The Moonshaped Sorrow (Open Novella Contest 2020)

Chapter Eleven: The Curse

The hurried paddling across the water was a shock for his muscles, particularly after spending so many hours sitting still. He knew Guin was stronger than he was, but as he made his way through the waters, he had to wonder how much stronger, and how much of a difference it would make.

She'd had a good five to ten minute head start. Bad as that was, he didn't think it was enough for Guin to hunt down Mira. But if Cori's weaker muscles caused her to have a twenty or thirty minute head start...

By the time he shored on Emesa, his arms didn't even feel the sting. He leapt out of his boat and raced across the shore. Belatedly he realized he hadn't even dragged the boat out of the water, but he wasn't going to go back to do it now. He'd buy the boy a new boat if he needed to.

A part of him hoped he'd find Guin outside the palace, puzzled by how to get across the moat. That wasn't the case. The damp sand on the very edge of the moat held imprints from Guin's boots. Cori splashed through the moat. Prints of Guin's boots lay right outside the front door.

He threw the doors open. "Mira!" He raced up the steps. Her chambers were the first place he had to check. "Mira!" The door was half open, but no sign of Mira or Guin inside.

Where is she? Where would she go before dawn? The dining hall, or maybe somewhere to stargaze? But where in the castle would she even go to look at the stars?

He rounded a corner and barely managed to stop before crashing into Iridessa.

"Cori!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Someone's here to kill Mira." Cori had no time for better explanations. "Where is she?"

Iridessa blinked quickly. "She's in the garden. But I don't understand..."

"Thanks," came Guin's low voice. She emerged from the shadows. Cori took one step toward her, and she flicked her wrist.

The dagger flew through the air. It sliced through Cori's sleeve before landing in the paneling of the wall behind him with a thunk. Cori pulled, but the dagger remained pinned in place.

"Guin don't!" Cori shouted.

Guin flashed him a smile. She then turned and darted up the stairs, while Cori tugged uselessly at the dagger holding him back.

He felt every bit the fool Guin had claimed he was. She must have realized Cori was following after her, and hid in the shadows once she'd arrived in the castle so that he could led her right to Miraluna.

"Here," Iridessa wrapped both her hands around the hilt of the dagger, and pulled hard. The dagger came loose and tumbled to the floor.

Cori raced up the stairs. Without looking back, he called, "Warn the others. More are coming!"

Guin had the head start, but she didn't know this castle the way Cori did. He could only hope that would be enough.

But when he reached the door to the garden, the knob was jammed. He tugged at it, but it wouldn't budge. Guin must have blocked it from the other side. He pulled on the knob again. There had to be a way in there. He could hear them through the door.

"I'm giving you one last chance," Miraluna growled, and Cori's chest tightened at this confirmation that Miraluna was face to face with Guin. "Leave here now and I won't have to kill you."

Guin laughed. "Kill me? It's almost cute that you think you could. The only one to die today will be you, Miraluna RosAurora."

Cori's gaze landed on a window to the garden. It was a small window close to the floor, that would let out a few feet into the air because of the lower elevation of the garden. Was it big enough for him to fit through?