I woke up to sunlight stabbing me directly in the eyeballs.
OW.
FUCK.
Why is the sun SO BRIGHT?
I groaned and tried to roll over, but my entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck.
Again.
Twice in one lifetime is just EXCESSIVE, universe.
"Oh good," Nyx's voice said from somewhere nearby. "You're alive. I was starting to wonder if I'd need to find a new contractor."
Contractor.
He called me his CONTRACTOR.
Not 'partner' or 'friend' but CONTRACTOR.
I love this sarcastic snake SO MUCH.
I forced my eyes open and immediately regretted it. The room was too bright, too sharp, too everything. My head was pounding like someone had used it as a drum, and my mouth tasted like I'd been licking ancient grimoires.
Which, to be fair, is probably not far from the truth.
"What..." I croaked, and my voice sounded like gravel. "What happened?"
Nyx slithered into view, coiling on the pillow next to me. His red eyes were gleaming with what I was pretty sure was amusement.
He's ENJOYING this.
He's enjoying watching me suffer.
Typical.
"You collapsed," he said. "Two days ago. Fell flat on your face right after your dramatic moment with the black rose."
Two days.
TWO DAYS?
I've been UNCONSCIOUS for TWO DAYS?
I tried to sit up and immediately regretted that decision too. The room spun, and I had to grab the edge of the bed to keep from falling over.
"Easy," Nyx said, and for once his tone wasn't mocking. "You're still recovering."
"Recovering from WHAT?" I demanded. "Was it poison? Did Riku poison me? Because if he did, I'm going to—"
"It wasn't poison," Nyx interrupted. "It was mana depletion."
I stared at him.
Mana depletion.
MANA DEPLETION.
I passed out from MANA DEPLETION?
"You overextended yourself with the illusion magic," Nyx continued. "You pushed too hard, too fast, and your body shut down to protect itself. It's a common mistake for new practitioners who don't know their limits yet."
Oh.
Oh FUCK.
I'm an IDIOT.
"So I wasn't poisoned," I said slowly. "I just... ran out of magic juice and passed out like a complete amateur."
"Essentially, yes."
FUCK.
I wasted TWO DAYS being unconscious because I didn't pace myself.
Two days I could have spent learning, scheming, PLOTTING.
Two days GONE.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw something. I wanted to curse the universe for giving me a second chance and then making me waste it by being STUPID.
But instead, I took a deep breath and forced myself to think rationally.
Okay.
Okay, this is fine.
This is a LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
Now I know my limits. Now I know I can't just push myself indefinitely.
Now I know I need to be SMARTER about this.
"How bad was it?" I asked.
Nyx's tongue flicked out. "Your mother was... concerned. She had the court physician examine you. He confirmed it was magical exhaustion and prescribed rest."
Mother was concerned.
The terrifying Duchess of Ravencrest was CONCERNED about me.
That's... actually kind of nice?
"And everyone else?" I asked. "What's the gossip?"
"Oh, the usual," Nyx said, and now the amusement was back in his voice. "Some people think you were cursed. Others think you attempted a forbidden ritual and it backfired. A few think you were poisoned by a rival house."
Of course they do.
Because everything in this world is DRAMA.
"And Riku?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
Please tell me he didn't think he killed me.
Please tell me he didn't flee the country in panic.
Nyx's eyes gleamed. "Prince Riku sent flowers. Every day. With increasingly concerned notes."
He sent flowers.
EVERY DAY.
He was WORRIED about me.
I felt something warm and uncomfortable twist in my chest.
Stop it.
Stop feeling THINGS.
He's a strategic ally, not a—
"What kind of flowers?" I asked.
"Dark roses," Nyx said. "Black, deep purple, blood red. Very on-brand for you."
He knows my aesthetic.
He KNOWS my aesthetic and he's catering to it.
This man is DANGEROUS.
I finally managed to sit up properly, though my head was still pounding. I looked around the room and spotted a vase on my vanity—filled with the darkest, most beautiful roses I'd ever seen.
Okay.
Okay, those are STUNNING.
I'm keeping those.
"How long until I'm back to normal?" I asked.
"You should be functional by this afternoon," Nyx said. "Fully recovered by tomorrow. But you'll need to be more careful about your magical reserves from now on."
Careful.
I need to be CAREFUL.
I hate being careful.
But I also hated wasting two days being unconscious, so I guess I'd have to learn.
"Fine," I said. "I'll pace myself. I'll be responsible. I'll be a good little dark mage who doesn't overextend herself."
"I'll believe that when I see it," Nyx said dryly.
Fair.
By afternoon, I was feeling almost human again.
Almost.
My head still ached, and I felt like I'd been wrung out and left to dry, but I could walk without swaying and think without my brain feeling like mush.
Progress.
I'd sent word to Celeste that I was recovered and ready to continue my training. She'd responded immediately with a location—one of the hidden rooms in the eastern wing that Mother had shown me.
Secret curse training.
In a hidden room.
With my dark magic mentor and the crown princess.
This is either going to be AMAZING or a complete DISASTER.
Probably both.
I arrived at the designated room to find Celeste already there, along with Corvus and—
Elara.
Princess Elara is HERE.
For CURSE training.
Oh, this is going to be INTERESTING.
Elara looked up as I entered, and her face lit up with relief.
"Isabel!" she said, and she actually rushed over to hug me. "I was so worried! They said you collapsed and—"
She's hugging me.
The crown princess is HUGGING me.
What is my LIFE?
I awkwardly patted her back. "I'm fine. Just... overextended myself with the illusion magic. Rookie mistake."
"A mistake you won't repeat," Corvus said from the shadows. His voice was as dry and ancient as ever. "Mana depletion is a harsh teacher, but an effective one."
He's not wrong.
I definitely learned my lesson.
Celeste was watching me with those sharp, assessing eyes. "You look terrible," she said bluntly.
"Thank you," I said. "That's exactly what every woman wants to hear."
"But you're functional," she continued. "And that's what matters. We have work to do."
She gestured to the table in the center of the room, where several books were laid out—old, leather-bound tomes that practically radiated dark magic.
Oh.
Oh, those are BEAUTIFUL.
Those are FORBIDDEN.
I want to read ALL of them.
"Today," Celeste said, "we're going to cover curses."
Curses.
CURSES.
Finally.
This is what I've been WAITING for.
Elara moved closer to the table, her eyes wide with fascination. "I've never seen books like these before," she said softly.
"That's because they're illegal," Celeste said matter-of-factly. "The Church of Radiance has spent centuries trying to destroy every copy. These are some of the last remaining texts on curse magic in Astervane."
And we're going to LEARN from them.
We're going to learn FORBIDDEN MAGIC.
This is the BEST DAY.
Corvus moved to stand beside the table, his skeletal form somehow both menacing and scholarly. "Curses are different from other forms of magic," he said. "They are not immediate. They are not flashy. They are patient."
"Curses are elegant," Celeste added, opening one of the books. "They're patient. They're how dark magic practitioners survive in a kingdom that hunts them."
She turned the book so I could see the pages—filled with intricate symbols and text in a language I didn't recognize.
Old Valdric.
The ancient language of dark magic.
I need to learn this.
I need to learn ALL of this.
"A curse requires two components," Celeste continued. "First, an incantation—spoken aloud in the old tongue. Second, a symbol—drawn on an object that will carry the curse to its target."
She traced one of the symbols with her finger. "The symbol acts as an anchor. The incantation activates it. Together, they create a magical effect that bypasses most conventional defenses."
Bypasses defenses.
That's HUGE.
That means I could curse someone even if they have protective wards.
"What kind of effects?" I asked.
Celeste smiled—that cold, knowing smile. "Weakness. Exhaustion. Confusion. Paranoia. Slow degradation of health or mental faculties. Curses work over time, wearing down the target until they're vulnerable."
Slow.
Patient.
DEVASTATING.
I love it.
"Show me," I said.
Celeste pulled out a small wooden disk and a piece of chalk. "We'll start with something simple—a minor weakness curse. It will make the target feel tired and sluggish for a few hours."
She drew a symbol on the disk—a complex pattern of lines and curves that seemed to shift and writhe as I looked at it.
The symbol is ALIVE.
It's responding to the magic.
Then she spoke—a string of words in that ancient language, harsh and guttural and powerful.
The symbol flared with dark light, and I felt the curse activate—a pulse of magic that made my skin prickle.
That's it.
That's a CURSE.
That's what I need to learn.
"Now you try," Celeste said, handing me the chalk and a fresh disk.
Okay.
Okay, I can do this.
I've learned necromancy and illusion magic.
I can learn curses.
I copied the symbol as carefully as I could, trying to match every line and curve exactly. It was harder than it looked—the lines seemed to want to go in different directions, and I had to concentrate to keep them stable.
Focus.
Precision.
This is like drawing a magic circle in an anime.
Except if I fuck it up, I'll probably curse MYSELF.
When I finished, I looked up at Celeste. "Now the incantation?"
She nodded and spoke the words again, slowly this time so I could hear each syllable.
Okay.
Okay, I think I've got it.
I took a deep breath and spoke.
"Mor'thak vel'shara—"
Wait.
Was it vel'shara or vel'shana?
FUCK.
"—vel'shana keth'mor."
The symbol flared—but wrong. Instead of the dark, controlled pulse I'd seen with Celeste's curse, this was chaotic, wild, angry.
And then it hit me.
OH FUCK.
OH FUCK OH FUCK OH FUCK.
My legs went weak, like someone had cut all the strength from my muscles. I stumbled, barely catching myself on the edge of the table.
The curse rebounded.
I cursed MYSELF.
I'm such an IDIOT.
"Interesting," Corvus said, and he sounded almost amused. "You mispronounced the third word. 'Vel'shana' instead of 'vel'shara.' The curse interpreted you as the target."
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
Very HELPFUL.
I tried to stand up straight, but my legs were shaking. It felt like I'd just run a marathon—every muscle weak and trembling.
This SUCKS.
This sucks SO MUCH.
Elara looked concerned. "Isabel, are you—"
"I'm fine," I said through gritted teeth. "Just... experiencing the consequences of my own incompetence."
Celeste was watching me with that assessing look again. "The effect will wear off in about ten minutes. Try again."
Try again.
She wants me to try AGAIN.
While I'm still suffering from the first attempt.
I hate her.
I respect her, but I hate her.
I took another disk and drew the symbol again, my hands shaking slightly from the weakness curse.
Focus.
Get it RIGHT this time.
Vel'shara, not vel'shana.
Vel'SHARA.
I spoke the incantation again, carefully pronouncing each word.
"Mor'thak vel'shara—"
Good.
That's right.
"—keth'mor... vel'thun."
Wait.
WAIT.
Was it vel'thun or keth'thun?
FUCK.
The symbol flared again—and this time the rebound was different.
My head exploded with pain.
FUCK.
FUCK FUCK FUCK.
MY HEAD.
MY HEAD IS SPLITTING OPEN.
It felt like someone was driving nails into my skull, a sharp, stabbing pain that made my vision blur and my stomach lurch.
I'm going to throw up.
I'm going to throw up and pass out and DIE.
Again.
I doubled over, clutching my head, trying not to scream.
"Confusion curse," Corvus said calmly. "You reversed the final two words. The curse is causing mental disorientation and pain."
I NOTICED.
I FUCKING NOTICED.
Nyx slithered down from my shoulders and coiled on the table, watching me with those gleaming red eyes.
"You're really bad at this," he said helpfully.
I'm going to curse HIM next.
I'm going to curse him SO HARD.
The pain was starting to fade—slowly, agonizingly slowly—but it was still there, a throbbing ache behind my eyes.
Two attempts.
Two failures.
Two rebound curses.
I'm starting to see why curse magic isn't more popular.
Celeste handed me another disk. "Third time's the charm," she said.
She's ENJOYING this.
She's enjoying watching me suffer.
Everyone in this room is a SADIST.
But I took the disk anyway, because I'm not a quitter.
I'm going to get this RIGHT.
I'm going to master this curse if it KILLS me.
Which it might.
But that's a risk I'm willing to take.
I drew the symbol again, my hands steadier now despite the lingering weakness and headache. I focused on every line, every curve, making sure it was perfect.
Precision.
Control.
This is the one.
Then I spoke the incantation, slowly and carefully, making sure every syllable was correct.
"Mor'thak vel'shara keth'thun mor'vel."
The symbol flared—and this time it was right.
The dark light was controlled, focused, perfect. I felt the curse activate properly, felt it settle into the disk like it was supposed to.
And then—
Oh.
Oh, the pain is GONE.
The weakness is GONE.
The curse effects just... DISAPPEARED.
I stood up straight, feeling normal again—well, as normal as I ever felt.
I did it.
I actually DID IT.
Third time's the charm, just like Celeste said.
Celeste was smiling—a genuine smile of approval. "Well done. You learned from your mistakes and corrected them. That's the mark of a true practitioner."
She's PROUD of me.
The terrifying dark magic nun is PROUD of me.
I'm going to pretend that doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Corvus nodded. "The curse is properly formed. The incantation translates to: 'Let weakness take root, let strength fade, let the body betray itself.' A simple but effective curse."
I looked down at the disk in my hand, at the symbol that now glowed with a faint dark light.
I made this.
I created a CURSE.
I'm officially a curse practitioner.
This is AMAZING.
Elara had been watching the entire process with wide eyes, taking in every detail. "That was incredible," she said softly. "You kept trying even after it hurt you."
She's learning.
She's watching and LEARNING.
She's absorbing all of this.
I looked at her—really looked at her—and realized something.
She's not just observing.
She's MEMORIZING.
She's cataloging every step, every word, every symbol.
She's going to be able to replicate this.
The crown princess is going to be able to cast CURSES.
Oh.
Oh, I've created a MONSTER.
A beautiful, dangerous, politically powerful MONSTER.
I'm so PROUD.
"It's all about precision," I said, trying to sound like a proper teacher. "One wrong word and the curse rebounds. You have to be absolutely certain of every syllable."
"I understand," Elara said, and the determination in her voice was almost frightening.
She's committed.
She's going to master this.
And when she does, she's going to be UNSTOPPABLE.
Celeste closed the book. "That's enough for today. You've learned the basics of curse construction. Tomorrow, we'll cover more complex curses—ones that last longer and have more severe effects."
More complex curses.
Tomorrow.
I can't WAIT.
"Thank you," I said, and I meant it. "This is... exactly what I needed."
Celeste's smile turned knowing. "I know. That's why I'm teaching you."
Day Nine dawned bright and clear, and I woke up feeling almost normal.
Almost.
My mana reserves were still recovering, but at least I wasn't exhausted anymore. And the curse training yesterday had been brutal but effective.
I can cast curses now.
I can cast ACTUAL CURSES.
I'm becoming LEGENDARY.
Today was supposed to be dedicated to teaching Elara—formally beginning her education in forbidden magic. We'd agreed to start with illusions, since they were less dangerous than necromancy or curses.
Less dangerous.
But still FORBIDDEN.
Still enough to get us both executed if anyone found out.
Perfect.
We met in the same hidden room, with Corvus supervising. He'd insisted on being present for any training involving the crown princess, and honestly, I was grateful for it.
If something goes wrong, at least there's an ancient undead butler to fix it.
That's a sentence I never thought I'd think.
Elara arrived right on time, dressed in a simple practice dress instead of her usual elaborate gowns. She looked eager, excited, hungry for knowledge.
She's ready.
She's SO ready.
"Today," I said, channeling my best teacher voice, "we're going to work on illusions. They're one of the safer forms of dark magic, but they're also incredibly useful."
"Safer?" Elara asked.
"They won't accidentally kill you if you mess up," I said. "Unlike necromancy or curses. The worst that happens with a failed illusion is it doesn't work, or it looks wrong."
Or you pass out from mana depletion.
But we're not going to mention that.
Corvus moved to stand beside us. "Illusions are about perception," he said. "About convincing reality—and observers—that something exists when it doesn't. Or that something doesn't exist when it does."
Deception.
Manipulation.
My FAVORITE things.
"Show me," Elara said.
I focused, drawing on my mana carefully this time, and created an illusion—a butterfly, just like Mother had shown me. It appeared in the air between us, wings fluttering, looking absolutely real.
Elara reached out to touch it, and her hand passed through.
"It's perfect," she breathed. "It looks completely real."
"That's the point," I said. "A good illusion is indistinguishable from reality. It has to have weight, presence, believability."
I let the butterfly fade and gestured for her to try.
"Focus on the image," I said. "See it in your mind first. Every detail. Then push that image out into reality."
Elara closed her eyes, concentrating. I could feel her magic stirring—light magic, bright and pure, but with that faint undercurrent of darkness I'd noticed before.
She has potential.
Real, genuine potential.
This is going to be INTERESTING.
A shimmer appeared in the air—faint, barely visible, but there.
"Good," Corvus said. "Now give it form. Give it substance."
The shimmer solidified into... something. It was vaguely butterfly-shaped, but the proportions were wrong, and it kept flickering in and out of existence.
Not bad for a first attempt.
Actually pretty impressive.
"It's not stable," Elara said, frustrated.
"It takes practice," I said. "I spent hours yesterday just trying to make a rose that didn't look like a blob. You're already doing better than I was."
That's not entirely true.
But it's good for her confidence.
We practiced for the next hour, with Elara creating increasingly stable illusions. She was a fast learner—faster than I'd expected. By the end of the session, she could create a butterfly that looked almost real.
She's a natural.
She's picking this up WAY too quickly.
The crown princess is going to be a dark magic prodigy.
Oh, this is going to be FUN.
As we were finishing up, Elara turned to me with that determined look in her eyes.
"Isabel," she said. "Will you teach me curses?"
Oh.
Oh, she wants to learn CURSES.
She wants to learn the DANGEROUS stuff.
I glanced at Corvus, who was watching us with those empty eye sockets.
What do I say?
Do I teach the crown princess curse magic?
Do I make her THAT powerful?
Part of me wanted to say yes immediately. Elara was my ally, my friend, my student. Teaching her curses would make her stronger, more capable, more dangerous.
More useful.
But another part of me hesitated.
She's the CROWN PRINCESS.
If she becomes too powerful, too skilled in dark magic, she could become a threat.
Not to me, necessarily, but to the balance of power.
And I need to be STRATEGIC about this.
"Not yet," I said finally. "You're not ready."
Elara's face fell. "But I—"
"You're learning fast," I interrupted. "Faster than I expected. But curses are different. They're more dangerous, more complex, and if you make a mistake, you'll curse yourself."
Like I did.
Twice.
In one session.
"I saw you practice yesterday," Elara said. "I saw how hard it was. But you kept trying until you got it right."
She's using my own determination against me.
Clever.
Too clever.
"Exactly," I said. "I kept trying, and I cursed myself twice before I got it right. You need more experience with basic dark magic before you're ready for curses."
And I need more time to decide if making you that powerful is a good idea.
Elara looked like she wanted to argue, but Corvus spoke first.
"Lady Isabel is correct," he said. "Curse magic requires a foundation of control and understanding. You must master illusions and basic dark magic theory before attempting curses."
Thank you, Corvus.
Thank you for backing me up.
Elara sighed but nodded. "Fine. But I want to learn eventually."
"You will," I promised. "Just... not yet."
Not until I'm sure I can trust you with that much power.
Not until I'm sure you won't use it against me.
As Elara left, Nyx slithered up to my shoulder.
"That was surprisingly restrained of you," he said. "Not teaching her the most dangerous magic immediately."
"I'm being strategic," I said.
"You're being cautious," Nyx corrected. "You're worried about making her too powerful."
He's not wrong.
He's NEVER wrong.
I hate that about him.
"She's learning too fast," I said quietly. "She's absorbing everything I teach her and asking for more. If I teach her curses now, she'll master them in a week."
"And that's a problem because...?"
"Because she's the CROWN PRINCESS," I said. "Because she has political power I don't have. Because if she becomes too skilled in dark magic, she could become a threat to the entire kingdom."
Or to me.
Let's be honest.
I'm worried she could become a threat to ME.
Nyx's tongue flicked out. "You're thinking like a villain," he said approvingly. "Always considering the long-term consequences of your actions."
I'm thinking like a SURVIVOR.
I'm thinking like someone who doesn't want to create her own downfall.
That evening, a package arrived.
It was delivered by a courier in Valdris colors—deep purple and silver—and addressed to me in elegant script.
Oh.
Oh, this is from RIKU.
This is the gift the outline mentioned.
I opened it carefully, half-expecting another black rose or something equally dramatic.
Instead, I found flowers—but not roses. These were strange, exotic blooms I'd never seen before, with petals that shifted between deep blue and purple depending on the light.
They're beautiful.
They're STUNNING.
What are these?
There was a note tucked among the flowers, written in that same elegant script:
"For the woman who doesn't fear princes.
These are midnight orchids, native to the Valdris Empire. They bloom only in darkness and wither in direct sunlight. I thought they suited you.
I hope you've recovered from your recent... exhaustion. I look forward to our next conversation.
— R."
I stared at the note, feeling that warm, uncomfortable twist in my chest again.
He sent me flowers from his homeland.
He sent me flowers that bloom in DARKNESS.
He's paying attention.
He KNOWS me.
This is DANGEROUS.
Nyx peered at the orchids. "Those are rare," he said. "Very rare. They're notoriously difficult to transport because they die if exposed to too much light."
So he went to considerable effort to send these.
He PLANNED this.
He's being STRATEGIC.
Just like me.
I carefully placed the orchids in a vase, positioning them away from the window where they'd be in shadow.
I'm keeping these.
I'm definitely keeping these.
But I'm not responding yet.
I need to be strategic about this.
I need to show restraint.
"You're not going to write back?" Nyx asked.
"Not yet," I said. "Let him wonder. Let him wait."
Let him think about me.
Let him be the one who's uncertain.
That's how you maintain power in a relationship.
Strategic.
Calculated.
PERFECT.
Nyx laughed—that soft, hissing laugh. "You're playing a dangerous game with that prince."
"I know," I said, looking at the midnight orchids. "But dangerous games are the only ones worth playing."
He's interesting.
He's intelligent.
He's DANGEROUS.
And I'm going to figure out exactly what he wants from me.
But on MY terms.
Not his.
I looked at the black rose from before, still sitting in its vase, and then at the new midnight orchids.
Two gifts.
Two very deliberate, very thoughtful gifts.
He's courting me.
The prince from the Valdris Empire is COURTING me.
While I'm technically engaged to the crown prince of Astervane.
This is either going to be LEGENDARY or a complete DISASTER.
Probably both.
I smiled—that sharp, dangerous smile I'd been practicing.
Bring it on, Prince Riku.
Let's see who wins this game.