Chapter 10 CURSED TOGETHER
I woke to find Kaelix watching me sleep.
Again.
"This is becoming a habit," I murmured, not opening my eyes yet. "The creepy staring thing."
"I'm memorizing you."
"Still creepy."
"Can't help it. You're worth memorizing."
I finally opened my eyes. The sight that greeted me made my breath catch.
The black veins had spread. Not just on his chest anymore, they crawled up his neck, visible at his jawline. Dark lines against pale skin. Death spreading through him like ink in water.
And it was my fault.
"Stop that," he said quietly.
"Stop what?"
"Blaming yourself. I can feel it through the bond. Your guilt."
"How can I not feel guilty? You're dying because of me. Because you saved me instead of completing the ritual."
"I'm dying because Seraphine cursed me three hundred years ago. You're just the first person I cared enough about to actually want to save." His hand found mine. "Don't take my choices away by feeling guilty about them."
I wanted to argue. Wanted to rage at the unfairness.
But movement outside caught my attention. Voices. Angry ones.
I sat up. "What's happening?"
"Morwenna. She's been out there for an hour. Waiting for you to wake up."
"Why didn't you wake me?"
"Because you needed sleep. And because I wasn't ready to share you yet."
Despite everything, warmth bloomed in my chest.
Then the door opened without knocking.
Morwenna entered like she owned the place. Which, technically, she did.
"Good. You're awake." She looked at Kaelix. "Leave us. I need to speak with my granddaughter. Alone."
"No," I said immediately.
Both of them looked at me.
"No," I repeated. "Whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of him. We're mates. Soul bonded. No secrets."
Morwenna's expression was unreadable. "Very well. I'll be direct. I can save you."
My heart stuttered. "What?"
"The curse spreading to you through the bond. I can stop it. But only if we sever your connection to him. Break the mate bond completely."
Ice flooded my veins. "That would kill him."
"Yes. But you would survive. The curse would have nothing to spread to."
I stared at her. "You want me to kill Kaelix to save myself."
"I want you to live. He's dying anyway. This way, at least you survive."
"NO!" The word exploded from me. Magic flared, vines erupting from the floor, wrapping around her ankles. "I won't kill him! I won't!"
"Elara." Kaelix's voice. Calm. Too calm. "Let her go."
"But she..."
"I know what she suggested. Let her go anyway."
I released the magic. Morwenna stumbled back, eyes wide.
"You would defend him?" she asked. "After everything he's done to you?"
"He saved me. Multiple times. At cost to himself." I moved to stand beside Kaelix. "I'm not leaving him. Not to save myself. Not for anything."
"Then you're a fool."
"Maybe. But I'm his fool. And that's my choice."
Morwenna studied us both. Then, surprisingly, she smiled. "Good. That's the answer I wanted."
"What?"
"I needed to know if you truly love him. Or if you're simply bound by magic and desperation." She moved toward the door. "You passed. Now comes the real test."
"What real test?"
"At dawn, he fights my champion. Trial by combat. If he wins, I'll help with the ritual. If he loses..." She shrugged. "I won't need to worry about either of you anymore."
"You can't make him fight! He's dying!"
"Then he should fight well. Dawn. The training courtyard. Be there or be declared oathbreaker."
She left.
I turned to Kaelix. "You can't do this. You're too weak."
"I don't have a choice."
"There's always a choice!"
"Not this time." He stood, wincing slightly. "She's testing me. Testing if I'm worthy of you. I need to prove myself."
"You already proved yourself when you saved me!"
"To you. Not to her. Not to the Wild Court." He took my hands. "Let me do this. Let me show them I'm worth the risk you're taking."
"You don't need to prove anything..."
"I do. To myself if nothing else." He touched my face. "I've done terrible things. Been a monster. Maybe I still am. But let me try to be better. Let me fight for the woman I love."
The words hit me like a physical blow. "You love me?"
He went still. "Did I not say that already?"
"Not... not like that. Not directly."
"Then I’m saying it now... I love you, Elara.
Completely. Terrifyingly. With everything I have and everything I’ll ever be. Even if forever only lasts a few more days… you’ll still be my always. His smile trembled, a quiet ache behind it, as if loving her was both the blessing and the goodbye.
Tears burned my eyes. "Don't talk like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you're already dead. You're not dead. You're here. With me. And we're going to break this curse and you're going to be fine and we're going to have forever. Real forever."
"I hope you're right."
"I am. Because the alternative isn't acceptable."
We spent the rest of the night preparing.
I taught him everything I'd learned about Wild Court fighting. Which wasn't much, I'd only been training for days. But it was something.
"They fight like animals," I explained. "All instinct. Unpredictable. You can't use your usual technique."
"Then what do I use?"
"Desperation. Dirty tricks. Whatever it takes to survive." I showed him a move Morwenna had taught me. "Forget honor. Just win."
We practiced until dawn broke. Until we were both exhausted and sweating and dreadful.
"I don't want you to do this," I whispered as we prepared to leave.
"I know."
"What if you lose?"
"Then I lose. But at least I tried."
"That's not comforting."
"It's all I have."
Through the bond, I felt his fear. His determination. His absolute refusal to give up without fighting.
"Then win," I said fiercely. "Win and come back to me."
"I'll do my best."
"Your best better be good enough."
The training courtyard was packed.
Apparently, word had spread that the Shadow Lord would fight a Wild Court champion.
Everyone had turned out to watch.
Great. An audience for his probable death.
Morwenna waited in the center with Elysande. Two ancient queens standing in judgment.
"Shadow Lord," Elysande called. "You stand accused of trespassing with intent to corrupt our lost princess. Face our champion. Defeat him, and you may stay. Fall, and you'll be buried in our forest."
"Comforting," Kaelix muttered.
A gate opened.
The champion emerged.
He was massive. Easily seven feet tall, made of muscle and scars and violence. His skin had a bark-like texture. His eyes glowed green.
Wild magic radiated from him in waves that made my own magic respond instinctively.
"That's Thornfang," someone whispered nearby. "He's undefeated in three hundred years."
My heart sank.
Kaelix was going to die.
"I'll be fine," he said quietly. Through the bond, I felt his lie.
"Don't lie to me."
"Then don't lose faith. I need you to believe I can win. Even if I don't believe it myself."
The fight began without warning.
Thornfang charged like a battering ram. Kaelix barely dodged, rolling aside as that massive fist cratered the ground.
The crowd roared.
I wanted to look away. Couldn't. Had to watch. Had to witness whatever happened.
Kaelix tried shadows. They wrapped around Thornfang's legs, and dissolved instantly. Wild Court territory. Their magic was stronger here.
"Come on," I whispered. "Think. Adapt."
As if hearing me, Kaelix changed tactics. Stopped trying to overpower. Started dodging instead. Making Thornfang chase him.
"Clever," Morwenna murmured beside me.
"Using size against him."
"Is it working?"
"We'll see."
The fight continued. Kaelix dodging. Thornfang getting angrier. Sloppier.
Then Kaelix did something I didn't expect.
He poured shadows into a tree's roots. Not attacking. Offering. Feeding growth.
The tree responded. Roots erupted, grabbing Thornfang's ankles.
The champion roared, tearing free. But it bought Kaelix seconds.
Enough to grab a fallen branch. Living wood that writhed like a snake in his hand.
Thornfang lunged.
Kaelix swung.
The branch connected with Thornfang's temple. He stumbled. First sign of weakness.
The crowd went silent.
"He's actually winning," I breathed.
"Don't jinx it," Morwenna said.
But she was smiling.
The fight continued. Kaelix bleeding now. Exhausted. The curse visibly draining him, black veins spreading further with each spell.
Through the bond, I felt his pain. His desperation. His absolute refusal to quit.
I believe in you, I thought at him. Hoping he'd feel it.
His eyes found mine across the courtyard.
Something passed between us. Strength. Love. Determination.
Thornfang charged one final time. All his power. Unstoppable.
Kaelix dropped to the ground. Let him pass overhead. Slashed his ankles with shadow blades as he flew past.
Thornfang crashed into the wall.
Tried to stand. His legs gave out. Tendons severed.
The fight was over.
Silence. Complete, shocked silence.
Then Elysande started clapping. "Well fought, Shadow Lord. You've earned your place here. For now."
I was already running.
Reached Kaelix just as he collapsed. Caught him in my arms.
"You idiot," I gasped. "You beautiful, stupid idiot."
"Did I win?"
"Yes. You won."
"Good." His eyes were closing. "Can I pass out now?"
"Yes. I've got you."
"Love you," he mumbled.
"Love you too."
He went limp in my arms.
Healers rushed forward. But I wouldn't let go. Wouldn't leave him.
They had to treat him while I held him.
Because that's what mates did.
Held each other. Protected each other. Even when everything was falling apart.
Especially then.
Hours later, I sat beside his bed. Watching him sleep. Worrying.
The healers said he'd survive. But the curse had spread more during the fight. Black veins covered his entire torso now. Creeping toward his heart.
We were running out of time.
"He fought well."
I looked up. Morwenna stood in the doorway.
"He nearly died," I said.
"But he didn't. He won. Against impossible odds." She moved closer. "That's worth something. Worth a lot, actually."
"Will you help us now? With the ritual?"
"Elysande will. She's found texts about curse-breaking. Ancient methods." Morwenna's expression was serious. "But you need to understand something. The ritual will require perfect trust. Perfect love. No doubts. No reservations."
"I trust him."
"Do you? Even knowing he bought you to kill you?"
"He didn't kill me. That's what matters."
"Is it? Because right now, you love him. But there's resentment underneath. Anger at what he almost did. What he put you through." She met my eyes. "That resentment will destroy the ritual. And both of you."
"Then I'll deal with it. Work through it."
"How?"
"By choosing to forgive. Choosing to love him anyway." I looked at Kaelix, sleeping peacefully despite everything. "He's not perfect. Neither am I. But we're trying. Fighting for each other. That has to count for something."
Morwenna was quiet for a moment. Then: "You remind me of Aria. She said something similar about your father once."
"What did she say?"
"That love isn't about perfection. It's about choosing someone anyway. Flaws and all. Mistakes and all." She smiled. "Your mother was wise. Stubborn and foolish, but wise."
"Stubborn and foolish runs in the family."
"Apparently."
She left me alone with Kaelix.
I climbed into bed beside him carefully. Not wanting to disturb him.
But he stirred. Arm coming around me instinctively.
"Elara?" he murmured.
"I'm here."
"Did Morwenna leave?"
"Yes."
"Good. Don't like sharing you."
Despite everything, I smiled. "Possessive much?"
"Completely. Deal with it."
"I think I can manage."
We lay together. Both exhausted. Both dying. Both refusing to give up.
"Elara?" he whispered.
"Yes?"
"Thank you. For believing I could win."
"Always. I'll always believe in you."
"Even when I don't believe in myself?"
"Especially then."
He pulled me closer. "I don't deserve you."
"Probably not. But you're stuck with me anyway."
"Best thing that ever happened to me."
"Being stuck with someone?"
"Being stuck with you."
I kissed his shoulder. "Sleep. We have a ritual to prepare for. Can't break curses if you're exhausted."
"You're bossy when you're worried."
"And you're terrible at following orders when you're dying."
"Match made in heaven."
"Or hell. Jury's still out."
He laughed softly. Then sleep claimed him.
I stayed awake longer. Watching him. Memorizing his face. The way he looked peaceful despite the curse marks. Despite everything.
We had days left. Maybe less.
But we had each other.
And somehow, impossibly, that felt like enough.
It had to be enough.
Because the alternative, losing him, wasn't something I could survive.
So we'd fight. We'd break this curse. We'd win.
Or we'd die trying.
Together.
The way it was always meant to be.