CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CARDEN
“What was that?” I saw something in the hedge maze. It was too fast for the eye, but I know I saw it. Didn’t I?
Craning her neck around, Arabella asked, “What?”
“Did you see anything in the maze?” I asked carefully.
She looked around and slowly shook her head. “I don’t see anyth—”
“There!” I interrupted. “Did you see that?”
“What was that?” Her voice shook with each word.
That fight or flight instinct screamed at me to spread my wings, to grab Arabella and fly far away from there.
“Ghosts?” she asked, backing up until her back met my chest.
“I’m not sure.”
“Arabella,” a woman’s voice called out.
“Brave?” The specter of a woman appeared, reaching her hand toward Arabella. “Are you dead?” she asked.
Brave laughed. “No, but the curse is fading! Are you doing this?”
Arabella slowly shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Just then, Queen Coeur appeared in the garden, striding among the ghostly men and women. They backed away from her, afraid to get too close. Some looked at their hands in wonder, while others looked around at all the other half-manifested Cursed ones. Every path within the garden was full of people Coeur had lured here and then imprisoned.
The Queen directed her gaze to the Cursed. “You failed me. That is why you were punished. I wanted a champion, someone worthy of my time, yet none of you were able to compete. Of course, some were worse than others. But perhaps, everyone deserves a second chance.” The Queen turned her cruel smile toward Arabella and me. “If you want to be set completely free… free from the curse that binds you, free from the castle, free to live out the rest of your lives in peace… you must become the champion I crave. And to become the champion, you need to eliminate the current players.” She pointed a sharp, painted-black fingernail toward us.
The dark layers of the Queen’s gown fluttered in the wind as the specters rushed past her to catch us. Without a second thought, Arabella pumped her arms and we sprinted back towards the direction we’d come from, towards the castle’s front.
“There’s nowhere to go!” she yelled. “They’re everywhere!”
“Can they really hurt us?” I yelled. “They’re not even real! I mean, they’re real, but they have no bodies.”
We came around the last bend in the hedge maze that led to the castle and saw Rule lounging back on one elbow on the steps to the front door. “They can’t physically hurt you, true, but they can pour their spirit into your body and assume control of your mind,” Rule offered casually. “I could help you, of course. For a price.”
“A price?” Arabella scoffed.
“Nothing is ever free, Bella. Surely, you didn’t think I was helping you just because of a simple tether. Nothing so insignificant as that has motivated me in centuries. Whatever game you and Esmerelda were playing at didn’t work. I’m sorry to say that the game is drawing to an abrupt end… for you.”
“Esmerelda was right about you,” she spat. “You are a coward.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “At least now she can see you for what you really are!”
Rule was in front of me in an instant, pressing a sharp fingernail against the side of my throat. “One push, and I’ll make a fountain out of you. You’ll bleed out in less than a minute, Prince.”
“You wouldn’t hurt Arabella,” I challenged, staring back at his glowing, yellow-orange eyes. “As much as you pretend this is all a game, I know it’s not to you. I know what you’re doing.”
Rule growled, curling his lip. “You know nothing.”
“I watched my father posture himself and his kingdom for years. I know how this game is played. I’ve seen it lost and won, and you are in no position to win without Arabella.”
“She’s not my heartmate,” Rule countered coolly.
Suddenly, Arabella grabbed her temples and fell to the ground.
“Aww, what a pity,” Rule tsked. “Looks like one of the Cursed got to her while you were distracted.”