The Magnificent North’s infamous story curse watched the star-crossed lovers, who were star-crossed no more, walk out of the ancient cavern.
The curse was relieved they were finally leaving. It had always disliked this cavern—it made for such a dreary setting—and it absolutely loathed the wretched tree that lived here. The curse set fire to any stories that mentioned the accursed tree in an attempt to warn away mortals, but humans could be such foolish creatures.
The curse was glad to see this human girl and her not-quite-human boy were smart enough to walk away from the tree.
The curse supposed the pair would now be on their way to some sort of happily ever after. Usually, the curse would have stopped watching at this point.
Happily ever afters were notoriously boring. They did not make for very good stories, which gave the story curse little to do unless it felt like upending the blissful endings. It didn’t want to do that now. But it did want to find out the answer to one particular question that still remained.
And so the story curse watched as the wounded not-quite-human-boy kept his arm around the shoulder of the girl he had once brought back from the dead.
The curse really did hope the two of them would find happily ever after. It wasn’t entirely sure if the not-quite-human-boy deserved it, but the girl with the rose-gold hair definitely did.
She looked up at her not-quite-human-boy adoringly, despite the bruises, cuts, and blood spattered on his person.
“I still have one question,” she said.
If the story curse had been capable of breathing, it might have held its breath just then.
It watched as the not-quite-human-boy raised an offended brow. “You only have one?”
“No—I actually have far more.” She worried her lip between her white teeth.
Something shifted in the not-quite-human’s eyes; he looked as if he wanted to take her lip between his teeth as well. “You can ask me whatever you want, Little Fox.”
“Splendid!” Her mouth turned up into a sweet smile. “Tell me about the apples.”
“Next question.”
“You said I could ask whatever I wanted.”
The not-quite-human-boy’s eyes turned teasing, sparking with little flecks of silver. “I didn’t say that I would answer.”
The girl’s mouth fell into a pout.
The not-quite-human reached out with one finger and traced her lower lip. “It doesn’t matter,” he said softly. “I don’t need them anymore.”
The girl’s lashes fluttered with surprise.
The not-quite-human-boy leaned in closer . . .
And the story curse decided to stop watching. It was time to leave these two alone and let them have their ever after.
Other stories were brewing in the Magnificent North.
