Page 179 of Once Upon a Fable

Throwing myself forward, I didn’t care about the shooting pain up my broken arm or the many aches and stiffness. I crawled out of the blankets and tripped to my feet. I stumbled across the room and slammed into the wall, my breathing shallow and quick.

Clutching a bookshelf, I swallowed hard, doing my best to calm my galloping heart and forget.

Forget.

You’ve done it before. Do it again.

Forget!

Slowly, the sharp horror in my head faded, transforming into grimy water that swirled down a drain and vanished. Only once my breathing leveled out, and I no longer shook with nausea did I turn around and face the room.

I sighed gratefully.

Just a room.

Nothing more.

No ghosts. No memories. Nothing but a—

What the fuck?

I stalked forward, noticing for the first time I hadn’t been alone in the blankets on the floor. A girl lay on her side, blond hair tangled on the pillow, exhaustion creating deep shadows beneath her closed eyes.

She slept heavily. Her forehead furrowed as if she suffered bad dreams. Her body curled up protectively.

Just as the library was familiar, so was she. I didn’t know her name, and I didn’t know where she’d come from, but she wasn’t a stranger.

Was she friend or foe?

I moved closer, my hands balled, violence simmering in my blood.

Who are you?

Whoever she was, this house was mine.Mine.

I would never have given her permission to stay—

A savage kiss in a storm.

A soul-altering moment as I sank inside her, her body welcoming me, her heart granting me peace, her kindness giving me a sliver of happiness.

I reeled backward.

Fuck.

Fuck!

Her.

Gemma goddamn Ashford.

I shook my head as more images poured through me. Recent ones instead of tarnished with history. These fresh recollections couldn’t be shoved behind rusty doors. These were far too vibrant.

Trespasser.

Seducer.

A witch sent here to ensure I found my way to hell after living so long in purgatory.