A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)

by Brigid Kemmerer

For a moment, anger flashes across his features, but he must decide it’s not worth it.

I have nothing left to live for, but my people—they do.

Emberfall has effectively been under my rule since the change began and I slaughtered my family—

I don’t want to be here. Jake doesn’t want me here. I don’t know why I came back. For Mom.

I thought I’d be uncertain about returning to Emberfall, that somehow my family would anchor me here, that I was obligated to play a role in their drama.

I don’t think I ever realized that I’m not trapped by their choices, any more than they’re trapped by mine.

We’re not close now—not like we were—but we could be again. Once he believes t...

Home doesn’t mean here. Home means Emberfall.

“Yeah, the part of me that used to hide in my room with Eragon and Harry Potter. But they’re not real.”

He outweighs me by at least a hundred pounds, especially with the armor and weapons,

40kgs

Jake hesitates. “I think she’s telling the truth.” “About what? That this is some prince from a fantasy world? That’s real blood. Harper, hold this towel. Press hard.”

“None were treated in a hospital. I can tell.” A pause. “Neither was that scar on your face.”

“I guess I’m saying I don’t disbelieve you.”

Before I could get him a glass of water, he crunched them like candy—then grimaced. That made Noah look at him sideways, a musing expression on his face. It made Jake scowl.

“I could have chosen no one better, my lady. Truly.”

“You were unconscious! I thought Jamison was going to tell the soldiers to shoot us! What else was I supposed to call him?”

“A servant? A footman?” I open my mouth. Close it. Grey’s not done. “A slave, my lady. A guard.”

“The healer’s concubine?”

ten feet tall,

3m

Grey doesn’t look away from the creature. “I have a hundred stitches holding my chest together, so perhaps we are even.”

How do you not have a doctor here? You have an army. ABIGAIL!”

Noah is going to lose his mind if we don’t clear this bed.”

The doctor says if I do it again, he will do me the honor of removing my arm.”

“But—the curse—” “Broken.” “Broken,” I whisper.

“When the curse was broken, fall turned to spring.

Just because you couldn’t save everyone doesn’t mean you didn’t save anyone.”

beautiful. It’s a wonder she didn’t snare the king’s eye instead of the prince’s. I hesitate. She lifts a hand to trace a finger