A Curse of Shadows

Of course I can’t. I’m sure even if I promised to come back, to let a guard or someone come with me, that prick of a king still wouldn’t let me call Elodee myself. Regardless, a message isn’t enough. Hell, not even a phone call is, but it would have been better than nothing.

“What happened to my car and everything in it when I…came here?” I ask next because if she’s going to send a message on my behalf, then it needs to come from me, on my phone, and not some stranger. Elodee has probably already filed a missing person’s report on me.

“The portal you came through was an ancient one,” she says thoughtfully. “I don’t have the answer to that question, but I can let you know tomorrow morning, yes?”

My body sags and I just want to crawl into bed. “I guess that will have to work. If you’re going to send a message for me, I’d prefer to have something texted from my phone that was left in my car.”

She gets up from her seat and stops in front of me where I still rest against my mattress. She grabs both of my hands and her warmth seeps into me, relaxing my muscles. “I’m not sure what a text is.” She chuckles. “But we will figure this out together and more than that, I will make sure your stay here is as comfortable as possible. If you don’t believe anything else, please believe that. Your mother was my dearest friend and I—” Sosheena pauses to clear her throat. “I know she would have done the same for me if our roles had been reversed.”

I watch as the former queen leaves my room without another word. As soon as the door closes behind her, I don’t even bother to undress. I push myself the rest of the way onto the bed, wrap myself in the comforter, and pray for sleep because my mind can’t take any other thoughts tonight.

Not of reincarnation, magic worlds, ancient portals, or anything else. I just want to shut it all off, even if for a few hours.

CHAPTER NINE

ISLA

The morning sun barely touches the edges of my curtains when a persistent knock pulls me from sleep. I burrow deeper under the covers, determined to ignore the world a little longer, but the voice that follows the knock seeps through the wood.

Asher.

Just thinking his name makes my chest tighten. Of all the people I’m least prepared to face, he tops the list. I muffle my groans with a pillow, hoping to drown him out. Yet he persists, his voice softening into a plea.

“I have something for you, Isla. I won’t go until I see you’re all right. Just a moment, and then I’ll leave you to your day once I do.”

That’s a change from the domineering man I encountered yesterday. Hell, the man from then probably would have busted down the door and not replaced it out of spite. Still, curiosity piques despite my irritation.

I throw the blankets off, not caring that I’m still in yesterday’s clothes or that my hair is probably a mess. Asher can think whatever he wants about me.

I swing the door open with a brisk pull, and there he stands—less the monarch, more the penitent. In his hands is a bouquet of my favorite flowers, yellow and white lilies, their vibrant blooms placed in a delicate pink crystal vase.

He extends them with a gentle voice. “These are for you, as an apology for my behavior before.”

My hand grips the door as I lean casually against it. “For which before? When you demanded your servant bring me to this room or when you used a man’s life to force me to stay here?”

He at least looks ashamed as his eyes cast down to my feet. “I’m sorry for both those things, Isla. There is a lot that you don’t know and I’d love to tell you, but I didn’t come here to bother you.”

I scoff and nod toward the door. “I’d say continually knocking and telling me that you won’t leave until I open is the opposite of that statement.”

“Yes, I’d have to agree, but I needed to see that you were okay.” He glances behind me before meeting my hardened stare again. “Please take these flowers, even if you don’t accept my apology.”

“Great.” I grab the vase from his hands, ignoring the flare of warmth that floods through me when our fingers brush together. “Now, goodbye.”

I shut the door in his face and lock it. Of course, he could likely easily get in, but the action makes me feel better as I stomp across the room. There’s no way in hell that I’ll ever forgive that man for his actions. Flowers or no flowers, he doesn’t deserve my mercy.

When I set the massive arrangement on the table, I notice a folded note tucked between the stems.

I cross my arms and shake my head. “Nope, I’m not going to read that.”

Heading for the bathroom, I’m intent on getting in the shower and starting my boring day of hanging out in this room, but I practically growl as I hesitate to pull my pajama shirt over my head. “Damn it!”

I go back to the main room and grab the stupid piece of paper.

Isla,

In case you didn’t let me say it before, I’m sincerely sorry for the way I’ve acted since your arrival.

I roll my eyes. Yeah, you should be, buddy.