The Unsleeping Witch by Alexandra Overy

Author:Alexandra Overy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises ULC
Published: 2023-07-18T19:02:24+00:00

15

A SPELL TO UNITE LOST LOVES

Bri herded them to a table in the corner where Ludo and Grim rejoined them, the little wolf pup still not entirely happy with their surroundings. Maud scratched his ears and explained as best she could what had happened while Bri went to get what they called poison cider.

“That’s great!” Ludo said. “So we can fix it now. Break the curse, wake up Gretel’s dad, and get the Witching Guild off Maud’s back.”

Somehow, Maud wasn’t so sure.

Bri returned with a large tankard for themselves and three smaller glasses for Maud and the others. The liquid inside was an acidic green and even from a few paces away, the smell was burning.

There seemed to be something moving in it and both Maud and Gretel scooted back from theirs. Maud usually considered herself adventurous when it came to new flavors, but anything alive was definitely too far. Ludo took an enthusiastic sip, choked, and proceeded to have a sputtering coughing fit.

Gretel clapped him on the back and he wheezed, “It’s quite good actually.”

Bri took a long drink—managing somehow not to choke—before leaning their elbows on the table to address Maud. “So, what spell did you cast?”

“A spell to reunite lost loves.”

Bri groaned. “That’ll do it.”

“But we had to,” Maud went on quickly. “It’s the only way to break this curse that’s spreading—”

“And did you think to check when the curse was set?”

Oh. Maud hadn’t considered that. Because of course if the curse had been set by her great-times-however-many grandmother over a hundred years ago, then anyone alive then would be...

“So are you a ghost or some kind of other specified phantasma?” Ludo asked.

Gretel shot Maud a horrified look while Ludo continued to speculate on exactly what type of spirit Bri was, whispering, “Did you raise the dead?”

“I didn’t mean to...” Maud shrugged helplessly. Apparently love spells really were powerful. Especially when cast by someone who had such a habit of making things worse.

Bri clanked their glass down on the table, interrupting Ludo’s stream of questions. “Ghost, spirit, here or there, it doesn’t really matter.”

Maud felt it really did matter, but instead said, “So will you help us? We just have to get through a sentient forest of thorns, past an angry witch, then you can break the curse. Somehow.”

Bri raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is that all?”

Maud tried for a reassuring smile. “I’m sure it’ll be easy.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Bri said. “My answer is no.”

“No?” Maud repeated, too shocked to think of anything else. She’d been so sure that once everything was explained, the princess’s true love would immediately be on board. Who wouldn’t be with so much at stake?

“You don’t want to help a person you love?” Ludo asked, as if someone was trying to prove the incorrect answer to an equation.

“No,” Bri said again. “It was a long time ago. No use digging up old wounds.”

“But it’s hurting people now,” Maud pressed. “The curse—”

“You are not supposed to be in here.”

Maud, Gretel, and Ludo looked up in unison to see the door guard towering over them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.