Urdon Pov
I woke up slowly with sunlight streaming through the window. It took me a moment to remember where I was and what had happened. Then I felt Freda in my arms, and everything came rushing back. The ritual, the cave. Yolande was trapped in the moonstone, and the curse broken.
I looked down at Freda sleeping peacefully against my chest. Her breathing was soft and steady. Her face was relaxed and beautiful. I had almost lost her to the curse. Almost lost everything.
"Never again," I whispered quietly so I would not wake her.
I looked down at my chest, where the tattoo was. The chains that had been squeezing my heart for weeks were gone. Completely gone as they had never been there, only the heart remained in the center of the design. And it was still bleeding, but less than before. Just a few drops instead of pouring out.
"The curse really is broken," I said softly.
