This is good so far. So long as the characters are believable and the story is good.

I find Lucy totally out of character in the last 2 chapters. Her behaviour is not of the Lucy in the beginning. That Lucy tried her best to prevent the curse from happening, even to a guy like Michael. A totally different personality. The way she speaks is so different, more like her dedanya.
That's what I would have said about chapter 33, but with these hints, this has to be dedanya.
But I like that its story driven chapters are back again. As long as the story is interesting and the characters and their development are believable, than its good. Like those subtle hints and awkward situations for everyone.
I'm captivated again.

@Ancient Relic. I know, but with that plot device you can write any out of character behaviour for a person and than say, "It's because of the curse".
But I'm still curious where this story is going.

@Duggernaut. I have deleted my conclusion/guess out of my previous review not the spoil the story for others. But I hope many readers see some of these clues and hints in the story. It gives a far more satisfying read that way.
Thanks for the reaction.
I gave my opinion about the situation to Tom Speedy, but the moment I read my own review I got suspicious. The conclusion about how the Gypsy clan would react to Lucie's ideas were spot on, but something didn't fully add up. Then I went to re-read the chapters again and all the conversations between Mirielle and Lucie.
Than I went the read previous chapters again, because of something I thought I read, but wasn't 100% sure anymore. Than I found that clue and my conclusion/guess became a very plausible possibility.
You write very clever.
Of course there could be a simpeler explanation, but that would be less exciting and less unlikely and would make Lucie or whoever she is more powerful without very few weaknesses and less like a human being that is skilled in the art of curses. That would be boring.

@Tom Speedy. What didn't sit right with me was those words from Lucie and the timing of them and why it was so important for the writer that Mirielle should not hear them, but enough for Michael to scare him and let him think about it, but not enough so he'd knew.
And this sentence of it when Mirielle was gone for a few seconds tipped me off.

He frowned, “I suppose Mirielle told you some of what they did, what she did,” he said, tone embarrassed. It had to be Mirielle, how else would she have known?

And Remeber how Madison knew the name of Lucie's dedanya? The fact that she mentions her by her name Adelina, means she is familiar with them and at least spoke to them OR one of those other girls is a gypsy and the moment Madison told them about what Mirielle wanted. In combination with what Lucie said, it became a VERY plausible possibility.

I will re-read the chapters from beginning to the point we see the last of Madison and those girls.
Checking for clues if plans were hatched after Mirielle left with Michael or if this was planned well in advanced and part of the plan was to lure Mirielle in to this. It seems after Mirielle left.

Again, so long the characters, story and development are believable, it will be worth it. As long as it is enjoyable and with a happy end.
I can't judge Madison yet. We don't know what happened in detail with Madison between age 10 and 17. But I also have a feeling that I'm not going to like Madison in the end. We now have 2 missing persons and all people involved will eventually get in a lot of trouble. A line is crossed now and the point of no return has begun.

Madison smiled, “Hubris,” she said. “You thought you could glean millennia old knowledge out of what you presumed were simple old world village folk and there would be no cost.”

“True,” Madison conceded, “But it begged the question, why did you want the ability? Why couldn’t you just enjoy the uniqueness of the situation and take delight in the opportunity to play with Michael? Help him understand the impact of his behavior?”

Mirielle frowned. Had she gotten greedy? Blinded by lofty ambition to bring Mortimer low? What about the cop? Would she have shrunk him if she had the chance? Yes.

Funny how the different thought patterns clash. In this Madison shows she is smarter. Some people have the wrong idea what real power is or what is truly important in life. Interesting how Mirielle will develop and the coming interaction between Madison and Mirielle.

@Tom Speedy.
Put yourself in Madison's place. You would have the same alarmbells go off when a person, in this case Mirielle, comes with this kind of offer/plan? I don't think Madison wants to have problems with Adelina.
She choses the non stressfull way and could ask for a shrunken person other than Michael if she is close to Adelina. Why bother with elaborate plans to power through a corperation with all the stress, planning, hiding and paranoia, so that your main goal, having fun with a shrunken person gets lost in that time consuming unhappiness.
That said, I still don't like Madison either. She is lecturing Mirielle, but she will fall victim to her own hubris very soon. I believe her words in this for 99%, but like you said, she is hiding some other intentions and I can guess what they are and why.
I don't see Adelina as purely good. Every person has layers and conflicting emotions, etc. That what makes it fun.
I'm glad Lucie was kept out of this. Very important.

I agree with you with that power too shrink and the fun you could have. Mirielle has the potential to be fun, but she isn't there yet. Some thought patterns and sometimes the roughness in the sex she had, disappointed me and that was done on purpose by the writer to provoke precisely that feeling. That she was likeable, but not totally likeable.

Michael by the way deserves this punishment, he is still a jerk. The fun part starts when characters that seem in agreement now; Madison, Adelina, Raven, Gennifer, Amber come in conflict with eachother on how to treat Michael and Mirielle or what to do and what not and the different ideas they have, etc. And the transition where Michael has really learned his lesson, but the torture won't stop and goes extreme and al the emotions involved with all the characters will be interesting. Like this story so far and this chapter.

It is Madison here. That last sentence is only forshadowing of the possibilities. Think about it, with this Mirielle and Michael are really in trouble.

Mirielle did the smart thing and these actions are a logical followup. But for Mirielle it is much easier to act cool and be at ease having sex with a non blood relative. But still, good strong character trade I can relate to.
Let see what Madison is playing at. Let see the interesting subtle development between those three, how they influence eachother. Madison is not invulnerable.
Mirielle seems to have the strongest mind with more life experience.
Michael has a long way to go.

Let's see where this is going. The fact that Adelina is casually downstairs in the Hearst home(if it is the Hearst home) and probably been there many times before is great cause for concern for some people.

Lucie's defiance to her supposed great grandmother is interesting. When Michael comes close they speak English. "Before irreparable harm has occured". That can mean so many things.

It looks good. How will Michael handle himself in the days/weeks to come in this form. Interesting that he is beginning to self reflect and he has resolve build in. With that attitude, even when you eventually break and go into depression mode, you will have the capacity within weeks to just stop being depressed and come out stronger, smarter and a better person.

Pre planned or not pre planned and at what level. I wonder with wich one you would go. I hoped the none pre-planned what happened to Michael, but that also planned. Her relationship with Madison I suspected was a pre planned from the moment you could feel Mirielle's plan was full of dangers. Hope that granddaughter isn't a certain someone. Why does Adelina care so much about Madison? Adelina trust Lucie enough with more information than Madison. We still don't know how much Madison knows.
It will be more revealing when Madison, Adelina and Lucie are in one room talking. We than finally get a glimps how far the relationship goes.

I have an idea what would be ideal in the end for Michael.

@Tom Speedy. Have a feeling your favorite character Mirielle comes back on top. Adelina is now too proud of herself, something has to go wrong with her supposed plan. Isn't clear what Madison learned from Adelina, but it doesn't seem like shrinking someone.

Can't wait for the next chapter.

Funny how Adelina lets Madison thinks she has a free hand in this. Still the question remains why Adelina is so interested in Madison and wants to play this game with her, Lucie and Michael. Wonder how Mirielle will react after these incidents.

It would be funny if Michael falls prey to misadventure. They left him alone downstairs. Maybe there is somebody else in the house who that bag belongs to or/and Adelina is playing games again.

Lucie seems like the strongest person. She seems like a person who doesn't get easely corrupted by power.

Wonder what Helena's connection is in all this.