Free Witchling (Curse of Kin) by Ari Harper

then found some serviettes to add to the tray. Brie grabbed the juice out of the fridge, and Sully took the glasses out of the cupboard. He passed them to her to fill, and I turned to Mom. “We are just going to kick back in my room.”
    “Okay, honey. Do you kids want to stay for a barbecue tonight? I was going to call Jasper too. Jack can run you home afterward if you like.” Mom looked at Brie, then Sully.
    “Sounds good, Mrs. O. I’ll ring Mom soon,” Brie said.
    “Count me in, Mrs. O’Reilly.” Sully was totally hooked on my mother’s cooking and rarely turned down food.
    We headed out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the bedrooms on the first floor. This was my space to decorate however I wanted. Posters of my favorite sports stars lined the walls. I wasn’t much into music like kids my age. My main passion was sports. Anything to get me outside and physical, I would give it a go.
    I loaded the first disk into my computer as we all got comfortable on the floor.
    “Oh my God,” I said when it loaded. “It’s written in old-fashioned script.”
    “Does that surprise you considering how long ago it was written?” Sully leaned over my shoulder to get a better look.
    ***
    The smell of burned sausages finally broke our concentration from the pages of Lady Leona’s diary. We had had enough for the day and decided to follow our stomachs instead.
    My mom was playing in the back yard with Roman, and Dad was busy at the barbecue while talking to Jasper. “For God’s sake, Mom. Can’t you stop him from burning the food? It’s not a requirement for a good barbecue you know.”
    “Nera, enough. You don’t have to talk like that. Your father’s doing fine. Just leave him be and go and help get the rest of the dinner ready please. Brie and Sully can help you.”
    When the food was ready, we all opted to eat out in the garden. I sat on the grass with Brie, Sully, and Roman, and the adults sat on the garden chairs. We all talked over one another and the conversations were varied and fast. We butted in on one another’s stories and added our own opinions. But that was the way it was in the O’Reilly household.
    “Thank you for dinner, Hannah. That was excellent as usual.” Jasper stood and looked at my friends. “How about I walk you and Brie home on my way, Sully?”
    “Oh, that would be wonderful, Jasper. Thank you so much.” Brie gazed up at his smiling face.
    Sully and I exchanged a long-suffering look.
    “Thanks, Jasper. That would be great. Thanks for dinner, Mrs. O’Reilly.” Sully waved goodbye.
    ***
    I tried to settle down to sleep, but my mind kept wandering. There was something Jasper had said that had me troubled. Others had tried but failed. Who were they and why had they failed? Would I? It was more than possible if this curse had been going for more than 800 years. What would happen if I did nothing? Was Jasper bordering on the ridiculous and slightly insane? Or was this real? The journal seemed authentic. Sully was going to do some research on old books and promised to give me the heads up on what he found.
    Oh God , I thought snuggling under my covers, what if…
    I could smell the smoke and hear the sounds of the battle rage around me. Women and children ran from the soldiers screaming while their men folk were dragged to the gallows. They tried to retaliate but were soon overpowered, their small numbers making it impossible to fight back. Their wives wept uncontrollably, watching them swing in the breeze. The cold crept down my back, dragging me farther under.

C HAPTER F OUR
    I woke the next morning with the usual pounding headache, something I was getting used to. I dragged myself out of bed and into my track pants, whistling to the Hugo. “Come on, boy. Let’s go for a run to clear the head.”
    Mom and Dad were already up when I went downstairs.
    “I’m going for a quick run.” I dropped down into a chair at the table, still grumpy from my headache and reluctant to go