Escaping Her Curse—Completed

Chapter Thirty

Lauren stared at her plate. Her body seemed to freeze on the spot, and she wasn’t sure how to proceed. Clearly, he knew more than she had anticipated, which, again, made her question Lydia’s loyalty. It felt evident to her that she had told Bossman about her situation, and she could only laugh at herself for thinking that Lydia would choose to keep her identity a secret from the people she must be truly working for. Lydia had too many connections in the Undergrowth for Lauren to believe she took her in out of the goodness of her heart. She should have known better. It was all too fast. It had been all too easy.

“I was the Prince’s assistant. I’m guessing he’s worried about all the meetings I had scheduled for him and the notes I provided for him before each meeting. Or perhaps he thinks something dire happened to me. He was a good employer,” she responded curtly.

Lauren did not want to give up any information she didn’t need to. She assumed that Bossman knew she’d been working for Oliver, and hoped that Lydia hadn’t noticed just how close the two had become.

“By the way, he’s tearing up the city, I’d guess to say that he isn’t just looking for his missing assistant.”

“Is that another question?” she asked, turning to face him with a hard glare and raised eyebrow.

Bossman chuckled. “Touche. No, it’s just an observation, if you will.”

“Then if you’re not asking another question, it’s my turn.”

“Go ahead.”

Taking a sip of water, she then asked, “What do you see in me that can be so beneficial to you, to the point of providing me with food, clothing, and shelter? Not even a week ago, you didn’t even know I existed, so what’s driving you to keep me close?”

His shrewd eyes zeroed in on her nervousness. “That’s an easy one,” he said. “I’ve known about you since the moment you stepped inside that palace months ago. And as for your usefulness… that is yet to be proven. However, I have high hopes for you. I have been fighting for a cause that I want you to join. That everyone down here wants you to join. For too long we have suffered in poverty, in rags, in filth. The nobles do nothing. In fact, they don’t even know we exist. Out of mind, out of sight, eh? We are nothing to them but a burden they would love to wipe out. But I see the strength. I see the power in numbers, the hope in their eyes, and the dreams of living a different life. I want to give them a better life, Jessie. I want to leave these tunnels and give them something they’ve never tasted before: true freedom.”

After mulling over his words for a moment, she said, “And you want me to be the face of your rebellion.”

Bossman shrugged. “Rebellion is a bit harsh. But yes, I want you to be the image of my–our new lives. Aren’t you tired of living in constant fear of being discovered?”

Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. “All of these people can use magic.”

“Yes, most everyone here can access the manaforce.”

Lauren didn’t understand why she hadn’t seen it before, but now it made sense. The secretiveness. The recruiting process being shrouded in caution. Everything they said was now considered blasphemous and punishable by death. Their lives were on the line. As much as she hated to agree with the man sitting adjacent to her, she couldn’t help but see their pleas. He was right. King Tyson would love to wipe out anyone not loyal to the crown. Even the magicians within the Church posed a problem to him because it meant that he couldn’t control the Church as much as he’d like. Even though the Crown and the Church worked together and relied on one another, both were actively seeking how to gain more power over the other. She had witnessed it firsthand in her time at the palace. The people were tired of being slaves to the nobles and treated like garbage. If anyone had found out about her while she still lived at the palace, she would have been immediately stripped of her position.

“Not you, though,” she commented, her mind still reeling.

“No,” he sighed. “I cannot access the manaforce myself, but I will fight for the people who’ve put their trust and lives in my hands. I am the leader of the Undergrowth, but I need a face, a person, whom these people can identify with. I need someone who understands their plight and will fight and die for them.”

“You want someone you can control.”

Bossman opened his mouth to refute her, but grinned instead. “I cannot deny that it would be easier to have a puppet, but I’m not sure that the people here would be convinced of that.”

“They adore you, though. They follow your rule as though you were the king.”

“That may be true, but I can never be one of them. Not like you. Someone who came from the palace, saw their fellow magicians treated as cattle, and is willing to fight for them. I need a leader to capture their hearts, but won’t fall into emotion and will listen to me.”

Lauren pursed her lips in thought. He was offering a lot, but there were so many strings attached.

“I will not be a prisoner,” she finally said after a few minutes of silence.

“Of course not.”

“I will be able to think for myself. I will be free to go to and from.”

“Sure.”

“I will not do anything I do not want to do or that involves harming anyone. I will not kill for you. I refuse to be a tool or a weapon.”

“That sounds reasonable.”

She studied him. He had a calm demeanor and an easy smile. However, his eyes were bright. As though he was trapping her in something somehow.

“I want a contract that we both sign in good faith.”

“Brilliant idea,” he responded quickly, his smile never leaving.

“I want you to tell me what you’re planning before I agree.”

Raising an eyebrow, she saw his smile falter for only a brief second before it was plastered back onto his face. “And have you go running to the Prince with news of my plans? I…don’t think I can do that, Jessie.”

“Then give me something. I don’t trust you.”

“That is quite apparent,” he chuckled. “Alright, I’ll say that the driving force behind my actions is to give these people a sense of belonging in this world. I want them to be able to walk above ground and not fear for their lives. I want them to live normally and to have fulfilled lives.”

“That’s a bit too altruistic for your personality.”

Bossman gestured with his hands as if to say, “Take it or leave it.” He then pulled a long drink from his beverage, letting her ponder his offer.

“I can’t decide for you. All I can hope for is that you take up the cause for your own kind and from your own desires. You deserve to live freely and not in fear. You deserve so much more than the blasted buffoons up there want you to have. I’ll happily help you achieve that and more. I just need your help to do it.”

“Alright, calm down. You can save your pretty speeches for someone else. You already have me sitting here contemplating it.”

He grinned at her.

“Fine. I’ll help.”

“Great! Let’s–”

“But only two conditions, and they are non-negotiable.”

Bossman rested his chin on his clasped hands, which were propped up by the table. “And what might they be?”

“Neither Prince Oliver nor Duke Simon Ponce shall ever be injured or killed. They will stay out of this and will not be used as pawns or in any schemes. They are firmly on the side of seeing magicians as people. You will leave them alone.”

Though he looked annoyed at her proposed conditions, he ultimately nodded, thus agreeing to her demands.

“I suppose they shall remain safe while we work together.”

“How very ominous of you.”

“It’s part of my charm,” he teased.

Lauren said nothing and merely continued to eat.

After some time had passed, the two finished their meal in relative silence. Lauren was lost in her thoughts, wondering if she had made the right choice, and as she contemplated, she could sense him staring at her.

“What is it you’re hoping to find?” she asked.

“Nothing. I am a man, Jessie, can’t I just admire your beauty?”

She rolled her eyes. “I am Lauren down here.”

“Can I ask you to be Jessie again?”

“Why?”

He smirked at her. “Reasons I cannot tell you until our contract is signed, which will be ready tomorrow.”

“I guess I can’t say I’m surprised. Will you tell me who you really are?”

“Will you?”

“This game of cat and mouse is growing quite tiresome,” she said, irritated.

He continued smiling at her, unable to look away. “I find that I am rather enjoying it. It has been some time since I’ve been able to indulge in witty banter. It is something I have missed, and you are a breath of fresh air, Jessie.”

Before she could respond, he looked down at his watch, and feigned shock.

“Look at the time,” he said, rising from his chair. “I must head out. Rosy will escort you back to your room. I shall see you tomorrow at breakfast, Jessie. And I must say, I am looking forward to it.”

He flashed a cunning grin at her and then left the room. Moments later, as he had said, Rosy appeared and led her back to the room.

“Here ya are, miz,” Rosy stated.

“Thank you, Rosy.”

“Yup. Oh, and, uh, lock ya door. Don’ leave until ya summoned.”

“Why?”

She grinned wickedly at her, and said, “Wandras. Don’ wanna get caught up wit ‘em.”

Rosy then shut her in, and Lauren locked the door in a daze. This place was getting more frustrating and confusing the more time she spent in the Undergrowth.