by Casey Bond
“Can you?” he asked hopefully.
I shook my head. “Belle is who I was supposed to help. I can visit anyone you’d like, but…”
“You can’t heal them.”
“I didn’t heal Belle. Fate did. She’s going to do great things when she gets older.”
His brows furrowed. “You can see that?”
I nodded.
“We should tell Wes,” he breathed.
Doctor Kingston raised her head. “Tell him he’ll be able to visit within the next few hours. The two might be discharged together, after all.”
As another team of medics rushed into the room, Tauren and I slipped out into the hall. We walked slowly past the other doors. “How often do you visit here, Tauren?”
“At least weekly,” he answered.
“These children love you.”
“It took me weeks to get to know many of them, but when you walked in, they gravitated toward you. You’ll make a great mother one day, Sable.”
I swallowed. Thirteen wasn’t like the Lowers. Once a child was weaned, he or she was given to the House of their affinity to raise. Most never remembered their parents. My lineage was unique, because my mother was the Daughter of Fate before me. And also because her mother hated her for it, and was very vocal with her disdain.
Suddenly, remembering how standoffish he’d been since our encounter in the garden, the blood in my veins heated. He was angry with me? Fine. Now, I’m angry with him. I rushed away, but he caught my arm.
“What did I say?”
“You know what, Prince? You were right. Why don’t you focus on the other four women waiting in the room on the second floor?”
A bewildered look washed across Tauren’s face. “What happened? I just complimented you on how comfortable you are with children.”
“Do you know how children are raised in Thirteen?”
He shook his head. “I have no idea.”
“You assume that everything that happens in this Kingdom is as it is in the Core Four. Well, it isn’t. Thirteen is vastly different, Prince. So much more different than you even realize.”
“How are children raised?” he asked. “Educate me, Sable. Don’t get angry with me because I don’t know your traditions. Teach me.”
“Children rarely know their parents. They’re raised by their Houses.”
“You don’t approve?” he surmised.
“Whether I approve or not doesn’t matter.” I wanted him to drop it.
“That’s how I felt last night when I learned you’d worked that spell.”
With one sentence, he cleaved me in two. I deserved to be split down the middle. With my actions, no matter how well intentioned, I took away any say he had in the matter.
“Does the spell work both ways?” he asked.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“If something happens to you, will my soul save your life?”
I shook my head. “I did it to protect you, Tauren. Let Fate worry about me.”
He reeled me in against his body. “I can’t do that.”
“Why?” I breathed as his nose brushed against mine.
“Because I care for you, Sable. So much.”
“Too much,” I added.
“Too much,” he agreed. “And yet, not nearly enough. Do you have any idea how –?” His words dried in his throat and his eyes searched mine, begging for permission.
In the dark, abandoned corridor, I lifted my chin and positioned my lips just shy of his. If he wanted a kiss, he would have to claim it.
And then… he did.
His hands gripped my waist and then slid around to press against the small of my back. A kiss that was tentative at first quickly became all-consuming, and for a long moment, we lost ourselves in each other.
Someone cleared their throat behind us. We parted guiltily, looking over at Doctor Kingston, who smiled behind us. “A very wise choice, Tauren.” Tauren looked to me and then opened his mouth, but Kingston was walking away. “Your secret is safe with me,” she tossed over her shoulder.
Tauren linked his pinky with mine as we followed the doctor down the stairwell, but I pulled away when the first camerawoman panned in on us as we approached the second-floor common room once again.
Rose looked uncomfortable, sitting on a bright orange couch with a small girl who was showing her how to care for her baby doll.
Leah was in deep discussion with the oldest girl in the room about a book she’d read. Estelle had found finger paints and an easel with paper and was having a blast with two young boys, and Tessa was playing cards with Wes. His eyes lit up when we entered the room.
“Did you see Belle?” he asked excitedly. I looked to Doctor Kingston.
“Belle is doing much better, Wes,” the doctor answered. “You’ll even be able to visit her later today.”
“Today?” he asked, mouth agape, swiveling his head toward me. “Did you save her, Miss Sable?”
“No, Wes. I’m afraid I didn’t, but your sister is as strong as she is brave. Fate has wonderful plans for her.”
He nodded emphatically. “She sure is brave.”
I crouched down to hug him again, my heart much lighter this time.
Doctor Kingston told the children it was time to continue our tour, and the invitees filed out of the room. Rose lingered by the door for Tauren, who met her with a kind smile.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t mind.
21
How was Sector Three?” Mira asked when I knocked on her door after we returned to the palace.
“It was one of the best, most humbling experiences of my life.” Thanks to Fate.
He nearly purred within me.
The heat of Tauren’s forgiveness was still branded on my lips.
“Do tell,” Brecan said sarcastically, exiting his room and joining us as we strode across the hall to mine.
“The children were wonderful,” I answered sharply.
“And has Tauren magically forgiven you?” he asked. “I noticed he left in Rose and Leah’s carriage, but rode back with you.”
“And Tessa and Estelle,” I added.
Mira’s eyes bounced back and forth between us as we argued. Attempting to quell the tension, she blurted, “The King and Queen are fine. We checked their meals, kept an eye on them as best we could, and when they retired to their rooms, came back here. They have several guards watching over them now.”
“What’s on the schedule for tonight?” I asked.
“Your evening is free,” Brecan chirped. “The Prince will plan a special evening with each of you this week, beginning with Rose.”
The thought of Rose and Tauren enjoying a romantic dinner made me burn with envy. But I would feel the same if he were dining with Estelle or even Tessa, who wasn’t sure she wanted to give up her life for a royal one – even if it meant being with Tauren. Leah, I knew, was only granted the chance to stay so she could spend more time with Knox.
Footsteps came from down the hallway. Brecan, Mira, and I turned to find Knox waltzing down the hall. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. The same must apply to thoughts.
“Sable? Could I have a moment of your time?”
“Of course,” I replied, straightening my back.
Knox nodded to Brecan and Mira. “Privately, if you don’t mind.”
I certainly wasn’t inviting him into my room unchaperoned. If he mentioned anything to Leah, she would blab to Rose, and Rose would make sure to mention it on camera.
I followed Knox up another flight of steps, down a hall, and up a spiral staircase that emptied into a solarium. If it weren’t so overcast, the sun would spill through the glass panes and dapple the potted plants, all of which were wilted, the color leached almost entirely from their leaves and petals.
Knox leaned his hip against the cushioned arm of a plush blue chair. “My brother told me what you did today.”
I quirked a brow.
“He said you couldn’t heal just anyone, but I couldn’t help but wonder if you could make a plea on our behalf.”
“A plea for what?”
“Not what, whom. Our father, Sable. No one but he, my mother, Tauren and I know, but he is ill.”
The tone of his words and the soft pain they held told me it was grave. “That’s why he wants Tauren to marry so quickly,” I surmised. “It’s why he didn’t protest when Tauren sent most of the women home early.”
Knox nodded. “He hopes to live long enough to watch him marry.”
It was strange how much he resembled his older brother. I wondered just how many years separated them, or if maybe there were only minutes between the brothers. They looked like twins, except for the bridge of their noses – Knox’s had been broken – and their hair – Knox’s was longer, wilder.
“What does he suffer from?”
“A cancer.”
Fate coiled tightly around my middle. “The stomach?”
“Stomach. Intestines. It’s everywhere.”
I silently asked Fate if he would intervene. He remained with me, but silently refused the request.
“I’m sorry,” I croaked. “I cannot help him.”
Knox’s face had held a tiny sliver of hope until the words left my mouth. Once they did, his head fell to his hands. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“But if he is in pain, I can ease it,” I offered.
Knox’s eyes flicked to me. “Truly?”
I nodded. “Truly.”
“Could you come now? He’s… this has been a hard day for him. He pretends well enough most of the time, but… Well, you’ll see.”
Knox led me through the castle to the King and Queen’s chambers. The guards posted outside their rooms announced us and we were granted entry.
We walked into a sitting room appointed with plush furniture, accented by wooden tables and leather chairs positioned in front of a hearth. Knox gestured to a doorway and I walked into a bedroom with walls painted a shade of deep teal that I imagined was possessed only by the ocean herself. The King lay in his bed, propped up on a stack of pillows. The Queen sat at his side, spooning broth into his mouth. She took one look at me and dropped the spoon into the bowl with a clatter. A servant retrieved it from her.
The King tried to sit up, but panted from the exertion. His face was beet red, a sure sign of the pain lancing him from the inside out.
“How long have you suffered?” I asked.
“Only a few months,” he answered breathlessly.
A question sat on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t utter it. How long did he believe he had left?
“I know I’m dying. Some days, the pain releases me and I feel fine. I feel like myself. Other days, I can barely leave this bed, let alone the room.”
Knox stiffened behind me.
“May I?” I held my hand out for him.
His eyes filled with unshed tears, but the King placed his large hand in mine. I closed my eyes and whispered a spell to quench his fiery pain. Within moments, his grip relaxed and he sighed, letting his head sink back onto the pillows. “Thank you, Sable.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
He breathed deeply, effortlessly. Queen Annalina put her hand over her mouth, stifling the sobs that threatened. Her eyes met mine and she took her hand away, mouthing the words Thank you.
“You should rest,” I told him, but he was already half asleep.
The Queen gently rose and led me and Knox to the sitting room. “The palace physician told us he has three months to live.”
I wanted to give her better news, but Fate told me otherwise. “He will pass sooner than that, I’m afraid.”
The Queen’s lips began to quiver, and a suppressed cry escaped them.
“How much sooner?” Knox asked for her.
“He will pass on the eve of the next full moon.”
Knox uttered a curse. The Queen let out a quiet sob, falling into her son’s comforting arms. “I’m sorry, Mother.”
I was sorry, too. King Lucius seemed strong when I arrived at the palace. Strong but kind, despite how intimidating it was to speak with the King of Nautilus. But now I knew what had caused the underlying tension and worry that I picked up from both of them. Yes, the King and Queen had concealed this secret well, but I berated myself for not delving further into their residues while I could. I could’ve helped him sooner.
I slipped out the door and was walking down the hall, retracing the steps to my room when Knox caught up with me. “How long will the spell last?”
“Until he…” I couldn’t say it. “He will not feel pain again, Knox.”
He swallowed thickly. “Good.”
“I’m sorry.”
He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his dark trousers and rocked back on his heels. “No sorrier than I am.” He was quiet for a long moment. “I’ll tell Tauren. I imagine he’ll want to move things along so our father can attend his wedding.”
I swallowed thickly. “I imagine he will.”
“I need to get back,” he said regretfully, hooking a thumb over his shoulder.
We parted ways and I walked back to my room with leaden feet.
Brecan was waiting in the hall. He smirked, no doubt ready to fire a smart remark in my direction, but stopped when he saw my face. “What happened?”
“Where is Mira?”
“She went to the pool to swim for a while.”
And to speak with Bay, I assumed. I wondered how much longer Ela could hold on. From the look of the potted flowers, not much longer at all.
The need for fresh air consumed me, and Brecan dutifully followed me outside. Estelle sat on one of the garden benches, studying the intricately shaped hedges and the floral tufts and vines rising from the soil. She invited us to sit with her, but we thanked her and kept walking. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but my feet led me to the amphitheater. Jogging down the hewn steps, I pulled myself up to sit on the stage.
Brecan followed and settled beside me, a troubled look on his face ushered in by gusting winds that scuttled dark clouds across the sky.
“Can you contact Wayra?” I asked.
“I’ve been trying.”
Whether it was Fate revealing it to me or some tether within me being severed, I felt the very moment Ela died. The earth trembled beneath us. I closed my eyes.
Brecan cursed as the ivy that had been creeping up the columns to either side of us shriveled, tumbling off their vines and littering the smooth stage behind us. The wind quickly blew it away.
“I hope they hurry. The Earth is parched and already craves a new Priestess,” he said.
“It won’t matter,” I told him. Just then, a darkness slid through me; a tendril of something I thought was dead and gone. A link to my mother. “She’s free.”
Brecan’s brow furrowed.
My thoughts went to Tauren. How could I keep him safe now that my mother had broken free of her earthen tomb?
“What do you know about Cyril, Brecan?”
He took a deep breath, resigned to his task. “I overheard Bay speaking to Mira just before they assigned us to be your escorts. From what I could glean, when you were still a toddler, Cyril threatened the King and was driven away by Annalina, who had gone to the Circle for help when she became leery of Cyril’s intrusion into their affairs. When the Circle confronted her about it, Cyril flew into a rage and attempted a powerful spell to siphon the magic out of the Priest and Priestesses. The Circle fought her, and in the battle, both Wayra and Cyril were injured. Bay and Ethne helped Wayra, while Ela followed Cyril as she retreated into the House of Fate.” He swallowed. “Cyril called on dark ma
gic to evict Fate from your body, but when that didn’t work, she attempted to kill you…to force him out.”
My mouth fell open in shock.
“Bay said you were tiny, but that you knew exactly what was happening and what to do.”
Fate must have guided me.
Brecan clasped my elbow. “You stopped her, Sable. You, with Fate’s help, held Cyril until Ela was able to lure her onto the soil in the center of the Circle, where she bound her.”
How many times had I walked directly on top of her?
“Why don’t I remember anything?”
“You were very young.”
As a toddler, I still would have been old enough to have memories. At least I thought I would. The first memory I could recall was one of fear – of being led to the cabin behind the House of Fate and told it was my home now, and that I had to live there alone. Ethne had escorted me because my grandmother refused. I wondered if it was because whatever she saw occur in the House that day frightened her, or if she was afraid of getting close to me only to have me tear her heart to shreds like my mother had.
Brecan continued, “The pentagram in the center magnified Ela’s spell and contained her, until now – if you’re right and she’s escaped.”
“She has. I can feel it, just as I can feel that Ela’s spirit is with the Goddess.”
“Sable!” someone yelled from the palace. I jumped down from the stage and ran, knowing within my heart it was Tauren who was calling.
“Tauren!”
Please, let him be okay. Fate protect him.
We met in the yard. His eyes searched over me. “Your mother…”
“I know.”
“I was scared she’d come for you,” he admitted.
Brecan stopped alongside us, drawing Tauren’s eye. “I didn’t realize you were busy,” Tauren said, his princely manner smoothly clicking back into place. “I… I have to meet Rose for dinner.” Tauren was out of sorts.
“Did you speak with Knox?”
He nodded, and it was then that I saw the redness that had settled into the whites of his eyes. Tauren had been crying.
Brecan’s eyes pierced me, waiting for clarification, but I didn’t want to speak about his father’s failing health in front of him, or anyone for that matter.