Read Online Christmas At Thorncliff Towers by Marina Myles - Free Book Online Page A

and embraced his older brother heartily. Constantin murmured something about how he’d missed Viktor. With a rueful smile, Viktor clasped his arm, then nodded to their grandfather.
    Once Constantin caught sight of the elderly man, his lungs hitched. His grandfather’s breathing was labored and the white sheets he was tucked under matched the paleness of his face.
    “Papa—” the word caught in Constantin’s throat. He looked up at Karina imploringly. “Please work your magic.”
    Nodding, she extracted something from her satchel.
     
     
    Karina and Constantin were gone for at least two hours—and when they returned to Karina’s wagon, both were overjoyed.
    Karina urged Constantin to sit. “Papa Stoica is an extraordinary man,” she said, reigniting the candle.
    Constantin ran his hands through his hair. “Can you believe he was telling stories five minutes after you healed him? Incredible!” He paused. “Thank you, Karina.”
    “You’re welcome.” Her heart fluttered at the sight of his dark skin against the candlelight. She looked down at his leg. “I can heal you too, Constantin—if you let me.”
    Doubt shadowed his expression. He hesitated.
    “You said you had every faith in me . . .”
    He gave her a sheepish smile.
    “It would make me feel less guilty,” she went on. “The day I shattered your leg replays in my mind all the time. Every time I see you walk, I cringe.”
    “My limp has been a damned nuisance.” He crossed his arms. “And I lost my cane in the forest.”
    That was all the prompting Karina needed. She moved to a tiny bureau in the corner and withdrew a small box. Lifting the lid, she brought it to Constantin. He stared into the bottom of the box and studied a pair of crossed sticks surrounded by a circle of herbs.
    “Isn’t that the kind of case you used on my grandfather just now?”
    She nodded. “These boxes are called bìcábens. After I draw an ailment out of someone, I quickly place that ailment inside the bìcáben , wrap it with wool then spit on it. Tomorrow I will bury this one, plus the ones I used for Papa Stoica and my leg. Once they’re buried, no one can open them again.”
    “So, they’re small Gypsy caskets,” Constantin murmured.
    “I guess you could call them that.” She sucked in a breath. “Most importantly, they seal in evil.”
    Constantin went a little pale.
    “Are you ready for me to heal your leg?”
    He rolled his shoulders back. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
    Silence filled the wagon. Heart pounding, Karina picked up a black feather. She ran the feather up and down Constantin’s crippled limb as she said, “ Devora ce este rau. Arata rau în afar.”
    Devour what is bad. Show evil the way out.
    Karina dropped the feather and closed her eyes. As her body vibrated, she raised the bìcáben in front of her and hastily snapped its lid shut.
    Constantin grabbed his shin. “I feel a tingle!”
    Karina nodded. She wrapped the box with wool while he tried to stand and put weight on his leg.
    “My limb feels a bit like jelly,” he said. But then his strength seemed to surge. Soon his jaw dropped and he was strolling around as if his bones had never been shattered. Astonished, he sank back into the chair.
    “This is amazing!” he cried.
    Karina saw his eyes mist over. She’d never seen him cry until now. Suddenly, tears rimmed her eyes, too. His walking without a limp was something she’d only envisioned in her best dreams.
    As pride swelled within her, she sat on his lap and curled her hands around his neck.
    “Thank you,” Constantin said with sincerity.
    “You’re welcome.”
    He smiled. “Now I know how Papa Stoica felt.”
    She let out a laugh. “When you’re his age, I think you’ll be just like him.”
    He cocked a brow. “Old and wrinkled?”
    “No. Colorful and energetic.” She kissed his cheek, then trailed her lips along his sturdy neck. “And you’ll be just as handsome as you are now.”
    He shook his head. “I might