Caspian's POV
Run! I shout, pulling Aurelia toward the coffee shop's front door.
But Thorne moves faster than any human should. In a blink, he's blocking our exit, his smile cold and terrible.
Leaving so soon? Thorne asks. But you two just found each other again. For the sixth time, if I'm counting correctly.
Aurelia's hand tightens in mine. Thorne, what are you doing here?
Protecting you, sister. Like I always do. His eyes shift to me, and there's pure hatred there. Step away from her, curse-breaker.
Not a chance, I say, moving Aurelia behind me.
Thorne laughs. How noble. You don't even remember her, but you're willing to die for her. Just like the last six times.
You know what's happening to us, Aurelia says, her voice shaking with anger. You know why we keep forgetting.
Of course I know. I'm the one making it happen.
The confession hangs in the air like poison.
Aurelia makes a sound like she's been punched. You? You've been stealing my memories?
Not just yours. His too. Thorne gestures at me dismissively. Every time you two find each other, every time you fall in love like idiotic teenagers, I have to reset everything. Do you know how exhausting that is?
Why? I demand. What do you gain from this?
Everything, Thorne says simply. Aurelia's abilities belong to me. They've always belonged to me. But she can't access her full power while she's distracted by you. Love makes her weak. So every time she starts falling for you, I erase it. Problem solved.
Aurelia pulls away from me, stepping forward. You killed our parents. I found the files in your office. You murdered them to get to me.
Thorne's smile doesn't falter. They were in my way. Just like he is. He points at me. Now come home, Aurelia. We'll forget this whole mess, and you'll wake up tomorrow with no memory of Caspian Vale. Again.
No, Aurelia says firmly. I'm not going anywhere with you.
Then I'll make you.
Thorne raises his hand, and dark energy crackles around his fingers. Memory-stealing magic. I've seen it before in my curse-breaking work, but never this powerful.
I step between them. You'll have to go through me first.
Gladly.
He throws the magic at me. I barely have time to raise a protective shield, but Thorne's power is strong stronger than it should be. The impact sends me flying backward into a table.
Caspian! Aurelia screams.
I struggle to my feet, tasting blood. Get out of here!
I'm not leaving you!
Thorne laughs again. How touching. This is exactly why I have to keep erasing you two. You're so busy being heroes for each other that you don't think straight.
He launches another attack, but this time Aurelia moves. She throws her hand up, and suddenly the air fills with glowing memory vials hundreds of them, pulled from somewhere I can't see. They form a barrier between us and Thorne.
You taught me to control memories, Aurelia says, her voice steady now. But you forgot to teach me how to weaponries them.
The vials explode outward, each one releasing a burst of light and sound. Memories from other people joy, anger, love, fear all slamming into Thorne at once.
He staggers backward, clutching his head. You little
Run! Aurelia grabs my hand, and we bolt for the back door.
We burst out into an alley, running as fast as we can. Behind us, I hear Thorne screaming in rage.
My office, I gasp. We'll be safe there. Protective wards.
We run for three blocks, not stopping until we reach my building. I unlock the door with shaking hands and pull Aurelia inside, immediately activating every magical protection I have.
We collapse against the wall, both breathing hard.
Your brother is insane, I say.
He's not my brother, Aurelia says bitterly. He killed my real family and pretended to be my protector for ten years. How did I not see it?
Because he was stealing your memories. You couldn't see it. I touch her face gently. Are you hurt?
No. You?
I'll live.
We're standing close again, both of us running on adrenaline and fear. Her silver eyes meet mine, and I see everything I feel reflected back confusion, terror, and something else. Something that feels like coming home.
We need to break this curse, Aurelia says. Tonight. Before Thorne resets us again.
Agreed. Let me get my journals and research materials.
For the next hour, we spread everything across my office floor. Photographs. Journals. Letters. Evidence of seventeen cycles of meeting, falling in love, and forgetting.
Look at this, Aurelia says, holding up one of my letters. You wrote: 'I bought Aurelia a memory vial necklace today. She can store important things in it. I told her she should keep our first kiss there, somewhere safe.' Do you remember that?
I shake my head, but my hand automatically goes to my jacket pocket. I pull out a silver chain with a small vial attached.
I've carried this for years, I say quietly. I don't know why. I just know it's important.
Aurelia's hands tremble as she takes it from me. The moment her fingers touch the vial, it glows responding to her memory-keeper abilities.
This is my work, she breathes. I made this vial. And there's something inside it.
Can you see what it is?
She closes her eyes, focusing. It's a memory. Our memory. The very first time we kissed, before the curse existed.
My heart pounds. Can you access it?
Maybe. But if I do, we'll see what really happened. We'll know the truth about how this all started.
Do it, I say immediately.
Aurelia holds the vial up to the light, and whispers something in a language I don't understand. The vial begins to glow brighter, and suddenly the room fills with images like watching a movie projected onto the air.
I see myself, ten years younger, standing in the Midnight Market. I see Aurelia, looking scared and alone. I see us talking, laughing, and falling for each other.
Then I see something that makes my blood run cold.
I see myself casting a spell. A protection spell. I'm trying to protect Aurelia from Thorne, who's attempting to force a magical bond with her.
But the spell goes wrong. Horribly wrong.
Instead of protecting Aurelia from Thorne, the curse I cast makes her forget anyone who tries to claim her heart. Including me.
No, I whisper. No, no, no.
The memory fades, and Aurelia is staring at me with wide eyes.
You cast the curse, she says slowly. You're the reason we've been trapped in this loop for ten years.
I was trying to save you from Thorne. I didn't mean
You cursed us both, Aurelia interrupts, her voice breaking. All this time, I thought Thorne was the villain. But it was you. You did this to us.
Aurelia, please
She steps back from me, tears streaming down her face. I need to think. I need to
My office door explodes inward.
Thorne stands in the doorway, flanked by four people I don't recognize. Memory thieves, by the look of their glowing hands.
Found you, Thorne says cheerfully. And just in time, too. I see you've discovered the truth about your precious curse-breaker, Aurelia. He's not your savior. He's your curse.
Aurelia looks between Thorne and me, trapped between two men who've both hurt her.
Come with me, Thorne says, extending his hand. I'll erase all of this. You'll wake up tomorrow with no memory of Caspian Vale. No memory of pain. Just peace.
Don't listen to him, I beg. Yes, I cast the curse. Yes, it was my mistake. But I've spent ten years falling in love with you over and over. That has to mean something.
It means you're obsessed, Thorne says. Not in love. Obsessed.
Aurelia's hands clench into fists. I don't trust either of you.
Then trust yourself, I say desperately. Read your own journals. You wrote that the seventh kiss will either free us or kill us. But you also got a text that said the seventh kiss will break the curse. Someone is lying to us. Someone doesn't want us to be together.
That someone is me, Thorne admits. Because together, you two are dangerous. Apart, you're manageable.
Aurelia closes her eyes. I need to choose.
Choose me, both Thorne and I say at the same time.
She opens her eyes, and there's steel in them now. I choose myself. I choose the truth.
She holds up the memory vial necklace. This contains our first kiss. The moment before everything went wrong. I'm going to restore that memory fully. We're going to see exactly what happened. And then we'll know who's really lying.
No! Thorne shouts. If you do that
Aurelia crushes the vial in her hand.
Light explodes through the room, blinding and beautiful.
And suddenly, I remember everything.