Tears of overwhelming relief spilled down her dirty cheeks.
"F-Finally..." she sobbed into the quiet night. "That death curse... it's gone."
Three days had passed that night.
The heavy velvet curtains of the master bedroom blocked out the morning sun. Young Lucian slowly opened his eyes. His body felt impossibly heavy, like lead weights had been tied to his bones.
He turned his head groggily expecting to hear Lydia's annoying, overly enthusiastic morning greeting. Instead, sitting on the edge of his bed, looking pale and completely exhausted, was Aria.
Lydia was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing his eyes open, Aria choked on a sob. She immediately fell to her knees beside the bed and threw her arms around him, burying her face into his blankets as her shoulders shook violently.
"Y-Young Master... I am so sorry... I am so, so sorry!" she wept as her voice fractured with immense guilt.
