Where did this leave her? Pain coiled around her heart. Once a curse had been posed, nothing could remove it, except its fulfillment.
But could she prevent it? If she left Valteri and isolated herself away from any other mortal, maybe she could stop the curse.
All she had to do was never care about anyone. If no one died, it would be averted. Simple.
She could do that. Right?
“Ariel?”
She started at the voice behind her. When she turned around, her heart stilled. There before her stood her senior Arel Raziel.
Though he’d always been handsome, he’d never been more beautiful to her than he was at this instant, standing in a ray of sunlight, his alabaster wings glistening. His golden eyes glowed as he watched her, a sad smile hovering over his perfect lips. “Raziel?”
“Aye. I felt your turmoil. And had to come.”
Ariel crossed the room and drew him into a tight hug. Joy and relief coursed through her body. “I’m glad you’re here!”
Raziel squeezed her tight then pulled back, where he stared into her eyes with an earnest look that stole her happiness. “Thorn has apprised us of your situation. But there’s naught we can do. Even now, I risk much by coming to you.”
“Seriously?” She was aghast that no one would help her in this.
“Aye.” Sighing, he tucked his wings down and shook his head, his face grim. “You know that we’re not supposed to interfere with the course of human events.”
“This isn’t human! Curses are beyond their ken.”
“The crone made her choice and so you were transformed.”
She wanted to throttle him over his nonchalant tone. Over the fact that…
He was as unfeeling about her plight as Mildred had accused her of being with her son’s life.
Dear God, now she understood the old woman’s frustration and hatred.
It reeked. And as with Mildred, she wanted to strike out and make him feel the weight of her pain. To understand what it was he was putting her through and asking her to suffer.
But she knew that was impossible.
“What am I to do?”
Raziel looked away and shrugged. “You must fulfill the curse.”
Anger and agony choked her. “Is there no other way?”
“None. And now that you’ve lain with a man… you knew the consequences. You made your choice.”
And none of them would have any mercy on her.
A chill ran down her spine. Fear pounded in her heart and she dreaded the next question she must ask. “Am I damned for what I will do to him?”
“You know I cannot answer that. I don’t make those judgments. But if I were you, I wouldn’t count on any leniency.”
The knot in her throat tightened as she thought of her husband. “And what of Valteri? What will happen to him?”
That vacant stare was really beginning to piss her off. “Do you truly need my answer?”
Nay. What she needed was his compassion.
A modicum of mercy.
