Page 127 of When Wishes Bleed

It also made my chest hurt.

The morning of the Affinity Battle, Arron and I dressed in black pants and shirts. The two of us couldn’t fight with water, air, fire, or earth, but we had other tricks up our sleeves.

There were no rules, other than to gather as many crystals from the steps of the other Houses as possible – by any means possible, except for spiriting. No spiriting was allowed. That would be too easy, and the battle would be over as quickly as it began.

I tied my hair back and Arron bounced on the balls of his feet nervously, peering out the door in the direction of the House of Water. “I’m not a good loser, Sable. Do we need a plan?”

“A plan? There is an endless amount of possibilities to consider all the moves the other witches might throw at us.”

“What good is it being a fate diviner if you can’t cheat?” he teased.

Ignoring his taunt, I asked, “Is Mira ready?”

“Everyone is in the Center but us and Brecan’s House.”

That was odd. Brecan was always punctual, if not early.

I checked my reflection and walked outside with Arron. He seemed unusually antsy as his slitted eyes narrowed on our competition. We were vastly outnumbered, but had skills no natural witch possessed. “This will be intense.”

“But we’re going to win,” I vowed. “I never thought I’d have a chance to participate. We have to show them we’re equals.”

“So, no pressure?” he asked sarcastically.

I suddenly noticed he’d shaved off his midnight black hair. “I like your hair.”

He quirked a brow. “I didn’t want my vision to be obscured today.”

I stifled a laugh.

“What? This is a battle, right? Battles are fought to be won.”

“It’s only a game,” I advised with a grin. He could’ve tied it back or worn a hat, but the short hair suited him somehow. Mira certainly thought so. From across the lawn, she kept Arron trained in her sights. She’d smile or address whomever asked a question, but then her eyes inevitably drifted to him.

Ethne, Ivy, and Mira met in the Center. I searched for Brecan among the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found.

The witches gave their Priestesses the honor they deserved by quieting immediately. Ethne smiled. “Brecan is placing crystals on each step.” I turned to find him behind me, placing obsidian on the top step of the House of Fate.

His footsteps were silent as he rushed around the circle of houses placing the crystals, and then slipped through the crowd to join his counterparts.

“To your Houses!” Ethne announced.

Arron and I returned to our lawn and watched the other lawns fill with witches. The Air witches were the most populous, the lawn barely visible beneath their feet. The Fire witches looked like they were ready to do battle. They stared across the Center, their plan of attack probably running through their minds.

“So, do we have a plan?” Arron asked.

“Yep. Steal the crystals from the other Houses while guarding our own.”

“Inspiring, Guardian,” he smarted.

“Let the Affinity Battle begin!” roared Ethne. She threw her arm down and the battle began.

It was slow at first, each House tentative in their strikes. We were outnumbered, so the House of Fate couldn’t afford to be tentative. Arron poured his clouds into the Center as he ran toward the House of Fire. Brecan’s Air witches quickly used their affinity to form a funnel from Arron’s clouds, a second too soon. My cover blown, the Fire witches caught me on their step.

They realized I was there too late, though. I clutched their hematite stone in my palm and ran as fast as I could, but not before I felt the heat of a hundred flames on my back.

“Fate has the Fire stone!” Brecan yelled.

The stone shot out of my hand, flying into the sky and bursting into a thousand tiny cinders that rained down over the Center. The smell of burning wood filled the air and the lingering smoke hovering overhead formed the shape of a flame, sigil of the House of Fire.

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