In the Wake of the Wicked (Veridian Empire #1)

80. Rose

80

Rose

K nees buckling, I fell to the floor, my lips parting on an exhale. Familiar eyes locked onto mine—bright gray instead of red shone back at me. Ragnar’s face slowly filled with color as he blinked and swallowed.

“Rose?” he said, his voice a scratchy whisper. “Where are we?”

Something heavy hit the floor behind me. “ By the Fates .”

Twisting my head, I saw Morgana and Beau. Morgana’s hands flew to her mouth, a book strewn at her feet where she dropped it. Blood drained from her face as tears filled her eyes. She swayed unsteadily on her feet, and Beau gripped her elbow.

“Is this—is this real?” she asked, reaching out a hand to the bed and teetering forward as if in a trance.

Ragnar tried to straighten, but his arms shook as he lifted himself. “Ana, what’s going on?”

At the sound of his voice, a sob ripped through my aunt’s throat. Rushing to the other side of the bed, she threw herself at him, tears tracking down her cheeks. I watched with burning eyes as she held him. He was awake . My chest felt like it was going to burst. He was as good as dead; we thought we’d never hear his voice, never truly see him again.

Beau came up to my side and got to his knees, flinging a gangly arm over my shoulder and gripping Ragnar’s free hand with the other. “You were cursed, Pa,” my cousin said, his gray eyes glistening. “We thought you were gone.”

Ragnar’s eyes widened as Morgana backed away to pull a chair up closer to his side. “The Somnivae curse?” he asked. “Wh—how did this happen? How am I awake?”

Leo appeared next to me with a glass of water for my uncle. “It was Rose,” he said. His eyes pierced through me, full of wonder. “I saw it. She woke you.”

Morgana’s gaze slid to mine, as if just now seeing anything beyond her husband. Fresh cries wracked through her. She leaned across the bed to pull me up, trapping me in a fierce embrace over Ragnar’s body.

“Rosie, dear girl, you’re awake! You’re alright!” Wetness coated my shoulder where her tears fell, and my own threatened to rise. “What is he talking about?” she asked, breaking away and wiping her face. “What does he mean, you woke Ragnar?”

“I don’t know, it was just a—a feeling,” I stammered, my thoughts spinning. I glanced over at Leo. “I thought killing Gayl and getting rid of his magic would break the curse, and when you said nothing happened, I assumed we failed. But we didn’t get rid of his magic. I took it. It’s still here, so the curse still lives. But—” I turned back to Ragnar, disbelief coursing through me. “The magic he stole. What if giving it back is what woke you?”

Ragnar’s tired eyes creased in confusion. “ Emperor Gayl? What is this about killing him? Will somebody please tell me what is going on?”

Morgana and I took turns quickly summarizing the events of the last month while my aunt tittered around him, fluffing pillows and refilling water and barely taking her eyes off of him. We explained how he’d fallen under the curse after the attack from the Shifters, how I’d taken his place in the tournament and been informed of his role with the Sentinels. When I told him how I found out I was Gayl’s niece, Ragnar shared a look with Morgana.

“Rose,” he began cautiously. “We’re sorry that we?— ”

I brushed his apology aside. “You don’t have to be sorry. I understand. The Fates know I’ve kept my share of secrets. I’m just glad you’re here,” I said, squeezing his hand.

I explained how Leo and I had been searching for ways to stop the curse and were experimenting with using conventional spells in unconventional manners. When I mentioned the siphoning curse we’d found in my father’s Grimoire, Ragnar gave me an incredulous look.

“A siphoning spell…and you thought you could use it to siphon one’s magic ?”

I nodded. “It worked. I got close enough to use it on Gayl and it—it took his magic.” I swallowed tightly. “It killed him.”

“And it almost took you from us too, Rose,” Morgana said, clutching Ragnar’s hand.

“It was the price I paid.”

“The price you…” Ragnar’s eyes narrowed. “Have you been using blood magic? Is that how you performed this spell?”

Fates, not this again. “You sound like Leo,” I said, shooting Leo a dry smile.

“Yes, and who exactly is this Leo fellow?” Ragnar asked. He sat up straighter in the bed, already seeming to gain back a little strength. He raised an eyebrow expectantly.

Beau gave a wolfish grin. “Oh, Leo is Rosie’s?—”

“Are we really doing this right now?” I interrupted, crossing my arms.

Leo held his hand out to Ragnar. “My name is Zareleon Aris, sir, and I’m in love with your niece.”

My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Morgana’s eyebrows shot high into her forehead.

Ragnar eyed Leo’s outstretched hand. “Aris, you say? As in, Branock’s son?”

“Yes, sir.”

I didn’t think I was breathing. My uncle stared at him. “Well, then,” he finally said, clearing his throat. “I have a lot to catch up on.” He took Leo’s hand, and a smile played on the edges of my lips.

“Don’t think you’re out of the woods for this blood magic business.” Ragnar looked back at me.

“Trust me, I’ve learned my lesson,” I said hastily. “But it worked . The siphon spell worked. Just…not the way we expected. His magic went into me . I can feel it even now, like it’s pushing under my skin.” I ran a hand along my arm. “And I know it sounds crazy, but I think that’s how I woke you up.”

I told them about my final conversation with Gayl, about his purpose for creating the curse and how each time someone fell under its power, he gained pieces of their magic.

“By giving back that piece of yours, I was able to break the curse’s hold on you,” I finished, gesturing to Ragnar.

“Incredible,” my uncle said.

“She is,” Leo murmured in agreement. His fingers grazed mine, and a blush heated my neck and cheeks.

“Where’s Chaz?” I asked Leo. “I want to try again.”

“Are you sure you feel alright?”

“Oh, don’t go all protective on me now,” I teased, then took his hand and softened my voice. “Let’s go save your best friend.”

Nodding, he led me further into the infirmary, promising my family we’d be back soon. My anticipation built, along with that same urgent force of power, bordering on painful. It was like it knew what I was doing and where I was going. Like it was sentient . The magic of thousands of people lived inside me, vying for attention.

We reached the end of the hallway and Leo pulled back the curtain to another section of beds. The first thing I saw was Lark sitting in a wheelchair, reading quietly a few feet from Chaz’s bed. Her neck snapped up when we entered, the book falling from her hands and into her lap at the sight of me.

“Rose! What—when did you wake up?”

“Just a little while ago,” I assured her. “Look, I’ll explain everything, but first I—I think I can bring Chaz back.” The sensation was pounding in my bones again, and I didn’t have the patience to wait. Lark gaped at me as I ran to the bedside. Clenching my hand, I let out a breath, praying to whatever Fates were listening that this would work.

I carefully took Chaz’s hand. A small portion of the magic inside stirred and slithered from me. The same silver glow that had lit my uncle’s skin emanated from Chaz’s hand. I held my breath and ignored Lark’s bewildered expression, waiting.

And waiting.

And then?—

Lark cursed. Leo sucked in a breath at my side.

Chaz’s dark eyes stared up at me, tired and unfocused but clear. No longer the blood-red of the Somnivae curse.

A beam burst across my face. I whipped around to Leo and gripped his forearms. “This is it,” I said. “We did it. We can bring everyone back.”

He pulled me closer and cupped my cheek, his eyes bright with pride. “ You did it, sweetheart. You are the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever met.” When he kissed my forehead, a deep voice sounded at my back.

“What, no kiss for me?”

We turned to face Chaz, laughter of relief and excitement bubbling out of me.

“It’s good to see you, brother,” Leo said, leaning forward and clapping Chaz delicately on the shoulder. “It’s been quiet without you.”

Once more, we told the story of what had occurred since Chaz had been cursed. When Lark told him what happened to Horace after the third trial, we all went silent. I closed my eyes against the image that punctured my mind, of that dagger flying to his eye, of his cold, lifeless body. I couldn’t even imagine what Chaz was feeling, learning one of his closest friends was gone and he’d never had the chance to say goodbye.

I sat on the edge of the bed and patted his leg. “He died protecting us. He loved all of you so much. ”

“Burly bastard. Had to be the hero,” Chaz said with a quick sniff, then swiped at his nose.

“Rissa and I never fully understood what happened in those final moments with the emperor,” Lark said to me. “How did you kill him?”

I recounted the spell Leo and I had found and my haphazard theory to make it work. I explained how I’d taken Gayl’s magic into myself instead of banishing it like I thought I would, and before I could get the words out, Lark gasped.

“So you have his magic. You can restore what was stolen. You can break the curse.”

I simply nodded, letting her and Chaz digest the news.

“We have to tell Rissa,” Lark said immediately.

“Oh, I already heard.”

Spinning, I saw Rissa leaning against a shelf behind us. Lark cursed again. “You’re too quiet for your own good, woman.”

Rissa winked. “Some might say I’m as sneaky as a fox.” Rushing forward, she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a tight hug. It took me a moment to react to the sudden contact, but then I closed my eyes and squeezed her back, pushing away the slight soreness.

“I’m so glad you’re awake, Rose,” she said quietly. “We missed you.”

Tears stung the backs of my eyes. Fates, I’d cried more today than in my entire life.

Rissa moved to give her brother a quick peck on the cheek and then hugged Chaz. “Well, this is quite the development,” she said. “Rose, the curse breaker.”

I took a deep breath. I knew what had to come next—had known since the moment my uncle’s eyes opened and this well of power within me had purred. “I have to wake everyone up.”

Nobody spoke. Rissa crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “That’s quite an endeavor. There are many people under this curse, Rose. In every province, every town, every corner of the empire. Are you sure you’re up for it? ”

A sense of purpose swelled in my chest. I’d never had a good picture of my future beyond the Arcane Apothecary back home, and even that had seemed…distant, in a way. As much as I loved that shop, Feywood had never felt like home.

But suddenly, everything was clear. Traveling the empire, using this power to restore the cursed, bringing hope and life to those who thought it was lost. Learning about magic in its entirety—not just the Alchemy I’d seen all my life. Knowing what I was meant to do, where I was meant to be.

How could I refuse this? How could I not see this through to the end, after what we’d all been through to get here? I had the chance to right the wrongs of my uncle. To use this magic for good .

Determination settled in my chest. Even the power I temporarily held seemed to rest, knowing it would soon find its way home.

“I have to do this, Rissa. I want to do this. For myself and for those who have suffered because of Gayl’s greed.” My voice was steady and my mind was certain for the first time since I’d woken up. “No more. This ends now, and I’m the only one who can do it.”

A grin worked its way onto her lips as she studied me. “Then I guess,” she said slowly, “you need to start packing.”