Curse

By Lynnie Brewer

A dark curse threatens Ellie and Thane's future. It states that any Cooper or Bumbalow who leaves town after their eighteenth birthday for good will bring sickness and death to the families. Ellie and Thane are not immune to the curse's effects. They know they must stop it from spreading. But the curse is not their only problem. Witch hunters have descended on town with only one mission in mind: kill all witches. Together, with their trusty friend Caw, they search for a cure and a way to stop the witch hunters before they kill everyone and everything.

Can they survive the curse intact?

'Curse' is the third and final book in the Cursed Trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lynnie Brewer
• Release date: May 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311878519

Lynnie Brewer

Lynnie is the author of The Watchers Series and The Dreamer Chronicles. She enjoys stories that feature found family, strength of character, and idiots figuring it all out and saving the world along the way. Her favorite past times are movies, music, and talking on her podcast that she runs with her friends (Stop and Fangirl). Follow her on Twitter for more updates on her books and writing projects.

Book preview

Curse

The Cursed Trilogy: Book 3

By: Lynnie Purcell

Edited by: Benjamin Locke

Illustrated by: Tatiana Vila

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 Lynnie Purcell

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter 1: Unhappy Returns

The rain fell in tiny, icy drops. It splattered against the ground in a continuous stream and sizzled against the trees with a sound similar to grease hitting a hot frying pan. It muted the world around Ellie and Thane, closing them in so that it felt as though they were the only two people on earth. The grey clouds overhead added a layer of softness and peace that Ellie did not feel was appropriate while preparing to do the stupidest, foolhardy thing she had ever considered doing in her life.

She was preparing to go home.

Home for most was a place of comfort and joy. For Ellie and Thane, it was a place of heartbreak, death and a war that could not be stopped. They had promised to never return, and they had meant it with every fiber of their beings. They had moved on and found a level of happiness that could not exist within the world of the feud. Then, they had learned of the curse.

The curse was a sickness that would kill all of the Bumbalows and Coopers should one of either clan decide to leave town for good after the age of eighteen. It was a curse Ellie and Thane had set in motion. At least, that's what they had been told. They were prepared to find out if it was true. They wanted to see for themselves if the curse was real or if it was the delusion of a dying, old woman.

Ellie was determined not to let anything or anyone keep her chained to her ex-home. She had been chained enough. She would not let dark magic keep her from exploring the world and finding joy; she would not be held back by magic so evil it could potentially force her to stay with her family for the rest of her life. It didn't matter to her that she had no idea how to break a curse. She had only one option: freedom.

She was willing to do whatever it took to maintain hers.

She was about to walk into a dark situation, and she didn't have the foggiest idea how she would walk back out again. She knew that if the curse was real it wouldn't be an easy matter of waving her hand. It would take more than perhaps she was capable of to get rid of it. Her only comforts were Thane and Caw. She knew they would have her back no matter where their strange, new adventure took them.

Thane and Ellie spent the night hunkered under an old oak tree in the woods bordering Ellie's house. They sat very close together, though they didn't touch. When Ellie woke up, it was to the sound of Thane's snores and a particularly painful crick in her neck. She opened her eyes as Thane gave a loud snort and saw that his face was right in front of hers. She smiled at the sight and lightly touched his cheek. The happy moment was ruined as he started drooling. She laughed at him and turned away.

Her back and neck protested painfully at the movement. She rubbed her neck with a wince, wishing she had thought to form a bed. Their conversation of what to do about the curse had exhausted them both. They hadn't come to any real conclusions about what to do before sleep had caught up with them. Caw was hunkered between them, his beak tucked under his wing. She didn't understand how he could sleep so peacefully with Thane snoring so loudly.

She looked around at the trees sleepily. Rain dripped off the branches in a constant heartbeat of sound, and fog swirled along the ground lazily. She knew she could create an entire house for them, but it didn't feel right, for a reason she couldn't really explain to herself. The cold and the wet were working against her senses, telling her to find shelter, but caution told her to wait until they were farther away from her family to start creating houses. There was no telling who would pass by on the road and if they would notice a house where one hadn't been previously.

She shivered uncontrollably, her teeth clattering together forcefully despite her large jacket. She needed a warm fire, a good breakfast, and a change of clothes. It was the only way she could even begin to think about the day ahead of her.

She sighed morosely and tried to fight off the butterflies in her stomach. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her family again. It didn't matter if she had no intention of letting them know she was there. Staring into the face of her sister, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents would be impossibly painful. It wasn't that she missed them. The exact opposite was true.

Looking into their faces would bring back all of the years of abuse, neglect and pain. She didn't want to feel so unloved when she had such an important task in front of her.

It would be easy for one of them to leave the family to the curse if they had been treated similarly. But she wasn't like them. She wasn't willing to let anyone die because of her choice. She couldn't ignore the fact that their lives were in her hands. No amount of abuse and pain could make her indifferent and cold to the suffering. She had too much love in her heart. She was better than that, and she would prove it by protecting the people she hated most in the world.

She shook off the bad thoughts, knowing she would face the past soon enough, and stood. She stretched out again, trying to find some measure of peace in the fog, clouds and cold rain. Nothing worked. It was too gloomy. The rain made the sky look like it was weeping. It mourned her return as much as she did.

She turned around and looked at Thane instead. He was still snoring. She smiled at him and noticed the small, black book he had showed her the previous night. It held a lot of craft within its small pages. It was dark magic she had never seen nor heard of before.

It had been Thane's mother's. She didn't know how he had gotten hold of it, but she knew his momma had not given it to him. It wouldn't explain any further than that. It held some interesting craft, like the kind that had enabled him to send messages through her Cinderella book and the ability to form a bracelet out of nothing. She touched the bracelet on her wrist at the thought. But the book also held a great deal of darkness.

Ellie was astonished that so much evil could exist in such a tiny, innocuous book. It frightened her, but if anything held the key to breaking the curse, it was the book. It was the only place she had seen craft researched and catalogued. It was the only clue they had to the future.

Thane had once said that his mother had a fascination with ending the feud. Her fascination had resided with finding power and control. She thought she could intimidate the Bumbalows into backing down with powerful craft. Her studies had focused on fighting. Most of the craft in the book explained ways to make the violence worse, which wouldn't really help them.

A cure for the curse didn't seem to exist at first glance, but Ellie didn't care about what the book said. She would do whatever it took to win. Her future depended on it. It was a future that had everything to do with the one person in the world who could make her smile in the middle of such a soggy, dreadful, day.

She pulled her cold hands outside of her pockets and raised her right one. She thought about what she wanted the most. An amber fire sprung up in front of them. It didn't need wood to burn, but it was very warm and its glow was appealing after a night spent in total darkness. Ellie felt the chill fade from the air around her as it flared up. She carefully dimmed the light so that it couldn't be seen from the road and focused on food. Ten minutes later, she had a warm breakfast set out on a small table. The table was protected from the rain with a wave of Ellie's hand.

Thane smiled as the warmth and smell of food reached him. His snores gradually died away and his face lit up with hope and comfort. His expression of contentment was strange to Ellie. While she was glad for the warmth, she did not hold the same level of peace. Her thoughts were too full of the past. The future was certain to be full of it. He opened his eyes groggily and immediately looked into Ellie's eyes. Caw let out a low sound as he swooped away to grab his breakfast of bugs.

Thane's smile lasted for a minute more as he looked at Ellie, who was eating at the table. Then he saw the fire and his eyes widened. He waved his hand and the fire died away with a low sizzle. Are you crazy?! he demanded.

Ellie looked at him in surprise. I don't think so…but it's hard to be sure.

Anybody could see the light, he said. We're in enemy territory now.

I was cold, she protested.

I am too, he replied, but we can't take the risk. It's too dangerous.

It was small, she argued. No one could have seen it. It's not like I'm stupid enough to have a bonfire.

And your family is used to looking for things that don't fit. They'll notice the light and come hunting for Coopers to kill. I don't know if you noticed, but I'm a Cooper.

No, you've only pointed that fact out to me about a hundred million times, Ellie said.

We have to be careful, Thane said.

I guess you're right...I'm not used to thinking in terms of the feud. I never had to, Ellie mused.

Which could be a problem, Thane said.

She looked at him sadly. Her hurt was clear on her face. She felt as though he was saying she was a burden to him. She wasn't as wise to the feuding as he was and it would cause her to do the wrong thing in an important moment. It also irritated her that he didn't trust her after everything they had been through together. She might not have known as much as he did about the feud, but she wasn't an idiot.

Please don't look at me like that, Thane said uncomfortably, finally standing. He had lost his look of contentment. Ellie wished he would find it again. He moved over to the table and sat down across from her. I don't mean it like that.

How else could you possibly mean it, aside from thinking I'm stupid? she demanded.

I just meant you could walk in to danger without realizing it, Thane said. You don't know what to look for. I don't want you to get hurt.

I wasn't the one who created that light the first day we met, she said grumpily. And got myself almost killed by my family...

Thane's cheeks flooded with color. Ellie knew how much it embarrassed him to admit to his failure. Even though it had been the start of their friendship, he didn't like the fact that he had been so clumsy and foolish. She looked up at him shyly. She didn't know what to say to take away the sting. She was still upset he would get mad at her for doing nothing more than trying to provide him a little comfort. He looked angry, but he didn't let the anger linger between them.

Just no more lights, he said. Particularly on foggy mornings where the light can be seen for miles.

Fine, Ellie said.

Fine, Thane retorted.

They were silent for ten long minutes as they ate. Neither of them were eager to continue with the argument when they had such a serious mission in front of them. The silence was repressive. All of Ellie's worried, fearful thoughts crept back into her mind. Thane was no longer a source of comfort. He was part of her worry.

She finally pushed her plate away and stood. She walked over to the tree they had spent the night against and looked around it thoughtfully. She couldn't see her house, but she didn't really have to. She knew it was close. The craft was humming in the air, connecting her to her family. She could almost see the faces of the people who were crafting. She felt a lot of healing craft. It was far more than she was used to feeling, and the warm sensation of it circling the air increased the butterflies in her stomach.

She could feel the wards around her house and wondered again how she was going to get through them. She didn't think it likely she could simply walk through them. They had to have guarded against her. Careen had been born paranoid, and she had seen Ellie fight Neveah in the woods. She knew Ellie was not helpless.

Do you think it's possible to see something without being right in front of it? Ellie asked Thane thoughtfully after a moment.

Their shared anger was dropped as Thane looked over at her. He was intrigued by her thoughts and the craft she was imagining. Her craft was stronger than anyone's he had ever met, and her thoughts reflected her lack of barriers. He was interested in how her mind formed such powerful craft.

I don't know, he replied uncertainly.

Maybe a mirror or some water…But how would I keep it from being a two-way thing? I definitely don't want them to know I'm spying on them, Ellie mused, not listening to him. I wonder if I could change myself into a bird. Would that work?

A bird? Thane questioned.

The ward doesn't work on animals, Ellie replied absently. But I don't know if the craft keeping the ward would be fooled by me being an animal…Best not to risk it.

You don't even know the wards will keep you out, Thane said.

Oh, they will, Ellie said. I know Careen, and I know that she wouldn't want to risk me sneaking up on her. She's probably terrified of me coming back and killing her in her sleep.

How could she think that about you? Thane asked in amazement. You wouldn't hurt anyone.

Because it's something she would have done to me if the roles were reversed, Ellie said. It's the way they think. They can't help themselves. We'll have to get closer. Maybe I can think of something with the problem directly in front of me.

Now? Thane asked.

Ellie's face flushed with heat around the sizzling cold as her fear surrounded her. She had the profound sense she was about to walk into a very bad situation, but she knew she couldn't put it off any longer. She had come too far to walk away now.

She nodded without looking at Thane and focused on where she was headed. She put all of her energy into not freaking out or getting lost in depression. She had to be levelheaded and not guided by the firm desire to turn away and never look back.

Her mind didn't make it easy on her. It kept asking her why she should care if her family got sick. It told her that things would be easier, better, if she left with Thane. But she knew she would never be able to look at him without feeling shame if she abandoned them to a fate they couldn't change.

As she stepped around the tree, Caw landed on her shoulder. She didn't touch him or greet him as she normally did. She was too lost in where she was headed. Everything in her body was telling her to grab Thane's hand and run away. She wanted to keep running forever. Very grimly, almost as if she were marching to her death, she put one step in front of the other and focused on the home she had grown up in – a home she had learned to hate.

Chapter 2: The Truth

It took them thirty minutes to reach Ellie's house. The wet leaves made their walk almost soundless. The only noises that came from them was their nervous breathing, the wayward snap of a branch as they walked, and Caw's swish of feathers as he occasionally swooped off Ellie's shoulder to see what lay ahead.

Finally, Ellie spotted something white and massive through the trees. She crouched down and moved to the nearest hiding spot, a row of pine trees near the road. She laid down on her stomach and peered through the branches. Her heart caught in her throat at the sight in front of her.

She had burned her old house to the ground the day she had left. She had been forced to in order to save Thane's mother from certain death. She had known in the back of her mind that her family would rebuild it with craft, but it was still shocking. She noticed changes that wouldn't have been there had Neveah still been alive. The house was larger and had less of a country feel. Ellie knew it was Careen's doing. She had always wanted a nicer house. She had complained about it often. She had finally gotten her wish.

Despite the brilliantly white shingles and the gleaming windows, it held none of the warmth and love of the farmhouse Ellie had spent her Christmas visiting. It did not hold the happy love of Dylan's family. The peacefulness of the house in front of her was an illusion.

It was full of darkness and pain. She wasn't certain if it was her imagination working against her or not, but it seemed to be full of anger as well. She figured it was because of the memories cascading over her body. Sense memory told her she should be inside cleaning and letting herself get bullied by her sisters. She was suddenly nervous Neveah and Careen would know she was gone. It was wrong to be outside when there was so much work to be done inside. They would punish her; they would beat her for hiding under the trees with a Cooper.

She angrily shook the thought off. She had escaped that life. She had promised herself never to be bullied by anyone again. She wouldn't be anyone's slave or doormat. And her return wasn't about dredging up the hurt. It was about fixing what was broken. She had to stay focused.

She had a hard time keeping her mind away from the past when she saw Cousin step out onto the porch, however. He was chewing his tobacco and looked as irascible and mysterious as ever. He spat onto the lawn and looked out over the road for a long time. It was almost as if he were expecting someone. Ellie also saw ten members of her family walking the perimeter. They weren't gossiping or talking; they were all business. It was the most alert she had ever seen them.

The fact that her kin was hanging around her house was a bad sign. They only hung around if there was alcohol involved, and they never kept lookout unless there was a fight brewing. She thought it possible that Careen and the cousins were out on a raiding party in town. If they were still fighting with the Coopers it meant that everything was as normal as it could be with her family. They were not dying, as she had been led to believe.

She pulled Thane away from the tree line and they hid behind a large oak tree to keep from being seen by her family. They're expecting a fight, Ellie said.

I can tell that, Thane said dryly.

That might be good, in its own way, Ellie suggested.

How so?

If they're fighting, they can't possibly be sick.

We still don't have the whole picture, Thane said. We need to see inside.

How? Ellie demanded. She couldn't think of a single piece of craft to see inside somewhere without the people on the other end seeing her. She wasn't used to craft that was so devious and sneaky.

Maybe there's something here, Thane said, pulling out his mother's book again.

Thane started thumbing through the pages, his eyes scanning over the words for something that would help them out. Ellie didn't have as much faith in the book as Thane did. It was too dark to have craft to spy on her family without there being evil consequences.

Caw clicked his beak at her silently, not understanding why they were hiding but sensing it was important to stay quiet. He was as nervous as Ellie was. He knew where they were. It did not make him happy. The peace of their months of travel did not compare to the danger and unhappiness of the house. He shared Ellie's fear and pain.

Ellie looked at Caw thoughtfully. An idea began to form. It was most likely destined to fail, but it was better than whatever darkness Thane found in his mother's book. She could trust Caw to come through for her. He always did.

Do you mind helping us? Ellie asked Caw.

Caw tilted his head at her curiously. It was as if he was contemplating her meaning. She didn't know if he truly understood what she was asking. She had forged him out of dirt with her craft, which meant there was not another bird like him on the planet. He was smarter than any other animal she had met, but she didn't know if he could calculate the risks involved with her question.

What are you thinking? Thane asked.

I already told you, animals can go through the barrier, Ellie said. If I can somehow see what he sees…That might be a way around it.

You want to see what Caw sees? Thane checked dubiously.

Maybe we can convince him to go inside for us…He could go through the attic. There's an old window they don't lock up there, Ellie said. If Careen didn't change that, too.

There's probably something here, Thane argued, holding up his book. Just give me a minute to find it.

The craft in there is…dark, Ellie said uncomfortably. I don't want to risk it when we don't know the consequences.

It's not all dark, Thane protested.

Well, I don't want to risk something I don't understand fully, Ellie said. We'll try it my way. If it doesn't work, then we'll try it your way. Fair enough?

Thane nodded silently and they refocused on Caw. The bird had been looking between them as if he were trying to mediate the argument. It almost made him look human. Ellie decided there was nothing else for it. She would have to hope he understood and didn't get hurt because of her faith in him.

Caw, do you think you can go inside the house and look around for me? Ellie asked. You don't have to be seen, but I need to know if my family is sick…

Caw cocked his head to the side again and then clicked his beak. To Ellie, it seemed like a yes.

It's gonna be dangerous, Ellie said. Careen and the others don't care much for animals, particularly not in the house.

Caw clicked his beak again and held his wings out for a second. It was proof he wasn't afraid. She put her hand on his back with a small smile as she looked at him. Thanks. I'll make it up to you, I swear.

Caw clicked his beak again and Ellie closed her eyes. She focused on what she wanted; she focused on seeing the world through Caw's eyes. She gathered her craft toward that one desire and felt warmth in her hand. It transferred through her skin and into Caw. She heard Thane gasp in surprise, but she didn't respond. She was too busy making sure that the craft did what she wanted it to.

She opened her eyes as the warmth faded and had a quick moment of panic. She was looking at herself through Caw's eyes. It was disorienting and made her head swim with vertigo. She wanted to look away, but she didn't have control of her vision. Caw blinked as he looked at her and tilted his head. Ellie felt a wave of nausea at the movement. It was strange to look and see without having any control.

Did it work? Thane asked.

Ellie whimpered in reply. She didn't want to speak. She was afraid she would throw up instead.

What's wrong? Thane asked.

Caw looked at him, drawing her attention to his face. Seeing him through Caw's eyes was very odd. There were unusual colors, as if she were staring into something ultraviolet. Thane's features were sharper and stretched peculiarly.

Not able to find the words, Ellie released her hold on Caw and he stepped away from them both. He looked back at them for a long minute and Ellie felt him coming to the conclusion that she wanted him to do something important. He did a funny hop, her body and stomach trembling fiercely with the movement, and then he took flight.

Ellie's terror transformed into awe.

Flying via Caw was the single strangest thing Ellie had ever done in her life. It was dizzying, illuminating, and utterly amazing. She held her breath as he soared into the air and made his way around the stripped branches and pine trees that circled and protected them. He tilted his wings to avoid the last tree in his way, then he was free of the forest. He climbed into the air, his wings straining against the cold wind that tried to force him back to earth. Ellie could sense it took a lot of effort to stay in the sky. The world around her rocked alarmingly with every flap of his wings.

Ellie reached out with her arms instinctually, to keep herself from falling as he spiraled up, her body not able to comprehend what her eyes were telling her. The forest and ground were below her and getting smaller. She was even higher than a Ferris wheel.

Caw circled the house in a long arc. Her head spun with each tilt of his body. She knew he was looking for enemies, though she seriously wished he would stop spiraling. None of her family paid him any attention. They were all too busy keeping lookout and talking to one another. Too, he was not the only blackbird around the property. He blended in perfectly.

As he circled, another bird flew out of the trees. This bird was far more of a menace than Ellie's family. He was fierce, full of rage and eager to protect his territory. Caw dodged him easily, did a loop that immediately brought the nausea back to Ellie's throat, and then dove closer to the house to escape the bird's wrath. The bird chased Caw until he was far away from his tree.

Caw landed on the roof of the house to get his bearings and catch his breath. He was cautious. Ellie knew why. He had felt the danger of her family firsthand. Her warnings had not been needed. He knew they would kill him without thinking twice. He searched the area around her old house, noticing a couple of bugs that were brave enough to search for food in the cold rain. His kept flickering back to the bugs as if he was unsure if he should chase the bugs or go inside. Ellie hoped he remembered to focus. She didn't want to spend more time than necessary inside his head.

He finally focused on the window. He fluttered off the roof to the nearest ledge with a quick flap of his wings. He landed on the windowsill at the top window of the house. He hopped closer to the glass and pushed against it with his beak. The window creaked open slowly. Caw looked over his shoulder, perhaps longing for the bugs and the safety of the open sky, and then hopped inside.

The change of light was automatic. Instead of the steely cold of grey clouds and boiling fog, there was the warmth of amber. The light peeked out around the bottom of the attic door. Caw made his way over to it and fluttered up to the knob. He tried to turn it with his beak. It didn't open. He tried again. Ellie held her breath as he struggled with the door. She hoped more than anything that he wasn't causing too much noise. She swore at herself for not working the magic to hear what he heard as well.

After three minutes of struggling, Caw finally managed to open the door. It creaked open slowly and Caw stood in the dark for a moment. When he had gathered his courage, he looked around the door warily. Ellie saw everything he did in that glance.

There was a small landing at the attic, a short flight of stairs to the second level, and a sharp right turn to the hall on the second level. The amber light was coming from small balls of moving energy that clung to the ceiling. The hall was sharply illuminated and warm. It would have been a vision of comfort had a different family lived inside.

Ellie saw shadows on the walls as people walked between rooms. She didn't see anyone yet, but the shadows were proof that there were more people than normal in the house. She didn't think it was a party, as most of her family didn't go upstairs when they celebrated a victory against the Coopers. They were usually far more interested in the alcohol and food in the kitchen.

Caw hopped around the door and slowly worked his way down the stairs to the hall. Ellie held her breath again as he moved. She was terrified. Any one of her family could kill him with a gesture. She couldn't protect him.

He reached the last stair beyond the landing and then poked his head around the corner of the wall. Eugenia was standing in the middle of the hall. She was talking to one of Ellie's aunts, but Ellie couldn't hear what they were saying. Eugenia was wearing an apron and her lined face was gaunt. It looked as though she had lost a lot of weight in a very short amount of time. It struck Ellie how tense