Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked, #2) (87)

“And the runes?” I drifted closer but did not touch the carvings or the remains. If she was the First Witch, she might have enchanted the skulls and sent them to me. I was unsure if she was trying to help, or if my theory was wildly wrong. She might be exactly who she claimed, and I was forcing together puzzle pieces that didn’t fit. “Do they animate the skull?”

“No.” Celestia eyed me with what appeared to be suspicion. If she was the First Witch, she was directly birthed from a goddess. I wasn’t sure if she could sense emotions like Wrath could, but I did my best to keep calm. “They come to me when I meditate over the skull. I etch what the raven wishes me to see. Arcane symbols can be a powerful ally to those with magic in their blood.”

Fauna shifted uncomfortably, her attention riveted to the jars tapping with unseen forces on the far side of the chamber. I glanced back to the matron and lowered my voice. “Can they be used to enhance Source?”

“For witches, yes. For those who are Source, no. Arcane symbols originate from their essence.”

“Those who… you mean the goddesses.”

Celestia nodded, her gaze sharp as she studied my face.

According to Nonna’s legends, the goddesses were the original source of our power, diluted over time through the First Witch’s descendants.

I looked the silver-and-lavender-haired woman over carefully. Her face was lightly lined, but there was no clear indication of her age. Fauna had mentioned that her animosity with Wrath was centuries old, which meant she was likely immortal. The shade of purple in her hair also did not escape my notice. It was the same color of my tattoo with Wrath, and also when I saw luccicare, the faint aura surrounding humans.

I couldn’t tell if it was excitement or fear pumping through my veins.

“So if a witch uses arcane symbols with their spells, it increases the potency of that spell.”

“Correct.”

I slid my focus to Fauna, who was squinting into a cauldron now. “Is it possible for anyone to enchant a skull and send a message? Perhaps a prince of Hell, or a witch.”

“All is possible; whether it’s probable is another story. Those with knowledge of arcane symbols might be able to do such a thing.” Celestia motioned for me to sit. “Were there any symbols carved onto the bone?” I shook my head. “Then I doubt a demon prince or witch was responsible. It was likely someone much closer to Source.”

Someone like the First Witch. I kept my breathing even, unwilling to alert anyone to my heightened emotions. If Celestia was the First Witch and her daughter was cursed, that meant the devil’s first wife wasn’t dead after all. And if she truly lived, then I was definitely right about the witches on my island being murdered for a different reason.

One that had nothing to do with the devil seeking a bride.

And everything to do with revenge.

“Lady Emilia?” Fauna broke into my spiraling thoughts. “Shall we go back to the main palace?”

“Yes.” I stood, then spun around to face the matron. “One last question. The Curse Tree. I’ve been told it grants more than wishes, that it offers knowledge. How would one go about obtaining information instead of a wish or a hex?”

Fauna’s attention shot to me like an arrow, but I ignored it. Celestia narrowed her eyes.

“Carve the true name of the one you seek information about into the trunk. Then take one leaf from the tree. Careful when you do—the leaves are as fragile as glass. When you desire the truth, break the leaf in the presence of the one whose name you carved.”

I thought about the First Witch, of legends and fables we’d been told. None had ever used her name. “What if I’m unsure of the person’s true name? Will their title work?”

“Names have power. Titles are a show of power. One can be taken or given on a whim, the other cannot.” Celestia smiled in a way that set my nerves on edge. “Was there anything else, my lady?”

The way she said “my lady” drove home her point. It was a courtesy title, something given that held little meaning outside of this realm. My name was different. Aside from my first name, I would only be a princess or lady here. On my island I would forever remain Emilia Maria di Carlo unless I married. And only my surname would change, never my first.

“No, thank you. You’ve been most… informative.”





TWENTY-FIVE


I gently placed another book on the floor. Haven, the heavenly counterpart to Wrath’s personal Hell below, appeared as if a storm had raged through its rainbow-colored shelves. I snagged another ancient tome and flipped through it, mindful of the delicate pages.

The books in this library were all written in Latin, so I understood most of what was in them. Not that it helped my situation.

“Blood and bones.”

Another grimoire, another disappointment. There were no records of the First Witch, though that could have been due to the fact I didn’t know her true name. In Palermo, Wrath had said something along the lines of “the First Witch, as you call her,” which meant that was not the name the demon princes knew her by. If I couldn’t find something soon, I’d have to ask him. Which I’d prefer to avoid for several reasons. The first being if he knew La Prima was here and was harboring her, I wasn’t sure if he would thwart my efforts at uncovering that mystery.