Chapter Text
Edgar’s heart was pounding. He could feel it in his throat. Pulsing. He kept running against the tide of destruction. A piece of rock ricocheted off the frame of his glasses as he approached the part of the school that had known from memory. There was an intersection known as the Devil’s Cross. Because it was like a crucifix but upside down. Roland hated walking near there because the voice would become deafening. So they had always tried to use a different route to avoid it. The screaming grew louder as he followed the corridor down towards the darkest part of the school. It had been frightening that first week but then he had been with his gang, his friends. Now he had to be brave alone. Poe had flown ahead and called out as another wall broke and fell in front of him. He was able to dodge it before taking the scimitar from his backpack and slicing through the granite debris that laid in his path. He didn’t know why but he felt rage in his chest, pulsing as though a fire was being flickering alight. But then, it went quiet. All Edgar could hear was the sound of his own body out of breath. He was about to round the corner when he saw the two of them. His mother was on the ground, kneeling. Her form was half crow, half human. Her long hair over her face, the long slender wings open, stemming from where her shoulder blades would be. There seemed to be something keeping her down. Edgar looked from a crouched position. “Why did you come back?” He heard the harsh voice of the Hexmaster. “You were not even supposed to return here. Which portal did you come through?” She began to laugh. It was a deep disturbing cackle, the sort that sounds like nails on a blackboard. “Questions, Questions. Hexmaster. You always tried to provide solutions but now you’ve changed. That makes two of us.” She tried to stand. Hexmaster Singh pushed her down with a wave of his hand. She fell onto her side, only then did her eyes catch Edgar’s. He realised that she was bleeding from her lips. Part of her elegant dark coat was torn as there was a gash along part of her abdomen. “It’s okay.” She whispered. “Edgar.” Her face softened. He realised what the rage was. It was the unfairness. The rules that he had always followed, the strictness from his Father, his Grandfather. Even from Hexmaster Singh. She reached out toward him. “My beautiful brave boy.” Edgar stood and came out of his hiding place. “Allan, this is not your fight.” Hexmaster Singh said as he waved his hand towards the boy. Edgar held up his scimitar as the light source came full pelt. The blade deflected the ray and hit back into the Hexmaster, his glowing eyes faded as he fell to the ground. Poe flew across and landed by Edgar’s side. “Never mind.” He cawed. Edgar's rage faded as shock and surprise took its place. “Oh, I’ve concussed the Hexmaster”.
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The room stood still. I was trying to remember how I got there. That within a couple of months, my lonely life had changed. And now, the reason why I could not even say my own name. He cupped my chin and whispered “ A’chungaidh leighis is goirte,’Si is moth’tha deaneamh feum. (The medicine (or liniment) that hurts the most, Is generally the best healer.)
I battered his hand away. “I am just one person. Why? Why me?” I felt myself become more and more angry. “You could have chosen anyone, anyone in the world.” I wanted to hurt him. I could feel myself wanting to strike him with a talon. Matthew floated calmly in front of me. “Centre yourself.” I couldn’t move yet my eyes were tearing up. I could just see his outline as his forefingers pressed against my forehead. It pulsed. Whatever stemmed from him connected into my mind. “Honesty and understanding.” It was a voice. A voice I had never heard before, I couldn’t tell if it was female or male. But there was stillness. I felt myself lie slowly onto the ground. Calmness. Maureen was there by my side, as she stroked my head. “It’s ok. It’s ok.” She whispered. I don’t know how long I was lying there but when I woke, I was no longer in that room but back in the bedroom. I was in the centre of the circle. The hand was gone, as Maureen tied the headscarf back around her head. I gasped as I broke the circle. “Maureen. What was that?” She looked at me and for the first time I felt the sadness. It was coming from her. She was crying. But not noticeable, she wiped them away. There was regret as she turned toward me and swung her hands forward. The circle was no longer on the floor, replaced by an embellished rug. I wanted to approach her, but something in me kept whispering “Don’t. Not now.”
There was a knocking at the bedroom door. I turned and Maureen was gone. I moved the chair aside and there was Elliott. “You’re here.” He embraced me tightly. The scent of his clothes were musty but potent. I had forgotten the way he looked, the way he spoke. But the shine was gone. The rose tinted impression I had of him. “Hello.” I said timidly. He suddenly leaned down and kissed my cheek. His lips were cold. “Where is Persimmon?” I asked. “She is settled in her nest in my room. Would you like to see?” I hesitated. “I have explored part of the house already but I will wait until you’ve settled back in.” I was trying to avoid the subject that his Father had informed me of who I would be as part of his strange rebellion. He smiled. “Alright. I must unpack and inform my father for the various business ventures. Will you dine with me?” I nodded. But then he took my hand and brought up to his face. “One day at a time. I want you to know that. We can make this be whatever it is.” And then I was left alone.
Theo appeared and sat by me on the bed. He smiled and embraced me. I could feel him. His presence as though he was alive was still such a comfort. I wanted someone to be with me. To know me as a person. Not a curse, not an anomaly but as a woman. Theo saw my mind wander. And then he shook his head. He knew who I was thinking about. He signed to me. “You have freedom, it is an arrangement. Don’t throw it away for the attention of someone else.” I held the thimble between my fingers. His eyes suddenly looked with intrigue. I remembered that it had the lock at the bottom but I couldn’t open it. It was as if it had been sealed with magic that I was not familiar with. My Aunt was supposed to have written by now but I had been too distracted with the books and the revelation that I had not thought to check. I waved my right hand and chanted a small spell under my breath. A moment later, two letters flew into my hand. One was my Aunt’s hand and the other was one I did not recognize. I waited to make sure that I was alone, Maureen was not in the reflection of my dressing table mirror. It was the first time since I had left my parents house three days ago that I had been completely alone except with Theo. The letter from my Aunt was written in a hand that seemed to have almost a sense of urgency to it. The words spilled out onto the pages with desperate strokes.
Dearest E.
Although your name can not be spoken, know it is one of beauty and that for it to be used by any devious means will never be any fault of yours. That afternoon we parted, I knew something was not right when we crossed over the threshold. An eeriness seemed to envelop my instincts. Elias sat me down and served me some awful alcoholic concoction. I didn’t taste it because it looked like something that only a miser like Elias would make himself. He slid a piece of paper in front of me and showed me that there was a contract for the terms of your engagement, one of which was that your abilities would be used in the further study of cursed children. He had spoken to your parents and they had agreed. I was the only one who would seemingly be against this. It was because as I had said to you before, the curse was passed down from your Grandmother (My mother) to me and then to you. Your mother was left untouched by the curse. And when your brother died, it would seem that she had thought there would be another heir to carry on the work of your father. But then your curse evolved abruptly and she couldn’t bare the responsibility. You are a unique young woman. Yet, there is such a burden on you now. So Elias blackmailed me. About my companionship with my beloved. The things that would happen to our home together. He told me of what was being done to you. I could not move as he had sealed me in a stillness incantation. He also told me what would happen if I told you what he and the Allan’s planned to do next. The collaboration with the American publishing company, how that will reveal to them who amongst the young classmates are cursed children. Something most dreadful.
I only hope that you will be protected. That Maureen will not lead you down a treacherous path. The thimble I gave you, that is what remains of your brother. He is the only one who will free himself from whatever in between he is in. Only when Theo decides you can take care of yourself will he leave. There are dangers that await you. There have been trials that you have had to endure. I am sorry. Yet you are stronger than you think. Fight, strive to survive and you will be able to have a life that you have always wanted.
Write when you can, Dear E.
Yours ever
Aunt Yessie.
I read it again and again. “ There are dangers that await you.” Theo tapped the thimble and signed. “Not yet.” I smiled sadly and whispered “Thank you.” Before I could read the other letter, I could hear Elliot approaching the door so I quickly hid it under my mattress. Theo hid by the door which made me laugh. “It’s good to see you smile.” Elliot said. He was dressed differently, more relaxed in a black collared shirt with leather trousers and buckled boots. Persimmon was on his shoulder. She bowed her head to me. I tipped mine slightly. Elliot held out his hand to me as I took it before he led me down the stairs. His grip suddenly tightened as we approached the Dining Room. I looked up at him. His stance was serious and sullen. The room was dark and lit by candles. It was then I realized that there was another presence in the room. Elias stood at the head of the table. He looked somehow younger, less decrepit and withered. This man was straightened, with a furrowed brow. “Ah, the reunited couple. Please sit.” We sat and began the meal. A roast with an array of side dishes. It reminded me of one of the classics I had read when I was back in my attic. “It is a pleasure to see you out of your rooms. I was beginning to think I had done something wrong.” I sat silently sipping the soup in front of me. Elliot looked across at me with a quizzical look on his face. “She felt that it was important to wait for her betrothed before we went into details about the business.” Elias seemed to speak with resentment. I gripped the spoon tightly. I glanced at Elias. “You implied something untoward. Something about your business. If I am to be married into this family, I will need to know what exactly my role is in this and what my parents have promised you.” Elias smiled. “All in good time. Let us wait until coffee and dessert before we discuss the finer details.”
The dinner passed by uneventfully. I stood and made my way into the living room. A room that my Aunt had been in when she had been blackmailed by Elias. It was seemingly different from the other parts of the house that I had entered. There was something about it that made me nervous. It was lighter and although it had less furniture, it was calming. I settled on the settee with a cup of coffee. I waited as Elias and Elliot walked in and laid out some papers and a leather book , the size of an old bible. “It seems my Father has not told you the whole story. The legacy we have to uphold in the Allan’s family.” Elliot opened the leather book. “ This is the Family book. Every family that we are aware of that is cursed.” I set my coffee down in front of me. “Every family, Do you mean in the country?” I sounded intrigued but also slightly surprised. Elias stepped forward. “In this country for now. But with the dowry from your Father and with your help, it will soon be the families in the USA and perhaps further into Europe.” My hands rested on my knees. If they had not, they would be shaking. “Miss Lee, We have been finding every cursed family and logging them. They will then be part of the C.C.T.V or the Cursed Children’s Theorisation Views. There will then be awareness of who is cursed and who is not.” Elias opened his arms. “You see, our family was the first to be seen as cursed. Our ancestor was cursed with melancholia and dark visions. I am cursed to age at a rapid rate every day until midnight before I revert back to my current age. My son has a raven but he is cold to the touch.” I stood. “But what does this have to do with me? I have read of the primary curses and the secondary curses.” Elias took my hand. “With our families union, we will be the first joint surveyors of the Children’s Curses. And with the research, there will be answers and a profit to be made.” There was that smile again, the one that I would come to loathe. It was of pure evil and deprivation. Elliot looked apologetically but stayed silent. Elias let go of my hand as he went to serve himself coffee. I used this as an excuse to make my exit. “Before you retire, Miss Lee, it might be best not to linger too much in the back garden. You never know what trespassers could be out there to entrap you." He knew about Anthony. Now, I felt helpless with nowhere to turn.