It felt invigorating to finally release all his pent-up frustrations.
Saint recovered and shoved him back. Hard.
“Wait,” Hart said. “Wait, everyone. Something seems wrong.”
“What’s wrong is these idiots,” Ash spat.
“Fuck you,” Heir spat back, throwing the first punch.
Chaos erupted and Wren tackled Saint to the ground. They rolled around, both trying to get the upper hand. Leaves stuck in Wren’s hair and dirt got in his mouth.
“IT’S A CURSE!” Hart yelled.
They all ignored him, anger replacing any logical thought and drowning out Hart’s words.
Music started to play as Hart lifted a portable speaker over his head.
They all paused in various poses of insanity. Black holding a fistful of glitter over Heir’s eye while Ash had him in a headlock. Midas and Trace fisting each other’s shirts with Avery awkwardly poking Trace in the back with a tiny stick. Echo covering the visor for their eyes so they couldn’t see. And Wren was pinning Saint to the ground while Blu tried to peck at him.
“Everyone needs to calm down,” Hart said. “We’re all under the influence of a curse. Just…stay where you are and concentrate on the music.”
He began rummaging in his bag for his supplies, and Wren shook his head, trying to clear the angry fog. There was something else that was more important. What was it?
In the next moment a mirror was shoved in front of his face and he saw the vacant dishevelment of his own person.
“Think about your real purpose. Teddy. You’re looking for Teddy,” Hart coached him.
“Teddy,” Wren repeated, seeing a dark cloud lift from him as rational thought returned.
He gasped as Hart held up a photo and burned it quickly.
“Hart,” Wren said, voice wobbling. “I’m sorry, I—”
A hand landed on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Wren. Just breathe.”
He walked off to break the rest of the curses, leaving all of the cursebreakers sitting in various states of shock and shame.
“How did you resist it?” Avery asked.
“I’ve had experience with curses that alter your usual…self.” He cleared his throat, but Wren saw his discomfort. He still wasn’t completely over what had happened to him. “I recognized the signs and didn’t let it take hold. A curse like this can only latch on when you’re already feeling heightened emotions. The more you give in, the stronger it becomes.”
“The more important question is how did it affect us?” Heir said.
“We’re living in the new age. You must have gotten the memo from Nexus that cursebreakers are no longer immune to curses,” Ash said.
“That was fascinating,” Avery said.
“For you, perhaps,” Trace said. “Not so much fun on this side of the fence.”
“They made it seem like it was rare. ‘Carry on as normal’ were their words,” Heir said, still disquieted.
“You’re surprised that the institution played down the seriousness of the risk to our safety for their own gain so they didn’t have to deal with dissent in the masses?” Wren asked.
Heir frowned.
“Only exceptionally powerful casters have been able to affect us,” Hart said. “We have to assume that Kellan is very powerful.”
Avery snorted and then covered his mouth and nose.
