Chapter 80
Daegan
One year and a half ago
The witch, Maethrel, shuts the creaking wooden door behind us, leaving me alone with him in the herb-scented cottage. Raef and the elf princess wait outside.
I don’t like the way he looks at me with his creepy pale eyes.
It’s nothing against him, but he looks at me like I’m fucking doomed, like he knows some devastating secret I haven’t tortured out of him yet.
“What’s this about?” I demand, folding my arms.
“You.” He kneels on a black silk cushion on the floor like he has all the time in the world. “And your fate.”
“My fate?” I scoff.
“Yes.”
“What of it?”
“Why don’t you sit for a moment?”
“Why don’t I stand.”
He sighs. “I’ve lived many lives, dragon. And I remember each one. I remember the one where I doomed this entire world like a bad dream I was just awakened from only moments ago.”
“What? Are you saying…”
“I was the witch who cast that curse. A female witch named Ethmarel.” He pauses as he takes in my look of confusion. “That’s right…”
I shake my head. “You’re full of shit.”
“I’m not. Why would I admit to being that dreadful, lovesick fool if it weren’t so?”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I’ve waited a long time for you three to come around. I’ve seen the different fates of this world. One path leads to its salvation.”
“I’m guessing it involves me.” I’m not sure why I’m still entertaining this. I’m not even sure I believe him.
“Indeed. The princess is crucial to the only outcome which will set the land free again.”
“And I’m not?”
“You’re crucial… to her. Which makes you important too. And the red one, by extension.”
“What of him?”
“He’s more important for… after. For uniting the people.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You three, plus a few more allies, are going to break my curse at last.”
Elation should be the emotion I’m feeling, but instead, I stare at him in surprise. This is what I’ve been working toward for years, half of my life, and he’s giving me confirmation that we’ll succeed. But do I believe his bullshit?
He still has more to tell me. I can see it.
