As I come to an end, I force myself to avoid looking at Sybil’s face. The fear radiating off of her is too much to think about right now, especially because she isn’t afraid for herself.
Next to me, Gale slides the book closer to him. “I’ve never read this book,” he admits. “Don’t think I’ve ever even seen it.”
“There are like, three hundred books down there,” I say helplessly.
“True,” he admits. “Why didn’t my magic guide me to it though? It did to all the other ones.”
I open my mouth then close it, unsure how to answer that.
Sybil muses, “You weren’t the person who was supposed to find it—they were.” I finally look at her when she points a finger my way.
“Why didn’t I hear anything?” I ask, frustrated.
She shrugs. “Maybe it made a sound, just not as loud as Renata heard.”
“What?” I ask. “Is that even possible?”
She tilts her head. “I’ve experienced similar things—where I’m hearing what is happening around me as well as through my visions. But…” she trails off.
Our boss notices my growing agitation as Sybil loses herself to her mind, thinking deeply about something.
“What, dear? What could it be?” Gale gently prods. “I’m at a loss here myself.”
Shaking herself off, she gives me an apologetic look. “Maybe instead of hearing what hasn’t happened yet, Renata heard what already passed.”
Gale nods, considering it. “That’s interesting. The fates could be replaying past events, hoping you two make different choices. If Petra or Barrett had dropped a book when they visited, maybe she was hearing both.”
Clenching my fists, I fight the urge to go find her. Their words make sense in a fucked up way.
Flipping the book open, Gale silently begins reading, and Sybil organizes the return cart. I’m so consumed by my thoughts, I don’t knowhow much time passes when Gale sits up straight and roughly pushes the book toward me.
“Look,” he demands and points at a passage. “Look right there.”
“What am I—” My voice cuts off when I see it.
Nestor Blackthorn.
This book is about him—the lost hero.
It happened sometime after he and Petra were married. It’s custom for males to take their wife’s last name. It’s not a strict rule, and I’ve always known Blackthorn was a maiden name.
Shaking my head in disbelief, I start flipping through the pages. “I need to read this,” I say over my shoulder.
Neither protest since I’m not skipping out on a shift. I find my favorite seating area in the back corner of the atrium and read until Sybil brings me lunch. After a quick meal with her and Gale, filling them in on everything I know so far, I go back to the story that feels like the first real clue into ending this curse.
Chapter 33
Renata
Standing outside Edmond’s house, I stare at Poppy sitting on the mailbox across from me. A nearly identical image to the first day I arrived to Briarhollow.
Except this time, Poppy isn’t rousing and angry at the sight of me. She brought me here.
I didn’t try to sleep last night, too afraid of facing the nightmares alone after what happened at the library. There wasn’t an ounce of desire to talk to anyone, not ready to rehash my hallucination, but knowing I would need to.
So, I decided to go with the coward’s choice and spend the day in the community garden. It’s the best place to get lost for a few hours.
Poppy had other plans.
