“No. It’s not that.” Piper shakes her head.
“Well, that’s actually in the book Josephine got from Morty,” Ava interjects, holding up the diary. “The asshole who wrote this was one of the council members who was there that night. Apparently, they figured out a few things after her death when the curses kicked in. In here it says that a person can essentially shirk off their curse by passing it along to their children. Just go breed yourself a kid and voila, curse be gone.” Ava makes a poof noise, and her fingers flick out in a mimic of an explosion.
“We already knew that,” Bram says. Isn’t this why my parents have been pushing me to get married, so that I can offload my curse someday? That’s some real fantastic parenting.
“There’s more in here, though.” Piper points to Briar’s grimoire in front of her. “It says that true love can break the curse.”
“True love? Like Prince Charming kissing a sleeping princess without her consent? Or perhaps that same Prince Charming falling in love with a woman and then completely forgettingwhat she looks like so he has to use a shoe to find her?” Bram raises an eyebrow.
“Are you always so cheerful and optimistic?” Ava stares at Bram.
He holds her gaze for so long that the rest of us shift in our seats.
“Yes,” he finally says, but that doesn’t stop the stare-down.
“Should we leave? This is my house, but it’s not the first time I’ve been kicked out.” Ambrose rests his chin on his fist, peering at my brother and Ava with interest sparking in his eyes.
Ava turns away from Bram, blinking owlishly as she looks around the room. “Sorry, Piper, what were you saying?”
Piper goes on as if she hasn’t noticed any of this. “It talks of a fated bond. That by sacrificing your heart, your true intentions will break the chains of the curse.”
“Are you suggesting human sacrifices?” Bram asks. Ava groans, shoving her hand in Bram’s face and pushing him back.
“Stop being such a downer. We get it. You don’t believe in love. You’re dark and handsome and broody. Congrats.”
Bram opens his mouth, gearing up to say something inflammatory.
“Alright, let’s focus on the important stuff. What do we do with all this information?” I say before Bram distracts us again. We might have answers to questions that we’ve tripped over our entire lives, but what can we do?
No one says a word. Josephine’s little sister is still sleeping in front of the fire. Ambrose didn’t share the illusion with her. She must have been exhausted not to wake up from all the chatter. We haven’t exactly been quiet.
“I propose we all get some sleep. It’s the middle of the night. I, for one, am exhausted, and my buzz is starting to turn into a hangover.” Ambrose yawns, his jaw cracking. “There are a dozen guest rooms here. You’re all welcome to stay.”
The howl of the wind punctuates his invitation. I don’t think any of us want to go back out into that. Josephine’s gaze lands on her sister’s sleeping form near the fire.
“I’ll go grab some pillows and blankets. We can stay down here with Penelope.” I press a kiss to the top of Josephine’s head as I stand. Josephine tugs me down before I step away, her hand pulling at the nape of my neck until I meet her lips in a fierce, possessive kiss.
“Thank you,” she murmurs against my mouth when we finally break apart. I’m not sure what she’s thanking me for. All I know is that I’m pretty sure she’s the one who deserves my appreciation.
After I grab some blankets, Josephine and I lie on the couch. She’s tucked into my side, her head on my shoulder, and her hand is pressed to my chest. We should get some sleep, but I’m not sure either of us can relax enough for that to happen.
“What do you think it means to be bonded?” Josephine whispers. She lifts her head to look at Penelope, but the girl is still out to the world.
“I’ve only heard of a fated bond when people are claiming it doesn’t exist. Then again, everything I know is suddenly under question,” I murmur back, my fingers trailing up and down Jo’s back.
“Why do you think we can touch each other?”
“You’re asking all the hard questions tonight.” I chuckle, but I sort through my thoughts before I answer. “I never thought I believed in true love, that there was this one perfect person for me.”
“I feel like there’s a but coming.” Josephine’s eyes sparkle as I slide my hand down to her ass and squeeze.
“There could be.”
“Don’t get distracted.” She squirms in my arms, which doesn’t do a thing to help me stay focused.
I brush a strand of hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear.
“My curse is one of the flesh. Over the years, I’ve slowly lost the ability to feel my own hand against my arm. Nothing brought me pleasure. And I don’t mean that in a physical way. I started distancing myself from my brother and my friends. I didn’t realize how bad it had gotten until I met you. When I saw you sneaking across the hotel lobby, something within me cracked open. I desperately needed to know why you were in my space.”
