Page 12 of Wicked Curses
“So, the scarogs are another thing that makes it seem like someone has set something up here. As if they control things that shouldn’t be controlled—”
“Kind of like an arach with the dragons,” Orin interjected.
“Lexi can’t control animals or insects,” Sahira protested. “And the person who sits on the throne controls the dragons. It doesn’t have to be an arach. The power doesn’t drive an arach insane like it does anyone else who tries to take control of magic that doesn’t belong to them.”
“We don’t know if shecouldcontrol insects and animals.”
She opened her mouth to protest before his words sank in. He was right; they still had no idea what Lexi could do.
Before Lexi stopped drinking the potion Sahira created for her, she’d never seen her niece bring dormant plants back to life or heal others. She’d also never ridden on dragons or ruled all the realms before.
They hadn’t tapped into Lexi’s full potential and may never do so. Sahira didn’t want to believe this was some trap set by the arach, but it might be.
“They helped establish the dark fae trials,” Sahira murmured.
“And they set a nasty little surprise in there for Cole.”
“It wasn’t specificallymeantfor Cole.”
“Does that matter?”
“No,” she admitted.
She looked around the town again, trying to figure out what was happening. “But why would they do it?”
“Why did they all slaughter each other?”
“For power. This place doesn’t offer them any power. There’snothingfor them to gain here.”
“So they did it for fun. They were a coldhearted bunch of freaks, and this might have been their idea of a grand old fun time.”
Sahira pondered this before shaking her head. “That wasn’t the arach way. They didn’t play with others like this.”
A fire burned in Orin’s eyes. “They played with the dark fae and especially Cole.”
“When they cast the spell for the Shadow Reaver, they didn’t know Cole would be the one to unleash it. They set that trap because they were trying to protect the last living arach, not because they were trying to mess with the dark fae. Their plan worked.”
Orin glowered at her before shifting his attention to Zeth, who was watching them with amused fascination. When they both stared at him, he smiled.
“We’ve all learned about current events, or as current as they can be, from new arrivals, but you two have the inside information. It’s interesting.”
“I’m glad we’re entertaining you,” Orin retorted.
“So am I.”
He scowled at Zeth, but the demon didn’t notice. Instead, he turned to Sahira. “If you’re ready, I can talk to Belda about assigning you a room until you decide what kind of house you’d like to have built.”
“I won’t be here long enough to require having a house built for me,” Sahira said. “But a room would be nice.”
Zeth smiled grimly. “Everyone says that, including me. We all change our minds.”
Sahira refused to let the sinking sensation in her belly take a firmer grip while she watched him walk away, but she couldn’t rid herself of the feeling of doom descending over her.
“You’re right,” Orin said. “We won’t be here long enough for them to build houses for us.”
Sahira watched him walk away before shifting her attention back to the mysterious town. It was peaceful, and from how Zeth described it, the different immortals here had found a way to survive and thrive together.
Everyone here worked and pulled their weight, or they left. Disputes were resolved in a way that worked for everyone involved, and they all helped build homes for one another. The immortals here should be mostly relaxed, but she sensed an underlying tension in those hurrying along the streets.
