Cover design by K. Kaynak

ISBN 978-0-9831572-7-4 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-937053-12-3 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-937053-13-0 (e-book)

Printed in the United States of America

Cursed

Jennifer L. Armentrout

SPENCER HILL PRESS

Also by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Covenant Series
Daimon (novella)
Half-Blood
Pure
Deity (November 2012)
Elixir (novella)
Apollyon (April 2013)
Sentinel (Fall 2013)

Coming from Disney-Hyperion:
Don’t Look Back

From Entangled Publishing:
Shadows (novella)
Obsidian (Book 1 in the Lux Series)
Onyx (Book 2 in the Lux Series)
Opal (Book 3 in the Lux Series) (December 2012)

Writing as J. Lynn:
Tempting the Best Man
Unchained (Fall 2012)

For my friends and family

Chapter 1

Something soft and warm—definitely hand-sized—settled on my chest, and then moved to the right, headed uphill. I wasn’t sure why I expected to be looking into the baby blues of some hot guy when I opened my eyes. Maybe it was because I’d just had the best dream of my life. But I certainly didn’t expect to be staring into washed-out, ghostly blue eyes.

There was a hamster perched on my chest, its white-and-brown fur covered in grime. Specks of dirt covered my nightshirt, and bits of gravel clung to my bedspread.

I screamed.

Startled, the hamster scurried off my chest and disappeared under the covers. I jumped off the bed, almost face-planting into the worn-out carpet in the process. I ran from the room, wanting to scream again. My heart was still thumping when I slowed outside my little sister’s bedroom. Her door hung cracked open, and my gaze fell first to her bed. Finding it empty, I scanned the room. Early morning light spilled into the bedroom, casting shadows over Olivia’s slight frame.

With her back to the door and head bowed, Olivia sat on the floor. Crimson curls curtained her face. Stepping into the room, I tripped over one of her baby dolls. I forgot about the hamster as I stared down at the doll. One of her arms had been twisted off. Olivia had taken a Sharpie to the doll’s face, marking out the eyes. Then, in the ultimate act of weirdness, she’d scribbled the word “SEE” across the doll’s forehead.

My palms felt sweaty. “Olivia…”

She stiffened. “Ember? I did something bad this morning. You’re gonna be so mad.”

Dreaded words from a five-year-old, but I already knew what she’d done. I moved around the bed even though I wanted to turn and run. There were times Olivia scared the crap out of me. “What did I tell you, Olivia?”

She tilted her head and stared up at me. Her green eyes were wet with tears, shining like glittering emeralds. “I’m sorry.” Her lip trembled. “Squeaky got scared when I brought him back in the house. He ran off before I could stop him.”

Somehow I managed a smile as my eyes fell over her nightgown. Brown flakes of soil spotted the crisp cotton, and dirt sprinkled her little arms and chubby fingers. The shoebox in her lap was covered in filth.