whatever Fates were listening that this would work.
I carefully took Chaz’s hand. A small portion of the magic inside stirred and slithered from me. The same silver glow that had lit my uncle’s skin emanated from Chaz’s hand. I held my breath and ignored Lark’s bewildered expression, waiting.
And waiting.
And then?—
Lark cursed. Leo sucked in a breath at my side.
Chaz’s dark eyes stared up at me, tired and unfocused but clear. No longer the blood-red of the Somnivae curse.
A beam burst across my face. I whipped around to Leo and gripped his forearms. “This is it,” I said. “Wedidit. We can bring everyone back.”
He pulled me closer and cupped my cheek, his eyes bright with pride. “Youdid it, sweetheart. You are the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever met.” When he kissed my forehead, a deep voice sounded at my back.
“What, no kiss for me?”
We turned to face Chaz, laughter of relief and excitement bubbling out of me.
“It’s good to see you, brother,” Leo said, leaning forward and clapping Chaz delicately on the shoulder. “It’s been quiet without you.”
Once more, we told the story of what had occurred since Chaz had been cursed. When Lark told him what happened to Horace after the third trial, we all went silent. I closed my eyes against the image that punctured my mind, of that dagger flying to his eye, of his cold, lifeless body. I couldn’t evenimaginewhat Chaz was feeling, learning one of his closest friends was gone and he’d never had the chance to say goodbye.
I sat on the edge of the bed and patted his leg. “He died protecting us. He loved all of you so much.”
“Burly bastard. Had to be the hero,” Chaz said with a quick sniff, then swiped at his nose.
“Rissa and I never fully understood what happened in those final moments with the emperor,” Lark said to me. “How did you kill him?”
I recounted the spell Leo and I had found and my haphazard theory to make it work. I explained how I’d taken Gayl’s magic into myself instead of banishing it like I thought I would, and before I could get the words out, Lark gasped.
“So you have his magic.Youcan restore what was stolen.Youcan break the curse.”
I simply nodded, letting her and Chaz digest the news.
“We have to tell Rissa,” Lark said immediately.
“Oh, I already heard.”
Spinning, I saw Rissa leaning against a shelf behind us. Lark cursed again. “You’re too quiet for your own good, woman.”
Rissa winked. “Some might say I’m as sneaky as a fox.” Rushing forward, she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a tight hug. It took me a moment to react to the sudden contact, but then I closed my eyes and squeezed her back, pushing away the slight soreness.
“I’m so glad you’re awake, Rose,” she said quietly. “We missed you.”
Tears stung the backs of my eyes. Fates, I’d cried more today than in my entire life.
Rissa moved to give her brother a quick peck on the cheek and then hugged Chaz. “Well, this is quite the development,” she said. “Rose, the curse breaker.”
I took a deep breath. I knew what had to come next—had known since the moment my uncle’s eyes opened and this well of power within me had purred. “I have to wake everyone up.”
Nobody spoke. Rissa crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “That’s quite an endeavor. There are many people under this curse, Rose. In every province, every town, every corner of the empire. Are you sure you’re up for it?”
A sense of purpose swelled in my chest. I’d never had a good picture of my future beyond the Arcane Apothecary back home, and even that had seemed…distant, in a way. As much as I loved that shop, Feywood had never felt like home.
