Chatper 337


    Chapter 0337


    I handed the photo to Veronica and she held it out over Elva’s body. She began to chant, but they


    weren’t words I recognized. Sparks flickered in her hands. Purple-blue mes fanned out across the


    photo, and then twisted down toward Elva.


    “Elva!” I gasped and started forward.


    Nichs gripped me around the waist and held me back. I struggled, desperate to get to Elva.


    What if this was actually hurting her? What if it was doing more harm than good? I couldn’t let anyone


    hurt my little girl!


    “Nick! Don’t! Let me go!”


    “Wait!” Nichs said back. His voice was strained. This must have been hurting him too. ” Please,


    Piper. Just wait!”


    I couldn’t. I couldn’t.


    Those mes were so close to Elva. If they touched her, then –


    All at once it was over.


    The mes shot back up to the talisman and burned the photo down to ashes. Then even the ashes


    dissipated into nothing.


    Veronica turned over her hands. She exhaled long and slow. Then she opened her eyes.


    Elva did too. She turned her head to look at me. “Mommy?”


    Nichs released his hold at once, and I barreled forward, desperate to hold my little girl in my arms.


    She was still feverish, but it wasn’t as bad as before. She was awake, that was what


    mattered.


    “You should send for the doctor,” Veronica told Nichs, who pulled out his phone at once. The worst


    of the curse is gone, but she will still need medicine to fight back the fever.’


    “Curse?” Elva asked, eyes going wide.


    “She’s ying, honey,” I lied. I kissed Elva’s forehead. “You just have a bad cold. You need to rest


    okay.”


    Veronica gave me a sheepish look. “Sorry,” she mouthed.


    ((


    I shook my head. It was okay. She’d done so much for us, I couldn’t be mad at her if I wanted to. As far


    as I was concerned, I was indebted to her for the rest of my life.


    I held Elva tightly. I wouldn’t let go, even as Julian and Charlotte were brought back.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    1/2


    +15 BONUS


    “We might have trashed Jessica’s wardrobe,” Julian said. He was smiling in relief. He didn’t seem sorry


    at all.


    “We’ll buy her a new one,” Nichs said. I’d need a new one too. “None of that matters now.”


    “I agree,” Julian said.


    I thirded that opinion.


    Julian sat on the other side of the bed. He smiled down at Elva, who tried to return it with one of her


    own. Hers was wobbly.


    “Jul-an.”


    “How’s my little mischief-maker?” Julian asked.


    “Tired,” Elva said with a yawn.


    “I believe that,” Julian said. “You’ve been a good soldier today. Fighting hard against this fever. It’s


    liable to take it out of anyone. Even Nichs gets brought so low, all he does is sleep.”


    Elva’s eyes tw inkled. “Even Nickss?”


    “Yep,” Julian said.


    “It’s true,” Nichs said, as he stepped into the space behind me. “You’re so much stronger than me,


    Elva. And braver too.”


    “I didn’t do nothing,” she said.


    “Yes, you did,” I told her. “My brave little girl.”


    Only when the doctor finally arrived, did I loosen my hold on Elva and step back enough for the doctor


    to have enough room to work.


    Nichs was waiting for me, and pulled me against his chest as soon as he was able. He kissed the


    top of my head.


    “Elva isn’t the only brave one,” he whispered.


    I shook my head. “I’m not brave.” I felt like a coward. Even now, I was avoiding thinking about my


    feelings, and what it meant to have that picture be the talisman.


    It proved that Jane still felt strong feelings for Elva. She had to, or the curse would not have been so


    strong. But how could anyone who loved their daughter so much, amplify a curse meant to kill her?