Page 33 of Wicked Curses
“Some of the new arrivals came on steeds,” Zeth said. “But there were horses here when the first vampire arrived.”
“This realm is so strange,” Sahira muttered.
“It really doesn’t make sense,” Zeth agreed.
“I used to hate the smell of the stables,” Sahira whispered. “That was Lexi’s favorite place, but I preferred to stay away. Why do I like it now?”
“Because it’s familiar,” Orin said. “It’s a reminder of home in a place with little of them.”
She looked at him like she didn’t know him, and her forehead crinkled like she was trying to figure him out.
He bent closer to whisper in her ear. “I’m a man of many mysteries.”
That earned him the scowl he’d been expecting. Throwing her off was one of his favorite things to do.
Zeth removed one of the lanterns from its hook and carried it to the end of the barn. He stopped a few feet from the far wall and lifted the lantern to reveal the symbol.
Like the one in the library, this symbol was larger. It stood nearly five feet tall and took up almost half the wall. And likeallthe other ones, it stood straight up and down. As with all the others, Sahira claimed a nearby chair and dragged it over so she could climb onto it and examine the symbol more closely.
She traced her finger over the entire symbol before leaning back to examine it. Planting her hands on her hips, she studied it like she was about to punch it. When she finished, she climbed off the chair.
After a few minutes, she finally spoke. “There’s only seven symbols.”
“But it’s the number eight,” Zeth said.
“Or the infinity symbol,” Orin said.
Sahira bit her bottom lip before climbing back on the chair. Resting her palm against the symbol, she turned her hand over to look at it before shifting her attention back to the mark.
“What are you trying to do?” Orin asked.
“I don’t know.” She stepped down from the chair again. “Something.Anything. There has to be an answer, but does there?”
“What do you mean?”
“I keep thinking these symbols have to mean something, but they don’t have to mean anything. They could be symbols that whoever originally lived here carved into the walls for protection or because they were bored. They don’t have to mean anything.”
“They don’t,” Zeth agreed.
“Do you believe that?” Sahira asked.
“No.”
“Do you think any of the other immortals here believe that?”
“Some have probably convinced themselves they mean nothing simply to take a break from constantly throwing themselves against a wall they can’t break.”
“I’m going to break that wall,” Orin said.
Zeth’s eyes were assessing as they ran over him. “I hope someone does.”
Sahira traced the feathers on the bottom arrow before moving to the arrowhead. “I don’t understand this place at all.”
“None of us do,” Orin said.
“Is there a map of the whole town?”
“And now you’ve moved on to the next stage,” Zeth said.
