Filed To Story: Cursed Legacies Series Free PDF by Morgan B Lee
MAVEN
My veins are abuzz from fresh kills. I doubt there’s anyone left alive in Everbound Castle. If I think about it long enough, I’ll start feeling bad about it.
Then again, those shadow fiends, monsters, and legacies would have killed me without hesitation had the roles been reversed.
So fuck feeling bad.
When we emerge in Everbound Forest near the old ruins, it’s disconcerting how quiet it is. The misty, dark forest typically conceals countless dangerous creatures and the occasional shadow fiend whose haunting cries can be heard in the distance. Maybe they got scared silent after First Placement.
For the hundredth time, I glance at Silas. He’s still motionless in Baelfire’s arms, but now his skin is a concerning sallow hue. His fingertips are blackened from using necromancy, but either Kenzie and her quintet haven’t noticed, or they’re opting not to say anything about it.
Silas, I try again.
We left Everbound. Call it an early graduation.
There’s no reply.
Dirk glances around nervously, adjusting Vivienne so he can scratch the back of his neck furiously. “Uh. Not to pressure you, Maven, but…”
Right. Time to transport.
I brace myself and remove my stained gloves, reaching toward Kenzie. “This might take a second to set up. Once the spell is ready, everyone must be touching someone touching me.”
They position themselves as I take Kenzie’s bare hands in mine. Immediately, my nerves clench violently, and I try not to cringe as the typical repulsion sweeps through me at the feel of her bare skin dragging so horribly against mine. Nausea curdles in my gut, sending my pulse into a panic.
What the fuck? I thought I was getting over this.
Maybe I’m only better when it comes to my quintet.
Amidst trying to get a grip, my gaze collides with Everett’s light blue gaze, as gentle as feathers.
Are you okay? he mouths, brow furrowing deeply.
I nod and try to focus on anything but the physical contact. At least my voice sounds steady. “Kenzie, hold in your mind exactly where you want us to arrive in your hometown.”
“Got it.”
Shutting my eyes, I whisper the incantation I’ll need to start the common magic spell. I’m overflowing with power right now, so much so that I’m not concerned about accidentally dipping into Somnus’s life force with this. Soon, rune-like symbols surround us, humming with energy.
Howls split the forest air, and Kenzie’s hands tense. “Are those hellhounds? Oh, my gods. They’re so close. Shit, should we?—“
“Spell’s ready,” I announce. “Everyone, hold on.”
Five seconds later, the blindingly bright light fades, and Kenzie immediately yanks away from me to puke. Dirk looks green, Luka dry-retches, and Everett has to brace himself on his knees for a moment, but I’m relieved to see everyone made it with all body parts attached.
My relief stutters when someone shrieks a few feet away. Glancing over, I realize we’re standing under some kind of stacked metal seating structure and just interrupted two teenagers who were getting hot and heavy, judging by their toplessness despite the bite of winter cold. They look terrified of us—but mostly me since I’m covered head to toe in blood and gore.
“Use protection,” I advise helpfully, checking to make sure Pierce is still strapped to my thigh and I didn’t lose him in the transportation spell.
They grab their discarded shirts and coats and run away, screaming.
Everett rubs his neck. “I’m pretty sure they think you just threatened them with that.”
That explains the screaming.
I look at Silas for the hundred and first time. Any hope that the spell would shake him awake changes into alarm when I see that Baelfire has set the fae down and is checking his pulse.
“He’s fine, baby,” he says quickly, offering a warm smile. “Just wanted to double-check.”
Thank the fucking universe.
Kenzie finally straightens, groaning as she takes in our surroundings. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to send us under the high school bleachers. I just have a lot of fun memories under here when my parents didn’t know I snuck into town,” she tacks on with a wink.
That earns a teasing poke from Luka before he notices Silas. “Is he…sick or something?”
“Or something.”
Kenzie looks at me with an expression I’ve seen on Lillian’s face countless times. It’s a mix of concern and hope.
“Look, now that we’re out of the woods—literally—and you guys just need to lay low, do you want to come stay at my parents’ place? It’s pretty far out of town since you know all those pesky laws about legacies living outside official city limits, so they’ll mostly be away from humans or whatever. It’ll give you a place to rest.”
I consider it, observing my quintet. Baelfire grins like he thinks it’s a good idea. Everett shakes his head, and Crypt doesn’t seem to care as he lights another one of his cigarettes, rolling one of his shoulders as if it’s in pain. All of them are still in bad condition.
We need somewhere Silas can rest, where we won’t be found. But as much as I like Kenzie, I don’t know and therefore don’t trust her parents. All I know is that they may belong to one of the anti-legacy factions. I doubt they’d be pleased if the telum showed up at their door.
By now, I’m sure most legacies have heard I’m in the mortal realm.
Aside from all of that…there was howling when we transported. This “Douglas” guy must be one of the bounty hunters and apparently can sense magic somehow, so he may have been close enough to feel my magic when we left. If that’s the case and they’re hot on our tail, I don’t want to be too close to Kenzie or her quintet, or they might get dragged into the crossfire.
“Thanks, but no. We’ll stay in this area briefly and move on as soon as possible,” I decide. “Is there a hotel or something? And somewhere to get spell ingredients?”
“Spell ingredients?” Baelfire frowns. “What for?”
“You four are inconveniently high-profile and well-known.” Not to mention, Everett will be especially easily recognized by humans, given his supermodel career in their world. “We’ll need to change your appearances somehow.”
Kenzie grins. “I would totally offer to help give your guys makeovers, but I need to stay with Vivienne. Plus, my family will freak when we show up, so I doubt I’ll be going anywhere for a while. There aren’t any stores around here that cater to casters or legacies in general, so I’m not sure about the spell ingredients…but there are a couple of nice hotels you could try.”
Vivienne moans and grimaces, shifting in Dirk’s arms. Immediately, Kenzie zeroes in on her, worry eclipsing her face. The lioness shifter rattles off her parents’ address, makes me promise to at least let her know when we leave town, and we say our goodbyes.
As soon as she leaves with her quintet, I turn to mine.
“Thank gods,” Baelfire grumbles, wrapping me in a very warm hug. “They’re nice and all, but I’ve been fucking dying to hold you. I know how much you hate PDA, so I waited. You’re welcome. Feel free to praise me.”
I fight a smile and relax into his hug for a second. At least his touch doesn’t really seem to trigger my haphephobia now.
To my shock, Everett embraces me from behind and kisses me softly on the back of my neck. The sudden contrast of his cool touch gives me goosebumps, and my brain skips back to Kenzie’s suggestion to try temperature play with these two. I wasn’t entertaining that idea at the time, but now…
No. Nope. I can’t let myself even think about that right now when Baelfire is far too good at sniffing out the tiniest hint of my arousal. Besides, Silas is lying fevered on the ground nearby, and he’s my top priority. There will be no fucking around until I know he’s okay.
Crypt catches my eye over Baelfire’s shoulder and grins crookedly. “I’d happily join the huddle, but you look as if you’re plotting. Care to share?”
I extract myself from the tempting duo and clear my throat. “Yes. We’ll stay at a hotel tonight while Silas rests. I also need to buy a phone.”
Baelfire’s brows go up. “
You want to buy a phone? You hate phones. Why don’t you just use Crypt’s enchanted phone that Silas set up?”
“Lost that somewhere,” Crypt corrects.
Bael huffs. “You’re as bad as Maven. Just use mine, Boo. I brought it just in case.”
I shake my head. “It needs to be a burner phone. I don’t want the demon to have your number.”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.