Of Curses and Hearts (Curse Keeper, Curse Breaker Book 3) by E.J. Kitchens

Author:E.J. Kitchens [Kitchens, E.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brier Road Press
Published: 2024-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

Blythe could not believe her good fortune. With all the terrible things that had happened of late, for her to end up in a Cottage for Retired Enchanters, to have their library within her reach, a possible cure for her curse at hand, she pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating from the cold. Of course, there might not be anything useful in their library, but she’d dreamed of trying, and now to have her chance.

In a Cottage where extremely powerful enchanters didn’t want to share their knowledge.

Courage, Blythe. Faint heart never won a real heart. The enchanters may scare visitors, but they don’t really hurt people.

She repeated those bracing ideas as the door opened and a fortyish man with shaggy brown hair and unkempt clothing motioned them inside. He had the same twinkling brown eyes as the butler.

She smiled at him but quickly cast her gaze about the rest of the room. Books! Have books!

It didn’t. It was a normal room, which was disappointing. If not the library, she’d expected to at least be diverted by the enchanters’ antics. Instead of amusement, a shiver of fear crept through her, making her feel like a rabbit cornered by a lynx. For the enchantress leaning against the mantel, a chilling coldness in her gaze, could hardly be compared to a mere housecat. She was tall with a beautiful, ageless face and wore a shockingly formfitting black dress. She made no greeting.

Blythe’s fingers twitched at her side. Her chest itched, but she wasn’t rubbing anything in front of these people.

Her attention slipped a hair to the left at a movement coming from almost behind the austere enchantress. The image of a cookie-baking grandmother from a children’s story book sat beside the fire, rocking and knitting. The white-haired matron smiled kindly at Blythe, and the itch stopped.

“Welcome! I’m Blatherskite, but you can call me Blatherskite.” The man in the shabby clothes practically jumped forward in eager welcome, smiling broadly, enjoyment in his earlier “clever disguise” evident in the gleam of his eyes. He slapped Dox on the shoulder, then pulled him into a hug. “Oh Dox, old boy. It’s good to see you. It’s been too long.” He addressed Blythe and Ilona in the voice of an aside, “We’re the family he doesn’t like to talk about. But we still love him.”

He clapped a stoic Dox on the shoulder again before bowing to the woman leaning against the mantel, who still watched Blythe. Blythe made a determined effort to not seek Dox’s broad shoulders to hide behind. She was a princess, and she did not cower. “This is Lady Amaranth. She, ah . . . is known far and wide for her beauty and calm.” He patted the grandmother on her wrinkled hand. “And this dear is Lady Hyacinth, who’s just come to spend her retirement here. So many stories she has to tell! Why, when she was visiting Queen⁠—”

“Enough, Blatherskite,” Lady Amaranth said.

“Ah, yes.” Blatherskite tugged at his collar. “Well, welcome again.

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