Page 123 of Castle of the Cursed
I stop and turn to see that Sebastián already has my uncle’s neck in his jaws. He retracts his fangs and lets Teo speak.
“If—if you drain a body in Antonela’s possession, the spell breaks, and you return home.”
Sebastián looks at me. That’s why my sister ran from him.
“She can’t risk you leaving,” confirms Teo. “You are her only chance for success. If you take that from her, she will take the whole world from Estela. She will publicize Felipe’s death, tell everyone where to find the body, awaken la Sombra’s bloodlust—”
Teo’s head slumps to the side.
I didn’t even see the injection go in. Sebastián tosses the empty syringe to the floor, and I guess I should be grateful he stabbed my uncle with a needle and not his fangs.
“Antonela will just use him as another vessel,” he warns me. “It is not in your best interest to let your uncle live.”
I know he makes a valid point, and he’s only thinking of our survival. Yet I can’t help wondering if he’s also looking for an excuse to rip into a fresh vein and drink.
“I had more questions to ask him,” I say. “I wanted to know about the Book—”
“He is not going to help you defeat your sister. He serves her now. We should keep reading the journals to see if anyone else wrote about the Book… or perhaps you can reach out to Felipe’s family and ask them directly?”
“No way can I talk to them! It was hard enough lying to Arturo today. I kept thinking of Felipe in the forest asking me to forget the black smoke and run. I should have agreed then—”
There’s no water in the fountain.
Felipe said those words to me right before Teo struck. I thought it was gibberish from the fear, but what if it was a clue about the Book?
“I need to go to the town plaza,” I say, my mind whirring. “I think that may be where the Book is hidden.”
Sebastián looks out the window, and I’m sure he’s going to tell me it’s not safe, my sister could intercept me, I shouldn’t leave his protection—
“It won’t get dark for another couple of hours,” he says. “Hurry.”
I nod, glad I’ve earned his trust. But has he earned mine? I glance at Teo, worried about leaving him here. Sebastián looks at me like he can read the fear on my face. “I will not kill him while you are gone.”
I could do without the while you are gone part, but I take the small assurance and run.
When I make it to the plaza, I’m relieved to see Gloria feeding the pigeons as usual. Yet as I approach, I feel a punch to the gut because she’s Felipe’s great-grandmother, and she doesn’t know he’s gone.
“Felipe no está, angelito,” she says to me. Felipe is not here. When I get closer, I see the wetness on her cheeks.
My tongue feels numb, and I don’t say anything.
“Ha regresado tu tío,” she says, one corner of her lip pulling up in a sneer. Your uncle is back.
I nod in assent. “Estoy buscando algo. Es un libro.” I tell her I’m looking for a book.
“Me imaginé,” she says, as if my request makes perfect sense. “Mi marido me dijo que algún día podría venir alguien a buscarlo. Desde que regresaste a Oscuro, me imaginé que serías tú.”
Her husband told her that one day someone might come looking for the Book. She says ever since I returned to Oscuro, she imagined it would be me. Her husband was most likely the great-grandfather who told Felipe about Brálaga magic. He must have told his wife, too.
“¿Dónde está el Libro?” I ask for the Book.
She points to the oxidized statue of Brálaga holding the pitcher that should be pouring water. I climb onto the lip of the fountain, and I get as close as I can to the coppery figure, then I reach a hand inside the pitcher.
It’s empty.
I glance back at Gloria. Her finger is now pointing down.
I look in the fountain’s pool. It’s empty save for leaves, feathers, dirt, and other small debris. There are cracks along the inner bowl walls, and some of the fissures are thick enough to stick in my hand. I flop onto my belly and reach down, digging inside the gaps to feel for the Book.
