The Fall of the Cursed
Chapter 26

Isobel blinks and he's gone. Replaced by Kendra.

"Izzy? Are you okay? You've been talking to yourself."

Isobel blinks again, suddenly hit with the realization. "I know you."

"Of course you do. I'm your best friend."

"No. You're not. I know you. But how?"

Kendra sighs, "You're not supposed to know. How did you figure it out?"

"Austin..."

"Oh right. Lover boy. Should have known. How long have you been seeing him? I thought I made it so he wouldn't be able to get to you."

"The whole time. Where are we?"

"London. Well, to be specific, the London that could have been. The real London is out there..."

"You mean we're in my head?" Isobel sits on a bench, overwhelmed with the information.

"Bingo! This is my last-ditch effort to keep the curse in effect. I think I did a pretty good job considering I had so little time to come up with this place."

Isobel looks up at Keeva, "How long?"

Keeva groans, "Why does it matter? Why can't you just go back to blissful ignorance?"

"Because the love of my life is out there!"

Keeva laughs, "Please! He isn't the love of your life. They never are. Look at what Andy did to you. You thought he was the love of your life and look how that ended. Look. You have two options here, either you can go back to living your life here, or..."

Isobel looks at her, "Or?"

"Or, I'll kill Austin and make you watch."

Isobel looks up at Keeva, "How? You're in my head, right?"

Keeva rolls her eyes, "Yes, we're in your head. I'm not going to tell you my evil plans like they do in the movies."

"Maybe not, but it means I can control my surroundings." Isobel closes her eyes, concentrating on going home. When she opens her eyes, she looks around and sees her home. The home from the fae world. "It's working!"

"Not quite."

Isobel turns around and sees Keeva. "Maybe not, but it means I can defeat you." Isobel takes another deep breath as she closes her eyes, picturing the curse as something physical. She feels blood come out of her nose, knowing it was working.

"NO!" Keeva screams, running at Isobel.

Isobel dodges her, running to her garden, her safe place. She slams the doors behind her, creating a wall of ivy to keep the doors closed and Keeva away. She goes back to concentrating on getting free. If she can turn the curse into an object, she can get rid of it. She coughs as she feels it working.

Isobel screams as she gets through the last layers of magic. She can feel it working...