All Chapters of The Curse Of Loving You: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Mia POVMy mouth opened before my head could catch up.“You’re a disease wearing a spine,” I spat. “You call it pruning, what you’re really doing is carving your name into the bones of the innocent.”For a beat, Roger simply smiled as if I’d delivered him a gift. Then the amusement in his face snapped shut like a trap.“You have a lovely mouth, Princess,” he said softly. “Shame it’ll be the last thing you taste.”He moved with the calm cruelty of a man who’d practiced this moment a thousand times. One hand slid to his hip; in the other, as if from nowhere, he produced a compact crossbow. It gleamed black in the ashen light.Orion swore as a raw sound cut through the haze, but he was already shifting, stepping between us.“Don’t…..” he started.The crossbow barked. The bolt screamed.Every second stretched into a rope. I saw the tip of metal aimed straight for me.Something ruptured inside Orion. He threw himself forward. His shoulder slammed into the bolt’s path. “Orion!” I shouted,

Mia POVLast time I saw Roger, I hadn’t had the time to take in his features. He’d been all blurry because of the smoke and ashes. But now I saw him clearly.The grey hair pulled back tight. The sharp cheekbones. The mouth that smiled without warmth.And those eyes, dark, watchful, cutting into me like they knew every secret I carried.He looked… familiar. My stomach twisted. I knew that face from somewhere, not in memory but in blood, like the echo of a song I’d once heard as a child.But I couldn’t place him.“You stare like you’ve seen a ghost,” Roger said, amused, his voice carrying over the clatter of chains. “Go on, Princess. Take a good look. Maybe you’ll find your father staring back at you.”My breath caught. “What do you mean?”He smiled wider, crueler. “Ah. Varick never told you, did he? Of course not. He would’ve preferred you see the world painted in his image, not the truth.”“Truth?” I demanded, my voice shaking. “What truth?”His laughter cut through me. “Later, perhap

Orion’s POVChill crept into my spine and then my eyes flew open. Panting, I looked around hoping I'd see her. Breathe Orion…. Breathe…. You already returned by death so Mia is alive… “Orion….” her voice called out. Only hearing her, I began to calm down. I turned to face Mia. Tears stung my eyes…. Great, I made it in time. I hugged her tight but she just pushed me violently. “What’s gotten into you?” she asked, looking at me with fake disgust.Her red cheek betrayed her. I stared at her for a few seconds then began to laugh. “What’s gotten into you?” Mia sighed then stepped forward. “C’mon, we’ve got to rescue those slaves.”“No!” Mia paused then turned to look at me like I'd said some strange language.“What do you mean?” she asked. “We agreed to go save them.” I shook my head, still catching my breath. “No, Mia. We’re not marching in there again. Not now.”Her eyes narrowed. “You said it yourself, they’re my people. We can’t just leave them.”“I didn’t say leave them,” I sn

Mia’s POVYou might think falling is no big deal. But you’ve never fallen down a never-ending abyss.All round us was darkness. I clawed around looking for something to hold but I only met space. “Orion….” I struggled to yell. “This is your fault.”He didn’t respond. Instead he started to laugh….Goddess, if we survive this, allow me to punch him hard in the face. “Don’t worry Princess…” he started as if hearing my thoughts. “We’re in the right position.”The right place? Did he just call falling in a pit the right position?We hit something soft. More like… a cushion that caught us and let us roll off gently onto solid ground.I blinked fast, adjusting to the glow. The darkness gave way to orange light, warm and steady. A fireplace crackled just a few paces away, flames dancing like it had been waiting for us.I pushed myself up, brushed dust off my skirt, and froze.The place wasn’t just a cave. It was… furnished. Luxurious, even. Rugs stretched across the floor. Stacks of weapon

Mia POV I woke to the sound of dripping water and the faint crackle of the fireplace outside my door. For a moment I forgot where I was. Then last night came rushing back, the half-dragons, their strange laws, and Mirabel’s warning.Don’t trust him. Orion Vale has too many secrets.I groaned and sat up, dragging a hand down my face. Trust. As if I had the luxury of deciding who to trust. The only thing keeping me alive right now was the same idiot who drove me insane every other hour.When I stepped out into the main chamber, Draven was already sharpening a blade, each stroke clean and measured. Lena hummed while packing supplies into a satchel. Mirabel, of course, was gone.“She’s at the palace,” Lena said without looking up. “Left at dawn. She has duties.”Draven added, still focused on the blade, “She’s Thornveil’s Lance. Keeps their Alpha-heiress breathing, whether the girl likes it or not.”I chewed on that, then cleared my throat. “I’m going out. Just for a while. I need to see