That is, if the stubborn witch thawed in this century. I swore she was taking her time, twisting the blade any chance she got. My fingers strummed against my forearms. Water slowly dribbled from the thick wall of ice surrounding Sursea.Drip. Drip. Drip.
I added one more burning flower to the flaming bouquet above her, then turned my attention back on Sursea’s face, taking the time to truly look her over. The resemblance between her and Claudia wasn’t overwhelming, but it was there once you knew to look for it. They had the same shape to their faces, and arch of their brows. Sursea’s dark hair had waves and Claudia’s had a bit more curl, but it was the same shade of luxurious brown.
With my own memories intact again, I knew I had never met Claudia when she was still Lucia and I was Fury. Seeing that revelation in the Well of Memory had been a shock.
I casted my mind back to the time before I was spell-locked, to remember what I could. From the beginning of our scheme, Vittoria and I never showed up to the same party while playing our role of “Nicoletta.” She attended any meetings or parties with Pride, and I did the same with Wrath. Sursea insisted that we couldn’t be caught until the time was right, as she wanted to ensure both princes had time to truly fall in love.
Through all the parties and events, I couldn’t recall Claudia at any functionI’dattended. Still, I dove deeper into my memories. I recalled that Vittoria and I would take turns ruling our House of Sin every other week to allow Pride and Wrath to question the whereabouts of our combined persona—Nicoletta—when we weren’t with them. Of course, we’d told them the truth in part. We were returning to House Vengeance, a House they knew little about, thanks to our mother’s magic and our secrecy.
I recalled how we took care of every detail, just as Sursea asked—we even timed our visits to the Houses, to convince the princes there was adequate time for “Nicoletta” to have visited the other prince during the time she wasn’t with one, driving a wedge between brothers as it was revealed they were courting the same woman.
The only event that Vittoria and I both attended was the fateful night that the First Witch asked us to make our pivotal move—the night of the Feast of the Wolf. That evening, on the one night when all seven princes gathered, her plan for vengeance was simple: Vittoria was expected to lure Wrath to “catch” her in the act of seducing Pride. When he walked in on the scandal, we’d expected him to let loose his fury and fight his brother. Pride would lose his wife and possibly his court if Wrath unleashed the might of his House. Thus securing the ultimate revenge against Pride for the First Witch.
WhileIhad never encountered Claudia in all that time, Vittoria had to know who she truly was. My sister had been the one sent to seduce Pride after all. And yet my twin never mentioned it, never gave up our friend’s secret. I wasn’t sure if it was kindness on Vittoria’s part or if she didn’t want to alert the princes for her own reasons. If I was correct about my sister having feelings for Pride, she wouldn’t want anyone to find out Claudia’s secret. Maybe not even Claudia herself.
But when I considered my theory about Vesta—about my sister helping her to escape a court that made her so unhappy—I couldn’t imagine my twin was as selfish or terrible as she’d like the realm to believe. She’d certainly done her fair share of dark deeds, like murdering the daughters of the witches who’d spell-locked us, but thus far that was the only true vengeance she’d sought.
She’d also murdered Antonio, but now I suspected he was close to revealing information regarding Vesta. It didn’t excuse what she did, but it indicated she wasn’t committing monstrous acts without calculation as she’d been all too happy to let me and the demon princes believe.
A chunk of ice cracked and slid off Sursea’s face, drawing my attention to the present. The First Witch was now completely thawed from brow to chin. She slowly blinked until her lashes were free from ice and settled an impressive glare on me.
“Fury.” She spit my true name at me. “You always were the one most like—”
Sursea’s mouth snapped shut with an audible click. I smiled. “The most like Lucia?”
“I have no idea who you mean. I was going to say Wrath but didn’t wish to taint my already foul mood by speaking his cursed name.”
Instead of calling her on the obvious lie, I stood and moved around the block of ice that contained the rest of her frozen body. “Were you aware that Claudia and I were the best of friends while I was spell-locked? Vittoria, too. I could go to her right now, and she’d welcome me into her home. She wouldn’t even think twice if Vittoria showed up, risen from the dead.” Sursea’s gaze glittered with anger, but she kept her troublesome mouth shut. “I want the Blade of Ruination. And I will do anything to get it. Even harm a dear friend by telling her a very intriguing story. Unless you decide to help me and your daughter.”
Sursea’s expression didn’t shift, but I sensed her calculating mind whirring. “Helping you is not in my best interest.”
“You achieved your ultimate goal and got what you wanted. Pride and Lucia are separated. Your vengeance against Wrath ends now. He’s paid the price of your curse long enough. And so have I. And that was never part ofourbargain.”
“Wrath’s curse was very clear. Once he knew true happiness and love, it would be removed and replaced by hate. You never should have allowed him into your heart. That is your issue.”
“Are you certain about that?” I summoned a large orange blossom and held the burning flower in the palm of my hand. My head canted to one side, admiring the magical rose-gold flames. “I’m not sure it’s wise to ignite my fury. Have a bit of respect for your gods.”
I blew the flower in the First Witch’s face and singed her brows off. She screamed as the flames hovered above her skin, close enough to feel the burn but not have her flesh melt. Yet. It was a show of the control I had over my magic, the precision with which I could wield the magical flame.
“I have neither the time nor the patience to prolong this meeting. If you do not tell me what I want to know, I’ll set your entire head on fire. You’ll scream and choke on the scent of your own burning flesh until your vocal cords no longer work. Then I’ll visit Claudia and give her this.” I pulled the memory stone from my bodice and held it up. The threat of being tortured hadn’t caused the color to drain from the witch’s face, but seeing the memory stone did. “How do I activate the blade to break the curse?”
A muscle in Sursea’s jaw flickered. She still did not want the curse to be broken, even after she’d gotten what she’d wanted: her daughter free from Pride. That’s how much she hated Wrath for not giving her what she’d asked for. It was petulant. A tantrum thrown by a spoiled, highborn immortal. I shook my head.
“Vengeance. It’s an ugly pursuit that encompasses many sins. Careful,” I whispered, leaning in close, “or your pride will be your downfall, Sursea. A bit ironic, all things considered. That you would succumb to the sin you hated most above all, just to punish Wrath for saying no to your whims. For respecting his brother and his wife’s choice. You meddled and schemed. You chose hate when all you should have done was love your child unconditionally. Allow her to make her own choices. Become her own person.”
Sursea heaved a breath out, her face contorted in rage. “My daughter’s blood—and only her blood—activates the blade. But she must willingly give it to you. Like all magic, it cannot be forced or taken or gotten through deceptive means.” Something inside me that still felt human tightened in my chest. Sursea didn’t miss the minute change, her lips pulled back into a sneer. “Regardless of my interference, Lucia does not deserve to be brought back into this world of sin. I hope you can live with your choice to ruin the happiness she’s fought so hard to find.”
Wrath escorted me back to his private chamber in silence, sensing my need to sort through my options. He paused outside his door and looked me over. “We haven’t had many opportunities to discuss it, and now isn’t the most ideal time, either, but I’d like for us to share a room. It can be either of our suites, or we can tear the wall down between them and turn it into one floor for our private living quarters. We’ll add a small kitchen if you’d like.”
For the first time in days my mind stopped spinning. I stared at my husband, who never ceased to amaze me with his consideration. His endless acts of love. I rolled up onto my toes and dragged his face close to mine. “Let’s add the kitchen and tear the wall down. The idea of having this entire floor as our private living quarters where we can hide from the whole court is wildly appealing. And I disagree entirely. This was the perfect time to discuss it.”
“Consider it done, my lady.” Wrath kissed me gently, then opened the door. I followed him in and collapsed onto one of the oversized chairs set before the fireplace. The momentary elation passed, replaced by the seriousness of what had to be done next. Wrath looked me over, his lips tugging into a frown. “Did you get the answers you needed?”
“Mostly.” The flames danced in the fireplace, reminding me of excited puppy tails wagging. I turned my attention to my husband. “The bargain you made with Sursea was for six years, six months, and six days.” Wrath dropped into the chair beside me, giving me an assessing look. Before he could ask any questions, I added, “How much time is left?”
He gazed at the fire, the flames gilding his face in warm light. “A day.”
“A day.” I hadn’t thought we’d had much time left, but a day was ridiculous. Through a remarkable act of self-control, I pulled in my fury, keeping a clear head. “If we don’t break the curse before tomorrow, it can’t ever be broken.”