A Curse of Shadows - Page 74

ISLA

Washing blood off my sister has to be one of the worst things I’ve ever had to do in all my lives. She cried the entire time, mumbling apology after apology until I finally yelled at her.

Then we laughed.

Laughed so hard that we both cried and then naked-hugged and giggled like schoolgirls as we joked about the two of us together just then being every man’s fantasy.

It was cathartic. The whole thing and now, it’s time to be fucking furious.

“Someone killed us, Estee,” I tell her as I braid her hair.

She’s sitting cross-legged in front of me on the bed as her chest rumbles. “I know. It’s been a long time since murder was all I could think about, but now, nothing would make me happier than to tear my teeth into someone’s neck or to rip their guts from their stomach or to make a million tiny cuts on their body, letting them slowly bleed out or even?—”

I grab her shoulder and give it a shake. “I think I’ve got the picture.”

She looks back up at me and raises a brow. “Are you not in the mood to plot the gruesome death of our murderer?”

“I might be if we knew who they were,” I say with an aggravated sigh. “But we’re skipping a step. This whole time, I’ve assumed that I would get answers when my memories came back, but they’re here now, or well, mostly so, and I know in my heart that there’s nothing else to find in my head. We need to get creative and hope that son of a bitch is still alive so we can end his life.”

Her fingers drum over her knees. “Do you think it’s a man because that’s what your gut is telling you or because women aren’t capable of murder? You were enemy number one to a lot of our friends once it became public knowledge that you were to be queen one day.”

She’s not wrong, but it wasn’t just our female friends who changed then.

“Noen also wasn’t thrilled that day,” I say, hating the words more than ever before, but I also know that I can’t keep any thoughts to myself. Talking this out is going to be the only way that we find answers.

Well, and possibly using myself as bait.

Before I can tie the braid off, Estee gets up and off the bed. “You think Noen could have killed us? But he was like our brother.”

I shrug. “A brother whom I think was in love with me and that’s why he never did enjoy when I tried to hook the two of you up.”

Estee gags. “Gods, those were some awkward months.”

She isn’t wrong.

“I’m just saying, he’s been weird since I’ve returned,” I admit. “That could be because Asher’s jealousy came back with a vengeance or because there’s something there that we never wanted to see before. Either way, I’ve only had one very brief encounter with him where we were alone and I think it’s time that changed.”

The grin on her face is everything I was hoping for, especially when she says, “You want to make yourself a target.”

“I do.”

“Asher’s not going to like this,” she says, but I already know, which is why I’m going to need her help.

“Yes, but my sister is going to need me more than ever for the next few days and we won’t want to be interrupted.”

She shakes a finger at me. “You’re an evil genius. I don’t know where this is coming from, but I love it. Just remember that you and Asher are somehow mated now, and while that might ease some of his overprotectiveness because he’s now more connected to you, that also means he can track you easier.”

Shit. I hadn’t thought of that. Our mind link and the bond will make this a little harder, but I think I can get away with a few days of doing things he may or may not approve of.

“I’m not asking for permission with this, Estee,” I tell her confidently as I get off the bed. “I’ll ask for forgiveness later, but we need to do this. It’s our lives that were ruined by this.”

She walks toward me and places a hand on my shoulder. “And Asher was the one left behind, trying to pick up the pieces and keep living. Something not everyone we once knew was able to do.”

Damn her being so aware.

“Are you trying to talk me out of using myself as bait?” I ask because if even my sister believes this is a horrible idea, then maybe I’m thinking too emotionally.

She shakes her head and offers me a sweet smile. “Not at all. I think we need to try this at least once and see what happens, but I also want you to consider that we’re not the only ones allowed to be pissed or even terrified. Asher lost the love of his life. Our parents lost their children. For too long, I was without my sister, my best friend. I still don’t remember how I ended up with the same fate as you, but even I want to be careful. I won’t risk losing all of this again. Not you, or our home. This is bigger than us and while I think we need to be doing something about finding out who’s responsible, we need to keep the people we love in mind as well.”