Chapter l337

Chapter 0337

I handed the photo to Veronica and she held it out over Elva’s b*dy. She began to chant, but they weren’t words I recognized. Sparks flickered in her hands. Purple-blue flames fanned out across the photo, and then twisted down toward Elva.

“Elva!” I gasped and started forward.

Nicholas gripped me around the waist and held me back. I struggled, desperate to get to Elva.

What if this was actually hurting her? What if it was doing more harm than good? I couldn’t let anyone hurt my little girl!

“Nick! Don’t! Let me go!”

“Wait!” Nicholas said back. His voice was strained. This must have been hurting him too. ” Please, Piper. Just wait!”

I couldn’t. I couldn’t.

Those flames were so close to Elva. If they touched her, then –

All at once it was over.

The flames shot back up to the talisman and burned the photo down to ashes. Then even the ashes dissipated into nothing.

Veronica turned over her hands. She exhaled long and slow. Then she opened her eyes.

Elva did too. She turned her head to look at me. “Mommy?”

Nicholas released his hold at once, and I barreled forward, desperate to hold my little girl in my arms. She was still feverish, but it wasn’t as bad as before. She was awake, that was what

mattered.

“You should send for the doctor,” Veronica told Nicholas, who pulled out his phone at once. The worst of the curse is gone, but she will still need medicine to fight back the fever.’

“Curse?” Elva asked, eyes going wide.

“She’s playing, honey,” I lied. I k*ssed Elva’s forehead. “You just have a bad cold. You need to rest okay.”

Veronica gave me a sheepish look. “Sorry,” she mouthed.

((

I shook my head. It was okay. She’d done so much for us, I couldn’t be mad at her if I wanted to. As far as I was concerned, I was indebted to her for the rest of my life.

I held Elva tightly. I wouldn’t let go, even as Julian and Charlotte were brought back.

1/2

+15 BONUS

“We might have trashed Jessica’s wardrobe,” Julian said. He was smiling in relief. He didn’t seem sorry at all.

“We’ll buy her a new one,” Nicholas said. I’d need a new one too. “None of that matters now.”

“I agree,” Julian said.

I thirded that opinion.

Julian sat on the other side of the bed. He smiled down at Elva, who tried to return it with one of her own. Hers was wobbly.

“Jul-an.”

“How’s my little mischief-maker?” Julian asked.

“Tired,” Elva said with a yawn.

“I believe that,” Julian said. “You’ve been a good soldier today. Fighting hard against this fever. It’s liable to take it out of anyone. Even Nicholas gets brought so low, all he does is sleep.”

Elva’s eyes tw inkled. “Even Nick-lass?”

“Yep,” Julian said.

“It’s true,” Nicholas said, as he stepped into the space behind me. “You’re so much stronger than me, Elva. And braver too.”

“I didn’t do nothing,” she said.

“Yes, you did,” I told her. “My brave little girl.”

Only when the doctor finally arrived, did I loosen my hold on Elva and step back enough for the doctor to have enough room to work.

Nicholas was waiting for me, and pulled me against his chest as soon as he was able. He k*ssed the top of my head.

“Elva isn’t the only brave one,” he whispered.

I shook my head. “I’m not brave.” I felt like a coward. Even now, I was avoiding thinking about my feelings, and what it meant to have that picture be the talisman.

It proved that Jane still felt strong feelings for Elva. She had to, or the curse would not have been so strong. But how could anyone who loved their daughter so much, amplify a curse meant to kill her?