Red Hood's Revenge

Carifone Sea. Lorindar, Hilad, Najarin, and so on. Neither Trittibar nor myself have ever heard of it being used this far south. We can try, but I wouldn’t expect it to work. Only the one who cast the spell knows the key to reversing it.”
    “Even if we could get our hands on Jhukha, I don’t know how to make her talk,” said Talia. “What’s the third option?”
    Snow turned away. “This sort of curse usually fades when the victim dies. As their life slips away, they shift back to their true form. Either the magic loses its grip as the victim’s life fades, or else it’s a deliberate piece of the spell, designed to give them a chance to speak their final words. Fairies like that kind of drama.”
    Talia’s voice was hard. “You’ve spent too long in the sun.”
    “We don’t have to kill her,” said Snow. “The spell is broken in those final moments before death. That’s the key. If we bring Faziya to that point, I could save her before—”
    Strong hands grabbed Snow’s shoulders, spinning her about. Talia squeezed Snow’s arms. “Find another way.”
    “What do you think I’ve been doing?” Snow struck Talia’s wrists, breaking her hold. She flexed her arms. Even through the desert robe, Talia’s grip had been strong enough to leave bruises. “Without whatever tool Jhukha used—”
    “Then we return to Jahrasima,” Talia said.
    Roudette chuckled. “We’ll be sure to tell Faziya how you ran off to die for her. I’m sure she’ll appreciate your courage. Or she would, if she weren’t a jackal.”
    “I can save her,” Snow insisted. “Remember when Beatrice was stabbed? The blade nicked her heart, but I—”
    Talia whirled. “I remember that Beatrice is dying!”
    “Enough.” Danielle stepped between them.
    Talia moved toward the horses. “I’ll be back before morning.”
    “No, you won’t,” said Danielle. “Talia, stop.”
    “This isn’t Lorindar, Princess,” Talia snapped, climbing onto the horse. “Arathea is my land. You don’t give the orders here.”
    Talia tugged the reins, kicking the horse in the side. The horse simply snorted. Talia tried again, then glared at Danielle.
    “You may not listen to my orders, but they do,” said Danielle. “If you rush back into Jahrasima, you’ll be giving yourself to Zestan. It’s your people who will suffer when she uses you against Lakhim. Your sons who will fall to the same curse that took your family.”
    Rarely had Snow seen such fury in Talia’s eyes. “You heard what Snow’s asking. What if it were Armand?” Her words were sharp as any blade. “What about Jakob? What would you do if I told you the only way to save your son was to drive your knife into his heart?”
    “If I had to choose between trusting Snow’s magic or losing him forever?” Danielle shook her head. “Faziya is your friend. She wouldn’t want you to throw your life away like this.”
    “You don’t know her,” Talia said.
    “None of us do.” Danielle clucked her tongue, and the horse stepped closer. “But I know how you feel about her. I’m sorry, Talia. I can’t let you go.”
    “She was the first . . .” Talia’s voice grew even quieter. “You’re not even sure this will work.”
    “It should,” said Snow. “Fairy spells bind to life. The life of the fairy hill, the life of the victim . . . with that life cut off, the spells fail. It’s why pixies lose their glow shortly after death. They—” She stopped herself. “If there were any other way . . .”
    Slowly, Talia slid down from the horse. “Do it,” she whispered.
    Snow stood. “It will take me an hour or so to prepare the circle. Danielle, I’ll need as many flat stones as you can find.”
    “Snow.” Talia was crouched in front of the cave, staring into the darkness. “If she dies—”
    “I know.” If Faziya died, Talia would never forgive them. Snow took a long, slow breath, then pulled out her knife and began drawing a circle in the dirt.

CHAPTER 16

    T ALIA DID HER BEST TO STAY OUT OF THE way as Snow laid stones around her circle, marking a different rune on each one using blood from her finger. Danielle sat with Faziya, talking gently to keep her calm and relaxed. Roudette had crawled off to sleep. The cave made her snores sound twice as loud.
    So far, Talia had watered and brushed the horses, eaten some of their stolen rations without tasting them, and inspected every one of her weapons twice. Stars were beginning to appear in the sky. The air