Chapter 5 DEATH BLOOM CURSE

Ixora did not stop running,she keeps leaping like a paper.

Her silk dress tore as she ran through the palace garden, through the small bush path that led to the old hut behind the Jade Tower. Lenny was shouting her name from behind but Ixora could not hear.

Her chest was burning has her heart was beating like a drum.She reached the hut and pushed the door so hard it broke.

And there she was.

Granny Xhun was lying on her small bed. Her eyes were closed and her old hands were folded on her chest. She looked like she was sleeping. Peacefully.

But she was not breathing.

"No," Ixora whispered.She fell to her knees and crawled to her. She grabbed her shoulders and started shaking her.

"Granny? Granny wake up. Granny Xhun! It's me, Ixora! Wake up!"

Tears started falling from Ixora's eyes, hot and heavy. "Granny please. You can't now. You promised... you promised you would make me that sweet soup after my choosing ceremony. You promised."

She remembered everything.When her own mother died at birth, bleeding on that same bed, it was Granny Xhun who picked her up. The palace maids said "throw her away, she killed the Queen."

But this old maid, her mother's personal maid, carried her with shaking hands and said "I vow to never leave you, my princess. Even if the whole kingdom hates you, I will be your mother."

Granny Xhun was the one who taught her how to tie her hair. Who cleaned her bleeding ear after the tower ritual when she was six and everyone else was disgusted. She stayed awake all night when Ixora had fever. Granny Xhun always called her "My little star" when even her father called her "mistake."

Ixora had promised her. Last month, holding her wrinkled hands, Ixora had promised, "Granny, when I get married, I will take you away from this hut. I will build you a big house with a garden. You will never suffer again."

Now she was dead and cold on the bed."I forgot," Ixora cried, hitting her own head. "I should not have forgotten this day! I should not have forgotten!"

In her first life, Granny Xhun died exactly like this. On the day of her choosing ceremony but in her first life, Ixora was too busy blushing for Draven, too busy listening to Annya's sweet lies. They told her "Granny died of old age, she is buried already." And she believed it. She didn't even investigate. She let them bury her mother like trash.

"Not this time," Ixora growled through tear. This time she will investigate it herself. She will kill who killed Granny Xhun."

She turned her head sharply to the two palace guards standing at the door."How did you know she is dead?"

The guards flinched."W-we... we..."

"Speak!" she roared, her anger flaring.

Immediately the guards continued "We... we were patrolling and... and we saw..."

"You saw what? This hut is hidden! No guard patrols here unless ordered! Who ordered you?" Ixora shouted.They could not explain. Their eyes were darting around and they were sweating profusely

Ixora knew this was murder.She turned back to Granny Xhun's body, her hands shaking as she wanted to hold her face one more time but something stopped her.

Then she saw it,black petals.Small, tiny black petals were growing out from under Granny Xhun's skin.

Around her neck, on her arms, on her chest. They were spreading slowly, like ink in water. The petals were beautiful but wrong. They smelled like burnt incense.

Ixora's hand stopped in the air."What is this..." She reached out to touch it.

"What are you doing? Don't touch it!"A sweet voice came from behind.

Annya walked in, wearing her pink dress, holding a white handkerchief to her nose like the hut smelled bad. Draven was behind her.

Annya looked at the black petals and smiled sadly.

"Oh, sister. Don't touch it. It's a curse called the Death Bloom curse. If you touch it, it will enter you too and you will live and die in pain."

Ixora stared at her and Annya continued, walking closer, her voice soft and pitiful.

"Granny Xhun was cursed. That's why she died. She will be reborn, but in pain. Always in pain. Just like... just like you and I. Both of us are the same, sister. Cursed children of concubines. You know?"

Then she tilted her head and said rudely, with a small smirk, "Sorry for your loss, by the way. She was just a maid anyway. Old people die."

Something snapped in Ixora's head. "Just a maid?" The words keep playing in her head.

Ixora stood up slowly. Her entire body was shaking, not from crying now, but from pure murderous anger. Her angry face is already screaming danger as herr nails turned into claws.

"You... you dare..."She lunged at Annya, her hand aimed for her throat.

"IXORA NO!"Lenny appeared at the door, breathing so hard she was about to faint from running. She grabbed Ixora from behind, holding her waist with all her strength.

"Princess please! Don't! Guards are here! The King will punish you!"

Ixora struggled, tears and rage mixing her brain like a ball "Let me go! She killed her! Lenny let me go!"

"Please, please control yourself!" Lenny cried, holding her tighter. "For Granny! She would not want you to be punished!"

Annya stepped back, pretending to be scared, but her eyes were laughing. "See, Lenny? I told you, she's cursed. She's gone mad."

Ixora forced herself to breathe and forced her claws back.She took one deep breath, wiped her tears hard with the back of her hand leaving a red mark, and took a step back.

And that's when she felt it.Something was holding her leg,she looked down and saw Granny Xhun's cold hand... was gripping her ankle.

Ixora's heart stopped.

She bent down slowly, pretending to adjust her torn dress, so no one would see. Annya was busy whispering to Draven. Lenny was still catching her breath. The guards were looking away.

Ixora gently tried to remove Granny's hand from her leg and felt paper.

A small, folded, dirty paper was clutched tightly inside Granny Xhun's fist.

With shaking fingers, Ixora quickly pulled the paper out and hid it inside her own sleeve without letting anyone notice.

She stood up, her face empty now.

" Guards, take granny to the Quinn ice ember and don't let anyone near her till I say so.Let's go, Lenny," she said in a dead voice she hasn't reached the door when Draven voice stopped her.

"Ixora,can we find a place to talk I won't take your time" Draven voice came out rough but still smoky.

Ixora didn't turn to answer him but Lenny signal to him and he rushed to Ixora following her steps out, Annya scoffed.

The guards carried granny's body out and left both Annya and Lenny.

You won't a last week following Ixora as her lap dog, watch how you'll cry begging for help when she leaves you" Annya snorted making her way out but Lenny words stopped her.

I'll be waiting for the shameful day, you'll be expose about your evils deed with fetus. Their vengeful spirit are following you around SLUT, I'm watching you." Lenny spat before disappearing.

Annya squeeze her hand hurting her self " Damn you little rascal, wait for me we both have secrets. We'll see who has the upper hand.