Prologue
Malak knelt in a growing pool of xir mother’s blood. A deck of playing cards decorated with intricate, purple geometric patterns lay scattered around them like tossed up feathers, their edges stained with blood and dust. It was spring, the air crisp and the sun warm, but it was dark inside the ruined building and no grass grew. Xe was cradling her head over xir folded knees, trying xir best to keep her off the ground. Ada’s hands were cold and clammy as they clutched at the collar of xir shirt. She forced xir face close to her lips which were parted, wordlessly. Xir thin, boyish arms pulled xir mother to his chest, trembling with the effort of holding her so tightly. Her fingers lingered softly at xir neck and on xir tear stained cheeks. Her eyes roamed xir face, fast and unblinking.
The card’s energy thrummed through Malak’s veins as xe tried to slow the flow of blood, to close the wounds, to erase the bruises. But xe was only eight and xe only had twelve cards out of fifty two and she was slipping away from him faster than xe could hold on. Even as xe tried to heal her xe knew xe did not have enough power to reverse such damage.
A cough bubbled up inside her and she shut her eyes against the pain. A trickle of red slipped from the corner of her mouth. Malak tried to wipe it away but only succeeded in smearing it across her face, into her brown hair. Xe shivered in the afternoon light that fell in beams through the rafters overhead
Xe thought xe should say something, comfort her somehow, but all xir words had sunk with xir mother’s life into the dirt floor. Xe just held her close, xir small heart hammering against her dying one.
“Promise me,” Ada choked as her eyes grew unfocused. “Malak, promise me that you will break this curse.”
Malak only nodded as more tears flooded xir eyes and poured in twin rivers down xir cheeks.
“Don’t give up until you are free. Promise me.”
“I promise,” Malak managed through his hiccupping tears.
Xir mother’s eyes slid closed. Her hands slackened, coming to rest on her child’s chest. She let out a last rattling breath and left Malak alone in the abandoned building with xir grief and a promise xe did not know how to keep.
