“What do you mean, ‘dark magic?’” Nicholas demanded. I was glad he still had his voice, because mine was totally gone. I had a suspicion that I knew exactly what Veronica meant, but I wanted to hear her say the words.
“I mean a curse,” Veronica said.
I inhaled a shuttering breath.
“It’s possible that Elva has been cursed for a long time, even since she was a baby,” Veronica said.
“So… all this time…?” That was the most I could manage.
“The curse, if dormant, would slowly wear down Elva’s immune system over time. From the duration she’s already experienced, she will have a weakened immune system for the rest of her life.”
“That’s if we stop it now,” Nicholas said.
Veronica nodded.
“What happens if we don’t stop it?” he asked.
Veronica looked down. “The curse would eventually kill h
