The Cursed Prince, Teresa Roman [the reader ebook TXT] 📗

as she covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh no.”

“Do something,” I said, turning to face her. “You have to bring him back.”

“I … I’m not sure that I can.”

“You have to try.”

Her hand shook as she laid it on my father’s chest. She closed her eyes.

Alexander came to stand beside me. “I’m so sorry, Willow.”

“He’ll be fine,” I managed to say despite the lump in my throat. “You’ll see.”

I wasn’t sure how much time passed but eventually Maria opened her eyes and lifted her hand from my father’s chest. “There’s nothing I can do for him, Willow. It’s too late.”

“What do you mean there’s nothing you can do? You’re a witch. Cast a spell. Heal him, or reverse time. I don’t care which, just do what you have to do to bring him back.”

“Willow, you must know that if I could, I would. But it’s too late for what you’re suggesting.”

I wanted to scream at her, to pound my fists into her chest and make her return my father to me, but none of those things would change what had happened. So instead, I lifted my hands to my face as the tears streamed down. Maria’s arms came around me. I shook, sobbing and dizzy with pain.

“It’s okay, child,” Maria said, stroking the back of my hair. “Let it out.”

“How could this have happened?”

“Peter was here earlier,” Alexander mumbled. “He did this.”

I lifted my head. “He wouldn’t.”

“He must’ve come here looking for you,” Maria said.

“No. I told him I had plans with my friend Grace. Peter knew I wouldn’t be here.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I remembered what else I’d told Peter. I pressed my palms to my forehead. “Oh my God. This is all my fault.”

“Willow, you mustn’t think that way,” Maria said.

“Peter and I were talking about my father earlier. I asked him if he thought it was possible that someone used magic to heal my father.”

“Why in the world would you do that?” Alexander asked.

“I wanted to see what his reaction would be.”

Maria shook her head. “If this is anyone’s fault, it’s mine. I’m the one who used magic on your father. The incubus fed on your father because of what I did.”

“Do the two of you hear yourselves? Maria, you were only trying to protect Willow. And as for you, Willow, you clearly had no idea what an incubus is capable of. Until now. This is no one’s fault but Peter’s.”

“I don’t understand this. He had to know that I’d never forgive him for killing my father.”

“I don’t think he’s expecting to be forgiven,” Alexander said. “He must’ve figured that you were suspicious of him and decided that he has nothing left to lose at this point.”

Maria had tried to warn me. If I’d only listened to her, then my father would still be alive. The thought tore me into shreds. I pressed my back against the wall behind me and wrapped my arms around myself, a fresh round of tears falling down my face.

“Alexander, I’ll stay with Willow. Gather her things. Be quick. The sooner we make it back to the castle, the safer I’ll feel.”

I sank down to the floor as Alexander left. A moment later, I heard Maria talking on the phone to 911 or the police. I was glad it was her who’d called and not me. I didn’t think I could string the right words together.

A few minutes later, I heard the cry of sirens as the paramedics arrived. After they left with my father’s lifeless body, Alexander walked over to me, lifted me in his arms, and carried me back to the car.

Chapter 20

By the time we returned to the castle, I was still in a daze. Nicolai noticed my tear-streaked face.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Questions later,” Maria said. “Right now, I need to get Willow to bed. She needs to rest.”

Maria led me up the stairs and into one of the empty bedrooms. She pulled out a nightshirt from the suitcase Alexander had filled with my clothes, then turned and reached for the hem of my shirt.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Helping you out of your clothes.” She pulled her hands away. “I’m sorry. I forgot you’re not used to being mothered.”

I managed a weak smile. “It’s okay.” Too tired to put up a fight, I let her help me out of my clothes and into pajamas. My tears had dried, but the ache in my heart seemed to be getting worse by the second. I tried pushing the image of my father’s lifeless body out of my head, but it was no use.

There was a knock at the door.

Nicolai crossed the room and sat beside me on the edge of the bed. He laced his fingers through mine. I rested my head on his shoulder. After a while he broke the silence. “I’m so sorry, Willow.”

He wrapped an arm around me. Tears fell again, soaking his shirt. We sat there for a while without saying a word. Maria left and then returned with a steaming cup of tea that she handed to me.

“Drink this.”

I lifted my head from Nicolai’s shoulder. He nodded, and I took the cup from Maria’s hands. When I finished drinking, Maria took the cup back from me. “Get some sleep, Willow,” she said then kissed my forehead and left the room.

I lay down on the bed. My head felt heavy, and so did my eyelids. The moment they closed, I felt Nicolai rise from the bed. My eyes fluttered back open.

“Don’t go.”

Nicolai looked over his shoulder at me. “You need to rest.”

“I don’t want to be alone.”

“Okay.” He smiled at me. “Then I’ll stay.” Nicolai turned back around and sat in an armchair that was wedged in the far corner of the room.

A sudden chill ran through me, and I shuddered. For some reason, I was freezing, even though several layers of blankets covered me. “Can you lie beside me?”

“Are you really sure you want me to?”

I