Cursed by Darkness: A Bluebeard Retelling by Haines CM

Author:Haines, CM
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-09-26T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FOUR

Juniper

1 DAY EARLIER…

Eryx hated his brother, but not enough to end his life. Not until Theran went after Ronna. She had never done anything to deserve his wrath. She’d fought for peace for so long, and this was how she was being repaid for it, apparently. And then, Theran did the unspeakable.

In the dead of night, he crept into the castle in Nortussa. And Ronna’s remaining family, her descendants, were all slain by the God of Light.

“I

cannot take another day of this,” Juniper said, tilting her head back against the tub.

Nadine stopped gathering her clothes and such to prepare her for the day and sat on the stool beside the tub. “Of bathing, Your Majesty?”

The jest made Juniper chuckle. She shifted to face her, resting her arms on the side of the tub with her chin atop them. “No. Of sitting around and waiting. My brother was right. Just don’t tell him I admitted that. Ever.”

Hugo had left the night before, wanting to catch up with the others. He hadn’t stayed long, but the visit meant everything to her. For the first time in years, she felt like she had her best friend back. It would take time to really return to what they’d once been, but at least they had talked. She understood his behavior now, and it broke her heart—both for what he’d gone through, as well as the time they’d lost.

As for the rest of what they had discussed, she struggled to wrap her mind around it.

She wanted to speak with her mother, but it needed to be without her father present. And she wouldn’t dare put those details in a letter. When Bodin returned, she would ask him about inviting her mother to come visit. Though, the queen hadn’t even attended their wedding, so it was impossible to know what it would take to get her here.

“Your secrets are safe with me.” Nadine moved closer to her side and lowered to her knees.

Juniper smiled at the woman who’d become one of the closest friends she had ever had, along with Laurent. “Can I ask you a question? What’s going on with you and Laurent?”

Now, it was Nadine’s turn to laugh. “Nothing.”

Lifting her head, Juniper raised a brow in disbelief.

“He flirts with everyone, and it’s a little… flustering at times, but that’s all,” Nadine said. “When I was younger, I used to fancy him. I’ll admit that. He’s attractive and genuinely a good person. But he’s a little too much for me.”

“He’s a little much for everyone,” Juniper teased before a wave of sadness washed through her. “I miss him.”

“They’ll be home any day now. Then, you’ll see that Bo is all right.”

“I hope so,” she whispered.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Juniper finished cleaning up and got out of the tub. She wanted to go into the village today. The first couple of days after Bodin left, she had done as he requested—before her short period of wallowing—checking in on those who’d suffered in the attack, along with others she’d seen mingling in the streets.

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