When Wishes Bleed

by Casey Bond

  It took us half an hour to make our way around the palace, through beautifully manicured gardens and over to a lake where a gentleman sat alone under a tree.

  “Hello,” he greeted cheerfully, rushing to stand up. He pointed to three canoes large enough to each hold six people. “Care to paddle out onto the lake?”

  Brecan waggled his eyebrows. “What do you say, Sable?”

  I smiled. “I say yes.”

  I sat on one of the built-in benches and gripped the paddle while Brecan climbed in at the edge of the lake. The canoe bobbed back and forth until he sat down, and then the motion subsided.

  The gentleman handed Brecan the other paddle and told us to come back whenever we were ready. There was no time limit.

  “She’ll have to mind her schedule,” Brecan replied, giving me an ornery grin.

  I felt like knocking him with my paddle, but refrained – only because I didn’t want to rock the boat again. I could swim a little, but I’d never been in water that was deeper than I was tall.

  Lily pads hugged the lake’s edge. Brecan caught me admiring them and rowed close enough to pluck one of the only flowers left now that autumn was leaning further toward winter. He offered it to me with a tentative smile. I thanked him and cradled the pale pink bloom in my palm.

  It was mid-morning, and warm sunshine yawned across the sky. “It would be horrible to have your entire life scheduled. It almost makes me feel sorry for our prince,” Brecan mused.

  “Almost?”

  He smiled. “Well, he has everything else anyone could possibly want.”

  “No one has everything they want, Brecan.”

  “No, but you see, Tauren does. He has an army at his command, power, unimaginable wealth, the respect of his people, and the love of his parents. He’s fully supported from every angle but one, and that deficit is about to be filled. He will literally have everything when he marries.”

  I had no response to offer him. Tauren was certainly very lucky. “Why would someone want him dead?”

  “Any number of reasons,” he said, resting his paddle on his thighs. I took mine out of the water too, and we floated contently in the calm, green-brown water, resting beneath the sun and the wispy clouds that attempted, but failed, to cover it. “He is to be King, so it could be to prevent him from taking the crown. He has a younger brother, if I recall correctly.”

  Yes, I’d seen him at the Equinox. “I wonder why he wasn’t at dinner.”

  “Likely to protect him from the evil witches from Thirteen,” Brecan replied, only half joking.

  “No one here thinks that.”

  He guffawed. “Please, Sable. Look around you! Everyone is pleasant. Too pleasant. Their smiles are forced. They’re glad to give us what we require so they can be excused from our presence. We frighten them.”

  “Only because they don’t know us.”

  “I heard the redhead talking at breakfast. She plans to provoke you so that you’ll retaliate with magic. She thinks you’ll be dismissed from the palace if you use magic against any of the other invitees.”

  Rose, I thought. Her parents should have named her Thorn.

  “I won’t use magic against anyone.”

  “But you have used magic here. You spelled the room this morning.”

  “Discreetly,” I pointed out. “You had no idea.”

  “True, though it’s hardly the first time I’ve fallen under your spell,” he teased, then glanced at me as if gauging my reaction.

  “Brecan—”

  “I was joking.”

  “I was going to ask you a question,” I fired back. He waved for me to continue, so I did. “What do you know about Mira?”

  “Not much. Water witch. Weaves clothing. Has weird glass spiders that completely make me shiver.” He shivered dramatically.

  “What about her magic?”

  “I only know about animation and water.” His eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”

  “You only control air, right? What about spells?”

  “I know a few, but in the Houses, we’re mainly encouraged to master our affinities. The spells and incantations are performed by the Priests and Priestesses. Why so many questions?”

  I swallowed uneasily. For the first time I could recall, I wasn’t sure I could trust him.

  Fate stirred within, and a cool breeze swept over my skin. Brecan was safe.

  “Something happened last night,” I started.

  He straightened his spine. “What happened?”

  “Fate sent a strong message that someone was going to attempt to kill him – by stabbing.”

  Brecan’s brows furrowed. “Why didn’t you wake me?” His tone wasn’t angry, but concerned. Almost desperate.

  “Whomever it was, disappeared when I showed up. Literally disappeared, Brecan.”

  “You thought it was me?” he asked, clasping his chest, stung by my accusation. “I volunteered to come here to protect you. I know what it means for you to have Fate pushing you, and what you go through if you don’t do his bidding right away.”

  “You shouldn’t—”

  “Don’t tell me I shouldn’t speak it! It’s true. He needs to understand that he doesn’t have to hurt you to have you do his bidding. He needs only ask. You’re one of the kindest, most loyal witches I know.”

  I pinched my lips together, thankful he thought so highly of me.

  “But I want you to know that I could never – would never – hurt you. And right now, I know that hurting Tauren would do exactly that.” He began to paddle again. “I see how you look at him.”

  A hard knot formed in the back of my throat.

  “Besides,” he paused. “You’re my very best friend, Sable.”

  I’d hurt him by even considering that he might have been involved, and I felt terrible for it. “I’m sorry for even thinking it,” I told him.

  He nodded, but refused to look at me. “I don’t know Mira well, but I don’t think she would hurt him. Besides, you read his fate before we agreed to come. Whomever wanted him to die, was already close to him.”

  Fate filled my belly with warmth. Brecan was right.

  “A witch was in his room, Brecan.”

  He shook his head and chuckled darkly. “Not every witch in the Kingdom chooses to live in The Gallows.”

  That was a possibly I’d never contemplated until he said it. I assumed all witches would want to live amongst our kind, but never considered there would be dissenters. And the King… he knew my mother. Which meant that when she was alive, there must have been more movement to and from Thirteen.

  “You never knew?” he asked, a hint of wonder filling his voice.

  “I never had the chance to know.”

  “The Circle emptied the House of Fate when your mother died, Sable. Those witches didn’t die with her. If I was them, I wouldn’t go into the Wilds; I’d head straight for the lower sectors. And anyway, there must be others who grew up in the Lowers. Witches aren’t bound to pieces of earth or to their own kind. Not everyone wants to be ruled by the Circle, or by anyone, for that matter.”

  Brecan knew, but few others likely did. The Circle forbade me from leaving Thirteen for trade, afraid Fate would ask me to end the life of someone while I was outside our sector.

  It was another reason I considered accepting the invitation. Only the royal family could overrule one of the Circle’s mandates. With their permission, I could see the Kingdom, even if it was because the Prince needed my power.

  Besides, every girl, witch or not, dreamed of becoming a princess. Not with crowns and gowns, but princess of the heart of someone she loved, and who loved her in return.

  Witches only hoped to tolerate their hand-fasted for a year.

  What would true love feel like? Love that knew no boundaries...

  “I’ll help you,�
�� he vowed. “We’ll find the witch responsible, and then the three of us will go back home.”

  Home.

  My House was there. Ready for me to finish cleaning it. Ready for me to paint. To revive and resurrect it.

  Then I could figure out how to reclaim my position in the Circle.

  That was all I wanted, until he sat down at my table for a reading of fate…

  “You have to distance yourself from him, Sable.”

  “I’m not near him right now.”

  “Are you sure of that?” he asked gently.

  Of course he knew I was thinking of Tauren while paddling with him. He knew me better than anyone.

  “Hey,” Brecan interrupted my thoughts. “Why don’t we have some fun? My affinity may not be water, but… you should hold on.”

  I gripped the side of the canoe as he pointed a finger behind us. Wind whirred out of his fingertip, propelling us across the water so fast, the air stung my eyes. I closed them, unable to prevent the laughs that bubbled from my chest, followed by a squeal as we accelerated.

  The sound of horse hoofs clomping to a stop made Brecan pause and the canoe skidded to a sudden stop, lurching us forward. Brecan caught me when I was flung into his lap. On the far bank of the lake, two horses had stopped.

  Tauren sat atop a dark stallion while his date, none other than the scheming Rose, rode a glossy white mare. Its silky mane matched her off-white riding habit. Her escort had done her research and styled her accordingly.

  Tauren’s easy smile was missing as he took us in. I carefully scooted back into my seat. Brecan broke the tension by waving. “Sorry! Apparently we row quicker than either of us realized. Thank goodness we didn’t roll the canoe.”

  “Can you swim?” Tauren asked.

  “Of course, Highness,” he answered.

  “And you, Sable?”

  I nodded once. “Yes.” Sort of.

  “Good,” he answered, a muscle twitching in his jaw. He clutched the leather reins with his gloved hands. “Enjoy your day.”

  Before we could bid him the same, he’d kicked the horse and flicked the reins. Rose did her best to keep up.

  14

  I made my way to the kitchens to check the Prince’s picnic lunch, spelling the kitchen and staff before the basket was taken out for him and his date, and then Brecan and I spent the afternoon lounging in a pair of hammocks that swung between three large oaks that grew in a triangle. Mira joined us mid-afternoon, relaxing in the tall grasses and refusing to accept the hammock I offered to share with her.

  That evening, I stopped to check Tauren’s dinner before ordering plates for the three of us to eat in Mira’s buttercup-colored suite. After which, she shoved swimsuits into both mine and Brecan’s hands and ordered us to get ready. She wanted to go to the water.

  I imagined that it called to her much like Fate called to me at times.

  Brecan’s suit consisted of soft, black shorts that stretched from just below his navel to the top of his knee. Mine? Mine was more revealing than anything I’d ever worn. The bottoms were skimpy; I was certain my underwear covered more than they did. The top was a halter, comprised of little more than a scrap of criss-crossed black fabric that tied behind my neck and back. She’d given me a loose, but structured dress to cover up with on the way to the pool. I considered wearing it into the pool instead.

  Of course, on the way through the palace, we bumped into Tauren and his latest date. The girl was pretty, all wide eyes and innocence. A farmer from Ten, according to her t-shirt.

  He stepped in front of us as we tried to pass by them quietly.

  “Hello,” he said, looking down at me. I hated that he was taller, especially when I was barefooted.

  A strand of dark hair hung into his golden eyes. My fingers twitched to brush it away. Brecan cleared his throat behind me.

  “Hello,” I returned.

  Tauren stood up taller and glanced at each of us, his eyes settling back on me. “Have you enjoyed your free time today?”

  “We have.”

  “Undoubtedly,” he replied, a sharp edge to his voice.

  I looked at his date, who looked confused and a little lost. She crossed her arms, then relaxed them and let them hang at her side.

  “Well, have a good evening,” I dismissed him.

  A wicked gleam appeared in his eyes as he looked me over. My skin warmed under his gaze. “Going swimming?”

  “Yes.”

  He nodded. “Enjoy the amenities.”

  He moved toward his date and I eased past him, Brecan following directly behind. He had to grab Mira’s hand and pull her along with us. She was still mooning over Tauren.

  Oh, what it must be like to be him. Every girl swooning in his presence, tittering over his every word, constantly stroking his ego. It turned my stomach.

  I led the others through the palace, stopping when I realized I had no idea where I was going. Thankfully, the water called to Mira, and after a couple more wrong turns, we found the door leading into the pool area.

  I’d expected to find a small pond, but should have realized a small pool would’ve been lost in a palace so big. The pool we found was an enormous, rectangular lake that faded from shallow to deep, the water transforming from light blue to cobalt as the depth increased.

  Brecan walked to the edge and dipped his toe in. “It’s not hot,” he grumped.

  Mira swatted him. “It’s not cold, either.”

  “How would you know? You haven’t even touched it,” he challenged.

  She smiled fiercely, then sent a wave of water over his body. He stood still for a moment, obviously in shock, then let out a dark, warning laugh.

  “You should run,” I told her.

  She made it two feet before he caught her and tossed her in the water. Then he turned to me.

  I held my hands out. “No.”

  “Oh, yes,” he teased, inching closer.

  I backed away, ready to run. “Your fight was with Mira, not me!” I squeaked.

  His eyes glittered. “I don’t care. You’re the only one still dry.”

  I whispered a spell and spirited to the other side of the pool before he could catch me. “Not fair!” he yelled, diving in gracefully.

  Though I could swim, my movements could never be considered graceful, so I sat on the edge of the pool and dangled my legs in the water, letting them get used to the temperature. I slid in slowly when Mira threatened to soak me like she’d done Brecan.

  The water felt glorious, neither too hot nor too cold. I sloppily made my way to the shallower side where my toes could easily touch the bottom. Mira and Brecan splashed one another playfully on the other side of the pool. She sent small bursts of water arcing from one side of the pool to the other and back. I smiled, then laughed as I tried to catch them in my hands. Then she crafted a herd of Pegasus from the water. They whinnied, swooped, and dove over us, splashing when they rejoined the water.

  When the door opened, she released her magic and all the effects rained down on us. I wiped a splash from my face and blinked up to see Tauren dive into the deep end. He swam beneath the surface, breaching right in front of me, rising from the water with a triumphant smile.

  “The other girls are too afraid to get their hair wet,” he panted, raking his dark hair back.

  “I think they’re nervous for you to see them in a swimsuit,” Mira told him, moving into deeper water so that she was concealed from the neck down. She shot me an anxious smile, gawking at the prince standing in front of me.

  Brecan swam to the deep end and back, which made me feel as if he were pacing. His white-blonde hair streaked through the water like angry ribbons.

  Mira faked a yawn. “Wow, I’m really tired. We did so much today. I think it’s time I head back to my room.”

  She looked at Brecan. For a mom
ent, he didn’t budge or reply. For a moment, I didn’t want him to go with her.

  That moment evaporated when Tauren took my hand under the water and tugged me ever so slightly closer.

  “Will you check in when you go upstairs?” Brecan finally asked, looking between the two of us.

  I discreetly pulled my hand from Tauren’s and used both to slick my hair back. “I won’t be much longer.”

  Brecan walked to the nearest ladder, climbed up, and escorted Mira to the towel rack. They wrapped themselves and left the pool area, but not before Brecan shot us a look of warning.

  “We are scheduled to spend an hour together tomorrow,” Tauren said, his voice echoing over the empty space.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be spending this evening with someone else?”

  “This is my free hour,” he answered, swimming around me with ease. His muscles rippled with every movement.

  “Do you swim every day?”

  “No. I don’t swim very often at all.”

  “Then why are you here now?”

  Tauren grinned and my knees weakened. “Because you’re in my pool.”

  “So?” I said, crossing my arms. The movement drew his attention to my body. A fire ignited in his eyes.

  “So, I was jealous.”

  “Of your pool?” I said incredulously. “How can anyone be jealous of a thing?”

  “I’m jealous of lots of things,” he said with a half-smile. “And people. You and Brecan looked like you were enjoying yourselves on the lake.”

  “I imagine just as much as you enjoyed your romantic horseback ride with Rose.”

  “You’re at ease with him,” he noted.

  “He’s my best friend,” I volleyed.

  He swam faster around me. I spun faster to keep up. Then he stopped and stood at full height, and I was mesmerized by the water sluicing from his skin.

  “What am I to you?” he asked softly.

  “You are my prince.”

  He took a step forward, then another, until our bodies almost touched. “I am the Prince of every subject in the Kingdom. What am I to you, Sable?”