Page 20 of Sinful Curses
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Sahira hadno idea what this change meant. None of this made any sense.
Zeth and Elsa entered the alcove. It was a little too crowded with them standing in the small space, but she didn’t try to retreat. Instead, she stepped closer and, rising onto her toes, tried to touch the symbol. It was too far over her head, and her fingers fell short.
“What are you doing?” Elsa asked.
“I have no idea,” Sahira admitted. “I touched all the other ones, and nothing happened, but I feel like I should.”
“I’ll get you a chair,” Zeth offered.
He retreated from the alcove and returned a few seconds later. Sahira took the chair from him and positioned it beneath the symbol.
She climbed onto the chair and rested her hand against the symbol before tracing its contours. Like before, she felt absolutely nothing from it.
“There’s no spark of magic or anything,” she murmured.
“Should there be?” Zeth asked.
“Symbols are usually used for magic or to represent something…anything.”
“It represents something,” Orin said. “We just have no idea what it is.”
When a shiver ran down her spine, Sahira pulled her hand away. He was right; someone put these symbols here for a reason. They just had no ideawhy.
They retreated from the alcove, and Sahira returned the chair as Orin poured them drinks. He carried them over to the table.
She’d much prefer a shower and bed, two things they might find above, but her fingers encircled the glass full of amber liquid and brought it to her mouth. She welcomed the burn as it traveled down her throat and into her stomach.
Warmth spread through her limbs, and she didn’t turn away the second glass Orin poured.
* * *
“There’smetal shutters on the windows here too.” Orin twisted his glass between his fingers and watched the amber liquid sway back and forth.
The others shifted their attention to the windows. Elsa tensed a little, but Sahira and Zeth were already rigid though they’d each drank three glasses of whiskey.
“The scarog beetles must come through here too,” Zeth said.
Orin studied the shutters. “Or some completely different thing. We have no idea what happens here.”
“That’s the only thing we know for certain about this realm,” Sahira muttered as she sipped her drink. “We know absolutely nothing.”
“Well, I’m going to find out one thing for sure—if the shower works here or not.” Elsa finished her drink and rose. “I’ll let you know.”
Dust kicked up behind her and floated through the air as she crossed the room to the stairs. The tiny particles danced in the glow of the chandeliers and dwindling sun filtering through the windows.
“Do you think these buildings are made of steel too?” Sahira asked.
“With those shutters, I’d assume so,” Zeth replied.
“So at least they’re safer.”
“But if the scarogs arrive, they’ll seek flesh from one of us.”
Sahira shuddered. “Let’s hope they don’t come.”
Orin knew she didn’t have it in her, but he’d gladly sacrifice Zeth or Elsa if the beetles descended on this town. If push came to shove, he’d be the one they sacrificed; he had to make the first move.
