Page 126 of When Wishes Bleed

The crowd was silent, but I could feel the weight of every breath being held.

Annalina gave me a wobbly smile and let go of my hand. “Go to him,” she whispered, before walking to one of five reserved chairs situated just in front of the casket.

I walked to Tauren, who stood in front of his father. His shoulders began to shake as he cried. I slid my hand into his and he gripped it tight as he fought the desperate sadness that death left in its wake.

Knox’s silent tears were just as heartbreaking. Leah stood at his side, her arm around his shoulders.

When the two princes were ready, the four of us took our seats beside their mother.

The service was beautiful; the sermon delivered was poignant. And at the end, Tauren, Knox, and four of the King’s personal guards hefted his casket on their shoulders and carried him far across the lawn to a small cemetery. There, amongst the Kings and Queens who came before him, Lucius was laid to rest.

I stood with Tauren as the casket was lowered into the ground, and as it was covered with earth. I stood with Tauren as the crowd thinned until only he, Knox, Leah, and Annalina remained. When they were ready, the five of us walked back to the palace.

I stayed with Tauren that night. As we held each other, I told him what Ethne had revealed about Bay. Together, we cried for the loss of our fathers. We cried until we were exhausted, and then we fell asleep in one another’s arms.

Mira came for me the next morning. I was needed in The Gallows.

27

Mira and I were sitting in my room as she helped me pack the trunks. “You could stay,” she suggested half-heartedly. But we both knew that wasn’t an option. I couldn’t live in the palace indefinitely. Not only would it bring shame to our sector, it would cause the Kingdom to whisper about Tauren. If they didn’t already believe it, they might think we were lovers.

“The longer I’m here, the less I want to go home,” I admitted.

“If he placed a crown on your head, you could.”

I closed the lid on the trunk I’d been situating. “He can’t do that.”

Mira regarded me for a long moment. “I’ll wait on the palace steps while you say goodbye.”

I thanked her and watched her walk out of the room, then I peered around at the stack of locked, packed trunks by the door. Tauren promised to have the Courier deliver them soon. I could’ve spirited them home, but he insisted.

Tauren stood just outside my room. He pushed off the wall when he saw me exit. I walked to him and returned my key.

“Thank you for staying, Sable.”

“You would’ve done the same for me.”

He inclined his head in acknowledgement.

Tauren stared at me for a long moment, ponderous words lying just beyond his lips. I brushed a dark strand of hair out of his eyes. He gently caught my wrist, bringing my hand to his lips for a parting kiss that made the moths flutter in my stomach, despite the dread I felt from leaving him again.

“I left something on the bed for you. If you need me, you can reach me.”

His eyes flicked to my door. “Thank you.”

Tauren walked me down the hallway, down the staircase, and out the door where Mira was waiting patiently. He thanked her for coming and she hugged his neck, expressing her condolences.

She grabbed my hand. With one last look at my prince, we disappeared.

Much had been done to rectify the damage to the earth Ela’s absence had caused, and the Gallows was abuzz with excitement when we returned. At the week’s end, our fallen Priestess and Priest, and the new Priest and Priestesses, along with Ethne, who had survived the unthinkable, would be honored in an Affinity Battle that promised to be both entertaining and poignant, a celebration of endings and beginnings. And while it was refreshing to think that life was still moving along despite all that had happened, it was also a bit jarring. I’d just watched Tauren bury his father. Then I left him… again.

Brecan asked me to take part in the hand-fasting ceremony that would take place after the Affinity Battle – but as the Guardian only. The Circle had agreed to release me from the mandate that I hand-fast to someone this year, or any other year. The decision to do so would be mine to make when, or if, I chose. Like Brecan had promised, I was now revered.

That, too, was jarring at times, though it wasn’t at all unpleasant.

Arron was increasingly enamored with Mira and made excuses to visit her House at every opportunity. He was shedding his nervousness like a too tight layer of skin. If she needed something, he volunteered before anyone in her House had the chance. He was a full-fledged resident of the House of Fate now, but was hardly ever there, thanks to his crush on my friend. I had the House mostly to myself… again.

Watching him pine over her was sweet.

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