Cursed by Darkness (Once Upon A Curse)

34. Juniper

THIRTY-FOUR

Juniper

With one brother dead and the other banished to the shadows, Ronna had no one left. Her will to fight had disappeared, along with her desire to rule her kingdom and this world.

L ight touches on Juniper’s cheek woke her from the first peaceful sleep she’d had since Bodin left over a week ago. Keeping her eyes closed, she smiled as his arm tightened around her, his body curved behind hers. His fingers spread across her stomach before sliding lower. They teased the hem of the shirt she’d put on this morning—one of his shirts she’d taken to sleeping in while he was gone.

As soon as Richard had healed Bodin’s shoulder and the two of them were left alone, it was like they couldn’t rip each other’s clothes off fast enough. Bodin had taken her hard against the side of the bed. They then took a bath together, where he held her in his lap and washed the grime off from fighting for her life in the woods. By the time he carried her to bed naked, the sun was rising and they were exhausted. She’d wanted more, but lying in his arms had been enough. She had grabbed the soft shirt, much to his dismay, and they had fallen asleep within minutes.

“I know you’re awake.” His deep, sleepy voice sent a shiver down her spine. Pushing the bottom of the shirt up, he caressed her bare hip, waist, and abdomen. “I love you in my shirt, but I’d love it more if it was on the floor.”

She let out a soft laugh that turned into a gasp as he moved his fingers toward her center. “Bo, it’s too early. We need more sleep.”

“I need to feel you coming undone around me, screaming my name. We can sleep again after if you want.” He circled her clit, pushing with the perfect amount of pressure.

“Oh gods,” she whispered as heat pooled low in her stomach.

“No, sweetheart, not a god. Just your husband.”

She rolled her eyes but moaned as one finger began pushing inside. Someone knocked, and they both stilled. When the door opened and Nadine walked in, he abruptly removed his hand from between Juniper’s legs and made sure the blankets were covering them both.

“Nadine, I know you’re used to entering and going straight to work, but if you don’t start waiting until one of us says it’s fine, you’re going to see something you’ll probably wish you hadn’t.”

“Oh, please,” she said on her way to the wardrobe, not looking their way. “First of all, I literally help your wife bathe and dress every day. I saw her naked before you did.”

Juniper couldn’t help but chuckle, especially when Bodin grumbled under his breath.

Nadine ignored him and added, “Besides, it’s not like I haven’t caught you or Laurent doing worse.”

Juniper raised a brow and sat up, holding the blanket around her to fight off the chill in the air. “I feel like there’s a story there.”

The maid turned and held out a simple gray dress for the day. When Juniper nodded in approval, Bodin said, “No, there’s not.”

“Liar.” She looked at him and shook her head. “Now, you have to tell me.”

“Bodin behaves for the most part,” Nadine said, drawing her attention away from the man tracing a finger along her hip. “He did, however, kick everyone out of a council room once with…” She trailed off, and her entire body language shifted, her mocking grin falling.

“Camille,” he whispered. “It’s all right, Nay.”

Juniper nodded and tried lightening the mood again as she climbed out of bed. “So, they did it in the chamber?”

“Where anyone passing could hear,” she said, taking June’s lead and helping her into her undergarments.

Behind them, Bodin got up as well and put on a dressing robe while Nadine was facing away. “Fine, but she was my wife. And at least we tried to be quiet. Laurent is worse.”

She didn’t doubt it. Since the moment she met Laurent, he’d been overly flirty and confident.

Nadine had her step into the gown then pulled it up and began lacing the back. “There was one time I swear he was being loud on purpose. Do you remember that, Bo? When he snuck off to a closet with Jacques?”

“It’s burned into my brain,” he said, moving to his wardrobe.

“Jacques?” Juniper asked before she could stop herself.

“One of the guards.” Nadine directed her to sit at the vanity so she could brush her hair.

“Oh.”

Bodin laughed quietly and crossed the room to peck her on the cheek. “I believe my dear wife was surprised by the name, not wondering who it was. Forosse is not as tolerant as our kingdom. Laurent is… affectionate with everyone.”

“He’ll sleep with anyone who breathes in his direction,” Nadine added, rolling her eyes.

On his way to the screen to dress, Bodin paused. “Laurent cares for you a great deal, June. Please don’t let this change your friendship.”

Her eyes widened, and she turned on her stool. “I would never—that doesn’t matter to me. Hugo?—”

She slammed her lips shut. The last thing she wanted to do was spill her brother’s secret. She just got him back in her life; she wouldn’t give him a reason to push her away again.

Bodin caught it though and gave a subtle nod, as if he understood. With a wink, he said, “All right, hurry up and finish getting ready. I have something to show you.”

Hand in hand, Juniper and Bodin walked down the spiral stairs with Richard and Samuel. She tightened her grip on Bodin as they reached the lower level. Her gaze went straight to the twelfth portal. Before, seeing it had always filled her with curiosity and a sense of wonder. Now, it sent fear coursing through her veins.

“June,” Bodin said in a firm but gentle voice.

Her eyes snapped to him.

“You’re safe. I promise.”

“I know.” She attempted to smile at him; she truly did trust him.

But he seemed to see right through her. He released her hand to put an arm around her, and she hugged him from the side. When he led her to one of the other doors and held out a hand, he said, “Keys?”

She pulled them from her pocket—he had asked her to grab them before leaving their room. As he unlocked the door, she asked, “How did you get in yesterday without them?”

“I can use my magic; I don’t need the keys. It’s draining though.” He removed the key but waited to push the portal open. “These make it easier.”

Bodin slipped them into her pocket and said to Richard, “We’ll be back in a little bit.”

They had already discussed it and agreed that the others would wait outside the door for them. It was already nearing mid-day, and they were to meet with their counsel this afternoon. Because Bodin, Laurent, and her brothers planned to leave first thing tomorrow morning, they didn’t have much time to spend together. Richard understood that they wanted— needed —to be alone while they had the chance.

Juniper gave him a smile, unsure how to act around him now. They had unveiled a great deal last night, and it was difficult to go back to normal. It still boggled her mind that he was her father. The discovery meant so much to her.

And yet, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been right the previous night. Did it actually change anything? She was conflicted about the matter. On one hand, she felt like it changed everything because she hadn’t experienced a loving parent since she was a child. But on the other, that wasn’t really true. Richard had always loved her like family. He’d always been there for her and acted like a father.

“Ready?” Bodin asked, bringing her back to the present.

She nodded, and the excitement of wanting to see what was beyond this door returned. It was the one he’d asked her to wait to explore until he was home.

Bodin pushed it open, and she didn’t bother hiding her gasp. Even Richard sucked in a breath behind her. She stepped through the faint light of the portal and into… Forosse. She was home.

“You—how?” Juniper released him as she quickened her pace down a cobblestone street in Nortussa. The castle loomed in the distance, but her attention was on the booths and games set up around her. Red pennant banners draped across the street from rooftop to rooftop. The symbol representing Ronna, Goddess of Unity, adorned them each. They were near the town square, where long tables were laden with enough food to feed those who could join.

Yet, there wasn’t anyone else there.

“The Day of Unity celebration,” she whispered as Bodin stopped beside her. “It’s beautiful.”

“I came here a few times with my parents growing up, and I loved it.”

Juniper slowly walked toward one of the tables and picked up a piece of sweet bread. When she first arrived, she had been wary of eating or drinking anything in these portal lands, but now she knew it was safe. Though, she didn’t fully understand how she could consume any of it when it wasn’t real. Trying to figure it out made her head spin.

Nibbling on the bread, she wandered through the market. “I used to sneak out of the castle to see the celebration. I’d put on a cloak and escape Richard’s watchful eye. He always found me down here, of course, but he never dragged me home. He would just stay in the shadows with me, buy me treats, and…”

Bodin approached on quiet footsteps. She felt his presence before he wrapped her in a hug from behind.

“I made… friends,” she said, reminiscing. “Well, friendly acquaintances over the years, who I looked forward to seeing while away from the castle. A girl from the merchant district, a boy near the docks. Because my parents kept me hidden, no one recognized me, but I was still cautious.”

He squeezed her a little tighter, reminding her that he was there for her.

“The girl, Leandra, would meet me for the festival. We would dance, and I’d buy us treats using coins Rafe would leave for me. Because he knew I’d need them. It was always my favorite day of the year. This year was the first I’ve missed.”

“I’m sorry.”

Juniper couldn’t help but smile over her shoulder. “It was worth it.” After a moment, she asked, “Did you make this for me?” She knew it deep in her bones.

“I did. I started before you arrived. It was supposed to be a wedding present, but then we got busy, the first attack happened, and everything was chaos for a while.”

She took a deep breath of the familiar air. But even with the amount of love and attentiveness that clearly went into this place, a deep sense of melancholy settled inside. She hadn’t felt homesick since leaving, but now that she knew the truth of her family, of her mother and everything her brothers did to protect her…

And this celebration meant everything to her. It was clear Bodin had taken great care in putting it together perfectly, and yet, without the other citizens, it was empty. She wanted to love it, to have a wonderful time in this beautiful gesture, but it made her heart ache.

“You don’t like it,” he said in a soft voice as he moved to stand in front of her.

“I do.” She forced a smile onto her lips.

“June.”

“I swear, I do,” she said, even as her eyes welled with tears. “It’s perfect.”

Bodin tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. “Tell me.”

She hesitated a beat before saying, “I miss it. I never thought I’d miss home, but I do. I miss the few people I considered friends, which feels strange since they didn’t even know my real name. This is incredible. I’m so grateful and in awe of your creation, but it’s… without the people, it’s not the same. It doesn’t hold the same joy and festive atmosphere. But I love it, Bo. I really do.”

“Stop.”

“No. Please believe me,” she pleaded, not wanting to upset him or seem ungrateful. “I can’t imagine how much magic and time this must have taken.”

“Juniper.” With both hands on either side of her face, he said, “Breathe, my love. It’s fine. I’m not angry. You’re right about it not feeling the same.” He leaned down to press a soft kiss to her lips. “Let’s get out of here.”

“But—”

He gave her a genuine smile. “We can come back with Laurent, Nadine, Richard, and your brothers once I return again. And next year, if we can manage to end this war in one piece, we’ll travel to the real celebration. Together. No hiding necessary.”

“I would love that,” she said, meaning it wholeheartedly.

Bodin took her hand and led her back the way they came. They reached the door, which he locked after they left, as usual, then he went to one of the others she hadn’t explored yet. Unlike the first, this one didn’t give her any sense of being homesick. It did, however, take her breath away.

Juniper turned around and around in amazement. They stood in the center of the largest library she’d ever seen. The towering walls had full shelves up to the arched ceiling at least three stories above them. Narrow iron mezzanines gave access to the different levels, with spiral staircases on either end of the long room. There were also rolling ladders in places.

“June?”

“This is…” She shook her head. There weren’t words to describe how wondrous this place was, with its columns, white walls, and tall windows letting in warm sunlight.

Bodin walked toward an area of shelves, and she followed. She trailed a finger along the spines, reading the titles. They seemed to be about magic. He grabbed one from a higher shelf and offered it to her.

“ The Divine Battle ,” she said, flipping open the cover.

“It’s more of a fairy tale than a historical account, but I thought you might enjoy it.” He took a seat in one of the nearby armchairs then motioned for her to join him. “You were searching for more about the war when you found my journal?”

With a nod, she lowered onto his lap.

“This is about the gods and goddess, the war of Noxian and Lumen magic, and how this realm came to be what it is now,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “I had the book as a child, but it went missing at one point. So, when I created this library, I remade it.”

Juniper looked around at the thousands of books. “How did you make all these? Surely you haven’t read this many… I…” It was impossible. She couldn’t even fathom being able to recreate this many books, and she had read a lot growing up—she didn’t have much else to do in her tower.

Chuckling, Bodin said, “I haven’t. Most of these aren’t real. If you open them, they’re blank.”

When she pouted, he tilted her chin toward him to brush a kiss across her lips.

“Sorry to disappoint, Sunshine,” he whispered against her mouth. Then, he tapped the book. “I need you to read this because I need your opinion.”

“What?” She opened the book again and turned through the first couple of pages. It wasn’t a large book, and it had sketched images throughout, reminding her of what she liked to read as a child too.

“I think I know what we need to win the war.”

Juniper’s head whipped back up.

“The reason Gilarnians continue defeating us isn’t because their numbers are that much higher or that they’re better fighters,” he said. “It’s because they can heal. So, if we could find those with magic, like Richard, who would be willing to help us…”

“It could give us the advantage,” she finished, her mind whirring in a hundred directions as she thought through everything. Leaning back, she met her husband’s gaze. “How long do we have?”

“A couple of hours still until we need to be in the council chambers.” He kissed her shoulder. “Plenty of time to read the book and have a little fun first—pick up where we left off this morning before we were so rudely interrupted.”

Juniper licked her lips, giving her a moment to think through her response. Meeting with the advisors would likely last most of the afternoon and evening. Then, they would only have tonight together.

She didn’t want him to leave again so soon. Nor did she want her brothers or Laurent heading into battle. The thought of losing any of them made her sick. And now, she was pretty sure he was taking Richard with him too.

She understood why they had to go. She understood how vital her true father’s help could be in this war.

But he wasn’t the only one with Lumen magic.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared to tell Bodin what she’d been contemplating since early this morning. She knew he wouldn’t agree, but she had to do something. Trailing a finger along his jaw, she said, “I’m going with you, Bo.”