Page 105 of When Wishes Bleed

Brecan glanced into the room from the hallway. I walked to him. “Mira is getting something ready for you to wear.” I nodded and thanked him, and then we headed to our rooms. “I don’t like this,” he finally admitted. “I have a bad feeling.”

“As do I.”

“Then why are you going?”

“To protect him.” It really was as simple as that. “Besides, it’s not him I’m worried about; it’s something else. I just can’t put my finger on it yet.”

Brecan paused outside my door. “I’ll wait here. Scream if you need me.”

I took in the splintered door frame, thankful he’d felt magic erupt from me earlier and came to help. “I will.” My eyes drifted to his lavender ones. “Thank you, Brecan.”

He pursed his lips together and inclined his head. I could tell he wanted to say more on the matter of leaving, but he wisely held his tongue.

I slipped into my room where Mira was waiting. She sat in a chair with a garment folded over her arms. “I don’t know if you’ll like it or not,” she said nervously, standing and clutching the fabric to her chest.

“I’m sure I will.”

She slowly unfolded it, revealing a gauzy, strapless dress that was black around the bust and waist, fading to deep teal around mid-thigh, lightening to a lighter shade around calf-length, and morphing to white at the bottom hem that grazed my bare ankles.

“It’s beautiful,” I marveled.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d like that it wasn’t all black.”

“It’ll look like I melted into the sea.”

She grinned, handing me the dress. “That’s what I envisioned.” When I gave her a bone-crushing hug and thanked her, she pulled back, surprised at the contact, but beamed. “I have the perfect sandals, too!”

I quickly changed and emerged from the washroom to find her ready with the shoes. They were made of white leather that had been stitched into a tangle of pale thorns. They wound around my foot to the ankle, and like everything she’d made, fit perfectly.

“What about my hair?”

She fingered a wavy strand. “It’s perfect the way it is.”

“Are you excited to visit the sea?” I asked.

Her eyes welled up. “I’ve seen it once, but it wasn’t enough. Besides, I wonder if I might be able to contact Bay through the power of the ocean.”

I hadn’t thought of that, but Mira was a genius. “Brecan might be able to reach Wayra, as well. The sea breeze should be strong.”

Mira’s eyes met mine as she gently gripped my elbows. “Let’s hope it’s strong enough.”

Brecan sat beside me in our carriage and Mira settled across from us. I glanced out the window as the road twisted and curved, watching the lead carriage ramble through the countryside. Estelle, Rose, and Tauren were inside, and the dark teal carriage was large enough that two cameramen traveled with them as well.

An unsettled feeling pricked at me. I would meet with Arron, Son of Night when I returned. Would he be able to tell me more about what was happening in The Gallows, or why the witches couldn’t break free of Cyril’s hold and exit the Center? The pentagram was the source of their power, but all witches could harness it; it shouldn’t bind them. Then again, it was where Ela had bound Cyril in the earth, and her connection to it was probably stronger than most.

Our carriage ambled through Sector One and we passed Rose’s house again. I couldn’t help but feel a stab of jealousy, even though I knew Tauren didn’t want to choose a wife at this point. Between what was happening in Thirteen and his father slowly dying, he had enough to worry about. But once we resolved the issue in The Gallows, and after King Lucius passed, Tauren would need someone to comfort him.

Rose would be there. She lived close to the palace anyway, and her life would meld seamlessly with Tauren’s. She’d practically been raised as royalty.

Through Sectors Two and Three, Brecan began to fidget.

Mira noticed and shot me a concerned glance.

We traveled a simple spiral through Four, Five, Six, Seven, and Eight, but the trip still took hours. I expected the long travel duration, but I didn’t anticipate the feelings that came with it. It felt like time wasted. We should be doing something to help our kind, not going to the beach to look for some ‘blessing’ from the sea. If Tauren found a nautilus shell it would either be a miracle, or it was planted beforehand.

Brecan sat on the edge of his seat through Nine.

“What’s the matter?” I finally asked.

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