“It takes more than a charm or spell to break a curse. It takes an abundance of courage. You must understand that a wrong was done and a wrong often involves evil, and that wrong still exists and doesn’t want to be destroyed. It has gained strength through the years and will fight all attempts to extinguish it.”
Cumina’s warning dashed Bliss’s hope of protecting her sisters.
“This is not something that can be done fast. It is something that must be pondered with great care and decided upon with staunch conviction. It is not something to undertake lightly or thought to be done easily.”
“But it can be done?” Bliss asked, praying for the answer she wanted to hear.
“As I said, a curse cast by a dying person holds great power. The woman who cast the curse you inquire about did so as she laid dying by her own hand.”
“There must be some way,” Bliss said, not willing to give up so easily, and seeing the way Cumina eyes briefly avoided hers, she sensed there was a way. “If there is a way, please tell me.”
Cumina hesitated.
“Please,” Bliss pleaded. “I must protect my sisters.”
A sudden awareness sparked in Cumina’s eyes. “A promise you made to your mother as she laid dying—to protect your sisters—from the truth.” She raised her hand to stop Bliss from responding. “I know not the truth only that you gave your word and that your mother died more peacefully for it. I warn you, though, a death promise can be a heavy burden and your mother would relieve you of it if the day should ever come that you must break your word to her.”
“I carry it without burden,” Bliss said.
“A secret is always a burden,” Cumina gently advised.
Bliss did not want to hear any more about the promise she had made her mum. It was done and the secret would be kept.
“Please tell me if there is a way to break the curse,” Bliss pleaded, returning to the reason of why she was there.
Cumina relented. “The witch of the hills would know how to break the curse.”
“I thought the witch of the hills was nothing more than a myth that had grown through the ages,” Bliss said.
“I can assure you the witch of the hills is no myth, and her power has grown through the years and some believe it is more evil than good.”
“If there is a chance, I must try,” Bliss said.
“In saving your sisters, you may lose yourself. The witch of the hills demands a price for her magic. Will you be willing to pay that price?”
Chapter 6
Annis tried to temper her anger. She had thought Duff not only a good man but a friend. He had taught her much when it came to building structures and there was so much more she wished to learn, but no more according to Duff. The men she had made to look like fools had complained to Duff and he told her that she could no longer work with him. The men had told him they would not work with her. So it was her or them and she could easily be spared, not so the men.
She walked through the village trying to ignore the whispers and snickers that followed her. She did not need to hear what they were saying, she knew. The men thought her a fool for thinking she had the intelligence to do a man’s task and the women thought her foolish for even wanting to do a man’s task. She had been interested in how things were constructed since she had been young. She had built things out of twigs and branches, mud and clay, and whatever else she could find since her hands could first grasp something.
Duff had entertained her with stories of how some of his ancestors helped build Edinburgh Castle. She had been enthralled by the stories of how it was built atop of a rock, a solid structure that could withstand any attack. She could only imagine the design and talent that went into building such a marvel.
She would probably never see it, but she hoped one day to design and build not such a grand structure, but a good solid one for her and her sisters. One that would have more than one room to it.
“You look like you have rolled in the dirt.”
“Better than bruised and battered,” Annis snapped, recognizing Brogan’s voice but not bothering to look his way.
“A spark of anger to your words,” Brogan said. “Who got you so riled up?”
“It does not concern you,” Annis said annoyed, seeing their conversation was drawing attention, which was not a good thing. She wanted nothing to do with Brogan and she definitely did not want to be considered as a possible wife for him. She would kill him first.